Recent Articles
Q&A: CeeLo Green
Itâs not an idyllic color-blind utopia, by any means. But the modern music world has certainly become a comfortable place of artistic collaboration where just about anything goes â Ariana Grande could record a squawky duet with a great blue heron, theoretically, and a waiting audience would snap up every last 12â remix. And chances […]
Spins: Michael McDermott ⢠What in the WorldâŚ
Michael McDermott What in the World⌠(Pauper Sky) Chicagoâs Americana and folk-rock hero Michael McDermottâs 15th solo album finds his songwriting sharp and full of fire. The high-spirited title track of What in the World⌠is a thundering folk-rock anthem for the election year that unleashes a torrential flood of words a la Bob Dylanâs […]
Spins: Bob Dylan ⢠Rough and Rowdy Ways
Bob Dylan Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia) In 2012, Bob Dylan released his 35th studio album Tempest. The collection was loaded with potent songs like âPay in Blood,â âScarlet Town,â and âEarly Roman Kingsâ that served Dylan well during stops on his Never Ending Tour. The album earned stellar marks from musicologists, but despite a […]
Spins: INXS ⢠Live Baby Live: Wembley Stadium
INXS Live Baby Live: Wembley Stadium (Eagle Vision) INXSâ concert film Live Baby Live was originally released on VHS in 1991, following the Aussie dance-rock kingsâ juggernaut world tour supporting 1990âs X album. The Summer XS event was held at Londonâs original Wembley Stadium at the peak of the sextetâs popularity, cementing the multiplatinum success […]
Hello My Name is…Mike Peters of The Alarm
by Tom Lanham You can hand Mike Peters the sourest, acrid batch of lemons ever harvested and the scrappy Alarm bandleader will make a refreshing, ice-cold pitcher of tasty lemonade with it every single time. This Welshman has often endured more hardships in a single month than most so-called rock survivors endure in a lifetime, […]
File: Live Music is alive at the Drive-In
One of the unfortunate casualties of the coronavirus is the loss of live music. While music from the stage is only in a self-induced coma, Chicagoland has essentially been music free from stages since the lockdown went into effect on March 19. As we’ve waded through our first three phases of Governor Pritzker’s quarantine in […]
Cinemascopes: July 2020
I was fully prepared to write, with a plethora of enthusiasm, about all the films finally coming to THEATERS in July. Well, stick a pin in that, as it seems many of those new movies we thought would be releasing have now been postponed. Again. And with good reason. We are still in the middle […]
Cover Story: Jehnny Beth
There are Renaissance women, dream-driven ladies who tirelessly toil their way to coveted career kudos like gaining elite EGOT status by winning Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards. There is even a further achievement to shoot for once that title is secured â the PEGOT, via the added plaudit of a Peabody Award, a category […]
Media: July 2020
When John Williams arrived at WGN in 1997, he was thrilled because he grew up listening to the station. âI grew up listening to Wally (Phillips) and Roy (Leonard) and Kathy (OâMalley) and Judy (Markey) and Bob (Collins). I thought Roy was one of the most capable interviewers I ever heard. Wally was one of the most seamless broadcasters I ever heard. Bob Collins had the most […]
Recap and Gallery: Local H Live at Harvest Moon Drive-In
âIs this weird for you guys? Itâs weird for us, too.â This was Scott Lucas of Local H at the Harvest Moon Drive-In in Gibson City, Illinois, just a few songs into an epic 30-song set Thursday in east central Illinois. IE attended the first of two sold out shows that Local H played on […]
File: Deftones – 20th Anniversary of “White Pony”
Five Takeaways From Deftonesâ White Pony 20th Anniversary Press Conference Earlier this week, Deftones’ frontman Chino Moreno, Keyboardist/DJ Frank Delgado, and drummer Abe Cunningham convened for a virtual press conference to reflect on the 20th anniversary of the bandâs breakthrough third album, White Pony. Though the record dropped on June 20th, 2000, the album has […]
Spins: Paul McCartney ⢠Amoeba Gig
Paul McCartney Amoeba Gig (MPL/Capitol/UMe) Lots of artists play informal sets at record shops when promoting an album. These appearances offer the chance for fans to get up-close-and-personal with their favorites, but how memorable could they be without the pomp and production of a full-blown concert experience? If the artist in question is Paul McCartney, […]
Spins: Hall & Oates ⢠Our Kind of Soul
Daryl Hall & John Oatesâ Our Kind of Soul (Friday Music) Making its vinyl debut, this reissue of 2004âs Our Kind of Soul takes a deep dive into the roots of Daryl Hall & John Oatesâ chart-topping blue-eyed soul. The duoâs own ebullient âLet Love Take Controlâ fits well alongside an urgent performance of the […]
Spins: Tuff Sunshine ⢠Dig Deeper, Peanut
Tuff Sunshine Dig Deeper, Peanut (Declared Goods) Brooklynâs Johnny Leitera returns with his second full-length LP under the Tuff Sunshine banner. Dig Deeper, Peanut shows no sign of a sophomore slump, and why would it? Leitera proved his songwriting mettle with Low Water before stretching out for a pair of pseudo-solo EPs and 2015âs celebrated […]
Spins: Rush ⢠Permanent Waves 40th Anniversary
Rush Permanent Waves (40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) (Anthem/Mercury/UMe) With the passing of beloved drum virtuoso Neil Peart early this year, the days are gone when Rush fans can anticipate new music from the Canadian progressive rock heroes. However, itâs a great time to celebrate Peartâs memory and rediscover the bandâs rich catalog. The trio […]
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