Radio Free Chicago

Built to Spill Tours With Cat Power

The band of the northwest, Built to Spill, will soon be seeing the sights of Europe and then will head back to the states for a month long visit. They stop in Chicago on July 17th with Cat Power at The Vic. Many of the U.S. dates have tickets available for pre-sale, check out the full list after the jump.

Make Believe Video, Recording

Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, American Football, Make Believe - Tim Kinsella and his revolving collection of bands have been a part of Chicago's music scene for quite some time. Make Believe is the most current incarnation of a Kinsella project and they recently played at the Culture Shock Festival. YouTube has their performance of "Temping as a Shaman" from the fest.

In other related news Make Believe plan to use the summer months to finish writing and recording a new album. It will be their 3rd album in as many years. In the meantime Sam Zurick (guitar) may possibly tour for his solo material - nothing official has been announced yet - ringleader Tim Kinsella is working on his film the Orchard Vale, and bassist Bobby Burg is helping out the guys in Chin Up Chin Up.

CéU @ HotHouse 4/19/07

I sat and stared at the wall of my apartment for a contemplative 20 minutes.  It was an attempt to decide if I really felt like making the effort to get out to a show on this particular night, not a completely uncommon practice. I finally dragged myself over to the perpetually eclectic HotHouse in attempt to quell my restless side. 

Coachella Live Blogging

As far as I know RFC isn't attending Coachella, but plenty of other blogs are keeping you covered more than the oppressive southern California heat.

Stereogum was plagued with some camera issues, but they fixed it in time to catch Jesus and Mary Chain embarrass themselves with ScarlettJo, Interpol playing some new songs, and Bjork's awe inspiring hats. They, like others, are blogging live from the festival.

NME.com is also dedicating time, resources, and a web-page to the cause of live web coverage. Their list of must see bands include Amy Winehouse, Arctic Monkeys, Rage Against the Machine, and Hot Chip.

Interpol Title, Track List, and Single

Interpol's upcoming release will humbly be titled Our Love To Admire and is still expected to drop on June 10th. Aversion has the full track list that contains such high brow titles as "No I in Threesome" and "Wrecking Ball." "The Heinrich Maneuver" will be the first single, due out on May 7th. You can watch the band preform the song live on YouTube.

Get on the List + RFC Interview: Mando Diao

Sweden's biggest exports are paper, steel, and rock music; one of their finest Mando Diao will be storming the Double Door on May 9th and as always RFC wants to get you On The List! We are giving away a Sweet Swede Prize Package, including a guestlist spot (+1), a copy of Mando Diao's new LP Ode To Ochrasy, as well as a yet to be determined Picture Disc. (ohh...ahh..) You want to win this, yes? Then, shoot us an email by Noon on 5/5 to RFCCONTESTS(at)gmail.com, with "MAN, OH, MANDO!" in the subject line, please include your full name. Winner will be drawn at random and will be notified no later than May 6th, 2007.

We also had the chance to conference with the boys of Mando Diao, to discuss their new album, the story behind the name, the draw of Swedish rock, and their favorite bands. Interview, Video, & Download after the Jump!

Jack Rose FREE Today

Jack Rose, finger picking guitarist guru, will be playing a free show at Reckless Records in Wicker Park TODAY at 5:30pm. Combining blues and folk styles Jack Rose finger picks his way through the classic truly American music, integrating complexity and melody with a 1960's hue.

You can listen to samples of some songs off of his latest VHF release, Kensington Blues. This is definitely worth the trip down to Wicker Park, unless you are working like me.

NPR, The Twilight Sad, and Tom Wright

NPR consistently has interesting radio broadcasts that are aired when I can never be anywhere near a radio. Conveniently they also use the internet to their advantage.

Recently the NPR Song of the Day was future Pitchfork Festers The Twilight Sad's "That Summer, At Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy." They call the band, "guitar-fueled rock blasts with moody interludes and bits of esoteric instrumentation."

NPR also took a look at rock 'n' roll photographer and classic rock band manager Tom Wright. Wright experienced and shot bands that have come to make up classic rock radio from Boston to Chicago to San Fransisco. Listen to the broadcast to hear stories by Wright and The Who's Townshend.

Webcast Death Watch Update (or Better Know a District: WA's 1st, IL's 16th)

Thanks to Representatives Jay Inslee from Washington state's 1st Congressional District (the fightin' 1st!!) and Donald Manzullo from Illinois' 16th (the fightin' 16th!!), Internet radio operators finally have at least a glimmer of hope as they face a potentially fatal day of reckoning next month on the 15th. Future Perfect Radio reports that Inslee, Manzullo and seven co-sponsors introduced the The Internet Radio Equality Act to the House of Representatives on Thursday in an attempt to save Internet radio from the devastating royalty fee increases from the arseholes at the RIAA.

Even if you've already signed their petition, SaveNetRadio.org now urges eveyone to call their direct Representative in the House in order to drum up support for the Bill so that it has a chance of actually passing. (no need to look for your phone book, just type in your zip code and SaveNetRadio will find the # of your local congressman)

News and Notes: Feist, The Pipettes, PB&J

///The Pipettes will be coming to Chicago on June 7th to promote their EP Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me. The EP will be released June 5th (so you can get it in time to sing along) and the show will be at the Empty Bottle. The full length, entitled We Are The Pipettes, will drop August 28th.

///Earlier we mentioned Feist's new release The Reminder. Now MySpace has posted the entire album for your streaming pleasure. I haven't listened to it all yet, but lets just say all together "It's worth it."

///And since this post seems to be dedicated to the general blog friendly bands we might as well note that Peter, Bjorn, and John will be playing at the North Michigan Apple Store on May 8th from about 2pm-3pm. If I'm not mistaken its a free show. If you want to pay, you're SOL at this point, both shows at The Bottle later that evening are sold out. [Thanks, Theft Liable]

Pitchfork Fest Update

UPDATE: Well, by now you've heard the completed roster for Friday's Don't Look Back with the addition of GZA/Genius performing Liquid Swords and Slint performing Spiderland...

Now, for an interesting addition to the Pitchfork Music Festival: YOKO ONO has been added to the lineup, along with NOMO, The Twilight Sad, Califone, and The Sea & Cake. Yoko Ono's latest album Yes, I'm a Witch, includes re-vamped versions of her material with collaborators like Peaches, Cat Power, Antony, Flaming Lips, and Le Tigre. Who knows maybe she'll have some company onstage? Either way, it will be an interesting set.

Diary of a North American Scum

Last fall, former WNUR DJ and fellow Chicago music blogger Dave Knapik packed up his records to take a job offer in jolly ol' England. After settling in his new surroundings for the first few months, RFC is happy to report that Dave is finally back to updating his Blog. However, turns out that not everyone is so jolly over there. Not long after boasting his newfound skillz in cockney rhyming and jokingly telling me he was adopting LCD Soundsystem's "North American Scum" as his new theme song, Dave quickly became the target of some limey trash talking himself to the point of where he literally started to become a living embodiment of James Murphy's lyrics. His hilarious rant about the experience can be found here, complete with the direct lyrical references of his life imitating art. For more Chicago expat stories from LDN, check back for updates at http://daveknapik.blogspot.com.

Download: LCD Soundsystem - "North American Scum"

Bound Stems Keep Chugging

The great part about Chicago music is the ability to watch great and potentially great bands grow up into solid musicians with a following worth talking about. Obviously things have backfired for some bands (i.e. Alkaline Trio [they moved]), but for others the headlines and the hometown pride seemingly never waiver.

In 2006, Bound Stems released a delectable piece of post-punk indie pop with tight melodies, found sound, sweet time changes, and Thax Douglas himself. It was one of the best record of the year, just no one seemed to pick up on that. PopMatters has featured the story of the band on their front page - framing them as the band that puts everything into their art for little to no return.

The results, Appreciation Night, perhaps Sult’s life accomplishment to date, arrived in 2006. An amazing album. Not many people heard it.

If you feel that they deserve some return you can see them for yourself at the Double Door on May 27th, or shell out a paycheck to see them at Lollapalooza.

New BRMC Album Sneak Peak

Baby 81 hits stores next Tuesday...

The Narrator Hometown Release Party

While they have yet to become hometown heroes, the Chicago band made of people not from Chicago, The Narrator, will be hosting their release party at The Hideout on May 11th. Make sure to add that to your Google Calendar.

Their sophomore release All That to the Wall will be available for spinning on May 15th on Flameshovel Records. You can stream the album with "a bit of melodic reflection" from Flameshovel's front page.

Stereogum has posted a couple of tracks for download and discussion.