Monthly
You Wanted The Best?
This was a good year for heavy music, and by that, I mean there were a lot of really good records released. So I hounded some notable Chicagoland headbangers and begged them to name their top five heavy albums of 2007. A few people used the ol’ “in no particular order” line when they submitted […]
Local CD Reviews
“Around Hear” is a monthly feature where a stable of IE writers review albums sent to us by local musicians. If you are interested in having your CD (must have a minimum of three songs) reviewed and are Illinois-based, mail it and any other media materials to 657 A W. Lake St., Chicago IL, 60661. […]
Around Hear Page 2
As a musical contributor to WGN Radio’s “Steve And Johnnie Show,” you won’t always hear the full effects of Jeff Frankel‘s musical abilities over AM radio, but his reissued Sometime In The A.M. captures a guitarist whose abilities are so impressive and effortless, it’s a wonder to those who appreciate the instrument. With a style […]
Cover Story: Battle Of The Bands
What’s Going On? Seeing Change In The Sea Change: The Music Industry In Flux About six weeks before the music world descended upon Lower Manhattan for the 2007 CMJ New Music Marathon, one of the punk era’s great icons, CBGB founder Hilly Kristal, died at age 75. His club, which closed in 2006 after a […]
Billy Bob Thornton interview
Billy Bob Thornton Been There A handful of diehard fans wander around outside the club-parked tour bus like Dawn Of The Dead shopping-mall zombies. They don’t seem to know what to do, only that they’re supposed to be here for some reason, since something they crave might be lurking within. And it is.
Holiday CD Gift Guide 2007
Holiday Gift Guide Get your gift on with these megasets: An 11-minute remix of “Let Me Ride?” Merry Christmas indeed! The Death Row Records empire crumbled long, long ago, but that hasn’t stopped Suge Knight from digging up every half-ass remix, freestyle, and D-side in the vaults to make a few bucks. Snoop Dogg, Dr. […]
Little Brother interview
Little Brother The Return When hip-hop’s golden era died down in the mid-’90s, so did many of the greatest groups responsible for that renaissance.
Old Town School’s 50th
50 Folkin’ Years Of The Old Town School Of Folk Frank Hamilton phones in for this interview about 45 minutes late. Seems the 73-year-old folk singer/teacher and his wife are running behind schedule due to a late night singing at a Democratic Socialists Of America labor rally in their homebase of Atlanta. Appearing: Saturday December […]
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir interview
Scottland Yard Gospel Choir Welcome To Splitsville Elia Einhorn, the man behind Chicago collective Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, warns you should always know exactly who you plan on serenading. After leaving rehearsal recently with a few of his bandmates, Einhorn had the spontaneous idea of playing a song for a couple that happened to be […]
Hello, My Name Is Richard
Hello, My Name Is Richard Q&A With WXRT’s Richard Milne IE: Have holiday submissions to “Local Anesthetic” started coming in yet? Richard Milne: I’ve gotten e-mails from people asking clarification on what I’m expecting or telling me that it’s done or close. They just need to remix a vocal. I know people who’ve encouragingly started […]
File: December 2007
Britney…Britney…Britney… It must take effort to convince a county court that putting two children in the custody of Kevin “Popo Zao” Federline is a wise decision. But that Britney Spears is on a run of hijinks that’s making Scooby-Doo cringe. To recap, one of eight drug tests she actually made it to (she has allegedly […]
DVD Zone: December 2007
Help! Capitol/Apple After the success of A Hard Day’s Night, it would have been easy for The Beatles to try to recreate the faux documentary style that made that film such a delight. Instead, for their second foray into the big-screen world they went a totally different direction. While it isn’t the grand slam that […]
Local CD Reviews
“Around Hear” is a monthly feature where a stable of IE writers review albums sent to us by local musicians. If you are interested in having your CD (must have a minimum of three songs) reviewed and are Illinois-based, mail it and any other media materials to 657 A W. Lake St., Chicago IL, 60661. […]
Around Hear Page 2
Forty Piece Choir‘s swan-song, The Profound Nature Of Life, offers little insight into the veteran Americana act’s recent breakup. Instead of a funeral march (or wispy, introspective folk), their fourth full-length is a celebration of boogie-woogie horns, jubilant electric piano, and an almost Born To Run level of uplifting vocal urgency. FPC have hit their […]
Around Hear Page 3
In a world of cutthroat musicians with six-page press kits, Mitch And The Polecats are refreshingly modest. “I hope U enjoy it,” writes harmonicist/vocalist Mitch Mathena on his band’s perfectly shabby one-sheet. Get Naked is so casual it negates the need for introduction, focusing instead on immediate, easygoing love songs (well, lust songs) and smooth, […]
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