Recent Articles
Speer’s head
The big tell on D. Charles Speer & The Helix‘s Leaving The Commonwealth (Thrill Jockey) is its combination of rusticity and variety. The music’s not necessarily indicative of New York, but they sure don’t do this in the South anymore.
A who’s who
By 1980, you needed to keep Major League Baseball’s official scorer’s guide to keep track of who was and wasn’t in UFO. Long associated with former guitarist Michael Schenker (whose main group, MSG, is also an anagram), it’s time to sort this out.
Twilight Singers live!
On record, Greg Dulli’s Twilight Singers operation can come across slightly docile at times, the group’s slow-building and subtle approach allowing for the mistaken impression of a sleepier production.
Bob Seger live!
Bob Seger recently turned 66, and readily admits he doesn’t like touring. With his hair and beard four-and-a-half-years greyer since the last road trip, and with his “newest” album released in 2006, one could expect a slower-paced, toned-down show. That didn’t happen.
The Dredg report
This much has always been known about Dredg: the band has long resisted the shackles ready to be attached to it. The phonetic spelling suggests nu-metal, use of interludes and segues exposes classical/art-rock tendencies, and Gavin Hayes’ vocal wanderings push the prog ends of emo. But few would have predicted what it has become. Its […]
Frosted Blake
Out of the bedroom and into the fire: the fact James Blake has chosen to tour America either speaks to a fealty to public demand or an actual need for cash, because otherwise it’s completely counterintuitive.
Neil Young live!
Neil Young strolled onto the stage at the Chicago Theatre on Friday night as casually as a man entering a friend’s living room. He patiently surveyed the sparse surroundings, almost as if he was taking inventory for his two-night residency. But, as soon as he slipped on an acoustic guitar, he was all business.
Fried as a Berger
When sibling duo The Fiery Furnaces first popped up a decade ago, local writers would automatically mention that though they were based in Brooklyn, they were originally from Oak Park. Not Chicago, or Chicagoland.
Not your typography
You might notice a stubbornness in your IE, an inflexibility when it comes to how we present a band or artist’s name in print. We don’t bother with specific punctuation, unconventional capitalizing, or extraneous mother-effing ümläüts.
Alter Bridge live!
Myles Kennedy is a rock star, but doesn’t seem to know it yet. Alter Bridge rose from the ashes of Creed in 2004 after the embattled Scott Stapp nearly self-destructed and turned the band from one of the most-loved to most-hated acts around. Mark Tremonti and bandmates were committed to keep making music,
Cover Story: Urge Overkill
submURGEd Irony died for a short time after the September 11th attacks, but instead of retro-blossoming into widespread sincerity, we now live in an age of open mockery free from metaphorical disguise. Lady Gaga, Kanye West, and Charlie Sheen walk the media landscape rebelling not without a cause, but against the old order: lampooning the […]
Interview: Adele
Target On Her Back As of this writing, 21 — the sophomore set from bluesy British belter Adele — has just gone platinum, and is currently sitting pretty at the pinnacle of Billboard’s album chart.
Interview: The Airborne Toxic Event
Once In A Lifetime Mikel Jollett is a little stunned, frankly. He and Airborne Toxic Event have just exited the stage of King’s College in London, where they were playing an intense set devoted to the songs they will release commercially in less than a week. What better time to discuss it all with a […]
Interview: Cake
On With The Showroom Sometimes taking time off between albums is the perfect recipe for a creative rebirth and commercial resurgence. Such was the case for Cake, who may have scored a string of eclectic singles from 1994 to 2004 (“Rock ‘N’ Roll Lifestyle,” “The Distance,” “Never There,” “Short Skirt/Long Jacket,” “No Phone”),
May days! May days!
Naturally we want you to read all about the new issue, but, most of our featured artists play Chicago later in the month. The first seven days of May, however, are packed with great shows. Click on to find out more.
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