Weekly
Q&A: House of Lords’ James Christian
One optimistic upside to our current coronavirus pandemic, wherever you happen to be in the world? You and your family are forced to shelter in place together. The downside? Err, you and your family are forced to shelter in place together. And House of Lords anchor James Christian admits that heâs learned some hard lessons […]
Featured: My Back Pages
First, let me preface this with a little disclaimer. Call me a misanthrope, but â in all my 40-plus years of rock journalism â I have never really been a sharer, outside of my stories. I see no use for social media; I donât care what your opinion of my work happens to be; this […]
Spins: Local H ⢠LIFERS
LOCAL HLIFERS(AntiFragile) Twenty-five years after their debut, Scott Lucasâ Local H continues to defy the odds – not only by producing aggressive music that still matters but by being a band that appeals to both city and suburban crowds. Their musical magnetism continues to be strong across both musical spectrums, and thatâs no small feat. […]
Spins: Cy Curnin ⢠Lockdown
Cy Curnin Lockdown (Self) Fixx frontman Cy Curnin has returned with Lockdown, his fifth solo LP, his latest since 2013âs The Horseâs Mouth. The town crier continues to roam the global village with a sweet voice that conveys bitter truths when it must. That voice may not always bring comfort, but it nonetheless assures us […]
Feature: Testament and Exodus – Coping with COVID
On paper, it looked like a brilliant idea â the recent comprehensive “Bay Strikes Back” month-long tour of Europe, featuring Bay Area thrash-metal stalwarts Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel. It was just the timing â Feb. 6 to March 11 â that proved a bit unfortunate. It happened to coincide with the appearance of the […]
Spins – The Outfit ⢠“Viking”
The Outfit Viking (Pavement Entertainment) Chicago rockers The Outfit have done it again. On its second full-length album, Viking, the foursome â brothers Mark (drums) and Matt Nawara (guitar), Mike Gorman (bass) and Andy Mitchell (vocals/guitar) â seamlessly merge massive hooks, edgy riffs, soaring vocal harmonies and catchy choruses with pleasing results. Mixed by multi-platinum […]
Sweet Home – April 2020 ⢠Blues Rona Playlist
A Blues Rona Playlist These are challenging times as the Covid-19 pandemic has touched all corners of the globe, all countries, and all societies. The quarantine forces us inside to piece together new routines around an uncertain situation. Music has always been a refuge in fearful circumstances, and blues literally evolved from pain, so thereâs […]
Spins: Stephen Malkmus ⢠“Traditional Techniques”
Stephen Malkmus Traditional Techniques (Matador Records) When Pavement first entered the rock scene nearly 30 years ago, they stood out like a sore thumb. While they were lo-fi, they werenât punk, and while they had pop melodies, those were buried under tape hiss and inside jokes. Frontman Stephen Malkmus never went for a stylistic makeover, […]
Spins: Greg Dulli ⢠“Random Desire”
Greg Dulli Random Desire (Royal Cream/BMG) Calling this âthe first solo albumâ by The Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli isnât technically truthful â unless itâs a deliberate attempt to erase 2005âs Amber Headlights altogether. Whether first or second, it was time for another musical road less traveled for Dulli. Surviving way longer than most rock […]
Spins: Pearl Jam ⢠“Gigaton”
Pearl Jam Gigaton (Monkeywrench/Republic) Pearl Jamâs timing for the end of the world record is impeccable. The Seattle-based quartetâs recorded output has been stalled for nearly seven years, and apparently, they have some shit they want to get off their chests. The bandâs eleventh record, Gigaton, also finds its members looking for new ways to […]
Stage Buzz: Steve Aoki at Aragon Ballroom
Steve Aoki Friday March 13 (This Show Has Been Postponed) Aragon Ballroom, Chicago Steve Aoki, the founder of the Dim Mak label, is one of the most commercially successful names in all of EDM. Over the past decade, heâs created tracks with the likes of Rivers Cuomo, Kid Cudi, will.i.am, Fall Out Boy, Machine Gun […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery – Dirty Honey at Bottom Lounge
Dirty Honey Tuesday, February 11 Bottom Lounge, Chicago For the past year, some music industry folks have been working themselves into a piranha-like frenzy over L.A. blues-rock quartet Dirty Honey. Formed in 2017, the band features singer Marc Labelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Corey Coverstone. The buzz surrounding the band is heightened in […]
Live Review: DeadMau5 at Navy Pier
Deadmau5 âCube V3â Saturday, February 1 Navy Pier, Chicago From 2008 to 2015, Joel Zimmerman, aka Deadmau5, was the inescapable force in the world of electronic dance music, one of the most prominent and most easily recognizable names in the genre, putting out albums like Album Title Goes Here and While(1<2). To many people, he […]
Live Review: Squirrel Nut Zippers at Arcada Theatre
Squirrel Nut Zippers Arcada Theatre January 26, 2020 Review by Jeff Elbel Photos by Luciano J. Bilotti In the Squirrel Nut Zippersâ heyday, the bandâs music offered a singular throwback to the freewheeling fun of gypsy swing and pre-war hot jazz. In 2020, the retooled and rejuvenated band does the same […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: EOB at Lincoln Center
Ed OâBrien (EOB) Lincoln Hall Saturday, February 8, 2020 Following in the footsteps of bandmates Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, and Phil Selway, guitarist and vocalist Ed OâBrien is stepping outside his role as a founding member of Radiohead and occasional high-profile sideman for other artists including Neil Finn. Performing under the name EOB, OâBrien […]
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