New Music: Vacations - "Hassle With Real"

Download: Vacations - "Hassle With Real

Read my write-up of Vacations' debut "album" (it's a combo of a 7" and an 8-song EP) over at Decider Chicago. Rising out of the ashes of Chin Up Chin Up, the recently broken up indie-rock quartet from these here parts, must have been a difficult challenge, but this album is quite fantastic.

The record release party is tonight at the Bottle. Here are the deets:

Empty Bottle
1035 N Western Ave
Chicago IL 60622
773-276-3600
21+

Vacations MySpace Page

New Helicopters - "White Lily No Soul"

Download: Helicopters - "White Lily No Soul"

Mixing electronica with pan-Asian musical elements, the new song from digit-pop trio Helicopters "White Lily No Soul" is a scathing, but melodic, kiss-off against a vapid starlet. Sure, as far as targets go, that's like shooting fish in a barrel, but when the results are this ingratiating, who can complain? Download the track at the top of the post.

Helicopters MySpace Page

New Music: Mazes - "Cat State Comity"

Download: Mazes - "Cat State Comity"

Another download released for your enjoyment, courtesy of Mazes and Parasol Records. "Cat State Comity" continues the impeachable pop melodies of The 1900s. Listen to it at the top of the post.

Mazes MySpace Page

New Music: New Ruins - "Ships"

Download: New Ruins - "Ships"

The Parasol press page for the New Ruins' new song, titled "Ships," and taken from the East Ill. group's upcoming album, We Make Our Own Bad Luck, notes that the track bears sonic resemblance to a "droney acoustic/electric rock, songs rendered in sepia-tone, awash in rural melancholy." At first, I immediately thought of Zelionople, but the moment that New Ruins jangly, mid-tempo, and definitely melancholic guitar strums popped up on "Ships," any impressions of trance disappear. Instead, what listeners get is pleasantly mobile indie-pop that, yes, is sepia-toned. Check it out at the top of the post.

New Ruins MySpace Page

New Twilight Revival - "If Only"

Download: Twilight Revival - "If Only"
Download: Twilight Revival - "Dark as Sin"

In listening to Revival, the new album from Chicago-based indie-Americana act Twilight Revival, music fans can be struck by the combination of two stylings from very regions. Namely, lo-fi indie-rock from the North, and good, ole-fash'un Southern rock from...let's say, around Louisiana, or thereabouts. The first few tracks of the band's latest, Parlor, delivers solid, mid-tempo rock that combines both of these delightful, if seemingly incongruous, sounds. When the band slows down, they can lapse into cliche--exactly how many songs about sad, wonderful girls who are drowning their sorrows do we need ("Taquito")?--but moments such as these are brief. Mostly, the band is at its best when it delivers Mason-Dixon melodicism in a low fidelity package. "If Only" is Pavement's "Summer Babe," as written by My Morning Jacket. Check it out at the top of the post.

Twilight Revival MySpace Page

New Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - "Optimist..."

Download: Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - ""Optimist vs. The Silent Alarm (When The Saints Go Marching In)"

Though he's known primarily for making intimate synth-pop that operates barely above a whisper, Chicago-based Casiotone for the Painfully Alone sounds like he's ready to get out of the bedroom setting that dominated his previous work and move on to bigger things. "Optimist...", the first single from his upcoming new album of original material, Vs. Children, delves into natural piano sounds, and even a little bit of old fashioned ragtime. Listen to it at the top of the post.

Casiotone for the Painfully Alone MySpace Page

Tonight: Coupleskate CD Release Party @ Empty Bottle

Download: Coupleskate - "Laws of Physics"

I just did a write-up of Don't Fear The Horses for Chicago Decider. Spoiler alert: it's really good. Imagine a countrypolitian version of The Breeders, and you get a good idea of what this band is capable of. You won't get a sense of that from watching/listening to "Laws of Physics," which is one of the more punk-flavored songs on the record, but those swelling, romantic strings that pop up are definitely a sonic foreshadow. The best song on Horses is "Foreign Exchange," which is delightfully poppy in a Stereolab kind of way--lounge-y, for sure, but without the outre French influences. Great stuff all the same.

Coupleskate MySpace Page

Tonight: Alla @ the Darkroom

Download: Alla - "Love Lockdown" (Kanye West Cover)

Alla MySpace Page

New Rhymefest - "Exodus 5.1"

Download: Rhymefest - "Exodus 5.1"

As with all things Chicago hip-hop, this hot new Rhymefest track comes courtesy of Fake Shore Drive, which was recently chronicled in the Reader. The song is called "Exodus 5.1" and its taken from the upcoming mixtapes FSD Presents: The Chicagorilla Ape Tape Vol. 1, which is Fake Shore's first tape, and The Manual, which is one of many laid down by Fest. Check it out at the top. (via, spotted at).

Rhymefest MySpace Page

New Music: Company of Thieves - "Oscar Wilde"

Download: Company of Thieves - "Oscar Wilde"

Though "Oscar Wilde," the lead-off single from Chicago group Company of Thieves' almost-here (in the sense of celebrating the album in the hometown) record Ordinary Thieves, starts off with a Rolling Stones-esque mid-tempo strut, the band gracefully segues into harmony-laden power-pop, with melodies that shimmer effortlessly. The band will celebrate the release of Thieves next Thursday at the Double Door, and are currently in the midst of a national tour. For a chance to win tix, check out Chicagoist.

Check out the band performing on "Last Call with Carson Daly"



Company of Thieves MySpace Page

New Music: Maps and Atlases - "Israeli Caves" (Demo)

Prog-poppers Maps & Atlases have been hinting at posting new demos since announcing their first full-length, and, so far, the band has been doing a pretty good job of keeping the new music coming. First, they announced "Banished Be Cavelier" and now, yesterday, they've announced a new demo, "Israeli Caves."

To be honest, "Caves" sounds like Don Cab covering Vampire Weekend. There's a sense of afropop creeping into the band's sound--only time will tell if the Chicago-based quartet will start doffing ascots and arguing about the proper mechanics of English grammar. Until then, check out the pleasantly melodious "Israeli Caves" over at the band's MySpace Page.

Maps & Atlases MySpace Page

New Music: Mazes - "I Have Laid in the Darkness"

Download: Mazes - "I Have Laid In the Darkness"

In many interviews, Edward Andersonof the 1900s stated that he had a solo record in mind. Except that by the time that he got around to recording the album, the project had turned into a full-scale offshoot. Along with 1900s band member Caroline Donavon and comrade Charles D’Autremont, the solo outfit turned into a trio, while keeping the original name for the project: Mazes. Those looking for something radically different than the Hundo's blend of twee-and-orch-pop may be disappointed, but those eager to hear a group of musicians continue their sweet winning streak can look no further.

"I Have Laid in the Darkness" pretty much keeps the qualities of past 1900s efforts--beautiful harmonization, easy-going vocals, and an incredibly strong sense of melody--and filters it into a prism of post-Nico Velvet Underground. Check it out at the top of the post. Mazes' debut album will be released in March.

Mazes MySpace Page

Casiotone For The Painfully Alone Apparently Has Some Memories of Libertville, my Alma Mater?

Download: Casiotone For The Painfully Alone - "Old Panda Days"

Chicago-based bedroom synth-pop artist Casiotone For The Painfully Alone has announced the details of his new new album, an effort that's the follow-up to his 2006 effort Etiquette. Vs. Children is due out on April 7th on Tomcat records. Peep the tracklisting here:

1. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone vs. Children
2. Tom Justice, The Choir Boy Robber, Apprehended at Ace Hardware in Libertyville, IL
3. Optimist vs. The Silent Alarm (When The Saints Go Marching In)
4. Natural Light
5. Traveling Salesman's Young Wife Home Alone on Christmas in Montpelier, VT
6. Man O' War
7. Northfield, MN
8. Killers
9. Harsh The Herald Angels Sing
10. You Were Alone
11. White Jetta

The reason that "new" is written twice is because, in addition to Vs. Children, which is entirely new material, he's got a singles and rarities collection titled Advance Base Battery Life. That record is coming out on March 10th. The tracklisting is below:

1. Old Panda Days (w/ Nick Krgovich)
2. Lesley Gore on the T.A.M.I. Show (version)
3. White Corolla
4. White on White
5. Holly Hobby
6. Lonesome New Mexican Nights
7. The Only Way To Cry
8. It's A Crime
9. Missoula
10. Hot Boyz (w/ Dear Nora)
11. Born in the U.S.A. (w/ Concern)
12. Streets of Philadelphia (w/ Concern)
13. Graceland
14. Sunday St
15. Voice of the Hospital

You can listen to "Old Panda Days" at the top of the post. While you're up there, notice that the track 7 from Vs. Children has a title that should raise an eyebrow or two from alums of a certain small, midwestern college town. Namely, it's titled "Northfield, MN," named after the town of Cows, Colleges (St. Olaf, my alma matter, and Carleton, home of Tapes N Tapes and Paul Wellstone...dammit), and Contentment.

So do you think? Did CFTPA get his heart broken for an Ole or a Carl? Or maybe he traveled 400 miles and change just to get some of Basil's incredible gyro pizza, then wrote a song about it? And what's this business about Choir Boys and Ace Hardware in Libertville? Perhaps he resisted temptation to have "Napervillian" in a song? At any rate, check it all out at the top of the post.

CFTPA MySpace Page

New Music: Alla - "Love Lockdown" (Kanye West Cover)

Download: Alla - "Love Lockdown" (via)
Download: Kanye West - "Love Lockdown"
Download: Alla - "Tu Vida
Download: Alla - "Sigue Tu Corazon"


Chicago psych-pop trio Alla, who last year put out one of the most tremendously underrated albums with Es Tiempo, released a cover of Kanye West's "Love Lockdown," a track that might appear on their upcoming covers album, Digs. For comparison sake, I've put up both the original and the Alla version. What do you think? Additionally, I've added the title track of Alla's last record, for your enjoyment.

Buy Es Tiempo here.

Alla MySpace Page

Video: Flosstradamus - "Big Bills"

Flosstradamus - New Music - More Music Videos

Directed by Kevin Mcalester (the dude from Home Alone?), this is the video for Flosstradamus' first wholly original song, "Big Bills". Contrary to what you might think, this track skews surprisingly close to disco and synth-pop, as opposed to hip-hop. Speaking of Synth-pop, the duo put this one together with vocalist Caroline Polachek using the actual Postal Service, which is apt because this song sounds a lot like the band The Postal Service. Watch the vid at the top of the post.

Flosstradamus MySpace Page

New Maps and Atlases - "Banished Be Cavelier"

Boy, Maps and Atlases weren't kidding when they said that they'd post a demo soon were they? While the group is working on its first full-length record, they've posted a :30 second clip of a song called "Banished Be Cavalier". If you want to go the full monty, then you can sign up for their street team here. Otherwise, check out the :30 clip at the top of the post.

Maps and Atlases MySpace Page

Video: Andrew Bird - "Fitz and Dizzyspells" (Live on "Late Show With David Letterman")

Watching this clip of Andrew Bird performing "Fitz and Dizzyspells," of his brand spanking new Noble Beast record is pretty remarkable, and not because of the enthusiastic accolades that both David Letterman and Paul Shaffer shower Bird with. It's remarkable because Bird unleashes a fury of violin plucks while bobbing his head to and fro like a white Stevie Wonder. Not only that, but he's backed up by MPLS musicians Martin Dosh--he of the tremendously underrated Wolves and Wishes--and Jeremy Ylvisaker. But NOT ONLY THAT (capitalization courtesy of John Hodgman), there are horn amps from Chicago in the background. Not too shabby, any way you look at it.

Watch Andrew Bird's performance of "Fitz and Dizzyspells" at the top of the post.

Andrew Bird MySpace Page

New (Old) Star - "First Grade Still

Local dream-pop trio Star put up a new song on their MySpace page called "First Grade Still. It's new to listeners, but the band states that it's one of the first songs they had written together. "First Grade Still" is an apt title because the track basically sounds like Slowdive as arranged for a grade school chorus. It's quite haunting. Check it out at the band's MySpace page.

Star MySpace Page

New Music: Office - "Nobody Knows You" (Plus: The band gives away album for free)

Download: Office - "Nobody Knows You"

There are two types of album delays, and neither one is good. First, there's the times when both band and label delay an album's release because they are trying to polish a turd. The second is arguably worse: when a band's album is delayed because of label troubles, which means that a group's work is drowning in label bureaucracy. The latter is how you get lost classics like Slowdive's Pygmalion, for example. The newest effort by local power-pop band OFFICE, titled simply Mecca, doesn't quite fit the lost classic label, but there are a handful of gems, one of them being the irresistible "Nobody Knows You". It's a great example of the band's blend of new-wave, power-pop, and multi-layered harmonies. Listen to it at the top of the post.

Download Mecca here

New Music: Anni Rossi - "Ecology"

Download: Anni Rossi - "Ecology"
Download: Anni Rossi - "Wheelpusher"

When last we heard from Chicago via Minneapolis via Los Angeles, she was being a "Wheelpusher" and issuing her debut EP, Afton. The 22-year-old's first recorded output was a minimalist affair, featuring Rossi's idiosyncratic vocals, a fair amount of woodwinds, amongst other orchestral touches (which makes sense, what with Rossi being into the classical sauce from a young age), and her instrument the viola as the primary focus of most of the songs.

There seems to be a nature theme going on in Anni Rossi's music, whether it's the opening line in "Wheelpuser" about wanting to be a beekeeper in the Himalayas (the benefits are great?), or the title of her new song, "Ecology."

This track is from her debut full-length, which is coming this March. It's titled Rockwell, and it features ten tracks, some of which are re-dos from Afton. In contrast to the original's keyboard and woodwinds minimalism, this new version takes the former and runs with it, almost creating a woodsy synth-pop track in the process. I smell a remix (Buffetlibre?). Check out "Ecology" at the top of the post.

Anni Rossi MySpace Page

And watch this video for "Wheelpusher" (the MP3 of which is also at the top of the post)