Total Darkness vs. Blinding Light

Live Reading and DJing at Burlington

2012-01-26T12:08:00.004-06:00

The last time I sent a submission to the Logan Square Literary Review was over a year ago, and they published a stupid how-to article I wrote about different types of pipe wood. But tonight I'll be a part of their first live reading event of 2012. At 8pm at the Logan Square Comfort Station, I'll read (out loud) something that I wrote. I haven't decided what to read yet, but it won't be the thing about pipe wood.

So, if you are in the vicinity of Logan Boulevard tonight, stop into Comfort Station across from the monument and get to know some of Logan Square's handsomest writers.

And tomorrow I'm going Back to the Burlington for a 4 hour DJ set. 10pm to 2am, go west down Fullerton and get some cheap beer in ya. I'll be debuting a bunch of new mashups in anticipation of my upcoming gig at the Empty Bottle opening for the Hood Internet. (whaaaaat.)

Logan Square is my neighborhood. I try to contribute to my community in the ways I know how to, and you can be a part of this societal exercise as well, if only you'd come out. Please do. It's actually kinda fun to do stuff.

You Missed Out: Tycho and Active Child

2012-01-13T01:29:00.010-06:00

(originally published at Heave Media)

Chicago's first heavy snow of the season fell almost on cue for Tycho and Active Child. Fittingly, these two acts are heavy on melancholy, yet warm to the soul. Pat Grossi's choirboy falsetto sent chills down my spine, but Tycho juxtaposed with projected visuals of slow-motion surfers and summer sunsets. The mood in Lincoln Hall was of a subdued enjoyment, likely due to the dread of winter that awaited outside. But the music inside was marvelous, certainly worth the sell-out.

I believe that while Active Child has already achieved a respectable repertoire, the best is still yet to come from Grossi. Only a couple EPs and one full-length exist for him. He's a rookie. A rookie with a jaw-dropping vocal range, skills on the harp, and an ear for the cinematic. He mentioned halfway through his set that he was playing a new harp that he bought for himself for Christmas, likely with the bonus he earned opening for M83 on their 2011 national tour. You could hear the M83 influence in his set, and except for some major flubs on the last song, it was a heavenly and enchanting hour of music.

Ghostly International is quickly becoming my favorite record label due to their ongoing output of electronic music's finest. Perhaps their best release in 2011 was Tycho's Dive, it certainly was one of my favorites of the year. Dive is minimal and atmospheric, but full of melody and sonic charm. But as with most IDM artists, the fear is that the live show will just be a guy pressing buttons and twisting knobs for an hour. Not so for Tycho. Scott Hansen brought along a drummer and bassist, both of whom were astonishingly tight. I had a hard time differentiating between the live instruments and the samples. Every chillwave, IDM, and post-dubstep artist should be required to see a Tycho show before they even think about playing a live set.

Hansen's fingers effortlessly drifted from keyboards to laptop, guitar to synths; and the occasional brushing aside of his bangs. He was looking a little bit emo with that reverse mullet cut. And I felt a little bit emo listening to his heart-piercing ambience too, almost like hearing Album Leaf for the first time. But, the emotional intelligence of Tycho seems very high. It's richly layered with electronic and organic sounds, creating a delightfully paradoxical aesthetic. It works whether you're laying on a California beach, or driving through a Chicago snowstorm. It made my slippery drive home almost blissful.

The Coven: Friday the 13th at Rodan

2012-01-12T02:15:00.003-06:00

I invited Heaven Malone to join me for the first 2nd Friday of 2012. Together we will celebrate Friday the 13th. We're gonna play some creepy/fun music all night, and Haxan will play on the back wall. Things get going at 10pm. Rodan is next door to Reckless Records in Wicker Park. Google the address why don't ya.

Details at the facebook invite: http://www.facebook.com/events/161666053933425/

Come hang out!

You Missed Out: Andrew Bird's Sonic Arboretum

2011-12-22T23:43:00.015-06:00

(originally published at Heave Media)

Andrew Bird is one of those live acts that is so much better when it's a solo performance. Don't get me wrong, it's great when Dosh is playing drums with him, but when Bird is up there all by himself the stakes are so much higher. Any mistake on that looping machine and he's toast. The weight of the evening's success is squarely on that one man's tiny shoulders.

Then again, Andrew Bird received a huge amount of visual accompaniment for his shows at the Museum of Contemporary Art this week. The Sonic Arboretum is on display until the end of December, showcasing dozens of whimsical sculptures which were uniquely designed to emanate the music of Andrew Bird. Ian Schneller invented the tulip-like speakers, and Andrew Bird almost always incorporates a handful of them into his live shows. I've seen Andrew Bird play with these amplifiers for years now, but with rows of the speakers stretching throughout the entire floor of the museum's main level, the resulting sensory effect far surpassed my expectations.

One violin loop might be heard from one speaker, while his melodic whistle echoes from a larger horn around the corner. He recorded music to be played at the exhibit during museum hours, but for his live show he treated sold out audiences to a remarkable display of virtuosity and creative ingenuity by not only looping flawlessly in and out of harmonies, but assigning each loop to a different horn section.

Most of the crowd enjoyed the performance from one spot, as is often the case at rock concerts. But the smarter listeners wandered throughout the space, occasionally bending over one of the speaker horns like a hummingbird into a flower. The pristine sounds projected upward from the ground, almost giving the sculptures a growing life force as Tchaikovsky's music did in Fantasia.

Bird played without any opener, for a little over an hour. Half of his set consisted of old favorites, and the other half new songs which were either created specifically for the Sonic Arboretum or his upcoming 2012 release. A highlight was an instrumental piece he called "new thing," which is also part of the recorded exhibit and features a heart-achingly gorgeous violin harmony.

The live experience of Andrew Bird was already a well-established norm in the world of indie rock, but the man has topped himself with the Sonic Arboretum. I have no idea what he can possibly do next, but where I lack imagination, I trust Andrew Bird will more than make up for my deficiency.

You Missed Out: G-Side

2011-12-14T15:07:00.009-06:00

Ok, back to the blog. Sorry for the lack of updates. I tend to leave my yearly top 10 up top for a few weeks like that. People usually care more about top 10 lists than anything else that I post throughout the year, so, yeah.

I've accomplished a few things since mid-November though. I DJed at Rodan, Whistler, Bonnys, Maeve and the Winter Local. If you missed any of that fun, check my calendar for gigs lined up at Beauty Bar, Burlington, Bonnys and Rodan in January.

In this week's Onion (grab it today if you haven't yet, new issues will be in the boxes tomorrow), I have a published interview with G-Side in the AV Club. If you didn't know, the Onion/AV Club is my favorite publication. To have my own work published in their pages is kinda a big deal for me. After years of writing for free, or for content farms, or religious publications, I feel like this is the first real break I've gotten. Maybe it's cheap to say this right here right now, but I just feel so grateful to be able to write about music and share it with my community. Imagining Chicagaons on the blue line this week, skimming the Onion on their way to work, chuckling at the editorial cartoon and then reading my Q&A with G-Side. It's a very cool feeling. Humbling too.

So, thanks to anyone who still supports this ridiculous lifestyle I'm pursuing. Writing for a living isn't easy, and you all know it. It's only because of your encouragement that I don't quit. My wife and family, fellow CHIRPers, freelance colleagues, and friends of past and present who have ever said a single word of praise, I appreciate you all so much. I hope you can see this publishing as a sort of validation. Take comfort in knowing you're not backing a fluke.

But! The ultimate reason I write about music is not to appease any of you dear readers. I write about music because I find it to be a valuable expression of my humanity. To me, music is proof that humans are a worthwhile species. In spite of all the dread, hate and pain we inflict upon one another, we can also make music for each other. We've figured out how to manipulate the waves that hold the universe together, and it makes us move in rhythm.

Last night at the Empty Bottle, G-Side moved a way-too-small crowd of life-lovers. I had a camera, but I didn't even want to pull it out to take a picture. I didn't want to keep still for a non-blurry blog post pic. It was a celebratory event, if not for the success of G-Side or Dylan Peterson or anything else, for the present moment of life worth living.

G-Side is making great music, and I hope that their fan base grows in 2012 and beyond. But they understand that a sold out show doesn't necessarily make a night better. The past can be appreciated and the future might look promising, but if we can't make good right here and right now, we're out of touch. Their smiles were sincere and their voices resonated with joy and thankfulness. They had fun up there on the little Empty Bottle stage, it was one of the best rap shows I've ever seen.

It's been a landmark year for a lot of people. But if I learned anything in 2011, it's to celebrate every day. We're still here, we have to love it now. (Don't miss out.)

Top 10 Albums of 2011

2011-11-21T01:26:00.007-06:00

I look back every November to give thanks for all of the good music that graced my ears. Then I make a list. This list is a prayer of gratitude that goes out to all of the artists who still work hard in spite of album leaks, negative reviews, and unappreciative live crowds. I know this blog post isn't much, but it's my way of showing a little appreciation:

10. Active Child - You Are All I See

An ex-choirboy plays the harp over post-dubstep beats. I don't really feel the need to say anything more. He gets a guest vocal from How To Dress Well, brought Chad Valley along as the opener of his North American tour, and is now the opening act for M83's tour. He is running with the right crowd. We will hear a lot more Active Child in the years to come. You Are All I See is a beautiful haunt of an album, but it really feels like the beginning of something special.

best track: Hanging On

9. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

I couldn't stop listening to this when it came out. Replay value is what gets an album in my top 10. I would rather not even explain why this album works for me, it just does. If you also put these songs on repeat, you got it. If you turned it off seconds after hearing it, fine. I don't think this an album that needs to be defended.

best track: Beth/Rest

8. G-Side - The One...Cohesive

Rap album of the year. In a recent interview I did with ST 2 Lettaz and Yung Clova, they said that their music is not cloud rap, just Alabama music. But whatever we want to call it, G-Side has the most radical sound in hip-hop today. They sample Beach House, Enya, and Tame Impala like it's nothing. Seriously, they're not gimmicky at all. If the sound works for their song, that's why they're sampling it.

best track: How Far

7. Chad Valley - Equatorial Ultravox EP

If anything should be considered a "surprise" in my top 10, I guess this would be it. Equatorial Ultravox wasn't even reviewed on Pitchfork, so yknow. But these seven tracks still get me up. He sounded great at Schubas, so I have really high hopes for a full length (or another EP, or whatever he decides to release). It's the ideal chillwave, and I am still unapologetic about loving it. These guys are making fresh music, and it gives me the bliss.

best track: Fast Challenges

6. M83 - Hurry Up, We're Dreaming

It was 2011's epic album. And hey, if I'm looking for something grandiose and overwhelming, this is the stuff. It sounds like the 80s, but no, it actually doesn't. It sounds like 2011. This is music that people are connecting with right now. We're not going back in time. We're hearing synths clearer than ever, and they warm our hearts. Don't forget about shoegaze either. M83 is a culmination of a couple decades worth of ideas, succeeding today and today only.

best track: Midnight City

5. Korallreven - An Album by Korallreven

It was a great year for quiet music. Actually, I don't know. Does screamo exist anymore? Is punk still a thing? I have a feeling that loud shit doesn't do as much for us anymore because of how easy it is to make a high-quality album in one's bedroom with a laptop. Our ears are collectively refined, and emotional music can't be achieved as easily or brutishly these days. Korallreven is like new-age, Native American, sacred music, ambient, Sigur Ros and chillwave delicately smooshed into one lovely as honey viiiiiibe.

best track: The Truest Faith

4. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo

Hey, guitars! Yeah, that's an instrument for old dudes, but Kurt Vile doesn't care. He knows how to write a great song with his guitar, and he should continue. Kurt has an aura that you can't really fuck with. The timelessness of songwriting wins again here, whether you're a fan of Bruce Springsteen, Sonic Youth, or Arcade Fire, Kurt Vile's music somehow stretches across decades of rock and roll cool and comes back with a uniquely original style.

best track: Jesus Fever

3. Washed Out - Within and Without

Chillwave came out of the bedroom in 2011. Washed Out is the frontrunner of the movement, and is taking pride in being so. Whether you're getting high, having sex, dancing, reading, or sleeping, Within and Without should be the soundtrack. It's a strange time for music like this though. Washed Out opened for Cut Copy on their last North American tour, and leaving the venue I overheard some awful girl call Washed Out "the hipster Enya." First I wanted to turn around and tell her to check this out, but then I just shrugged it off and thought, "Enya is awesome."

best track: Soft

2. Real Estate - Days

I completely slept on Real Estate's self-titled debut, but after seeing their show at the Subterranean this summer, along with a majority of new songs in their set, I woke up. You don't have to look too deep beneath the haze to hear a band that cares deeply about music. Precision and harmony are of utmost importance to Real Estate, and the result is an arresting album of indie surf rock. And no, you shouldn't just listen to this in summertime. I just listened to it again, and it sounds great on 40-degree Chicago evenings.

best track: All the Same

1. Destroyer - Kaputt

I don't think a great album can ever be neutral. The best records probably get an equal amount of love and hate (I'm thinking Trout Mask Replica, Velvet Underground, Another Green World, In Rainbows, Rumours, anything by ELO, etc.). Believe it or not, people still think Bob Dylan has a weird voice. And yeah, Kaputt should divide us. People should get upset when they hear this easy-listening, cheesy-sax-drenched, v0cals-recorded-lying-on-a-couch, artsy shit. But what can I say. I haven't listened to any other album this year more than Kaputt. I am infatuated with every track here. I guess artistic audacity just gets me every time. I want to hear someone giving a crazy idea his all, even if that could potentially mean utter failure. Dan Bejar could've made the worst decision of his life by releasing Kaputt, but as long as listeners like me are around, we'll make sure this isn't the last time an artist doesn't play it safe. Kaputt is my favorite album of the year.

best track: Kaputt

CHIRP playlist (11/16/11)

2011-11-17T11:18:00.002-06:00

Just a quick CHIRP playlist before I post my top 10 favorite albums of 2011. And if you didn't know by now, my weekly shift is every Wednesday 8-10pm (CST), no more midnight shifts for me. It's nice to have more listeners, and less coffee. Tune in next week if you can. Oh, and come to Lincoln Hall on Tuesday for the Youth Lagoon show. Always say hi.

Pterodactyl Allergy Shots from Spills Out (Brah)

Radiohead Pyramid Song from Amnesiac (Capitol)

Joy Division The Only Mistake from Still (Factory)

Head of Femur Skirts Are Takin' Over from Hysterical Stars (Spin Art)

Mayer Hawthorne You're Not Ready from How Do You Do (Universal)

Patsy Cline She's Got You from The Ultimate Collection (Mercury Nashville)

Oneohtrix Point Never Nassau from Replica (Software)

Velella Velella We'll Getcha In Yeah from Atlantis Massif (self-released)

Painted Palms Water Hymn from Canopy EP (Secretly Canadian)

Rabble Rabble Wild Card from Jailbait (Commune)

The Damned Rabid (Over You) from Machine Gun Etiquette (Chiswick)

Cloud Nothings I Am Rooftop from Turning On (Carpark)

Sigur Rós Lúppulagið from Inni (XL)

Quasimoto Bus Ride from The Further Adventures of Lord Quas (Stones Throw)

XTC Chalkhills And Children from Oranges & Lemons (Virgin)

Tycho Elegy from Dive (Ghostly International)

Aphex Twin Avril 14th from Drukqs (Sire)

Nate Evans Main Squeeze from Twinight's Chicago Soul Heaven (Kent)

Sun Ra I'll Get By from Some Blues But Not the Kind That's Blue (Atavistic)

Rob Crow Tranked from He Thinks He's People (Temporary Residence)

Future Of The Left Polymers are Forever from Polymers are Forever EP (Xtra Mile)

David Lynch Pinky's Dream from Crazy Clown Time (Play It Again Sam)

The Raincoats Off Duty Trip from The Raincoats (Rough Trade)

Arcade Fire (Antichrist Television Blues) from Neon Bible (Merge)

Joan of Arc Explain Yourselves #2 from Flowers (Polyvinyl)

Anathallo Kasa No Hone (The Umbrella's Bones) from Floating World (Artist Friendship)

Korallreven As Young as Yesterday from An Album by Korallreven (Acephale)

Best Music of 2011

2011-11-14T23:52:00.011-06:00

If something comes out in the next few weeks that totally blindsides me, I will amend this list. But over the past 12 months, I've heard a lot of great music. I'm ranking it right here, right now. If you want to hear any of these albums, just ask. Counting down from 25:

25. Thao & Mirah - Thao & Mirah

Two of the coolest ladies in music, making it together for at least this one album. For whatever reason, this was a critically underrated album. But it has every attribute I look for. Dynamic vocal performances, peaks and valleys of high to low energy, unexpected sounds from one track to the next, and perfect harmonies. They put on a fun show together too.

best track: Hallelujah

24. Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues

Relaaaaaax. Who caaaaaares. Fleet Foxes don't have to prove anything to you, they're just hanging out, playing some songs. Helplessness Blues may not have the stand-out tracks of their debut, but that's what's so nice about it. When this album is on, I can turn my critic's ear off and sit around with my dog. It plays all the way through before I realize it's on, and then I wake up. Be quiet and enjoy Fleet Foxes.

best track: Montezuma

23. Gotye - Making Mirrors

So in Australia this went double platinum. Which kinda makes me want to move there. I mean, if Cut Copy and Gotye are any indication, this country obviously knows how to create melodic pop music better than the rest of the world. And don't even try to start with that South Korean shit, I'm not buying it. Anyway, Making Mirrors at first sounds like it could be a guilty pleasure, but it's too erratic and surprising to fit any mold. No guilt, pure pleasure.

best track: Somebody That I Used To Know

22. Hauschka - Salon Des Amateurs

Nobody else does the John Cage homage better than Hauschka. But this year, Hauschka took a brilliant creative leap forward by ditching the odd time signatures in place of house rhythms. It's an inspiring idea, but the resulting sound is even better than the idea. I'd rather listen on headphones than dance to it though.

best track: Radar

21. Eleanor Friedberger - Last Summer

I almost loved The Fiery Furnaces, but I think all along I was really just loving Eleanor Friedberger. Her debut solo album has all of the quirkiness (well, maybe not all) of The Fiery Furnaces, without any of the nonsense (you know what I'm talking about.). Melody and multi-instrumentation reign, and Friedberger's familiar voice sounds as uniquely warm as ever.

best track: Owl's Head Park

20. Blanck Mass - Blanck Mass

What kind of jerk would I be if I didn't include a drone album this year? To be honest, Blanck Mass is the most beautiful noise I've heard in years. It's ambient and hypnotic, not too sludgy or gloomy. This is Benjamin John Power though (Fuck Buttons), so it shouldn't be surprising to hear that this is good shit.

best track: What You Know

19. Friendly Fires - Pala

The summer album of the year. It's a big pop record from a UK dance band, and nothing more. But, certainly nothing less either. This is what I hope the kids are excited about these days. It depresses me that the Warped Tour is still a thing. Come on kids! Don't you realize Friendly Fires is here now! Eh. Whatever. Fun music is for fun kids. Take it or leave it.

best track: Hurting

18. Cave - Neverendless

Chicago always has a new band we can be proud of at the end of the year. For 2011 it is definitely Cave. Neverendless is pretty much just five pysch jams. It's crisply produced, like an American Dungen or something. It's nothing revolutionary, it's not even anything that hasn't been done tons of times already, but it's done as well as I've heard it in years.

best track: WUJ

17. Toro y Moi - Freaking Out EP

That's right, the EP is better than the full length he released this year. Or is that not even debated? I was underwhelmed by Underneath the Pine, but Freaking Out features the funkiest chillwave I've yet heard. And dammit, I love funky chillwave. Five songs I wouldn't hesitate to play at any moment at Rodan or on CHIRP. This is everything I love about new music.

best track: All Alone

16. Youth Lagoon - The Year of Hibernation

I'm very wary of lo-fi stuff. It's too easy to half-ass/bullshit one's way through. I mean, cassette labels are cool and everything, I guess, but I can't tolerate bad music under a guise of "lo-fi." However, when done right, lo-fi is warm and romantic. Youth Lagoon did it best this year. He sings like Daniel Johnston, and his lyrics get an A+ for earnestness. He was a teenager just a couple years ago though. He should be making music like this. And we should be listening to it.

best track: Seventeen

15. The War On Drugs - Slave Ambient

Rock and roll record of the year. Can I even say that? Maybe that's like calling my half-sister my "favorite half-sister," just because she's the only half-sister I have... But no, Slave Ambient is awesome, even if I can't think of another rock and roll record that came out in 2011. Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and all of the classic rockers should be proud of The War On Drugs for this one. This album keeps their sound relevant.

best track: Brothers

14. Megafaun - Megafaun

This is the closest thing on my list to country. And no, it's not really country at all. It's experimental indie folk, that should appeal to fans of country anyway. It's simple, sort of. It's chill, kinda. Alright, I'll just go ahead and say even after months of listening to this album, I have the hardest time describing it. And thus, I can't escape its greatness. There's something special going on here, and you have to just hear it to understand.

best track: State / Meant

13. Tycho - Dive

My favorite DJ gig every month is Rodan. I get to play tracks off of Dive, and this always makes me feel so so damn good. This is lush as fuck. Ghostly International is quickly becoming my favorite record label because of stuff like this. Electronic music is in a great place, thanks to artists like Tycho, Gold Panda, Phantogram, and the rest of their amazing roster. Take a drive through the city at night and tell me you don't feel in love with a girl when this music is on. So gorgeous.

best track: Coastal Brake

12. Wilco - The Whole Love

If this is number 12, then you know a lot of great music came out this year. The Whole Love is Wilco at their best. And this means, this is some of the best music in the world. They get their experimental game back on here, but never leave that front-porch-swing comfort with acoustic folk tunes. Like everybody already said, it is their best work since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. That, and it's Beatles-esque at times. What more can a music-lover ask for? (well. yeah. see below.)

best track: One Sunday Morning

11. Cities Aviv - Digital Lows

Cloud rap. My favorite new sub-genre of 2011. Get high on whatever you can and turn this shit up. For all of the terrible mainstream hip-hop out there right now, always have faith in the underground. And what's cool these days is that the underground is just a synonym for bandcamp. The serious rap guys are making good music and debuting it on the internet, not on the Billboard charts.

best track: fuckeverybodyhere

Oh, the top 10 are missing. I'll get to those next week I guess.

New CHIRP Shift, Rodan 11/11/11

2011-11-08T23:24:00.004-06:00

11/11/11. This is a once in a lifetime date. Never again will we see six identical numerals representing the year, month and day. It calls for celebration. Come to Rodan this Friday after 10pm, I'll be playing good tunes and the coolest bartenders in Wicker Park will be serving $5 Deja Vu cocktails on special. No cover.

Tomorrow night is my very first CHIRP shift at 8pm. It's only a two hour show, so tune in for a preview of Friday's party, as well as my exclusive interview with Chicago's prince of post-emo, Tim Kinsella. That airs live at 8:45. I'll fill in the rest of my shift with The Books, Laura Veirs, Hauschka, and requests.

Halloween Playlist, CHIRP updates

2011-10-30T21:45:00.004-05:00

I DJed a Halloween set last night at Maeve. Scroll down for the playlist (Halloween parties are probably all over now, but these are some goodies for your 2012 celebrations).

This Tuesday night will be my last midnight shift on CHIRP. I'm moving to the 8-10pm shift on Wednesdays, starting 11/9. As a send-off, I'm airing my interview with Tim Kinsella (Joan of Arc, Capn Jazz) this week at 12:15am, CST.. Tune in for that, and stay awake for three insomniac-friendly hours of tunes. It's the end of a chapter, and I'm tempted to quote Semisonic.

Alright, Halloween mix:

Trent Reznor - Hall of the Mountain King
The xx - Intro
Salem - King Knight
Designer Drugs - Dead Meat
Aphex Twin - Come to Daddy
Basement Jaxx - Dracula
Chromeo - Don't Turn the Lights On
Outkast - Dracula's Wedding
Gnarls Barkley - Boogie Monster
Gucci Mane - Haunted House
Gravediggaz - Diary of a Madman
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Talking Heads - Psycho Killer
Fela Kuti - Zombie
Sufjan Stevens - They Are Night Zombies
Tegan and Sara - Walking with a Ghost
Dead Man's Bones - Pa Pa Power
Lonely Island - The Creep
Kanye West - Monster
Kesha - Cannibal
Shakira - She Wolf
Lady Gaga - Monster
Nine Inch Nails - Closer
The Knife - Silent Shout
Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
Jonathan Richman - Vampire Girl
Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London
Screamin' Jay Hawkins - I Put A Spell On You
Bobby Pickett - The Monster Mash

CHIRP playlist (10/19/11)

2011-10-19T13:10:00.003-05:00

I'll be DJing at a little neighborhood bar in Lincoln Park called Maeve this Friday night. It's a chill place, dog-friendly, with a great drink list. I would love to hang out with your dog while mixing tunes. It's actually been a goal of mine for a while now, to DJ at a bar with dogs. Anyway, let's do that in a few days, here's what happened on CHIRP last night:

12:02AM Megafaun Hope You Know from Megafaun (Hometapes)

12:07AM Dylan LeBlanc Changing Of The Seasons from Pauper's Field (Rough Trade)

12:12AM Dirty Projectors No Intention from Bitte Orca (Domino)

12:17AM Girls Alex from Father, Son, Holy Ghost (True Panther Sounds)

12:21AM The Breeders Saints from Last Splash (4AD)

12:25AM Charalambides Before You Go from Exile (kranky)

12:34AM Cave Adam Roberts from Neverendless (Drag City)

12:38AM Laura Marling Night After Night from A Creature I Don't Know (Ribbon)

12:43AM Isotope 217 Solaris from Utonian Automatic (Thrill Jockey)

12:50AM Neu! E-Musik from Neu! 75 (Brain)

1:01AM Jackie Wilson I Get the Sweetest Feeling from The Very Best of Jackie Wilson (Brunswick)

1:02AM Jorge Ben Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro from Africa Brasil (Philips)

1:06AM King Tubby Base Dub from Loving Memory Dub (Fuel 2000)

1:10AM Toro Y Moi Go With You from Underneath The Pine (Carpark)

1:16AM Cocteau Twins Lazy Calm from Victorialand (4AD)

1:22AM High Places Sophia from Original Colors (Thrill Jockey)

1:27AM Tom Waits Bad As Me from Bad As Me (ANTI-)

1:32AM Sonik Omi Main Theme from Andhera / Darwaza from Bollywood Bloodbath (Finders Keepers)

1:34AM Siouxsie & The Banshees Little Johnny Jewel from Through The Looking Glass (Geffen)

1:40AM Icebird Wander from The Abandoned Lullaby (RJ's Electrical Connections)

1:44AM School Of Seven Bells Iamundernodisguise from Alpinisms (Ghostly International)

1:49AM Loney Dear Largo from Hall Music (Polyvinyl)

1:52AM Paleo From the Sky Down from A View of the Sky (Parisan)

1:55AM Vivian Girls Where Do You Run To from Vivian Girls (Mauled By Tigers)

2:01AM Blonde Redhead Water from Fake Can Be Just as Good (Touch and Go)

2:04AM Pavement All My Friends from Crooked Rain Crooked Rain: L.A.'s Desert Origins (Matador)

2:09AM Beat Happening Polly Pereguinn from Music to Climb the Apple Tree By (K Records)

2:15AM Television Venus from Marquee Moon (Elektra)

2:18AM Jean-Claude Vannier Les Yeux Valise from Roses Rouge Sang (Finders Keepers)

2:24AM Joe Henry Dark Tears from Reverie (ANTI-)

2:29AM Carter Tanton Pitch Bent Flute from Freeclouds (Western Vinyl)

2:35AM Sneaky Sound System The Colours from From Here To Anywhere (Modular)

2:40AM Dreamers of the Ghetto Always from Enemy/Lover (Temporary Residence Ltd.)

2:46AM Mike and the Censations Don't Mess With Me from Don't Sell Your Soul (Ubiquity)

2:50AM Friendly Fires Chimes from Pala (XL)

2:55AM Aspic Tines Music of the Spheres from Crypto-Superzeit! International (Johann's Face)

CHIRP playlist (10/12/11)

2011-10-12T13:43:00.003-05:00

Come to Rodan this Friday after 10pm. I'll be DJing, which means good music will be on. Come say hi, I'll buy you a drink. No cover. 1530 N. Milwaukee Ave. And here's what I played on CHIRP last night:

12:02AM Feist Woe Be from Metals (Cherrytree)

12:06AM Van Dyke Parks Tribute To Spree from Idiosyncratic Path: The Best Of Van Dyke Parks (Diabolo)

12:09AM David Bowie All The Young Dudes from Aladdin Sane (RCA)

12:14AM Ratatat Lex from Classics (XL)

12:19AM DJ Shadow Warning Call from The Less You Know, The Better (Verve)

12:23AM Prince Rama Trust from Trust Now (Paw Tracks)

12:30AM Painted Palms Water Hymn from Canopy EP (Secretly Canadian)

12:33AM Animal Collective Leaf House from Sung Tongs (FatCat)

12:37AM The Field It's Up There from Looping State of Mind (Kompakt)

12:47AM Beastie Boys Transitions from The In Sound From Way Out! (Grand Royal)

12:50AM Silkworm Clean'd Me Out from Blueblood (Touch and Go)

12:53AM Where the Moon Came From We Dove into the Sunrise from Twin of Pangaea (Nasoni)

1:00AM Kraftwerk Ruckzuck from Kraftwerk 1 (Philips)

1:08AM The Faint Agenda Suicide from Danse Macabre (Saddle Creek)

1:13AM Sweep the Leg Johnny Las Cruces from Tomorrow We Will Run Faster (Southern)

1:21AM Bonnie "Prince" Billy Cows from Wolfroy Goes to Town (Drag City)

1:27AM Björk Thunderbolt from Biophilia (One Little Indian)

1:32AM Gauntlet Hair Showing from Gauntlet Hair (Dead Oceans)

1:36AM We Were Promised Jetpacks Pear Tree from In the Pit of the Stomach (FatCat)

1:43AM Ladytron Melting Ice from Gravity the Seducer (Artwerk)

1:49AM Pretty Good Dance Moves 600 Days (featuring Heather Christian) from Pretty Good Dance Moves (Township)

1:53AM The Afro Soul-Tet Slave Traders from Afrodesia (Luv N' Haight)

2:00AM Sigur Rós Saeglopur from Takk... (Geffen)

2:07AM Antony & the Johnsons Flétta from Swanlights (Secretly Canadian)

2:12AM The Tough Alliance Miami from A New Chance (Sincerely Yours)

2:16AM My Brightest Diamond We Added It Up from All Things Will Unwind (Asthmatic Kitty)

2:20AM Mazzy Star Blue Flower from She Hangs Brightly (Rough Trade)

2:25AM Young Man Enough from Ideas of Distance (Frenchkiss)

2:30AM Azita Keep Hymn from Disturbing the Air (Drag City)

2:38AM Rocket from the Tombs Birth Day from Barfly (Fire)

2:42AM Wild Flag Racehorse from Wild Flag (Merge)

2:49AM Isis Celestial (The Tower) from Celestial (Escape Artist/HydraHead)

Another Day in Logan Square

2011-10-07T12:57:00.002-05:00

Have you ever wondered what the criminals are listening to during a high speed chase? Is it something intentionally pulse-pounding like Metallica or Iron Maiden? AM talk radio? Do they turn it off so as not to distract? White noise might actually be appropriate for when sirens are blaring behind you and you're recklessly driving a huge mass of metal and glass through neighborhoods and busy streets.

Well, today I found out.

Let me begin this story by explaining how sick I've been for the past week. Last night was the first full sleep I got in days. This cold has either kept me up via sore throat, monster headache, or diarrhea. I've been miserable, but I finally kicked it last night. What was my remedy? For that, we have to go back two weeks, to the apartment of Jim Joyce.

Jim texted me one early autumn day, well before the Chicago leaves showed any yellow. He suggested we partake in a festive project together. Hard cider was the idea, and I jumped on it at that minute, and raced over to his place. After buying our supplies, we mixed the concoction. Apple juice, cinnamon sticks, and everclear had to sit and brew for at least two weeks. As of last night, it had been about three weeks.

So last night, still feeling sickly, I decided it was time to take my medicine. I poured a heaping cup of cider into a pot on the stove, and let it heat up (not to a boil though, just to a steam). Sipping it down over the course of a midnight hour, I knew that I was in for a good night's sleep for the first time in October. My throat was warm, my head was light, and my limbs were heavy. Sweet slumber. Thank you Jim Joyce and hard cider.

But what Jim didn't tell me, and what I had to find out this morning, is that the mix of hard liquor, apples, and cinnamon calls for an urgent bowel movement. Maybe I could've surmised this myself, nevertheless, the problem wasn't as simple as a trip to the bathrooom today.

I woke up, turned on the sink, and heard only a gurgle. No water. I looked out the front window to see the construction outside on our street, a hole 10 feet deep and wide assured me that my water would not be back on for some time. I would have to find another toilet in which to dispense the hard cider waste which was now brewing within me.

So my plan was to take Arlen out first, so he could do his business, then I would bring him back in, and then go find a place where I could do my business.

Stepping out onto the porch, the noise of the generators and bulldozers was louder than usual. The piles of gravel were higher than ever, mountainous even. Then something even louder from around the corner. A screeching of tires, construction workers yelling. A massive , rusty van stormed through, workers leaping off the street onto the grass in front of me. Then, the vehicle slams into the mountain of gravel, and a hysterical looking man leaps out the side of the door with something dark in his hand.

"Get on the ground! Get on the ground!"

At least three cops are surrounding him with guns out and aimed. He raises his arms, revealing only a cell phone. Then he's wrestled to my sidewalk, while his van's door remains open. I looked down at Arlen, who was comfortably squatting, taking what looked to be a most satisfying shit. I was consumed with envy.

I took my dog back inside, grabbed my bike, clenched my butt-cheeks, and scampered out the door again. With cops, neighbors, and gawkers everywhere in front of my building, I unabashedly walked up to one of the construction workers. "Excuse me, I know you have a setback here," I pointed at the van, still king of the mountain, "but do you know how much longer it will be until the water in the building is back on?" He gave me a well-deserved smirk, "At least another hour."

Onto the bike, the saddle of which felt harder and more uncomfortable than usual. My destination: Starbucks on California. In the words of George Costanza, "magnificent facilities!" On my ride over, I recapped the events in my head. A brutal cold that required homemade hard cider, which demanded a quick out 8 hours later, but it's the one morning the water is shut off in my building, and prolonged because a crazy guy drove into a construction site in front of my place. Now finally at Starbucks, wouldn't you know it, here I sit broken hearted...

Nah just kidding, I just took the most satisfying shit of my life. Oh, and the sound coming out of the van was white noise. A quiet chaos, another day in Logan Square.

CHIRP playlist (10/4/11) and Washed Out interview

2011-10-05T11:41:00.002-05:00

My Washed Out interview will be available as a podcast later today, I'll let you know when you can download it. Otherwise, here's what you missed last night. It was one of those shows I had to go a couple octaves lower for, due to a nasty cold. But it's all worth it for fall.

12:01AM Neon Indian Halogen (I Could Be a Shadow) from Era Extraña (Mom+Pop)

12:06AM Gotye Giving Me A Chance from Making Mirrors (Ais)

12:09AM Matthew Dear Reason And Responsibility from Leave Luck To Heaven (Spectral Sound)

12:17AM Washed Out Within and Without from Within and Without (Sub Pop)

12:30AM Twin Sister Badstreet from In Heaven (Domino)

12:35AM Talkdemonic Summer Glass from Ruins (Glacial Pace)

12:39AM Loney Dear Calm Down from Hall Music (Polyvinyl)

12:44AM Jens Lekman Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song from Oh You're So Silent Jens (Secretly Canadian)

12:49AM Memoryhouse To the Lighthouse from The Years EP (Sub Pop)

12:53AM Chin Up Chin Up We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers (Stephen Snydacker Mix) from Chin Up Chin Up (Flameshovel)

12:56AM The Poison Arrows The Path of Least Resistance from First Class, and Forever (File 13)

1:00AM The Acorn Oh Napoleon from Glory Hope Mountain (Paper Bag)

1:04AM Leonard Cohen Tonight Will Be Fine from Songs From A Room (Columbia)

1:08AM Townes Van Zandt Who Do You Love from Flyin' Shoes (Tomato)

1:13AM Caribou Leave House from Swim (Merge)

1:18AM YAWN Never Knew from Open Season (self-released)

1:20AM Dead Man's Bones Pa Pa Power from Dead Man's Bones (Anti)

1:25AM High Places Banksia from Original Colors (Thrill Jockey)

1:30AM Dâm-Funk Inside of U from InnaFocusedDaze EP (Scion A/V)

1:32AM The Notations A New Day from Twinight's Chicago Soul Heaven (Kent)

1:37AM Geotic Union from Bless the Self (self-released)

1:40AM Zola Jesus Hikikomori from Conatus (Sacred Bones)

1:44AM Kings Of Convenience Mrs. Cold from Declaration Of Dependence (Astralwerks)

1:48AM Pujol Stuff from Nasty, Brutish, and Short (Saddle Creek)

1:50AM Menomena Weird from Friend and Foe (Barsuk)

1:53AM Sonic Youth Snare, Girl from A Thousand Leaves (DGC)

2:01AM Ministry Scare Crow from Psalm 69 (Sire)

2:09AM Reds and Blue Son of the Stars from Son of the Stars (Addenda)

2:14AM The Welcome Wagon But For You Who Fear My Name from Welcome to the Welcome Wagon (Asthmatic Kitty)

2:17AM Bill Mallonee From the Beats Down to the Buddha from The Power & The Glory (self-released)

2:24AM Sufjan Stevens All Good Naysayers, Speak Up! Or Forever Hold Your Peace! from Greetings From Michigan (Asthmatic Kitty)

2:30AM Meg Baird The Finder from Seasons on Earth (Drag City)

2:35AM Sleeper Agent Be My Monster from Celebrasion (Mom + Pop)

2:39AM Tycho Coastal Brake from Dive (Ghostly International)

2:43AM Paranoid Castle Stacey's Doing WAY Too Much from Champagne Nightmares (Fake Four Inc.)

2:46AM Jonti Nodlews Way Home from Twirligig (Stones Throw)

2:50AM The Jayhawks Black-Eyed Susan from Mockingbird Time (Rounder)

2:54AM Roy Orbison Coming Home from The Essential Roy Orbison (Sony)

You Missed Out: Jens Lekman

2011-10-04T01:21:00.006-05:00

As I write this review, I firmly believe that Jens Lekman is still out there somewhere in Chicago, playing third, fourth, fifth encores on his guitar. Before wrapping up his second encore at Lincoln Hall, he told the crowd, "This is the last song of the night... on this stage. If you want to hear some more, come find me after the show." And you know it's true. A guy this earnest would not mislead such an adoring audience.

Even with a set consisting mostly of new songs, the people of Chicago fawned over the boy from Gothenburg. All the better, actually, because it's probably more fun to hear his new songs for the first time in a corporate setting so we can all laugh together. Unsurprisingly, his unreleased material is hilarious. Look out for "I Broke Up A Fight," which reveals Jens as a most well-intentioned philanthropist whose greatest strength is his crippling social awkwardness.

Playing without a full band (only a drummer), Jens' songs sounded almost stronger as stripped down acoustic versions. His deep voice was richer tonight, confident and controlled. Old lyrics stuck out to me in ways they hadn't before, especially his last song of the night, "Pocketful of Money." When after hearing so much lovely music, to hear him repeat the line about how he wants to go to a place "where the music never ends" hit close to home. It encapsulated Jens Lekman as one who truly loves music. He gave his tambourine to the girl in the front row, entrusting her to play along with the rhythm. He smiled brightly every time the crowd sang along with a familiar line, but especially "that's when the feeling hits. So just lick your lips. These are the good times that you'll miss, when you are sipping on the sweet nectars of your memories." As with all Jens Lekman shows, tonight's was one I'll never forget.

The first Jens Lekman song I ever heard was "The Department of Forgotten Songs," in which he anthropomorphizes a vinyl record as a lonely girl. I didn't realize it then, but it really is a love song to music itself. And every time I see him play a show, I can feel that intense love emanating from Jens Lekman. It's a treat for any music lover to witness such honest sincerity from an artist, but I imagine it must be most rewarding for Jens himself. Which is why I'm sure he's still playing music at this moment. He is doing what he loves.

Chromeo and Mayer Hawthorne at the House of Blues

2011-10-01T01:32:00.006-05:00

Notice I didn't title this a "You Missed Out." I could have, because Mayer Hawthorne and Chromeo are both great acts. But, it's really difficult to spin anything positive from a House of Blues experience.

The last time I was at the House of Blues was for a Sleeping at Last show, which had to be about four years ago. That was a fine show though, because a) it wasn't sold out and overcrowded with dude-bros, b) the Sleeping at Last guys are my friends, and c) it was the first time I ever got a photo pass for the pit.

Before that, it was The Shins at the House of Blues. Pretty sure this was pre-Garden State Shins too. Yet, that show had a bizarrely high number of mid-life crisis douche bags. I think they were even screaming "Freebird." At a Shins show...

WTF House of Blues? Why do you suck so much? After tonight, I have to swear off the House of Blues for good.

Now, Mayer Hawthorne and the County put on a hell of a charming show. Old school fun like The Temptations, with just the right amount of nerdy white guy flare. He isn't even close to hitting his stride either. If he gets a horn section to replace the samples, Mayer Hawthorne will be headlining the House of Blues in no time.

But the duo known as Chromeo are just perplexing to me. They don't look or sound like anyone else, and I love that. Their synths are straight out of Beverly Hills Cop, and the Ratatat-ish electric guitar harmonies take the epic-ness to another level. Throw an insane light show, leg lamps for keyboard stands, and vocoder vocals into the mix, and it's more than enough to inspire a silly-awesome dance party.

Unfortunately, and I hope House of Blues is somehow to blame, the crowd at this show took themselves way too seriously. It looked like Excalibur in there. And they didn't even dance very hard. As great as Chromeo sounded, the atmosphere in the venue really got to me. I left a few songs early.

I don't know when or how Chromeo got such a shitty fanbase (they were touring with Neon Indian a year ago...), but it's a bummer. They're better than that. Ugh. The House of Blues....

You Missed Out: Megafaun

2011-09-29T12:54:00.006-05:00

I don't often like to admit this, but I was raised in Joliet. Neighboring Wilmington and Elwood were also homesteads, which certainly doesn't make me feel any better about my white trash self. Sure, I live in Logan Square now, but my cell phone still has that dreaded 815 area code, I am still a White Sox fan, and I am still a red-headed stepchild. When Megafaun came to Schubas last night, it stirred up all that nostalgia of trailer park gravel and Kankakee River litter. The band took me back to my roots, and it felt so damn good.

Megafaun slid into the folk-rock party a little late, years after Iron and Wine, Sufjan Stevens, Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver blew the lid off the place. But this band is more than welcome. Their new self-titled album is what Blitzen Trapper and Wilco wish they could muster. Experimental noodling turns into back porch swing jams. Smokey Mountain harmonies soar so sweetly. It's a little country, rock, and (forgive me) indie in all the right ways. The end of the summer needed this album, and autumn looks even lovelier when it's on.

Schubas was magic. Whether the band was playing through the speakers or unplugged in the middle of the floor, the love-fest between the band and crowd was intensely strong. Everybody was smiling. The burly guys who looked like my old neighbors with the Bass Pro Shop hats and farming equipment t-shirts were enjoying the hell out of this music, without a hint of irony. Did they drive up to Lincoln Park from the southwest suburbs? I sure hope so.

This music is for anyone who loves CCR, Bob Seger, and Tom Petty, but refuses to call it "guilty pleasure." That Midwestern rock gets our fists up. We yell out "wooooo!" like we're at a stock car race. High fives reach across rooms. It just feels like the America we are proud of. The freedom we decide not to be cynical about every now and then. That's what Megafaun gives us. And that's something that Iron and Wine, Sufjan, and the other folk-rock revivalists never quite figured out.

It's especially nice to take a break from my tortured DJ persona. There isn't a chance I'll play Megafaun at Beauty Bar. I will play their music for myself, while I sit around with my dog and drink beer. Don't miss out next time. Hell, I might even drive down to Joliet if they ever decide to play a show down there. If you know me at all, you know how much that says about a band. Megafaun is worth it though.

CHIRP playlist (9/28/11)

2011-09-28T12:43:00.002-05:00

I'm DJing Beauty Bar again this Saturday, for their 80's Nite. Come out and dance if you're into that sort of thing. Also, great shows happening in the next week include Megafaun tonight at Schubas, Chromeo and Mayer Hawthorne playing Friday and Saturday at the House of Blues, and Jens Lekman at Lincoln Hall on Monday. I'm so glad the festival season is over. Time to get back inside and see shows at night. Fall is always the best. Tune in next week to hear my interview with Washed Out. But before this fundraising week ends, toss a few bucks over to CHIRP. Here's my show from last night:

12:02AM Wilco Capitol City from The Whole Love (dBpm)

12:06AM Yo La Tengo False Alarm from Electr-O-Pura (Matador)

12:20AM The Who Sunrise from The Who Sell Out (MCA)

12:21AM Muddy Waters Blues Before Sunrise from The Chess Box (Chess)

12:21AM Youth Lagoon Daydream from The Year of Hibernation (Fat Possum)

12:26AM Maps & Atlases Perch Patchwork from Perch Patchwork (Barsuk)

12:32AM A Winged Victory for the Sullen Minuet for a Cheap Piano from A Winged Victory for the Sullen (kranky)

12:38AM Titus Andronicus No Future, Pt. 2: The Days After No Future from The Airing Of Grievances (XL)

12:45AM The Blood Brothers Ambulance Vs. Ambulance from ...Burn, Piano Island, Burn (V2)

12:50AM Toddla T Watch Me Dance (feat. Roots Manuva) from Watch Me Dance (Ninja Tune)

12:54AM The Rapture Come Back To Me from In the Grace of Your Love (DFA)

1:01AM Lindstrøm Fast & Delirious from It's a Feedelity Affair (Feedelity)

1:07AM Black Moth Super Rainbow Lost, Picking Flowers in the Woods from Dandelion Gum (Graveface)

1:10AM King Midas Sound Surround Me from Box of Dub: Dubstep and Future Dub (Soul Jazz)

1:16AM R.E.M. Finest Worksong from Document (IRS)

1:19AM Rainer Maria Half Past April from Past Worn Searching (Polyvinyl)

1:24AM Milagres Here To Stay from Glowing Mouth (Kill Rock Stars)

1:29AM Gem Club I Heard the Party from Breakers (Hardly Art)

1:33AM The Sea and Cake Hotel Tell from One Bedroom (Thrill Jockey)

1:37AM Balam Acab Apart from Wander / Wonder (Tri Angle)

1:40AM The Pack A.D. Positronic from Unpersons (Mint)

1:45AM Rwake Was Only A Dream from Rest / 2011 (Relapse)

1:59AM Jitney Twilight from 86-300 (Rock Proper)

2:04AM Lush 500 (Shake Baby Shake) from Lovelife (4AD)

2:07AM Rachel Ries Chicago from Without A Bird (SoDak)

2:13AM Chromeo When The Night Falls from Business Casual (Atlantic)

2:16AM Boom Bip Automaton from Zig Zaj (Lex)

2:27AM Roll the Dice Maelstrom from In Dust (Leaf)

2:34AM Active Child High Priestess from You Are All I See (Vagrant)

2:38AM Real Estate Green Aisles from Days (Domino)

2:43AM St. Vincent Cruel from Strange Mercy (4AD)

2:46AM Razika Taste My Dream from Program 91 (Smalltown Supersound)

2:52AM Male Wrangler For Higher from All Are Welcome (Other Electricities)

You Missed Out: Active Child and Chad Valley

2011-09-17T01:58:00.003-05:00

Suddenly, I don't feel very interested in Joanna Newsom, James Blake, or Antony and the Johnsons anymore. Well, maybe I shouldn't go that far. They're all pretty great. But Active Child does what all three of those artists do, at the same time, and better. Antony Hegarty was a choirboy, but later took his voice to indie rock. Joanna Newsom plays a harp and makes quirky avant-garde music. James Blake is soulful and post-dubstep. Pat Grossi (Active Child) was a also choirboy, who also sings soulfully while also playing a harp over post-dubstep beats. Head explosion!

His sold out Schubas show was a win for the venue. The wood trim on Grossi's harp even matched the arch over the stage. At times I wanted it to be the CSO though, just so I could sit and marvel at Grossi's talent. He's a hell of a singer (although, ironically, he has the voice of an angel).

The audience cheered loudest for his old songs, but I was floored by his new stuff. He shows off a little bit on that harp, giving the live audience much more flare than what's on record. More intricate and nuanced than Curtis Lane, his full-length can be enjoyed as if it were an hour of classical music. Go listen to You Are All I See if you are any kind of music fan. It's rewarding on so many levels.

Opener Chad Valley was excellent as well. Equatorial Ultravox is still my favorite EP of 2011. It was wonderful to see a chillwaver open for Active Child too. Bedroom pop takes a lot of heat for being a genre full of introverted guys who just press buttons to make cheap music. I'll admit, it is quite a contrast against a virtuosic musician like Pat Grossi, but Chad Valley's strengths are less in nimble precision and more in atmospheric texture. Chillwave is legit, don't scoff.

Anyway, I hope Schubas was just the beginning for Active Child and Chad Valley. The former needs to get to the Chicago Theater (in due time, I'm sure), and Chad Valley better be the opener for Washed Out on Ernest's next headlining tour. The amount of talent at Belmont and Southport was quite staggering this evening.

CHIRP playlist (9/14/11)

2011-09-14T13:50:00.003-05:00

I read a spot on the air last night about the upcoming CHIRP/Empty Bottle Presents show at Beauty Bar this Saturday. Turns out I'm the opening DJ for Depressed Buttons (The Faint). It's only 5 bucks if you're interested. But if you sincerely plan on coming out, just email me and I'll put your name on the guest list. Save that five for an extra drink (or two Pabsts). It should be a fun time. Here's what I did on CHIRP last night:

12:00AM Toro y Moi Saturday Love from Freaking Out EP (Carpark)

12:04AM Kate Bush The Kick Inside from The Kick Inside (EMI)

12:07AM NOMO New Song from New Tones (Ubiquity)

12:15AM Frank Zappa Joe's Garage (single version) from Strictly Commercial (The Best of Frank Zappa) (Rykodisc)

12:19AM St. Vincent Northern Lights from Strange Mercy (4AD)

12:23AM Guided by Voices Watch Me Jumpstart from Alien Lanes (Matador)

12:26AM Jens Lekman Waiting for Kirsten from An Argument with Myself EP (Secretly Canadian)

12:30AM Mates of State Total Serendipity from Mountaintops (Barsuk)

12:36AM Isaac Hayes Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic from Hot Buttered Soul (Stax)

12:46AM Girls Just A Song from Father, Son, Holy Ghost (True Panther Sounds)

12:54AM Jim O'Rourke Movie On The Way Down from Eureka (Drag City)

1:01AM Glasser Apply from Ring (True Panther Sounds)

1:06AM J + J + J 1986 (Ghost Song) from High Voltage Feast is Almost Here (Ghost Arcade Ltd.)

1:13AM Mirah The Dogs Of B.A. from C'mon Miracle (K)

1:17AM Stephen Merritt When You're Young and In Love from Obscurities (Merge)

1:20AM Bonnie "Prince" Billy Wolf Among Wolves from Master and Everyone (Drag City)

1:26AM Devon Williams La La La La from Euphoria (Slumberland)

1:29AM Roberts & Lord Interior Demon from Eponymous (Asthmatic Kitty)

1:33AM Beat Happening Our Secret from Beat Happening (K)

1:37AM HTRK Body Double from Work (work, work) (Ghostly International)

1:41AM Malachi Thompson An Elevated Cry from Chicago's Avant Today (Delmark)

1:50AM Blitzen Trapper Street Fighting Sun from American Goldwing (Sub Pop)

1:55AM Blur Fade Away from The Great Escape (Food)

2:00AM Led Zeppelin Carouselambra from In Through the Out Door (Swan Song)

2:12AM Ellen Allien The Brain Is Lost from Thrills (Bpitch Control)

2:17AM Michael Perkins Murder by Phone from MR 666 (Ghost Arcade)

2:23AM Nurses Through the Window from Dracula (Dead Oceans)

2:24AM Mastadon Black Tongue from The Hunter (Reprise)

2:29AM Jawbreaker Fireman from Dear You (DGC)

2:32AM 7 Seconds Soul To Keep (For Phyllis) from Soulforce Revolution (Restless)

2:37AM Gauntlet Hair Lights Out from Gauntlet Hair (Dead Oceans)

2:42AM Sun Araw Crown Shell from Ancient Romans (Drag City)

2:54AM Mister Heavenly Wise Men from Out of Love (Sub Pop)

2:56AM The Coctails Far East from Long Sound (Carrot Top)

You Missed Out: BMSR and Dosh

2011-09-09T11:38:00.009-05:00

The last time I saw Dosh and Black Moth Super Rainbow was at Millennium Park. Dosh played a summer lunch set last year, and Black Moth had the same time slot in 2009. For the former, the venue was great, but Black Moth looked painfully out of place at noon on a Monday afternoon in sunny downtown Chicago. The drummer wears a black ninja suit and a bike light on her forehead, which looks very silly under sunshine.

At the Metro last night, the band looked much more comfortable and eager to play their grungy psych pop. Videos projected on a large screen behind them, but not anything trippy or zany like at Tobacco shows. Oddly dull, 10 minute shots of scenes recorded with a tripod showed a cemetery, a forest preserve trail, the front of a house, and various other docile settings. It created a pretty uneasy atmosphere, not ideal for a feel-good dance party.

The crowd looked like a lot of leftovers from the North Coast fest. The fuzzed out electronic jams of Black Moth were a perfect score for many comedowns, I'm sure. Bobbing heads bounced dreads, and arms stretched up into the projection light to make hand puppets of dogs and butterflies on the screen. The energy level wasn't crazy-high, but that wouldn't have felt right anyway.

I have to say something about Dosh though, who played before Black Moth. He is, without a doubt, my favorite percussionist. As the drummer for Andrew Bird, Dosh is not usually the focus of the live show. But Dosh has multiple solo albums of beautiful instrumental music, which he creates via looping effects. And just as Andrew Bird does at his concerts, looping is crucial to a Dosh show.

At the Metro, Dosh was the quintessential one-man band. In the past, I've seen him perform with additional musicians, which actually lowered the stakes. Playing solo, every sound made is entirely thanks to Dosh's hands. Any mistake rests solely on him. But it was hard to tell if that ever happened, as he rolled through a set of mostly new songs, surrounded by bent mirrors and complicated electronic equipment. It was difficult to determine which sound were coming from where, but it was all Dosh, and it was always jaw-dropping.

published at Heave Media: http://heavemedia.com/2011/09/09/live-review-black-moth-super-rainbow-and-dosh-metro/

CHIRP playlist (9/7/11)

2011-09-07T11:42:00.002-05:00

You may have missed my CHIRP show last night, but that's ok, because I'm DJing Rodan this Friday. Let's hang out! CHIRP is great and everything, but I have to just sit there by myself in a dark studio. At Rodan, we get to look at each other's haircuts while drinking alcohol. And, music like this:

12:01AM Little Dragon Precious from Ritual Union (Peacefrog)

12:05AM The Secret Machines Nowhere Again from Now Here Is Nowhere (Reprise)

12:15AM Minor Threat Cashing In from Complete Discography (Dischord)

12:19AM Pterodactyl Safe Like A Train from Pterodactyl (Brah)

12:23AM Mogwai Hound of Winter from Earth Division EP (Sub Pop)

12:28AM Wooden Shjips Flight from West (Thrill Jockey)

12:36AM Judson Claiborne Twilight Spirit from CHIRP + Coach House Sounds Live Session (Coach House Sounds)

12:41AM The Drums I Need A Doctor from Portamento (Frenchkiss)

12:45AM Serengeti California from Family & Friends (Anticon)

1:00AM LCD Soundsystem Beat Connection from LCD Soundsystem (DFA)

1:08AM Blondie Fade Away And Radiate from Parallel Lines (Chrysalis)

1:13AM Aural Exciters Emile (Night Rate) from Mutant Disco (ZE)

1:20AM P.G. Six Palace from Starry Mind (Drag City)

1:28AM AM & Shawn Lee Winter Sun from Celestial Electric (ESL Music)

1:31AM Dungen Gör Det Nu from Tio Bitar (Kemado)

1:35AM Ry Cooder John Lee Hooker for President from Pull Up Some Dust and Sit Down (Nonesuch)

1:41AM The Pack A.D. Hear Me Out from Unpersons (Mint)

1:44AM Branches Dance a Little Closer from Grown in You (Contraphonic)

1:49AM Dusty Bibles Wintersong from Sinus Rhythm EP (self-released)

1:54AM The Flaming Lips Watching The Planets from Embryonic (Warner Bros.)

2:00AM Grace Jones La Vie En Rose (12" Promo Only Version) from A Tom Moulton Mix (Soul Jazz)

2:07AM Tom Zé Solvador, Bahia De Caymmi from Estudando A Bossa: Nordeste Plaza (Luaka Bop)

2:12AM Cotton Jones Blood Red Sentimental Blues from Paranoid Cocoon (Suicide Squeeze)

2:18AM Darling Mako Sica from Keep Out 7" (Cardboard Sangria)

2:23AM Leonard Cohen Tonight Will Be Fine from Songs From A Room (Columbia)

2:27AM Razika Above All from Program 91 (Smalltown Supersound)

2:30AM Crystal Antlers Summer Solstice from Two-Way Mirror (Recreation Ltd.)

2:35AM Quasar Wut-Wut Nature Abhors A Vacuum from Jalopy (self-released)

2:51AM Junip At The Doors from Rope and Summit (Mute)

Blanck Mass interview

2011-09-05T16:36:00.003-05:00

Benjamin John Power Has Space Madness

Benjamin John Power of Fuck Buttons / Blanck Mass shares his mental lists.
by Dylan Peterson

Jettison recently spent some time with experimental electronic artist Benjamin John Power, best known for his work as one half of the noise rock duo Fuck Buttons, Power is branching out with a new solo project called Blanck Mass. More droning and ambient than the frenetic and pulsating music of Fuck Buttons, Blanck Mass is dense with hazily psychedelic and blissfully meditative soundscapes. The self-titled debut album out now on Mogwai's Rock Action Records is absolutely hypnotic. With a catalog of releases that bend the imagination like pitch control knobs, we sat down with Power to ask what was going on in his head through a series of top 5 questions.

What are the top five experimental/noise albums of all time
1. Terry Riley - A Rainbow in Curved Air
2. Stars of the Lid - The Tired Sounds
3. Ashra - New Age of Earth
4. Wendy Carlos - Sonic Seasonings
5. Chris Watson - Storm

Who are the top five artists that inspire your music?
1. Carl Sagan
2. David Attenborough
3. Mark Rothko
4. Ennio Morricone
5. Stanley Kubrick

What are the top five drugs of all time?
1. Tea
2. Alcohol
3. Salvia
4. Amoyxcilin
5. Robitussin

What are five things you hope to experience in the future?
1. Zero gravity
2. The Amazon
3. Canadian Rockies
4. Madagascar
5. Today's beautiful sunshine

originally published by Jettison Quarterly

CHIRP Playlist (8/31/11)

2011-08-31T12:31:00.002-05:00

Lots of CHIRP stuff lately. And yes, it is a bit exhausting. Putting one's brain through hours upon hours of new music is not easy. You know this. It's why you always listen to the same old shit. I understand. It's why I do what I do though. Just remember to occasionally check in on my blog and you'll always see the album cover art of something worth googling. I'm making it easier for you.

12:02AM Tiger & Woods Curb My Heart from Through the Green (Running Back)

12:11AM Beastie Boys Remote Control from Hello Nasty (Capitol)

12:16AM M83 Intro (ft. Zola Jesus) from Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (Mute)

12:20AM WU LYF Concrete Gold from Go Tell Fire to the Mountain (LYF)

12:27AM Beirut A Candle's Fire from The Rip Tide (Pompeii)

12:30AM Talking Heads This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) from Speaking In Tongues (Sire)

12:36AM Cave Teenager from Pure Moods (Drag City)

12:43AM Hella Self Checkout from Tripper (Sargent House)

12:48AM Luke Temple Weekend Warrior from Don't Act Like You Don't Care (Western Vinyl)

12:53AM Gastr Del Sol Bauchredner from Camoufleur (Drag City)

1:01AM The Cure Plainsong from Disintegration (Elektra)

1:06AM Broken Social Scene Love And Mathematics from Feel Good Lost (Arts & Crafts)

1:14AM The Thermals I Know the Pattern from More Parts per Million (Sub Pop)

1:16AM Glenn Jones Anchor Chain Blues from The Wanting (Thrill Jockey)

1:22AM The Album Leaf In Between Lines from One Day I'll Be on Time (Tiger Style)

1:26AM CSS You Could Have It All from La Liberacion (Co-op)

1:31AM The Rapture How Deep Is Your Love? from In the Grace of Your Love (DFA)

1:38AM Hudson Mohawke All Your Love from Satin Panthers EP (Warp)

1:42AM Blood Orange The Complete Knock from Coastal Grooves (Domino)

1:48AM Houses Sleeping from All Night (Lefse)

1:52AM Casiotone For the Painfully Alone Cold White Christmas from Etiquette (Tomlab)

1:57AM Destroyer Breakin' The Law from We'll Build Them a Golden Bridge (Tinker)

2:00AM Jimmy Smith Blue Room from The Sermon! (Blue Note)

2:06AM The Sea and Cake Left Side Clouded from One Bedroom (Thrill Jockey)

2:09AM Van Morrison Sweet Thing from Astral Weeks (Warner Brothers)

2:14AM Marvin Gaye Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) from What's Going On (Tamla)

2:20AM FM Belfast We Fall from Don't Want to Sleep (Morr)

2:22AM Aphex Twin Fingerbib from Richard D. James Album (Warp)

2:27AM Barn Owl Devotion II from Lost in the Glare (Thrill Jockey)

2:32AM Herbcraft Get Esoteric from Ashram to the Stars (Hello Sunshine)

2:38AM Boards of Canada Happy Cycling from Music Has The Right To Children (Matador)

2:46AM Do Make Say Think The Universe! from You, You're a History In Rust (Constellation)

2:52AM Sleeper Agent All Wave and No Goodbye from Celebrasion (Mom+Pop)

2:55AM Houttaker Judy, Judy from Chicago Cassette Compilation (twosyllable)

CHIRP playlist (8/28/11): Sunday Afternoon Special

2011-08-28T19:59:00.002-05:00

Filling in for Jenny Lizak today, my 4 to 6pm shift this afternoon featured new music from Active Child, The Field and Magic Milk. Check out their music lest you turn curmudgeonly. Remember, music doesn't get old, you do. Keep up or die. Okay, anyway. Here's what I played today:

4:03PM Active Child Hangin On from You Are All I See (Vagrant)

4:08PM Joanna Newsom Cosmia from Ys (Drag City)

4:17PM Basement Jaxx Oh My Gosh from Basement Jaxx (Edel)

4:20PM Stone Coal White You Know from Stone Coal White (Cali-Tex)

4:24PM Beck Profanity Prayers from Modern Guilt (Interscope)

4:29PM Cymbals Eat Guitars Rifle Eyesight (Proper Name) from Lenses Alien (Barsuk)

4:38PM Metronomy She Wants from The English Riviera (Because)

4:42PM How To Dress Well Decisions (Orchestral Version) from Just Once EP (Love Letters Ink)

4:45PM Andrew Bird Lull from Weather Systems (Grimsey)

4:52PM Boston Spaceships Let It Beard from Let It Beard (Guided By Voices Inc.)

4:56PM Magic Milk So Cool from Luke: Tokyo Drifter (self-released)

5:01PM The Field Arpeggiated Love from Looping State of Mind (Kompakt)

5:13PM The Smiths Asleep from Louder Than Bombs (Sire)

5:17PM Tiny Fireflies We Made a Pact from Change EP (Little Treasure)

5:22PM Soley Blue Leaves from We Sink (Morr)

5:26PM Eric B. & Rakim Follow The Leader from Follow The Leader (UNI)

5:31PM Robyn Dancing On My Own from Body Talk Pt. 1 (Konichiwa)

5:37PM Cut Off Your Hands Buried from Hollow (Frenchkiss)

5:41PM The Horrors Endless Blue from Skying (XL)

5:46PM Weezer Falling For You from Pinkerton (Geffen)

5:54PM Pepper Rabbit The Annexation of Puerto Rico from Red Velvet Snow Ball (Kanine)

5:56PM Califone 2 Sisters Drunk On Each Other from Heron King Blues (Thrill Jockey)

You Missed Out: The War On Drugs

2011-08-27T13:00:00.002-05:00

(photo by Graham Tolbert)

When I first heard The War On Drugs' Future Weather EP last year, I immediately shared it with my dad. It's not exactly dad-rock, but it is the stuff you know the guy who names his kid after Bob Dylan will appreciate. The Tom Petty-ish, good old American rock and roll that transcends generational tastes and brings families together. It's like that Marathon gas station commercial where all you really see is cornfields, baseball, and red-white-and-blue. Ok, The War On Drugs isn't that cheesy, but I do feel a sort of pride when those guitar solos blare.

As much as I love Schubas though, something didn't seem quite right about seeing The War On Drugs sold out show last night. Three years ago, sure. Schubas is perfect for the up-and-coming artist on the cusp. But coming off a newly 'Best New Music'd' full-length and considerable buzz from other critics and musicians, it seems like an ideal time for The War On Drugs to headline Lincoln Hall.

It felt like a sauna in Schubas, with more people crammed in there than I can ever recall. If anything, it was a last-chance for music fans to see The War On Drugs in an intimate venue. Slave Ambient is brilliant, and now that they've released this album The War On Drugs will likely never play a venue as small as Schubas ever again. It was an "I was there" show. One that could make in onto Schubas framed-poster hall.

The War On Drugs' sound is already too big for Schubas though. Sure, they got their Dylan and Springsteen on with some harmonica and sax, but the best moments were those long psych-out jams. The band built dense noise structures, which quickly melded with the sticky air and turned Schubas into a murky swamp of feedback and humidity.

They're a great band who deserve a bigger venue. They'll definitely get it from now on, because music fans of all ages will pack in to feel that American rock sound. Maybe my dad and I can go to their next show together.

CHIRP playlist (8/24/11) and Friendly Fires podcast

2011-08-24T14:01:00.003-05:00

Click here to stream or download my interview with Friendly Fires. It's a hot enough day. You might as well check out this band. Who knows, maybe after you hear them you'll even want to go see their show at the Metro on October 22nd. Jaclyn and I will both be there for that Saturday night dance party. Thanks again Jenny Lizak! (we made a trade. I'm filling in for her CHIRP shift this coming Sunday, 4 to 6pm. Tune in if ya wanna)

12:00AM Gillian Welch Scarlet Town from The Harrow & The Harvest (Acony)

12:05AM Bob Dylan 4th Time Around from Blonde On Blonde (Columbia)

12:08AM Handsome Furs Handsome Furs Hate This City from Plague Park (Sub Pop)

12:16AM Friendly Fires Lovesick from Friendly Fires (XL)

12:28AM Delorean Infinite Desert from Subiza (True Panther)

12:33AM Pictureplane Sex Mechanism from Thee Physical (Lovepump United)

12:39AM High Places From Stardust to Sentience from High Places (Thrill Jockey)

12:42AM Mister Heavenly Your Girl from Out of Love (Sub Pop)

12:44AM Panoramic & True My Fair Lady from Panoramic & True (Raymond Roussel)

12:49AM Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks Fall Away from Mirror Traffic (Matador)

12:51AM Peter Wolf Crier Loud Enough to Know from Garden of Arms (Jagjaguwar)

12:53AM Born Heller Big Sky #4 from Born Heller (Locust)

12:59AM Holy Fuck Silva & Grimes from Latin (XL)

1:05AM Sonic Youth Skip Tracer from Washing Machine (DGC)

1:08AM OFF! Peace in Hermosa from First Four EPs (Vice)

1:12AM David Sylvian Brilliant Trees from Brilliant Trees (Virgin)

1:20AM Euphone Semi-Alert from V (Flameshovel)

1:23AM Male Bonding Bones from Endless Now (Sub Pop)

1:29AM Pinback Offcell from Offcell (Absolutely Kosher)

1:34AM Curren$y Money Machine from Weekend at Burnie's (Warner Bros)

1:37AM Zomby Haunted from Dedication (4AD)

1:40AM Gold Panda Marriage (Star Slinger remix) from Marriage (Ghostly International)

1:46AM Ornery Little Darlings Bobby Sr. from O is for Ornery (self-released)

1:50AM Dent May Wedding Day from Fun/Wedding Day 7" (Paw Tracks)

1:53AM The 1900s Cold & Kind from Cold & Kind (Parasol)

1:59AM Jonsi and Alex Howl from Riceboy Sleeps (XL)

2:08AM Geotic Isolated Speech from Bless the Self (self-released)

2:14AM Dosh The Magic Stick from Wolves & Wishes (Anticon)

2:17AM Nguzunguzu Water Bass Power from Timesup EP (Fade to Mind)

2:23AM The Shins Young Pilgrims from Chutes Too Narrow (Sub Pop)

2:26AM Tinariwen Ya Messinagh from Tassili (ANTI-)

2:31AM Townes Van Zandt For the Sake of the Song from Texas Troubadour (Snapper)

2:38AM Nurses Trying to Reach You from Dracula (Dead Oceans)

2:42AM Little Dragon Brush the Heat from Ritual Union (Peacefrog)

2:48AM The Cool Kids Gas Station (feat. Bun B) from When Fish Ride Bicycles (Green Label Sound)

2:52AM Serengeti The Whip from Family & Friends (Anticon)

You Missed Out: High Places

2011-08-22T13:20:00.003-05:00

Thrill Jockey's High Places played two shows in Chicago yesterday--one in the evening at the Empty Bottle, and an earlier set in the afternoon at the Logan Square Monument. I went to the outdoor show with my wife and dog. It was free, and 77 degrees. I can't help but wonder why more concerts wouldn't be outside like this? Yeah, I know. Because the weather in Chicago is unpredictable and way too often offensively uncomfortable. But it was perfect yesterday.

I hadn't seen a show at the monument since Dan Deacon/Lightning Bolt last year, which was almost too fun. Tons of kids showed up, interpretive dancing in a huge pit at the bottom of the monument steps. But that concert was the first experiment. This summer, a couple free concert series can now be found at the monument on weekend afternoons. In addition to High Places, other acts like Thee Oh Sees, Mucca Pazza, and Califone have played on the Boulevard this summer. It's really turning out to be a preferred venue on dry days, with families bringing their kids and dogs out to the shows, along with blankets and picnics.

High Places are a perfect act for an outdoor show like this though. A few people can sit or stand close enough to watch the duo, but the majority of the crowd reclines on the grass while watching clouds float by. Their music has just enough rhythm to keep the mood upbeat, but is ambient enough to not pressure anyone into crowding around the front of the band. These are marvelously low-pressure shows, and we've actually been lacking that in Chicago for a while now. Sure, we have the Millennium Park Mondays, but sometimes those are obnoxiously crowded. And, dogs aren't allowed.

So the Logan Square Monument wins for the outdoor concert venue this summer. Millennium Park has been dethroned. I can't wait to see who we get out to Logan Square next summer. Don't miss out.

CHIRP playlist (8/17/11)

2011-08-17T12:18:00.002-05:00

Next week on my CHIRP show I'll air my interview with Friendly Fires. Tune in at 12:15am (Chicago time) to listen live. It will also be available as a downloadable podcast. Here's what you missed last night though:

12:04AM Memory Tapes Offers from Player Piano (Carpark)

12:08AM Mount Kimbie Mayor from Crooks & Lovers (Hotflush)

12:13AM Cocteau Twins Wax And Wane from Garlands (4AD)

12:17AM Soft Metals Pain from Soft Metals (Captured Tracks)

12:23AM Maria Taylor Matador from Overlook (Saddle Creek)

12:28AM Real Estate Beach Comber from Real Estate (Woodsist)

12:32AM Sarge Chicago from Charcoal (Mud)

12:38AM Yellow Ostrich WHALE from The Mistress (Barsuk)

12:42AM Pixies Vamos from Surfer Rosa (4AD)

12:45AM Chaperone Letter to Home from Cripple King (self-released)

12:49AM Her Space Holiday Anything For Progress from Her Space Holiday (No More Good Ideas)

12:53AM Electric Light Orchestra Summer And Lighting from Out Of The Blue (Epic)

12:59AM Kraftwerk Megaherz from Kraftwerk 1 (Philips)

1:08AM Radiohead Myxomatosis. (Judge, Jury & Executioner.) from Hail to the Thief (Capitol)

1:13AM The Flaming Lips The Gash from The Soft Bulletin (Warner Bros.)

1:17AM Little Gold The Burn in Time from Weird Freedom (Loud Baby)

1:20AM High Places Year Off from Original Colours (Thrill Jockey)

1:26AM Japandroids I Quit Girls from Post-Nothing (Polyvinyl)

1:31AM Milk Maid Can't You See from Yucca (FatCat)

1:35AM Braid Universe or Worse from Closer to Closed EP (Polyvinyl)

1:44AM The National Apartment Story from Boxer (Beggars Banquet)

1:45AM The Replacements Sadly Beautiful from All Shook Down (Sire)

1:49AM Hercules & Love Affair Boy Blue from Blue Songs (Moshi Moshi)

1:55AM DJ Spinn 2020 from Bangs & Works Vol. 1: A Chicago Footwork Compilation (Planet Mu)

1:59AM Public Enemy Welcome To The Terrordome from Fear of a Black Planet (Def Jam)

2:05AM Al Green I Wanna Hold You from Everything's OK (Blue Note)

2:08AM Muddy Waters My Eyes (Keep Me In Trouble) from Chess Blues 1954-1960 (Chess)

2:14AM Mice Parade Mary Anne from What It Means To Be Left-Handed (FatCat)

2:17AM Richard Buckner Traitor from Our Blood (Merge)

2:25AM Old 97's Brown Haired Daughter from The Grand Theatre Volume Two (New West)

2:28AM Andrew Hill Black Fire from Black Fire (Blue Note)

2:36AM Jim Ward Waves in Spanish from Quiet in the Valley, On the Shores the End Begins (Tembloroso Creative Lab)

2:43AM Fool's Gold Bark and Bite from Leave No Trace (IAMSOUND)

2:49AM Main Attrakionz Perfect Sounds from 808s & Dark Grapes II (self-released)

2:53AM Tunnels Volt 1979 from The Blackout (Thrill Jockey)

2:56AM Love of Everything Marriage from Best in Tensions (Polyvinyl)

You Missed Out: Memory Tapes

2011-08-16T01:00:00.005-05:00

How do you like to watch a concert? Are you the type that likes to stand completely still, just staring up at the stage. Do you actually dance around? Or perhaps you're somewhere in the middle, nodding your head and tapping your foot while keeping a beer in one hand, and a cell phone in the other. Mobile twitter/facebook how great that show is, right?

I'm usually tapping one back heel at first, bobbing my head a bit if I'm enjoying the music. If it gets really good, I won't even realize my heel is tapping so hard that it's lifting my whole foot up and down against the ground. It takes a band like Cut Copy or Delorean to get both of my feet off, and even some arms up if I'm drunk enough.

Tonight at the Empty Bottle, Memory Tapes got my heels up. I think that was the appropriate reaction. To be honest, I had no idea what this one would be like. The man behind Memory Tapes, Dayve Hawk, is lumped in with other chillwavers and bedroom pop artists like Toro y Moi and Washed Out. After seeing the show tonight though, I think that categorization is flat-out wrong.

The chillwavers turn knobs at their live shows. They make electronic music right up there on the fly. But Memory Tapes was a rock band. A trio of bass, drums, and electric guitar, blaring their songs for a small, surprised Empty Bottle crowd. No synths to be found, no keys, and most importantly, no knobs. Hawk jammed out a finger-blistering guitar solo on every song, and it was impressive stuff.

Samples played from an area unseen, likely from the same computer that played the rhythmically synced images that projected on the band. But whereas the electronic sounds are at the forefront on Memory Tapes records, they went straight to the background for the live show. Surprising, but as a critic this is the kind of thing I absolutely love to witness. This simple move showcases Hawk's compositional talent, and proves that he's probably a pretty smart guy. Altering a glo-fi song to make it work in a loud rock show is something I haven't seen done well until tonight.

I am really excited to see where he takes his Memory Tapes project now. After seeing that Hawk is definitely a legitimately talented musician capable of re-imagining his songs in different settings, I'm expecting a lot of depth and diversity from his future releases. Right now, he's something like a mix of New Order, The Unicorns, Real Estate, Of Montreal, and Cults (fine, with a hint of chillwave I guess). He would do well to open for any of those acts. Don't miss out on that if it happens.

CHIRP playlist (8/10/11)

2011-08-10T13:27:00.002-05:00

Come to Rodan this Friday night to see what it looks like when I DJ live. I don't do all those fancy tricks or the airhorn sounds, but I'm definitely quite a few steps above any iPod DJ. It's always fun. I'm playing music from 10pm until they close. No cover of course. Great atmosphere and better company. It's like listening to CHIRP, only you're at a cool bar instead of sitting in front of your computer. But hey, nothing wrong with that either:

12:02AM John Maus Believer from We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves (Ribbon)

12:06AM Serena Maneesh Magdalena (Symphony #8) from S-M 2: Abyss In B Minor (4AD)

12:13AM XTC Garden Of Earthly Delights from Oranges & Lemons (Virgin)

12:17AM Fruit Bats Shivering Fawn from Tripper (Sub Pop)

12:21AM Patsy Cline She's Got You from The Ultimate Collection (Mercury Nashville)

12:25AM Blanck Mass Land Disasters from Blanck Mass (Rock Action)

12:33AM Eternal Tapestry & Sun Araw Night Gallery III from Night Gallery (Thrill Jockey)

12:39AM Young Man Up So Fast from Boy (Frenchkiss)

12:46AM Eleanor Friedberger Inn of the Seventh Ray from Last Summer (Merge)

12:51AM Morrissey Now My Heart Is Full from Vauxhall and I (Sire)

12:56AM Guided by Voices Hey Hey, Spaceman from Devil Between My Toes (Schwa)

1:00AM Out Hud The L Train Is A Swell Train And I Don't Want To Hear You Indies Complain from S.T.R.E.E.T.D.A.D. (kranky)

1:13AM Atmosphere Freefallin' from To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EP's (Rhymesayers)

1:17AM Little Dragon Crystalfilm from Ritual Union (Peacefrog)

1:23AM Dom Happy Birthday Party from Family of Love EP (Astralwerks)

1:27AM SSION Nothing Weird Happens at Night from BENT (self-released)

1:36AM Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings All Over Again from Naturally (Daptone)

1:40AM Tevo Howard The Promenade from Pandora's Box (Rush Hour)

1:50AM Stephen Paul Smoker No You No Me from Neon Green 7" (Kilo)

1:55AM The Velvet Underground Candy Says from The Velvet Underground (MGM)

2:00AM Matthew Dear Little People (Black City) from Black City (Ghostly International)

2:10AM The Blood Brothers Ambulance Vs. Ambulance from ...Burn, Piano Island, Burn (V2)

2:13AM Lake Of Dracula Violators from Skeletal Remains (Savage Land)

2:17AM The Horrors Moving Further Away from Skying (XL)

2:26AM Grace Jones Devil Dub from Hurricane/Hurricane Dub (PIAS)

2:31AM Of Montreal Lysergic Bliss from Satanic Panic In the Attic (Polyvinyl)

2:36AM Release the Sunbird Why Can't You Look At Yourself? from Come Back To Us (Brushfire)

2:40AM John Vanderslice The Parade from Emerald City (Barsuk)

2:45AM The Chapin Sisters Digging A Hole from Two (Lake Bottom)

2:51AM Blue Ribbon Glee Club Dress from The Whistler presents: Year One: The Festival (Whistler)

2:54AM Army Navy The Long Goodbye from The Last Place (Fever Zone)

Lollapalooza 2011

2011-08-06T00:38:00.008-05:00

I'm attending Lollapalooza this weekend for CHIRP. For the first time, our station got approved media coverage. So I'm just doing my thing. Tomorrow I'll start the day with a Friendly Fires interview, and some water in a carton. Whatever. It's free for media. Give me a break.

Had it not been for scheduling a couple artist interviews, I definitely wouldn't have gone to the festival this year. I don't pay for shows anyway, so if I'm not on a list, I'm not there. This goes for an international music festival as well as an Empty Bottle show. It's just the pact I keep with myself these days.

Lollapalooza is a funny one though. It's mostly white suburban high school and college kids who got tickets from their parents. The kids can run around Grant Park and try to find beer or someone to make out with, and hopefully the parents just enjoy a nice glass of wine and dull conversation somewhere with less noise.

It's weird being a solo married dude in the midst of all this. I can tell when the girls are making attempts to flirt, and it's always slightly awkward. They come stand directly in front of me or to my side while i'm watching a band, and they dance. And then between songs they try to either make eye contact, or ask if I have a light for their cigarette. No to both. As always, I appreciate the attention though. I'm a self-conscious dude, so it's nice, yknow?

But speaking of self-conscious dudes, the most fascinating show I saw today was Bright Eyes. At some point during the last 10 years, since he was my very first '18 and up' show (at the Metro of course, 2002) Conor Oberst turned into quite the rock star. I have no idea when this happened, since I stopped caring about Bright Eyes sometime in college. But he's no longer a little emo singer-songwriter. He does that wild tornado move with his guitar, just spinning around and around whenever he's really getting into the music. It's like MxPx or something.

And his backing band is tight. Highest production I saw all day, with two drummers, a keyboardist, horn player, and a whole mess of other musicians that couldn't miss a beat if they wanted to.

The fascinating part though, was Bright Eyes' crowd. Take a look at this picture:

I know the composition is lousy but it wasn't my point here. Looks like a relatively "old" crowd, right? Most notably the dude with his hand up. He was really getting into "Lover I Don't Have To Love," one of Bright Eyes' "hits" off of the 2002 album, "Lifted." Notice the blonde tips AND bowl cut. But most importantly, notice the bald spot. I promise, he was not being ironic. If any one individual can sum up Lollapalooza in a haircut, it's that guy right there.

Lollapalooza is an old idea, which was cooler a long time ago but is still telling itself and everyone else that its still got it. Kids keep coming, so it must, right? The kids never lie...

Sure enough, during a Bright Eyes song that I hadn't heard before (apparently one of his newer "hits"), I saw one of those old Warped Tour moves where a few fists shoot up in rhythm with a particularly shout-able lyric. You know what I'm talking about, like those Jimmy Eat World lyrics "Are you listenin', (put your fists up at this part:) WHOA-OH-OH ohahoh!"

These were young fists. Teenage fists. And the old, blonde-tipped, bowl-cutted balding man had no idea to take part. He was unaware of the new stuff too.

So here's Conor Oberst up on a monstrous main stage, playing as earnestly as a post-emo depressed dude with a shitty attitude can manage, and his crowd doesn't know if it's appropriate to crowdsurf, sing along, or just feel kinda bummed for some reason. And then I heard a kid say, "Is this guy from England?"

And that really is Lollapalooza right there. A confusing mix of old and new "cool", brought comfortably together by money. But you might find some fun nostalgic stuff while you're there. Coldplay played "Yellow," Crystal Castles sounds like Nintendo, Girl Talk is the nostalgia bank, Ratatat is my own personal trip back to college, and Muse, well... actually Muse sucks. I don't know how anyone likes Muse, seriously.

I did get to say hi to Elijah Wood backstage though. I told him he was really good in Eternal Sunshine. He seemed appreciative. Beautiful eyes, too.

CHIRP playlist (8/3/11)

2011-08-03T14:19:00.004-05:00

My Kurt Vile interview aired on my show last night, and it is podcasted in case you want to listen. He's a cool guy. Hell of a songwriter too. I'll be snagging a few more interviews for CHIRP podcasts at Lollapalooza this weekend, so stay tuned for more fun. Cool Kids, Friendly Fires, Glitch Mob and more on the way. Oh and thanks to all the facebook kids liking this blog. You truly are the kings of kings of kings. Here's what else I played on my show:

12:01AM How To Dress Well Suicide Dream 2 (Orchestral Version) from Just Once EP (Love Letters Ink)

12:06AM Lykke Li Youth Knows No Pain from Wounded Rhymes (Atlantic)

12:09AM My Morning Jacket Anytime from Z (ATO)

12:18AM Kurt Vile Overnite Religion from Childish Prodigy (Matador)

12:28AM The War on Drugs Blackwater from Slave Ambient (Secretly Canadian)

12:33AM Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues from At Folsom Prison (Columbia)

12:38AM Pictureplane Breath Work from Thee Physical (Lovepump United)

12:42AM The Books Cello Song from Dark Was the Night (4AD)

12:48AM Death Songs Wounds from PDX Pop Now! 2011 (PDX Pop Now!)

12:52AM Gillian Welch Tennessee from The Harrow & The Harvest (Acony)

12:59AM Tortoise & Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Daniel (Elton John) from The Brave and the Bold (Overcoat)

1:06AM Liars Sailing To Byzantium from Liars (Mute)

1:09AM Verma Exu from Verma (Plustapes)

1:15AM Broken Social Scene Sentimental X's from Forgiveness Rock Record (Arts & Crafts)

1:21AM Mathieu Good Return Theme from Massachusetts 2010 (Barsuk)

1:25AM Franz Ferdinand Come On Home from Franz Ferdinand (Domino)

1:28AM Tiger & Woods Gin Nation from Through the Green (Running Back)

1:38AM Lymbyc Systym Birds from Love Your Abuser (Mush)

1:43AM Washed Out Far Away from Within and Without (Sub Pop)

1:48AM Crystal Antlers Fortune Telling from Two-Way Mirror (Recreation Ltd.)

1:50AM Asobi Seksu Vicious Bears from Japan 3.11.11: A Benefit Album (Polyvinyl)

1:54AM Head of Femur Oh You're Blue from Hysterical Stars (Spin Art)

2:00AM Sufjan Stevens Size too Small from Seven Swans (Asthmatic Kitty)

2:03AM Elliott Smith Last Call from Roman Candle (Cavity Search)

2:08AM Bruce Springsteen Reason to Believe from Nebraska (Columbia)

2:13AM The Unicorns Sea Ghost from Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone? (Alien8)

2:16AM Mew An Envoy to the Open Fields from And the Glass Handed Kites (Sony)

2:20AM Prurient Watch Silently from Bermuda Drain (Hydra Head)

2:25AM Phantogram Mouthful Of Diamonds from Eyelid Movies (Barsuk)

2:29AM Portugal. The Man You Carried Us (Share With Me the Sun) from In the Mountain in the Cloud (Atlantic)

2:35AM Male Bonding Before It's Gone from Endless Now (Sub Pop)

2:38AM Las Kellies Adwenture from Kellies (Fire)

2:42AM Stornoway The End Of The Movie from Beachcomber's Windowsill (4AD)

2:47AM Cross Record Hungry, Thirsty from Ring Bell EP (self-released)

2:49AM On Fillmore Clearing Out from Extended Vacation (Dead Oceans)

2:53AM Magical Beautiful Silverado from Here Come the Wild Waves (I Hear A New World)

2:56AM Thelonious Monk Thelonious from Underground (Columbia)

CHIRP playlist (7/20/11)

2011-07-20T13:09:00.002-05:00

I never want to go outside again. Let's just stay in and listen to good music. We all have the internet, right? Just noticed I had a stretch last night of Steely Dan, Lou Reed, Talking Heads. Man. If you don't listen to my CHIRP show, get on it. Chicago Magazine's "Best Internet Radio" 2011. For real.

12:02AM The Cool Kids Gas Station from When Fish Ride Bicycles (Green Label Sound)

12:07AM Kanye West Good Life from Graduation (Roc-a-Fella)

12:13AM Real Estate Out of Tune from Out of Tune (True Panther)

12:18AM Eleanor Friedberger Owl's Head Park from Last Summer (Merge)

12:24AM Dennis Brown Musical Heatwave from The Crown Prince of Reggae (VP)

12:28AM The Buttercream Gang Everything Will Be Alright from Polite Men (Pitted)

12:33AM Paul Simon Graceland from Graceland (Warner Bros.)

12:40AM Twin Sister In Heaven from Bad Street (Domino)

12:44AM HEALTH USA Boys from HEALTH::Disco2 (Lovepump United)

12:49AM Gardens & Villa Star Fire Power from Gardens & Villa (Secretly Canadian)

12:54AM Steely Dan Peg from Aja (MCA)

1:02AM Lou Reed Street Hassle from Street Hassle (Arista)

1:11AM Talking Heads Slippery People from Stop Making Sense (Sire)

1:15AM Death Ships I Wanna Know from Circumstantial Chemistry (Faithful Anchor)

1:19AM Feist Gatekeeper from Let It Die (Arts & Crafts)

1:24AM Shabazz Palaces yeah you from Black Up (Sub Pop)

1:27AM Labi Siffre Remember My Song from Remember My Song (Mr. Bongo)

1:34AM Chad Valley I Want Your Love from Equatorial Ultravox EP (Cascine)

1:39AM Four Tet Nothing To See from Future Bass (Soul Jazz)

1:49AM Ty Segall The Floor from Goodbye Bread (Drag City)

1:52AM Tennis Long Boat Pass from Cape Dory (Fat Possum)

1:55AM They Might Be Giants Canajoharie from Join Us (Rounder)

2:01AM Cut Copy Sun God from Zonoscope (Modular)

2:17AM Fleetwood Mac The Chain from Rumours (Warner Bros.)

2:22AM Father's Children Universal Train from Who's Gonna Save the World (Numero Group)

2:28AM Brilliant Colors Round Your Way from Again and Again (Slumberland)

2:32AM The Poison Control Center Thousand Colors from Stranger Ballet (Afternoon)

2:43AM M83 Midnight City from Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (Mute)

2:45AM Biosphere Shika-1 from N-Plants (Touch)

2:51AM Face Candy Eight from Waste Age Teen Land (Rhymesayers)

2:55AM Test Icicles Circle. Square. Triangle. from For Screening Purposes Only (Domino)

You Missed Out: Real Estate

2011-07-18T12:42:00.007-05:00

I was planning on writing a review of each day at Pitchfork, but I think the best I can say is already in my previous post. And it's not even a review really, more of a perspective piece. But other than having fun at Cut Copy and being really excited in general about the music of Shabazz Palaces, you got my Pitchfork take.

So instead, I'm making this post about last night's after-show with Real Estate. I was ready to collapse as I dragged my feet up the stairs of the Subterranean, and wasn't really sure if seeing a dreamy band like Real Estate was the best idea. Especially after all of the beer I had consumed the past three days. That VIP area gave us free Heineken all weekend. And I know Heineken sucks, but I'm too stupid to turn down free beer. I had one last Dead Guy at the Subterranean, and now I'm done for a week.

Anyway. I wasn't completely aware of it until a few hours ago, but Real Estate are a really good band. And a perfect way to chill out after a hot weekend in the sun. Maybe part of it was just getting indoors, but of all the excellent artists I saw at Pitchfork, Real Estate impressed me more than most.

"Out of Tune" is the sole reason I decided to pop into the show last night, a song which has a 90s' lo-fi vibe with a little bit of psych-rocky reverb. But I couldn't believe how many more gorgeous guitar harmonies the band had at their disposal. It reminded me of the first time I saw Voxtrot (RIP), who were one of the better bands out there making sweetly cooed harmony-based pop-rock. Throw in some of Wavves surfy vibes, and a dash of bedroom-pop, and Real Estate proves their place as a talent amongst a sea of wannabes.

When I got the press release for their upcoming album, Days, last week, I didn't immediately put October 18th on my calendar. But after last night, I don't think there's an album I'm more excited about this year. Real Estate's new songs are crafted with precision, but breeze by effortlessly. In a way, it's a shame the album is coming out in the autumn, because the songs are quite summery (especially the first single, "It's Real").

So yes, Pitchfork Fest was fun as usual, but Real Estate is what most people missed out on last night. So don't miss out when they come to town next time.

Pitchfork 2011

2011-07-16T00:01:00.004-05:00

We know that steeple. Whenever we see it we immediately think of Pitchfork Fest. This is probably because the only time we're in Union Park all year is for this festival. But after my first day at Pitchfork Fest 2011, I'm wondering if this might be the last time I'll be able to enjoy the church's tall spire.

Now don't assume I'm growing tired of Pitchfork Fest. I love it as much now as I did when it was Intonation. The organizers still bring some of my favorite artists to Chicago for a weekend. The music is great. The vibes are always cool.

But (and we all know this) with each year comes a little bit more corporate sponsorship at the fest. I'm not against this, because it brings in money and the fest's ability to pursue a higher quality product of entertainment from year to year. But... did they really have to get Axe?

Ok. I won't go off on that rant. Even though Axe is the most repulsive product in the world. Whatever Pitchfork. You have your reasons. But my point here is easy for anyone to come by--Pitchfork is big now.

This shouldn't be a surprise though. This style has been selling well for a few years now. Arcade Fire won the Grammy. Indie is a commodity and Pitchfork is the market key-master (sorry, I missed today's opening act Gatekeeper, otherwise I might have a good pun in here somewhere). We will probably be enjoying some sort of Justin Vernon project in a much larger venue for next year's Pitchfork Fest. It's about that time.

This feels like a turning point year. The set-up is so familiar and comfortable, to the point it doesn't seem quite right. One of my favorite things about Pitchfork Fest is how it has grown a little bit each year. Remember when it was only 2 days? Remember when they added the third stage over on Ogden? Goose Island beer instead of Heineken? The year they gave all the press free Chipotle burritos in that backstage area? The comedy night last year. Oh, the memories.

The strange thing about this year is what seems to be a lack of any sort of "new idea." Maybe that's where Axe comes in?

People have come to expect something of Pitchfork, and they're getting it this year. They're getting a wild opening night headliner in Animal Collective, generation-X appeal with Guided by Voices and Thurston Moore, non-mainstream but still really hip hip-hop with Curren$y and Das Racist, 'Best New Music' darlings like Tune-Yards and James Blake, and always plenty of weed.

It just can't stay like this though. Come 2012, Pitchfork Fest might as well take that big step. Leave behind the "independent" thing and just focus on the entertainment. The ideology has changed, and the fest has to bring as many people in as possible. It is about fun now.

It used to have local flare, but that's really not how it is anymore. What started as a fest where neighborhood Chicagoans could celebrate their music culture has become a world renowned event. Yes, there will be a Pitchfork Fest in France. Chicago is just a setting now. This fest could move to any city it wants at this point. Half of the attendees are from other states (well, I could be wrong, but you really do meet people from all over the place at the fest now).

Axe is a hint. No I know, it's a pungent stench. But I mean it hints at Pitchfork's next step. There is absolutely nothing even remotely close to the "indie ideal" in Axe body spray. That Pitchfork allowed them to have a huge corner tent at the fest this year is a pretty big deal. It's not just Whole Foods or hybrid cars (companies with philosophies) that are giving money to the fest now, but straight-up misogynistic companies that have nothing to do with independent music or culture. But hey, welcome to the real world. Right?

Pitchfork knows it's global. And in 2012 we'll see it come full circle. But we won't see the steeple. Not that it even matters. Half of the people who go to this fest never saw it before, and will never see it again after this weekend.

And I might forget it too.

CHIRP playlist (7/13/11)

2011-07-13T11:57:00.003-05:00

Come to the Burlington on Thursday. I'm DJing the unofficial Pitchfork Pre-Fest Party at 10pm. We'll drink and be merry. Don't let this Time Out Chicago writer's words be in vain. Yeah, it'll be fun. Here's my set from last night. Oh it's good to be back.

12:02AM Com Truise Ether Drift from Galactic Melt (Ghostly International)

12:08AM The Glitch Mob We Can Make The World Stop from We Can Make The World Stop EP (Glass Air)

12:13AM Casa del Mirto Poison from Poison (Mashhh!)

12:16AM Battles Africastle from Gloss Drop (Warp)

12:22AM Vampire Weekend Giving Up The Gun from Contra (XL)

12:28AM Blanck Mass Sub Serious from Blanck Mass (Rock Action)

12:35AM David Bowie Queen Bitch from Hunky Dory (Virgin)

12:40AM The Cars Shake It Up from Shake It Up (Elektra)

12:43AM Sparks Moustache from Angst in My Pants (Atlantic)

12:48AM Curren$y Get Paid from Weekend at Burnie's (Warner Bros.)

12:52AM Memory Tapes Today is Our Life from Player Piano (Carpark)

12:59AM Michael Jackson Remember the Time from Dangerous (Sony)

1:03AM Walter Meego Forever from Voyager (Almost Gold)

1:09AM Galapagos Actin' Up from Big Cat EP (Absent Fever)

1:13AM Tangerine Dream Love On A Real Train from Risky Business OST (Virgin)

1:19AM Brian Eno with Rick Holland Pour It Out from Drums Between the Bells (Warp)

1:22AM Herbert Something Isn't Right from Scale (!K7)

1:27AM Thee Oh Sees Castlemania from Castlemania (In the Red)

1:30AM Rim and Kasa Love Me For Real from Too Tough (Sum Sum)

1:39AM Cults Go Outside from Cults (Columbia)

1:42AM CSS Hits Me Like A Rock from La Liberacion (Co-op)

1:46AM M Pop Muzik from Pop Muzik (Sire)

1:52AM John Maus Believer from We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves (Ribbon)

1:56AM Dosh If You Want To, You Have To from Wolves and Wishes (Anticon)

2:02AM Shout Out Louds Normandie from Our Ill Wills (Merge)

2:06AM Al Green Love and Happiness from I'm Still In Love With You (Hi)

2:10AM Gold Panda Vanilla Minus from Lucky Shiner (Ghostly International)

2:15AM Machine There But For the Grace of God Go I from There But For the Grace of God Go I (Unidisc)

2:20AM Junior Boys Itchy Fingers from It's All True (Domino)

2:27AM Black Dice Manoman from Load Blown (Paw Tracks)

2:32AM My Silence What Ever Happened To Doo Wop? from It Only Happens at Night (482 Music)

2:40AM Moonface Fast Peter from Organ Music Not Vibraphone Like I'd Hoped (Jagjaguwar)

2:47AM Yourself and the Air Sick Days from Who's Who in the Zoo (Lujo)

2:53AM Sons and Daughters Axed Actor from Mirror Mirror (Domino)

2:59AM Michi Sarmiento Tumbando from Aqui Los Bravos! The Best of Michi Sarmiento y Su Comba Bravo 1967-77 (Soundway)

CHIRP playlist (6/29/11)

2011-06-29T12:56:00.003-05:00

I don't even have to tell you this, but come to the Whistler this Friday night. Yeah, I'm sure you were already planning on it, but I'm DJing with fellow CHIRP DJ Erica Schwanke and it'll be a thing. My CHIRP show was last night, my last show until mid-July (I'm taking a vacation in the woods next week).

12:03AM YACHT Shangri-La from Shangri-La (DFA)

12:07AM The Fiery Furnaces The Garfield El from Rehearsing My Choir (Rough Trade)

12:15AM Chromatics I Want Your Love from Night Drive (Italians Do It Better)

12:20AM Chad Valley Shell Suite from Equatorial Ultravox EP (Cascine)

12:25AM Handsome Furs Repatriated from Sound Kapital (Sub Pop)

12:30AM T. Rex Rip Off from Electric Warrior (Fly)

12:35AM Galaxie 500 Fourth Of July from This Is Our Music (Rough Trade)

12:40AM The Jesus Lizard South Mouth from Goat (Touch and Go)

12:43AM Sybris Breathe Like You're Dancing from Sybris (Flameshovel)

12:48AM Givers Words from In Light (Glassnote)

12:53AM Cassettes Won't Listen Runtime from Evinspacey (Daylight Curfew)

12:59AM Múm Smell Memory from Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK (TMT)

1:09AM Yeasayer Ambling Alp from Odd Blood (Secretly Canadian)

1:14AM Jeff Buckley Mojo Pin from Grace (Legacy Edition) (Columbia)

1:19AM Seapony Go Away from Go With Me (Hardly Art)

1:22AM The Beach Boys Wild Honey from Smiley Smile / Wild Honey (Capitol)

1:27AM Shabazz Palaces Are You... Can You... Were You? from Black Up (Sub Pop)

1:31AM Classified The Hangover from Handshakes and Middle Fingers (Decon)

1:37AM Fucked Up The Other Shoe from David Comes to Life (Matador)

1:42AM Braid My Baby Smokes from The Age of Octeen (Mud)

1:47AM SBTRKT Trials of the Past from SBTRKT (XL)

1:51AM yourfeetstoobig Pintail from hunter/gather (self-released)

1:55AM Voltair Cleck Cleck Boom from Rio Baile Funk: More Favela Booty Beats (Essay)

2:00AM Explosions In the Sky Six Days At The Bottom Of The Ocean from The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place (Temporary Residence Ltd.)

2:08AM British Sea Power The Land Beyond from Open Season (Rough Trade)

2:13AM Art Blakey Sincerely Diana from A Night In Tunisia (Blue Note)

2:20AM BOBBY It's Dead Outside from BOBBY (Partisan)

2:28AM Mickey My Lady from Rock'n Roll Dreamer (HoZac)

2:31AM Carol Bui Halfa/Joy from Red Ship (Ex Oh)

2:36AM Pictureplane Black Nails from Thee Physical (Lovepump United)

2:40AM Arcade Fire Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) from Funeral (Merge)

2:47AM Naked Raygun Swingo from Basement Screams (Ruthless)

2:50AM Cat's Eyes The Best Person I Know from Cat's Eyes (Co-op)

2:53AM Jolie Holland Little Birds from Pint of Blood (ANTI-)

Summer Bliss 2011

2011-06-27T13:36:00.004-05:00

I made a fun summer mix last year (old school, not a DJ mix), and was encouraged to do the same sort of thing again this year. So here we have it. My 2011 mix of music that makes me feel like I'm on a Chicago rooftop, watching the street festivals, bicyclists, and glistening suntans below. Lake Michigan beaches are visible, as are the crowded dog parks. Enjoy the music, enjoy the summer.

DOWNLOAD MIX

(like on facebook for an extra-summery bonus track)

tracklist:

1. Beach Boys - Come Go With Me
2. Bonobo - Kong
3. Cut Copy - Need You Now
4. Friendly Fires - Blue Cassette
5. Corduroi - My Dear
6. Destroyer - Blue Eyes
7. Battles - Ice Cream
8. Thao & Mirah - Rubies and Rocks
9. Gold Panda - MPB
10. Bibio - Take Off Your Shirt
11. The 1900s - Lay A Ghost
12. Baths - The Vapors
13. Washed Out - Soft
14. Hauschka - Sunrise
bonus track: Chad Valley - Shell Suite

CHIRP playlist (6/22/11)

2011-06-22T12:46:00.002-05:00

Music all over the damn place, it's a mess around here. Hey, come hang out with me after the Pride Parade this Sunday at Rodan. I'm DJing at 10pm, winding you down from the insanity, but still encouraging you to buy drinks. It's something to do after Green Music Fest too (which is on Damen this year by the way, more Wicker Park than Ukrainian Village). Oh man, I was on CHIRP last night too:

12:02AM Bon Iver Hinnom, TX from Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

12:05AM Bob Dylan Masters Of War from The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (Columbia)

12:09AM Corduroi Monk's Muse from Anything For Now (Chill Mega Chill)

12:14AM LCD Soundsystem Someone Great from Sound Of Silver (DFA)

12:20AM Face Candy Ten from Waste Age Teen (Rhymesayers)

12:24AM Woods Out of the Eye from Sun and Shade (Woodsist)

12:31AM Les Savy Fav We've Got Boxes from The Cat and the Cobra (Frenchkiss)

12:36AM Liam Finn Neurotic World from FOMO (Yep Roc)

12:39AM Roy Orbison Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) from For The Lonely: 18 Greatest Hits (Rhino)

12:42AM Gypsyblood Take Your Picture from Cold in the Guestway (Sargent House)

12:46AM White Hills Paradise from H-p1 (Thrill Jockey)

1:00AM Cap'n Jazz Sergio Valente from Analphabetapolothology (Jade Tree)

1:03AM Liars Tumbling Walls Buried Me In The Debris With ESG from They Threw Us All in a Trench and Stuck a Monument on Top (Gern Blandsten)

1:07AM Black Sabbath Symptom Of The Universe from Sabotage (Warner Bros.)

1:15AM Ghostface Killah Nutmeg (featuring The RZA) from Supreme Clientele (Epic)

1:19AM Samiyam Where Am I? from Sam Baker's Album (Brainfeeder)

1:22AM PJ Harvey Legs from Rid Of Me (Island)

1:27AM The Wooden Birds Company Time from Two Matchsticks (Barsuk)

1:30AM Johann Johannson The Cause of Labor Is the Hope of the World from The Miners' Hymns (130701)

1:44AM Disappears Needs from Live Over the Rainbo (Plustapes/Rococo)

1:49AM SebastiAn Fried from Total (Big Beat)

1:54AM Green Velvet (Cajmere) Explorer from Can You Jack? Chicago Acid And Experimental House 1985-95 (Soul Jazz)

2:01AM Sufjan Stevens Year Of The Dragon from Enjoy Your Rabbit (Asthmatic Kitty)

2:09AM Deerhoof Believe E.S.P. from Friend Opportunity (Kill Rock Stars)

2:14AM Sun Ra Worlds Approaching from Strange Strings (Atavistic)

2:23AM KLANG Rose Room from Other Doors (Allos Documents)

2:27AM 1,2,3 Work from New Heaven (Frenchkiss)

2:31AM Sorry Bamba Boro from Volume One 1970 - 1979 (Thrill Jockey)

2:37AM Memoryhouse Modern Normal from The Years (Sub Pop)

2:42AM The Jesus and Mary Chain Darklands from Darklands (Blanco y Negro)

2:48AM Big'n Seaworthy from Spare the Horses (Africantape)

2:52AM Witches Count to Ten from Forever (Bakery Outlet)

2:56AM The Kinks David Watts from Something Else by the Kinks (Pye)

You Missed Out: Sondre Lerche and Nightlands

2011-06-20T12:59:00.007-05:00

"As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the best venues in the world," declared Dave Hartley amidst Nightlands' set at Lincoln Hall on Sunday evening. Sondre Lerche said pretty much the same thing an hour later when he hit the stage. And they're right. No matter how many times I go to Lincoln Hall, I'm amazed by how good it sounds.

The only thing that kind of bugs me about Lincoln Hall is how it makes it harder to tell just how much an artist improved since their last show. Nightlands was great at Empty Bottle last January, but half a year later, Hartley's voice sounds richer and broadening in range. Now with his full band, soaring Fleet Foxey harmonies take Hartley's little solo project to another level. It was gorgeous, dreamy music--but I can't help but wonder if I was just being fooled by the Lincoln Hall sound guy...

But, I have a feeling that Sondre Lerche really is just an amazing singer and guitarist. Lincoln Hall simply complements his talents, not necessarily bolstering them with fool's gold/pristine acoustics. As pleasant as it was to see watch him perform in a live setting though, I can't help but hope for something a little more from Lerche on his next album. Case in point: "Two Way Monologue" was easily the biggest crowd-pleaser of his set. The song is seven years old. He needs another hit already.

Lerche has always been an impressive songwriter, but that may be his blessing and curse. His young self was so dazzling so immediately, that now nearly a decade later it's hardly more than a nostalgia trip to hear his swooning voice.

If anyone can get booked at Lincoln Hall though, it means good things. Nightlands are definitely a band to watch heading into 2012, and Sondre Lerche is still a damn charming Norwegian. They deserve to play at the best concert venue in Chicago.

(published at HEAVE Media)

CHIRP playlist (6/15/11)

2011-06-15T14:39:00.003-05:00

We like music. Let's enjoy it together at Simone's (960 w. 18th st.), tonight after 9:30. I'm DJing until close, picking the tunes according to the approving/disapproving looks on patrons' faces. But more than likely, the set will probably look similar to my CHIRP playlist:

12:03AM Thurston Moore Mina Loy from Demolished Thoughts (Matador)

12:07AM Yo La Tengo Moby Octopad from I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One (Matador)

12:15AM Do Make Say Think Anything For Now from & Yet & Yet (Constellation)

12:24AM Marissa Nadler Mr. John Lee Revisited from Marissa Nadler (Box of Cedar)

12:30AM Simon & Garfunkel The Boxer from Greatest Hits (Columbia)

12:36AM Vetiver Hard To Break from The Errant Charm (Sub Pop)

12:39AM Arctic Monkeys All My Own Stunts from Suck It and See (Domino)

12:43AM The M'S Trucker Speed from Future Women (Polyvinyl)

12:49AM Yourself and the Air Bicycles Plus from Who's Who in the Zoo (Lujo)

1:00AM Spiritualized I Think I'm In Love from Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Dedicated)

1:00AM Descendents Bikeage from Milo Goes to College (New Alliance)

1:07AM Passion Pit Make Light from Manners (Frenchkiss)

1:13AM Discovery Osaka Loop Line from LP (XL)

1:17AM Gardens & Villa Orange Blossom from Gardens & Villa (Secretly Canadian)

1:21AM Hypnotic Brass Ensemble Touch the Sky from Bulletproof Brass (ChoiceCuts)

1:25AM DJ Shadow What Does Your Soul Look Like (Part 4) from Endtroducing... (Mo' Wax)

1:30AM The Antlers I Don't Want Love from Burst Apart (Frenchkiss)

1:34AM Field Music She Can Do What She Wants from Tones of Town (Memphis Industries)

1:38AM The Coathangers Go Away from Larceny & Old Lace (Suicide Squeeze)

1:40AM Frank Zappa Trouble Everyday from Strictly Commercial (The Best of Frank Zappa) (Rykodisc)

1:46AM Charlie Parker Mohawk from Bird and Diz (Clef)

1:50AM Here We Go Magic Tulip from The January EP (Secretly Canadian)

1:55AM Smoking Popes I Know You Love Me from Destination Failure (Capitol)

1:59AM Pantha Du Prince Saturn Strobe from This Bliss (Dial)

2:07AM Aphex Twin Girl/Boy Song from Richard D. James Album (Warp)

2:12AM R.E.M. Turn You Inside-Out from Green (Warner Bros.)

2:16AM The Ladybug Transistor Breaking Up on the Beat from Clutching Stems (Merge)

2:21AM Blur Tracy Jacks from Parklife (Food)

2:34AM James Pants Incantation from James Pants (Stones Throw)

2:37AM Beirut East Harlem from The Rip Tide (Revolver)

2:38AM Pulseprogramming Light Rides from Charade is Gold (Audraglint)

2:40AM Wilco Passenger Side from A.M. (Reprise)

2:43AM Mice Parade Nights Wave from Bem-Vinda Vontade (FatCat)

2:55AM Ikebe Shakedown No Name Bar from Ikebe Shakedown (Ubiquity)

2:55AM Animal Farm Test of Time (featuring Talib Kweli) from Culture Shock (Focused Noise)

DJ Playlist: Rodan 6/10/11

2011-06-11T16:43:00.002-05:00

Birthday set last night. I love Rodan. It's never too packed, but always just enough to feel comfy. Nobody likes crowded bars. Or empty bars. Rodan gets it right. More than ever I want to get a regular monthly gig there. Here's what I played last night:

Bibio - Anything New

Beyonce - Party

Com Truise - Hyperlips

Kreayshawn - Gucci Gucci

Samiyam - Cushion

Das Racist - You Oughtta Know

Gold Panda - You

Shabazz Palaces - Swerve

Casa del Mirto - Poison

Eumir Deodato - Also Sprach Zarathustra

Bonobo - Kong

Skee-Lo - I Wish

CFCF - Raining Patterns

Heavy D - Nuttin' But Love

Adele - Rolling in the Deep (jamie xx remix)

Passion Pit - Sleepyhead

Friendly Fires - Hurting

Jamiroquai - Alright

Jackson 5 - Dancing Machine

Kanye West - Good Life

Ford & Lopatin - Joey Rogers

Junior Boys - Banana Ripple (mixed with various Ke$ha choruses)

CSS - Move

Justin Timberlake - LoveStoned

Prince - Erotic City

Michael Jackson - PYT

Major Lazer - Pon de Floor

Outkast - The Way You Move

Duran Duran - Planet Earth

Jack Prongo - Movin' Through Your System

Hot Chip - One Life Stand

Machine - There But For the Grace of God

Austra - Lose It

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends

Cut Copy - Blink and You'll Miss A Revolution

Plastic Bertrand - Ca Plane pour Moi

La Bionda - I Wanna Be Your Lover

Ratatat - Wildcat

Galapagos - Actin' Up

Michael Jackson - Rock With You

Stevie Wonder - Do I Do

I-Tone - Will You Cry

Digable Planets - Rebrith of Slick

De La Soul - Say No Go

Daft Punk - Da Funk

Delorean - Seasun

Baths and Gold Panda - Marriage

The Weeknd - The Morning

CHIRP playlist (6/8/11)

2011-06-08T12:57:00.003-05:00

Attention readers--go to Rodan in Wicker Park this Friday night after 10pm. I'm DJing and I want everybody to come have a good time. 90s' computer animation will be projected on the big back wall. It'll be like my CHIRP show, only with good-looking people all over the place, and sake.

12:04AM Ford & Lopatin The Voices from Channel Pressure (Software)

12:08AM Depeche Mode Blasphemous Rumours from The Singles 81-85 (Sire)

12:13AM Glenn Kotche Mask from Introducing (Quakebasket/Locust)

12:19AM Oneida Horizon from Absolute II (Jagjaguwar)

12:30AM Cults Oh My God from Cults (Columbia)

12:34AM Fucked Up Life In Paper from David Comes to Life (Matador)

12:40AM Netherfriends Don't Invite Me from Calling You Out (Emergency Umbrella)

12:43AM Death Cab for Cutie St. Peter's Cathedral from Codes & Keys (Atlantic)

12:49AM Fuck Buttons Flight Of The Feathered Serpent from Tarot Sport (ATP)

12:59AM Edith Frost Merry Go Round from Wonder Wonder (Drag City)

1:04AM Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti Beverly Kills from Before Today (4AD)

1:07AM ADULT. Plagued By Fear from Why Bother? (Thrill Jockey)

1:12AM Parenthetical Girls Love Connection, Pt. II from Safe As Houses (Slender Means Society)

1:17AM Son Lux Rising from We Are Rising (Anticon)

1:23AM White Denim River to Consider from D (Downtown)

1:28AM Battles Wall Street from Gloss Drop (Warp)

1:34AM James Brown Night Train from Star Time (Polydor)

1:38AM Freddie Gibbs The Coldest from Str8 Killa (Decon)

1:42AM Ratatat Lex from Classics (XL)

1:48AM Starlicker Vodou Cinque from Double Demon (Delmark)

1:54AM Wild Beasts Plaything from Smother (Domino)

2:00AM Tortoise Glass Museum from Millions Now Living Will Never Die (Thrill Jockey)

2:05AM Phosphorescent Los Angeles from Here's To Taking It Easy (Dead Oceans)

2:16AM The Fall Living Too Late from 50,000 Fall Fans Can't Be Wrong: 39 Golden Greats (Beggars Banquet)

2:20AM Tombs Bloodletters from Path of Totality (Relapse)

2:25AM City Center After Hours from Redeemer (K)

2:29AM Girls Names Bury Me from Dead to Me (Slumberland)

2:32AM David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights Could Be On My Way from Left by Soft (Merge)

2:37AM Com Truise Hyperlips from Galactic Melt (Ghostly International)

2:41AM Grandaddy The Crystal Lake from The Sophtware Slump (V2)

2:48AM Seun Anikulapo-Kuti & Africa 80 Mr. Big Thief from From Africa with Fury: Rise (Knitting Factory)

2:56AM NOMO Nova from Ghost Rock (Ubiquity)

You Missed Out: Thao & Mirah

2011-06-04T16:16:00.002-05:00

I missed out on Thao and Mirah's show at the Empty Bottle last night, but one of my favorite things about summer in Chicago is how easy it is to catch great shows for such little cost. Thao and Mirah played another full set of music today at the Do Division fest, just moments before a thunderstorm chased us out of the street and under whatever shelter we could find. I decided to just bike home, because Thao and Mirah was what I was most looking forward to at this year's fest anyway. But Bonobo is a headliner, so I wouldn't be surprised if Division Street gets crowded again.

Thao and Mirah were great though. If I can label them as such, they're easily my favorite supergroup. Mirah is the owner of what I believe to be the sweetest voice I've ever heard, and Thao is just a rocker. They work well together, whether they taking turns singing, fingerpicking their guitars, or assisting their drummer in any manner of percussion. Mirah even did a patty-cake routine for an entire song.

Yes, these ladies are cute. And that's what we love about them. It's obvious that they love music, and they play it with joy. Add in Chicago summer weather and you can't go wrong. Do Division has a reputation for booking great indie acts, rivaled only by Wicker Park fest.

Yeah it's here. It's hot. The music is loud and outdoors. Time to get stressed out about which shows and events we attend and the ones we have to miss out on. But of course, it's worth the cost of a bike ride through a summer rain.

CHIRP playlist (6/1/11)

2011-06-01T18:31:00.002-05:00

Three major events I suggest you attend between two CHIRP shows. This Friday I'm DJing at the Burlington (10pm to 2am. no cover. 3425 W. Fullerton Ave.). Then it's the Do Division street fest, and Thao and Mirah play at 2:30 Saturday on afternoon. If can handle any more, Iron and Wine is playing a free concert in Millennium Park on Monday night. Then I'll have another CHIRP shift the following Tuesday night. This is summer in Chicago. This is how it goes.

12:03AM Thao & Mirah Little Cup from Thao & Mirah (Kill Rock Stars)

12:08AM Nico These Days from Chelsea Girl (Polygram)

12:10AM Cat Power (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction from The Covers Record (Matador)

12:15AM Kid Koala Fender Bender from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (Ninja Tune)

12:19AM Friendly Fires Chimes from Pala (XL)

12:25AM Chad VanGaalen Blonde Hash from Diaper Island (Sub Pop)

12:29AM TV On the Radio Will Do from Nine Types of Light (Interscope)

12:33AM Washed Out Eyes Be Closed from Within and Without (Sub Pop)

12:38AM Boris Les Paul Custom '86 from Attention Please (Sargent House)

12:41AM Parts & Labor Without A Seed from Constant Future (Jagjaguwar)

12:43AM The Pains of Being Pure at Heart My Terrible Friend from Belong (Slumberland)

12:48AM Booker T. Jones Walking Papers from The Road from Memphis (ANTI-)

12:51AM Califone Bottles And Bones (Shades And Sympathy) from Roomsound (Perishable)

12:56AM Coltrane Motion Maya Blue from Hello Ambition! (datawaslost)

1:01AM Kurt Vile Jesus Fever from Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador)

1:05AM Bon Iver Beth / Rest from Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

1:09AM Hauschka Radar from Salon des Amateurs (130701)

1:15AM Destroyer Kaputt from Kaputt (Merge)

1:21AM My Morning Jacket Holdin' On to Black Metal from Circuital (ATO)

1:26AM Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. Nothing But Our Love from It's a Corporate World (Quite Scientific)

1:30AM American Football Never Meant from American Football (Polyvinyl)

1:35AM A Lull Sidemen from Confetti (Mush)

1:41AM Holy Fuck Latin America from Latin (XL)

1:45AM Black Lips Go Out and Get It from Arabia Mountain (Vice)

1:48AM Beastie Boys Long Burn the Fire from Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (Capitol)

1:52AM Kool Moe Dee I Go To Work from Knowledge Is King (Jive)

1:57AM Howlin' Wolf Smokestack Lightnin' from Chess Blues 1954-1960 (Chess)

2:00AM Melvins Goin' Blind from Houdini (Atlantic)

2:05AM Slayer War Ensemble from Seasons in the Abyss (Def Jam)

2:11AM Cryptacize New Spell from Mythomania (Asthmatic Kitty)

2:15AM Brute Heart Satellite from Lonely Hunter (Soft Abuse)

2:19AM Thurston Moore Benediction from Demolished Thoughts (Matador)

2:26AM Pet Lions Thieves from Houses (self-released)

2:31AM The Rosebuds Limitless Arms from Loud Planes Fly Low (Merge)

2:37AM Samiyam Frosting Packets from Sam Baker's Album (Brainfeeder)

2:41AM Kraftwerk Aéro Dynamik from Tour De France Soundtracks (Astralwerks)

2:47AM Shabazz Palaces An Echo From The Hosts Profess Infinitum from Black Up single (Sub Pop)

2:50AM Art Ensemble Of Chicago Ja from Nice Guys (ECM)

Best Music of 2011 (halfway edition)

2011-05-30T20:18:00.004-05:00

June signals the halfway point of the year in music, so how about an official midterm? Here are my top 10 favorite albums of the year so far. Tune into my CHIRP show tomorrow (1opm, PST) to hear tracks from these fine works of musicality.

10. Friendly Fires - Pala

This band opened for Lykke Li on her first North American tour a couple years ago. Their stage presence was huge, so much greater than Lykke Li's. I'm still waiting to see a band with more positive energy. Maybe it's because it's 90 degrees out again, but this is the best warm weather music I can imagine right now. Dance. Shine. Live. It's all summery on Pala.

9. Parts & Labor - Constant Future

I've always been a pretty huge Parts & Labor fan, but even for me, this newest album feels under the radar. But, almost every time I go to the gym, I'm tempted to put this album on for lifting. It's just as high on energy as anything they've ever done, but much more melodic. It's their pop album, and it deserves a little more buzz before the year ends.

8. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Belong

My inner teenager hearts this album 4ever. It's so catchy and angsty, like pop punk meets Morissey. Yes, I'm still a sucker for this sappy nonsense. I don't care. I'm listening to it on repeat, because every song on the album is stuck in my head.

7. TV on the Radio - Nine Types of Light

It isn't ever their strongest release, but TV on the Radio can't make a bad album. On this one, it sounds like they're accepting their role as the best rock band in the world. Remember Coldplay? Psh.

6. Hauschka - Salon des Amateurs

Of course an instrumental album would be in here somewhere. Hauschka sounds like John Cage in a Wes Anderson movie. It's quirky but smart. Compelling but not too heavy handed. Classical music doesn't have enough of this kind of stuff.

5. Thao & Mirah - Thao & Mirah

Of the two, Mirah was always my preference. But after hearing this album, I never want to hear these two ladies separate. They're perfect for each other. 'Hallelujah' is my favorite song of the year so far, and it's totally because of their harmonies.

4. Bon Iver - Bon Iver

It's the soft rock revival. The cheesy sax wasn't just a Gayngs thing. Justin Vernon brought it over to his main project too. This Bon Iver album is not nearly as somber as For Emma, but it isn't exactly loaded with optimism either. The songs are kind of silly, but oddly addictive.

3. Kurt Vile - Smoke Ring for My Halo

This is what a singer songwriter sounds like. Kurt Vile hits his stride here, and now I really can't wait to hear what he does next for The War On Drugs. Bruce Springsteen should be proud of music like this. Damn it, I sure am.

2. Washed Out - Within and Without

I have a feeling that this could define chillwave. If someone wanted to put glo-fi into a time capsule, Within and Without is probably the best choice. This record hits all the main stops. The ethereal, the disco funk, the reverb and echo. It's the sound of silver, not talking, but singing sexy love songs.

1. Destroyer - Kaputt

The fun part of being a music lover is that you never know where you'll take pleasure from next. To be honest, I never even really enjoyed Dan Bejar's music. But Destroyer's Kaputt is such a daring dream of an album, it ultimately reminds me of why I work in this business. And since it came a few months prior to Bon Iver, Destroyer is obviously on the cusp of a budding trend in 2011. Saxophones are here. I don't know if they're here to stay, but they're definitely one of the highlights on the best album released so far this year.

CHIRP playlist (5/25/11)

2011-05-25T13:36:00.002-05:00

Hello, my name is Dylan Peterson. I DJ a weekly live shift for the Chicago Independent Radio Project every Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. You can stream CHIRP for free if you'd like to hear it. It's a non-commercial community station, and we play the best music in town. Here's what I played last night:

12:01AM Sondre Lerche Ricochet from Sondre Lerche (Mona)

12:06AM Billy Bragg The Internationale from The Internationale (Elektra)

12:09AM The Magnetic Fields Famous from Get Lost (Merge)

12:14AM Akron/Family Before And Again from Akron/Family (Young God)

12:18AM David Bazan Virginia from Strange Negotiations (Barsuk)

12:23AM The Tallest Man on Earth The Blizzard's Never Seen The Desert Sands from Shallow Grave (Gravitation)

12:26AM Desert Soap Thinking About the Girl I Love from Thinking About the Girl I Love 7" (self-released)

12:29AM Neil Young Danger Bird from Zuma (Reprise)

12:36AM Art Brut Is Dog Eared from Brilliant! Tragic! (Cooking Vinyl)

12:43AM The Dismemberment Plan The Face Of The Earth from Change (DeSoto)

12:48AM The Sea and Cake Monday from The Moonlight Butterfly (Thrill Jockey)

12:53AM Red House Painters Byrd Joel from Old Ramon (Sub Pop)

1:01AM Eleventh Dream Day Bite The Hand from Stalled Parade (Thrill Jockey)

1:06AM The Bird and the Bee I'm A Broken Heart from The Bird and the Bee (Blue Note)

1:10AM Nathaniel Rateliff Early Spring Till from In Memory of Loss (Rounder)

1:15AM Billy Green Gravediggers from Stone (Finders Keepers)

1:19AM Nat Baldwin Real Fakes from People Changes (Western Vinyl)

1:27AM Austra Spellwork from Feel It Break (Domino)

1:32AM The Faint Agenda Suicide from Danse Macabre (Saddle Creek)

1:37AM tUnE-yArDs You Yes You from whokill (4AD)

1:40AM They Might Be Giants Hide Away Folk Family from They Might Be Giants (Restless)

1:44AM Randy Newman Suzanne from 12 Songs (Reprise)

1:48AM Seapony Go Away from Go With Me (Hardly Art)

1:54AM Tapes 'n Tapes Insistor from The Loon (Ibid)

1:55AM White Mystery 1985 from Blood & Venom (self-released)

2:00AM David Axelrod The Shadow Knows from David Axelrod (Mo' Wax)

2:08AM Jean-Claude Vannier L'Enfant La Mouche Et Les Allumettes from L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches (Finders Keepers)

2:13AM The Rolling Stones Monkey Man from Let It Bleed (Decca)

2:17AM The Reatards Memphis Blues from Teenage Hate (Goner)

2:20AM Let's Wrestle I'm So Lazy from Nursing Home (Merge)

2:26AM Mountains Sequel from Air Museum (Thrill Jockey)

2:31AM Pit Er Pat Brain Monster from Pyramids (Thrill Jockey)

2:37AM Bon Iver Calgary from Bon Iver (Jagjaguwar)

2:42AM Antony & the Johnsons Hope There's Someone from I Am a Bird Now (Secretly Canadian)

2:47AM Chrissy Murderbot Nice Looking Bwoy (featuring Warrior Queen & Mungo's Hifi) from Women's Studies (Planet Mu)

2:51AM Hail Mary Mallon Garfield from Are You Gonna Eat That? (Rhymesayers)

2:55AM The Knife Heartbeats from Deep Cuts (Rabid)

You Missed Out: Bonnie Prince Billy

2011-05-23T22:08:00.008-05:00

(published at Heavemedia.com)

Will Oldham led Chicago in a collective sigh of relief to kick off the 2011 Downtown Sound free concert series on Monday night at Millennium Park. Bonnie Prince Billy and the Cairo Gang performed for a crowded but comfortable Pritzker Pavilion, officially reminding us why we have such strong pride and love for this city. It was mid-70 degree weather, the sky was clear-blue, and the grass was so miraculously cushiony. Thank God I wasn't raptured on Saturday, because this was a beautiful evening I would have hated to miss.

Friends and families gathered on the lawn with wine and/or beer. Young parents brought picnic baskets and dancing toddlers. Girls wore summer dresses. And most importantly, Bonnie Prince Billy played music. This is why we put up with half a year of awful weather. Smiles were all over the place, and by the end of the night strangers on the sidewalk were reaching their hands out into the street for high fives as I rode my bike past them. Yes, happiness is finally back in Chicago.

It was an ideal first concert for Downtown Sound. Certainly not the biggest crowd we'll see this year (Iron and Wine or Glen Hansard/Low will set that record), but Bonnie Prince Billy started things off right. It was mostly a quiet folk concert, with upright bass and grand piano keeping the Americana classy.

With the exception of the Kings Go Forth, it feels like the dancing will probably be kept to a minimum at Millennium Park this year. Will Oldham set the tone by not talking between songs and simply playing the soothing soundtrack to our beautiful summer night. His set seemed to start off at a low volume, but slowly built energy as the night went on. By the time Go Folks Go came on, the sun had set and the colored spotlights shined warmly on the pavilion. Wine glasses and beer bottles were clinking all over the park, in celebration of what's sure to be another wonderful summer in Chicago.

CHIRP playlist (5/18/11)

2011-05-18T12:41:00.002-05:00

Don't miss out on Bonnie Prince Billy this Monday at Millennium Park. It's the first Downtown Sound concert of the season, and we'll be on the lawn with individual wine boxes and slightly warmer weather. Oh, I played Bonnie Prince on my show last night. And other songs:

12:03AM Chad VanGaalen No Panic/No Heat from Diaper Island (Sub Pop)

12:07AM Bonnie "Prince" Billy & The Cairo Gang Go Folks, Go from The Wonder Show of the World (Drag City)

12:15AM Talking Heads Crosseyed and Painless from Remain in Light (Sire)

12:19AM TOKiMONSTA Day Job from Creature Dreams EP (Brainfeeder)

12:25AM Jim O'Rourke Movie On The Way Down from Eureka (Drag City)

12:32AM Thao & Mirah Little Cup from Thao & Mirah (Kill Rock Stars)

12:37AM Cass McCombs Hermit's Cave from WIT'S END (Domino)

12:41AM Cameron McGill & What Army Sad Ambassador from Is a Beast (Post-Important)

12:48AM Led Zeppelin I Can't Quit You Baby from Led Zeppelin (Atlantic)

12:53AM Mudhoney Sweet Young Thing Ain't Sweet No More from Superfuzz Bigmuff (Deluxe Edition) (Sub Pop)

12:56AM Blind Joe Taggart Take Your Burden To The Lord (-50) from Vol. 1 (1926-28) (Document)

1:01AM Boards of Canada Turquoise Hexagon Sun from Music Has The Right To Children (Matador)

1:06AM King Midas Sound Surround Me from Box of Dub: Dubstep and Future Dub (Soul Jazz)

1:12AM Fugazi Long Distance Runner from Red Medicine (Dischord)

1:16AM Okkervil River White Shadow Waltz from I Am Very Far (Jagjaguwar)

1:20AM Grinderman Depth Charge Ethel from Grinderman (ANTI-)

1:25AM 13 & God Beat On Us from Own Your Ghost (Anticon)

1:30AM Sweep the Leg Johnny Skin from Tomorrow We Will Run Faster (Southern)

1:37AM Matt Pond PA Sugar Bush from Spring Fools EP (Altitude)

1:41AM Lake Skeleton Costume from Giving and Receiving (K)

1:45AM Algernon Timekiller from Ghost Surveillance (Cuneiform)

1:53AM Zombi Shrunken Heads from Escape Velocity (Relapse)

1:59AM Sigur Rós Glosoli from Takk... (Geffen)

2:05AM Low Time Is The Diamond from Trust (kranky)

2:12AM Old Time Relijun Mystery Language from Witchcraft Rebellion (K)

2:16AM Ryley Walker Sturgeon Bay Drifter from The Evidence of Things Unseen (Plustapes)

2:23AM Amor de Dias Burnhill Fields from Street of the Love of Days (Merge)

2:26AM Errors Germany from Come Down With Me (Rock Action)

2:30AM Dianogah Flat Panda from Millions of Brazilians (Southern)

2:37AM Friendly Fires Hurting from Pala (XL)

2:42AM Lawrence Precious Hall from Laid Compilation (Laid)

2:51AM Helado Negro Calculas from Canta Lechuza (Asthmatic Kitty)

2:55AM DOOM Gazzillion Ear from Born Like This (Lex)

DJ dylanclub: Dougie in the Air

2011-05-17T20:24:00.003-05:00

M. Bone was shot and killed, so I made a mashup in his honor. His song with Cali Swag District, Teach Me How to Dougie, is mashed here with Alpha Beta Gaga from Air. Because he's up there, teaching angels how to dougie.

Dougie in the Air by dylanclub

Hasn't Come Out Yet: Washed Out- Within and Without

2011-05-16T23:13:00.004-05:00

This whole chillwave thing emerged a few years ago. Bedroom-pop. Glo-fi. Whatever you call it, Sub Pop is now cashing in. That is, they're about to cash in once this new Washed Out album leaks. It's gorgeous stuff.

Despite the deep beats, the music is nothing you'll really want to get up and dance to. It will, however, give you a feeling that you had already been dancing for hours. Within and Without emits a drag and haze like the end of the after-party. You don't want to leave yet, even though every one else is gone.

It's hard to call this music fashionable, but I'm actually not sure what phase music is in right now. Then again, I don't believe in good or bad music anymore, just interpretations. I've DJed enough weddings to know that a lot of people think Miley Cyrus is "good". And yeah, nothing is objectively "bad". Right and wrong and neither here nor there because it is what it is and whatever works.

So why did I choose to write about this Washed Out album all of a sudden? Why not the latest Plustapes artist? Why not Wild Beasts? Obviously I don't have an answer here. But this new Washed Out album keeps calling me back. It is music that I want to hear. So why not share my feelings on my internet blog, right?

I think it's similar to the way we grow older and (at least those of us who grew up in religious families) start to see where we misunderstood our spiritual upbringing. What was once black and white blends together until contrast no longer exists. We don't have hard answers anymore, nor do we crave them as we did in our youth. But that which brings comfort, that is what we do not turn away.

When we were young, we didn't have problems. We only had emotions. Now that we're adults, we don't have time to be worried about how smart or fun or popular we are. We have to pay the next bill. We have to keep our significant other happy. We have to keep our dogs fed. It's all real.

Sure, atheism is easy now. The logical answer is the best answer when you're strong of mind. But what happens when the mind goes? Do we hold tightly to the dread? And if so, for what benefit? Is it a matter of integrity? God doesn't exist, but what if I'm dying of cancer and I need some comfort? Will I be allowed some intellectual leeway at the end? Or do I have to just die alone, accepting my cursed fate as a highly evolved self-aware mammal?

Why is a Washed Out album raising all of these questions? Damn. Within and Without must be something special.

Music is abstract. It is an indirect form of human communication. But here's the key (seriously, this is it right here): miscommunication is always a factor. Authorial intent is bullshit for this very reason. You will never experience absolute communication. Everyone comes with a different pair of glasses through which they view the world, and miscommunication is unavoidable. Ambiguity is vital in art because it allows for multiple interpretations of one subject. Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible is one of the all-time greatest works of art. The Holy Spirit is something Christians call their conscience. Everyone has it, but you and I might call it something different.

Whatever glasses you're wearing, leave them on. Communicate by using languages you have learned. The other languages are not "wrong," you just don't understand them. Thing is, they're saying the exact same things you're saying.

When we hear music, we react on a personal level. Sometimes our emotions get the better of us, and we dance (well, I don't. But a lot of other people do). Reactions to art are sacred. As long as we don't settle for "good or bad" or "right or wrong" we will experience the Holy Spirit. We will make the decisions God predestined us to make. We will have hope and love and peace.

Is this an album review? Who cares. I love this Washed Out record and I hope you listen to it when it comes out. This is the internet. Nobody's paying me to write this. Who the hell knows why you read this anyway. Nobody paid you either.

Therefore go out and make disciples, and do not forget the interpretation you have taken from this blog post.

CHIRP playlist (5/11/11)

2011-05-11T14:37:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted here in over a week. And since I love excuses, I'll blame it on a monstrous mouse that invaded my bedroom, preoccupations with Bulls games, and the removal of my wisdom teeth. But I have been keeping up with CHIRP. My show last night was something you should have listened to if you were up past midnight. You'll have another chance next week.

12:02AM Here We Go Magic Song in Three from January EP (Secretly Canadian)

12:07AM Tame Impala Alter Ego from InnerSpeaker (Modular)

12:12AM Bonobo El Toro from Black Sands (Ninja Tune)

12:16AM Beastie Boys Make Some Noise from Hot Sauce Committee Part Two (Capitol)

12:20AM Daft Punk Human After All from Human After All (Virgin)

12:26AM The Lonesome Organist Cranked Up Too Hard from Cavalcade (Thrill Jockey)

12:30AM Anathallo Dokkoise House (With Face Covered) from Floating World (Artist Friendship)

12:35AM Man Man Bangkok Necktie from Life Fantastic (ANTI-)

12:40AM Wild Beasts Plaything from Smother (Domino)

12:44AM Arthur Russell Calling Out Of Context from Calling Out of Context (Audika)

12:52AM Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi Season's Trees from Rome (Capitol)

12:55AM Pink Floyd Astronomy Domine from The Piper At the Gates of Dawn (Capitol)

1:00AM Hum I Hate It Too from You'd Prefer an Astronaut (RCA)

1:06AM Thurston Moore Female Cop from Psychic Hearts (Geffen)

1:12AM Chin Up Chin Up Water Planes In Snow from This Harness Can't Ride Anything (Suicide Squeeze)

1:16AM A Lull Weapons for War from Confetti (Mush)

1:20AM The Octopus Project Bees Bein' Strugglin' from Hello, Avalanche (Peek-A-Boo)

1:26AM Psychedelic Horseshit Revolution Wavers from Laced (FatCat)

1:32AM Young Widows Young Rivers from In and Out of Youth and Lightness (Temporary Residence Ltd.)

1:39AM Austra The Choke from Feel It Break (Domino)

1:43AM DELS Violina/Bread Before Bed from GOB (Big Dada)

1:47AM Stevie Wonder Love Having You Around from Music of My Mind (Tamla)

1:55AM The Books Take Time from The Lemon of Pink (Tomlab)

2:02AM Bad Lieutenant Sink or Swim from Never Cry Another Tear (Triple Echo)

2:04AM New Order Leave Me Alone from Power, Corruption & Lies (Qwest)

2:08AM Joy Division Shadowplay from Unknown Pleasures (Factory)

2:13AM Stereolab Tone Burst from Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements (Elektra)

2:19AM Gang Gang Dance Thru and Thru from Eye Contact (4AD)

2:25AM Booker T. Jones Everything is Everything from The Road from Memphis (ANTI-)

2:30AM J. Rocc Malcolm Was Here (Part 1+2) from Some Cold Rock Stuf (Stones Throw)

2:37AM The Antlers No Widows from Burst Apart (Frenchkiss)

2:42AM BOAT (I'll Beat My Chest Like) King Kong from Dress Like Your Idols (Magic Marker)

2:45AM The Ponys Fall Inn from Laced With Romance (In the Red)

2:50AM Directions Untitled 4 from Directions In Music (Thrill Jockey)

2:55AM British Sea Power Carrion from Decline of British Sea Power (Rough Trade)

CHIRP playlist (3/27/11)

2011-04-27T13:26:00.003-05:00

I almost did a Chicago sports team theme last night, but after the Blackhawks lost I gave up on that feel-good idea. Instead I played a lot of new music, and especially enjoyed Thao & Mirah. Their harmonies were made for each other. Oh, come to Rodan this Friday after 10pm. I'm DJing until 2am.

12:03AM Fleet Foxes The Plains / Bitter Dancer from Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)

12:11AM Sufjan Stevens The Black Hawk War from Come On Feel the Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty)

12:12AM Bat For Lashes Daniel from Two Suns (Astralwerks)

12:18AM Toro Y Moi Blessa from Causers Of This (Carpark)

12:20AM Panda Bear Afterburner from Tomboy (Paw Tracks)

12:27AM Brian Wilson Surf's Up from Smile (Nonesuch)

12:31AM Peter Bjorn & John Second Chance from Gimme Some (Star Time)

12:37AM Explosions In the Sky Be Comfortable, Creature from Take Care, Take Care, Take Care (Temporary Residence Ltd.)

12:45AM Broken Social Scene Stars And Sons from You Forgot it in People (Arts & Crafts)

12:51AM Pinetop Seven Flushed With Sun & Passion from Pinetop Seven (Atavistic)

12:54AM Sloan Follow the Leader from The Double Cross (Yep Roc)

12:56AM JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound How To Stop Loving Someone Who's Stopped Loving You from Beat of Our Own Drum (self-released)

1:01AM Ornette Coleman Kaleidoscope from This Is Our Music (Atlantic)

1:07AM Radiohead Lucky from OK Computer (Capitol)

1:13AM The Replacements Within Your Reach from Hootenanny (Twin/Tone)

1:17AM The Singleman Affair Do You Feel from Silhouettes at Dawn (Cardboard Sangria)

1:25AM Clinic Harmony from Walking With Thee (Domino)

1:28AM Gorillaz Shy-town from The Fall (Virgin)

1:32AM Town and Country Spicer from Decoration Day (Thrill Jockey)

1:36AM The Beatles I Want To Tell You from Revolver (Capitol)

1:38AM Cass McCombs The Lonely Doll from WIT'S END (Domino)

1:44AM Thao & Mirah Hallelujah from Thao & Mirah (Kill Rock Stars)

1:49AM Brown Recluse Statue Garden from Evening Tapestry (Slumberland)

1:53AM Buddy Holly It Doesn't Matter Anymore from Greatest Hits (MCA)

1:55AM Kisses Bermuda from The Heart Of The Nightlife (This is Music)

2:00AM Boris Ano Onna No Onryou from Akuma No Uta (Diwphalanx)

2:06AM Jawbox Tongues from Novelty (Dischord)

2:10AM Nerves Die Tonight from New Animal (Thrill Jockey)

2:14AM The Handsome Family Hunter Green from Last Days Of Wonder (Carrot Top)

2:19AM Death Cab for Cutie You Are A Tourist from Codes and Keys (Atlantic)

2:24AM Atmosphere Something So from The Family Sign (Rhymesayers)

2:27AM Katy B Why You Always Here from On a Mission (Columbia)

2:33AM Phantogram Mouthful Of Diamonds from Eyelid Movies (Barsuk)

2:38AM The Antlers Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out from Burst Apart (Frenchkiss)

2:42AM Implodes Meadowlands from Black Earth (kranky)

2:47AM Tom Waits 16 Shells From A Thirty-Ought-Six from Swordfishtrombones (Island)

2:53AM Small Brown Bike As We Go from Fell & Found (No Idea)

2:56AM The American Analog Set Born On The Cusp from Set Free (Arts & Crafts)

Is This Partying?

2011-04-25T18:33:00.006-05:00

Leading up to Easter, I endured three straight nights of DJing on all three sides of Chicago. First was Simone's on the south side. This was Wednesday, at a bar I've never been to but have heard nice things about. It's located on 18th street, on the other side of the railroad tracks near Halsted. Just east of these tracks is an apartment above a little Mexican grocery store where I lived at least three different times throughout college. It was a place where a lot of kids crashed for a night/week/month, either on a couch or floor. I always brought my own air mattress, so I was living it up.

Simone's didn't yet exist when I was living in Pilsen, but the neighborhood has seen a bit of gentrification since Simone's and other places like it came in. It's a pretty spacious place, more of a restaurant than a bar. My DJ booth was in the middle of everything, up a small flight of stairs in a space-agey cage. Pinball machines made for wall decorations. 80s' movies played on the TVs. But everybody remained seated throughout the night. There wasn't a dance floor, so it was a fun, low-pressure night for this rookie DJ.

One thing I learned during this gig trilogy is the value of a friendly staff. The waitresses, bartenders and management at Simone's were all very cool. They gave me 10 drink tickets. Obviously not all for myself, but for any friends I invited over. Only a few of my buddies showed up, but we couldn't even get through all of those tickets. All said, I'd be happy to go south again for another set at Simone's.

Thursday started out huge. I woke up to a call from Chipotle, letting me know that my business card had been picked out of their fishbowl, meaning I had won 10 free burritos. I took this as incentive to get people to come out to my gig for the evening. Whoever showed up to my gig that night would get one of the free burritos. I was scheduled to spin in the bar area of the Bottom Lounge, and planned to arrive a little early to watch the Bulls game on their TVs. Sounds exciting, right? It all went according to plan, I had my burritos and Bulls at Bottom Lounge, but then the Bottom Lounge staff came into play.

I don't know if these people want to maintain their punk cred or what, but most of them were remarkably rude and unpleasant. So even if they asked me back, nah. I won't DJ there ever again. In spite of all the good things that happened on this day, I left the west side feeling pretty cranky. I actually don't even want to go to the Bottom Lounge for a show if I can help it now. I mean, who's still trying to be punk? Wrong century, kids.

But the best experience was Friday in Wicker Park. I was booked at Rodan for 10pm to 2am, moved ahead from a week later. Literally five minutes before I went on, the manager asked me aside. There was a mix up. Apparently, every 4th Friday of the month at Rodan is reserved for the Soul-Glo guys. So there was a double booking. I suggested just going for an hour, and then returning a week later for my full set. She and the Soul-Glo DJs agreed to this, and Rodan paid me better for that one hour than any other gig I've had so far.

The staff were apologetic, professional and courteous all night, and I cannot wait to go back there this Friday (4/29) to work with those good people again. If I could get anything regular anywhere, Rodan wins by a mile. So if you need to get out this weekend, come to the north side's crotch and we'll hang out at Rodan. If people start dancing, we might even be able to call it a party.

CHIRP Playlist (4/20/11)

2011-04-20T12:46:00.002-05:00

Tonight I'm DJing in Pilsen at Simone's on 18th. Tomorrow I'm going to watch the Bulls game at Bottom Lounge, then DJ in the bar while Appleseed Cast plays further in. Then Friday I'm DJing Rodan in the crotch of Wicker Park. I'd encourage you dear readers to come out, but we've had the most depressing weather this week, so I'll understand if you just want to stay in and watch Twin Peaks on Netflix Instant. But I had my usual CHIRP shift last night too, fresh off tabling the Delorean show at Lincoln Hall. For some reason, the songs are all out of order, but here's what I played:

5:22AM Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears Black Snake from Scandalous (Lost Highway)

3:00AM The Blow A Night Full of Open Eyes from Concussive Caress, Or, Casey Caught Her Mom Singing (K)

2:58AM Silkworm Tonight We're Meat from Blueblood (Touch and Go)

2:58AM BOAT Bite My Lips from Dress Like Your Idols (Magic Marker)

2:58AM The Feelies So Far from Here Before (Bar/None)

2:44AM The Rolling Stones Country Honk from Let It Bleed (Decca)

2:37AM Chad VanGaalen Blonde Hash from Diaper Island (Sub Pop)

2:33AM tUnE-yArDs Gangsta from whokill (4AD)

2:32AM Salva I'll Be Your Friend from Complex Housing (Friends of Friends)

2:24AM Zavala Primor from The Dark Time Sunshine Vessel Instrumentals (Fake Four Inc.)

2:17AM Prefuse 73 The Only Repeat from The Only She Chapters (Warp)

2:11AM Love The Red Telephone from Forever Changes (Elektra)

2:11AM Thom Yorke Cymbal Rush from The Eraser (XL)

2:11AM High Places The Longest Shadows from High Places vs. Mankind (Thrill Jockey)

1:56AM Broken Bells The High Road from Broken Bells (Columbia)

1:48AM Aqueduct Hardcore Days & Softcore Night from I Sold Gold (Barsuk)

1:41AM Jackie-O Motherfucker Dedication from Earth Sound System (Fire)

1:38AM This is Cinema Shine Whole from unreleased (Whistler)

1:38AM Luscious Jackson Mood Swing from Fever In Fever Out (Grand Royal)

1:38AM TV On the Radio You from Nine Types of Light (Interscope)

1:23AM The Smiths The Headmaster Ritual from Meat Is Murder (Sire)

1:23AM Black Kids Hurricane Jane from Partie Traumatic (Columbia)

1:23AM John Fahey The Yellow Princess from The Essential John Fahey (Vanguard)

1:23AM Hauschka Ping from Salon des Amateurs (FatCat)

1:23AM Tortoise Cornpone Brunch Watt Remix (Mike Watt 'Cornpone Brunch' remix) from A Lazarus Taxon (Thrill Jockey)

12:59AM A Silver Mt. Zion Broken Chords Can Sing a Little from He Has Left Us Alone, But Shafts of Light Sometimes Grace the Corner of Our Rooms... (Constellation)

12:48AM The Pains of Being Pure at Heart Too Tough from Belong (Slumberland)

12:43AM Delorean Seasun from Ayrton Senna EP (Mushroom Pillow)

12:35AM Dengue Fever Thank You Goodbye from Cannibal Courtship (Concord)

12:35AM Daedelus Sew, Darn, Mend from Bespoke (Ninja Tune)

12:29AM Colorlist City Life (Gamal Trio Rmx) from Photographs (Off!)

12:22AM Architecture in Helsinki Denial Style from Moment Bends (Co-op)

12:15AM Curtis Mayfield Little Child Runnin' Wild from Superfly (Curtom)

12:06AM Tristeza Opiate Slopes from Dream Signals In Full Circles (Tiger Style)

Dancing at the Festival of Faith and Music

2011-04-15T19:59:00.011-05:00

When you decide to be a DJ, a lot of things happen at once. First, you can no longer play a song solely for your self. You turn what used to be personal enjoyment into a grueling job, accepting money in exchange for a less dignified taste in music. It's humbling work for a music-lover, but work that may alternately indulge the ego and increase self-confidence. Of all the people in the bar, there is only one person playing the music. You. Girls flirt with you for no other reason than to hear an Usher song. They touch your arm, and you say "yes." Endorphins run wild. It's hard to fall asleep the night after a good party. But you keep the party on. You keep them thirsty.

DJs need alcohol. That is, we need people to buy drinks from the bar. Two reasons we need people to drink: dancing, and a higher payout at the end of the night. At least for rookie DJs, for most of our gigs we are paid according to a percentage of the bar sales. This is why your annoying DJ friends are always asking you to come out to their gigs on Thursday nights. They are promoters as much as they are taste-makers. And sometimes they're not even taste-makers, they just take requests for a few hours and act cool behind a laptop.

I had the opportunity to DJ at Calvin College's Festival of Faith and Music last week. I had the last slot on the schedule. After shows by Matisyahu, My Brightest Diamond, The Civil Wars and Jon Foreman, Dylan Peterson DJed on Saturday night.

On my drive up to Grand Rapids, I wondered, "what kind of kids are going to come out for this? A Saturday night, on campus, without alcohol... Am I going to bomb?" Up until this point, I had only DJed in places where the alcohol was the selling point, and not the DJ. People had fun at my gigs because they were buzzed. How will the people of "faith" react to my set?

My set started quietly, with some remixes of HEALTH by Little Loud. Only a few kids were in the space, dancing probably out of pity, or boredom. But about 15 minutes after I started a stampede of people charged in with balloons, party hats and foam glasses. They were dancing before they even knew what song was on, so I quickly threw on Gettin' Jiggy With It to see how they'd handle it. These kids moved every inch on their bodies. There wasn't even a pivot foot on the floor. It was insanity.

And this went on for two straight hours. Past midnight. On a Saturday night. On the campus of a Christian college.

It reminded me of an interview I did with Ratatat a few years prior. They played a show at Calvin College, and told me that the kids there were crazier than any other city in the country. They guessed that the kids must have been drinking paint thinner or something, because they never saw anything like it.

I thought the same thing last week. There was no way these kids could be dancing as hard as they were without some foreign substance inspiring their movement.

But this week I've been thinking about it, and it's starting to make sense. Even though it's liberal compared to other Christian universities, Calvin is still a Bible college. A lot of restraint is encouraged at this school, under a guise of "personal discernment." This was the school that less than a year ago, cancelled a New Pornographers concert on campus for the sole reason that the band's name wasn't savory. This school is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where the only real cultural attraction in the town is Rob Bell's Mars Hill church.

These kids are champagne trapped under a thumb, and I popped the cork last weekend. In Chicago where we drink every other night, there's no pressure to dance. But at Calvin College, you might hold yourself back for months until a fleeting moment actually gives you a chance to release some energy. It was a blast to be able to play music for these kids who didn't need anything other than their own excitement in order to go crazy.

However, I noticed that when they haven't had anything to drink, the girls don't flirt as hard with me. And while that's not as great for the old self-confidence, at least they dance.

Because, ultimately, being a DJ is just being a part of the crowd. If the mob demands Black Eyed Peas, they will get Black Eyed Peas. And the DJ will get retarded with them. It's a communal experience, moving around to rhythms. There's no time for taste when we're dancing. No time for discernment. It's just about movement. So whether I'm at a Christian college in Michigan or a gay bar in Chicago, we're all just having some fun.

So drink up, or not.

CHIRP Playlist (4/13/11)

2011-04-13T13:31:00.002-05:00

I played tracks from upcoming Fleet Foxes, Times New Viking and Battles. 2011 is doing it right with the new music. And more "Welcomes" shows around town this year too. I'll be tabling at the "CHIRP Welcomes Delorean" show on Tuesday at Lincoln Hall, come say hi and get your mind blown out the back of your skull by Delorean's live show. We're so lucky that they're already back for another tour. Don't miss this one.

12:02AM Holy Ghost! Jam for Jerry from Holy Ghost! (DFA)

12:07AM Menomena Strongest Man In the World from I Am the Fun Blame Monster (FILMguererro)

12:15AM Fleet Foxes Montezuma from Helplessness Blues (Sub Pop)

12:18AM Maritime Apple of My Irony from Human Hearts (Dangerbird)

12:21AM The Kinks David Watts from Something Else By the Kinks (Reprise)

12:25AM HEALTH USA Boys from ::DISCO2 (Lovepump United)

12:29AM Wagon Christ Toomorrow from Toomorrow (Ninja Tune)

12:33AM Kanye West So Apalled from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Def Jam)

12:41AM The Vandermark 5 Vehicle (For Magnus Broo) from The Color Of Memory (Atavistic)

12:51AM Kurt Vile In My Time from Smoke Ring For My Halo (Matador)

12:54AM Gypsyblood My R.K.O. is M.I.A. from Cold in the Guestway (Sargent House)

1:01AM LCD Soundsystem Losing My Edge from LCD Soundsystem (DFA)

1:08AM Run-D.M.C. It's Like That from Ultimate Run-D.M.C. (Arista)

1:15AM Liars Sailing To Byzantium* from Liars (Mute)

1:19AM Vee Dee Stray People from Vee Dee (BLVD)

1:26AM Nightlands 300 Clouds from Forget the Mantra (Secretly Canadian)

1:31AM Quintron Face Down in the Gutter from Sucre Du Sauvage (Goner)

1:34AM Times New Viking Ever Falling In Love from Dancer Equired (Merge)

1:37AM Voxtrot The Start of Something from Raised By Wolves (Cult Hero)

1:42AM Jonny Candyfloss from Jonny (Merge)

1:45AM Rival Schools Wring It Out from Pedals (Photo Finish)

1:50AM Black Devil Disco Club Stay Insane (featuring Yacht) from Circus (Lo)

1:54AM Gayngs The Last Prom On Earth from Relayted (Jagjaguwar)

2:02AM The Sea and Cake Leeora from The Biz (Thrill Jockey)

2:06AM William Fitzsimmons Farewell Angelina from Subterranean Homesick Blues: A Tribute to Bob Dylan's 'Bringing It All Back Home' (Reimagine)

2:13AM Kings Of Convenience Renegade from Declaration Of Dependence (Astralwerks)

2:17AM Keren Ann 101 from 101 (EMI)

2:23AM Orchestre Poly-Rythmo Pardon from Cotonou Club (Strut)

2:28AM Tom Zé Solvador, Bahia De Caymmi from Estudando A Bossa: Nordeste Plaza (Luaka Bop)

2:31AM The World/Inferno Friendship Society The Mighty Raritan from The Anarchy and the Ecstasy (Chunksaah)

2:35AM Battles Futura from Glass Drop (Warp)

2:42AM Bloodiest Obituary from Descent (Relapse)

2:48AM Del the Funky Homosapien Raw from Golden Era (The Council)

2:52AM Prince Kiss from Parade (Warner Bros.)

2:55AM Anathallo Bells from Canopy Glow (Anticon)

You Missed Out: Cut Copy

2011-04-09T01:22:00.005-05:00

(published by Heave Media)

In spite of their venue, Cut Copy almost made the acoustics in the Riviera sound adequate last night. Dan Whitford's baritone sounded just as rich live as it does on record, every synth and guitar was working in perfect harmony, and the beats were unnaturally tight. It probably wasn't unlike the first time people heard Joy Division. But on this night, Cut Copy were doing their best New Order impersonation. The sound was huge, and it got warm as hell in there.

The crowd had its hands up from the front to the back, and they were all dancing too. Even up in the balcony, dancing. I even saw one girl pull a security guard over to dance with her. Not sure if that was a distraction for her friends to get backstage or what, but still, it was fun to see even the stereotypically stoic tough guy getting down to some synth pop.

When Whitford made predictions between songs like "things are about to get crazy in here," he turned out to be right every time. Lights and Music was the craziest song of the night, in a meta-ironic sort of way (lights and music certainly were on all of our minds...). Whitford sang with his arms and hands stretching all around, which got hyper-meta-ironic when he got to the chorus of Hearts of Fire ("I reach out to you tonight"). It was a feel-good show from start to finish, but Take Me Over, one of the highlights of their 2011 album, Zonoscope, was the feel-good song of night.

A neat little gimmick was the plain white door set up in the center of the stage. It was lined with LED lights, and a few songs into the set the door suddenly became a backdrop for vivid and surreal projections. The most common images were white clouds on blue skies, a sight Chicagoans are tired of dreaming of. But even though it was another damp, cold and cloudy night, spring seemed closer than ever inside the Riviera. The sights and sounds of Cut Copy helped thaw us out a bit.

CHIRP Playlist (4/6/11)

2011-04-06T13:09:00.002-05:00

New music from Hauschka, Low and TV on the Radio this week, and I'll probably play something from the new Fleet Foxes next week. There is some good stuff coming out right now, and I will play all of it on CHIRP. Oh, and even though I won't be there (I'm DJing at Calvin College's Festival of Faith and Music this weekend), the CHIRP Record Fair is this Saturday and Sunday. Go to it.

12:02AM Low Especially Me from C'mon (Sub Pop)

12:07AM Simon & Garfunkel Leaves That Are Green from Sounds of Silence (Columbia)

12:10AM Soft Speaker Breaking Bones from Conditions (self-released)

12:15AM TV On the Radio Second Song from Nine Types of Light (Interscope)

12:19AM Joan As Police Woman Run For Love from The Deep Field (PIAS)

12:26AM Nick Drake Cello Song from Five Leaves Left (Island)

12:30AM Crystal Stilts Invisible City from In Love with Oblivion (Slumberland)

12:36AM The Mekons Ghosts Of American Astronauts from So Good It Hurts (Twin/Tone)

12:42AM The Raveonettes War in Heaven from Raven in the Grave (Vice)

12:45AM Cut Copy Out There On The Ice from In Ghost Colours (Modular)

12:51AM Wire Reuters from Pink Flag (EMI)

12:54AM The People's Temple The Surf from Sons Of Stone (HoZac)

12:58AM The Cave Singers At The Cut from Welcome Joy (Matador)

1:02AM Magnolia Electric Co. Hold On Magnolia from The Magnolia Electric Co. (Secretly Canadian)

1:10AM Wilco Impossible Germany from Sky Blue Sky (Nonesuch)

1:18AM Four Tet Parks from Pause (Domino)

1:23AM Cold Cave Icons of Summer from Cherish the Light Years (Matador)

1:30AM Canasta Firenze from We Were Set Up (Broken Middle C)

1:34AM The Head and the Heart Rivers And Roads from The Head and the Heart (Sub Pop)

1:44AM Ha Ha Tonka Death of a Decade from Death of a Decade (Bloodshot)

1:44AM The Jam Music for the Last Couple from Sound Affects (Polydor)

1:50AM The Kills Satellite from Blood Pressures (Domino)

1:54AM O'Death Ourselves from Outside (Ernest Jenning)

1:57AM Neil Young Don't Let It Bring You Down from After The Goldrush (Reprise)

2:02AM The Album Leaf Vermillion from One Day I'll Be on Time (Tiger Style)

2:08AM Kraftwerk Computer Love from The Mix (Kling Klang)

2:16AM Beastie Boys Hold It Now, Hit It from Licensed To Ill (Def Jam)

2:19AM The Electric Sometimes from Life Is Moving (OGS)

2:25AM Plastic Crimewave Sound Caged Fire Theme from Flashing Open (Eclipse/Rocket)

2:32AM Vivian Girls I Heard You Say from Share the Joy (Polyvinyl)

2:36AM Hauschka Taxitaxi from Salon des Amateurs (FatCat)

2:41AM Sroeng Santi Dub Fai Kui Gun from Thai? Dai!: The Heavier Side of the Luk Thung Underground (Finders Keepers)

2:45AM Six Organs Of Admittance Hold but Let Go from Asleep on the Floodplain (Drag City)

2:51AM Adventure Rio from Lesser Known (Carpark)

2:56AM David Bowie It's No Game (Part 1) from Scary Monsters (RCA)

You Missed Out: Gold Panda

2011-03-30T12:26:00.005-05:00

(published by Heave Media)

Isn't it fun when people dance in Schubas? I generally consider Schubas to be Chicago's "quiet venue" where singer songwriters strum on acoustic guitars without much need for any amplification at all. But sometimes they bring in an artist like Gold Panda, and the bass overwhelms us. So we move around.

Gold Panda's Lucky Shiner was one of my favorite albums of 2010. It was an epitome of recorded electronic music, blending glo-fi, glitch and glistening minimalism. The music requires a MIDI controller to be performed live, making the potential for improvisation a highlight of the show. While the crowd anxiously awaits the next beat or chord change that they always look forward to on record, we're forced to bob our heads up and down a little longer as Gold Panda stretches the bridges a few measures more. The songs are all essentially the same, but extended just enough to maintain that element of surprise.

During the show last night, I couldn't help but think of John Cage--specifically his prepared piano. As I'm sure audiences were surprised by the unexpected sounds emitted by his keys, artists like Gold Panda, Dam-Mantle, Baths and Mount Kimbie use a 21st century edition of a pre-programmed percussive device to experiment with new sound combinations.

But John Cage never made people dance. Gold Panda succeeded with his prepared instrument, and at Schubas no less. Without a light show or anything.

The projected visuals were pretty, but too often became distorted. It looked like someone's laptop didn't have enough memory or something. But other than that mishap, it was invigorating to have the UK's freshest beat-maker bring his bliss to a sold-out Schubas crowd on a Tuesday night.

CHIRP Playlist (3/30/11)

2011-03-30T11:55:00.002-05:00

After rushing over to the studio from Schubas (Gold Panda), it ended up being one of those shifts where Dylan is DJing while slightly buzzed. Which means I'm very talkative and energetic in the first hour, fumbling confusedly in the second, and just sleeping through the last hour. Looking back over the set-list today though, looks like a pretty decent show:

12:03AM The Mountain Goats Age of Kings from All Eternals Deck (Merge)

12:07AM Bob Dylan Tell Me, Momma from The Bootleg Series, Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live, 1966: The Royal Albert Hall Concert (Columbia)

12:14AM Ween Little Birdy from Pure Guava (Elektra)

12:17AM Architecture in Helsinki Contact High from Moment Bends (Modular)

12:21AM Hunx and his Punx Keep Away From Johnny from Too Young To Be In Love (Hardly Art)

12:26AM Gold Panda Marriage (Baths Remix) from Marriage EP (Ghostly International)

12:30AM Rainbow Arabia Sequenced from Boys and Diamonds (Kompakt)

12:37AM Lou Rawls Tobacco Road from The Legendary Lou Rawls (Capitol)

12:45AM The Fleshtones You Give Me Nothing To Go On from Brooklyn Sound Solution (Yep Roc)

12:49AM The Dodos Hunting Season from No Color (Frenchkiss)

12:53AM Chandeliers Pharoah's Fury from Dirty Moves (Pickled Egg)

12:56AM Devendra Banhart We All Know from Niño Rojo (Young God)

1:00AM Talking Heads With Our Love from More Songs About Buildings and Food (Sire)

1:03AM Pinback Good To Sea from Autumn of the Seraphs (Touch and Go)

1:06AM Califone Trout Silk from Roomsound (Perishable)

1:13AM Explosions In the Sky First Breath After Coma from The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place (Temporary Residence Ltd.)

1:22AM The Joy Formidable A Heavy Abacus from The Big Roar (Atlantic)

1:27AM Allá Es Tiempo from Es Tiempo (Crammed)

1:31AM Ponytail AwayWay from Do Whatever You Want All the Time (We Are Free)

1:38AM Beach Fossils Face It from What a Pleasure EP (Captured Tracks)

1:41AM The Lonely Forest Woe Is Me, I Am Ruined from Arrows (Trans/Atlantic)

1:46AM My Bloody Valentine What You Want* from Loveless (Creation)

1:52AM Bibio Pretentious from Mind Bokeh (Warp)

1:59AM Afrika Bambaataa Looking For The Perfect Beat from Looking For The Perfect Beat 1980-1985 (Tommy Boy)

2:06AM Gorillaz 12d3 from G-Sides (Virgin)

2:11AM Mark Hollis A New Jerusalem from Mark Hollis (Polydor)

2:16AM The Arts of Life Band Bells in the Doug from CHIRP + Coach House Sounds Live Sessions (Coach House Sounds)

2:22AM Obits I Want Results from Moody, Standard and Poor (Sub Pop)

2:26AM Led Zeppelin South Bound Saurez from In Through the Out Door (Swan Song)

2:30AM Belong A Walk from Common Era (kranky)

2:37AM Bill Callahan Baby's Breath from Apocalypse (Drag City)

2:42AM Rick Rizzo & Tara Key BWG Stately from Double Star (Thrill Jockey)

2:48AM Yelle Comme un Enfant from Safari Disco Club (Co-op)

2:52AM Daphni (Caribou) Ye Ye from Pinnacles / Ye Ye (Text)

2:58AM Crystal Castles 1991 from Crystal Castles (Lies)

You Missed Out: The Residents

2011-03-26T22:58:00.010-05:00

(published by Heave Media)

After over 40 years and dozens of albums, I decided that it was time to see what all the fuss was about. I saw the Residents at the Museum of Contemporary Art tonight, and it's hard to say if they met expectations or not. Their way-too visible smoke machine was louder than their music. The group's masks looked like first generation Slipknot ripoffs. And the singer twiddled his fingers around like Wizzo the whole time.

The thing is, the Residents are notorious for being enigmatic. Almost like the Bob Dylan of avant-garde experimental artists, they are chameleons. The four (three on this night) members have never revealed their identities. They've kept their act mysterious since the beginning, and there's no telling when or if an end is in sight.

Given their history with subversive satiric content, it's likely that tonight's performance was no different. Their theme was "ghost stories," so they used vocal effects that sounded like the Exorcist and showed videos of masked strangers telling tales of horror. None of it was really scary though. And that was probably the point.

Yes, Slipknot masks are dumb. Yes, smoke machines are cheesy. Wizzo was a clown. So if anyone is fooled by a cheap horror gimmick, the joke's on them. The singer occasionally spoke to the audience about the most horrifying "mirror people," which, in my humble interpretation, refers to "me and you." Humans are capable of actual horror, especially when we delude ourselves into believing that something in our imaginations can present a literal danger. This message came full circle in the closing song, "Ghostbusters."

It was not a rock concert, but a performance art piece. The MCA really was an ideal venue for this show. The Residents' mystique is resilient, and even though they're getting old in age, their ideas are as thought-provoking as ever.

DJ set list, Burlington (3/24/11)

2011-03-25T12:39:00.002-05:00

Second time DJing the Burlington, and double the crowd size for Thursday night. Jason Zenz is the best dude, since he was the only CHIRPer who came out. But the whole night was kinda tarnished by my cold. My nose was runny and I felt tired at 10:30. I think it was still a fun time for everyone else, but my favorite part of the set was the last half hour when only 10 people were in the bar and I felt more comfortable slowing everything down (from Bone Thugs to The Weeknd). That fit my mood.

James Blake - Wilhelm Scream

John Mayer - I Don't Trust Myself With Loving You

Notorious BIG - Big Poppa

Paul Young - Every Time You Go Away

Out Hud - 2005 A Face Odyssey

Das Racist - Rainbow in the Dark

Junk Culture - West Coast

J. Cole - Who Dat

Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes

Gold Panda - You

Gravediggaz - Diary of a Madman

Kanye West - Monster

Outkast - 2 Dope Boys in a Cadillac

Bonobo - Kong

Curren$y - Elevator Musik

Cypress Hill - When the Shit Goes Down

Niki Minaj - Your Love

CFCF - You Hear Colours

Big Boi - Tangerine

MGMT - Time to Pretend

Bibio - K is for Kelson

Adele - Rolling off the Deep (Jamie xx remix)

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Round and Round (Little Loud remix)

HEALTH - Nice Girls (Little Loud remix)

Genesis - I Can't Dance

CFCF - Big Love

Public Enemy - Bring the Noise

BULLS theme

Daft Punk - Da Funk

Kisses - The Heart of the Nightlife

Elijah and the Ebonites - Hot Grits!

Toro y Moi - Still Sound

Four Tet - Love Cry

Robyn - Dancing On My Own

Cut Copy - Blink and You'll Miss A Revolution

Graham Gouldman - Go For It

Friendly Fires - Skeleton Boy

CSS - Knife

Crystal Castles - 1991

Kisses - Midnight Lover

MFSB - Family Affair

Yeasayer - ONE

The Dream Academy - Life In A Northern Town

Daft Punk - Harder Faster

Ratatat - Shempi

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends

Burial and Four Tet and Thom Yorke - Ego

Prince - Erotic City

Julio Bashmore - Battle for Middle You

Tag Team - Whoomp There It Is

Nikita Warren - I Need You

Caribou - Ye Ye

Waka Flocka Flame - O Let's Do It

SALEM - King Night

Mount Kimbie - Carbonated

Odd Future/Tyler the Creator - Yonkers

Light Asylum - Dark Allies

Furniture - Brilliant Mind

Pains of Being Pure at Heart - Heart in Your Heartbreak

Wire - Another the Letter

Sleigh Bells - Run the Heart

Bone Thugs and Harmony - 1st of tha Month

Kid Cudi - Pursuit of Happiness

Gold Panda - Marriage (Baths remix)

The Cool Kids - Bundle Up

Memoryhouse - Lately

Jens Lekman - Maple Leaves

The Weeknd - The Morning

CHIRP Playlist (3/23/11)

2011-03-23T12:32:00.004-05:00

**Listen to the Baths interview HERE.

At 12:15am I aired my interview with Will Wiesenfeld of Baths. If you missed it, the podcast is available to download on chirpradio.org/podcasts. Otherwise, another good CHIRP shift last night. Here's what happened:

12:05AM Jonny Greenwood Mata Aini Kuru Kara Ne from Norwegian Wood (Nonesuch)

12:10AM Baths Nordic Laurel from Pop Music / False B-sides (self-released)

12:27AM Kate Bush Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) from Hounds Of Love (EMI)

12:31AM Mi Ami Echo from Dolphins EP (Thrill Jockey)

12:40AM Detholz! Death to the Traitor from Death to the Traitor (self-released)

12:44AM The Acorn Flood Pt. 1 from Glory Hope Mountain (Paper Bag)

12:50AM The Cool Kids Bundle Up from Bundle Up single (Green Label Sound)

12:53AM Tahiti 80 Solitary Bizness from The Past, The Present & The Possible (Human Sounds)

1:00AM Laura Veirs Don't Lose Yourself from Saltbreakers (Nonesuch)

1:03AM Lee Hazlewood Toocie And The River from 13 (LHI)

1:08AM Damien Jurado and Richard Swift Radioactivity from Other People's Songs (self-released)

1:25AM Mount Kimbie Carbonated from Crooks & Lovers (Hotflush)

1:25AM Colin Stetson Judges from New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges (Constellation)

1:27AM Dosh Wolves from Wolves & Wishes (Anticon)

1:28AM Ducktails Killin' the Vibe from Arcade Dynamics (Woodsist)

1:32AM The Books Motherless Bastard from Thought For Food (Tomlab)

1:38AM Jad Fair This Could Be The Night from Beautiful Songs: The Best of Jad Fair (Fire)

1:43AM No Kids Great Escape from Come Into My House (Tomlab)

1:48AM The Curious Mystery Not Port from We Creeling (K)

1:53AM Smith Westerns My Heart from Smith Westerns (HoZac)

1:56AM Dum Dum Girls He Gets Me High from He Gets Me High EP (Sub Pop)

2:00AM Parts & Labor Skin and Bones from Constant Future (Jagjaguwar)

2:06AM Pelican Drought from Australasia (Hydrahead)

2:14AM Erykah Badu Window Seat from New Amerykah, Pt. 2: Return of the Ankh (Universal)

2:19AM Memphis m+e=me from Here Comes A City (Arts & Crafts)

2:21AM Kanye West Blame Game from My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Def Jam)

2:28AM Loch Lomond Water Bells from Little Me Will Start A Storm (Tender Loving Empire)

2:31AM Brave Irene River To Sea from Brave Irene (Slumberland)

2:32AM Decibully Notes To Our Leaders from Sing Out America (Polyvinyl)

2:39AM Burial & Four Tet & Thom Yorke Ego from Ego / Mirror (Text)

2:44AM Fuck Buttons Bright Tomorrow from Street Horrrsing (ATP)

2:54AM Silver Abuse Bomb Shelter from Busted at Oz (Permanent)

2:55AM Peaking Lights Summertime from 936 (Not Not Fun)

Don't Miss Out: 3/24/11 @ The Burlington

2011-03-20T21:23:00.004-05:00

We're celebrating Spring Break this Thursday at the Burlington. I'm DJing all night, from 10pm until close. If you can't read the flyer above (designed by Matt Mackowiak), The Burlington is located in Logan Square at 3425 W. Fullerton Ave.. Wear sunglasses if you think you're cool, or a nerd. This is going to be fun for all of us. I'll do that mash-up of Biggie, John Mayer and Paul Young for anybody who shows up early.

CHIRP Playlist (3/16/11)

2011-03-16T13:25:00.002-05:00

Just another CHIRP show. It felt a little bit lonelier than usual, maybe because everyone's in Austin. But anyway. I feel compelled to mention my "premiere" artist of the week. Secretly Canadian recently signed Little Scream, and they're the sort of band I expect to be opening for Yeasayer sometime before the end of the year. Their album is out on April 12th.

12:04AM Tim Hecker In the Fog II from Ravedeath, 1972 (kranky)

12:08AM Broadcast Papercuts from Noise Made By People (Warp)

12:14AM Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid The Sun Never Sets from Tongues (Domino)

12:20AM Esben & the Witch Hexagons IV from Violet Cries (Matador)

12:27AM Smoking Popes I've Got Mono from This Is Not A Test (Asian Man)

12:30AM Sex Pistols Pretty Vacant from Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (Warner Bros.)

12:33AM Disappears Pearly Gates from Lux (kranky)

12:39AM Wye Oak Hot as Day from Civilian (Merge)

12:42AM The National Cherry Tree from Cherry Tree (Brassland)

12:47AM Papercuts Winter Daze from Fading Parade (Sub Pop)

12:51AM Dungen Ta Det Lugnt from Ta Det Lugnt (Kemado)

1:00AM Black Math Storefronts from Phantom Power (Permanent)

1:05AM Blondie Live It Up from Autoamerican (Chrysalis)

1:09AM The Whitest Boy Alive Promise Less Or Do More from Rules (Bubbles)

1:15AM The Zombies Indication from The Zombies Collection (Castle Music Ltd.)

1:18AM Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears She's So Scandalous from Scandalous (Lost Highway)

1:22AM Apostle of Hustle A Rent Boy Goes Down from The National Anthem of Nowhere (Arts & Crafts)

1:28AM Jacaszek Elegia from SMM: Context (Ghostly International)

1:33AM Blonde Redhead Distilled from In an Expression of the Inexpressible (Touch and Go)

1:37AM The Rural Alberta Advantage Stamp from Departing (Saddle Creek)

1:41AM Eleventh Dream Day That's What's Coming from Riot Now! (Thrill Jockey)

1:47AM Pixies Vamos from Surfer Rosa (4AD)

1:53AM Ensemble Envies d'Avalanches from Excerpts (FatCat)

1:57AM Unwound Devoid from Repetition (Kill Rock Stars)

2:01AM James Blackshaw All Is Falling Pt 7 from All Is Falling (Young God)

2:14AM Mos Def Black Jack from The New Danger (DGC)

2:20AM Beans Glass Coffins (produced by Tobacco) from End It All (Anticon)

2:23AM Sims Bad Time Zoo from Bad Time Zoo (Doomtree)

2:26AM John Coltrane Spiral from Giant Steps (Atlantic)

2:32AM Jessica Lea Mayfield Tell Me from Tell Me (Nonesuch)

2:37AM Little Scream Cannons from The Golden Record (Secretly Canadian)

2:40AM Roommate Snow Globe from Guilty Rainbow (Antephonic)

2:47AM Nicolas Jaar Space is Only Noise if You Can See from Space Is Only Noise (Circus Company)

2:53AM Bible Of The Devil Womanize from Freedom Metal (Cruz de la Sur)

TD vs. BL Blog Update

2011-03-12T01:33:00.003-06:00

I started this blog back in college. The whole point of it was to post giveaway alerts for Moody Campus Radio listeners. If you check 2006 on the archive sidebar, you'll see I was giving away tickets to Eisley and Anathallo. I was a proud station manager back then, but I don't know if the station even exists anymore in 2011...

My point being, I started this blog because of music. But for a few years, it was dormant. After I graduated and got jobs here and there at radio stations and magazines, I forgot that this blog even existed.

Two years ago I lost my job as an editor, and this really shook me up pretty bad. I had no idea what to do, I felt like my whole career in music journalism was over. So I emailed Greg Kot to ask his advice. Why Greg Kot, of all people? Greg was very encouraging to me when I was an intern at Sound Opinions. I'll never forget one day he told me, "a lot of people think they have what it takes, but they have no idea. But you do have what it takes. So just keep working at it." But after I got fired, I just wasn't sure anymore. All I knew was that I loved music, and I wanted to keep writing. So Greg gave the obvious suggestion: "write." He told me to write every day, in a blog. So I resurrected TDvsBL, and went to work.

I probably wrote every single day for one year straight, but about topics ranging anywhere from music to film, theology, humor, fiction and sports. TD vs. BL was one of those "bad blogs" that was just too much everything at once. I don't regret it though, because I had to explore my range, and this blog allowed it. Creatively, I wasn't ready to focus on just one topic. I was all over the place, and there was no stopping me. But after a while the blog naturally found its way.

For a few months now, there hasn't really been anything on TDvsBL other than music related articles. I post all of my CHIRP playlists here, my DJ playlists, my HEAVE concert reviews, my Jettison interviews, etc..

So now I'm just going to declare what has been in place for a while now--Total Darkness vs. Blinding Light is officially a music blog.

This doesn't mean that I'll stop writing about movies or religion, I just don't want it here anymore. I have a wordpress that collects some of my other writing, and I'll continue to post my publications with Curator, Burnside, Killing the Buddha (and whoever else publishes me) at that site. Thank you for reading, I hope this didn't come as bad news to anyone.

But now that I have your attention, check out the new Kurt Vile album, Smoke Ring For My Halo. One of the best releases of the year so far. The dude is great in War on Drugs, but this latest might be his best work to date.

(don't you just love music?)