Columns
Digital Divide: January 2012
So if you believe those wacky Mayans (and really, when have they ever lied to us?), there’s less than a year left on the lease here on the big blue marble. The countdown to oblivion is coming to town, so get dressed.
Gear: January 2012
Of the dozens of musical gadgets we preview and review every year, a few stand out as “the best of best.” As we look back at 2011, we present Gear’s best of, uh . . . Gear!
Media: January 2012
Back in 1979, half of Chicago tuned into Wally Philips’ popular WGN-AM (720) morning show. That year, newcomer Steve Dahl released his song parodying the venerable Philips and his loyal listeners, “Oh Wally.”
Studiophile: January 2012
It’s been six years since the release of her debut album . . . this side of yesterday, but January marks the return of indie-folk singer/songwriter Martha Berner. Her long-awaited full-length follow-up, Fool’s Fanatsy, also bears the stamp of her new band, The Significant Others.
Sweet Home: January 2012
Hubert Sumlin was one of the greatest blues guitarists of his generation. Famous for the explosive guitar riffs that he produced as a member of Howlin’ Wolf’s band, Sumlin influenced such rock-guitar gods as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Keith Richards. His 80-year journey began in the Mississippi Delta and took him across the world […]
Hello, My Name Is J
IE: We were intrigued by the local connection to The Office Of Future Plans. J Robbins: [Laughs.] It’s Jeff Dean‘s fault that we’re a band. Dean is hard to say no to. His enthusiasm in this case was relentless.
Around Hear: December 2011
Downers Grove-based Rollo Time, brainchild of singer/songwriter Jon Raleigh, carry on a tradition of smart Chicago power-pop blueprinted by bands like Material Issue and Green. Rollo Time occasionally tosses in more interesting elements of harder-rocking, obscure Brit-pop bands like The Boo Radleys and Thurman on Victims Of The Crown,
Caught In A Mosh: December 2012
Trevor Fisher’s taking the month off, so, in his tradition of picking greatest-hits bits of his column, the IE staff has selected its “Caught In A Mosh” favorites since its 2007 debut. Punctuating the chronology are his top-5 records from each year, which will then be capped by his best-of-’11 next month.
Digital Divide: December 2011
As far as the crack staff here at “The Digital Divide” is concerned, there quite simply is no better time to be alive than this time of year. Not because of all the peace-on-Earth/goodwill-toward-men crap, but because of all the special-edition boxsets. Not gonna lie to ya – the thought of all the new mega-packages […]
File: December 2011
The cover photo on Taylor Swift’s Holiday Collection – lying apparently topless on a futon while clutching a guitar – set a new low for increasingly tossed-off seasonal albums. Seeking to inject some life into winter music, we asked our staff to dig up the best of what’s around.
Gear: December 2011
If you’re somewhat obsessive about backing up your hard drive on your iPad or laptop, but have a problem constantly reconnecting cables while shuttling between work, home, or the recording studio, Seagate may have an answer with its wireless Goflex Satellite, a wi-fi version of its backup hard drive.
Media: December 2011
Q101 may have flipped its format in July, but the music rocks on at www.q101.com. The busy website features streaming music, entertainment, and information aimed at alternative-rock fans.
Studiophile: December 2011
STROBE RECORDING in Chicago is hosting Strobe Sessions #43 a live, in-studio performance on December 15th with appearances by Brokeback and Electric Hawk, an instrumental power trio from Chicago, featuring guitarist Michael Burns, bassist Graham Mclachlan, and drummer Noah Leger.
Sweet Home: December 2011
Texas-born Chicago-based vocalist Sharon Lewis has been a fixture on the blues scene since the ’90s, playing with everybody from Dave Specter to Harmonica Hinds. But her Delmark debut, The Real Deal (Delmark), brings together all that experience in one multi-layered package. Backed by her hard-driving band Texas Fire, Lewis manages to craft a well-rounded, […]
Around Hear: November 2011
Local Band Reviews You don’t find many musicians revving-up their professional musical careers after 50, but Bill McAlister is that anomaly. With a voice that’s a dead ringer for Waylon Jennings, McAlister strips his country music down to its simple beauty plus a few outlaw-era blemishes along with his band I-57 South on Illinois Opry.
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