Blair is a singer/songwriter from New Orleans, LA and her music is self-described as "Dolly Parton meets Radiohead meets Neil Young meets uptown New Orleans." I'm not so sure about the Radiohead, but her soon-to-be-released EP Pluto is filled with soothing country-tinged indie-folk-pop tunes. She may be singing about the effects of Hurricane Katrina and how it ravaged New Orleans, but (for me at least) the songs are calming.

Her beautiful voice and quiet acoustic guitar are charming in a way that will make you forget everything that ails you. There is (however) an underlying vulnerability that makes the music even more captivating. Maybe that's why I've been listening to these songs all day.

MP3 | Blair - Mona Lisa Pluto EP
MP3 | Blair - Blues Song Pluto EP

Not sure how many of you saw the article in yesterday's Chicago Tribune, but both Craig from the blog Songs: Illinois and I were interviewed for (and prominently featured in) the article. It was called "New paths for e-music buzz" and can be found here or by clicking on the picture above.

I'm not sure that I ever mentioned how great it was to ring in 2007 while watching the Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio at Metro. Well it was. I only bring it up now because I finally got around to ripping the songs from the limited edition split 7" we got for attending the show. The above picture was one of only a few that my wife was able to take before Metro security confiscated her camera for the duration of the show. Bummer, but at least we got the 7". It features the Popes covering a Trio song and the Trio covering a Popes song. Not the ideal soundtrack for removing a stinky dead opossum from under our front porch, but I'm not sure that anything would be.

MP3 | Smoking Popes - Blue Carolina Split 7"
MP3 | Alkaline Trio - Off My Mind Split 7"

Trumpeter Kenny Wheeler's 2006 album It Takes Two! is an exercise is understatement and I have really been enjoying it lately. On the album, Wheeler is accompanied by guitarists John Abercrombie and John Parricelli with bassist Anders Jormin. The quartet weaves a gentle and understated jazz tapestry. And while Abercrombie's and Parricelli's instruments (both electric and nylon-stringed guitars) sing in a different voice than Wheeler, they are a perfect compliment.

Wheeler's distinctive tone is breezy and melancholic and his lyrical melodies saunter along with an almost Latin (or bluesy Flamenco) feel at times. It Takes Two! is a gorgeous but mostly somber affair that often makes me think of Miles Davis at his most restrained. Most amazing is that Wheeler (now 77 years old) is still playing with such passion and clarity after almost 40 years.

It Takes Two! is available from Sunny Side Records or you can purchase it here.

MP3 | Kenny Wheeler - After All It Takes Two!
MP3 | Kenny Wheeler - Improvisation n.1 It Takes Two!

Here is a great set of tunes to accompany your morning paper and coffee routine. All these are straight from a (slightly modified) iPod shuffle and are sure to get you ready for what should (hopefully) shape up to be a beautiful spring day here in Chicago. I'm gonna go get a cup of coffee.

MP3 | Stereolab - Miss Modular
MP3 | Hammock - Raising Your Voice...Trying To Stop An Echo
MP3 | Phil Vassar - Six Pack Summer
MP3 | Squeeze - Black Coffee In Bed
MP3 | Peter Bjorn And John - Young Folks
MP3 | The Sea And Cake - Sporting Life
MP3 | Roxy Music - More Than This
MP3 | Snow Patrol - Signal Fire
MP3 | Pernice Brothers - One Foot In The Grave
MP3 | Idlewild - Live In A Hiding Place

In the pre-dawn hours, lakes can be still with a glassy calm. As the sun rises a mist starts to lift. Traces of fragmented vocals sometimes percolate to the top. The looping ambient rhythms that lay just beneath the surface shift and swell as bubbling pulses slowly pound through the quietest din. This is From Here We Go Sublime.

From Here We Go Sublime is the debut full-length from Swedish producer Axel Willner as The Field. It is full of atmospheric minimal techno that is mesmerizing, meditative, and nearly lulled me into rear-ending the car in front of me on my way home today. The bass drum thumps like a newborn's heartbeat and breathes life into what might otherwise be an exercise in icy droning minimalism.

Instead of stale and repetitive 4/4 beats, Willner manages to create music that is both subtle and vibrant. Music that works on the dancefloor but just as well (and maybe better) as a chill-out soundtrack in your living room. The Field's From Here We Go Sublime is out now on Cologne's Kompakt label.

MP3 | The Field - A Paw In My Face From Here We Go Sublime
MP3 | The Field - Everday From Here We Go Sublime

Find more music from The Field at The Hype Machine.

Easily one of the best, most influential, and most prolific punk bands in Chicago history, Screeching Weasel, also managed to be one of the most enigmatic and polarizing bands as well. There seems to be no middle ground when it comes to loving or hating singer and principal songwriter Ben Weasel. Even my wife (in true teenage rock-and-roll crush fashion) once said that the only person she'd ever leave me for is Ben Weasel.

Now I first heard Screeching Weasel as a result of a mix-tape that a friend made me in 1994. It featured songs by Operation Ivy, Rancid, Sublime, Screeching Weasel, and many others I can't recall right now. I think the SW song was "Dingbat." I originally thought they were from California because at that time, I was only beginning to discover that Chicago even had a punk scene. What follows is a history of Screeching Weasel as briefly and succinctly as it can be told.

The first incarnation of Screeching Weasel was formed in the suburbs of Chicago in 1986 by Ben (Weasel) Foster and John (Jughead) Pierson after seeing a Ramones concert and was filled out by Vinnie Bovine on bass and Steve Cheese on drums. They cheaply recorded a self-titled album with the legendary Phil Bonnet (RIP) which was released by Chicago label Underdog Records in 1987. It was fast, brash, snotty punk rock that reeked of teenage sass and rebellion. In 1988, the band recorded and released their second album Boogadaboogadaboogada!, but by the following year Steve Cheese, Vinnie Bovine, and Bovine's replacement Warren Fisher had all quit or had been booted from the band. The departed members were replaced by Brian Vermin on drums and Danny (Vapid) Schaefer on bass, and the lineup quickly recorded the Punkhouse EP. This (like all of the band's lineups) didn't last and Screeching Weasel broke up in 1989 when Vermin and Vapid quit to concentrate on their side project, Sludgeworth.

In the following years Ben played in The Gore Gore Girls and The Vindictives, but Screeching Weasel just wouldn't die. The band reformed in 1991 with Weasel, Jughead, Vapid, and new drummer Dan (Panic) Sullivan replacing Vermin. The group (along with new bassist Dave Naked) then recorded My Brain Hurts for California punk label Lookout Records. Naked was subsequently kicked out of the band and (with Johnny Personality of The Vindictives playing bass) the band recorded their 1992 album Wiggle. Personality then quit the band to focus on The Vindictives and the four-piece of Weasel, Jughead, Vapid, and Panic recorded their 1993 (IMHO) masterpiece Anthem For A New Tomorrow which features guest appearances by Jawbreaker's Blake Schwarzenbach and NOFX's Fat Mike. After the album's release (however) Ben stated that he no longer wanted to play live and shortly thereafter Vapid quit the band. Screeching Weasel then recorded 1994's How To Make Enemies And Irritate People with Green Day's Mike Dirnt handling bass duties. After the album was released the band broke up again.

During this hiatus, Weasel, Vapid, and Panic formed another group called The Riverdales, but (again) Screeching Weasel just wouldn't die. Weasel, Jughead, Vapid, and Panic reformed the band in 1996 and released Bark Like A Dog on Fat Wreck Chords. Vapid and Panic both quit the band (again) and were replaced by bassist Mass Giorgini and drummer Dan Lumley (both of the band Squirtgun) and guitarist Zac Damon (formerly of Zoinks!) also joined the band. In 1998, the new Screeching Weasel recorded the Major Label Debut EP and another album called Television City Dream. Both were blistering slabs of pop-punk that despite catchy-as-hell melodies were razor sharp. In the winter of 1999 the band recorded the ironically named and looser sounding Emo during the blizzard that pounded Chicago in January and then added Phillip Hill (ex-Teen Idols) on guitar before they recorded Teen Punks In Heat in 2000. Screeching Weasel (supposedly) broke up for good in 2001.

Way back in 1999 when I still had a car with a cassette player, I made two 90 minute tapes filled with my favorite Screeching Weasel songs. The twenty tracks below don't even begin to scratch the surface of what was on those tapes. The band has re-released re-mastered versions of a number of their early albums on Asian Man Records which you can (and should) purchase here. Maybe one day my daughter will start a Ramones-inspired band herself.



MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Murder In The Brady House S/T
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Dingbat Boogadaboogadaboogada
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Punkhouse Punkhouse EP
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - The Science Of Myth My Brain Hurts
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - One Step Beyond Wiggle
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Radio Blast Radio Blast EP
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Goodbye To You You Broke My Fucking Heart EP
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - I'm Gonna Strange You Anthem For A New Tomorrow
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - 99 How To Make Enemies And Irritate People
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - My Friends Are Getting Famous Punk USA Comp.
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Suzanne Is Getting Married Suzanne... EP
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Hey Suburbia Kill The Musicians
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - You'll Be In My Dreams Today Bark Like A Dog
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - (Nothing's Gonna) Turn Me Off (Of You) Formula 27 EP
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Racist Society Major Label Debut EP
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Speed Of Mutation Television City Dream
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Punk Rock Explained Four On The Floor EP
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Sidewalk Warrior Emo
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Bottom Of The 9th Teen Punks In Heat
MP3 | Screeching Weasel - Every Night Thank You Very Little

Where did Street Smart Cyclist come from (aside from Bethlehem, PA that is)? I simply can't stop listening to the songs that make up their debut 7". Literally. They've been on repeat since I first heard 'em. The songs are full of everything that I loved about Cap 'n Jazz and Braid. With a frenzy of youthful energy and punk attitude Street Smart Cyclist has (in only three songs) has restored my faith that post-hardcore is still alive. Lilting bass, sung/shouted vocals, and looping math-rock guitars all coalesce into a thing of singular beauty. The band sounds great in a low-bitrate MP3 format, so I can only imagine how absolutely fantastic this sounds on the actual vinyl record. Street Smart Cyclist will also be on tour this summer so go check 'em out!

Yeah, they may be aping their influences and treading the same music ground that many a Midwestern emo band did 10+ years ago, but I don't care. I think I'm in love.

MP3 | Street Smart Cyclist - The Three Lane Cut Demo 7"
MP3 | Street Smart Cyclist - Pastor Of Muppets Demo 7"
MP3 | Street Smart Cyclist - Hoods Up Demo 7"

Can anyone resist the sugary sweet indie-pop of The Eames Era? I know I can't. On their second full-length Heroes And Sheroes, the Baton Rouge, Lousiana band dishes out another generous helping of infectiously catchy female-fronted indie pop. This is due in large part to the sweet pipes of vocalist Ashlin Phillips which sound eerily like those of Jenny Lewis, but also to the relentlessy upbeat nature of the music. While the drums sprightly keep time and guitars pluck out melodic leads I can't help but nod my head. It is almost like three minute blasts of sunshine straight out of your speakers.

Although nothing on Heroes And Sheroes is groundbreaking, it is still always refreshing to hear a band that is at the top of their game. Yes, the handclaps, cheesy keyboards, and la-la's all belong in the big book of twee-pop cliches, but The Eames Era manages to use all of them without sounding trite or insincere. It's as if every member of the band actually is happy. Besides, how can anyone not love an emo dissing lyric like, "Emo kids you don't tip for shit?"

Heroes And Sheroes was self-released by the band and can be purchased directly from the band's website, from Insound, or from iTunes. Totally recommended for fans of Rilo Kiley, The Blow, Headlights, etc...

MP3 | The Eames Era - Benjamin Heroes And Sheroes
MP3 | The Eames Era - Dear Gabby Heroes And Sheroes

Find more music from The Eames Era at The Hype Machine.

DragonForce is an amazing extreme power metal group from London, England that blazes forth a trail of blistering anthemic riffage that Eric from Theme Park Experience and I (and a whole lot of Europeans) just can't seem to get enough of. Their latest album Inhuman Rampage is full of overblown orchestration, atmospheric video-game keyboards, fantastical lyrics and the fastest guitars anywhere on this planet. The songs range in length from 5-1/2 to 8-1/2 minutes. The entire album is full of the sort of extravagance that the Darkness tried to but failed to capture.

It's like Journey on amphetamines and a six-pack of Red Bull, and it has to be heard to be believed. On first listen you may think it is a ridiculous parody of hair-metal days gone by, but rest assured that they are dead serious about their music. Even Metallica's Kirk Hammett has called them "the fastest guitar players I've ever seen." DragonForce's Inhuman Rampage is out now on Roadrunner Records and RIYL: Iron Maiden, Yngwie Malmsteen, etc...

MP3 | DragonForce - Through The Fire And Flames Inhuman Rampage
MP3 | DragonForce - The Flame Of Youth Inhuman Rampage

I think it is probably a known fact that the wife and I are (were) big Hot Water Music fans and (thus) fans of both ex-HWM projects The Draft and Chuck Ragan's solo project. Something about the earnest post-hardcore that HWM played just struck a nerve with us and so many other people. And while I like The Draft quite a bit, I was always partial to Chuck's voice over Chris Wollard's. A bit more gruff and just a bit more powerful.

Chuck Ragan has a new live solo album called Los Feliz that will be released May 8th on Side One Dummy and it is full of gut-wrenching songs played by a guy (that's Chuck) with only his acoustic guitar for cover. You can hear Chuck's passion in every heartfelt breath.

Now rather than posting something from Chuck's forthcoming Los Feliz album, here is an entire live set from sometime in 2006 at LA's Troubadour. Cheers!

MP3 | Chuck Ragan - Dancing With You
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - Sound Of A Gun
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - The Boat
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - It's What You Will
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - Symmetry
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - Awakening
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - Come Down
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - Chatter
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - For Broken Ears
MP3 | Chuck Ragan - California Burritos

Well, we missed the Moxie Motive EP release show a few weeks ago at the Empty Bottle, so the least we can do is say something about the band. For starters, they are from Chicago and play some seriously soulful and searing garagey indie rock that sounds a bit like Pablo-era Radiohead or The Verve. Yep.

Oh yeah, they also manage to work some sweet violin melodies into their songs as well. And even though there are only seven songs on the EP, they are all huge. This brings me to another question. How can there be so many great bands in Chicago right now? Seriously? I'm certainly counting Moxie Motive as one of those bands. You decide for yourself.

MP3 | Moxie Motive - Flush Of Hearts S/T EP
MP3 | Moxie Motive - Lonely Lifeguard S/T EP

I don't think I've mentioned it here, but my former band Allister recently called it quits. Sad news for fans of well-played pop-punk but there is a little silver lining. Scott and Kyle from Allister have formed a new band called The Get Go with Chris Messer (ex-Showoff), Dan Hammond (ex-Home Grown), and Nick Gigler (ex-Mest). And no, Nick isn't the guy from Mest that stabbed some guy in LA a month ago. Unsurprisingly, The Get Go (thus far) sounds a lot like the above bands with Messer's distinctive vocals setting them apart.

Their first show is scheduled for June in Detroit, and no plans for an album have been announced. The two belong songs are webrips from the band's myspace page.

MP3 | The Get Go - Face In The Dirt
MP3 | The Get Go - You Versus Me

I went to get my haircut on Saturday morning and during the 5 minute drive to the salon I managed to catch "The Magic Position" by London indie popstar Patrick Wolf on local college radio station WONC. The song is sooooo good. It is title track from Patrick's latest album which is also quite good. It was (as so much music is) absolutely perfect in the moment of a warm and cloudless Saturday morning.

Having not heard anything from him before, I was very pleasantly surprised at just how great his unique brand of pop was. Nothing like weaving theatric and affected vocal melodies with lovely violins and other instruments and smashing them into glitchy electronics. You know that I'll be heading out to get The Magic Position when it is officially released next week. In the meantime, have yourself a listen.

MP3 | Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position The Magic Position
MP3 | Patrick Wolf - Accident And Emergency The Magic Position

Find more music from Patrick Wolf at The Hype Machine. I did.

Don't you just love stumbling into great new music? Some such music is from Connecticut's Titles. From what I've heard of their 2006 self-titled album on Welcome Home Records, they are an excellently crafty mash-up of jangly midwestern guitars, country-blues riffs, decidedly indie vocals, and an abrasive rhythm section. Perhaps they are the East Coast's answer to Birdmonster? Perhaps they are forging completely new territory that raggedly rocks like Red Red Meat meets Christie Front Drive. Anyway you size 'em up, Titles appear to be ready to make you tap your toes, nod your head, and (thus) rock your socks off. They even have a new split 7" out on Saftey Meeting Records that deserves your attention. Cheers.

MP3 | Titles - Dust ST
MP3 | Titles - Pink Pair Of Shoes ST

The latest album from newly Portland-based singer/songwriter Laura Veirs is called Saltbreakers and it is great. I must disagree with the fairly negative Pitchfork review which states that Saltbreakers is full of "songs that aim low and leave no impression on landing" and "sewage." Rubbish, I tell you.

The album (like 2005's Carbon Glacier was) is full of literate folk-pop that is backed by diverse and grandiose instrumentation and (occasionally) an airy electronic haze. Oftentimes quite similar to Liz Phair's in that they both have a limited vocal range, Veirs' voice is warm, cozy, and downright soothing. A perfect accompaniment for a lazy Sunday afternoon lounging around the house with the fam.

Saltbreakers is out now on Nonesuch Records.

MP3 | Laura Veirs - Don't Lose Yourself Saltbreakers
MP3 | Laura Veirs - Cast A Hook Saltbreakers

Find more music from Laura Veirs at The Hype Machine.

Battles is a supergroup (of sorts) made up of drummer John Stanier (ex-Helmet), guitarist Ian Williams (ex-Don Caballero), Dave Konopka, and Tyondai Braxton (the son of jazz musician Anthony Braxton). They have a new album that will be released on May 14th called Mirrored which is full of the same complex mathy and unconventional post-rock that appeared on their previous EP's continues to surprise with the addition of vocals.

Most of the vocals on Mirrored are (however) manipulated beyond recognition and sound more like Alvin from The Chipmunks than an actual singing human and are simply another melody instrument in the context of Battles. Just for the sake of comparison, the band sounds something like a cross between the craziest moments that Blur has committed to tape and Black Dice. Experimental, glitched, and complicated but exhibiting a new "pop" side as well as a technical prowess that most bands can only dream of.

The band properly titled the songs this time around and the recently released single "Atlas" was even voted best single of the week by NME. I'd highly suggest checking Mirrored out when it is released May 14th on Warp Records.

MP3 | Battles - Atlas Mirrored
MP3 | Battles - Leyendecker Mirrored

You can find more music from Battles at The Hype Machine.

Congratulations to Dan from New York City who won the Ultimate Ears giveaway. Here are some cover songs paired with the originals for your listening enjoyment. Have a lovely Saturday morning.

MP3 | Frente - Bizarre Love Triangle
MP3 | New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle

MP3 | The Hard Lessons - Hey Hey My My
MP3 | Neil Young - Hey Hey My My

MP3 | Smashing Pumpkins - Jackie Blue
MP3 | Ozark Mountain Daredevils - Jackie Blue

MP3 | Braid - Always Something There To Remind Me
MP3 | The Hippos - Always Something There To Remind Me
MP3 | Burt Bacharach - Always Something There To Remind Me

MP3 | Novi Split - Crazy In Love
MP3 | Snow Patrol - Crazy In Love
MP3 | Beyonce - Crazy In Love

MP3 | Ben Lee - Float On
MP3 | Modest Mouse - Float On

MP3 | Joseph Plunket - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
MP3 | The Smiths - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Maybe it is because I'm tired, or maybe (and more probably) it is a testament to its greatness, but I am having a hard time pinpointing exactly what it is about Ice Station that makes it so great. Ice Station is the latest from a Chicago band called The Race. The band is vocalist/guitarist Craig Klein who (on Ice Station) had help from Joshua Eustis of Telefon Tel Aviv, Kevin Duneman (who has played with L'altra, Telefon Tel Aviv, Early Day Miners, and Ativin), and others.

Ice Station is (loosely) a musical journey from Odessa to China and back again. It is a primitive futuristic Siberia with melodies that will stick in your head for days. Its a place that is populated by both buzzing guitars and vintage drum machines. A world whose inhabitants have (for centuries) sung songs of love and longing. Sounding like a combination of The Firebird Band, Joy Division, and The Arcade Fire, Ice Station will appeal to anyone and everyone that likes music. It will be released May 15th on the awesome Flameshovel Records.

MP3 | The Race - Feathers Ice Station
MP3 | The Race - Ice Station Ice Station

Jimmy Tamborello has made music as part of The Postal Service and Figurine, and also as Dntel. He has a new album coming out April 24th under the Dntel moniker and it is called Dumb Luck. It features Tamborello's skittering beats, blips, and clicks and pixelated soundscapes, but also features vocal contributions from Jenny Lewis, Grizzly Bear, Lali Puna, Mia Doi Todd, Bright Eyes, and more. It is a gem of a record and (as stated) will be released on Sub Pop next week.

MP3 | Dntel - Dumb Luck Dumb Luck
MP3 | Dntel - Roll On (Ft. Jenny Lewis) Dumb Luck

Blasts Of Holy Birth is the latest album from multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Lou Rogai who records as Lewis & Clarke and it is simply stunning. It is full of sparse neo-folk arrangements that bubble with folky psychedelia. The songs themselves are drawn out but deceptively simple. Rogai's melodies are addictive while his voice is both soothing and haunting. While other neo-folk artists (Devendra, Animal Collective, etc...) can get a little crazy, Rogai shows us that a little restraint can go a long way.

I loved L&C's 2005 album Bare Bones & Branches and I love this new one too. Just imagine sitting on a log in the middle of a Pennsylvania forest with nothing lighting your way but the moon and the stars. And the only sounds you can hear are the rustling of leaves in the breeze and the crickets that surround you. The sound inside your head would be Blasts Of Holy Birth. It is a powerful album that will have you converted by the end of its 46 minutes. It will be available May 15th on La Societe Expeditionnaire.

MP3 | Lewis & Clarke - Comfort Inn Blasts Of Holy Birth
MP3 | Lewis & Clarke - Blasts Of Holy Birth Blasts Of Holy Birth

I (like Jeff Tweedy) was raised on rock and roll and have had a hankerin' for some straight forward rock music lately. One band that certainly fits the bill is Kansas City's Blackpool Lights. Now Eric from Theme Park Experience has been shouting about how good this band is for awhile and now that I've gotten around to checking 'em out, I have to concur.

The band is made up of former members of The Get Up Kids and The Belles (among others) and on their debut This Town's Disaster as well as their acoustic tour EP, they play no frills rock songs that occasionally lean towards folkier moments. Its a sound that doesn't stray too far from the country-emo that The Get Up Kids were progressing towards, and I'm OK with that.

Some might write this off as a cheap and unoriginal rehash of The Get Up Kids, but I don't buy it. The rootsy power-pop of This Town's Disaster is a perfect sonic companion for the view from my hotel room here in rural Iowa where all I can see are rolling hills beneath the hazy cloud-streaked sky. Right now it all makes perfect sense.

This Town's Disaster is out now on Curb Appeal Records.

MP3 | Blackpool Lights - Goodnight To Romance This Town's Disaster
MP3 | Blackpool Lights - Empty Tank This Town's Disaster
MP3 | Blackpool Lights - Empty Tank (Acoustic) Tour EP

Utah Carol is a husband/wife duo from Chicago made up of Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis and their shifty drifty folk-pop is spiked with hushed Americana melodies. Their third full-length Rodeo Queen is full of dreamy soundscapes created from muted horns, slide guitar, what sounds like a rhodes, and other orchestral elements. And if that isn't enough, the duo's soft breathy harmonies will just pull you in and lull you towards eternity. Seriously gorgeous. Its almost as if all the rough edges have been sanded down and polished leaving only gentle floating melodies behind.

Although Rodeo Queen is the first music I've heard from Utah Carol, I've been aware of them for years. Silly me. I should have checked 'em out much much sooner. Rodeo Queen will be released (to rave reviews I suspect) in May. RIYL: Sufjan Stevens, Laura Veirs, etc...

MP3 | Utah Carol - Kimberly Smiles Rodeo Queen
MP3 | Utah Carol - Come Back Baby Rodeo Queen

Alright. This is way overdue. The new Dinosaur Jr. album Beyond will be released on May 1st and you already know if you are going to buy this when it comes out. C'mon, you know you want it. Even though this is the first new Dinosaur Jr. album in 10 years (almost 20 since the original lineup was together), it sounds as if the classic lineup of J, Lou, and Murph haven't missed a beat.

For me Dinosaur Jr. has always been about the scratchy warble and searing guitar solos of J Mascis. I love Lou Barlow, but (for better or worse) he is Sebadoh. In high school I damn near wore out my copies of Green Mind and every other Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh album I owned. I don't even think I need to tell you how excited I am about this record and the possibility of a full-fledged reunion and return to form for the band.

Yes, Beyond may sound remarkably like the Dinosaur Jr. albums we all have grown to love, but is that such a bad thing? Progress schmogress. Gimmie the fuzzed out late 80's early 90's bliss that is Dinosaur Jr. This album is f#@&ing ferocious and I love it. Beyond will be out May 1st on Fat Possum Records and I'll be first in line to get it.

MP3 | Dinosaur Jr. - Almost Ready Beyond
MP3 | Dinosaur Jr. - Been There All The Time Beyond

Another label that can seemingly do no wrong is Bloomington, IN's Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguwar collective. A record that (if I had heard it last year) would have been in contention for my year-end best of list is The Crawl from Chicagoan Dave Fischoff. It is essentially an orchestral indie-pop album that has been obscured and populated by relatively obscure samples taken from the Chicago Public Library sound collection. Catchy and melodic in a strange way that interestingly (really) evokes The Beach Boys and (of course) Dntel and The Postal Service. It is a superb cut-and-paste sound collage of skittering hip-hop beats and electronic pop that you really need to hear to believe.

MP3 | Dave Fischoff - Ghost Of An Afternoon The Crawl
MP3 | Dave Fischoff - Landscape Skin The Crawl

Flameshovel is such a sick record label these days. Just about everything they release is top notch, and the latest album from Chicago's The Narrator is no exception. It is called All That To The Wall and it will be released less than a month from now on May 15th.

The Narrator treads similar musical ground as fellow Chicagoans (and Flameshovel label mates) Chin Up Chin Up and Bound Stems, and that is (IMHO) a great thing. They play (you know) indie rock that combines the slacker-isms of Pavement with the disjointed post-rock flavors of the Tim Kinsella school of rock.

During the making of All That To The Wall the band's drummer departed so they improvised and recruited the drummers of Oxford Collapse and Russian Circles to handle backbeat duties for about half of the songs each. It turned out pretty well from what I can tell. Whatever the circumstances, All That To The Wall is a heckuva great record, and one that you will definitely want to get your hand on

MP3 | The Narrator - SurfJew All That To The Wall
MP3 | The Narrator - Son Of The Son Of The Kiss Of Death All That To The Wall

If your iPod looks anything like mine, there are dings and other surface scratches all over the screen and the scratch-prone plastic body. And while it may be too late for me to undo all the wear and tear, I can certainly protect it from future damage thanks to the awesome cases from Vakaadoo. If it isn't already, their slogan should be "Strange name, great cases."

Basically Vakaadoo makes durable and shock-resistant hard plastic cases that will fit just about any model of iPod from Nano to the biggest 5G model. They are sleek, good-looking, and because of their unique snap-locking method the cases add very little bulk to your iPod while offering maximum protection because of their clear plastic screen covers. The iVak cases come in a wide array of colors and finishes from the glossy black and white Domino to the multi-colored Soft Feel cases with a scratch-free liquid rubber finish.

The only negatives that we've found with these cases are the absence of any click wheel protection (to some this may not be an issue) and that the headphone jack is too small for just about any earphones other than Apple's standard iPod earbuds. Aside from those minor issues Vakaadoo's iVak cases are among the best hard-plastic iPod cases we have seen and now I'm not afraid of the kid dropping my iPod anymore.

The iVak cases have a normal price of about $30 a piece, but Vakaadoo always some special deals of some sort (from buy-one-get-one deals to 25% off). You can (and should) get them here.

Every time I write a record review, I usually start by jotting down notes and making comparisons as I listen, trying to classify and find easily identifiable reference points for the music I'm hearing. Sure, I could say that the latest album from Chicago product The Eternals is a mix of dub, funk, electronic, art-noise, and experimental rock. I could continue by saying that Heavy International recalls a twisted and elastic sort-of dub-ized TVOTR, but that just wouldn't cut it. The Eternals' music is complex and unique and is difficult to find comparisons for.

I'll start off (however) by saying that many people will not like this album (my wife included). Yes, Heavy International is full of rubbery danceable basslines that groove along to the beat, you can't dance to it. It is not catchy (in any normal sense of the word) but doesn't make really good background music either. Because of those factors it is virtually impossible to casually listen to Heavy International. The Eternals make music that challenges listeners. It sounds deliberately in-your-face and will turn off anyone not willing to pay attention to the details and the craftsmanship involved. Anyone expecting anything resembling pop-music should turn back now.

There is an underlying repetitive dub feel to the album that have led some to call the music of The Eternals futuristic indie reggae, but it is more than that. The band consists of frontman Damon Locks and bassist Wayne Montana (both of whom used to play in Trenchmouth) and former Vandermark 5 drummer Tim Mulvenna. And while dub is a good starting point, the band layers on warped textures, rhythmic weirdness, and (most easily apparent) the psychedelic and somewhat atonal vocal stylings of Locks. And whether processed beyond recognition or sung in an off-key falsetto, his vocals can safely be called unconventional.

I suggest you give Heavy International a try. It is a ponderous and eclectic album that can be difficult but ultimately rewarding for fans of just about any genre. Heavy International is out now on Aesthetics.

MP3 | The Eternals - The Origin Of The Heatray Heavy International
MP3 | the Eternals - Astra 3B Heavy International

I'll be away for a few days on business this week, and certainly have the new Modest Mouse album We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank playing on the iPod. Everyone in the blogosphere has written about the album already, so I recommend that you read what everyone else has been saying. All I can say it that Johnny Marr being in Modest Mouse is pretty freakin' sweet.

MP3 | Modest Mouse - Florida We Were Dead...
MP3 | Modest Mouse - Missed The Boat We Were Dead...

Friday night we checked out Lucero and Catfish Haven at Otto's in Dekalb. Nothing like $2 long islands to get you in the mood to rock, but (really) with those two bands on the bill it didn't take much. Everyone was out to the Lucero show including our friends Andy & Julia and (much to my surprise) Ryan from Muzzle Of Bees and his girlfriend. Was a great great time.

Catfish Haven pounded out raw and sweaty soul-punk tunes from their latest album Tell Me and even snuck in a killer new song. Definately check them out if you get the chance!

MP3 | Catfish Haven - Crazy For Leaving Tell Me





Then (as if Catfish Haven wasn't enough) Lucero played about two hours worth songs about drinkin' and girls. It was awesome. After the show some drunk fool even tried to pick a fight with Ben from Lucero. How typical.

MP3 | Lucero - I Can Get Us Out Of Here Tonight Rebels, Rogues, & Sworn Brothers





Thanks to Sarah for snapping the following picture of Amy and Emily with Ben. Ain't they cute?

Amiina is an Icelandic group that began as a string quartet and filled that role wonderfully on the albums ( ) and Takk from fellow Icelanders Sigur Ros. But where the music of Sigur Ros (however) evokes a sense of the extreme grandeur of the Icelandic landscape, Amiina's own music is the aural equivalent of looking at in individual snowflake or a single ice crystal. It evokes the same beauty but on a much smaller scale.

The band's first full length album Kurr picks up where last year's Seoul single left off. It is an affair in dreamy ethereal minimalism that combines loops, electronics, and ambient elements with chimes, rhodes piano, and other modern classical elements to create a magical sonic palette. The songs on Kurr glow an icy glacial crystalline blue and twinkle and sparkle in their microscopic beauty.

Adjectives like peaceful, tranquil, and calming can all be used to describe Kurr and its serene sounds. Certain passages seem to have slight Eastern influences that give the songs an almost meditative quality without droning on in any way. Amy noted that this album would also make for great music to fall asleep to. Agreed, but it is strikingly beautiful and deserves to be appreciated in a waking state as well. Amiina's Kurr is available now right here.

MP3 | Amiina - Glamur Kurr
MP3 | Amiina - Seoul Kurr

Hey! Dan Zanes is an awesome folk singer/songwriter that just happens to have about a billion CD's for kids. You can win his CD Family Dance by going to Mums The Wurd. Its a website that dishes about all kinds of cool stuff for kids and their cool parents and just happens to be run by my wife Amy and her friend Laura. If you are one of those cool parents (or even if you aren't) head over to Mums The Wurd and enter the contest.

MP3 | Dan Zanes - Yo Yo Sweet Yo Yo Family Dance

This year's Lollapalooza lineup has been announced. The festival is August 3-5 in Chicago's Grant Park and I'll see you there.The announced lineup includes:

Pearl Jam, Daft Punk, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Muse, Iggy & The Stooges, Paul Green School of Rock All-Stars, Modest Mouse, Interpol, My Morning Jacket, Satellite Party, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Snow Patrol, The Roots, Patti Smith, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, Regina Spektor, Spoon, Lupe Fiasco, TV on the Radio, Pete Yorn, G. Love & Special Sauce, Paolo Nutini, Amy Winehouse, LCD Soundsystem, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Silverchair, Femi Kuti, Yo La Tengo, Slightly Stoopid, The Hold Steady, Jack's Mannequin, Stephen Marley, Sound Tribe Sector 9, M.I.A., Blonde Redhead, Sparklehorse, Sean Lennon, !!!, Blue October, Son Volt, Motion City Soundtrack, Polyphonic Spree, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, Peter Bjorn & John, Silversun Pickups, Cansei De Ser Sexy (CSS), The Rapture, The Wailers, Roky Erickson & The Explosives, Tapes 'n Tapes, Heartless Bastards, The View, The Cribs, The Fratellis, Ghostland Observatory, Tokyo Police Club, Rhymefest, Soulive, Cold War Kids, Annuals, Fields, Electric Six, Jim Noir, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Sam Roberts Band, The Black Angels, Charlie Musselwhite, Aqueduct, Juliette and The Licks, Dios Malos, Viva Voce, David Vandervelde, Los Campesinos!, Chin Up Chin Up, Ryan Shaw, Colour Revolt, The Satin Peaches, Illinois, Arckid, Mickey Avalon, The 1900s, Bang Bang Bang, Bound Stems, High Class Elite, Carey Ott, Matt Roan.

Woah.

Sometimes I really surprise myself. For instance, I really like the new album from San Francisco based deep house DJ/producer Miguel Migs. The album is called Those Things and it is full of soulful funk and reggae influenced dance music that incorporates a lot of live instrumentation as well. Some of the tracks almost have a Jamiroquai sorta vibe. Anyhow, while most of the electronic music that I generally like is more minimal and ambient in nature, Those Things (with its throbbing 4/4 bass drum) is colorful music meant to be played in a dance club and features guest vocals on every song.

Those Things is out now on Salted Music. It isn't emo, hardcore, punk, roots-rock, indie rock, experimental electronic, or any other type of music that would normally be featured here on Can You See The Sunset From The Southside, but that's okay with me. Maybe I should even take dance lessons.

MP3 | Miguel Migs - So Far Those Things
MP3 | Miguel Migs - Giving It All Those Things

Okay. I would be willing to bet that the vast majority of you that are reading this right now own some type of portable MP3 player. How many of you are still listening through the standard issue earphones that came with your device? Most of you? All of you? Well, you are doing yourself a disservice and you need to get some new earphones. I'm even willing to help you out and give one lucky reader some killer new earphones. Just keep reading.

I recently got some of the new Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio earphones and the what I hear from them is huge improvement over what I hear using the iconic white iPod earbuds. The Super.fi 3 Studio earphones are in-ear canalphones that deliver punchy midrange, crisp highs, and (while it probably won't satisfy serious bassheads) smooth bass while also providing 26 dB of noise isolation to block out unwanted background noises.



The Super.fi 3 Studio earphones are also hella comfortable even for extended lengths of time. The flexible ear loops and in-ear design ensure a sung fit. And because they come with a universal fit kit that comes three different sized sets of silicone ear tips and a set of foam tips, the earphones a perfect secure fit for just about any ears. The Super.fi 3 Studio earphones also come with a gold-plated 1/8" minijack and a nifty little crush-resistant aluminum case.



Basically the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio earphones provide great sound which is much improved over standard earbuds, they are comfortable, and (at a list of $99.99) are reasonably priced as well. If you are interested in getting a free pair of Super.fi 3 Studio earphones courtesy of Can You See The Sunset From The Southside? then simply leave a comment to this post with your email address and one song that you would use to test out and size up new audio equipment. One winner will be picked at random a week from today. Below are a few of my suggestions.

MP3 |