A wreck like that one
Last week Anne wrote a little something (okay just a blurb really) about ye old CYSTSFTS? over at the always awesome and informative Gaper’s Block. Just in case you care. In other news, the wife and I are almost certainly headed out to see Champaign, Illinois’ finest this weekend. No, I’m not referring to Braid, (Read more…)
How fast can we clear the room
This is my blog so I can post whatever I want. That means anything. And despite the fact that Pete “The Predator” Wentz is a little on the sketchy side (check out the pictures from Buddyhead from 3/27) and the band’s live show leaves a little to be desired, I’m gonna post a few Fall (Read more…)
Review: Belong – October Language (or) seeking introverted quiet type
I just realized that I haven’t posted much electronic, ambient, drone, or experimental music here lately. I apologize. Those thoughts came to me after I listened to the new album by the New Orleans duo Belong. They twist and manipulate their guitars and synths until their output swells into a massive wall of colorful sound. (Read more…)
International pop overthrow
It is hard to believe that last week marked ten years since Material Issue front man Jim Ellison committed suicide. He is pictured above to the right of Liz Phair. Now, Chicago’s Material Issue was a favorite of mine (and a huge influence) back in the early and mid nineties, and it is a shame (Read more…)
Review: The Clock Work Army – Catalyst For Change EP (or) statistically insignificant sample
Southern California’s The Clock Work Army recently caught my attention when I got their EP A Catalyst For Change in my mailbox. What I heard was an energetic mix of new wavey keyboards, choppy guitars, and impassioned female vocals, that are all tied together with a dance-inspired backbeat. The music is darkly melodic without being (Read more…)
Review: Spider – The Way To Bitter Lake (or) everything you ever wanted to know
Spider is the name Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Jane Herships goes by. Her debut album The Way To Bitter Lake is a delicate, hushed, and (mostly) sparsely ornamented affair. Full of great nu-folk songs that fans of Devendra and Sam Beam would enjoy, the album also manages to have a dreamy, atmospheric quality that just seems to (Read more…)
An august weekend in grant park (1)
Hey everyone. Sorry for the drought of posts over here this week. There’s been some shit goin’ down that’s been keeping me pretty busy. Life getting in the way of blogging? Imagine that. But now that I’m back in the saddle, it’s time to get down to business. This weekend is the start of the (Read more…)
Can you hear the podcast from the Southside 03: summer nights and city lights (or) something different
Here it is, the third edition of Can You Hear The Podcast From The Southside? The theme for this one is “Summer Nights And City Lights (or) Something Different” and features songs from Centro-matic, Birdmonster, Chin Up Chin Up, Magnolia Electric Co., American Football, and more… This one is a solo effort from me and (Read more…)
Review: Banner Pilot – Pass The Poison (or)trimming pictures and eating pizza
Minneapolis punk upstarts Banner Pilot sent me their newest CD Pass The Poison yesterday, and it hasn’t left the car stereo (never mind that the eject function doesn’t always work). It is easily one of the best punk records I’ve heard all year. Describing themselves by saying, “Well, imagine if Jawbreaker and the Lawrence Arms (Read more…)
