We missed out on the first album by Chicago's Horsegirl, but what we have heard from the Chicago trio's upcoming second album Phonetics On and On have got us totally onboard to cover it. The release date if February 14 via Matador Records. Do you want to know why we're excited? Check out "Switch Over" below. There is an appealing VU vibe, but there is so much more going on in their songs.
Two other singles were released previously: "2468" ; "Julie".
Horsegirl are Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece.
Ranging from bittersweet jangle pop to a hazier dreampop, Lost You Long Ago is a pointed reminder of the special feeling we have listening to the all too rare recordings by The Arctic Flow. The songs here are works of chiming, shimmering beauty with melodies that soothe and soar while the hushed lyrics reflect on loves lost and relationships dissolved. You may smile, you may cry, or you may sigh and grin through your tears. Whichever approach works for you, this album is a true indie pop 'keeper'.
The Arctic Flow is the project of Chicago musician Brian Hancheck, who has been recording under that name from time to time since 2008. Lost You Long Ago is out now via Chicago's Sunday Records
Bnny is a Chicago guitar rock band playing a lo-fi, reverb-heavy style with the breathy vocals of leader and vocalist Jess Viscius, a staccato rhythm section and some excellent guitar sounds. First song is "Time Walk", and it gets a lot done in 1:33. There are alternating guitar figures throughout the song, including a short but killer bent-strings solo right at the end. Check it out, and stay tuned for more; there's enough variety in just these two songs to pique the interest of any indie rock fan. Here is "Time Walk":
And here is the second song released in advance, the super slowed-down "Ambulance":
In addition to Jess Viscius, the band includes her twin sister Alexa Viscius, plus friends Tim Makowski, Matt Pelkey, and Adam Schubert. The album is due out in August - you can stream both of those songs now, and pre-order the album in a boatload of formats via Bnny's website or Bandcamp.
Bnny Band websiteEverything by Bnny at Bandcamp
TOMÁ is the name under which Bulgarian guitarist/producer Tomá Ivanov records, and he has released a couple of songs ahead of a full album due out at the end of July. This is a fantastic record, featuring a variety of collaborators each bringing a different ingredient to Ivanov's impeccable producer skills. On "Blind War" he is backing Ben LaMar Gay, a Chicago producer and MC, with an understated set of keyboards and staccato beats:
In addition, here's the instrumental "Green", an upbeat jazz/hip-hop track - love the guitar on this:
He claims influences you would probably expect - Squarepusher, Flying Lotus, Aphex Twin - but in listening to this, you can also feel the influence of his jazz studies, along the lines of Stones Throw and other LA-based artists like Thundercat and Kamasi Washington. It's a heady mix and high quality music. More to come, but you get the idea.
Liam Kazar is a young Chicago native, Kansas City-based singer songwriter with an easygoing, almost sort of slacker feel to his music. It’s plenty melodic and features some sweet guitar and keyboard sounds backing his warm vocals. I'd recommend this to anybody who is a fan of Wilco or Jeff Tweedy's other work, or the Allah-La's (as we certainly are around here), as Kazar has what feel like echoes of both of those artists in his songcraft. He's worked with Jeff and Spencer Tweedy and Chance the Rapper, among others. Currently his label is sharing the song “Frank Bacon”, which features some nice country guitar work:
This is an advance single from the upcoming album Due North. I love the way this song just sort of rolls, sways and makes its way along. Looking forward to this album, which is coming out August 6 on Woodsist.
This is a deeply satisfying hip-hop song, featuring a great low-key sort of "film noir" jazz saxophone intro, a solid beat and three excellent artists. Jyroscope is a Chicago group consisting of MCs I.B. Fokuz, Collasoul Structure and DJ Seanile - and producer Montana Macks. Ahead of their upcoming EP Happy Medium, they're sharing this single, "Frozen in Time":
The lyrics seem to be about the delicate balance between striving for more and guarding what you have in a world (and a city) that can be hostile to both of those, between protecting your own (family, career) and putting yourself out there. As I said, it's deeply satisfying in a number of ways. You can pre-order and listen to this at their Bandcamp, they also share news via Instagram - see below.
"My Father Took Me Everywhere" is the second single from The Birthday Poems. The album consists of 18 tracks presenting a fictionalized romance between Scottish personalities Stella Cartwright and George MacKay Brown. The artists are Chicago-based Scot Chris Connelly and fellow Scot Monica Queen. As we explained in our post for the first single, the title of the album refers to the poems that George would write for each of Stella's birthdays.The first single was a swaggering sing-along titled "Tae the Poets" with Chis voicing George MacKay Brown. "My Father Took Me Everywhere" features Monica as Stella, recounting her young years when her father would take her to cultural events, parties and bars.
The Birthday Poemswill be released June 15 via Jnana Records (Ontario, Canada).
This is a terrific collection of Goodman demos, both solo and with a band. It’s a must-have for any Goodman fan, but more than that, it has the potential to have Goodman’s talent be exposed to a new generation, or to a wider population that may only know him from stories like the one about the perfect country song. You don’t know that one? Look it up, it’s worth the effort and it includes, in addition to Goodman, his friend John Prine and David Allan Coe, who ended up having a huge country hit with “You Never Even Call Me By My Name”. I’m just saying it’s a good thing to have a collection showcasing Goodman putting his songs down on tape the way he thought they ought to sound.
On this collection, there are 16 solo demos with just Goodman and his guitar, but they aren’t raw. They are well-produced and Goodman sounds good on all of them. There are also four band demos, all well-played, including some steel guitar on “Eight Ball Blues” and some electric lead, pedal steel and acoustic interplay on “City of New Orleans”:
This material is all previously unreleased, which makes it an even greater value and a real treat for anybody who’s even slightly a fan of singer/songwriters. Omnivore does these reissues and rediscoveries as well as anybody ever has, collaborating with Goodman’s daughter Rosanna, who supplied photos as well as consulting on the material. It’ll be out Friday (5/14).
If you have a copy of the original Gospel Morning from the '90s, you are both a savvy music consumer and a lucky person. And it goes without saying that you have excellent taste. However, for those readers who are not covered by the first sentence, but believe that you are described in the second sentence, here is your chance. The album is the glittering debut album by The Chamber Strings, a band headed by the inimitable Kevin Junior (also of The Rosehips and Mystery Girls, as well as solo work). Sharing influences of '70s glam, alternative rock, pub rpclpower pop, and a bit of soul, the album offers a toothsome array of excellent songs, all linked by superb songwriting. Influenced by the '70s, written and recorded in the '90s, but undeniably timeless.
Gospel Morning is available in digital, CD and vinyl formats. See the Bandcamp link below.
Sweethaven indeed! The new album by Chicago six-piece Alpine Subs is a sweet treat for your ears and an aural haven for your spirit in troubled times. Melding the best of '70s pop rock, country rock and a dash of alternative rock with plenty of jangle, it is a premium package of melody and positive spirit. This album has a more psychedelic touches than its more crunchy 2019 predecessor, and that attribute combined with the jangle and melody makes for an irrepressibly sunny set of songs. And speaking of a set of songs, Sweethaven boasts a generous 15 tracks. We recommend this album a prime candidate for your soundtrack for the last month of summer.
Alpine Subs are principal songwriter Will Goodseed with Pat Loveless, Carrie Roche, Drew Hackney, Brendan Taylor, and Connor McDougal. Sweethaven is out now via Subjangle Records.
We have proudly featured a number of releases by Chicago's Sunday Records, and here is another we regard as very special. Aptly titled Shelter, it is a compilation consisting of seven songs by artists who have releases out on the label. And Sunday is making the record available for free digital download to help you pass time sheltering in place.
We suggest that you take Sunday up on the kind offer and download the album. But if you like the tunes, note the links on the Bandcamp page to the artist's own albums. Check those out and perhaps you will find some new favorite albums.
We always choose music with care, but never more so than selecting our late night listening. If we are going to stay up past bedtime, robbing our ever-aging bodies of the rest needed to serve as global influencers and trend-setters the following day, the tunes need to be compelling. So it is with confidence and joy that we share our current late-night soundtrack, Dance Without Me. The album is the creation of Chicago-based vocalist Via Rosa and producer Na'el Shehade performing as Drama. The duo seamlessly blends electro pop, R&B and dance into a smokey tapestry of troubled romance, dignified resignation, and hope. Rosa's agile and emotionally resonant vocals tell the stories, and Shehade illustrates them with punch and flair. Their mutual understanding seems almost otherworldly, like lovers completing each other's sentences are filling a request before it is made. Quite simply, it is achingly perfect.
To be fair, this album is not just for late night listening. It will bring joy to your day walking down Fifth Avenue or cycling around Stanley Park. But it really hits your core in the dark. Dance Without Me is out now in digital, vinyl and CD formats via Ghostly International.
Oh, this will be a good day for guitar pop fans, as we intend to feature two albums and a few singles between now and when we sign off for the day. The first is the self-titled band by Chicago's Alpine Subs. Yes, we know that the name can refer to a venerated line of subwoofers or a popular sandwich shop. But it also has been adopted by a group of Midwestern musicians that create a sunny brand of '60s-shaded guitar pop that is tailor made for your summer needs. Psych-jangle, robust basslines and cheery harmonies abound, and the melodies are soar and explode into bright colors. And for listeners that want to relax in the shade with a gin and tonic, Alpine Subs also contains some dreamy and relaxed tunes such as"If For My Eyes" and "More Than Love". We started listening to this album a couple of days ago, but it how holds a place on our 'essential summer 2019 playlist'.
Alpine Subs are Will Goodspeed (vocals/guitar), Pat Loveless (guitar), Carrie Roche (vocals/keys/percussion), Brendan Taylor (bass), Benji Feldheim (drums), and Connor McDougal (percussion). The album is out now in digital and CD formats via Subjangle Records. See the Bandcamp link below.
Chicago five-piece Lightfoils have crafted a winning formula of dreampop meets shoegaze, beautifully decorated by the angelic vocal performance of Jane Zabeth Nicholson. Chambers EP, their new record, is due this Friday, and consists of five sonic feasts in time for the Thanksgiving Holidays. We know you will feed your stomach, but don't ignore your ears. Favorite tracks: "The Bitter Over" and "Honeydew".
Lightfoils are Jane Zabeth Nicholson (vocals), Jon Rungger (drums), Neil Yodnane (guitar), Zeeshan Abbasi (guitar), and Cory Osborne (bass). Chambers EP will be released in digital and vinyl formats.
My oh my - you really need an introduction to Chicago's The O'My's. The duo of Nick Hennessey and Maceo Vidal-Haymes offers tightly constructed and emotionally packed pop tunes influenced by R&B, psychedelia, doo wop, and soul. Nick plays keys and Maceo plays guitar and sings. We understand an album is in process, but until it arrives, you can feast on "Baskets" and "Starship".
If musical notes and melodies were colors, then listening to Akinetic, by Chicago's In Tall Buildings, is like diving into a three-dimensional painting of bright colors and varied and layered textures. This is music that reaches out to engage you, happy to reveal its wonders and delight you at every twist, turn and change. And it is sublimely structured and executed by an artist who is hyper aware of the breadth of his ideas and the arsenal of tools to express them. With songs like these, he doesn't need to push you into the painting, but rather just give you a look. Your immersion then becomes inevitable.
In Tall Buildings is the project of multi-talented Erik Hall, who recorded this album in his home studio with producer Brian Deck. Akinetic is out now via Western Vinyl.
Lost World indeed presents a world to get lost in. Filled with anthemic shoegaze and dreampop, with perfectly meshed boy/girl vocals infused with sticky sugar floating above hooky melodies and chiming and jangling guitars. The drums slash with abandon and the bass has free rein to infuse a muscular bounce to every track. The result is a sound that seems effortless, buoyant, youthful and celebratory. And we certainly can use that. Hell, the whole world can use much more of that. We were loathe to pick favorites, just as we try not to have favorites among our children. But our publishing standards (yes, we have a few that don't involve beer) require us to provide representative songs, and so we have. If you are fans of '80s guitar pop -- The Cure, C86, Sarah Records, New Order -- or more recent bands such as Veronica Falls and The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, it will probably take just a few bars to sell you. But if you want to be coaxed, and we all like a bit of coaxing every now and then, go to the Bandcamp link and play the album. Then buy the album and improve your weekend with a few mouse clicks. Life really can be that simple sometimes.
Star Tropics are Scott Hibbits (guitar), Loren Vanderbilt (bass/vocals), Dan Julien (drums), and Nikki Navarro (guitar/vocals). Lost World is out now in digital and vinyl formats via Shelflife Records (United States) and Fastcut Records (Japan).
After a long holiday weekend, we are going to start off with something a bit quieter than usual. Specifically, we present Portraits by Chicago's Pygmy Tribe. Featuring delicate, earnest vocals and subdued but interesting arrangements, it has brought a welcome calm to our hectic Wednesday. We also appreciate the band providing lyrics with the stream. A few of our favorites are below. If you like them, you can stream the entire album at the Bandcamp link.
Pygmy Tribe is Sal Plan, Daniel Lyter, and Jon Westbrook. Portraits is available as a digital download.
What a great debut album this is! This self-titled debut from Chicago's Dehd offers surf pop, psychedelia, and other tasty lo-fi treats. The trio is Jason Balla (also in Earring), Emily Kempf, and Eric McGrady, and they recently signed to Brooklyn's Fire Talk Records. Boy/girl vocals, big drums high in the mix, surf guitars, simple arrangements and nice up-tempo melodies -- it is as if Beat Happening invaded the bodies of Melbourne's Twerps. This is one of my new, favorite bands. Check out the wonderful "Sunburn" below, and then stream the entire album. The digital version is a steal at a mere $5. This is your bargain of the week, folks.
The Obleeks are two brothers, Andy and Lee Ketch, plus Nick Harris. The Chicago trio plays power pop and bar rock with energy and verve. A self-titled four song EP was released in March, and it is available for 'name your price' at the Bandcamp link below. The Bandcamp page has links to other releases by the band.
To our ears, The Obleeks have the rock and roll fever, and will happily infect you as well.
