Recent Articles
The Pretenders live!
The Pretenders Riviera Theatre, Chicago Sunday, February 15, 2009 Most of the names and faces may have changed, but the one constant in The Pretenders is Chrissie Hynde, the rugged frontwoman who first cut her teeth on the late-’70s punk/early-’80s new wave circuits. Though those sounds categorized much of the band’s offerings up through the […]
Antony & The Johnsons live!
Antony & The Johnsons Vic Theatre, Chicago Thursday, February 12, 2009 Antony Hegarty learned quickly that levity is a key ingredient to making his concerts enjoyable. While his operatic quiver has the power to decimate an audience — but, hanging on his vibrato, the weight of his compositions is liable to suffocate. He creates an […]
Anni Rossi preview
Anni Rossi Empty Bottle, Chicago Friday, February 20, 2009 You have to wonder if her label, the venerable 4AD, knew Anni Rossi would be buried under Joanna Newsom comparisons. It’s hard to ignore the familiarities, despite some rather fundamental dissimilarities.
David Vandervelde preview
David Vandervelde Schubas, Chicago Saturday, February 21, 2009 In a storybook world, David Vandervelde’s Chicago-to-Brooklyn-to-Nashville wanderlust would make him the ideal Dylanite troubadour. Sprung from the clutches of Holland, Michigan, he would crush our feeble intellects with a slapdash, rustic urbanity and cut a straight path through the hyper-media mire, grooming himself for a biopic […]
Aidan Moffat reviewed
Aidan Moffat + The Best Ofs How To Get To Heaven From Scotland (Chemikal Underground) There was really nowhere for the droning, life-is-lost ache of Arab Strap to go. Aidan Moffat has accordingly hijacked his own sound and heaved it back into pop convention.
Vetiver reviewed
Vetiver Tight Knit (Sub Pop) There’s great temptation to disparage Devendra Banhart while exalting Andy Cabic, especially as one’s direction seems increasingly right while the other appears so temporary.
D. Rider preview
D. Rider Hideout, Chicago Friday, February 13, 2009 D. Rider isn’t M. Yellow, but former U.S. Maple backbone Todd Rittmann has toned down the approach for his solo album, Mother Of Curses, which releases this coming Tuesday on Tizona Records.
In This Moment preview
In This Moment Pearl Room, Mokena Sunday, February 15, 2009 If it weren’t for Maria Brink, In This Moment’s 2007 album, Beautiful Tragedy, would have been totally ignorable. Brink’s performance (she’s one of the few females in heavy music able to convincingly pull off “extreme” vocal techniques) single-handedly made an otherwise bland mall-metal record worth […]
The Bakerton Group preview
The Bakerton Group Double Door, Chicago Wednesday, February 18, 2009 Haven’t heard of The Bakerton Group? Perhaps you’re familiar with Clutch? If so, you also know Bakerton, because it is, literally, Clutch with a different name and an additional member.
Sinatra reviewed . . . again
Frank Sinatra Seduction: Sinatra Sings Of Love/From The Heart (Reprise/Legacy) Whaddya know? Frank Sinatra sang some love songs. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, competing factions of his catalog have compilations ready.
Miles Davis reviewed
Miles Davis Kind Of Blue: 50th Anniversary Deluxe Set (Columbia/Legacy) It’s not difficult to understand why Legacy is re-releasing Kind Of Blue for its golden anniversary, though, knowing this occasion was imminent, it could have held off on the ones that preceded it. In fact, the label jumped the gun on the birthday last September, […]
Blogging the Grammys
The 2009 Grammy Awards In an unprecedented scene (especially because he hadn’t been nominated for anything), The Rock took home four Grammys.
Twilight Revival preview
Twilight Revival FitzGerald’s, Berwyn Saturday, February 7, 2009 The fact the Chicago music scene should deliver yet another Wilco-influenced act is hardly surprising. The fact it’s as good as Twilight Revival is.
Mi Ami preview
Mi Ami Hideout, Chicago Saturday, February 7, 2009 Cover your ears – the Black Eyes have reformed! Well, this time the noisy Dischord alums have added a drummer to keep the songs somewhat in line.
Eddie Holstein reviewed
Eddie Holstein Eddie Holstein (self-released) The Holsteins are, if not the first family of Chicago folk music, on the short list of clans in consideration, which makes the happenstance of Eddie’s newest offering all the more charming. Appearing: Saturday, February 28th at Morgan Park Academy.
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