CHIMES’ Debut LP Pile of Parts Is Worth the Wait

Mike Magarelli and CHIMES launch an inspired Dark Wave resurrection with debut album PILE OF PARTS. 

Back on September 23, 2023, I was covering Modern English live at the Radio Room in Greenville, SC. I was there to see them primarily and really wasn’t aware of who was opening. I always cover the opening bands in my reviews though, so I definitely was going to check out whomever it was. As Chimes began to play their opening set, a vibe not unlike a cool wind on a late autumn night emanated from the stage and enveloped the crowd in melancholy embrace. It was an embrace that wasn’t sad, or sorrowful, but coolly affecting. It’s the kind of vibe that bands like The Cure, The Twilight Sad, early Jesus and Mary Chain, and other goth and Dark Wave bands of a similar sound are masters of. Chimes’ performance that night won me over, ended too soon, and left me wanting to hear more. Finally after a year and a half, the LP Chimes’ lead singer/guitarist Mike Magarelli promised was coming soon is now here.

A.A. Williams Solstice

 

A student of mine recently asked me, "How do you know about so many bands?!" Besides the fact that I have 3 decades of listening to music on him, I explained that one of the best ways to discover new bands is to pay attention to any smaller, locally and independently run, music venue near you. These locations are where the best new musicians and bands often make their tour debuts. For me, that local venue is The Radio Room. I've discovered many bands that I've taken a serious liking to by either checking them out live there or looking up their music on various streaming platforms. A.A. Williams is one of those artists that I discovered this way. Although I couldn't make the show The Radio Room sponsored due to scheduling conflicts, I looked up her music and listened to her debut album, Forever Blue (2020). Her follow up album, As the Moon Rests (2022) solidified me as a fan of her music, and made me deeply regretful I missed seeing her live. With her 2026 release, Solstice, Williams continues to deepen and expand her sound. A sound that amalgamates alt-rock, goth rock, doom metal, and post-classical and transcends many of her fellow musicians' compositions working with similar post-modern modes and genres.