“And I swear that I’m immortal / No one can prove it wrong”, Lillie West, the woman behind Lala Lala, sings on the somber “Scary Movie”. Despite the assertion, these lines are not a rebellious proclamation, but rather they reveal her vulnerable mindset in the midst of the turmoil inflicting her and those within her inner circles. They are also […]

You often hear the phrase, “It’s a young person’s game”, when it comes to most professions. Finance, advertising, marketing, and sports are all littered with hungry, young career-minded individuals looking to make their mark. Music, for the most part, is no different, although 2017 has been the exception to the rule. The year has seen several veteran bands make comebacks […]

A pattern has emerged in Widowspeak‘s albums. Their self-titled debut was stripped back, deliciously haunting dream-folk – or what they characterize as cowboy grunge, dream country, or earthtone pop. Almanac saw Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas III aim higher, adopting a more widescreen approach to transform the dreamy music into an ethereal experience. Their 2015 full-length, the engrossing All […]

GN by Ratboys “Ratboys are your new favorite band” screams out the headline on the Chicago-based band’s press kit. Those are bold words in an era full of bands battling to be heard and embraced by old and new generations of music fans. While such a proclamation would be dismissed as just ultra-exuberance, Ratboys back up the statement on their […]

Ryley Walker may only be 26-years old, but he already has established himself as one of America’s great artists. He is unlike many in his craft, as he is not solely a graceful singer-songwriter and masterful guitar player. He is also a brilliant composer, who plies his craft in ’70s folk and folk-rock as oppose to classical music. Ryley Walker […]

When guitarist Max Kakacek, formerly of Smith Westerns, and lead vocalist and drummer Julien Ehrlich, ex-Unknown Mortal Orchestra, announced they were joining forces to form Whitney, an immediate buzz followed. Expectations were further heightened when Pitchfork gave their first single “No Woman” a “best new music” designation while The Guardian, Paste Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Line of Best Fit, and others did […]

Through their first two album, Twin Peaks developed a reputation as a rock ‘n roll party band. From their scuzz rock of their debut Sunken to the intoxicating euphoria of their sophomore album Wild Onion, the Chicago quintet’s music was premised on one thing – having a good time. Their high-energy music translated well to the stage, where their live […]

There aren’t many bands whose names mirror their music. Sonic Youth and Lush come immediately to mind. We can now add Strange Heights. It’s not that the Chicago sextet’s music is strange in the bizarre sense. It’s not creepy or eerie. While Strange Heights don’t write music that would be considered formulaic, it is not really experimental. Their music, however, is […]

Last month, we caught wind of Yawn‘s new single “Day Trip”, which we described as an oft-kilter, pick-me-up song. The song offered a glimpse into the indie-rock band’s sound and what was to be expected on their new EP – something warm, uptempo, and bright. What we didn’t expect was that the album would be much more far-ranging and not […]

Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA Members: YAWN are Adam, Daniel, Jorge, and Sam. For those who like: Summer Heart, Jinja Safari, Royal Canoe Our take: There’s always time to hear some summery, psychedelic pop. YAWN’s “Day Trip” fills that need and then some. With their oft-kilter arrangements but uplifting sound, “Day Trip” is the type of song to spin when you need a pick-me up or just […]

Location: Nashville, Tennessee via Chicago, Illinois, USA Members: Los Colognes are Jay Rutherford (vocals, guitar); Aaron Mortenson (drums, vocals); Gordon Persha (bass); Micah Hulscher (keys); Chuck Foster (keys); and Wojtek Krupka (guitar). For those who like: Dire Straits, American Wrestlers Our take: We never thought it would be possible to make Dire Straits sound like a hip indie-rock band, but that’s […]

There’s only one word to describe Lee Miles – throwback. Under the moniker, Chief Ghoul, Miles’ music revolves around three things – his voice, his guitar, and his stories. With his second LP, III, Miles’ songs come to life despite the minimalistic approach.  There are no synths, no backing band (although Miles may step on a stomp box or tap on […]

“Dice Rolled” is from Ellis Swan, a singer-songwriter from Chicago who writes haunting, lo-fi songs with talented lyrical content. Last fall, he released I’ll Be Around, a 10 track LP. “Dice Rolled” was a track that didn’t quite make his most recent release. A handful of songs from the album are below, and it can be purchased on Bandcamp. You can hear […]

Marrow is a young, Chicago-based band that is comprised of four members of the now departed Kids These Days, who had a unique blend of indie rock, hip hop, rap, and saloon-style rock. Liam Cunningham (guitar/vocals), Macie Stewart (keyboards/vocals), Lane Beckstrom (bass/vocals), and Matt Carroll (drums) are now focusing their efforts on the rock, indie-rock, and jazz elements, which are highlight […]

No bells. No whistles. No buzzing synths. No auto tune. Just a man, his guitar, his band, and his voice. It’s music our parents and grandparents listened to back in the 60s and 70s, yet the man behind Primrose Green is only in his mid-twenties. Ryley Walker, like Steve Gunn, is among a new wave of musicians – precise, expert […]

“Punk Soul (I’m Wrong)” is the new single from multi-genre collective Chicago Loud 9., who will release their latest EP cLOUD9 in the new future The single combines hip hop, jazz, funk and soul to create an upbeat, house-party friendly song. It has a late ’80s, east coast vibe (there’s even a tribute to Naughty by Nature) that will have […]

Axis: Sova, the project of Chicago guitarist Brett Sova, released his sophomore record, Early Surf, last week on Ty Segall’s God?s Records (which is linked to Drag City Records). There’s a familiarity yet uniqueness to the album and Sova’s approach. First, it is predominantly a guitar record. The vocals and lyrics are limited and serve mostly as background ambiance than […]

“Sweet Satisfaction” is the second single from Ryley Walker‘s forthcoming album, Primose Green, which is due out March 31 on Dead Oceans. It’s a slow burner of a rocker that gradually escalates with some superb guitar work and mash up of percussion and guitars. This track would make Steve Gunn proud (and he’s actually touring with him this spring). Earlier in the […]

“Banged Up” from Chicago alt-rock band Rakunk starts off like with a punk-ish feel before blasting into a rock refrain and then transitioning into a melodic rocker. It’s like three songs in one. The single is from their debut EP, which you can hear on their Soundcloud page. The track is on our Weekend Showcase for February 13, a playlist […]

For Erik Hall, the man behind In Tall Buildings, his latest record, Driver, took four years to write, record, and produce, but in actuality it is a twenty-year love affair that began when he was 13 years old and experimenting with his first home recordings. Throughout his terrific sophomore album, you can hear inspiration from a score of artists in […]