'Cripple King,' the debut EP from Chicago fivesome (plus or minus a member, depending on when you catch its lineup), was recorded throughout the winter of 2009/10 in each others' kitchens and hallways, during sporadic off-times from touring the Midwest. The band used everything from laptops to untuned pianos to space-heaters to create a vast, textural space; a home for songs with humble roots. 'Cripple King' is an odd labor of love for Chaperone, as it already feels like old news for a band extremely excited about the music they're now discovering in their current live incarnation. But the core of Chaperone, past and present, is the same: low-fi, "pop-Americana" spurred by urgency and grit.
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