Recent Articles
Scandinavian Sleaze
This month I’ll give you a rundown on some new records and try to whittle down the ever-increasing stack on my desk. But first, the debut of the new “Caught In A Mosh” feature, My F’n Playlist. It’s pretty simple. A person of my choosing is given the hypothetical scenario one of his favorite band’s […]
Alive & Amplified
Crate V-Series Tube Amplifiers Crate have come a long way from their humble beginnings in the late ’70s, and their acclaimed and newly freshened V-Series tube amplifier series is a prime example of their progress.
Bong Hits 4 Freedom
At first glance it’s a story of a high-school kid versus his principal in a quirky schoolyard First Amendment stand. A student fought for his right to hold up a sign that read “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” during what may or may not have been a school fieldtrip.
Studio Happenings
At BLUE ROOM STUDIO in Chicago, producer/engineer Edgars Legzdins finished his band Plane‘s new record, I See Love In The Future; the release date is set for October 9th . . . Legzdins also recorded a song with the Musical Outfits for their new album and worked with Pretty Good Dance Moves, techno/experimental/pop tunes that […]
Day In The Life Of Chicago Blues
In July, while Eric Clapton’s Crossroads guitar extravaganza kicked off at Toyota Park, the annual Taste Of Lincoln Avenue was revving up its 24th year with performances by a wide-ranging group of artists. Of particular interest to “Sweet Home” was the stage at Lincoln and Altgeld sponsored by the club B.L.U.E.S.
Wu-Tang Clan, Nas live!
Rock The Bells Charter One Pavilion, Chicago Sunday, August 26, 2007 Getting the entire Wu-Tang Clan on the same stage is a gargantuan undertaking. Thus pulling all nine of these erratic, kung fu flick-loving Staten Island rappers together was the primary draw of the original Rock The Bells concert in 2004. Three years later, the […]
New Orleans Social Club live!
New Orleans Social Club Millennium Park, Chicago Friday, August 24, 2007 Of all the stories chronicling the disasters of Hurricane Katrina, few explore the cultural devastation left in her wake. New Orleans was a hotbed of musical and cultural creation. Besides centuries-old jazz traditions, the city has also birthed its own brand of funk, rock, […]
The Bronx, The Last Vegas preview
The Bronx, The Last Vegas Double Door, Chicago Thursday, August 30, 2007 According to their Web site, The Bronx hope to have two new (though not a double album, mind you) records out by the end of the summer. This makes us happy. But the fact the band claim one of them (El Bronx) will […]
Stereo Total, Avagami preview
Stereo Total/Avagami Abbey Pub/Darkroom, Chicago Friday, August 31, 2007/ Sunday, September 2, 2007 At their cores, Stereo Total and Avagami have little in common. Total are a French/German duo who have been terrorizing sound for more than a decade, poking and prodding punk and electro as if it were their birthright. Avagami are a barely […]
Confederate Railroad preview
Confederate Railroad Grayville Days, Grayville IL Saturday, September 1, 2007 In his song “Hank Williams, Junior,” David Allan Coe said “A little bit of Waylon sure goes a long way.” Confederate Railroad agree, but would also add Coe and Jr. themselves, Billy Joe Shaver, and The Charlie Daniels Band as well.
Marissa Nadler preview
Marissa Nadler Ronny’s, Chicago Wednesday, September 5, 2007 A certain air surrounds singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler. Call it gothic, spacy, or just a plumb fit for a noir horror film, the Massachusetts-bred artist doesn’t shy away from any of these styles on her third full-length release, Songs III: Bird On The Water (Kemado).
The Velocet reviewed
The Velocet A Quick And Dirty Guide To War (Eyeball) The times would indicate an army brat’s album might attempt something substantial, but apparently Michael Davison really just wants to rock like everyone else.
Luke Temple reviewed
Luke Temple Snowbeast (Mill Pond) Sometime visual artist Luke Temple couldn’t stand the New York art scene so he decided to try his hand at singing. His second album suggests the NYC music realm was a tough fit as well.
Dave Mehling reviewed
Dave Mehling How Do I Make You Lonesome? (self-released) Minnesota singer-songwriter teeters on the brink for a tension-filled debut.
The Puppini Sisters preview
The Puppini Sisters Schubas, Chicago Friday, August 24, 2007 The last time many of the songs performed by The Puppini Sisters were popular, World War II was raging, radios were powered by vacuum tubes, and tunes such as “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” and “In The Mood” were Top 10 hits.
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