Tagged: whatshappening

Here's a good bet for a Sunday night. Three bands for three bucks at the Empty Bottle . Tex and the Girls headline but go early to see opener Hospital Ships from Lawrence, Kansas. Seamless Crack also plays. Hospital Ships' new album, Destruction in Yr Soul , is released Tuesday.

Mikal Cronin will be in Chicago for Pitchfork fest next month but why not catch him at a small venue now? Cronin plays two shows at Empty Bottle Tuesday night supporting his awesome new release MCII .

Here's a new video from Waxahatchee for Coast to Coast from the excellent album Cerulean Salt . Waxahatchee, aka Katie Crutchfield, will play the Sunday of Pitchfork fest next month.

Do Divison is one of the best summer street fests in Chicago for music. That's because the two stages of the blocks-long festival are curated by either the Empty Bottle or the folks who book Subterranean . A little competition goes a long way. Let's take Saturday night, for example. The Subterranean stage features headliner Tilly and the Wall , a band that would vastly improve most of the street fests in Chicago. But I've got to go with Ariel Pink on the Empty Bottle-curated stage. How could I resist? Ariel [...]

It would be almost impossible for the Hideout to top last year's headliner Wilco for its annual Block Party . That said, this year's lineup is pretty great, too, with the Hold Steady, Superchunk, Neko Case and the Walkmen among the featured acts. The two-day event also will include Chicago soul legend Mavis Staples and the Both (a collaboration between Aimee Mann and Ted Leo ). Of course what Hideout celebration would be complete without Jon Langford ? He'll be there. [...]

I was a little worried that Savages wouldn't live up to the hype around this UK band's debut album, Silence Yourself . After the first listen, I was fairly convinced, but after multiple listens I was sold. Savages makes brutally good music. It's tough, tight and there's no screwing around. Savages joins a number of new bands who draw heavily on punk and post-punk music with their own modern update. That list includes Metz, Iceage, Suuns, Parquet Courts  and No Joy .  Savages, however, is clearly one of the bands who has a lot to say. [...]

Between the jokey name, the silly album art and a funny video, it would be easy to dismiss Wampire as a novelty act. But then you'd be denying yourself a whole lot of enjoyment. Wampire's debut, Curiosity , is instantly likable from start to finish. It's a mix of electronic and traditional rock instruments performed by the Portland duo of Rocky Tinder and Eric Phipps. They're assisted on the album by producer and bassist Jacob Portrait of Unknown Mortal Orchestra . If you're familiar with UMO, you'll no doubt hear Portrait's influence. [...]

A good EP makes the most of its handful of songs. So the pressure is on when you only have three songs to offer. Sic Alps delivers on She's on Top . In addition to the title track, we get Biz Bag and Carrie Jean , all psychedelic pop beauts. Incidentally, all three landed a place on my summer playlist. But, then again, I'm a sucker for these Bay area rockers. Buy this EP now. It's available on 12-inch vinyl or as a download.

Eighties-synth loving Swedes Shout Out Louds are touring the fun new album Optica with a stop at Metro Thursday night. I predict there will be dancing. Also check out this cool remix of the single from the album,  Illusions .

• Shout Out Louds - Illusions (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)

Mikal Cronin  sets up his new album, MCII , nicely with the first song, Weight ,  a bouncy power pop number. That song sets the stage for an enjoyable collection of fuzzy, melodic tunes. Perhaps Cronin is still best known as Ty Segall's  collaborator and traveling band mate but the guitarist shows on his sophomore album that he is a highly entertaining solo artist as well. There is an interesting movement in California that is resulting in excellent music from artists who are (mostly) influenced by '60s psychedelia, '70s classic rock and metal, and yet they produce very relevant music today. Cronin, Segall, Thee Oh Sees and  Sic Alps [...]

Kurt Vile is that rare artist who is so confident and focused that he consistently puts out great albums by simply sticking to his knitting. His voice and guitar are unmistakably identifiable yet each new album sounds unique and fresh. His latest album, Walkin on a Pretty Daze , is no exception. Kurt and his band, the Violators, play a sold out show at Lincoln Hall Tuesday night. Steve Gunn opens.

Black Moth Super Rainbow showed it could make music with a lot more bite on the band's 2012 album, Cobra Juicy . You can see these guys at Metro Saturday night. Also, check out this fan video pairing Gangs in the Garden with Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon.

Bill Callahan hasn't yet followed up his great piece of work, Apocalypse , from 2011, but there was a tour documentary released last year. Callahan is on the road for several tour dates this month, including one in Chicago at the Garfield Park Conservatory Monday (May 6). Doors open 6:30 and the show is 7 with Flat Foot opening. Garfield Park Conservatory is at 300 N. Central Park Ave. in Chicago. Advance tickets appear to be gone. The show is being put on by Land and Sea Dept.

The Canadian duo known as Majical Cloudz just shared this sparse, captivating song, Bugs Don't Buzz , ahead of the album Impersonator , which is out May 21. Majical Cloudz open for Youth Lagoon at Metro May 15. [...]

• Majical Cloudz - Bugs Don't Buzz

The Portland, Oregon, duo known as  Wampire   is about to release the band's debut album, Curiosity , in a couple of weeks. Here's a song, Trains , from the record.

Seattle musician Jesse Lortz , formerly of the Dutchess and the Duke , is about to release his second album with his latest project Case Studies . Give this song, Driving East, and Through Her , a listen. It's very cool and will appear on This Is Another Life , which is due out in June.

• Case Studies - Driving East, and Through Her

I like this single, Stand in the Sand , from Chicago's Twin Peaks . The song will appear on the band's debut album, Sunken , which is scheduled for release in July. You can download the song here .

• Twin Peaks - Stand in the Sand

GRMLN is Southern Californian Yoodoo Park , who made an interesting pop EP last year, Explore . In June, Park is releasing a full album as GRMLN, Empire . Check out the song below, Hand Pistol , which is more of an uptempo rock song. Judging from the first two songs released from Empire , the album will be a much different style than Park's EP. Also listen to this earlier single from the new album, Teenage Rhythm .

• GRMLN - Hand Pistol
• GRMLN - Teenage Rhythm

Wow. It's Monday and tax day. Who says the day has to totally suck? Purling Hiss headlines a free show at Empty Bottle Monday night. The band is promoting its latest album, Water on Mars . A cool, fun band at the Bottle for free? Seems like a no brainer.

Phosphorescent is Alabama native Matthew Houck , a singer-songwriter who draws comparisons as varied as Bonnie "Prince" Billy to Fleet Foxes . Houck, who now resides in Brooklyn, just made a fascinating album, Muchacho . The release is getting a lot of well-deserved buzz, which explains why he sold out a Saturday night show at Lincoln Hall . If you snagged a ticket, consider yourself lucky to be able to see a rising artist. Strand of Oaks opens.