John is a lifelong Chicagoan, except for a five year sojourn to
Beloit, Wisconsin where he studied History, Education and (especially)
cheese. Like most humanities majors, he’s still trying to find a way
to turn his degree into money and spends his days writing rental
contracts and planning events to pay the bills. John spends his free
time enjoying Chicago’s many wonderful craft beers, bemoaning the
death of print culture and sending emails full of helpful suggestions
to the GM of the White Sox which have so far gone strangely
unanswered. He has been known to Tweet as @onwarmermusic which is also
the name of his poor, neglected blog.
Features
Tuesday, April 16 2013
Music That Hits You in the Body: An Interview With the Thermals' Westin Glass
Thermals drummer Westin Glass talks about touring, staying D.I.Y. and the group’s back-to-basics approach on their new record.
Reviews
Monday, June 10 2013
Merchandise: Totale Nite
The problem with Merchandise isn’t they sound like a former hardcore/emo band from Florida experimenting with interesting and eclectic new sounds; it’s that they sound like they’re trying way too hard to show everyone that that’s what they are.
Tuesday, June 4 2013
PopMatters 2013 Pitchfork Music Festival Preview
In a landscape of increasingly bloated music fests, Pitchfork has created a world-class music festival with a local flavor and an approachable scale. PopMatters previews the 2013 lineup.
Friday, April 26 2013
Art Brut: Top of the Pops
A decade into their career, Art Brut announces their own classic rock status with this two-disc best-of collection. Luckily for the band, the songs back up their bravado.
Friday, March 29 2013
Fela Kuti: The Best of the Black President 2
Knitting Factory's second Fela Kuti retrospective is no less vital, gripping, or essential than the first.
Thursday, March 28 2013
Screaming Females: Chalk Tape
Though the Screaming Females reveal an exciting experimentalist streak on Chalk Tape, the results aren't always fully baked.
Blogs
Wednesday, May 8 2013
The 10 Best Early Billy Bragg Songs
As a young man, Billy Bragg reinvented punk rock with songs as fiercely political as they were emotional. Three decades after he released his first album, PopMatters counts down his ten best outings from those early years.
Monday, November 5 2012
Hola Indio: Toy Selektah + Mexicans With Guns + Baio - 1 November
Indio's Dia de los Muertos tour brought beats and brews for people looking to do their thing in Chicago.
Wednesday, October 24 2012
The Ten Best Ted Leo and the Pharmacists Songs
Some six albums, five EPs, and 13 years in, we rank the best songs of Ted Leo's solo career.
Monday, October 1 2012
Dani Shivers + Chrissy Murderbot: 28 September - Chicago
POPMATTERS SPONSOR: Chrissy Murderbot and Dani Shivers put on a high energy show for people looking to do their thing at Chicago's Double Door.
Monday, August 27 2012
Francicso Y Madero + Gemini Club: 24 August 2012 - Chicago
POPMATTERS SPONSOR: Francicso Y Madero and Gemini Club show what it means to "Do Your Thing". Electro dance pop and Latin-tinged experimentalism went down easy at the Double Door.
































