2006 Year End Survey | Team Band

Team Band wins the award for the survey contributor furthest from Vermont. Hailing from Chicago, they are America's answer to Art Brut with their self-aware brand of pop punk and love for SwedePop covers.

For those in the city of broad shoulders, Team Band will be at Beat Kitchen on Jan. 25th. You can download their EP from their site by clicking on Audio.

Guitarist Chad Belfour sent over his top choices for 2006.

1) What was your favorite song of 2006?

- I am very tempted to say "Team Band Fight Song", but it might be a three-way tie between it, "Mr. Tough" by YLT, and "Dirty Money" by Clipse. I just got that Clipse record and that song is stuck in my head.

2) What was your favorite album of 2006?

- I liked the Camera Obscura, Yo La Tengo, Tokyo Police Club, and Clipse albums. Does that get me my Pitchfork Club card? So much time was spent on Team Band this year, that I worry I missed some good records. I'm going to have to catch up.

3) What was your favorite concert of 2006?

- I saw some great shows this year!

Art Brut at the Empty Bottle the night before the Pitchfork Festival was great. The energy level was amazing and Team Band was referred to many, many times. The Bruts are great.

Depsite the heat, I really enjoyed some sets at the Pitchfork Festival, particularly Liars, Art Brut, and Jens Lekman. Jens Lekman is simply amazing, although he is quite odd, and I unfortunately was part of a very awkward conversation between Jens and Eddie Argos. Just thinking about it makes me grimace.

Seeing Scratch Acid play at the Touch and Go 25th Anniversary Block Party was thrilling. What a tremendously under-rated band! Odd story: when I was in high school my fledgling rock band opened for our bass player's older brother's band, in which played Brett from Scratch Acid. I had no idea at the time how cool that was.

Of course, Team Band played some amazing shows!

4) What was your favorite thing about 2006?

1. Not the World Cup
2. Starting Team Band

5) What are your best wishes for 2007?

I'll spare you any platitudes and clichés and just say that my number one wish for 2007 is that my next daughter sleeps a lot better than her big sister did when she was an infant. I'll update you after she is born in April!

Oh, and that people hear Team Band! I might trade that for sleep, but I'm not sure.

Team Band | Julie (Jens Lekman cover)
Team Band | Team Band Fight Song | Get
Yo La Tengo | Mr. Tough | Buy

Here's a video of Team Band doing a cover of Jens Lekman's "You Are the Light":