We’re on a tornado watch in the upper Midwest this morning, complete with black skies and spitty rain, so there’s nary a better time to post an infectious spot of piano pop like Jukebox The Ghost’s “Good Day.” From the looks of their recent tourmates (Nightmare of You, Via Audio),they walk the fine line between indiehood and high school mixtapes…maybe I’m fourteen, but it works for me. Snarky lyrics and more-complex-than-The O.C.-soundtrack arrangements haul this trio back from the mall pop abyss, landing them squarely between Ben Folds and 90’s college nerd rock.

Catch them somewhere out there:

6/3 – New York, NY – Blender Theater
6/5 – Mt. Pleasant, SC – Village Tavern
6/6 – Athens, GA – Tasty World
6/7 – Tampa, FL – New World Brewery
6/8 – West Palm Beach, FL – Dada **
6/9 – Orlando, FL – Backbooth **
6/10 – Melbourne, FL – Melbourne Jaycees
6/12 – Houston, TX – Rocbar
6/13 – Austin, TX – The Mohawk **
6/14 – Dallas, TX – House On Swiss **
6/15 – Springfield, MO – Randy Bacon Gallery (w/ SSLYBY)
6/16 – Cape Girardeau, MO – Port Cape
6/18 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland
6/19 – Rochester, NY – Bug Jar
6/20 – Brooklyn, NY – Union Hall
6/21 – Westport, CT – Toquet Hall Teen Center
7/12 – State College, PA – Central PA Festival Of Arts (Allen Street Stage)

MP3: Jukebox The Ghost - Good Day

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I saw the best show I’ve seen all year last night - Langhorne Slim at Schubas. I know I’ve stroked this kid quite a bit in the recent past, but I can’t let his live show go unheralded. In 75 minutes, the 27-year-old Pennsylvania native and his absolutely crack two-piece backing band achieved something I’ve never seen from a sold out crowd at Schubas - a dance party. People were grabbing folks they didn’t know and twirling in place, unable to stand still in the wake of Slim’s infectious, stomping roots rock. Only four songs off of current (and highly lauded) release Langhorne Slim were played, but the crowd reacted to each unfamiliar tune as though it was an old favorite.

The War Eagles, a.k.a. upright bassist Paul Defiglia and drummer Malachi DeLorenzo, were as tight as it gets, allowing Slim to prowl the tiny stage with his acoustic guitar held over his head for half of the set. DeLorenzo was especially impressive, and may be the best drummer I’ve seen play live this year (that includes 5 nights of Wilco’s Glenn Kotche). Figures, as his dad Victor is a founding member of pioneering folk punkers the Violent Femmes.

The bottom line is this, friends: you Chicagoans have a second chance tonight when Slim and impressive openers The Builders & The Butchers reprise their hootenanny party at The Hideout ’round 9pm. I’ll be there and I’ve emailed everyone I know, so show up early to get a ticket. For everyone else, check out the remainder dates on Langhorne Slim’s spring tour and shine up yer dancin’ boots.

May 29 – The Hideout — Chicago, IL
May 30 – Club Café – Pittsburgh, PA
May 31 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
June 5 – W. Mount Vernon Park – Baltimore, MD
June 6 – World Café Live – Philadelphia, PA
June 7 – T.T. The Bear’s — Cambridge, MA
June 17 – La Divian Orange — Montreal, QB
June 18 – The Horseshoe – Toronto, ONT
June 19 – Grog Shop – Cleveland Heights, OH
June 20 - Pike Room @ Crofoot - Pontiac, MI
June 21 - Ruby Tuesday - Columbus, OH
June 22 – Off Broadway- St. Louis, MO
June 24 – The Aquarium (Dempsey’s Upstairs) - Fargo, ND+
June 26 - Sled Island Music Festival – Calgary, AB
July 3 - High Sierra Fest - Quincy, CA
July 4 - High Sierra Fest - Quincy, CA

MP3: Langhorne Slim - She’s Gone

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MP3: Bellafea- Depart (I Never Knew You) from Cavalcade (June 3rd, Southern Records)
A dash of angst to jump off our weekly MP3 roundup. The Chapel Hill, NC trio centers on the presence of guitarist/vocalist Heater McEntire– deemed “unbelievable” by John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats. Dissonant, angular, and moving.

MP3: Mass Solo Revolt- The Site… from Easy Mark (Out now, self released)
Indie rock with a melodic, guitar driven edge. This track reminds us a bit of Guided By Voices at the start, but maintains it’s own modern identity.

MP3: Wire- One Of Us from Object 47 (July 7th, Pink Flag)
What is old is new. Oft-listed band of influence during the past 20 years of punk and indie rock pulls out a number that could have easily shown up on an album of theirs from the 80’s. We got a good chuckle out of one blog’s use of the descriptor “post-pop.”

MP3:Mount Eerie- In Moonlight from Black Wooden Ceiling Opening (Out now, Elverum) This folksy ballad turns hardcore at about 1 minute 43 seconds. It’s a welcome catharsis.

MP3: The Young Sinclairs- Cancelled Flight from Feel Bad (Out now Kindercore)
Psych rock of the The Byrds variety– though not as sugary. Certainly a track for the “puff, puff, give” sessions of summer.

And now for this week¹s Smorgasbord Sundae Wafer…
MP3: Notes and Scratches- With Scribbled Lines from a forthcoming LP (TBA, TBA)
So I’m posting a demo of a track that has not officially been recorded. Accordingly, there is no release firmly scheduled. This sparse, folk-pop work in progress was sharp enough to catch my attention. Hopefully they’ll stay away from any embellishments once they hit the studio. You can catch Notes and Scratches next Tuesday, June 3rd at Schubas with the aforementioned Mass Solo Revolt.

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Something swell going on every day of this week, including the infectious Los Campesinos! tonight, two nights of rootsy rocknroll balladeer Langhorne Slim, percussion whiz and Andrew Bird collaborator Martin Dosh, the return of Chicago’s most buzzworthy electronic act Walter Meego, and a few still-relevant, highly influential bands from my formative years: The Breeders, Sunny Day Real Estate founder Jeremy Enigk, “grunge” pioneers Mudhoney, and shoegaze heroes M83. Oh, and my band’s Schubas debut…!

TUESDAY, MAY 27

Los Campesinos! w/ Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters @ Empty Bottle

WEDNESDAY, MAY 28

Langhorne Slim w/ The Builders and the Butchers @ Schubas

Jeremy Enigk w/ Damien Jurado @ Bottom Lounge

THURSDAY, MAY 29

Langhorne Slim w/ The Builders and the Butchers @ The Hideout

French Kicks w/ Frightened Rabbit @ Double Door

M83 @ Empty Bottle

Dosh @ Subterranean

FRIDAY, May 30

Presets w/ Walter Meego @ Abbey Pub

Firewater w/ La Scala and Post Honeymoon @ Empty Bottle

The Hood Internet w/ VIP J., Willy Joy, Shala Esquire, and DJ A-Cup @ Sonoteque

Mudhoney w/ Easy Action @ Bottom Lounge

SATURDAY, MAY 31

The Breeders w/ Montana Boys @ Metro

Adele @ Martyr’s

Slings & Arrows w/ Mark Mallman and SND ON SND @ Schubas

Lucero, Mucca Pazza, Tally Hall, De Novo Dahl, and more @ Do Division! Festival

SUNDAY, JUNE 1

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Gil Mantera’s Party Dream The 1900s, Frightened Rabbit and more @ Do Division! Festival

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MP3: Misfortune 500- Panther Panther from Before This Winter Ends (Out now, self released)
This band’s theatrics bring us big and epic sounding post-punk. A little Muse out of Athens, GA.

MP3: The Awkward Stage- Anime Eyes from Slimming Mirrors, Flattering Lights (June 10th, Mint Records)
Delicious pop rock co-produced by Kurt Dahle of The New Pornographers. Vintage guitar chugging breaks into a sing along chorus that’s eventually kicked up a notch with some choice trumpet work.

MP3: Marching Band- Feel Good About IT from Spark Large (July 22nd, U & L Records)
Folky indie pop with richness provided by a backing array of percussive instruments. Evidently the Swedish track has appropriately been featured on “Aliens in America.” If you knew that, you’re one of the few people keeping that sitcom on the air.

MP3: Florence and the Machine- Kiss With a Fist from Kiss With a Fist Single (June 10th, IAMSOUND)
Whoa. One of the best sets of pipes we’ve heard in some time. Florence Welch’s edgy, soulful sounds drive a rather simple bluesy rock tune.

MP3: Peter von Poehl- The Story of the Impossible from Going To Where The Tea Trees Are (June 10th Bella Union)
Something about this track instantly hooked us. Warm, quaintly arranged folk-pop with a voice that manages to break into falsetto without being too precious for our tastes. Some may disagree?

And now for this week’s Smorgasbord Sundae Wafer…
MP3: Chandeliers- Mango Tree from The Thrush (Out now Pickled Egg Records)
Meshing breakbeats with jazzy synth infused rock, Chicago’s Chandeliers take you on a trip with this track from their latest full length. Released in April on a UK-based label, catch their much hyped live show June 6th at Subterranean or June 19th at local landmark, The Mansion.

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