Twelve years ago today, the reign of proto-power pop kings of Chicago Material Issue came to an end with the suicide of frontman Jim Ellison. I didn’t live in Chicago during Ish’s heyday, but I hadn’t been in this city a week before I was intimately familiar with the music and the band’s mythic status […]

I was talking yesterday to my pal Amy, who is an accomplished music writer and always good for a little astute opining. I asked her if she thought that our generation (the late Xers-early Yers) would ever really be credible. I seem to encounter issues with asserting my own credibility in certain company when I […]

MP3: From Bubblegum To Sky- I Always Fall Apart from A Soft Kill (Out now, Eenie Meenie Records)
One man pop machine Mario Hernandez treats us to a jangly gem. Grit and uneasiness hang behind sweet vocal stylings.
MP3: The Notwist- Good Lies from The Devil, You + Me (Out now, Domino)
Shimmer and sway. After a […]

I’ve been gallivanting up and down the East Coast for the last few days, and it’s off to the great, beautiful clusterfuck of New York City today. Luckily for me, I’m back in Chicago in time to catch the meat of this week’s good shows: one of my favorite finds at SXSW 2008, Jim Ward’s […]

MP3: The Uglysuit- Chicago from The Uglysuit (August 19th, Quarterstick)
They’re not from Chicago, try Oklahoma City. The latest Quarterstick/Touch & Go signees pen an upbeat, atmospheric pop tune. The ballad features reverb laden guitar over piano and organ.
MP3: Electric President- Monsters from Sleep Well (June 24th US Release, Morr Music)
There are a lot […]