Recent Articles
DVD Zone: December 2006
DVD Zone The 2006 DVD Gift Guide It’s that time of year again. ‘Tis the season of decking the halls, being jolly, and Grandma’s ill-fated rendezvous with reindeer. It’s also the time of year eight out of 10 people find themselves asking, “What the hell am I gonna get Uncle Frank or Aunt Gladys?” Fret […]
Cover Story: Chicago Punk 2
[ 1 ] 2 [ 3 ] Just as the style was different before he began, however, McIlrath knows the fame could be fleeting and tastes could change on a dime. “The punk world kids are growing up into now is so much different than the punk world we grew up into. If you wanted […]
Cover Story: Chicago Punk 3
page [ 1 ] [ 2 ] 3 WAX ON RADIO If Rise Against are a strange fit for this article because they didn’t travel in the same circles as the rest of these guys, Wax On Radio are a square peg musically. The music on their debut, Exposition (Downtown), doesn’t make them out to […]
Soul Man
The Torch (Watchdog), the third album by guitarist, singer-songwriter Ronnie Baker Brooks, is a musical gumbo of blues, rock ‘n’ roll, soul, funk, rock, and hip-hop with a touch of folk and rockabilly added to the mix. The son of blues legend Lonnie Brooks, Ronnie was raised on the blues but brings a contemporary sensibility […]
Full Volume
Forgive us for not fully fleshing out last month’s inaugural Metal Issue. While we’re mighty proud of it, if we really had it together we would have featured Sanford Parker of Volume Studios in that “Studiophile” instead of this month.
The Unheard Music?
Last spring we reported public radio station WBEZ-FM (91.5) and its satellites (Chesterton, Indiana’s WBEW-FM (89.5) and Morris’ WBEQ-FM (90.7)) would scrap music programming altogether when they switch to all news and talk in January. Now Chicago Public Radio says it plans to retain a smidgen of music on WBEZ.
Who’s The BOSS?
BOSS Micro BR Digital Recorder BOSS‘ new Micro BR Digital Recorder attracted big crowds at the Summer NAMM trade show, and it has finally arrived in stores just in time for Christmas.
Reggae Rebel Gal
Rebelution: A Movement Of Truth Without Denial Or Regret may sound like the latest political soundbite, but it’s actually the title of the most foundation-shaking Jamaican dancehall album in the last decade. The fact the CD addresses touchy topics never explored within the genre warrants acknowledgement alone, but the fact a woman dares do it […]
Local CD Reviews
The four songs on The Accord‘s demo swing between reggae beats and prog/ethereal yearnings – oft’ times within the same cut – with a “recorded live” sound that further reinforces the band’s integrity. Playing (keyboards especially) far outshines songwriting, however, primarily because the melodies too strongly bring other artists’ tunes to mind and some lyrical […]
Around Hear Page 2
Few And The Proud are nothing if not loud. So much so their angry, curse-laden lyrics belted out with fervor on such songs as “Let It Die” and “Mutant” are little more than senseless rants raging against a hardcore wall of sound. With a total running time of just more than 22 minutes, the 11 […]
Around Hear Page 3
Alisa Simms‘ Remember consists of the title track plus two remixes. The original is a mix of simple keys, drums, minimal guitar, and some nice string touches near the end, keeping the spotlight on Simms’ warm, silky vocals. The second, “Remixber,” has a little more percussion in its groove. The final, “Reminder Drum ‘N’ Bass […]
Wilco live!
Wilco Auditorium Theatre, Chicago Friday, November 24, 2006 Wilco play Chicago so frequently it’s easy to arrive at a show with expectations, have them met, and swish-swash your corudroy’d ass back to the North Side. Throw in last year’s live album, this fall’s Jeff Tweedy live DVD, and the coming second album from Pat Sansone […]
Tenacious D live!
Tenacious D UIC Pavilion, Chicago Friday, November 24, 2006 Click here for Tenacious D Photo Gallery Say what you will about Jack Black, the one thing he’s not looking for is work. With two films in theaters during the holidays, you won’t have to look far to get your Black fix.
Alexis Gideon previewed
Alexis Gideon Reversible Eye Gallery, Chicago Saturday, December 2, 2006 Meet Alexis Gideon. Possibly the most schizo motherfucker making music today. You might remember Gideon as one half of Chicago bizarre cross dressing rap duo Princess, and if you do, you likely don’t think his solo project, Welcome Song (Sick Room, January 9th), could possibly […]
Sonya Kitchell, Ben Taylor reviewed
Sonya Kitchell, Ben Taylor Schubas, Chicago Saturday, December 2, 2006 Sunday, December 3, 2006 Heaps of expectation have been poured on Sonya Kitchell and Ben Taylor (he of The Ben Taylor Band), but so has skepticism. Kitchell has the approval of Herbie Hancock, the first deal signed with coffee empire Starbucks imprint Hear, and is […]
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