AVANT/CHICAGO

Telepath(e)(ique)

Three Of The Same

(old post but it came up again recently) There's trouble brewing in the world of musical band names. Two (3) groups - almost the same name, in general pretty similar sound. Telepathe (pronounced “TEL-EP-ATH-EE”) is a duo of electro-experimental popsters from Brooklyn. Telepath (pronounced how it reads) is an electro rock group from Philly. Telepathe is becoming a quick-hyped band in the blogosphere. Telepath is more grassroots and organic. And there's a DJ duo called Telepathique. Damn..do a google search before you decide on a name. So...can two (3) bands so much alike survive in this current arena of music?  Probably. But maybe they should take it to a dark Jersey alley and rumble. Or just tour together.

New Music, New Albums, For Free

Just Released, Take A Listen

Albums are back out in full force now and you can listen to some fresh stuff for free.  The Boss, Of Montreal Remixed by Jon Brion, The Bird and the Bee, Kylie, John Cash Remixed, Dalek and much more. Now you've got something to pass the time today.

New Chicago Music Reviews

Quick, Simple Takes

Andrew Bird - Noble Beast - The highly intelligent, always far-flung stylings of Bird are a little more focused on Noble Beast. There are few surprises.   The album has girth as well, clocking at close to an hour, Noble Beast encases the time as whole, never feeling right in pieces. We're really excited to hear the compainion album, the all instrumental Useless Creatures.

Loyal Divide, Labrador EP- Some of the freshest music to jump into our computer in a few months. Loyal Divide play fuzzy, sunny rock with plenty of folk and electronic mixed in. Catch them this Friday at Schubas with Horse in the Sea and Ultra Sonic Edukators.

Best Show In Town

This Is Why Living In Chicago Is Great

Three Bands

1. Loyal Divide
2. Horse In The Sea
3. Ultra Sonic Edukators

One Place & Price

Schubas - $8 - Friday

Blogging And Beyond

Everything You Need

Show Tonight

4 bands, 8 Bux, 1 Night

Tonight at Elbo Room a four band throw down with Nuke Mutes / The Rubes / Jennifer Hall  and The Robert Hynes Band. Do it...

Some new music Reviewed

Quickie Album Takes

Glasvegas, Glasvegas - Any band that can incorporate You Are My Sunshine into the first track on the album, make it rock and not sound cheesy, is worth a full listen. Glasvegas's self-titled debut brings about the feel of Dirty Pretty Things but not so rough around the edges. Toward the end it gets very atmospheric

Chicago Afrobeat Project, Off The Grid - Starts off pretty chill, not like you'd expect from CABP, but really picks up toward the middle end. A solid EP (26+ mins) that's less Afrobeat and more world jazz.

Matt & Kim, Grand - This album sounds like one song. If an album is under 30 mins we're going to start calling it an EP. This EP sounds like one song. If you like the song, you'll like the album.

The Air In LA

Rock Of Angels

We love LA. We've expressed that here before. Many times a year we fantasize about the city, the mountains, the trip up 101 to Goleta to the beach preferably when school is on break (only when school is on break), driving toward Tecate at 5AM or burritos on the patio at El Tepeyac, California dreaming.  So with the far-flung thoughts some music and discovering new music. Here's some great Sunny LA Soul we found

• Entrance Band
• Golden Animals
• Gram Rabbit (our Whiskey drinking buddies)
• lavender diamond
• The Elected
• Spindrift

Why Neighborhoods Don't Matter Much Anymore

Older Piece We Wrote For A Mag

Wicker Park has officially lost all its soul. Sure there are still many soulful places, (Myopic Books, The Note) but the areas continued shift to a trying-to-feel edgy Lincoln Park is complete. It happened somewhere between Urban Outfitters moving in and Filter becoming a bank. There were earlier waves - Real World, Starbucks, Cans, Tapas joints aplenty - but the presence of non-mainstream life is gone, with just enough left behind (Subterranean, Quimby’s) to imitate the artsy vibe among fake Irish bars, designer shoes stores and faux-upscale nightclubs. And while this change has been brewing for many years, no other neighborhood has presented itself as a viable alternative to Chicago’s next artist’s enclave.

There are various reasons for this, but by-and-large the reason that places like Rogers Park, Logan Square, Humboldt Park and Pilsen haven’t exploded as the next Wicker Park is technological.

Flight of the Conchords - Full Show

Live In LA Record Store

A link to a full concert Flight of the Conchords did at Amoeba records last April. Aside from the 6 minute intro where they try to get a guitar working, it’s a great time. Also they soundcheck by playing the Flaming Lips’ “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” so that’s an awesome addition right there.