Gross Ghost

Born of hangovers that followed booze-filled house shows, Carrboro's Gross Ghost is the appropriately sloppy result which, fittingly, took a couple false starts to get moving. Mike Dillon—veteran of a multitude of Triangle acts, including atmospheric roots troupe Old Bricks, hip-hop tinged electronica indie unit Motor Skills and defunct disco-punk trio Spader—befriended Tre Acklen while co-hosting those parties. Dillon soon decided to form a band with Acklen, whom he dubbed "a real gross ghost" due to Acklen's habit of skulking about the house in the wee hours of the morning in search of food.

The duo's early efforts were often abrasive, noisy affairs, with jarring feedback and lyrical fragments obscuring melody. Dillon and Acklen went through intermittent dry spells and productive spurts, as Gross Ghost transformed into a more song-oriented project. Though still positively lo-fi, Gross Ghost—now a trio—has cleaned up its act considerably since releasing its debut full-length, Miggaz, in 2009. A subsequent pair of EPs released this past winter finds the band's warped indie pop nuggets receiving gentler treatment, drenched in reverb and radiating a soft, warm glow.

Filled more often with guitar jangles than jagged shards, the relaxed arrangements allow room for the brilliance of guitarist Dillon and bassist Acklen's more fully developed songwriting. At times, the sunny, retro vibes and cloudy production even recall fellow locals The Love Language, whose frontman Stuart McLamb is Dillon's buddy and former roommate. It's hardly imitation; instead, Gross Ghost's fleeting flights with harsh noise, punk stammers and gleaming pop classicism result in a unique, off-center brand all its own. —Spencer Griffith