story by Trish Bendix
photo by Shane Sherman

I Love You But I’ve Chosen Darkness was born into the thriving musical landscape of Austin, Texas, a product of former local bands Glorium, Windsor for the Derby, Salute the Curse, and Paul Newman. Today they have found their place rivaling local buddies …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead for the longest name of a superb musical outfit.

The underground popularity surrounding a band that has only released one EP and is going on a second tour (coming to Chicago for the first time,) has a lot to do with the ironic pop sound ILYBICD concocts. "We have some pop structures," says singer/guitarist Christian Goyer. "The songs are kind of, whatever you want to call it, a little darker, yet real upbeat and danceable. Hopefully you can sing along with the vocals and there are memorable hooks and whatever. We make an effort to have songs be somewhat popular."

ILYBICD released a self-titled EP in 2003, produced by Spoon singer/songwriter Brit Daniel, a five-song CD that gave listeners a taste of the gloom-pop orchestrations. But ILYBICD are still in limbo with record labels to release their debut album. "We have a 12-inch coming out in February," Goyer says. "We’re recording right now but we’re waiting for the right situation."

GOYER'S INNER VIEW "Shit, not only do I not [know why dance music is back in fashion], I can’t speculate that I even care."

Goyer admits he likes to work with Austin-based musicians and producers because the city makes the process of creating music so accessible. "I think it makes it much easier to get things done, even in just starting a band," says Goyer of living in Austin.
"There is a shit load of musicians here and once you have a band, there are so many good clubs to play.

People go to shows here, there are a lot of college kids and a legitimate music crowd. It sure beats being in some small town in Oklahoma."

ILYBICD played Austin's South by Southwest for two years and plan on playing the festival — which is famous for giving a lot of press and praise to new bands — again this year. "We played at a church with some '80s band [last year]," says Goyer. "I have no idea who we’re playing with this year. It’s totally out of our hands. Last year, it was a bummer because in the place we played, we were glad people came and took interest, but people who were planning on coming to see us couldn’t get in."

Goyer says the band has been "sidetracked" with worrying about the label situation as well as "personal issues," but now are preparing for their tour. "We’ve played some West Coast shows in San Diego, L.A., San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle,"
Goyer says. "Right now we’re not really interested in playing every little nook and cranny."

And while ILYBICD personifies their darkness with danceable beats, Goyer maintains he doesn't want anything to do with the rest of the new wave revival.
"Shit, not only do I not [know why dance music is back in fashion]," he says, "I can’t speculate that I even care."

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness :: with L'Altra ::
Empty Bottle :: February 19.