Weekly
The Mabuses reviewed
The Mabuses Mabused (Magpie) Tangled in carnival mosaics and gymnasium big band while overdosing on Ray Davies, The Mabuses somehow squeeze out an album.
Say Anything, Hellogoodbye live!
Say Anything, Hellogoodbye Congress Theatre, Chicago Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Say Anything are not pop punk. At least, not entirely (contrary to popular belief, and even some evidence that would suggest otherwise). If there was ever any doubt before, it was made abundantly clear Wednesday night at the Congress, where the six-piece live outfit, more […]
Atmosphere live!
Atmosphere Metro, Chicago Monday, October 22, 2007 For most MCs, there are a few givens in the hip-hop game: boisterous claims, a righteous sense of entitlement, and a ludicrously inflated ego regardless of the quality of work being put out. Looks like no one told Slug.
The Whigs preview
The Whigs Schubas, Chicago Friday, November 2, 2007 How do you possibly follow up a record that led Rolling Stone to proclaim you “the best unsigned band in America”? That’s the daunting challenge The Whigs face in January, when their new album is released.
Hellyeah, Otep preview
Hellyeah, Otep House Of Blues, Chicago Sunday, November 4, 2007 After his brother Dimebag Darrell was murdered onstage – right in front of him – in 2004, ex-Pantera and Damageplan drummer Vinnie Paul hinted he would never play music professionally again. There was always the feeling, though, Paul would return, it’s just too bad it […]
Cass McCombs & Euros Childs previews
Cass McCombs/Euros Childs Empty Bottle, Chicago Monday, November 5, 2007/ Tuesday, November 6, 2007 The “singer-songwriter” label frequently oversteps its bounds. In the ’70s it referred directly to the James Taylor/Joni Mitchell/Jackson Browne types, and is used as a perjorative these days to mean any sort of coffeehouse qhinwe. Invoke Elliott Smith at your own […]
Koop preview
Koop Double Door, Chicago Tuesday, November 6, 2007 Koop’s third full-length, Koop Islands (Atlantic), finds the Stockholm-based duo providing a soundtrack to a week-long vacation onboard the “Love Boat.”
Tom Brosseau reviewed
Tom Brosseau Cavalier (FatCat) Reducing Tom Brosseau to just him and an acoustic guitar isn’t much of a pare down. A bigger test would be surrounding him with a marching band and patching some electrical tape over his yap. Appearing: Thursday, November 1st at Logan Square Auditorium in Chicago.
Magnet reviewed
Magnet The Simple Life (Filter) Magnet, aka Even Johansen, is proof you can’t bank a living on having one of your songs played on The O.C. Appearing: Friday, November 2nd at Vic Theatre in Chicago.
Les Savy Fav reviewed
Les Savy Fav Let’s Stay Friends (Frenchkiss) For their first album in six years, New York’s Les Savy Fav embrace the disco punk/Gang Of Four revival (they helped touch off) without showing a bit of rust.
Bruce Springsteen live!
Bruce Springsteen United Center, Chicago Sunday, October 21, 2007 Sunday night’s appearance by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band wasn’t anything close to the three-and-a-half-hour lovefests of the recent past. Instead The Boss and co. pushed a trim, two-hour piledriver that leaned heavily on the new Magic (Columbia). Visit illinoisentertainerphoto.com for an exclusive Bruce […]
CMJ Marathon Report
CMJ New Music Marathon New York City, New York October 16 through 20, 2007 Much like its sister conference South By Southwest, the 2007 version of the annual CMJ New Music Marathon emerged with no clearer vision of tomorrow. No rapscallioin Midwesterners established themselves as the new “it” band, and no NME-sanctioned Brit sensation had […]
New Pornographers live!
The New Pornographers Metro, Chicago Friday, October 19, 2007 The enthusiastic ovation that greeted the much-revered Canadian collective The New Pornographers was startling, even after taking into consideration this was the second of a sold-out, two-night run at Metro. The voluminous salutation rose even higher when head Pornographer A.C. Newman and silver-throated siren Neko Case […]
Jersey Boys review!
Jersey Boys LaSalle Bank Theatre, Chicago Sunday, October 14, 2007 The Frankie Valli love fest finally arrived in Chicago with an audience so eager to express their affection for the octave jumper they rose to their feet after “Walk Like A Man.” Maybe it was a case of opening night fever or maybe the man […]
Queens Of The Stone Age preview
Queens Of The Stone Age Riviera, Chicago Thursday, October 25, 2007 When did Queens Of The Stone Age get so stinkin’ boring? Maybe the better question is what made the Queens so stinkin’ boring? The answer is pretty obvious.
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