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File For Feb!
TEN THOUSAND FISTS . . . IN YOUR FACE! Congratulations to local boys Disturbed who recently earned a platinum award from the Recording Industry Association Of America for their latest release, Ten Thousand Fists (Reprise). That certification means all three of the band’s major label albums have gone platinum (shipments in excess of one million […]
A Change Is Gonna Come
“Sam Cooke was a golden child around whom a family mythology was constructed long before he achieved fame or added the e to his last name.” — Peter Guralnick, Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke.
And The Winner Is . . . ?
After years of flying under the radar and often being ignored altogether, Chicago hip-hop finally busted the mainstream seal during the last two years with the help of high-profile releases by Common, Twista, and Kanye West. And while it’s easy to credit those artists with lighting the spark, the truth is producer/rapper The Legendary Traxster […]
If You Tape It They Will Come — Part II
Imagine seeing your favorite band in an intimate, 400-seat venue where the worst seat in the house is 25 feet from the stage. Imagine the show starts and ends on time, and the artists will show the offstage side of their personality. Then imagine the venue is acoustically perfect. Add free parking and it sounds […]
Play Like A Girl
DAISY ROCK GUITARS Rock Candy Series If girl-on-girl rock is your thing, Daisy Rock Guitars, the “girl guitar” company, is expanding their Rock Candy Series with the new and positively feminine Rainbow Sparkle and Power Pink finishes. It’s enough to make Courtney Love sick, but that’s a good thing. The Rock Candy guitars feature a […]
Brazil, Beats, & Hip-Hop
Despite Austin Powers‘ groovy musical imagery, the swingin’ ’60s weren’t just about psychedelic rock riffs. The sounds of Brazil, from “The Girl From Ipanema” to various samba and bossa nova hybrids, also ruled, and Sergio Mendes and his group, Brazil 66, were at the forefront of the movement. From the moment they burst onto the […]
Local CD Reviews
The Brutal Poetry Of Existence, by thrash metal band A.S.A., is a multi-dimensional album that delivers some angry screaming tracks (“Rancor,” “Overwhelmed”) and some with more melodic vocal alterations (“The Perfectionist”). “4571” showcases the band’s potential and diversity, surprisingly ending with a piano solo. The songs have powerful production, but this is a band better […]
BREAKING NEWS: LOLLAPALOOZA BACK?
Rumors continue to get louder saying Lollapalooza will return to Chicago this summer on the weekend of August 4th and a reunited Smashing Pumpkins could be a headliner.
The Sleepers, The Its! Preview
The Sleepers, The Its! Metro, Chicago Thursday, January 26, 2006 They say rock ‘n’ roll is on its way back. The Sleepers surely agree. The Chicago band’s full-length debut, Push It Nationwide, is a 10-song reflection of times past when anthemic choruses, extended guitar solos, and a boozy swagger defined rock, not pretty faces, sharp […]
Low Preview
Low Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago Friday, January 27, 2006 Eight years after doing the same on the “Owl” remixes, Low lets some friends deconstruct and rebuild it on a new EP.
Fort Minor Preview
Fort Minor House Of Blues, Chicago Sunday, January 29, 2006 Taking on the popular “side project” concept, Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park fame has constructed a hip-hop venture under the alias Fort Minor.
Robert Skoro Preview
Robert Skoro Empty Bottle, Chicago Sunday, January 29, 2006 Casually overlooked in a flurry of Fall 2005 releases, Robert Skoro‘s That These Things Could Be Ours gets a second chance for his winter tour.
R.I.P.
Wilson Pickett 1941-2006 Wilson Pickett, one of the brightest stars of ’60s soul music, died of a heart attack Friday (January 20th) near his home in Ashburn, Virginia. He was 64.
Robert Pollard CD Review
Robert Pollard From A Compound Eye (Merge) Pollard arrives with his first post-Guided By Voices package.
Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) CD Review
Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) Fly Between Falls (Brushfire) Jack Johnson’s buddies allow you to bring the frat party with you, wherever you go.
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