Appearing: 5/19 at the Vic Theatre (3149 N. Sheffield) in Chicago.
“This band grew out of friendships,” says Liela Moss. “I don’t see that happening.”
Moss fronts The Duke Spirit, one of these shit-hot, media-darling bands from the U.K. But already in her young career, she finds herself addressing breakup rumors, that in a matter of time she will fly solo and go the way of Janis Joplin and Gwen Stefani — leaving her male bandmates in the dust. “It is not like we are clamoring around the photographer and we all need to get our face in there,” she says. “We came from several years of friendships — at least with most of us — and there is mutual respect in this band. We all want to keep making records and keep doing this.”
Alejandro Escovedo
Fighting Chance
Gomez
Bringing It All Back Home
The moniker Gomez has always been a cause for mystery. As the band is from Southport, England and not one of its members — Ian Ball (guitar/vocals), Paul Blackburn (bass/keys/vocals), Ben Ottewell (guitar/vocals), Tom Gray (guitar/vocals), or Olly Peacock (drums) — is, noticeably, named Gomez, it’s a quandary that comes up with some frequency. The answer is as follows: At one of its first shows, the as-yet-unnamed band hung a sign outside the club to direct a friend (Gomez, natch) to the gig. People coming to see the show mistook the sign to be the band name. The band went with the flow.
Appearing: 5/11 at the Vic Theatre (3149 N. Sheffield) in Chicago.
Rising Tide
Chicago’s hip-hop has blown up, but will indie stalwarts benefit?
It’s been quite some time since Chicago hip-hop has received this much attention from the record industry and the rest of the country. After years of being lost in the middle of the three coasts, the heart of the Midwest is finally seeing more than just one of its artists in the spotlight. Many claim this is all due to the golden touch of Grammy-winning, super producer/MC Kanye West; others say it’s just, “our time.”
Hello, My Name Is Patrick
Q&A with Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump
IE: We last talked to you guys before From Under The Cork Tree came out, and we heard Fall Out Boy have done pretty well. When do the solo albums come out?
Patrick Stump: I know you’re joking, but I’ve gotten that question seriously before, or they’ll ask us who we want to collaborate with, and it’s like, ‘I don’t know. There’s four of us . . . I kind of like playing with these dudes.’ There’s Juelz Santana, Ne-Yo. He’s writing some stuff right now. We could all get together and have a pow-wow.
“I was eight-years-old and a camper at summer camp. The counselor was listening to Shout At The Devil, and that’s where it started,” Mike Mourning says, describing his introduction to Mötley Crüe. The 29-year-old Kenosha, WI resident, whose back is one big Crüe tattoo, was just one of the diehards who made the pilgrimage to Pop’s in Roselle April 15th for Crüefest Chicagö and celebrated all things Mötley.
Capote
Sony Pictures Classic
“He’s so good, man.” – Muddy Waters talking about Otis Rush in Robert Palmer’s Deep Blues.
At UP ON THE ROOF RECORDING in Lombard, owner/engineer Mark Blas recorded and mixed tracks for reggaeton artist/producer Wil Diaz . . . Blas also tracked the second album for blues locals Mitch & The Polecats.
Tags:Monthly StudiophileJazz singing is like pornography, in that you know it when you hear it,” quips local singer Kurt Elling during a conversation with Al Jarreau and Ramsey Lewis on an episode of the new weekly TV series, “Legends Of Jazz.”
“It’s urban Latino chic, something that’s really cool,” says Michael Ramos, when asked to define the electronic/Latin folk/rock melting pot that is Charanga Cakewalk. Originally a studio project that bloomed into a full-fledged act comprising Ramos and any guest musicians he decides to invite, Charanga Cakewalk represents the musical evolution of the musician’s life. Growing up in a small farming town near Houston, Ramos absorbed both the ’70s hard rock of ELO and Ted Nugent as well as the Tejano, cumbia, and ranchera his parents favored. “I’d listen to the radio all day long,” says Ramos. Although he was steeped in Texas’ Mexican-American culture, he felt pressure to focus on the hard rock his friends listened to and ignore the Latin rhythms that swirled around his home.
The dark melody on Angel Eyes‘ Something To Do With Death is carried by smooth electric guitars and wavy samples, then sporadically shifts into pounding drums and metal sequences coupled with screaming vocals. Despite the songs being too long (four tracks/50 minutes total), the sporadic changes in tempo and moving from instrumental gloom-heavy rock to screamo metal provide enough modification and depth to stay interesting. (www.myspace.com/angeleyes)
– Jill Haverkamp
Click here to return to page 1.
The Osaka Orangeade Concern play melodic and dynamic indie rock that recalls The Wedding Present, Silkworm, and Fugazi. They are raw enough to be real but skilled enough to be mostly listenable, which is not always the case with this stuff. Check out “What Would Wilco Do?” and “If You Wanted A Quarter, Why Didn’t You Ask?” So many questions. (www.myspace.com/osakaorangeadeconcern)
– Mike O’Cull
The herky-jerky classic punk of Pedestrians is hard to resist on Future Shock. And if you’re able to make out lead vocalist Jordan’s words, you’ll find some arresting messages as well. Take the pensive “Murder In The City,” in which he examines people’s blatant disregard for the lives lost to homicide. While sonically fun, this is heavy listening that is quintessentially punk. (www.criminaliq.com)
– Max Herman
Brad Peterson returns with his first album since the mid-’90s dissolution of his indie pop band Peat Moss. The Red Album features the same warm vocals and melodic sweetness that brought success to his former band. His wide-ranging vocals linger over energetic, hook-filled power pop and alt-country tunes with back-up duties filled by tight percussion, choppy guitars, and subtle piano. (www.bradpeterson.com)
– Jill Haverkamp
Generally we would say guest spots on hip-hop records are tired and distracting. For Quesne’s The Quesne Mutiny, though, we would probably recommend more. That’s because the only thing here that gains any steam is “Murderous Materal,” and that’s only because of appearances by Thaharddude and Dynamite. The other 13 tracks all suffer from the same problems: run-of-the-mill production and Quesne’s blah rhyming. (www.quesnemusic.com)
– Trevor Fisher
The Reptoids‘ new EP, Park A Tiger, retains the riot grrrl energy of their previous, self-titled release, but channels it into better written songs. Guitarists/vocalists Kay Oh and Melissa lead the charge through the various tempo changes of “9 Times” and bassist Ari Joffee fuels the high speed “F.U.” and “Crimes Against Humanity.” (www.reptoids.net)
– Terrence Flamm
There’s nothing wrong with Alan Robert’s new EP, but at the same time there’s nothing especially memorable, either. All three cuts – “TV Or Radio,” “Tell The Moon,” and “Hallebaloo” – blend upbeat guitar with skillful vocals, yet are uniformly missing worthwhile themes. All in all, it’s a soulful-sounding rock performance that strangely lacks soul. (www.myspace.com/alanrobert)
– Jeff Berkwits
Originally named Pulse, the trio comprising Sarmass play a mellow, soothing brand of blues-infused rock. The clean, crisp lead guitar is the standout feature on their four-song demo. Chugging riffs and slick keyboards combined with radio-friendly pop hooks and driving rhythms give these songs a lively punch. (www.myspace.com/sarmass)
– Patrick Conlan
Mixing folk, alt-country, and moody alternative rock isn’t all too common a combination, but Kristin Shout And Smoking Kitten try throughout Thorny Devil. While the disc doesn’t always deliver the most appealing output, the efforts are gallant, especially on “The Rise And Fall Of Casper Jones” and “Dimanche.” Throughout both, Shout and company run the comparison charts from Neil Young to Jewel to Lucinda Williams. (www.kristinshout.com)
– Andy Argyrakis
We don’t know what it is about Chicago that produces so much insurgent country, but when it comes to bands like The Siderunners, we aren’t complaining. The group execute harmonies and mold melodies with ease and swing their shuffling honky tonk numbers with a bristly rock attitude. Ain’t Inventin’ The Wheel is a fitting title; tales of drinkin’ (”Countin’ Threes), dyin’ (”Deep Enough”), and cryin’ (”Walking Papers”) are standard country fare, but why start moaning about it now? (www.siderunners.com)
– Trevor Fisher
Romantic melodrama drives the vibe on Lost Dreams, a six-song CD from singer-songwriter James Stauber. Czech Republic-born Stauber croons about love’s perils and climaxes over layers of acoustic guitar on tracks with overly serious names such as “To Love Is To Suffer” and “My Heaven To You.” “First To Last,” a slow-burning seduction, nearly solicits unintentional laughs with lyrics such as: “Finally my lips touch there/The place where you lose yourself/My tongue will pave the way for/My key to your treasure chest.” (www.jamesstauber.com)
– Jason Scales
Originally a side project for singer Dave Suh to showcase his Brit-pop influence, The Assembly is in the gamete stages of being one more musical entity for Chicagoans to be damn proud of reminding others “They’re from Chicago.” Commencement, the little CD that will has five songs, all of which are radio-ready sing-alongs with potential cult-like followings; think “Mr. Brightside” circa spring/summer 2005. (www.myspace.com/theassemblyband)
– Angie Maldonado
Three On The Tree’s Dust in the Water aptly opens with the sound of a guitar plugging into an amp and a quick drum roll flourish before the first of 12 tasty rock/pop-infused C&W-flavored tunes. While perhaps not as immediately arresting as 2003’s Main Street In A Foreign Land, the solid playing and well-crafted songs continually pull the listener in until getting firmly hooked by mid-CD cuts “Flatbed Mary” and “Paid To Play.” Truly a band of musicians’ musicians, the CD’s penultimate and standout cut, “Two Glass Eyes,” could make even Glenn Frey and Don Henley’s ears ring with envy. (www.threeonthetree.net)
– David C. Eldredge
VX are at their best on the three catchy techno songs that open Sleep. From there on, the keyboard player opens each track with a barrage of effects that only serve as a distraction. The speedy “Vacant” in particular, would have been much stronger without all the synthesized hoopla. (www.vxmusic.com)
– Terrence Flamm
Over the past year or so, it became increasingly clear Chicago, without question, is a hot spot for this new wave-of-’80s-inspired dance rock. With post-punk-style guitars, ominous, yet sexy female vocals, and dance-friendly beats, the Walking Bicycles‘ six-song, self-titled EP has everything one could want for those who always knew that love would, indeed, tear us apart, again. (www.walkingbicycles.com)
– Dean Ramos
Wookie Hangover, a band who refer to themselves as “four dumbass dudes from the North side of Chicago,” scream and swear through 14 tracks of lyrical tomfoolery and speed metal on If You Can’t Beat ‘Em . . . Join ‘Em, Then Beat ‘Em. The track names should give you a clue to the music (”Hopped Up On Goofballs,” “M.I.L.F.,” “Rudy’s Puddin’ Pops”) – marginally funny, but highly uncreative and un-musical. It does have the potential to be a frat party fave, but only after the third keg has been tapped. (www.myspace.com/wookiehangover)
– Carter Moss
Tommi Zender’s music can be cloying at times, but for the most part, his acoustic-based songs on Will Work For Harmony are entertaining. “Summer Vacation” mixes creative imagery with a delicate melody, and “Home At Last” exudes an amiable coffeehouse atmosphere. The satirical bite of “BYOH” makes amends for the overly sweet “Cinnamon Apple Cider.” (www.tommizender.com)
– Terrence Flamm
