Secnd Best

**Secnd Best** is a Chicago-based indie rock trio known for their raw, energetic sound that blends garage rock grit with post-punk urgency. Formed in 2018 around frontperson Jake Lenderman’s scrappy guitar work and wry lyricism, the band (rounded out by bassist Mara Connor and drummer Eli Sanchez) built a reputation through DIY house shows and a relentless Midwest touring schedule, sharing stages with acts like The Worn Flints. Their discography, including the gnarly 2021 live session *Live at Irican Productions* and the sardonic 2023 anthem *Fact.*, leans into lo-fi textures and sardonic social commentary, while 2024’s *World Communicators of Worship* hints at darker, more experimental ambitions.

With releases like the twitchy *No Indigo* EP (2022) and the slyly titled *Teach ‘Em to Purr* (2023), Secnd Best carves out a niche for unpolished authenticity, favoring sweat-drenched basement gigs over studio polish. Their evolving sound—equal parts nervous energy and deadpan Midwest wit—keeps them lodged in the “best band you’ve never heard of” conversation, championed by dive bar regulars and indie blog diehards alike.