Monthly
In Through The Out Door
It’s a lesson in taking the high road and not bashing your ex in public. Make that ex-boss.
Got Pedal?
In honor of International Guitar Month, “Gear” takes a look at some of the newest guitar pedals hitting the market in 2007.
Flamenco Fusion
If you think flamenco music means a lace mantilla, castanets, and responsive guitar licks, then Ojos De Brujo (Wizard Eyes) have got something for you. In Spain, flamenco isn’t just music but a culture, and the ramshackle, 10-member ODB collective represent the evolving nature of that culture and serve up a hypnotic fusion that demands […]
Local CD Reviews
Young indie rockers The Alpha Couple carry a sound that’s primed for major radio and “TRL” play. Of course, working with an established producer like Dan Duszynski has helped this Frankfort quintet perfect the polished pop rock the band provide on The Alpha Couple & Me EP. While not entirely distinguishable from their suburban counterparts, […]
Around Hear Page 2
The three-man band Doses offers a trio of unnamed bass-guitar-drum tracks on a no-frills demo focusing on solid rock instrumentation. Recorded in November 2006, the tracks are non-linear alternative rock jams that stress grooving rhythms and frequent time changes instead of noodling guitar leads. The resulting indistinguishable compositions prove to be either a marketing ploy […]
Around Hear Page 3
With a keen ear for pleasant acoustic pop, Mighty Joe delivers a bountiful suite of winsome tunes on Balance. Violin, harmonica, and congos add subtle accents to Joe’s precise, crisp strumming and provide tonal complexity and dimension to otherwise straightforward arrangements. The melodies are uniformly sweet, even if the stories are occasionally drab and the […]
Cover Story: Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters The Captain & The Kids And How Life Became A Cabaret, Old Chum The temptation to draw corollaries between Scissor Sisters and stand-up comedians is tantalizing. Comics, they say, are the most insecure people on earth. The desire to make people laugh is a cry for help, a juvenile flaw that could send […]
Hello, My Name Is Eddie
Hello, My Name Is Eddie IE: Hey Eddie, how ya doin’? Eddie Money: Doing good. Illinois is one of my better states, man. A lot of people love the Money Man in Illinois. Make sure and use a good picture.
Sondre Lerche interview
Sondre Lerche On Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach, And A Decent New York Apartment The somewhat serene, expansive surroundings of Norway — Sondre Lerche’s homeland — are in quite significant contrast to his location during this particular conversation (his recently acquired New York City apartment). For starters, it’s apparent there’s plenty of hustle and bustle in […]
Otep interview
Otep Freedom From Pain Los Angeles artist Otep Shamaya bristles at the subject of women in heavy metal. As the female vocalist for a band that has toured with Ozzfest three times, she’s somewhat of an expert on the subject, but today it’s a bit of a sore one.
Explosions In The Sky interview
Explosions In The Sky How Strange, Success From a certain perspective, Explosions In The Sky are a collection of contradictions. Their grand, monumental music, made by quiet, unassuming men, tells stories without words. They deflect any claim to rock stardom, even as their popularity and exposure steadily increases. Drummer Chris Hrasky, a Rockford native, even […]
Clutch interview
Clutch Jibber Jabber Depending on whom you talk to or which Clutch record review you read, frontman Neil Fallon is either A) the most clever wordsmith in rock ‘n’ roll or B) a bullshitter. Appearing: March 14th at Metro in Chicago.
Vega 4 interview
Vega 4 Paradise By The Dashboard Light It’s an incredibly awkward night for brash young alt-pop hopeful Vega 4. The London quartet — led by charismatic Celt Johnny McDaid — is playing its first show in America at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore, but it’s opening for teen heartthrobs Augustana. To top it off, the sudden […]
Isis feature
Isis Speaking Volumes In the final chapter of Isis’ live DVD, there’s a glitch that is quite visible to the home viewer. The crowd couldn’t see it, though they surely felt what caused it. And despite the professional gear involved, there was no way to conceal it. The glitch will forever be graffiti on Clearing […]
File: March 2007
All For Nothing Believe us, this “File” box would have been a lot more fun had the Bears offense not looked like the junior varsity B team in the Super Bowl. But damnit, we planned to mention the Bears anthems (good and bad) the team’s first trip to the big game in 21 years inspired, […]
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