Community College photo by Bradford Krieger

Community College‘s John Margaris is a musician that understands the beauty in small gestures. Nothing particularly drastic or sonically explosive happens within his band’s short, but never slight, and often ramshackle indie rock songs, but the cumulative effect of listening to several definitely leaves bruises. Roughly slowcore in nature, it seems easy to consider them as an earthier and slightly more grounded foil to the cosmic and sparser tunes he kicks up on bass with Horse Jumper Of Love (Community College also mirrors Horse Jumper in that Dimitri Giannopoulos plays bass), but Comco (as they’re lovingly shortened to) has an inspired instrumental alchemy all their own free from any association. Often jaggedly bashing on the downbeat, the band, which also features John’s brother Dan on drums, moves at a pace that feels distinctly unique. What sounds almost wobbly and knobby-kneed at first brush reveals its strengths and assuredness over repeated listens, like an older car that takes a little bit of highway driving to kick into gear. Margaris’ lyrics however need no sort of primer. Both wickedly funny and self-incisive in equal measure, he has a way of drawing tension and heartfelt drama out of plainspoken retellings of the monotony in life. Alcohol fuels both the good times and the despair throughout Shmomco, his second LP under the Community College banner in such a way that it becomes a sort of character in a sort of play about his life. Community college are at their best here when they stretch out and try new things. The jaunty pianos of early single “Walking Man” recall Elliot Smith in his LA period as Margaris’ frets over the possibility of his friends drunk driving while he rides the T after hitting the bar, while the fuzz-heavy “Nevin” goes heavier than ever before with burly riffs and alcoholism anxities to match. Ending on a more esoteric note, the seasonal “Christmas” repurposes holiday cheer via an old xmas melody while Margaris wonders aloud about working conditions on the North Pole.

Shmomco feels like an enormous step forward for Community College and we here at Allston Pudding are excited to have it streaming a few days early, so hit the stream below.