Thursday, November 3 2011
‘Maxwell Street Blues’ Is a Toe-Tapping Time Capsule
Viewing Maxwell Street Blues paradoxically stirs simultaneous emotions of melancholy and elation. Much like what happens when singing the blues.
Tuesday, November 1 2011
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or Shame?
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently announced its 15 nominees for its 2012 induction class. Once again, that means the blogosphere is abuzz with complaints about the Hall's irrelevancy. Are they legitimate?
Friday, September 16 2011
Various Artists: Chicago Blues: A Living History: The (R)evolution Continue
The state of the blues: alive and well in 2011.
Tuesday, August 30 2011
George Thorogood and the Destroyers: 2120 South Michigan Avenue
Proof positive that revisiting one’s past doesn’t mean being incapable of striding boldly forward into the future.
Thursday, August 11 2011
Underground Music: A Day in the Life of a Chicago Subway Station
For most Chicagoans, the Jackson station downtown is little more than a fleeting backdrop for the daily grind. But for the musicians who spend hours, sometimes days, performing for the crowds, the station has a more vital significance. The subway is a place for commuters, tourists and transit workers. It's also a place for artists.
Friday, July 8 2011
Syl Johnson: 24 June 2011 - Brooklyn
Seventy-four years young, Syl Johnson is as dynamic a performer as ever.
Tuesday, May 17 2011
Various Artists: Folk Songs of Illinois #4: Chicago Since 1945
The most interesting tracks are the ones that reveal the shaping influences of American music itself.
Tuesday, May 10 2011
Shipbuilding Co.: Radios and Flying Birds
Released on Greyday Records, the debut LP by ex-Head of Femur man Michael Partington is a thoroughly dreary indie pop excursion.
Wednesday, May 4 2011
‘Fiddler on the Roof’ Asks: How Does One Cling to Personal Belief in the Wake of Change?
Fiddler on the Roof represents the Hollywood musical at its most astute. A terrific, light-hearted, but deep thinking dramedy filled with dazzling performances, and ponderous, insightful, even timeless themes.
Wednesday, April 13 2011
Wye Oak: 7 April 2011 - Chicago
This pair is about volume, and we’re not talking about just loudness to your ears, we’re talking about amplitude that ripples your pant legs and beats your heart for you.
