The hottest music from Chicago & beyond

Month: May 2013 Page 1 of 2

Pick Your Poison: Friday 5-31-13

Happy Friday! We’ve made it to the end of the week, and boy am I relieved. It felt like things moved much faster this week, but perhaps that’s just due to the holiday on Monday. Whatever, I’m just glad that there’s another couple days off right ahead. Before we get to that though, let’s talk one last weekend-starting edition of Pick Your Poison. There’s some strong tracks today from Alright Panther, City Society, Emma Heartbeat, Hazy Mountains, Vandaveer and Young Readers. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Austra, Filligar, Fuck Buttons, Heliotropes and Jacuzzi Boys. Have a great weekend!

Alright Panther – Waltz

City Society – Speaking of You

Desert Stars – With the Bears

DiMi Marc – Every Night (ft. dFresh)

Emma Heartbeat – I Do Bass

Fabienne – Smokescreen

Hazy Mountains – Asleep

The Horse’s Ha – Dying Tree

Neils Children – Trust You

Sundays – World We Own

Vandaveer – Omie Wise

Virginia Wing – Red Sails

Yonderboi – Come On Progeny

Young Readers – Homesick

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 5-30-13

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Music Video: Disclosure – When A Fire Starts to Burn

Pitchfork has announced a new site dedicated to film called The Dissolve

Watch: A Takeaway Show with Majical Cloudz

Learn more about The Weezer Cruise, setting sail in mid-February 2014

Download the free Brass Tactics EP from David Byrne & St. Vincent

Music Video: Glass Candy – Beautiful Object

Stream a new Braids song “In Kind” via YouTube

Check out some short clips of behind the scenes rehearsal footage from Atoms for Peace

Hear four new Boards of Canada songs as streamed live in the California desert

Popmatters attempts to list the Top 10 lyrics from The National

Besides that set of distractions, there’s a whole bunch of tracks lined up for you today as part of Pick Your Poison. I’m happy to recommend songs from Caviare Days, David Yow, FMLYBND, Jenny Gabrielsson Mare, Jumpel, The Post Nobles, Stripmall Architecture and Vial of Sound. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream tracks from Charles Bradley, Elliphant, Matthew Dear and Professor Green (ft. Miles Kane).

Caviare Days – When the Light is Breaking (ft. Ebbot Lundberg)

Dancing Heals – Something

Daughter – Still (Minorstep Remix)

David Yow – Thee Itch

E321 – They Call Us Human

FMLYBND – Electricity

IBQT – Never Gonna Let U Go

Jenny Gabrielsson Mare – The Black Lodge

Jumpel – Flight

Krill – Purity of Heart

Naomi Greenwald – Stay (Rihanna cover)

The Post Nobles – Summer Toons

Stripmall Architecture – Unbreakable

Vial of Sound – Ghost Ditch

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 5-29-13

From time to time, when the mood suits me or I’ve really got little else to write about, I like to put a little spotlight on an upcoming show happening in the Chicagoland area that could be interesting or worth your time/money. And so today let’s talk for a minute about a triple bill of Chicago artists happening one week from today (June 5th) at Lincoln Hall. Opening the show at 8pm will be Belleisle, a pretty straightforward pop/rock band that’s been around since 2011 but hasn’t done much until recently due to an extended break that was taken last year because of family obligations. But they’re really getting back into the swing of things in 2013 and are working on their debut album, which should be out in the fall. In the meantime, you can hear some of their rough demos on their Soundcloud page. For this show at Lincoln Hall, they’ll be bringing a brass section with them, which should add a bit of extra seasoning to their current Wilco-ish sound. The meat in this show sandwich is CELLRS, who have been around the local Chicago scene since 2010 but have really started to pick up steam in the last few months now that they’ve expanded to a three-piece with the addition of a drummer. They’re a lo-fi rock band with energy to spare, and it really comes out in their live shows. Don’t believe me? Check out the band performing their song “Whisky” at the Double Door back in April. Pretty good stuff. Headlining the night will be Sons of the West, a high energy rock band with a bit of a bluesy edge to them. They’ve played shows all over town, have been paying their dues and rightly earned some attention nationally as a result. Their new EP I Will Never Be Your Friend (A Shot in the Back) is available on Bandcamp to download for cheap, or you can just stream the songs if you’re interested to know what they’re all about. This entire bill is pretty strong as far as local Chicago bands go, and tickets are an affordable $8. You can buy them in advance here. Fair warning, it’s also a 21+ show. If you’re of age, I absolutely encourage you to attend as it’s a great way to kick off the summer concert season. Now then, onto today’s Pick Your Poison. There’s some strong tracks from Coloured Clocks, Emily Bell, Ferns, Outsides, Qurious, Tahiti 80, and This Is Thunder. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream 2 songs from Disclosure including one remix by Toro y Moi. Also stream stuff from Gold Panda, The Mantles and Sonny & the Sunsets.

Coastal Cities – Entropic (Juveniles Remix)

Coloured Clocks – All the Time

Emily Bell – Hey Baby

Ferns – Impulsive

The Glass Delusion – David Bowee

Kameronessi – Trinkets & Stars

Mat Hunsley – Know I Am

No Middle Name – Feels Like the 90’s Again

Outsides – Seesaw

Poor Things – Ice Cream

Qurious – Gears

Tahiti 80 – Bang

This Is Thunder – Humming

United Ghosts – Unhypnotized

Young Aundee – Young Tuesday (Yaz cover)

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 5-28-13

And we’re back. Hope your Memorial Day was grand if you’re from the U.S. and celebrated. I got some much needed R & R and am ready for the rest of the week. Speaking of which, we’re already at Tuesday, which means it’s time to run down the list of artists releasing new music this week. I try to do this as a reminder and notification to everyone in case something from an artist or band you like is coming out and you forgot or weren’t aware. That said, look for new stuff from the following artists: Alex Bleeker and the Freaks, Alice in Chains, Animal Collective, Baths, CocoRosie, Eisley, Emily Bell, Feathers, Hooded Fang, Kae Sun, King Tuff, Last Good Tooth (featured below!), Laura Marling, Mount Kimbie, Paperhaus, The Pastels, Roomrunner, Tesseract, This Is Thunder and The Veils. I haven’t heard all those albums, but I can definitely tell you there’s at least a couple great new releases in that bunch. Perhaps I’ll have an album review of one or two of them if I can scrape up the time. Anyways, if you’re less of an album person and more of a singles person, maybe Pick Your Poison will be a great source of discovery for you today. Let me advise you to have a listen to tracks from Black City Lights, Dancing Years, Estrangers, Joey Bada$$, NO CODA, Tessa Rose Jackson and The Tranq. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from CHVRCHES, HAERTS, Joan of Arc, Scout Niblett and Barbarossa covering Junip.

Amplify Dot – Paperwerk

Black City Lights – Give It Up

Brother K – Twentyslashtwenty

Dancing Years – Borderline

Estrangers – Cape Fear

Joey Bada$$ – Word Is Bond

Last Good Tooth – Problems Leave Out of Mouths

Marvel the GR8 – Stella Rosa

NO CODA – Holy War

Philip Riley – Please Leave

The Sea The Sea – The Winter Parade

Tessa Rose Jackson – Stepping Stone

The Tranq – My Heart is a Yo-Yo

Turn Off Your Television – Between the Lines

Album Review: Savages – Silence Yourself [Matador/Pop Noire]



Before you read any of this, do me a favor: Take a close look at this photo. Notice any similarities between the people depicted? If you don’t, I suspect you’re blind. On the left is Jehenny Beth, singer for the band Savages. On the right is Ian Curtis, singer for the band Joy Division. Two different genders and two completely different people, however they could potentially be fraternal twins. Sure, Curtis died more than four years before Beth was born (under the name Camille Berthomier), but if you believe in reincarnation perhaps this connection is much deeper than skin deep. Joy Division was an all-male post-punk band from England that became well-known for their dark focus and intensity, particularly on stage. Savages are an all-female post-punk band from England that’s becoming more and more well-known for their dark focus and intensity, particularly on stage. In terms of label dealings, Joy Division signed with RCA, only to later buy out their contract because they were unhappy with how things were going. Despite Curtis calling Factory Records founder Tony Wilson “a fucking cunt” to his face and then repeatedly insulting him on stage one night, the band would eventually sign to Factory, a label best known for letting its artists do whatever they wanted and splitting all profits 50-50. Savages view record labels as evil, but a necessary evil. With Beth still entangled in label dealings from her last band with boyfriend Johnny Hostile, she pushed the idea of not signing to a label until their debut album was finished. Ultimately Silence Yourself is being distributed via Matador Records, in conjunction with Beth and Hostile’s own small imprint Pop Noire. “I believe artists make their own success,” Beth said after signing to Matador. “No record labels are my heroes today.” I don’t doubt that Curtis would have said something dramatically similar were he alive to survey the music scene in today’s digital age. There’s a rebellious, wild and angry spirit that runs through both of their world views, if you can define a person via their interview quotes. But what does all of this mean? A pessimist might view the similarities between bands as a series of coincidences that amount to nothing. An optimist could call this the second coming and the rise of a new band set to change the musical landscape once more for the better. Let’s just hope this new story doesn’t end the way the earlier one did.

To be perfectly clear though, Savages are not Joy Division, even if my first listen to Silence Yourself felt strangely similar to the first time I listened to Unknown Pleasures. That is to say, it felt like a door to an entirely new world of music had just been opened up. Unlike back in the late ’70s and early ’80s however, this sort of post-punk sound isn’t new or novel anymore. In fact, it’s downright out of style at the moment. Of course this is the sort of band that revels in contradiction and doing whatever the fuck they want without a care if it’s in style or out of style. As such, listening to their record can feel a bit like playing a “spot the influence” game. The Joy Division (and similarly Gang of Four) is there thanks to the extremely present and dominating work of bassist Ayse Hassan. Siouxsie and the Banshees comparisons run abound because Beth’s vocals often resemble that of Siouxie Sioux’s, though in more modern terms you can pick up on some early PJ Harvey or Karen O from Yeah Yeah Yeahs when she escalates to a higher and more shriek-filled range. Gemma Thompson’s piercing and rusty chainsaw-sounding guitar work fondly recalls bands like Public Image Ltd, Bauhaus and Converge, while the incredible aggression through which Fay Milton attacks her drum kit draws power from krautrock like Faust and Can, with a bit of Sleater-Kinney era Janet Weiss thrown in for good measure. Savages sound at least a little bit like all of these bands, yet they still manage to break free and expose a sound that feels intense and unique as you’re listening to it. Such a quality is so rare in music these days it can easily give one the impression that this band is out to save rock and roll. They certainly play like it, and though it shines through the record, their raw nerve and extreme ferocity on stage are what they’ve built their reputation on. Simply put, Savages live up to their name.

Silence Yourself starts in an interesting fashion, with audio from the 1977 John Cassavetes film Opening Night. The scene in question is a crucial one, and comes about 50 minutes into the film. In it, the lead character of actress Myrtle Gordon (Gena Rowlands) sits down for a rather informal meeting at the apartment of the woman who wrote the script for the play she’s appearing in. This older, wiser writer Sarah (Joan Blondell) begins their conversation after some pleasantries by asking the actress how old she is. The actress dodges the question repeatedly and never gives an official answer, yet insists that she’s having trouble connecting to the part that’s been written for her because the character is so much older than her actual age. Of course the audio for the intro to the song “Shut Up” and the rest of the album gets cut off before the actual point of the scene is reached, leaving the lingering question of age hanging in the air. Yet lest you be confused, age is not the point of the scene, nor does it have anything to do with Savages’ music. No, the point is about fighting against perceptions and allowing for enough fluidity to maintain your own versatility. As Myrtle says a minute later in the same scene, “Once you’re convincing in a part, the audience accepts you as that.” Her concern is that once she plays this older woman character, she’ll be forever fixed in the minds of audiences as a senior citizen and it will change her career trajectory in the wrong direction. Similarly, Savages refuse to be easily categorized or boxed in. They’re about outward rebellion and an innate desire to turn the music world on its head. Thanks to the primal, uncompromising brutality of this debut album, they’ve done exactly that. At times it’s enough to shake you to your very core.

Just reading the band’s song titles like “Shut Up,” “No Face” and “Hit Me” can go a long way towards telling you what to expect from the Silence Yourself listening experience. And boy, “experience” is the right word to use, considering the physicality that blindly attacks you at every turn. As “I Am Here” creeps along down the dimly lit hallways of your mind, the chorus suddenly comes at you like a punch to the gut in a momentary flash of rage. These spikes in noise and aggression come to a head in the final minute of the track, when the intensity finally builds to a release point and Beth howls the song title over and over like a mantra as the pace gets faster and the noise louder. By the end there is no doubt that she has in fact arrived and made her presence known. If a close listen with good headphones doesn’t give you goosebumps, perhaps you should check your pulse. A very similar set-up and execution happens on the single “Husbands.” In that case all the band members steamroll ahead at full speed the entire time, only taking a momentary respite in the chorus as Beth moves from a whisper to a shriek while once again repeating the song title. The effective point of it in this case is to destroy the meaning of a word that many equate with marriage, love, family and security by creating a true nightmare scenario. It’s equally easy to believe that the track “Hit Me” is all about the horrors of domestic violence were you to only think of the lyrics and not the context behind them. The 100 second beating this song will give to your ears (it was recorded entirely live in the studio, by the way) was actually written from the perspective of porn star Belladonna, about a violent scene she agreed to take part in for the sake of sex, art and masochism. “I took a beating tonight / And that was the best I ever had,” she sings, consciously aware of the choice and refusing to play the victim. Provocative and button-pushing as the subject matter might seem, it’s not the point Savages are trying to make with their music. The ultimate goal is liberation and empowerment, even if that means crossing the lines of physical and psychological pain to achieve it. Sometimes it’s the only way we can learn and grow.

The emotions on Silence Yourself finally reach their true breaking point at two spots on the album, both of which wrap up their respective sides of the LP. It’s equally interesting to know that they’re also the songs that break from an attack dog-like format and attempt to truly inject the record with something more thoughtful and progressive. While the haunting and moody instrumental “Dead Nature” might be considered by some to be the singular throwaway track sitting at the center of the album, its actual purpose is to serve as a cooler and buffer before the onslaught of the second half begins. Call it the musical eye of a hurricane and an opportunity to take a breather. The true moment of power hits two minutes before that though, on “Waiting for a Sign.” That 5.5 minute dirge is perhaps the most terrifying white knuckle ride on an album full of them, even as it avoids the immediacy and hooks of everything else. As it plods along led by Hassan’s rumbling bass and Beth’s manic vocal, the final two minutes of this ballad are handed off to Thompson, who takes the old Beatles adage “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” literally, only in this case there’s nothing gentle about it. Thompson’s guitar is crying buckets of tears, and in turn squeezes our ears so tightly it’s difficult not to connect with that and break down right along with it. While the album’s closing ballad “Marshall Dear” doesn’t quite elicit the same strong emotional reaction as other tracks, it is important to the overall record because of what it introduces. Considering the blitz attack that most of Savages’ music so far subscribes to, it’s easy to predict that their sound has a limited shelf life that might stay viable for another couple albums at best. What’s hinted at on the final track is a continued evolution of the band as they incorporate more instruments such as piano and clarinet. In addition to being an incredible singer Beth is also a classically trained pianist. Though that skill is used rather sparingly here, it hints at a larger vision and destiny at play for a band that likely won’t take their own advice and silence themselves any time soon.

Video: Savages – Shut Up
Audio Stream: Savages – She Will

Buy Silence Yourself from Amazon

Pick Your Poison: Friday 5-24-13

Happy Friday! Or as many might refer to it, happy start to a 3-day weekend! Yes, Memorial Day is Monday, and that means everyone takes the day off to sit outside in the sun, grill and drink plenty of alcohol. It’s a rite of passage, really. I’ve got a jam-packed weekend ahead of me, filled with more things than I know what to do with. But I hope you’ve got some time on your hands to jump on Netflix this Sunday for the premiere of the new set of Arrested Development episodes. Yes, all 15 episodes will premiere at once, and you can catch them all on Netflix in whatever order you’d like. Or jump between them too. Like the three seasons that aired years ago, this new collection of episodes has more threads and callbacks going through it that make it so brilliant and rewatchable. So many people have become fans of the show since it went off the air, though I’m proud to say I was there from the very beginning and watched most of the episodes live. Had all the people who are now fans of the show done the same, perhaps it wouldn’t have been cancelled. Still, I’m just glad there’s enough people to justify them making more, even if it was tough to wrangle the cast together and some of the scenes had to be shot on green screen and edited together later. Will it be as good as we all remember? There’s only one way to find out. Now before you check out for the long weekend, let me toss some Pick Your Poison tracks your way to maybe spice up your BBQ. Enjoy tracks from AM & Shawn Lee, Angel Haze and Iggy Azalea (covering Jay-Z and Kanye West), Beach Day, The Guru, Melvins, Mile Me Deaf, Mister Lies and Young Readers. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream a bunch of great new cuts from Andrew Cedermark, Boards of Canada, Disclosure, Quadron (ft. Kendrick Lamar) and The Field’s remix of Sally Shapiro. Have a great weekend, and we’ll be back on Tuesday!

AM & Shawn Lee – All the Love

Angel Haze and Iggy Azalea – Otis (Jay-Z and Kanye West cover)

Beach Day – Stay

Daft Punk – Doin’ It Right (Unlike Pluto Remix)

Dida – Don’t Go

Eli Mardock – Everything Happens for the First Time

fLako – What’s That Calling Me

The Guru – Go Easy

John Nagle – Blank Space

Melvins – Dr. Mule

Mile Me Deaf – Brando

Mister Lies – Magichour (ft. KNOWER)

Paper Lions – Philadelphia

TKTTSM – Eyeyeye (NAOAN Remix)

Young Readers – Boxcar

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 5-23-13

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Download Class of 2013 artist Ryan Hemsworth’s 7-track Still Awake EP for free

Music Video: Charli XCX – Take My Hand

Watch Daft Punk get their own F1 racecar

Music Video: Boards of Canada – Reach for the Dead

Watch the trailer for the upcoming Washed Out record Paracosm

Music Video: She & Him – I Could’ve Been Your Girl

Watch the 15-minute short film for the upcoming Queens of the Stone Age record …Like Clockwork

Music Video: The Lonely Island – Diaper Money

Watch Grimes accept a Webby Award

Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington is the new frontman for Stone Temple Pilots

Besides that set of distractions, there’s a whole bunch of tracks lined up for you today as part of Pick Your Poison. I’m happy to recommend songs from Amanda Jo Williams, Broken Water, Emma Louise, Milk Music, Overseas, Quickbeam and Sombear. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from Airbird & Napolian, The Cairo Gang, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Jacques Greene (ft. How to Dress Well) and There’s Talk.

Amanda Jo Williams – Holster, The Gun It Hangs in There

Bestial Mouths – Earth

Broken Water – Web

Dream Panther – Chutes and the Latter

Emma Louise – Backseats

Francis and the Lights – ETC

Harness Flux – Room Service

Milk Music – Beyond Living

More Like Trees – Chilly Water (ft. Linden Jay Berelowitz)

Overseas – Old Love

Quickbeam – Grace

So Fresh – Eye Class (ft. Kazi)

Sombear – Love You in the Dark

Woody Pitney – You Can Stay

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 5-22-13

Have you heard about this situation with rapper Tim Dog? For those who don’t know, Tim Dog was popular in the early 90s thanks to his hit track “Fuck Compton.” Since that time, he’s gone the ways of your MC Hammer’s and your Kriss Kross’s and vanished from the spotlight. I guess his money has all but run out recently, or he wants more, because in 2011 he was convicted of defrauding a number of women through an online dating scheme and ordered to pay $19,000 in restitution. Well, good ‘ol Tim Dog must have really not wanted to pay that money, because he was reported dead back in February. People mourned his passing and there was even a funeral. But then a couple weeks ago something strange happened. Nobody could produce a death certificate. There were no details about where he died or where he’s buried. Seems odd, right? Well, prosecutors thought so too, and have asked that an arrest warrant be issued for Tim Dog because he failed to make his legally required payments. It’s their belief he faked his death so he could get out of having to pay off the debt. If it does turn out that he’s actually still alive, it’d certainly make for one of the more impressive scams in recent memory. Then again if he’s never found maybe he really is dead. Or really really good at faking it. Here’s a report from WREG-TV in Memphis that has all the details on the hunt for Tim Dog. You know what’d really be great – if they put Dog the Bounty Hunter on the case. Dog vs. Dog. Just a thought – somebody get on that though. Okay, now let’s deal with today’s Pick Your Poison. There’s some strong tracks from City Light, Heaven, The March Divide, Pure Bathing Culture, Sheen and Therese Aune. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Case Studies, Diahrrea Planet, Exwife, Longboat and Standish/Carlyon.

City Light – Sweet Death

Desert Noises – Mercury (Kathleen Edwards cover)

Fialta – Photographs

Heaven – Colors in the Whites of Your Eyes

Humfree Bug Art – Back at the Start

Ian Place – Should Have Known

Is Tropical – Dancing Anymore (Spectral Park Remix)

James Blake – Retrograde (Mist Glider & Tree Remix)

The March Divide – So It Goes

Pure Bathing Culture – Pendulum

Seven Lions – Fevers (ft. Minnesota and Mimi Page)

Sheen – Lovelust

Therese Aune – Chameleon

XOV – Ku Klux Klan (Acoustic)

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 5-21-13

Welcome to Tuesday. Shall we do the same thing we do every week at this time? Of course! Here’s a rundown of the artists unleashing new records upon the world this week: Attic Lights, Beaches, Daft Punk, Dirty Beaches, Emma Louise, Jesse Ruins, Linda Draper, Majical Cloudz, Man or Astro-Man?, Morning Bell, The National, Saturday Looks Good to Me, Scout Niblett, Shannon and the Clams and Wooden Indian Burial Ground. Good stuff. Also good is today’s Pick Your Poison, with key tracks from Algernon Doll, Bypassers, Hello Gravity, Jay Arner, Ms. Henrik, Pressed And and We Are Temporary. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Joe Goddard (of Hot Chip), Pharmakon, Smith Westerns and Swimming Lessons.

Algernon Doll – Anti-them

ArtClassSink – Face the Day

Bypassers – Some Nothing Song

CRUSHES – Love Is Lost

Hello Gravity – Golden

Holy Other – Held (Fort Romeau Remix)

I’lls – Speak Low

Illusions Fate – Own You

Jay Arner – Midnight on South Granville

Ms. Henrik – Mark

Pressed And – Bored on a Lam

Self Taught – Way Back Home (Remix)

Silent Rider – Skinny Love (Bon Iver cover)

We Are Temporary – Satellites

Pick Your Poison: Monday 5-20-13

Somewhat sad news to report today, particularly if you’re a fan of classic rock. A keyboardist, producer, solo artist and founding member of The Doors, Ray Manzarek passed away earlier today at the age of 74. The cause of death was complications as a result of bile cancer, for which he was receiving treatment at a medical facility in Germany. Manzarek’s classic keyboard work is probably best remembered in some of the biggest Doors hits, including “Light My Fire” and “Hello I Love You”. Take away his keyboard/organ parts and those songs lose all sense of meaning and quality. Let’s not forget he also had to deal with the incredible ego of Jim Morrison on a regular basis, making him a saint in many ways as well. The good news though is that Manzarek lived about 42 years longer than Morrison did, which resulted in some great creative output including a revival of The Doors in 2002 with guitarist Robbie Krieger, though legally speaking they weren’t allowed to tour under the band’s name. Still, they played Doors songs, and seemed to have some fun with it. Anyways, Manzarek was a rock legend in his own right, and his presence will be missed. Now let’s get to this week-starting edition of Pick Your Poison. Focus tracks today come from Badlands, Bernard et Bianca, Egyptian Sports Network, Le Fever, Smallpools and Stay Positive. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from Destruction Unit, Escort, Laura Marling, vacation, and Katie and Allison Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) covering a Grimes classic.

Badlands – Sleeping Beauty

Bernard et Bianca – Karelia

Cosmic Suckerpunch – Glad You’re Here Now

Doctor P – Neon (A Purple Heart Remix)

Egyptian Sports Network – Leo in Cyan

Hourglass Sea – Richard III

La Historia – If I’m Walking

Last Good Tooth – Problems Leave Out of Mouths

Le Fever – White Hearts

N8 ST9 – Light Up Myself

Sep V – Zer0ne

Smallpools – Dreaming

Stay Positive – Leipzig

Strangeheart – In Another Life (8th Grader Remix)

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 5-16-13

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Stream the new song “Kiss Land” from The Weeknd via YouTube

Download two new songs from Liars in exchange for your email address

Music Video: Queens of the Stone Age – If I Had A Tail

Check out the trailer for Franz Ferdinand’s upcoming album Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action

Stream a new song “You Took Your Time” from Mount Kimbie ft. King Krule via YouTube

Google is launching a new music streaming service

Music Video: Mikal Cronin – Change

Stream a new song “Forever” from Julianna Barwick via YouTube

Watch TV on the Radio perform a new song called “Mercy” live at ATP

Stream “I Fucked My Aunt”, a new song from The Lonely Island ft. T-Pain via YouTube

Okay, now let’s talk today’s Pick Your Poison. I’m pleased to recommend tracks from BEACH, Boyfrndz, Camera Obscura, GRMLN, Hani Zahra, Honeymoon, Pinegrove, Saltland and WhoaBear. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new songs from The 1975, Atlas Genius (covering Daft Punk), The Dodos, Mayer Hawthorne ft. Jessie Ware and Solange ft. Kendrick Lamar.

ArtClassSink – Face the Day

BEACH – Ibuprofen

Boyfrndz – Water Weight

Camera Obscura – Fifth in Line to the Throne

Dead Stars – Fractured

Gallant – Please? (Vignette)

GRMLN – Do You Know How It Feels?

Hani Zahra – Cannibal Crime (Wait Wait Wait)

Honeymoon – Sure Stuck

Pinegrove – V

Saltland – Treehouse Schemes

SFV Acid – PT Sex

Splashh – Today (Fade Away)

Stereodyssey – In Clouds

WhoaBear – Rock Em Up!

Pick Your Poison: Wednesday 5-15-13

Because Chicago has so many more music festivals than just Lollapalooza and Pitchfork every summer, sometimes it’s nice to explore other options. If you don’t have anything going on the second weekend in September, specifically Sept. 13-15, perhaps you might want to find your way to Humboldt Park for Riot Fest 2013. The fest is in it’s 8th year and has grown exponentially in the last couple. It was never held outside before until last year, when two of the three days were in Humboldt Park and the other day was at the Congress Theatre. This year, all three days will be at Humboldt Park, and the lineup is set to be larger than ever. The first wave of bands was just announced, and oh my is it an eclectic mix that some will view as divisive. Then again, for a punk carnival like Riot Fest, their lineups have almost always been a bit split down the middle. Last year, one day featured Rise Against, The Offspring, Coheed & Cambria, Alkaline Trio and more, while another day featured Iggy Pop & the Stooges, Elvis Costello & The Imposters, The Jesus and Mary Chain and a bunch of legacy and indie acts. I suspect there will be a similar organization with how this year’s fest shakes out. Anyways, here’s a few of the acts at Riot Fest 2013 so far: Fall Out Boy, Blink 182, Violent Femmes, Motorhead, Rancid, AFI, Sublime with Rome, Blondie, Public Enemy, Brand New, FLAG (aka Black Flag), Guided By Voices, Bad Religion, Atmosphere, The Dismemberment Plan, Dinosaur Jr., DeVotchKa, Against Me!, Bob Mould, Best Coast, Bad Books, Mission of Burma, Stars, Peter Hook (performing Joy Division), Maps & Atlases, Surfer Blood, Saul Williams and many more. Have a full look at the acts announced so far. There’s one more headliner yet to be announced, which I’m betting will be a classic, legacy act to counter the Fall Out Boy and Blink 182 headlining sets on the other two days. A bunch more bands will be announced too in the coming weeks. Three day passes are on sale now at a very modest price of $99.98, but once that allotment sells out the price goes up by $10 (and later another $15), so if you like what you’re seeing with this lineup and can clear that time in September, maybe now’s a good time to buy. Just sayin. I’m pleased to say that I will be giving away a pair of three-day passes to Riot Fest coming up soon, so keep an eye on the site for your chance to win and go for free! Now then, let’s talk Pick Your Poison. I’m pleased to recommend tracks today from A Grave With No Name, Bad Cop, Blank Realm, English Singles, Lawnmower, Mirage, and G_Force’s remix of Radiation City. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream new stuff from Barbarossa, Big Deal, Movement, When Saints Go Machine and Baauer’s remix of Disclosure.

A Grave With No Name – Aurora

Bad Cop – Light On

Blank Realm – Working on Love

Building Pictures – Come of Age

Candace Bellamy – Johnny

Dillon Hodges – The Proof

English Singles – Ordinary Girls

Lawnmower – Team Spirit

Mirage – Let’s Kiss

Mordecai – Runner

Pharaoh Ivan – Relax Your Mind (ft. Murph Watkins)

Quasimo – We’ll Manage

Radiation City – Zombies (G_Force Remix ft. TxE)

Rotimi – Only Human

Pick Your Poison: Tuesday 5-14-13

It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for another round of artists with new albums out in stores. As a service to those that maybe aren’t so “in the know,” I like to list the artists releasing new stuff in case one of your favorites is putting something out and you didn’t know or simply forgot. That said, the following artists have new music out this week: The Fall, ADULT., Anamanaguchi, Beaches, Ben Lee, Bibio, Blank Tapes, Boxer Rebellion, Eluvium, The Features, The Handsome Family, John Grant, Kisses, Mark Lanegan and Duke Garwood, MS MR, Orange Peels, The Phoenix Foundation, Pure X, Roomrunner, Saltland, Sam Amidon, Small Black, Snowden, Standish/Carlyon, Tea Leaf Green, Vampire Weekend and Wild Nothing. Phew, that’s quite a lot for this week, and the best part is a handful of these are really great records too. Check some of them out if you’re so inspired. Also feel free to check out the tracks in today’s Pick Your Poison. They’re delightful too, including songs from The Anatomy of Frank, Daniel Badeie, Scott & Charlene’s Wedding, Shy Nature, Statistics, Titles, Tunng, and Typhoon. Streaming in the Soundcloud section (after the jump) you’ll find tracks from Jackson Scott, Maps, Minks, RocketNumberNine, AlunaGeorge’s remix of Dirty Projectors and Sam Smith’s acoustic take on his previously released dance track collaboration with Disclosure.

The Anatomy of Frank – Bill Murray

Daniel Badeie – Summer Wine

Juveniles – Strangers (The Black and White Diamond Tiles Remix)

Little Boots – Broken Record (Cosmic Kids Remix)

phages. – Where’s Your Head At? (Basement Jaxx cover)

Pick a Piper – All Her Colours (Sun Glitters Remix)

PleasePlease – Viva La Piano

Scott & Charlene’s Wedding – Fakin’ NYC

Shy Nature – Deadly Sin

Statistics – Take the Lead (ft. Har Mar Superstar)

Titles – Be Not Afraid

Tunng – The Village

Typhoon – Dreams of Cannibalism

Villa Kang – Touch of Evil

Pick Your Poison: Monday 5-13-13

For those that don’t know, Daft Punk’s new album Random Access Memories will officially be released next Tuesday. The hype about this record has been building ever since the day it was announced, and people kept freaking out thanks to seemingly random commercials featuring seconds of new music that aired during Saturday Night Live and other fare. Posters featuring the robot heads of Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo also started to appear everywhere, including SXSW where it was hotly tipped that the duo would be performing a secret show. While that never happened, it certainly got and kept people talking. There’s been so much excitement in the lead up to this that I don’t fully understand why. Allow me to explain before you get all upset and angry with me. Daft Punk put on an incredible live show. I feel honored to have seen it a few years back, as my life certainly hasn’t quite been the same since. Yes, it’s one of those things you just don’t forget. They also don’t play many shows, which makes the rarity of them that much more special. I suppose it’s for that very reason that people love Daft Punk. Well, that and their two truly classic records of Homework and Discovery. Where my confusion lies is in how people can blissfully ignore the fact that these guys haven’t released a great album since 2001. For 99% of bands, if your last great album came out 12 years ago, you don’t have much of a career left to salvage. 2005’s Human After All was a major disappointment compared to what had been released previously, and things like a live album (without a DVD of the mindblowing visuals?!) or the soundtrack to Tron: Legacy simply didn’t cut it. You can basically call Random Access Memories an official follow-up to Human After All then, which I guess creates an 8 year “gap” of truly original, signature Daft Punk material to rebuild their empire and help fans forget. So this time with a massive collection of guest stars in tow, including Pharrell, Panda Bear, Nile Rodgers and Chilly Gonzales, the duo want to remind you why you fell in love with them in the first place. As the title suggests, they want you to randomly access your memories of their classic albums and insane live show to remember the good and forget the bad. They’re playing this game, and I’ve got to give them kudos for doing it right. With that, I’m pleased to tell you (if you didn’t already know) that Random Access Memories is now streaming in full over at iTunes. If you’re interested to hear what they’ve come up with, by all means have at it. Might I also recommend checking out today’s Pick Your Poison, since you’re already here? There’s some strong songs today from Arc Rev One, Four Tet, The Morals, VOWS and Young Hunting. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream songs from The 1975, The Child of Lov (ft. Damon Albarn), The-Dream (ft. Jay-Z), The Love Language, Rogue Wave and Var.

Arc Rev One – Transference

The Delta Routine – New York Avenue

Four Tet – Unspoken (Promo Version)

The Herbaliser – Crimes & Misdemeanours (Lopez Remix)

Kyle Andrews – The Way to Wonder

Monophona – Give Up

The Morals – Birds
The Morals – Noah Part I

Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire – Noble Drew Ali

No Middle Name – When Forever Ends

Shaun McGyver – 2 Stories With the Same Ending

Shooting Stansfield – Sign of the Times

Sivu – Bodies (Cloud Boat’s Let the Bodies Hit the Floor Remix)

Tracy Walton – If I Ever Get Away

VOWS – Symbol System

Young Hunting – Wrecking Ball

Pick Your Poison: Thursday 5-9-13

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another weekly dip into the pool of music news, interviews and videos that I like to call This Week In Music! Yes, in addition to the normal Pick Your Poison mp3s and Soundcloud streams, I like to toss out links to a bunch of other music-related content that I’ve found interesting or worthwhile over the course of the week. I encourage you to check some, if not all of these things out, particularly if you’re looking to waste some time. There’s plenty to see, read and hear:

Music Video: The Lonely Island – Spring Break Anthem (+ “Between Two Ferns”)

Watch Wilco’s Glenn Kotche find a way to make sinks, pots and pans into percussion instruments in a new commercial

Listen to Queens of the Stone Age perform 2 new songs on a Belgian radio station

Third Man Records is releasing a limited edition gold and platinum LP version of The Great Gatsby soundtrack

Music Video: The National – Sea of Love

Watch a short film about DFA Records, narrated by Mark Maron

Music Video: David Bowie – The Next Day

Watch Thom Yorke perform Atoms for Peace’s “Ingenue” live on the Jonathan Ross Show

Music Video: Smith Westerns – Varsity

Music Video: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mosquito

As far as today’s Pick Your Poison goes, allow me to recommend tracks from Graham MacRae, Jesse Ruins, Lake Isle, Sam Vicari, Two Inch Astronaut, Wild Moccasins and Wise Blood. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream some great songs from Lust For Youth, The Mantles, The Orwells, Tree (ft. Danny Brown) and These New Puritans.

Botzy – Thrill Is Gone (ft. Justyn Dow)

Graham MacRae – Game Changer

Jesse Ruins – Talk to Alicia

Koloto – Primer

Kriget – Sleeping With Buddha

Lake Isle – Steel Rails

Rituel – Club Zanzibar (Extended Instrumental)

Ross Crean – Daniel

Sam Vicari – Heart Explosion

Steelwells – Dead Song

Two Inch Astronaut – Blood From A Loyal Hound

Wild Moccasins – Gag Reflections

Wise Blood – Universe Is Blessed

Young Jeezy – RIP (ENFERNO Remix)

Page 1 of 2

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén