Radio Free Chicago

News and Notes: Prince vs. Radiohead, The Germs, Pogues, NPR on Emo

///Remember those rumors and reports of Prince covering Radiohead's "Creep" at Coachella? Well like everything worthwhile and not, a video ended up on YouTube, but the Prince people had it removed immediately. Now Radiohead is demanding that Prince allow for the video to be availalbe. After all it is Radiohead's song to block. The dispute is yet to be resolved. [Thanks, Billboard]

///For all The Germs' fans we get at the website, a biopic on the band will be hitting theaters in August. The Chicago screening of What We Do is Secret will be on August 15th - the perfect back to school party. [Thanks, BrooklyVegan]

///Get ready for the Pogues box-set. The box-set Just Look Them In the Eye and Say ... Poguemahone is due to be released June 17th in the UK - no word about this side of the pond. The set includes 4 discs of unreleased material, work with Joe Strummer, and hard to find Pogue tracks. [Thanks, Aversion]

///Do you need NPR to tell you everything? Sometimes I feel that way. Either way, here is NPR to tell you about emo.

Friday 6-pack: New Music Sampler (May '08)

1. Radius - "Logan Square"

Radius (nee Ramon Norwood) is an innovative sample-based artist from Chicago, bringing “univerSoul boom bap 4th dimension sounds” from his MPC digital sampler...Neighborhood Suicide is his first official release, out now from The Secret Life of Sound. For each instrumental track there is also a story or explanation given in the liner notes as to what this part of the city means to Radius and why it is on the album.

2. Konrad - "Girls Gone Wild"

Navigating effortlessly through a dizzying array of styles, Konrad is an Amerikan song constructionist who puzzles together his unique brand of vocal poetics with a sorted sonic DNA that exhibits strains of indie, electro, folk, IDM and hip-hop.

3. Sharon Van Etten - "Damn Right"

"Sharon Van Etten plays bittersweet neofolk so slow, spare and subtle that you might have to crane your neck to hear it. The Brooklyn songsmith’s tunes are definitely worth the effort." - Time Out New York

"Hauntingly beautiful and highly recommended" - Radio Free Chicago

Old Time Relijun w/Spires that in the Sunset Rise and B1g T1me @ Abbey Pub 5/20/2008

A mixed bag lineup at the abbey pub made it a very long night. I am quickly becoming less of a fan of these 4 and 5 band nights. Quality over quantity!

The Avett Brothers @ HOB 5/14/08

The word "frenzied" does not show it's face often when discussing musical genres such as folk, bluegrass or country these days, but it is imperative when discussing an Avett Brothers live show. 

Download: The Avett Brothers - "Shame"

News and Notes: The Oxford Collapse, She and Him, Dan Deacon

///The Oxford Collapse have announced that their new album, Bits, will be hitting store shelves August 5th via Sup Pop. In the mean time you can catch the band at the Empty Bottle June 12th. [Thanks, NME]

///Speaking of August 5th, She and Him, featuring M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel, will be hitting the road in July and August. You can catch the duo in Chicago at Park West on August 5th. [Thanks, Aversion]

///Dan Deacon is up to something. And by that we mean he is currently working on a new album that is more mature, darker, and organic. The forthcoming album, Bromst, will be released via Carpark Records in the fall. The P-Fork has an interview.

Live Pics: Andrew Bird @ U of C 5/17/08

On May 17th Andrew Bird and his band, comprising Martin Dosh and Jeremy Ylvisaker, played a mostly unknown about show on the grounds of the University of Chicago in Hyde Park. The set featured songs from his most recent "Soldier On" EP.

News and Notes: Sigur Ros, Smashing Pumpkins, Tim Kinsella, Mates of States

///Sigur Ros have announced their new album, which will appropriately be titled Med sud i eyrum vid spilum endalaust. Look for it July first via XL. [Thanks, Aversion]

///The Smashing Pumpkins have been around for most of my short life and they are celebrating with a 20th anniversery/birthday party/tour. Details are still on their way, but look out Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. [Thanks, PunkNews]

///Chicago's Tim Kinsella (Joan of Arc, Make Believe, Cap'n Jazz, etc. etc.) has sat down with Canada's Exclaim webzine for a nice little conversation. Talk about touring, the new Joan of Arc album, accessibility, and all that fun stuff. [Thanks, Buzzgrinder]

///Bored at work?  Have headphones/speakers? If you answered yes to either of those questions then listen to Mates of States play some songs for NPR.

News and Notes: The Cure, Paul McCartney, The Magnetic Fields

Hopefully everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day weekend, with the 80 degree weather and sunshine. Hopefully no one wanted that nice of weather today. On to the news!

///The Cure had talked about making their next album a double album, but the band has since decided to cut back. The as of yet untitled album will be released on September 13th via Geffen/Universal. [Thanks, Aversion]

///For any graduate students out their, remember all you really need to do is find yourself famous. This business of dissertations, papers, research, and classes are all bunk. Paul McCartney and Yale continue to prove such a theory. McCartney recently received his honorary doctorate in music from the excellent academic institution. [Thanks, BrooklynVegan]

///The Magnetic Fields newest record, Distortion, will finally be made available on vinyl. But, you still need to wait until June 24th to get your hands on the piece of wax. [Thanks, Consequence of Sound]

Kick out the holiday jams

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the Burlington last night...if you weren't able to make it out, here's a little Bangers & Mash sampler to download as a weekend travel mix. Enjoy the long weekend and happy trails! 

Download: Bangers & Mash - Burlington Set 5/22 [48:07]

powered by ODEO

The Sadies @ The Hideout 5/18/08

A quartet of smartly dressed Canadians, including a pair of virtuosic guitar slingers, ample cheap PBR and someone dressed in a Darth Vadar costume.  What does it all mean?

Download: The Sadies - "Whats Left Behind"

Liars @ Reggies 5/13/08

I wasn’t quite so sure about seeing Liars, mainly because I don’t even own their latest self-titled release from 2007. The songs I’ve heard from that sound like they’ve lost something quite frankly…as if they’ve sacrificed some of their edge to be thought of as more of a slicker and more accessible pop band (relatively, people. I’m not going to compare Angus to Prince or Michael Jackson any time in this millennium.) Still, due to Reggie’s more intimate size, I felt that there was the definite potential for this to be a great show and I was right…Angus was the tour de force I remembered…speeding ahead in a perfect glory and holding nothing back.

Download: Liars - "They Don't Want Your Corn They Want Your Kids"

News and Notes: Bangers & Mash @ Burly, Chilis Disband, Pitchfork Pretentiousness

///RFC's Brad and Jeremy (aka "Bangers and Mash") are back to spin at The Burlington tonight at 10p. C'mon, even if you don't have tomorrow off, it's not like you're going to get anything done at work tomorrow anyway...so come out and stay late.

///The top news on NME this morning is that The Red Hot Chili Peppers have (gasp!) disbanded. I'm hoping that even a lot of their fans realize that this news was long overdue.

///Ah, Pitchfork...it's a big target these days so it's easy to pick on, but then again maybe they bring a lot of it on themselves. Case in point: Jim Derogatis recent column asking "Why would Pitchfork need an independent lifestyle communications and brand agency?" C'mon Dero, the answer is easy...nothing says "indie rawk" quite like an independent lifestyle communications and brand agency!

Get on the List: The Long Blondes

This Saturday, Radio Free Chicago presents femme new wave sensations The Long Blondes at the Logan Square Auditorium and we've got your hook up for free admission and a copy of their latest CD, Couples.

To enter, just drop us a line to radiofreechicago(at)gmail.com with "Blonde Ambition" in the subject line. A winner will be drawn at random at the end of the week...good luck!

News and Notes: Napster, The Specials, Ra Ra Riot, Xiu Xiu

///For those of you who buy some music from Napster, you will no longer have to worry about DRM. The music pioneer-cum-boring music store also raised the pit rate to 256kpbs. [Thanks, Aversion]

///The Specials have resolved some of their differences for a reunion show of some sorts as early as October. Currently it seems as if the reunion will only be in theatre-sized venues in the U.K. with songs off of their 1st and 2nd albums. [Thanks, Billboard]

///Ra Ra Riot has signed with Barsuk Records. Their debut full length, The Rhumb Thumb, will be released on August 19th. [Thanks, Information Leafblower]

///While you continue to plan your fall, Xiu Xiu will be playing at the Bottom Lounge on September 3rd in support of the album Women as Lovers, which came out in January of this year. [Thanks, BrooklynVegan]

El Perro Del Mar, Lykke Li, Anna Ternheim @ Schubas 5/12/08

What a blissful night of heavenly Swedish musicians!  Last Monday at Schubas was loveliness personified.  Not only was it Sarah Assbring’s (El Perro Del Mar’s) triumphant return after way too many months away from Chicago (I swear I aged ten years just waiting for her to come back in these past 12 months…) but it was also a glimpse of some other Swedish musicians for many fans. The interest in Lykke Li was definitely piqued as she was recommended by the Chicago Reader but Anna Ternheim had a subtle grace and beauty that drew many people in from even neighboring cities who jumped at the chance to see the Swedish beauty in such a perfectly intimate setting.