Recent Articles
Indie Ribs!
Ribfest Chicago: A Festivus For The Rest Of Ya’s Being from Lombard (and ostensibly Chicago), I’m well aware of the script for the Taste Of/county fair/Fourth Of July summer spectacle: hire an aging classic rock band with half the original members (or a tribute) and consider entertainment taken care of. If memory serves the Edgar […]
The Pipettes’ EP reviewed
The Pipettes Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me (Cherrytree/Interscope) The toast of South By Southwest finally come to Chicago in support of this EP, the latest in the Brit-girl retro-soul revival. Appearing: June 7th at Empty Bottle in Chicago.
Transformers reissued!
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Transformers: The Movie (Volcano/Legacy) This “20th Anniversary Special Edition” is not only meant to draw attention to last year’s DVD release of the movie, but to drum up support for the July 4th release of Steven Spielberg’s live-action film.
Keren Ann reviewed
Keren Ann Keren Ann (Blue Note) By her fifth album, Parisian by-way-of Israel (and Javanese/Dutch/Russian descent) Keren Ann Zeidel should arrive fully formed. Instead we get an all-English self-titled album (the preferred avenue for self-declaration) that jumps her conventions. Appearing: June 8th at Lakeshore Theater in Chicago.
David Bowie reissued (yet again)
David Bowie Young Americans/Sight & Sound (Virgin) Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra might lead the field in amount of product on the market, but when it comes to reissuing the back catalog no one tops David Bowie. The near-chronic repackaging of older albums reaches comical proportions with another round of 1975’s Young Americans to go […]
Cover Story: Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne Clean, Sober, & Still Alive Nowadays, when you think Ozzy Osbourne, you think Ozzy, Inc. — the tours (Ozzfest), the television shows (“The Osbournes,” “Battle For Ozzfest”), the wife (Sharon briefly hosted her own daytime talk program), and the offspring (daughter Kelly has released two albums while being a tabloid mainstay). Little attention […]
The Faint live!
The Faint Metro, Chicago Tuesday, May 22, 2007 There are a few sure-fire signs summer has begun to hit Chicago. Parking dries up around Wrigley Field, Clark Street gets torn up from the Loop to Lincoln Park, and going to see a show at most indoor venues becomes an endurance test, thanks to the ever-present […]
The Rosebuds/Clientele preview
The Rosebuds, The Clientele Subterranean, Chicago Friday, June 1, 2007 Saturday, June 2, 2007 If Merge Records were a television station, Spoon and The Arcade Fire would be its primetime programming, while The Rosebuds (Friday) and The Clientele (Saturday) would take care of the late-night dance party.
Wheat preview
Wheat Empty Bottle, Chicago Wednesday, June 6, 2007 Despite a plethora of avenues to utilize when releasing new music, bands still envision getting signed to a major label as the epitome of tangible success. But what happens when the major label dream comes to fruition, yet peters out in a pale glow of disappointment? The […]
Adrienne Young reviewed
Adrienne Young Room To Grow (Addie Belle) Socialist acoustic punk bands, ever lacking in foresight, completely missed out on a definitive genre tag. Instead comes eco-friendly Adrienne Young who, by packaging seeds with albums and donating proceeds to soil-nourishing causes, deserves the title of the first agri rocker.
Astrid Swan reviewed
Astrid Swan Poverina (Minty Fresh) By puppeteering her voice in such a way, Astrid Swan is sure to draw deadringer comparisons to Kate Bush and Tori Amos. But when she’s on her game the Finn portrays perhaps a more stable, but equally delectable artist.
Bang Gang reviewed
Bang Gang Something Wrong (Ryko/From Nowhere) Finally released in America, this Icelandic “band” sits on the coastline and tries to pick up distant European and New World pop stations.
Hello, My Name Is Albert
Hello, My Name Is Albert Q&A With Albert Hammond Jr. IE: When you decided to put Yours To Keep out, did you think you would tour? Albert Hammond Jr.: When I first realized I had a record to put out, I wasn’t gonna do any press. I was just gonna put it out in the […]
Paul Wall interview
Paul Wall Ice Cold Iconic rapper Paul Wall hasn’t had much time to catch his breath these past 12 months. When IE speaks with The People’s Champ (born Paul Slayton) via telephone, he’s cruising around his native Houston with his one-year-old son, William. While he can, he’s trying to squeeze in a little quality time […]
Simply Red interview
Simply Red Orchestral Movements On A Lark: A Q&A With Mick Hucknall There are a few things that distinguish Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall. For one, there’s his curly shock of red hair, from which the band derive their name. His soulful wail, which one might not expect to come from someone who looks like […]
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