Basia Bulat
Vic Theatre, Chicago
Friday, May 9, 2008
The first strums of Basia Bulat’s autoharp on “In The Night,” the first single from the Canadian songstress’ Rough Trade debut, immediately conjure Catherine O’Hara’s free-spirited folkie Mickey Crabbe in 2003’s A Mighty Wind. Fortunately, the rambunctious “In The Night” is light years away from the mockumentary’s deer-in-the-headlights fare.
Was (Not Was)
Abbey Pub, Chicago
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Why can’t more records kick off with a song about skinhead psychos, dismembered mothers, patriotic threesomes, and Scientology jokes?
El Perro Del Mar, Lykke Li
Schubas, Chicago
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sarah Assbring, who is El Perro Del Mar, must record while lying on her back and gazing opaquely into the night sky. The hint is the crickets.
Progressive Nation Tour
Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
In 1992, Dream Theater probably didn’t foresee their first hit single, “Pull Me Under,” would also be their last hit single. They were only two records into their career at that point; surely hits would follow. Yet, here we are 16 years — and a lot of albums later — and you’re as likely to hear Anal Blast on commercial radio as Dream Theater.
The Sword
Gods Of The Earth
(Kemado)
If Gods Of The Earth can’t accomplish it, then The Sword might as well submit to the fact heavy metal’s community, especially the so-called “real metalheads,” are never going to accept them.
Neon Neon
Stainless Style
(Lex)
The project’s a joke ode to fallen entrepreneuer John DeLorean, but Neon Neon proves Super Furry Animals frontman Gruff Rhys is someone who, given the opportunity, can communicate clearly.
Ministry
Jour Gonna Miss Me
On a sultry August 18th, 1995, Chicagoans and pilgrims stuffed the Riviera Theatre for a last chance to catch the Ramones live. Opening act Gren, a grunge-era also-ran, had the word “ignored” redefined for them while all anyone wanted to hear was that iconic “One! Two! Three! Four!” 30 more times. As victory lap/farewell tours went, the Ramones were able to close on a giddy high. Finality never felt so good – so they did it again.
Appearing: May 8th through 11th at House Of Blues in Chicago.
At this point in the game, predicting the continual advent of the next generation of Chicago hip-hop talent is hardly a new or groundbreaking call. Nearly every music magazine in the country has written about at least some, if not the majority of the talent that has emerged the last few years. In fact, many of said features lump the talent together, with single articles being utilized to focus on a diverse array of artists.
Atmosphere
Metro, Chicago
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
It doesn’t seem much of a stretch to see life imitating art in the case of Minneapolis hip-hop outfit Atmosphere. After all, the group’s just-released record is titled When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold, which might explain the impressive level of output released by co-conspirators Slug and Ant within the last year — a year that has seen four fairly consistant EPs (some moreso than others), one mix tape/album (the free downloadable Strictly Leakage), and an impressive proper new record added on to the Atmosphere discography. All of which provided plenty of different arenas for Atmosphere frontman Slug during his group’s recent stop at the Metro, the second of two.
Earth
The Note, Chicago
Friday, April 25, 2008
“Dude, I’m bored,” announced a friend of a friend in a Venom-themed Boris T-shirt. “Are you guys going to leave soon?” It was a damned good question. After six songs of blandly introverted, lightly amplified twang, many at the quaint Wicker Park bar were starting to come to grips with what has become a rather dull and clinical instrumental jazz band. Chatter — a death knell to any live band — had arrived like a swarm of determined little midges, and there was nothing on tap that could take back the night. Yeah, we were going to leave soon.
International Pop Overthrow
Various clubs, Chicago
April 15th - 27th, 2008
Back in 1998, when David Bash organized the first International Pop Overthrow in Los Angeles, he probably couldn’t have imagined how much his low-budget, annual celebration of power pop would flourish. By 2001, International Pop Overthrow, named after a Material Issue song and album title, had branched out to Chicago and, two years after that, made its first visit to Liverpool. This year, Bash added Kalamazoo, Detroit, and Milwaukee to the mix, bringing the total to 13 cities. All the while it continues to fly under the radar of the mainstream media.
Neva Dinova
Schubas, Chicago
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Saddle Creek Records has always seemed a youthful label, largely because of Conor Oberst but also from recent signings like Tokyo Police Club. Neva Dinova, new to the imprint as well, have been around the block often enough to sketch its topography from memory.
The Myriad
Park West, Chicago
Friday, May 2, 2008
Despite the band’s name, The Myriad fail to encapsulate a wide variety of styles and influences on With Arrows, With Poise (Koch). The Seattle-based quartet must have latched on to English atmospheric rockers Muse a few years ago and just never let go, which isn’t altogether a bad thing, but causes the album’s 12 tracks to bleed into each other without much fanfare.
Tokyo Police Club
Metro, Chicago
Monday, May 5, 2008
We music critics aren’t so good at math. If we were, we wouldn’t be music critics; we’d be providing some sort of real service to the world. Probably making real money too. But even us right brainers know 28 minutes divided by 11 songs equals not very much at all.
Cedarwell
Subterranean, Chicago
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
If you believe everything Wikipedia says (and we do), NCAA basketball coach Rick Majerus, comedian Jackie Mason, and death metal band Morbid Angel are all from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. And those are the highlights! Sheboygan native Erik G. Neave should be optimistic his name might someday be included on such an illustrious list. It can’t take much to bump professional baseball prospect and Sheboygan North graduate Brandon Magee, can it?
