Track Premiere: The Conformists' 'Mr. Biron'

St. Louis, Missouri’s The Conformists return in 2024 with their fifth long-player and first record since 2016’s Divorce.

Midwestless will be released on April 5 via Computer Students™. The album will be available on LP (Standard and Deluxe Editions), and digitally.

Recorded by Steve Albini at Electrical Audio and mastered and cut by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service, exclusive to Sun 13, listen to Midwestless’ penultimate track, Mr. Biron, below.

Speaking of Mr. Biron, the band comment:

“So here it is: you are not getting on this flight, understand? A surname is sacred and your bank account will prove it. You’ll start with drums, lonesome drums. Next is listening to your bandmates with one ear and one ear only. About a minute into it you can use both ears, that’s fine- all together now. Wait, now both ears off. Ignore your bandmate! You don’t need a delay pedal, just fake-play like it. Now here comes the Disappointment Sound (drums, you stay quiet for this). The end is in the pocket, but the pocket has holes and you WILL lose your keys.”

Formed in November of 1996 deep within a basement bedroom somewhere between the corn fields and strip malls of Southern Illinois, The Conformists began as four teenagers with a desire to create Ugly Rock Music.

Eventually, they grew up and now dabble in moments which could even be described as quite beautiful and melodic. Elsewhere, elements of insistent repetition with an initial appearance of stasis reveal — with multiple listens — intricate details under the surface.