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Emily Agustin 05.30.10

• Glenn Branca The Ascension: The Sequel (Systems Neutralizers)
  The long-awaited sequel to 1981’s Ascension from legendary avant-garde composer and artsy fartsy noise rock guitar god Glenn Branca. Dissonant and minimalistic, yet totally rockin’.

• Mulatu Astatke Mulatu Steps Ahead (Strut)
  Chill and jazzy, this record makes me want to wear pencil skirts and sip martinis. A beautiful and timeless record from vibraphonist and father of Ethio-jazz, Mulatu Astatke.

• The Fall Your Future Our Clutter (Domino)
  The Fall’s TWENTY-EIGHTH record finds Mr. Mark E. Smith in fine form. Fuzzed out bass lines and distortion galore, plus a cover of the Wanda Jackson hit, “Funnel of Love.” You can’t go wrong.

• Radar Eyes Radar Eyes (Plustapes)
  Local band Radar Eyes is rock done right: lo-fi, high energy. This EP, released on Chicago’s own cassette-only Plustapes label, is on near-constant rotation in my car (the only place I still have a tape deck). Reverb-drenched post-punk with a hard-hitting female drummer? I heart it.

• My Teenage Stride Lesser Demons (self-released)
  Equal parts Jesus and Mary Chain, Belle and Sebastian, and Love, My Teenage Stride is pure garage pop bliss. With a jangly, angular, proto-punk sound, I was surprised to find that this Brooklyn quartet is contemporary. Lucky for us, because that increases the likelihood of touring and new albums and such.

Allison Klein 05.23.10

• The Black Keys Brothers (Nonesuch)
  Although the falsetto in “Everlasting Light” threw me off by reminding me of Better Than Ezra’s “Juicy,” I was pleased with the latest effort from The Black Keys. It’s growing on me.

• The Dead Weather Sea Of Cowards (Third Man)
  I love everything Jack White does (Music-wise — you’re entertaining enough as a human being, you don’t need to be in pictures. Let’s be honest. besides Coffee & Cigarettes. You get to keep that one, Jack. ) I love the mix of vocals from both White and Alison Mosshart. I feel like The Dead Weather should score bad-ass Tim Burton films, as soon as Burton starts making some again.

• Kings Go Forth The Outsiders Are Back (Luaka Bop)
  Gimme some soul! This makes me feel good the way the Four Tops and the Temptations do, but the best part is they’re current, and they’re from Milwaukee so I assume they play in Chicago quite a bit. Stellar vocal harmonies and funky grooves. So far the standout track for me is “High On Your Love.”

• Indian Jewelry Totaled (We Are Free)
  I’m not the biggest fan of electronic music, unless its done right. Indian Jewelry qualifies for me with what doing electronic music right should sound like. It’s drone-y and noisy and psychedelic and I enjoy zoning out to it. I also enjoy the fact that on the description they have of this band on Wikipedia, it says “Indian Jewelry are prone to sonic and comic experiments.” Sounds good to me! Check out the track called “Excessive Moonlight.”

• Common Rider Last Wave Rockers (Panic Button)
  This is an album I played constantly when I was sixteen (and still have phases where I listen to this on repeat). This reminds me of learning to drive and my first job as a Ace Hardware cashier in the south Chicago ‘burbs. A fun ska/dub/punk amalgamation, this band stars Jesse Michaels (ex- Operation Ivy), Mass Giorgini (ex- Screeching Weasel and Squirtgun and big name producer amongst the punks), and Dan Lumley (ex – Screeching Weasel, The Methadones, The Riverdales). Check out “Conscious Burning”, “Signal Signal”, and “Rough Redemption.”

Dena Masley 05.16.10

• Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings I Learned The Hard Way (Daptone)
  I’m reading this biography right now about Sam Cooke. As it progresses through his life, all these amazing people weave in and out of the story; Lou Rawls, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Lloyd Price, Clyde McPhatter, LaVern Baker, Jackie Wilson and pretty much a gagillion others. I’ve got a big heart for old soul and sometimes wish I could travel back in time to see this wonderment live. Then, in my waking twenty-ought-ten life, I listen to an album like I Learned The Hard Way and am reminded that soul’s not dead and Ms. Jones can get me swoonin’ like I imagine Sam Cooke could do in church (or just about anywhere else, for that matter). But, the best part of Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings is not only that they’re keepin’ soul alive, it’s that they’re doing it in my twenty-aught-ten waking life and I’ve got more than a snowball’s chance in you-know-where of seeing it live.

• Roky Erickson with Okkervil River True Love Cast Out All Evil (ANTI-)
  Oh, Roky… There’s something about him that makes me mildly bummed and want to share hugs and I absolutely love it. He’s had a life, this guy. Maybe it’s obvious, but he evokes this cranky, weathered genius that will always make you smile, likely against your better judgment, a la Johnny Cash and Tom Waits. I could toss adjectives all day long, but you know what I mean. It’s not tangible, but it’s there and any music that makes you feel something, albeit bummed and delicate, has gotta be worth a second listen. And P.S.: I love Okkervil River, too. That team is just plain adorable.

• Gayngs Relayted (Jagjaguwar)
  I was just sitting here trying to describe “The Last Prom On Earth,” the final track on Relayted and as I’m listening, I’m coming up with things like “so Labyrinth-y and David Bowie is totally in charge here,” but then I feel all “maybe it’s too sexy, like if Prince played Bowie’s part in Labyrinth and, well the plot was totally different,” and finally that romance sax comes in and I just don’t know up from down, but I know I’m definitely writing something in my diary later. Now, that didn’t make any sense (probably shouldn’t drink and review albums), but ultimately, I feel like it describes the whole album. It’s pretty epic. It’s got collaborators from every genre puttin’ out all sorts of vibes on every song. Meaning, with a Midwestern super-group such as this, it could give off a compilation vibe. But, as it is, the vibe is wholly collaborative. Man, I am such a Midwestern girl. Peace, dudes.

• Free Energy Stuck On Nothing (DFA)
  In 1996 I was 17 years old. One cool morning, myself and some buds got in line at 7 (SEVEN) in the morning to wait to buy tickets to see Rage Against the Machine. In 1999 I was 20 years old. Again, I got in line at 7 in the morning and eventually bought tickets to the Tibetan Freedom Concert. It’s 2010 now and I’m a lil older. I’m pooped, dudes. And lazy. And kind of a venue snob. And cheap. I’m totally cheap. And right now, I don’t need some bombastic force telling me what’s wrong with the world. I do pay attention all adult-like. I voted, I know what’s up. What I need is my pals, a cooler full of beer, maybe some pretzel rods, an inner tube, a river and this album making me all the happier. Did I mention the gang vocals, handclaps and tambourine? This album is just begging you to hang out with it.

• Bobby “Blue” Bland Two Steps From The Blues (Duke/MCA)
  Ah, finally a public forum where I can freak out to a larger audience about how amazing this album is! Hey, internet! What’s up? This album rules. Often filed under “blues,” I’d also look in the “soul” section of your local record shoppe. It feels like blues in lyrical content (I mean, no way in hell would I let this guy date my mom), but musically, he swings like a soul man. An angry soul man. A heartbroken soul man. He has moments of sensitivity, but mostly he’s kind of indignant and just plain mad. Best part though, he makes it sound so goooood. I get the feelin’ Bobby’s been around. So, maybe the next time your lady or fella leaves you wronged, you can stomp it out to this album. You’re welcome. High five!

DJ MC 05.09.10

• Kings Go Forth The Outsiders Are Back (Luaka Bop)
  in a tie with…
• Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings I Learned the Hard Way (Daptone)
  If you look at recent DJ Top 5’s, you can see that I’m not the only one who is really enjoying this funky soul music. If you like this, you should also check out the Detroit Cobras.
• UNKLE Where Did the Night Fall (Surrender All)
  Atmospheric trip-hop album that sets a great mood. Some of it is quite danceable too. Good to drive to.
• The New Pornographers Together (Matador)
  Lots of great indie pop songs with great hooks and excellent vocals supported by great music. What else could you ask for?
• Matt Pond PA The Dark Leaves (Altitude)
  A guitar-based pop quintet with the intimacy of a singer-songwriter.

Seville Lilly 05.02.10

• Caribou Swim (Merge)
  Mathy indie rock meets old-school Detroit techno. Happily (for some of us, anyway) the Motor City wins.

• In Tall Buildings In Tall Buildings (Whistler)
  NOMOist and Chicago native Erik Hall’s in a subtle, beguiling mood. “Twenty One” is an eerie Dream Brother of Jeff Buckley’s “Mojo Pin.”

• Male Bonding Nothing Hurts (Sub Pop)
  Fun, fuzzy reverb-drenched indie pop calls to mind Shop Assistants, the Charlottes and Echobelly but with a dude chanteuse (chanteur?).

• Quadron Quadron (Plug Research)
  Breezy summer neo-soul from Denmark, ja und tak. Equal(ly delightful) parts Sundays, Norah Jones, Camera Obscura and Mayer Hawthorne.

• The Fratellis Costello Music (Fallout)
  Let’s go Hawks!