Blog: All the Young Punks

New music: Lower Dens' 'Nootropics'

May 4, 12:07am All the Young Punks

I fell in love with Lower Dens' first album, Twin-Hand Movement , a couple of years ago. The guitar fuzz, the rhythm, Jana Hunter's voice as an instrument - it all worked so well. The band's just-released sophomore album, Nootropics , takes a different approach musically: Synthesizer, atmosphere, repetitive electronic sound. "Some of the records that really influenced us during the making of this record would obviously be krautrock records," Hunter told Stereogum last month. "I listened to Radioactivity by Kraftwerk pretty much constantly [...]

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Girl power: Frankie Rose, La Sera, Hollows

Apr 30, 3:17pm All the Young Punks

Vivian Girls Katy Goodman and Cassie Ramone were quite productive a year ago. Each just released side project albums as well as a full-length from the band , which was supported by a tour. Now, Goodman is back with a second album, Sees the Light , from her solo effort, La Sera . Yet, another original member of the band - former drummer Frankie Rose - is grabbing the most attention with her new release, Interstellar . Rose, who plays Township in [...]

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New song: Ty Segall's 'Wave Goodbye'

Apr 28, 8:43pm All the Young Punks

Ty Segall will release his first album recorded with his touring band June 26. To promote the upcoming release, the Ty Segall Band just released the single Wave Goodbye off the new album, Slaughterhouse . Segall just released another album , Hair , with White Fence . Segall and White Fence play Lincoln Hall May 10.

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Cave plays homecoming show at Empty Bottle

Apr 20, 4:12pm All the Young Punks

Listening to Cave takes me to another place - like a club circa 1972 watching Krautrockers Can perform . Jeff Tweedy tips his hat to Neu! and the Krautrock sound but Cave lives it. The Chicagoans are still promoting their excellent 2011 release Neverendless , and they play a show at Empty Bottle Saturday night. The show is free if you RSVP before midnight tonight. Send an email to rsvp@emptybottle.com .

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Bear in Heaven to mesmerize Schubas

Apr 18, 12:12am All the Young Punks

If you hate synthesizers, you probably should stop reading. If you like synthesizers - like a lot of synthesizers - the new Bear in Heaven album may be for you. Idle Heart - the first song on I Love You, It's Cool - is straight off a 1990s Pet Shop Boys album. The rest of the album is '80s and '90s synth love. I hear a lot of New Order and even the Smiths - Sinful Nature reminds me so much of How Soon Is Now ? [...]

• Bear in Heaven - The Reflection of You

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Artist:	Bear in Heaven
Title:	The Reflection of You
Link Text:	The Reflection of You - Bear In Heaven
File Name:	02-the-reflection-of-you.mp3
Bitrate:	320 kbps
Genre:	Electronic
Year:	2011

Pop trio Now, Now plays the Vic

Apr 15, 2:07pm All the Young Punks

The Minneapolis pop trio Now, Now has the aura of an up-and-coming band. Honestly, the group sounds a bit too polished in parts of the new album Threads , but these guys defintely deliver some nice hooks and good riffs amid singer Cacie Dalager's heartfelt vocals. You can catch Now, Now opening for the Naked and Famous at the Vic Sunday night.

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New music: Ty Segall and White Fence

Apr 14, 11:10am All the Young Punks

If you're a fan of psych-garage, I highly recommend the soon-to-be-released collaboration between Ty Segall and White Fence (aka musician Tim Presley ). The album, Hair , due out April 24, has pretty much lived up to my expectations, which were high. Check out the video below of Scissor People - an extended live version - and download the song, I Am Not a Game . Both songs appear on Hair . Segall, White Fence and Presley's other band, [...]

• Ty Segall & White Fence - I Am Not A Game

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Artist:	Ty Segall & White Fence
Title:	I Am Not A Game
Link Text:	I Am Not A Game - Ty Segall and White Fence
File Name:	02-i-am-not-a-game-1.mp3

Yuck shares new song, 'Chew'

Apr 14, 12:11am All the Young Punks

Here's a crunchy little number from Yuck called Chew , a song the band said it would play at Coachella today. Check it out here:

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Cool show alert: Disappears, Lotus Plaza play Lincoln Hall

Apr 13, 3:35pm All the Young Punks

Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley joined Chicago's Disappears in late 2010, and if you're curious how that affects the band's sound, just listen to the new album, Pre Language . Shelley is an excellent complement to the driving guitar sound of Disappears. Play this album loud. If you're a fan of Bradford Cox , I'm pretty sure you'll really like Spooky Action at a Distance , the new album by Deerhunter guitarist Lockett Pundt's solo project Lotus Plaza . [...]

• Disappears - 01 Replicate
• Lotus Plaza - Strangers

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Artist:	Disappears
Title:	01 Replicate
Link Text:	Replicate - Disappears
File Name:	01-replicate.mp3

Artist:	Lotus Plaza
Title:	Strangers
Link Text:	Strangers - Lotus Plaza
File Name:	02-strangers.mp3
Year:	2012

Sabbath crashes Lollapalooza

Apr 12, 12:50am All the Young Punks

The Lollapalooza headliner that really made me stop and ponder: The reunited Black Sabbath . It's an all-rock top of the bill at the big fest this year: Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Black Keys, Jack White and ...Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. What a weird addition. I saw the original Black Sabbath play Ozzfest in 2001 and it wasn't that great. How much better can the band be 11 years later? Drummer Bill Ward won't play the latest reunion because of a contract dispute and guitarist Tony Iommi has cancer. I guess Ozzy will have to carry the show. Hmm. Ozzfest was [...]

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Wild Flag, Atlas Sound, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees added to Pitchfork fest

Apr 6, 12:58am All the Young Punks

The full lineup for Pitchfork Music Festival was released today. A number of ATYP faves were added, including Wild Flag, Atlas Sound, Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, Lower Dens, Beach House and Real Estate . Read the full list here . Romance - Wild Flag Terra Incognita - Atlas Sound Carrion Crawler - Thee Oh Sees You Make The [...]

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Swervedriver brings reunion show to Chicago's Bottom Lounge

Apr 3, 4:18pm All the Young Punks

Swervedriver was a smoking band from the '90s that never really got its due. Now a reunited group is touring, hitting Bottom Lounge Tuesday night (April 3). Heaven opens.

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Best of 2012: The Men, Nada Surf

Apr 2, 2:33pm All the Young Punks

As new releases pour out, I'll highlight the best albums of 2012. So, to elaborate on a post last month , here are a couple more recommendations for new albums. I'm a little late to the party in discovering The Men . But now that I've spent some time with the band's Open Your Heart , I'm a big fan. The Men made possibly the best rock album of the year and it's an early contender for my top release of 2012. The Men play punk, post-punk and whatever other genre you want to throw in. When I listen to [...]

• Nada Surf - Waiting For Something

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Artist:	Nada Surf
Title:	Waiting For Something
Link Text:	Waiting For Something - Nada Surf
File Name:	02-waiting-for-something.mp3
Bitrate:	192 kbps
Year:	2012

Video: Bill Callahan covers 1960s singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury

Mar 31, 12:10am All the Young Punks

Chicago indie record company Drag City recently reissued music from 1960s and '70s singer-songwriter Mickey Newbury . Now the label released a split 7 inch featuring Newbury plus Bill Callahan covering one of Newbury's songs, Heaven Help the Child . Check out the video of Callahan singing the song below.

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Bowerbirds to play Lincoln Hall

Mar 29, 11:47am All the Young Punks

The sound on Bowerbirds ' new album, The Clearing , is bigger than a lot of the trio's previous stuff. Listen to the song Tuck the Darkness In, for example. The song begins quietly but then builds to a strong finish that ends with electric guitar and drums. That's not to say the songs on The Clearing are altogether different. The album follows a path set out by the band's previous releases, folky, dreamy songs that also feature piano, violin, accordion and the old, trusty vibraphone. There's an interesting backstory about the band's challenges and personal lives [...]

• Bowerbirds - Tuck the Darkness In

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Artist:	Bowerbirds
Title:	Tuck the Darkness In
Link Text:	Tuck the Darkness In - Bowerbirds
File Name:	01-tuck-the-darkness-in.mp3
Bitrate:	320 kbps

Davila 666, Red Kross, Roky Erickson headline Chicago Blackout Festival

Mar 29, 12:36am All the Young Punks

Here's another Chicago festival to get excited about. HoZac Records will throw Chicago Blackout Festival at the Empty Bottle May 18-20. The fest features a lot of HoZac bands and three really great headliners, the garage rockers Davila 666 , the legendary Red Kross and the even more legendary Roky Erickson . Check out HoZac's site for a full lineup. Blackout Festival was an annual event from 2001 to 2006 and was staged to highlight the yearly release of punk [...]

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More Lolla leaks? Jack White, Justice, Die Antwoord, the Weekend headed to the fest

Mar 27, 11:48pm All the Young Punks

Lollapalooza appears to be hinting in advertisements around Chicago that Jack White , Justice , Die Antwoord and the Weekend will be among acts playing the big show this summer, according to A.V. Club Chicago and other reports. The ads at El stations feature lyrics from each artist. At least one station (Clark and Lake) is a video ad. More clues to come? Earlier this year, an anonymous Twitter user @lollaleaks announced a headliner lineup only to admit later that it was [...]

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The Men, Iceage, Sleigh Bells, Dirty Projectors added to Pitchfork fest

Mar 26, 11:38pm All the Young Punks

Pitchfork's festival in July is a little more interesting with some additions announced today. Sunday's lineup definitely needed more edge with the preppy boys of Vampire Weekend closing the fest. The Men and Iceage were just announced for Sunday, a move that adds about 100% more rock to the day's shows. Likewise, Sleigh Bells will shake things up Saturday night. If that's not your cup of tea, Flying Lotus also was added to Saturday's lineup. Three other additions for Saturday include Danny Brown, Schoolboy Q and the [...]

• The Men - Ex-Dreams

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Artist:	The Men
Title:	Ex-Dreams
Link Text:	Ex-Dreams - The Men
File Name:	10-ex-dreams.mp3
Bitrate:	320 kbps
Genre:	Alternative
Year:	2012

Remember Andrew W.K.? He's back!

Mar 25, 12:13am All the Young Punks

It's Time to Party, Party Hard, Party Til You Puke . Andrew W.K.'s debut , I Get Wet , was all about the partying. And his jock jams meets frat party (if there's a difference) paid off for him. He's licensed his songs to various advertisers and kept himself busy working on other people's music, doing television and even a little motivational speaking. So a tour to honor the 10th anniversary of I Get Wet ? I couldn't have predicted it. The show was actually moved from the Metro to the Riv because [...]

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Video: Modeselektor 'Berlin'

Mar 24, 11:09pm All the Young Punks

This is awesome.

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