Biography
Lifeguard deliver shards of inspired guitar noise atop the crash and bash of a hot-wired rhythm section as an indie rock trio from Chicago that draws on the classic texts of noise rock while folding in distinctive flavors of their own. Punk, no wave, noise rock, post-rock, and math rock all surface in their approach, yet the strength and precision of their attack, the energy of their performances, and the jagged tunefulness of their songs reveal a unique stylistic framework under construction. Following a handful of singles and EPs, the group reached wider recognition when Matador issued the EPs Crowd Can Talk and Dressed in Trenches together on one CD.
Lifeguard came together in Chicago in 2019 when bassist and vocalist Asher Case and drummer Isaac Lowenstein began rehearsing as a duo. Several months later they were recruited to serve as the rhythm section for another Chicago indie band, Horsegirl, at a local festival. Also on the bill was Dwaal Troupe, whose singer and guitarist Kai Slater struck up a conversation with Case and Lowenstein and soon agreed to join their project. The three adopted the name Lifeguard and began writing songs; their first recording, the four-song EP In Silence, appeared in February 2020. One month afterward they released the single “Tin Man,” cut in their basement and issued digitally, and in October they put out the nine-song LP Drive, tracked at Electrical Audio and initially available only on cassette. In August 2022 the independent Born Yesterday label released another cassette, the four-song EP Crowd Can Talk, again recorded by engineer Mike Lust at Electrical Audio. The EP drew strong notices, and the trio’s dynamic live shows generated further attention. In 2023 Matador Records signed the band, and that July they issued Crowd Can Talk/Dressed in Trenches, a nine-song collection that paired the earlier EP with a previously unreleased five-song set, also captured by Lust at Electrical Audio. The group hit the road in support, sharing bills with their friends in Horsegirl.
Lifeguard came together in Chicago in 2019 when bassist and vocalist Asher Case and drummer Isaac Lowenstein began rehearsing as a duo. Several months later they were recruited to serve as the rhythm section for another Chicago indie band, Horsegirl, at a local festival. Also on the bill was Dwaal Troupe, whose singer and guitarist Kai Slater struck up a conversation with Case and Lowenstein and soon agreed to join their project. The three adopted the name Lifeguard and began writing songs; their first recording, the four-song EP In Silence, appeared in February 2020. One month afterward they released the single “Tin Man,” cut in their basement and issued digitally, and in October they put out the nine-song LP Drive, tracked at Electrical Audio and initially available only on cassette. In August 2022 the independent Born Yesterday label released another cassette, the four-song EP Crowd Can Talk, again recorded by engineer Mike Lust at Electrical Audio. The EP drew strong notices, and the trio’s dynamic live shows generated further attention. In 2023 Matador Records signed the band, and that July they issued Crowd Can Talk/Dressed in Trenches, a nine-song collection that paired the earlier EP with a previously unreleased five-song set, also captured by Lust at Electrical Audio. The group hit the road in support, sharing bills with their friends in Horsegirl.
Albums
Deja Reve
2026
DE JA VU
2025
Ripped and Torn
2025
Dressed in Trenches
2023
Crowd Can Talk
2022
Receiver
2021
The Lifeguard EP
2016
Singles
