Tag Archives: IL

UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (2.20.12) Apteka

20 Feb

Best New Band of 2012 --- Chicago's Apteka


UNCORKED™ – Best New Bands of 2012 (2.20.12) Apteka

I commute a lot. This gives me time to pour through the massive amount of music that The Turk sends me. Often times, I am balancing my shuffle’s choice of some live Radiohead track or some horrible garage punk mess. It’s not often that I get to pull the iPhone out of my jacket pocket to see which band is playing. The most recent incident was last on my flight home from Columbus, OH. At first I thought it was a new record from Janes. That didn’t get me overly excited, having heard the past few from them. I seriously think Perry lost his edge. He’s doing reality TV for God’s sake. Apteka has the ’90s sound with a Perryesque vocal lead but they sound current. They’re like a pair of retro shoes. They look classic, but feel (sound) current. Love these Chicago boy.

Vitals: Chicago, IL
Members:
Adam Lukas, Dino Balocchi, Jesse Hozeny, and Dave Narey
Sonic Soulmates™: Jane’s Addiction, Screaming Trees
Trackables™:
“Gargoyle Days” –
“In Clouds” –

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Apteka site
Spotify

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Best New Bands of 2011 HUMMINGBIRD AWARD: #6 Widowspeak

15 Dec

I haven't been this in love since last week. WIdowspeak soothes my soul. So deserving of the Hummingbird

Best New Band of 2011
#6 Hummingbird Award – Widowspeak
Ahhh the Spectorian sounds of 2011 all started back in January or maybe it was the hangover from 2010. Tennis, Cloud Nothings, etc. all slammed us with the airy 60’s pop female led bands. Our favorite and our fan favorite was Widowspeak. No band got more attention on NBD this year than Widowspeak. Why? A. They’re good. B. They had a new record hit mid-year and C. Molly crushes the vocals. This three time zone trio is a treat and we hope you find them Top 10 worthy on your list.

Vitals:
Hometown: Chicago, IL or Tacoma, WA or Brooklyn, NY
Members: Molly Hamilton, Michael Stasiak, Robert Thomas
Sonic Soulmates™: Cloud Nothings, Eternal Summers, Mazzy Star
Trackables™:

“Harsh Realm”

“Puritan”

“Burnout”

Click here to listen on your iPhone or iPad
Widowspeak – “Harsh Realm”
Widowspeak – “Puritan”
Widowspeak – “Burnout”

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Original Post: Band of the Day 1.6.11

WHAT ARE THE HUMMINGBIRDS?
2011 Winners
Hummingbird Award #13: Lana Del Rey
Hummingbird Award #12: WATERS
Hummingbird Award #11: Suuns
Hummingbird Award #10: La Sera
Hummingbird Award #9: Sun Airway
Hummingbird Award #8: White Denim
Hummingbird Award #7: Dirty Beaches

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Band of the Day (4.27.11) (David) Vandervelde

27 Apr

Unique vocal falsetto brings shivers down your spine and Loggins memories - Vandervelde


Band of the Day (4.27.11) (David) Vandervelde

There was a time when I could watch the first 8 minutes of Caddyshack and it would put me in a good mood. Maybe it was the “Danny’s in the bathroom” scene, or the bike scene or maybe even the parent dynamic. It dawned on me that it was a simply the song. Kenny Loggins was the shiat for a moment in time. Probably for about three years, he was the lead maestro of every single movie that meant anything to us kids of the 80’s. I’m not looking for a hipster revival of Loggins, but hell Hall and Oates are having one. But, maybe just maybe his sound will have a revival. In 2007, Secretly Canadian Records released the first David Vandervelde solo album, The Moonstation House Band. Vandervelde, a Chicago/Nashville/Brooklyn native pulls from the vocal closet of Kenny an the rock vibe of T-Rex. He’s a folky hipster, but he’s got that poppy vibe. I loved his 2007 record and his new one, More Than You Can Feel , is quite brilliant. Hear three tracks below oh and hey he’s just made the Lollapalooza line-up. Vandervelde recording with the much missed Jay Bennett.

Vitals:
Hometown: Nashville, TN, USA
Members: David Vandervelde
Sonic Soulmates: T-Rex, Lindsey Buckingham (minus the virtuoso guitar), Benjy Ferree, Ferraby Lionheart, Cool Caddyshack Kenny Loggins
Trackables:
“More Than You Can Feel” – Lead single from the new record!

“Checking Out My Baby” – it’s a little Scissor Sistery.

“Learn How to Hang” – This is my fave from Mr. Vandervelde. Caddyshack anyone?

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Band of the Day (1.28.11) Disappears

28 Jan

Rock re-appears with Disappears


Band of the Day (1.28.11) – Disappears

2011 is Becoming Rock Heaven! Another fantastic rock band, these boys are from Chicago and they are brilliant. Bottom-line Lux from Disappears was an amazing record. It was part Lou Reed par Iggy Pop/Stooges, part REM. Odd dichotomy, but it works. The title track “Lux” is so dizzyingly close to the weird Velvet Lou Reed echoed chants, that I thought it was him…but as you dig deeper, the distorted scuzzy tracks from their first album were on the verge of something really good. It reminds me of Bleach , the true Nirvana fan record. No big studio budget, just the three-some in the studio, Kurt screaming and Dave pounding away and a frenetic pace. Then Nevermind hit the streets and we all realized the garage screaming hatched perfection. I’m not comparing the boys sound to Nirvana, but I am comparing the evolution of the band. They could be big, it takes the voice of the fans to make it happen, but from the little I’ve heard from the new record Guider, this may just be the Chicago boys moment! Take a listen

Vitals
Hometown: Chicago, IL, USA
Members: Brian Case, Damon Carruesco, Jonathan van Herik
Sonic Soulmates: REM, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop
Must Hear Tracks:
“New Fast” – Newest bestest track from Guider

“Gone Completely” – The best track from Lux…F’n LOVE IT!

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MySpace
Facebook
Official Site
Twitter

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Band of the Day (1.19.11) Smith Westerns *****

19 Jan

Smith Westerns bring 70's dream rock Bowie style with a great new record


Band of the Day (1.19.11) Smith Westerns *****

Together as a group since 2007. These Chicago boys, all under the age of 21, have a big label deal, two LPs and the momentum of downhill big rig with no brakes. They’re rock poppy like Girls or The Soft Pack, even a little Supergrass in em. They have 70’s melodic guitars and synth rock coupled with the breathy vocals of Bowie. T-Rex would be proud of these boys. I love the new record and I can pretty much guarantee that this will be the year of SMITH WESTERNS. Hands down. The record is good enough to catapult them over any other record that’s been released this year. If they get the right festival schedule then, you’ll definitely see this record selling through-out the summer. Dye it Blonde was released earlier this month and the tracks are GREAT…and when we say GREAT in all caps, WE MEAN IT. Hear two of them below. I haven’t smiled this much since I first heard the Tallest Man on Earth record. Time to buy some tickets, get a t-shirt and claim this band as your favorite. By the way, if you don’t do it quickly, you’ll be hating them in a few months when you see them in he iPad 2.0 commercial.

Vitals:
Hometown: Chicago, IL, USA, that’s two days in a row. See The Ponys…is there a new scene in Chitown?
Members: Cullen Omori, Cameron Omori, Max Kakacek, Colby Hewitt
Sonic Soulmates: T-Rex, Bowie, The Soft Pack, Wavves, Kiss (Ace guitars), Supergrass, Girls
Label: Fat Possum
Must Hear Tracks:
“End of the Night” – 70’s dream rock Bowie style. Supergrass style and now Smith Western style.

“Weekend” – This was the single released back in October of 2010. It’s quite good.

Hear the NPR Stream as HERE

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Band of the Day (1.18.11) The Ponys

18 Jan

It's time for the break-through. The Ponys become Colts Photo By Colin Smith!

Photo by Colin Smith!

Band of the Day (1.18.11) The Ponys

Why? Because 2010 was the comeback EP year and 2011 is the year where The Ponys break-through. Much like Pepper Rabbit yesterday, these great bands get overlooked because there are so many other bands doing similar things. The cream doesn’t necessarily rise to the top in the music industry. It’s those that have the right PR and marketing folks that make them or break them. In today’s music environment, it’s impossible to get enough attention to make an impact. There are no retail shelves or radio stations to make your mark. So it’s really all about social influencers, can you find those people that connect you to great music. Since 2002, The Ponys have been touring. In 2007 they hung it up with Turn the Lights Out but it was really the 2004 release Laced With Romance that made The Ponys a band to watch. Their recent Deathbed Plus 4 EP was comparable if not better then anything they’ve released to date. Maybe it was the time off the road, who knows, but the maturity of the band is obvious. Thank you to the Arizona Turk

Vitals:
Hometown: Chicago, IL, USA
Members: Jered Gummere, Melissa Elias, Brian Case, Nathan Jerde
Sonic Soulmates: Joy Division, Interpol, Thee Oh Sees, Black Lips, Coachwhips
Label: Matador
Must Hear Tracks:
“Deathbed” – So many bands wish they had this swagger.

“Is It Working” – Coachwhips wish they were this cool. Sounds like they’re 16 again.

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Band of the Day (10.12.10) BIGCOLOUR

12 Oct

BOD: (10.12.10) BIGCOLOUR

I remember the first time I heard The Police. I can’t say I was of the age where I could see them live, but it was a sound that struck me as inventive. The lead singer playing bass, the drum beats I couldn’t tap my toes to and the layered guitars with reggae overtones and a smattering of garage punk. So there’s this guy from Chicago that seems to have some buzz around him. His name is Brian Brissart and he’s cleverly owning his sound. I know comparing him to The Police is a big “No No” but dude has a direction that people are comfortable with and it sounds great. It’s a combination of Toro Y Moi’s spectacular chillwave vibe, The Police’s vibe and Real Estate’s Indie rock feel. He has a couple of EP’s out, his newest is Meshes of the Laughternoon. Listen to a few tracks below.

UPDATE —- Just got an email from the label and BIGCOLOUR just released the fantastic EP Centuries of Summer and you can download it for free from his BandCamp here.

Listen and love it.

Hear:
“Crevasses” – The Police guitar and vocal vibe. My favorite track from the new EP

BIGCOLOUR – “Crevasses”

“Stork” – Probably the most accessible track from Brian. Love it and I wouldn’t be shocked to see it splattered all over the blogs.

Download – BIGCOLOUR – “Stork”

“Power Stranger” – Love this track too.

Download – BIGCOLOUR – “Power Stranger”
His live band includes:
joseph andert
jordan vouga
alex auby

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HEAR IT: (7.15.10) TELEFON TEL AVIV – “Birds”/ “Fahrenheit Fair Enough” / “TTV” / “Sound In A Dark Room”

15 Jul

HEAR IT: (7.15.10) TELEFON TEL AVIV

“Birds”:

“Fahrenheit Fair Enough:

“TTV”

“Sound In A Dark Room”

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BAND OF THE DAY: (7.15.10) TELEFON TEL AVIV

15 Jul Chicago's finest

BOD: (7.15.10) TELEFON TEL AVIV

I’m not a heavy dance/electro guy. Never really have been, but I enjoy great beats, with touches of nostalgia to my KROQ 80’s days. I’m not afraid to tell you the Phantogram is a great NEW band that you should love, see the Best of 2010…so far. Or having Civil Civic crush it for us this week, I have a diverse music palate, as I think everyone does. That what makes this so fun. There used to 35,000 CDs released in one year, that’s just absurd, now there are more that 100,000 tracks, albums, etc. released annually on the web. It makes it impossible to keep up, but it’s also exciting to know that there is more music available then ever in the history of time. That’s why today’s band is so important. Through the various outlets that I scour daily, I scored when I found Telefon Tel Aviv. I found a jewel and I didn’t want to share it. I kept them to myself for too long. Now they may be no more, but I felt it was time to share.

They formed in their hometown of Chicago, in 1999. Both Charles Cooper and Joshua Eustis had a passion for tape loops, down beat electronica and they formed TTA. With three full LPs and several EP/remixes, the boys found their rhythm in 2009 with the release of Immolate Yourself. It reached #17 on the Billboard Electronic album charts and still today stands as a monumental landmark for any dance album. It inspires my creativity and makes me want to dig deeper into my psyche. When I read the news that Charles Cooper passed away last I was upset. At only 31, it’s a tragic death, for the music world it’s even more devastating. We have to live without…these time capsule from TTA will make you want more, but we’re stuck here at the rise of their incline…a tragic loss but a band more than worthy to be voted Band of the Day on NBD. I hope they become your new favorite band.

HEAR FOUR OF THEIR TRACKS:


MySpace
Visit their website, but I believe it might be down…

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