Chicago’s Friko Offers ‘Something Worth Waiting For’ On Sophomore Album
LAKEVIEW — On its sophomore release “Something Worth Waiting For,” indie rock band Friko captures the pandemonium of young adulthood in songs that swing between extremes like the city’s weather this spring.
“We put our all into this record, all four of us,” bassist David Fuller told Block Club. The Chicago quartet will release “Something Worth Waiting For” Friday and headline a sold-out show Saturday at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St. in Wrigleyville.
Friko makes earnest, energetic guitar-driven rock reminiscent of anthemic indie acts like Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire. “Choo Choo” is an ode to the calm that comes with the (relative) reliability of the CTA, especially in contrast to the self-determined chaos of touring. The song’s tempo lurches like stop-and-start traffic before erupting into a tambourine-filled dance groove.
Frontman Niko Kapetan sings “Wish I took the train today, wish I took it almost every day” like he’s singing the words for the first time. The chorus was written almost by instinct, he said.
“I just started singing ‘choo choo’ as a hook and thought that was funny,” Kapetan said. “But it felt right, and then we just leaned into it.”
The new album “Something Worth Waiting For” balances scrappy rockers like “Choo Choo” and the power-pop tune “Still Around” with songs like “Certainty,” a lush chamber pop ballad. Kapetan sings about an emotionally charged reunion at a lake up north, and his voice stretches and breaks over dramatic string swells arranged by Jherek Bischoff, formerly of art-rock group Xiu Xiu.
The band’s 2024 debut “Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here” earned rave reviews and international attention for the duo of Kapetan and drummer Bailey Minzenberger, former classmates at Evanston Township High School. The band wrote and refined 15 new songs while on tour supporting their first album.
“Once you play songs live and you get to spend enough time with them, they really start to take shape, they can start to sit in your body a little bit more,” Minzenberger said. “They’re less conceptual at that point. They start to have a life of their own.”
Friko also expanded to a quartet with bassist Fuller and guitarist Korgan Robb since the band’s debut.
“The big difference was having David and Korgan along, having new members, writing new parts, and that was exciting,” Kapetan said.
The band recorded “Something Worth Waiting For” in two weeks of sessions with renowned rock producer John Congleton. His extensive experience helped them turn 15 demos into nine lavishly produced songs even under deadline.
“He said at the very beginning, ‘Every record somehow magically finishes in time,’” Robb said. “We knew that if we were wasting time, he would let us know.”
The members of Friko have stayed connected to the rock scene in Chicago despite being away for weeks on tour. Robb is currently producing an album with post-rock trio Daundry, while Kapetan played a solo set at the Empty Bottle on Easter Sunday in support of Red Xerox, a compilation of young Chicago bands that features Friko alongside peers like Horsegirl, Lifeguard and Free Range.
Friko has also made fans decades their senior. When the band was on tour last summer and their Salt Shed show was delayed due to stormy weather, headliners Modest Mouse and the Flaming Lips shortened their sets to allow their opening act time for a few songs.
“It really meant a lot to us, because it was the hometown show, you know?” Kapetan said. “And they definitely did not have to do that, and they did it anyway. It was really kind.”
The band’s hometown reputation continues to grow. Last month, Friko played WXRT’s Cubs Opening Day event at Yak-Zies in Wrigleyville, thanks to the influence of mainstay DJs Terri Hemmert and Marty Lennartz. Metro owner Joe Shanahan offered up the venue’s stage for a pre-tour rehearsal, and the band is grateful to return to the legendary venue Saturday to celebrate their new album with a sold-out show.
Saturday’s show kicks off a new tour for Friko as they head to other Midwest shows for a few weeks. At the end of July they head to Japan before touring Europe. They’ll play more shows in North America this fall.
How have they cultivated such support?
“I feel like you just be yourself and be nice to people in general,” Kapetan said. “There’s no other special sauce.”