Archive for January, 2010

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The Wonder Years On Tour- New Album 1/26

January 20, 2010

In support of their upcoming album, The Upsides, due out January 26th, Philadelphia musicians The Wonder Years will be embark on a tour spanning from the southeast, across the southern border, up the west coast, then dropping in on the midwest for a few dates before returning to their native east. They’ll be accompanied by Bostonians Therefore, I Am and Man Overboard from New Jersey.

The Upsides is the second full-length for the pop-punk players, coming to us from No Sleep Records, and will also be featured in a 12″ format via Run For Cover - both labels currently offer the album for pre-order, as well as in digital format via iTunes, complete with an e-booklet featuring the stories and meanings to The Upsides‘ lyrics. A third track from the record is now streaming online- visit the band’s myspace to check out “Logan Circle”, as well as the album’s first two singles, “Washington Square Park” and “Melrose Diner” Dubbed by the group as an album about fighting back, the band issued the following statement online about the The Upsides:“The result is a record that we’re all very proud of and that I think carries a very real message. The whole world wants you to be miserable. It wants you to put your head down, sigh to yourself and give up on being happy, and I know just as well as anyone that sometimes, giving up seems like the only option, but if you take one thing from this record, I hope it’s this: Don’t give those mother-fuckers an inch. Stand your ground every chance you get because everybody deserves a chance to be happy.”

Unfortunately amid all the hubbub and hoorays of the upcoming release, there is sad news for The Wonder Years. Longtime drummer Mike Kennedy will be leaving the band in the pursuit of higher education, making his exit after the band’s series of 5 record release shows for The Upsides that will be taking place before the band leaves for tour. Nick Steinborn will be taking control of the kit from there on out, and fans can read the parting statement from Kennedy on the bands myspace blog.

Pre-Order The Upsides via

No Sleep Records

iTunes

Run For Cover Records


Visit The Wonder Years online:

Myspace

Facebook

YouTube

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5 Musical Successes Under 25

January 20, 2010

Care Bears On Fire
Age: 13, 13, and 15

Though surely not a band name we’d let our children listen to, nor one we entirely understand, both Spin and New York Magazine have featured and praised these pint sized pop punk rockers- so who are we to judge? The band formed back in 2005…when the girls were 5th graders. After the release of their first full-length I Stole Your Animal in 2007, success wasn’t far off, and the trio was able to release their next LP, Get Over It, via S-Curve Records. While most of the songs are made by the Brooklyn babes themselves, they have collaborated with Adam Schlesinger from Fountains of Wayne, and We The Kings’ Travis Clark. Frontman…er we mean girl, Sophie has also been featured singing one of CBOF’s songs for a Converse commercial in 2007. Since their inception, the band has played acclaimed festivals such as SXSW, Bamboozle and Lollapalooza- not bad for a group considered for the kiddies. They offer a simple female equivalent to the ever popular pop punk genre with a hint of garage rock, an age appropriate sense of defiance, and love it or hate it, they’re way cooler than most of us were at 13.

Owl City
Age: 23
A viral internet phenomenon (as is the fast track to fame these days) Adam Young, better known behind the guise of his electronic project Owl City, has gone from creating late night tracks for myspace to selling out New York’s Bowrey Ballroom- even fellow young success Taylor Swift came out. Bubbly yet pensive, with relatively mom friendly lyrics, Owl City’s track ‘Fireflies’ has taken the charts by storm more recently, and the young musician has discreetly signed with Universal Republic for his next album. The synthpop sound is comparable to that of The Postal Service, albeit slightly more generic and definitely without that hint of darkness Ben Gibbard is so good at lacing between bleeps and bloops. None the less, the 20-something is touring internationally, selling out venue after venue and undeniably a success.

Artist: Sean Kingston
Age: 19

With his 2007 reggae-influenced single ‘Beautiful Girls’ the Miami native topped the charts, achieving platinum status all before he turned 18. Since breaking out into the music world Kingston has toured with the likes of Beyonce and Gwen Stefani as well as collaborated big names Flo Rida and Natasha Bedingfield. His sophomore album, Tomorrow only mildly crept into the charts at #37, but it’s single “Fire Burning” was all the way up to the top 5 of Billboard’s Hot 100, along with a number of international charts.

Artist: Never Shout Never
Age: 18
Another product of the internet, Christofer Ingle began promoting his music via homemade videos and self-recorded songs using the moniker Never Shout Never in 2007, quickly drawing an online fan base that eventually attracted the attention of MTV’s TRL. The Joplin, Missouri native made it to perform on the live countdown, gain 45 million Myspace plays and over 125,000 tracks sold on iTunes- all by his barely legal self. Having toured with Hellogoodbye and Ace Enders, among other big names in the Pop/Indie world, the young musician is now on his own, going across the U.S. on a tour promoting his upcoming album What Is Love? which is due out January 26th. The youth recently signed with Warner Bros. and had the chops to finagle the right to run and press releases on his own imprint label, Loveway Records.

Julia Nunes
Age: 19
Composing her own music using such delightful instruments as guitar, melodica, piano, and ukulele, the spry 19 year old released her first album Left Right Wrong in 2007. More recently she has opened for Ben Folds (four times, at his request in fact), been dubbed inspiration for learning ukulele by Molly Ringwald on Good Morning America, and released her sophomore album, I Wrote These in 2008. The New Yorker gained famed (once again!) online, through her unique and interesting YouTube videos, and is in the midst of recording her third album on Junu Records, working alongside Jack Conte and Nataly Dawn of Pomplamoose as producers.

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Suns Debut At The Metro

January 19, 2010

New in this incarnation, but certainly not new to music itself, the players behind the up and coming six man band Suns will be making their debut at the Metro this Saturday. Hatched from the head of Mikey Russell who, having somewhat recovered from the split from his band Wax on Radio, decided to get back in the musical saddle, Suns is another example of jamming turned into something more. Made up through a collection of friends and ‘heard through the grapevine’ connections, the new band has already seen one line-up change, when original drummer (one of two), Bryan Fritz had to leave for his own personal reasons “a very sad day for our band, since he was our first drummer and also a very solid dude. We were lost for a while.” (Matt Lemke)
Fortunately they found fusion in their next drummer, Clinton Weber, and since July of last year have been a solid six, including everything from guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bass to synth, glockenspiel and dual drummers.

Suns details the story behind their name and their intention for music in a myspace blog, stating: “our name comes from our human tendency to refer to “the sun” as the only sun in the universe when really there are literally trillions and trillions of suns all over the universe. yet, we are the only planet revolving around the only sun that supports life as we know it. when put into those terms, it reminds us that our solar system is a tiny thread in a tapestry of unimaginable size. we see how unbelievable it is to even be alive and part of such a tiny and amazing opportunity. the opportunity to be alive. weighty as it is to hear this idea, it allows the opposite. thinking of life this way, we appreciate every single second. no mistakes, no failures, no worries, no hate, no sadness, its all part of being here. suns. we will always be about creativity, expression, and our collective love for art. we are founded on a belief that as the observers of the strange situation we have come to be a part of, we should reinterpret our lives as art in all/any way possible to give a sense of meaning and personality to our individual lives and our life together as a band. thank you for supporting us. create as much as you can. every day. when we are gone, its the only thing we will leave behind for others that will matter”

Being a relatively new ensemble, the group has put their main focus on creating a sound they can be proud of, bonding as a band, and plotting their plans for the future. Composed of members from such bands as Blame Twlight, Eli, The Found Me They Named Me, and the aforementioned Wax On Radio, the group cites venues such as The Metro, The House Café in Dekalb, and the small local shows of their past as their favorites to have played.

Just this week the band presented their first song online, a home demo titled Little Horn that you can check out via the band’s myspace. A preview for what is to come; the track is one of progressive/indie sound with familiar vocals from Russell, ambient sonority, and a chorus of Whoa-oh’s we can get behind. The instrumentals remind us of the same echoey quality found Lydia’s Iluminate but with the darker intonation of Brand New in their 2006 album The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me- though by all means neither is a direct comparison, as it is obvious the band is fusing a variety of sound and influence into their style. This track begins to give us a feel for what is to be expected from Suns, and we anxiously await the bands Metro unveiling.

Listen to Little Horn on Suns myspace

See Suns this Saturday, January 23rd at the Metro alongside Robbers, Loyal Divide and The Felix Culpa. Click the flier for $6 pre-sale tickets with promo code ‘betta’
Doors- 6pm, Show- 6:30 All Ages $11 at the door


Suns guitarist Matt Lemke answered a few questions about the up and coming project for us, as we talked about musical process, influences, and plans for the band.

Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any three bands, who would they be?

Matt Lemke of Suns: We all listen to so much music that this question is pretty impossible to answer. But I think we can all agree on touring with some good friends would be pretty ideal. The Felix Culpa has been friends with a majority of our old bands, so I’d definitely have to put them on the list. Another good Chicago band that we’d love to tour with would be Big Science, and I personally would have to say A Lull. They are also from Chicago, and have the capability to play really good music and be cool dudes. We just like the idea of surrounding ourselves with really good people, and equally good music. Also, keeping it home based isn’t such a bad idea either.

Reviewsic: Tell us about the process of your music. Is there an concept or muse at it’s core?

M.L: Out current songs are the first ones we have put together as a band, most of them have started out as folk songs written by Mike, then brought to us-we each put our own personal touch into these songs. There are also two songs we wrote as a complete group, and another song that I programmed on reason, an we turned into an actual song. There is really no general direction to our music other than playing what we think sounds good. I definitely think that not giving a shit is a huge part of our songs, because there isn’t a lot of thought put into it other than the overall sound. No preconceived notion or anything, just honest music.

Reviewsic: Top three musical influences?

M.L: It’s really hard to claim what our top 3 would be. I would think we’re all influenced by each other most importantly. We all listen to our own things, and it shines through. There is an understanding to our own individual tastes, and that’s what shapes our sound. I think it’s safe to say we all like The Misfists, Sigur Ros, and The Appleseed cast. Pretty broad and maybe not our influences but it’s definitely an insight as to what we listen to.

Reviewsic: What are your plans for Suns in the next year?
M.L: Our plans for suns are to record an album and play as much as we possibly can, getting our name out there. We’d love to tour very soon. We’ll be poor, hungry, and happy. That’s basically the plan-just play our music to as many people as possible.

Reviewsic: Where does the Metro rate on your list of venues to play?

M.L: The Metro is a big deal. I think any band that has any sense of reality will agree. If you come from Chicago, the Metro is basically at the top of the list. So many great artists have graced that stage, from Smashing Pumpkins to Grizzly Bear. It’s a giant honor to be allowed to play there, especially for our first official show- it’s pretty surreal. I guess it might be number one? It’s kind of hard to claim yet, but it’s definitely a great venue for whatever reason you would like to throw on it.

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This Is Cinema- Free Show at the Double Door 1/19

January 18, 2010

Somewhat Indie, somewhat ambient, and whole lot talented, This Is Cinema hails from Chicago, delivering a sound that is comparable to that of Muse, Pete Yorn, and Silverchair ala Diorama.
With five years of making music under the shared belt of Ben Babbit and Marcin Sulewski, eight months ago This Is Cinema welcomed Theo Karon to their ensemble, creating the band as it is today. With a wide variety of other projects in their pasts, more recently, Ben plays guitar alongside friend Dan Smart in The Field Auxiliary (You can read our interview with The Field Auxiliary here, and a review of their recent show here), teams again with Theo and Mark Trecka from Pillars and Tongues, and Marcin drums in a hot jazz trio. Theo also creates music under the guise “Howling Tunnels”- a “mysticaly, elusive, and mostly in-studio band of ghosts that live inside my tape machines.” A roster large enough to prove that these musicians are interested in exploring all that the creative process can offer.

With instrumentals that are come across crisply well composed and vocals that are nothing short of soulful and sultry, the bands single release to date, Birth is not difficult to get behind and enjoy. A great use of percussive sound as well as of their other many strengths shine in this EP, and with it being the soul release we’ve seen since 2006, we can only imagine what could have been brewing between these musicians since then. The trio took the time to talk with Telegram Sam about just that, as well as what influences them, and where they got their start in music.

Visit This Is Cinema online:
Myspace


Telegram Sam: Tell us a little bit about This is Cinema’s past, and any new music you’ve been working on.

Ben: Well, the only release we have put out so far is an EP called ”Birth”, but we are working on a new record at the moment. The gestation period for these songs has been quite long, so we are looking forward to finishing them so we can start fresh. When we made our last record, we were pretty much still half in the womb, and were quite a different band. So, perhaps the last one was a document of our beginning, and being very young and very serious, and now we are, dare I say, more mature? And know how to have fun a bit more.

T.S: What can we look forward to from This Is Cinema in the coming year?

Theo: Overwhelming and all-pervasive sexual liberation, gender equality, and freedom from oppression, which will come packaged with a brand-new full-length studio album.

Ben: A lot of new music and shows.

T.S: Is there any particular muse or concept behind your band?

Theo: “Everything is going to be O.K.”

Ben: I don’t feel like there is some sort of singular muse or concept behind our band. We feel like we are just making the music that we like, and would want to listen to. We live in this coach house together, and have set up a studio in the basement, mostly comprised of Theo’s recording stuff and all of our various instruments. Our roommate Jon has christened it Hotel Earth, and it’s like the clubhouse we never had when we were kids. We have been working on our own music there, writing and recording and practicing, but it’s also become a sort of communal space for us and our friends and friends of friend’s to play and record music. There is always something happening there, and usually it’s something different from the previous day. That has been really inspiring to me personally, and I feel like it has inevitably influenced our band and how we do things.

T.S: What is the most memorable show you’ve ever played? Attended?

Theo: This one show we played in our basement a little while ago was a lot of fun. I have been to a lot of great shows, but the most recent really good one was Mount Eerie at the Lakeshore Theatre a couple of months ago.

Ben: Last year, this pianist came to my school and gave a concert that consisted only of a two hour long set of piano pieces called, “Vingt Regards sur l’Enfant-Jésus” by the French composer, Olivier Messiaen. It’s a long and difficult piece, and he played it entirely from memory! By the end of it, it felt like he and the music had put every molecule in the room under a spell, I will never forget that. The Rolling Stones at the old Sox Stadium when I was 12 was also sweet.

T.S: How did you each get your start in music?

Theo: My parents forced me to take classical piano lessons from when I was very young, which I was initially very unhappy about. I played in middle school and high school orchestras, and then someone bought me ’Odelay’ by Beck and, in an unfortunate turn, I started making loops of weird noises on my computer and rapping over them. After buying an old TEAC reel-to-reel 4 track at a garage sale, I realized that forcing myself to keep sonic experimentation happening in real time, within the confines of analog media, produced much more compelling results, and I have been refining and adding to that idea ever since.

Marcin: One day my father brought home drums that were being thrown away in an alley, starting my interest in percussion. I was also in orchestra playing bass from 2nd grade to 7th. I’ve been interested in rhythm (playing drums and bass) for most of my time as a musician, but I feel an urge to play guitar).

Ben: I grew up with music in my house, because my parents are musicians. They played mostly classical music in the house, and I know I enjoyed it to a certain degree when I was a kid, but it was more like air to me at the time. Then, on a family vacation, my cousin played me “In Utero” by Nirvana, and I woke up. Also, watching Marty McFly play “Johnny B Good” in the first “Back to the Future” movie gave me the irresistible desire to play the electric guitar.

T.S: Who are your top five musical influences?

Theo: The Microphones/ Mt. Eerie, Scott Walker, Animal Collective, Glenn Branca, Bjork

Marcin: Earth, sky, sun, textures, day dreams, being in (sometimes mentally constructing) synaesthetic experiences. I (maybe we) make music to try and describe or document experience of spirituality or connection to nature or certain landscapes.

Ben: People, traveling, memory, leibe. The music of Brian Eno, Charles Mingus, Will Oldham, Flying Lotus, Nina Simone…

This Is Cinema will be playing a FREE show at the Double Door Tuesday, January 19th

This is Cinema
Paperbear
Yawn
Hey Rabbit
Doors at 8pm, Show at 9 21+

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Loyal Divide

January 18, 2010

From their humble beginning in basement shows back in Ohio, to the warm reception of their recent EP Labrador, Loyal Divide has had a gradual rise out of anonymity. Started casually as an excuse to jam together, the band came to be during the 5-piece’s college years, becoming a more serious endeavor upon a few of the member’s graduation, when the choice to push forward or move on was put in front of them. Fortunately they chose the former, and moved to explore the music scene in Columbus, where they found a healthy number of opportunities. However, like any good thing, it couldn’t last forever, and soon the band found them selves feeling ready for a new stage.“Right before we made the decision to move, we played this show and all of our friends were there, just drinking and yawning, standing around talking to one another and I felt horrible. It was just realizing, “Damn, we need to get out of here and meet some new people, play for people that aren’t just our friends.” (Siddarth Chittajallu) And with that, the band moved to the Windy City, where they found plethora of untapped venues and fans.

“In Chicago we started playing really well- suddenly the five of us were just on the same wavelength” The members of Loyal Divide say they began to feel real musical fusion upon their 2007 move, chalked up to individual maturity, but also giving credit to the influence of fellow band member Adam Johnson. “Adam is a very good song writer and producer. He just has a good ear and he’s the main guy for the sound we do- he’s the filter.” (Andrew McCarthy) Through the time spent playing with and learning from one another, the band can comfortably say, “we know what to expect from each other.” and this confidence has been key to their success over the past few years.

With the creation of two EPs under their belt, a self-titled 2007 release and 2008′s Labrador (which managed to break the 3hive.com’s Top 50 Albums list at #17) , the band is in the midst of self-producing their first full-length, which as of yet has no title. Created completely in house, the LP is tentatively due out this spring, and will be preceded by at least two singles this March. “We’re planning to make a more full time commitment by that point, using the LP as leverage and pushing it to really get out there” (Andrew McCarthy)

In the past the band has full heartedly agreed that their sound was all over the charts, setting foot in numerous camps. When talking about the new album, the band explained that it’s sound is much easier to characterize this time around because they feel they have finally found their niche. Best described as “dark, electronic, pop”, they acknowledge the curious contrast of these adjectives, but that in itself is somewhat the essence of Loyal Divide. While the recent EP Labrador dances in the footsteps of Animal Collective and Can, fusing a sample heavy, electronic sound with the same whisperingly soulful intonation one finds in the background of unconsciousness, the new album promises a more cohesive sound without losing any of the signature style Loyal Divide has created over the years. Some of this consistency may come from the fact that the band’s music “is built on a riff or some kind of texture and really put together mathematically” (Siddarth Chittajallu), a formula well suited for a band with such influences as Radiohead, Talking Heads, and the shoe-gaze genre, with an additional interest in hip-hop production.

On an individual level their influences vary, from the up and coming to 80’s throwbacks: “I like listening to brand new stuff that hasn’t been out too long, but is just starting to get noticed. It’s good to see where new trends are starting, and new genres are being created- which is what I think we’re almost doing. People say a variety of 20-30 different bands when trying to describe us. All five of us listen to completely different music, but we can all zone in around a riff and bring certain new intricacies to it.” (Jonathan Notowidigdo)
“I am the total opposite. I have about four CD’s in my car, three of them all scratched up, so Purple Rain is the only thing I can listen to- I love it. “ (Siddarth Chittajallu)
When talking locally some Chicago favorites Loyal Divide made note of included Netherfriends, Color Radio, D.J. Brad Owen, and Loneliest Monk. While on the subject of the industry, we talked about which big wigs the guys behind the band would like to work with, and mentioned were Nigel Goodrich, Brian Eno, and for the sake of having done so, Quincy Jones. Holding true to their previously stated influences and personal preferences the guys cited Talking Heads, Prince, and Bowie as artists they’d like to cover, placing “Life During Wartime”, “Controversy”, and “Ashes to Ashes” as tracks they’d include, should they ever do a cover album.

While 2009 was a busy year, gaining the support of a manager, opening for Chromeo and Crystal Castles at the Congress Theater, and putting together their LP, Loyal Divide is not taking any time off in 2010 as they prepare the aforementioned full-length for release, garner more dates for their mini tour following their venture to SXSW down in Texas, take part in more of Chicago’s neighborhood festivals, and make the move toward being full-time musicians. They’ll be starting that move the right way as they join The Felix Culpa, Robbers, and Suns at the infamous Chicago Metro this Saturday, January 23rd. On playing the well known venue the band stated simply that the Metro had put on “a lot of great artists over the years. You can’t go wrong.” remaining very humble about their appearance on such a largely coveted stage.

By and large a band for the fan of staggering synth and echoey electronic influence, as well as the more industrial, Loyal Divide is a fine example of creative open mindedness and devotion that music fans should look forward to hearing more from.

Loyal Divide Online:

theloyaldivide.com

Myspace

On a final note, we’d like to leave you with what is sure to be next summer’s blockbuster, as Jon, Sid, Andrew, and Chris walk us through Loyal Divide: The movie.

If Hollywood were to make a movie about your band, what would it be called?
Chris: Probably “The LD” and it’d be kind of boring.

Who would you cast as yourselves?
Sid: Tiger Woods-he needs a comeback, and this movie is going to take him there.

Andrew: I would totally have Nick Lachey play me, because I am his chubby younger brother.

Chris: Jean Claude Van Dam or Steven Segal. It’d be like those Microsoft commercials where I’m all skinny and then it goes to the flashback and I’m just, “(Manly growl)”

Jon: Jet Li. No, wait- Jeff Goldblum.

Adam: Sam O’Neil, that dude from Jurassic Park. (So kindly cast on his behalf by his band mates)

Plot:

Andrew: Blood, Swear and Tears…Actually it’d be like that KISS movie where they’re at that carnival and they use their instruments as weapons to fight the phantom menace. We’d use out signature power moves – like power chords as super powers.
Sid: Pretty much Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle- except Wendy’s because it’s better.

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5 Songs for Monday

January 18, 2010

Last week we did a post concerning songs that feature Monday in their title to help clear Monday’s bad reputation. We’ve decided that from here on out each Monday we will continue to fight the good fight for this dreaded day of the week by posting 5 songs that can make your morning a little brighter, hopefully alleviating your Monday morning moaning.

Let’s Work Out- Crayolala, Boom Shaka Laka
Maybe this track’s title will inspire you to sweat it out at the gym or just get you pumped to get going with your work week, but we know that it definitely will make you bop with it’s New Wave inspired keyboard and cymbal heavy percussion. The upcoming Chicago band offers a fun and nonsensical feel that even the grumpiest of folk can’t ignore. Check them out Tuesday, January 19th with Elephant and Children of Spy at Ronny’s

Fresh Like Us- Chiddy Bang, The Swelly Express
Try not to feel cool as you groove along to lyrics like “fresh like that, I’m the best like that” along side a sweet whistle track complete with bloopy synth. The word Fresh probably hasn’t been this cool since Will Smith was in his 90′s prime, and even if we are confusing cool for something else, we stand behind this song. Recently this four part hip-hop/electronic group has gotten big in their native Philly and across the U.S. through their own tracks as well as with collaborations with such groups as MGMT, and offer a free download via any of the bands web profiles. Check some of those out here, on the groups Purevolume or last.fm.

Coney Island- Good Old War, Only Way to be Alone
Another group out of Philadelphia, Good Old War features members from past band, Days Away . Coney Island is a twangy, clap infused, light-hearted track about reminiscence and holding onto what you’ve already got. A good song to introduce both their album Only Way to be Alone and a new listener, we’re big fans of this track.

Countdown- The Phoenix Band, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
Brought to us on their fourth album, 2009′s Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, this is one of the more subdued by the French indie/electronic band. We love it for it’s gradual build, tinkling barely-there keys in the background, and solid percussion/vocals switch off, a variation from the more synth reliant tracks the album offers.

Girls of Anthens- Pet Lions, Soft Right EP
Boppy surf rock drums and wah-wah guitar starts this song off right, making it an instant pick-me-up. Indie pop/rock at it’s most basic, Pet Lions offer a sound that is both likable and singable. The band has the Soft Right EP up for free download for those who sign up for their email updates, which you can do here.

Check them out this Friday, January 22nd at the Metro, along with Post Honeymoon, White Mystery, and The Dirty Diamonds. Click the flier to print, and bring to the doors before 9pm for free admission.

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In Review- The Beat Kitchen 1/16

January 17, 2010

Last night at there was a small explosion of ambient, emo, and experimental sound over at Belmont and Hoyne. Though explosive may not seem the word for a collection of moderately minimalist bands, the experience we had over at the Beat Kitchen Saturday night was nothing short of impressionable. Featuring the well known as well as the up and coming, Betta Promotions delivered (and honestly, when don’t they?) a great line up that left us feeling our faith in local shows renewed.

First up on the roster were Chicago band Mountains for Clouds, a group that began as a side project but quickly picked up steam as the trio of musicians found a sound they could all get behind. We were impressed by their focus, as well as their consistently tight sound, no easy feat when working in an experimental/ambient genre, where guitars and drums alike are floating out on their own, generally untethered. This new group is definitely one that we look forward to seeing again, as well as anticipate studio recordings from, as the band works on their upcoming EP Some People Buy Scenery Like This. (Read our interview with Mountains for Clouds here)

Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) are no strangers to the Chicago scene. With a slew of releases and distributors
under their belt, they showed their musical chops with a solid set, just as any online example of their performance would imply. Though widely known, and certainly popular with last nights crowd, we felt a little put off by the character created by Empire Empire on stage, mainly because of frontman Keith Latinen’s swagger and indifference to the fact that, while he was playing for a room of mostly friends, that he was giving a performance nonetheless. However, what he somewhat lacked in couth conduct, the rest of Empire, Empire made up for in solid sound and legitimate talent on stage. (Read Reviewsic’s interview with Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Esate) here)

The Field Auxiliary was by far the stand outs of the night, a title well earned among such a great collection of bands. Delivering a full bodied sound, with loops interlocking each song in the set, the band created a fluid yet fractured sound that we could not pull ourselves away from. Not one time during this set did we think “Is this their last song?” while shifting from one aching foot to another, as so often happens when a band plays in the later hour of a show. While we have been previously taken by the recordings the band has to offer, we were unprepared for the assault of sound we heard on the Beat Kitchen’s stage. With as wide a range of sound as their bio promises, The Field Auxiliary shined towards the likes of Silverchair, Failure, Deerhunter, and many more. Truly a sound of controlled chaos, we were pleasantly surprised at just how enveloping their set was, not only musically but as a performance. There was some serious duende coming from frontman Dan Smart, who was entirely arresting without show boating, absolutely playing for the music he was making and not the crowd. We’d also like to note the sheer joy we felt watching bass player Jon Ozaksut enjoy himself- nothing makes a performance better than seeing someone truly happy to be playing music. Overall: a great performance from a band we are quickly growing to love. (Check out The Field Auxiliary’s interview with us here)

Last but not least, the show was headlined by Joie De Vivre, delivering the down-tempo/emo sound we used to know and love,
but more recently has fallen by the wayside to be replaced by a whole new mess that really isn’t what the genre was meant for. With this band coming to us with music along the same lines of Mineral, Cap’n Jazz, and vocals similar to Kind of Like Spitting, we appreciate the throwback. Most notable of this performance was the fact that, though minimalist musically, Joie De Vivre has a sort of pop that just isn’t captured the same way in recordings. Obviously happy to be doing what they do, the band gave a much more rocking performance than we would have expected. A big part of this may have stemmed from the fact that they were a clear crowd favorite, with the show surrounding them with friends and fans who truly were absorbed in their set. From rushing the stage in their small pack to joining the band on the mic to sing along, there was a sense of community and common joy in sharing this band that we haven’t seen at a show in a quite some time. Though perhaps that’s the whole point, given that the term Joie de vivre itself means ‘the joy of living’. We look forward to seeing more from Joie De Vivre, and hearing the promised upcoming album, The North End upon it’s eventual release. (Read more about Joie De Vivre in their Reviewsic interview here)

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Upcoming Shows: Weekday Edition

January 17, 2010

Be sure to check back Thursday for your weekend in shows

Monday, January 18th


Wednesday 13′s Gunfire 76
Sex Slaves
Felon Love
D.J Erik Friedly
Reggie’s Rock Club
7pm 17+ $12.00

The Ike Reilly Assassination
TJ and Dave
Schuba’s
8pm $10 18+

Patricia Barber Quartet
Green Mill
9pm $7 21+

Alison Kenady
I am the Lorax
Satellites and Sirens
Falling Still
The Elbo Room
8:30pm 21+ $7

Tuesday, January 19th


The Upwelling
Floral Terrace
Collide and Scope
Kirkland
Reggie’s Rock Club
7pm 17+ $7.00

Julia Nunes
Oh Theodora
Schuba’s
7pm All Ages $15

Wednesday, January 20th

B1gT1me: A Tribute to Tom Waits
Benton Harbor Lunchbox
The Bottom Lounge
8pm 21+ $5 Advanced, $8 at the door

Inchworm
Save the Clock Tower
Sissy Mena
Schuba’s
9pm 21+ $5.00

Rabbit Children
The Crown and Two Chairmen
The Viaducts
The Beat Kitchen
Doors at 8pm Show at 8:30 21+ $8

Thursday, January 21st


Alan Gresik Swing Shift Orchestra
9pm $6 21+

Ben Keeler & The 500 Club
Paper Thick Walls
Goodman West
The Beat Kitchen
Doors at 8pm, Show at 8:30 21+ $8

Cavashawn
The Fold
Valaska
Lincoln Hall
7pm All Ages $8 Advanced, $10 at the door

Decibully
A Lull
Clip Art
Schuba’s
8pm 21+ $8 Advanced, $10 at the Door

Nile
Immolation
Krisiun
Abigail Williams
Dreaming Dead
Metro
Doors at 5pm, Show at 6. All Ages. $25 Advanced, $27.50 at the Door

Did we miss something? Bands and Fans alike, drop a line about this weeks shows in the comment box, and be sure to email us your upcoming shows to include in our lists!

[email protected]

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Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) Tonight at The Beat Kitchen

January 16, 2010

With the recent release of a 7” split alongside Houston band, Football, Etc., an accompanying ten day tour, and working on a slew of upcoming EP’s and Splits, Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) have been anything but idle. Never meant to be a real band, Empire, Empire began as a solo project for guitarist Keith Latinen, who eventually changed focus to Empire, Empire entirely after his previous project, Anna Flyaway split. Empire, Empire has seen many line up changes, and “is like a big family, with Keith and Cathy always at its core. It couldn’t exist without the help of many friends.”

The band has also had a number of releases in the past year, including a compilation tape called Title it Yourself, a collection of songs from various bands put together by label manager Jacob Schoberg from Keep it to Together in Elkhorn, WI, the Summer Tour EP released as a full-length teaser to bring along on their tour, and the actual full-length, What it Takes to Move Forward released September 29th. The aforementioned full-length was a laborious DIY creation, taking roughly two years. With all the recording done by Keith Latinen in a living room, it eventually found it’s way to being pressed and is distributed by Fenton, MI label Count Your Lucky Stars Records, Strictly No Capital in the UK, Stiff Slack Records in Japan, and Keep It Together Records. The band also featured songs from the album on the compilation Almost Free Music, put together by Phoenix Productions.
Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) continues to keep busy tonight, as they play The Beat Kitchen along with The Field Auxiliary, Mountains for Clouds, and Joie De Vivre. $10 Doors at 8:30, Show at 9pm 17+

Be sure to check out Reviewsic’s interviews with each of the bands on tonight’s bill- Just type in the band name in our handy-dandy search bar.

Visit Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate) Online:

Myspace
Facebook
Blogspot
Last.fm
Count Your Lucky Stars

This week, drummer Jon Steinhoff took the time to talk to Telegram Sam about dream shows, musical influences, and past projects.

Telegram Sam: What other projects have you each been a part of?

Jon Steinhoff of Empire, Empire (I Was A Lonely Estate): Keith and Cathy were in a band called Anna Flyaway that sounded sort of like Empire. In college, Keith also used to be in a band (he probably doesn’t want me to mention) called Sea Defeats Sparrow. Theremay or may not have been a double-bass pedal involved. I had never been in a band that played more than five shows. In highschool, I was in a pop-punk outfit called The DeLoreans, and incollege, I dorked around a bit with my friend A.C. in an instrumental two-man band.

T.S: What are your top five musical influences?

J.S: The usual suspects: Gibbard, Simpson, Kinsella(s), Nanna, Pryor, etc… But in the van, we usually just end up playing “How Can We Be Lovers,” by Michael Bolton, on repeat.

T.S: Top three favorite venues to play? Any that you haven’t gotten to as of yet, but would love to book?

J.S: Man, we have played at so many cool places; it’s hard to pick favorites. It’s always nice to play under real lights and have your drums mic’ed once in a while, but house shows are definitely where it’s at. We’re honestly more than happy to just play wherever there’s a PA and room for us to set up. Our music is usually a little bit boring/wimpy for bar crowds, but I do enjoy playing / watching shows at Mac’s Bar in Lansing, MI (I guess that’s more of a venue than a bar…) I just love the atmosphere there. I’ve seen a lot of great bands play at Mac’s, and it always sounds really good in there. Also, I wish The Local 432 in Flint, MI would finally open back up. That place was great.

T.S: If you could book your “ultimate show” to play, who would you choose to share the stage with?

J.S: I’ve had this crazy idea in my head for a while now. It’s pretty unrealistic, but I think it would be neat to see someone put together a weekend summer festival (I like to refer to it as “Second-Wave Fest”) where classic emo bands meet the revival bands of today… So we’re talking like Mineral, Braid, and American Football getting back together and playing a show with Joie de Vivre, Snowing, and Algernon Cadwallader, for instance… but with lots more bands. It’d be pretty ridiculous. We’d probably all retire afterwards.

T.S: What’s in store for your music in 2010?

J.S: There are four new songs on the way for sure:

Two will be in the form of bonus tracks- one is for the upcoming vinyl release of our first EP, “When the Sea Became a Giant.” The other song is for its cassette tape release, which will also have the “Year of the Rabbit” 7″ songs on it. The third new song will be on a Split 10″ with our label-mates The Reptilian, Annabel, and Joie de Vivre; and the last one will be on a split 7″ with Into It. Over It. All of those releases will be on Count Your Lucky Stars. After that, Keith says he wants to write a painfully slow EP (à la Death Cab’s Stability) where I am only allotted ten snare hits per song.

T.S: Most memorable show you have played to date?

J.S: For me, it was probably my first show with the band, last February. We played a festival in Fenton with one of my favorite bands, The Forecast. The long-awaited CD Release at Mac’s last October also stands out. We got to play with Moneen, another one of my favorite bands.

T.S: Is there a particular intention/concept behind your band?
J.S: It’s about following your dreams. We just try to have fun, play honest music, and reminisce about how cool the ’90s were.

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Draft Week Tonight at the Metro

January 16, 2010

Up and coming Chicago band Draft Week will be debuting their sophomore release, rightly titled The Sophomore EP tonight at the Metro. Previously part of rival pop-punk bands back in their hometown, the then high school seniors decided to join forces until the guise of punk band The Teen Scene Dead. Tiring of the title and the genre, the boys went on a hiatus as they started college, returning a year later, older and wiser, to form Draft Week. Since their reincarnation the band has been balancing beats and books, remaining in school while developing their music careers, creating the EP as well as working toward building their arsenal of covers in hopes of getting a gig as a bar band.

The Sophomore EP consists of songs written from the road of last summer’s tour, centered mainly on “relationships and freemason conspiracies.” Recorded at Down Beat Studio here in Chicago with Mike Rovare (Ex-drummer of Every Avenue) the EP was completed over the course of just a few weekends this past fall, and according to the band, listeners can expect to hear “raw alt- rock with hints of soul and post-punk”. After such landmark events as a new EP and a release show at the Metro, the band plans to reinvent their sound once again, hoping to move in a direction that is more sing-able, along the lines of “the Good Goo Dolls meets Motown.”

You can see Draft Week tonight at the Metro along with A Kidnap in Color, Footlight Frenzy, Indecent Exposure, and The Highlife
(check out Reviewsic’s post on them here)
Show at 6pm, All Ages


Visit the boys online:

Myspace
Purevolume
Facebook
Big Cartel
YouTube
Twitter

T.S: Who are your top musical influences?

D.W: Our musical influences have changed quite a bit since writing these songs but at the time we were listening to a lot of Saves the Day, Brand New, and AM Taxi (back then American Taxi). We are currently listening to a lot more music in the pop-rock spectrum like the Killers, the Gaslight Anthem, and Kings of Leon.

T.S: What is your favorite venue to play?

D.W: Metro is by far our favorite venue to play, we played it once back in June and we had a ball. If only we were old enough to drink the PBR’s they provide backstage, it’d be perfect. But really, it’s not the venue that matters to us so much as it is the other bands playing and the energy of the audience.

T.S: If you could tour with any three bands, active or inactive, who would they be and why?

D.W: If we could tour with any three bands it would have to be Kings of Leon just because we love their music and we share a common interest in binge drinking, John Mayer because he’s a total pimp, and Backstreet Boys circa 1999 just for the girls.

T.S: Most memorable show you’ve played to date?

D.W: It would have to be when we got the chance to play with Chicago legends Lucky Boys Confusion at the Local Music Revolution Festival back in November. It was probably the largest crowd we had ever played in front of and we were very well accepted. Plus we got to play with LBC who we all grew up listening too.

T.S: What other projects have you been involved with? Are you working on anything on the side now?

D.W: We tend to remain fully faithful to this project, but I (Kevin) played in a band called Just Left just before Draft Week came together. They’re a great band and they recently signed with Stand By Records and have been on the road a great deal since. Musically though, we just didn’t click.

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