Archive for June, 2009
Ha Ha Tonka reviewed
Novel Sounds Of The Nouveau South (Bloodshot) Catfish Haven and Ha Ha Tonka — both horribly named and with local ties — are destroying the notion that Missouri — and its horribly named locales from which the bands take their names — is full of Bud-swilling, Nickelback-blasting, NASCAR mooks. Appearing: Monday, June 15th at Schubas in Chicago.
The Legacy Of 1959
Dave Brubeck Quartet | Miles Davis | Charles Mingus Time Out | Sketches Of Spain | Mingus Ah Um (Columbia/Legacy) For its 2009 thesis, the Legacy reissue arm of Sony Music contends 1959 was jazz’s greatest year. While Miles Davis’ Kind Of Blue would establish that for any jazz novice, the label tosses three other […]
Gogol Bordello live!
Congress Theater, Chicago Sunday, May 31, 2009 Spectacle comes second nature to the New York-by-way-of-Eastern-Europe collective known as Gogol Bordello. Whether it’s mustachioed, red-wine-swigging frontman Eugene Hutz dizzily stalking the stage like a deranged Lord Of The Dance (donning a sequined sombrero no less), violinist Sergey Ryabtsev making a case for landing a part […]
Koko Taylor, 80
Queen Of The Blues dies in Chicago The Chicago Tribune is reporting that blues dynamo Koko Taylor has died at Northwestern Memorial while recovering from surgery on a gastrointestinal bleed after what was believed to be a successful procedure. She was one of the few women in the male-dominated Chicago blues world of the ’60s […]
Cover Story: Aerosmith
Back To The Edge For one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most treasured groups of “bad boys,” Aerosmith haven’t done much rockin’ or rollin’ lately. The mechanics of mobilizing their aging machine have proven more difficult than imagined, as age, health, and stop/start productivity have given the band fits. The marketing arm has no problem functioning […]
Mr. Lif interview
Neighborhood Watch When speaking with seasoned indie MC Mr. Lif , it’s surprising to hear that he hasn’t been keeping up with the news. After all, this Boston-bred artist, born Jeffrey Haynes, has been best recognized for the vigilance and yen for social justice within his well-crafted raps. What he has done best with songs […]
The Veils interview
The End Is The Beginning At home in London, Finn Andrews sounds anything but comfortable. The Veils’ driving force says he’s perched on a stool, but in truth it sounds as if he’s upstairs in a closet with the lights off, clutching his cell phone so closely his voice sounds muffled. Appearing: Thursday, July 23rd […]
Jon Troast interview
Household Name Having the stamina to perform a hundred shows in a hundred days is a tricky task in and of itself, but finding a competent booking agent to line up that many back-to-back gigs for an indie artist is even more of a long shot. Lake Geneva-based singer/songwriter Jon Troast has plenty of energy […]
Yeah Yeah Yeahs live
Aragon, Chicago Tuesday, May 26, 2009 A common concern with success is whether someone gets too big too quickly. In Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ case, they went from a venue the size of the Riviera (where this show was originally booked) to the Aragon in a matter of weeks. No wonder frontwoman Karen O. didn’t know […]
Testament live
House Of Blues, Chicago Friday, May 15, 2009 Contrary to what you’ve heard, a classic, Bay-Area thrash-metal band released one of the finest albums of its career in 2008, marked by a return to form, crisp production, and an ability to capture what made the band great in the first place.
Fall Out Boy do ‘Soundstage’
Soundstage, Chicago Tuesday, May 12, 2009 When Death Cab For Cutie hit PBS’ “Soundstage” program last month, it proved a sensible pairing. Coming out of their time as acclaimed indie darlings, the group has grown into a band that seems practically designed for a sensible setting like “Soundstage,” all traces of college rock replaced by […]
St. Vincent preview
Metro, Chicago Sunday, June 7, 2009 The first time IE came across St. Vincent (Annie Clark), she was by herself opening for John Vanderslice. Armed with a guitar and laptop, she came across as if she could have been the twee-est possible member of the old Grand Royal Records, Luscious Jackson’s introverted-bordering-on-autistic stepsister.
Apostle Of Hustle preview
Empty Bottle, Chicago Sunday, June 7, 2009 Broken Social Scene’s Andrew Whiteman’s surname creates no expectations and thereby gives him total freedom to work in ethnic textures. Despite the damage he could do, however, the Whiteman wisely sticks to what he knows on the new Eats Darkness (Arts & Crafts). Though highly skilled, his tastes […]
Dexateens reviewed
Singlewide (Skybucket) Southern music frequently treats poverty with a kind of patriotism, framing hardship as a speedbump on the way to better things or a loving sacrifice for children, etc. When it’s not, it’s a stock reason for getting drunk. Spurred on by their fans in Drive-By Truckers, Dexateens mix in some Stonesy rock to […]
Scott Herren’s springtime avalanche
Savath Y Savalas | Diamond Watch Wrists La Llama | Ice Capped At Both Ends (Stones Throw | Warp) Guillermo Scott Herren (not the activist poet Gil Scott-Heron) has never been shy to record as much as he wants, using as many aliases as he needs. But 2009 has been unprecedented. On April 14th, he […]
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