I'm not sure how the very first song I ever heard by John Vanderslice was coincidentally also my favorite. "The Minaret," from 2007's Emerald City , is a true feat in originality, pitting piano against note-less percussion at contrasting tempos. Even after hearing every other amazing thing the musician has composed, it still remains the one that makes my ears go "whoa." How intricate his brain must be, how complex! Most people who extricate such marvels overcompensate with insanity to attempt a natural balance, but all of Vanderslice's screws are present [...]
It's no secret that RFC has a vast love for Dawes . And, just like most anyone with ears these days, we hold Deertick and Delta Spirit in quite high regards as well. So, it's only natural that we're pumped beyond belief for Dawes-Deertick-Delta-Spirit supergroup Middle Brother . And if the first song the band's released is any indication, we've got every reason in the world to be excited. Middle Brother - Me Me [...]
If RFC had an official band, it would probably be Okkervil River . I know one might suspect that RFC's across-the-board favorite is Frontier Ruckus, what with all the love they get from us, but the fact of the matter is that Fruckus remains second in the hearts of RFC writers, just slightly behind Will Sheff and his fellow Austinites. Okkervil River is counted as a firm favorite by not only myself, your fearless editor in chief, but also by Bill Baker and Clay Riedesel, as well as being the favorite band of former photographer [...]
With the exception of Revolver , Pink Floyd 's 1967 debut album Piper At The Gates Of Dawn is the single most influential psychedelic rock album ever recorded. Syd Barret is the man responsible for Piper's genius, but unfortunately Syd was a paranoid schizophrenic, and his massive hallucinogen abuse exasperated his condition. Barret left Pink Floyd in 1968 and lived in self-imposed exile as a mere shell of his former self until his death in 2006. The loss of Syd Barret was a huge blow to [...]
The thing about Justin Townes Earle is that he seems like he's stepped straight out of a different generation. Maybe he's from the turn of the last century, or the fifties, but most certainly they don't make guys like him anymore. Everything about Earle, from his overtly polite stage demeanor, to his physical appearance, to his music, evocative of days gone past, recalls a different era. Justin Townes Earle - Move Over Mama Last night, Earle made his "network television debut" on [...]
GigMaven , based out of New York City, is a site that helps streamline the process for bands and venues alike to find each other and book gigs. Launched in October 2008, this tool has eased bookings in Austin, Boston, San Fran and now Chicagoland. To celebrate, they're bringing together Wolf in a Spacesuit , Dozens , The Loneliest Monk and Netherfriends tonight at Subterranean for only $8! Wolf in a Spacesuit starts off the night [...]
I feel like every generation is marked by one event of true greatness, an occurance that has so much impact that it goes on to define that point in time. This is particulary true when it comes to music. Elvis Presley shook his hips on Ed Sullivan and the whole world caused a commotion. The Beatles had a "mania" named after them. The early ninties unteased it's hair and took off it's spandex to scream their angst along with Kurt Cobain via "Smells Like Teen Spirit". But what does my generation have? What is the musical milestone that will be [...]
Another San Francisco-based female rock trio, although they won't stand to be type-cast as the prototypical angry girl group furious at the world and the men who wronged them. It is not a revolt rather it is a celebration of their collective passion for playing music. "We acknowledge that movements of the past created by or affecting women in the art and music worlds are hugely influential, but there is potential for the original sentiments to lose potency if the meaning is misinterpreted or not redesigned for a modern context. Even the riot grrl movement is kind of [...]
Holdfast - Mars/Why Can't I Feel Tonight Usually, we post song links deep into a post, if not all the way at the bottom. But I don't think that's appropriate for this band. Holdfast don't have an exceptional story of triumph holding them together, there are no crazy, novel influences to be lauded in a press kit, nor does their sound inspire any vividly abstract descriptors to be thrown around. They do have, though, great songwriting and a shitload of [...]
I have two social circles. A lot of people do - They divide their home life or work life from their social life and I'm no exception. Recently, I was sitting with Matt Roney, that RFC contributor I seem to be damn near inseperable from these days given how many of my tales involve him, and I mentioned that, in my "home life", I'm "The Barney". To understand this, of course, you have to mildly familiar with CBS's hilarious sitcom, How I Met Your Mother, which features the following archetypes: Lily and Marshall: The [...]
In just a little over a year from now, I'll be turning 30. Being as close to it as I am, it doesn't really seem so old anymore. I remember as a kid, even teenagers seemed like grown-ups to me, let alone 30-year-olds! By the time you're 30, you have a career and a house and a husband and kids and everything! Or so I thought. Sure, I have a job, and it's a real job insomuch as it involves neither working a cash register nor dunking a basket of French fries into hot oil. I [...]
On Saturday December 11 th , my partner in crime/photographer, Hailey Williams , and I braved the frozen tundra specifically to see D.R.U.G.S on their first tour. Let me just tell you, that it was completely worth it. And to be perfectly honest, the tundra wasn't really that frozen, it was just supposed to be. All hellish snow conditions aside, D.R.U.G.S brought everything they had to the Clearwater Theater that night and rocked it out in a way that only a band with a true passion for music could. After waiting through two mediocre opening [...]
Firstly, I know "Top Ten of Twenty Ten" has a nicer ring to it than "Top Five of Twenty Ten," but I had to spread my list around to TRACER , Indie College , and here at RFC. Secondly, I always feel a little too sheepish to be posting a "top albums" list - my scope of the music world is only so big, and I'll readily admit my tastes tend to shut out a large portion of what is going on in the music world at times. So, perhaps this is more like the top five slightly indie pop, bluegrass, and folk albums [...]
You may have noticed that Mylynda posted earlier today about the charming scamps in The Morning Benders and their infectious take on The Ronnettes. Now, here, readers, is where I could lie and say "That got me thinking about my favorite cover on The Benders' Bedroom Covers album..." but in actuality, I'd been planning a Morning Benders "People Covering Songs I Love" post for quite some time. In fact, I was almost disappointed when Indie College's EIC beat me to the punch but then I realized, heck, what's better to [...]
Not long ago I pleaded on Facebook for someone to share some (totally legal) Morning Benders mp3s with me, because I decided I had gone long enough living under my Morning Benders-less rock. It seemed every magazine I leafed through and every blog I clicked on had some mention of Morning Benders, so…what was all the fuss about? RFC EIC Amber Valentine quickly obliged my request and sent over a few files. What I did next was possibly sort of odd. I listened to Bedroom Covers first. So, for my first impression of Morning Benders, [...]
10. The-Dream - Love King Even a slightly lackluster album from The-Dream can still handily take the spot as my favorite R&B release of the year. It doesn't feel as fresh as Love/Hate did, nor connect to an emotional depth as vivid as Love vs Money 's but it's still a sonic tour de force(!) from one of the most consistently genius songwriters in the game. It also still has "F.I.L.A.," current frontrunner for best The-Dream [...]
It would behoove anybody with deep ties to Michigan to hear the Frontier Ruckus catalog. With a delicate quaver to his voice, Matt Milia dredges up imagery of the old Summit Place Mall, the Silverdome and I-75 to set the scenes upon which he reflects. I've never been to Michigan. But I do have my very own dead mall to think back on, my very own landmark stadium and my very own highway that I know so well I could almost do it with my eyes [...]
I was once told that I "turn conflict of interest into an artform". It should probably be noted that the person who said this was Matt Roney, RFC contributor and the bassist of an Ann Arbor four piece called Gun Lake . The fact that I party frequently with one of my writers is probably slightly scandalous (Also said that weekend was that even though we're all adults now, nothing's changed from the days of yore only now the girl passed out on Roney's couch is not just a random drunk chick, but rather his [...]
If you read RFC's CMJ preview or our twitter , you've probably picked up on my love of Midwestern music and the more astute of you have probably picked up on my love of one local Michigan musician in particular, Chris Bathgate . I'd never heard of Bathgate until I moved back to Michigan after a sabatical from the state that saw me make my way to Chicago for a fair few years, as well as Ohio before returning. I was hanging out with a friend one evening, splitting a pack of [...]
I've been looking forward to Mittenfest since before it was announced. In fact, I might have been looking forward to Mittenfest since a few years back, when I was living in Chicago and found out that all my favorite acts from my homestate would all be gathering for the four day festival - And a dirt cheap price. This year, however, Mittenfest has become something more than it was to me, at least, featuring not only some of Michigan's best acts but also some of the best acts in indie music as a whole. [...]
Radio Free Chicago
Check Out: d’Eon – “Transparency pt. II”
the Weekender ::: New music from Catcall // the National // Summer Camp
KNIFE PARTY – RAGE VALLEY EP
