Recent Articles
Mike Doughty preview
Mike Doughty Band Vic Theatre, Chicago Thursday, March 20, 2008 It can be really difficult for a singer-songwriter to make enough of a living to pay the bills, much less make music that stands out from the crowd. Fortunately for Mike Doughty, he has been able to do both. Of course it doesn’t hurt that […]
Bottomless Pit reviewed
Bottomless Pit Hammer Of The Gods (Comedy Minus One) Bottomless Pit comprises former Silkworm mates Tim Midgett and Andy Cohen, who are still working past the death of drummer Michael Dahlquist in 2005. Hammer Of The Gods, fittingly, moves on as well. Appearing: March 28th at Empty Bottle in Chicago.
Grief Of War reviewed
Grief Of War A Mounting Crisis . . . As Their Fury Got Released (Prosthetic) If global distance covered really validates a musical trend’s worth, or at least strength, this whole thrash revival thing must be the real deal, ’cause Japanese kids are all over it.
Clutch live!
Clutch Metro, Chicago Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Clutch have been called a lot of things in their 15-plus years together, including hardcore, hard rock, alt-rock, nu-metal, and stoner metal. Truth is though, all those labels are more the result of industry and label types trying to squeeze Clutch into changing musical tastes than they are […]
Evangelicals preview
Evangelicals Schubas, Chicago Friday, March 7, 2008 Not long ago, I was in a friend’s car when he popped in Steve Vai’s 1990 guitar opus, Passion & Warfare. The opening “Star-Spangled Banner”-esque harmonies caused me to think, “No one does it like this anymore.” Then I sat down with Evangelicals’ second album, The Evening Descends […]
Great Northern preview
Great Northern Metro, Chicago Friday, March 7, 2008 Los Angeles-based Great Northern doesn’t just write songs, the trio create soundscapes impossible to detach from. Vocalists Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte intertwine harmonies in hushed, almost muted tones that shoulder the heavy burden of emotion coursing through the five tracks on the group’s Sleepy Eepee (Eenie […]
Grand Archives & The Acorn preview
Grand Archives, The Acorn Schubas, Chicago Saturday, March 8, 2008 Band Of Horses may have had an uncanny sonic resemblance to My Morning Jacket, but they actually were writing their own tunes. They’ll have to continue without co-founder/songwriter Mat Brooke, however, who took his single “t” and founded Grand Archives.
Sam Barsh preview
Sam Barsh Green Mill, Chicago Saturday, March 8, 2008 Sam Barsh seems like a fun guy. C’mon, there he is on the front cover of I Forgot What You Taught Me (Razdaz) jumping in the air with one hand clinched in a fist and the other holding a small keyboard with his name painted on […]
Rakim reviewed
Rakim The Archive: Live, Lost & Found (Koch) I could kick Koch Records in the balls for this CD. Four unreleased tracks, 18 live cuts, and no production notes.
Dolly Parton reviewed
Dolly Parton Backwoods Barbie (Dolly) Dolly Parton brims with so much vitality she resented being bounced from country radio and resorting to albums that earned critical acclaim. Radio and TV are where she wants to shine and if the major labels won’t help — well, you saw what she did to Dabney Coleman.
Winds Of Plague reviewed
Winds Of Plague Decimate The Weak (Century Media) “What the fuck is up motherfuckers? This is Winds Of Plague on that 2008 shit.” That is Winds Of Plague frontman Johnny Plague’s intro to “Reloaded.” Still want to hear the rest of the album?
Cover Story: The Pogues
The Pogues Back In The Graces Of God The Season Of Green is indeed in full swing, and it just so happens to coincide perfectly with The Pogues’ latest trip through America. Though there’s likely to be no shortage of St. Patrick’s Day revelry at any of this month’s engagements, the seminal Celtic-flavored rockers are […]
Stephen Malkmus interview
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Sunshine Mountain Stephen Malkmus’ tone could easily be misinterpreted. His droll, frequently monotone delivery suggests weariness, a thinly concealed resentment for having to endure round after round of all the same questions — most of which inevitably contextually chain him to the band he led during the ’90s: Pavement. Appearing: […]
The Cool Kids interview
The Cool Kids ’88 And Beyond Within a year of introducing themselves on Myspace, The Cool Kids have become the most talked-about Chicago hip-hop group without a presence on retail shelves. Only in January did this duo, which comprises Chuck Inglish and Mikey Rocks, officially put a single up for sale on the Internet. That […]
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