Chicago sounds
like this
What does Chicago ( the city, not soft-rock group of the seventies and eighties ) sound like? It used to sound like the Smashing Pumpkins, but that's changed. The following CDs, each in its own way, attempt to define the current Chicago sound. Don't get hung up on definitions, just listen, and decide for yourself what Chicago sounds like.
If you heard the album Wasting Time ( Maverick ) by the tattooed and spiky-haired quartet Mest, you might think that Chicago sounds like mid-'90s Northern California ( Green Day ) or mid-'90s Southern California ( Rancid ) . These boys from Chicago's south suburbs recreate the popular ska/punk sound from a few years back, unfortunately reminding us of Chicago's reputation for following trends rather than starting them. Their hit single "What's The Dillio?" has earned Mest a place on the airwaves, and they do display a talent for punchy pop, ( especially on "Drawing Board" ) .
If Louise Post, co-founding Veruca Salt member and "born entertainer," had resolution on her mind, particularly in light of the departure of Nina Gordon, you'd never know it from listening to her band's latest disc Resolver ( Velveteen/Beyond ) . There's a nod to the Beatles ( the album's title— Revolver, get it? ) and to Chicago-area Beatles-lovers Cheap Trick ( the "I want you to want me" section of "Born Entertainer" ) and enough profanity to make even Liz Phair blush.
If anything gets resolved here it's the fact Post decided to remain true to her rock and roll vision ( "Best You Can Get," "Yeah Man," "Only You Know" ) , as opposed to former band-mate Gordon who went soft on her solo effort. Ironically, Post and Gordon still have something in common. On "Pretty Boys," Post sings "Last night I dreamt you were/It was all you needed to say/Finally an answer for why you don't want me that way," while Gordon sings about a guy who "likes to try on all my clothes but not my underwear," in her song "Now I Can Die." There must be something in the Wicker Park water.
There is nothing subversive about Frisbie's ability to create endearing pop songs on The Subversive Sounds Of Love ( Hear Diagonally ) . Frisbie members Steve, Liam, Ross, Eddie, Zack, most of whom have played in various other Chicago-based bands, sound as if they are sweet on Matthew Sweet and they're not ashamed to share that information with you either. Tracks such as "Pollyanna," "To See and Be Seen," and "Momentito," could be from the Sweet song book, but as it turns out they belong to Frisbie. The horns, on a songs such as "Booksong," are also a nice touch, as is the Brit-pop accent on "Vertigogo."
Vocalist Ami Saraiya is Pelvic Delta's greatest strength, which is evident when listening to the band's latest album Eleven Days ( NoVo ) . When she is the focus, as she is on songs such as "Pretty Picture," "Breaking Basra," "StoneWall," the slowly swirling "Storm," and the amazing opening track "Believe," she deserves your undivided. Things get bogged down, when Stevie Butler takes the lead, allowing the band to drift off into reggae and hip-hop territories, leaving Saraiya with nothing to do.
Chicago is also the "county seat" of the insurgent country music scene, represented most visibly by the band Wilco and the Bloodshot Records label. Two of this year's best albums were released on Bloodshot: Neko Case's Furnace Room Lullaby and Kelly Hogan's Underneath The Country Underdog ( which features Hogan's breathtaking cover of the Magnetic Fields' "Papa Was A Rodeo" ) . Hogan also lends her distinctive vocals to the song "Circle Tour," on the Waco Brothers' fifth album for Bloodshot, Electric Waco Chair. The Waco Brothers continue to define and refine the limits of cowpunk in their own unique way, with big "brother" Jon Langford ( of Brit proto-punks The Mekons ) remaining at the helm. "Electrifying" tracks include "It's Not Enough," "Make Things Happen," "Walking On Hell's Roof...," "Cornered," "Dragging My Tombstone," the fiddle swing of "Jamaican Radio Obituary," and the quasi-Tex Mex of "Cornered."
Oui ( Thrill Jockey ) by The Sea And Cake walks the fine, yet wavy, line between the pop and jazz worlds with grace and dignity. From the percussive and satisfying first two tracks, "Afternoon Speaker" and "All The Photos," on which this accomplished musical unit sets their own pop standard, to the gorgeous instrumental "You Beautiful Bastard," to "The Colony Room," "Two Dolphins," and "Midtown," which recall a Brazilian pop sound that will easily find an audience among the growing number of Latin-influenced music fans, The Sea And Cake uses subtle, yet persuasive techniques to make their melodies linger on in your head long after you've moved on to something else. Don't hesitate to say yes to Oui.
At their most accessible, Orso recalls Tom Waits's most experimental period of the mid-'80s on their new album Long Time By ( Perishable ) . By turns cacophonous ( "Slight Return," "Wizcaphonia" ) and melodic ( "Third," "Well," "Trailfire" ) , Orso's everything and the kitchen sink orchestrations ( "Box Wolf," "Mini Ghost Horse" ) make for a challenging, but rewarding listening experience. The use of a typewriter as a percussion instrument is not new, but sounds remarkably innovative on the song "LF."
Jazz and blues vocalist Yoko Noge sounds a bit like another Yoko with whom some of us may be familiar on the album Variant ( Truckstop ) by Toe. Toe's complicated rhythms alternate between a marching band on speed ( "Absolutism 2" ) , an international trip-hop destination ( "Failure" ) , and your favorite disco lounge ( "Vacation," "Non-variant," "New," "Absolutism 1" ) . Tortoise fans will recognize the names Doug McCombs and Jeff Parker, both of whose contributions to this disc make a reason to tap a toe or two.
On It all has to do with it ( Thrill Jockey ) their second album this year, Town And Country continues to create the kind of post-pop chamber music that is as lovely as it is haunting. On the other hand, pop-rockers Big Hello follow up 1998's The Apple Album with The Orange Album ( Break-Up! ) with more of the same edgy bubblegum. Speaking of "apples and oranges," the out lesbian bass-player has said goodbye to Big Hello.
Where it's @
compiled by Gregg ShapiroWhere it's @
compiled by Gregg Shapiro
@ Allstate Arena - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Phish 9.22 & 23
@ Andy's - 312/642-6805: Linda Tate 9.16
@ Arie Crown - 312/791-6000: Dennis Miller 11.3
@ Aragon - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Moby and Hybrid 10.6 / Ani DiFranco 11.18
@ Borders Lincoln Park - 773/935-3909: Tristen 9.24
@ Borders Michigan Avenue - 312/573-0564: Antibalas 9.21 / Lenine 9.22 / Boubacar "Kar Kar" Traore 9.23 ( 2 p.m. ) / Omar Faruk Tekbilek & His Ensemble 9.24 / Alim Qasimov Ensemble 9.26 / Lila Downs 9.27 / Mary Jane Lamond 9.28 ( 3 p.m. ) / John Hiatt 9.28 ( 7 p.m. ) / Savina Yannatou & Primavera En Salonico 9.29
@ Bordo's - Gayle Ritt ( Tuesdays )
@ Burkhart Underground: 773/348-8536: Tim Hort ( of Radio Hour ) 9.17
@ Center For Performing Arts
@ Governor's State University: 708/235-2222: Bobby Caldwell 9.23 / Flying Karamazov Brothers 10.14 / 5th Dimension 11.4 / George Winston 12.2 / Jim Brickman 2.10 / The Kingston Trio 2.11 / Mavis Staples in "A Tribute To Mahalia Jackson" 2.17 / Celticfusion 3.10 / Trio Settecento 3.24 /
@ Centre East - 847/673-6300: Chicago Jazz Ensemble 9.16, 11.18, 3.3 / Glenn Yarbrough and The Limelighters 10.20 / 5th Dimension 11.3 / Navy Band 11.13 / Al Franken 11.17 / Spalding Gray 1.13 / The Capitol Steps 1.19 & 20 / Arlo Guthrie 1.26 / Quartetto Gelato 2.9 / Ladysmith Black Mambazo 2.10 / Preservation Hall Jazz Band 2.24 / Burt Bacharach 3.10 / David Sedaris 4.20 / Mark Russell 4.21 / Bonnie Koloc and Corky Siegel 4.28 / Mary Wilson and The Supremes 5.5 / Rita Rudner 5.19
@ Chicago Theater - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : D. L. Hughley 9.23 / Hanson 10.2 / Omara Portuondo 10.12 / Philip Glass & Kronos Quartet perform Dracula 10.27 / John McLaughlin and others 11.10 / Johnny Mathis 12.8 & 9
@ Cubby Bear - 773/327-1662: Bumpus 9.15 @Davenport's - 773/278-1830: Dan Stetzel ( Mondays ) / The Blondes 9.17 & 24 / 3 Girls 3 sing Burt Bacharach 9.13 & 20 / Billy Stritch 9.14-16 / Jim Caruso 9.16 / Pamela Sue Fox 9.21-23 / Jack Donahue 9.27 - 10.1
@ Dorothy Menker Theater - 708/974-5500: Tommy Dorsey Orchestra 9.14
@ Double Door - 773/489-3160: Evil Beaver 9.14 / Mike Watt 9.28 / Laika / 10.3 / O M D 10.7 / Gaza Strippers 10.13 / Push Stars 10.14 / The John Doe Thing and Matt Nathanson 10.17
@ Empty Bottle - 773/276-3600: Rebecca Gates and Jad Fair 9.14 / The Adventures In Stereo and Waxwings 9.15 / Oval 9.16 / The Human Condition 9.22 / Har Mar Superstar 9.24 ( early ) / Iggy Yoakum & His Famous Pogo Ponies and El Vez 9.29 / The Blacks, Edith Frost, Orso 10.1 / Spoozys 10.2 / New Bomb Turks and Zeke 10.3 / Les Savy Fav 10.6 / Franklin Bruno 10.12 / Tobin Sprout 10.14 / Waxwings 10.17 / Versus 10.26 / Quickspace and Wisdom Of Harry 10.27 / Evil Beaver 10.31
@ FitzGerald's - 708/788-6670: Sleepy LaBeef 9.22 / Webb Wilder 9.23 / Brave Combo 9.29 / Heartsfield 9.30 / Candye Kane 10.7 / Waco Brothers and Rex Hobart & The Misery Boys 10.14 / Neko Case and Kelly Hogan 10.28 / Fairport Convention 11.01 / Maura O'Connell 11.17
@ Gentry on Halsted - 773/348-1053 ( call for times ) : The Love and Liberace Show starring Matt Yee 9.13 - 16 / Open mike w/Dan Stetzel ( Tuesdays )
@ Gentry of Chicago ( State St. ) - 312/836-0933: Kathryn Payne ( Mondays & Tuesdays early ) / Mark Farris ( Mondays & Tuesdays late )
@ Grant Park - 312/744-3370: Lunasa 9.16 & 17
@ Heartland Cafe - 773/465-8005: Ember Swift 10.31
@ The Hemmens: 847/931-5900: Michael McDonald 9.30 / Cowboy Junkies 10.14 / Lou Rawls 11.4 / Jose Feliciano 12.8 / Ramsey Lewis 1.27 / Cybil Shepherd 2.17 / Don McLean 3.10 / Peter, Paul & Mary 4.20
@ Hot House - 312/362-9707: 2nd Annual World Music Festival 9.19 - 30
@ House Of Blues - 312/923-2000: The Wailers 9.13 / Black Uhuru featuring Sly & Robbie 9.15 / Goldfinger 9.16 / Gong 9.18 / D.R.I. 9.19 / Nickelback and U.P.O. 9.21 / Smokey Robinson 9.23 / The Bangle 9.26 / Saint Etienne 9.29 / Judybats 9.29 ( late ) / La Ley 9.30 / Kottonmouth Kings 10.1 / Fuel 10.2 / Culture Club 10.5 / Ekoostik Hookah 10.6 / BT and Hooverphonic 10.13 / Pat McGee Band 10.14 / Tom Tom Club 10.15 / Revolucion 2000 ( Jaguares, Julieta Venegas, Jumbo, La Gusana Ciega, Lysa Flores ) 10.17 / Doobie Brothers 10.19 / Vonda Shepard 10.20 / Burning Spear 10.21
@ Martyrs' - 773/404-9494: Robbie Fulks 9.23 / Hank Williams III 9.29 / Graham Parker 9.30 / Andy Summers 10.4 / Great Big Sea 10.12 / The Good 10.28 / Jupiter Coyote 11.3
@ McAnnich Arts Center - 630/942-4000: Loudon Wainwright III 11.18
@ Metro - 773/549-0203: Sleater-Kinney 9.14 / David Gray and Five For Fighting 9.15 / Guided By Voices 9.21 / The 7th Annual Ball Of Whacks feat. Cannibal Cheerleaders On Crack 9.23 / Tortoise 9.29 / Queens Of the Stone Age 10.5 / Bardo Pond 10.7
@ Metropolis - 847/577-2121: Jeff Harnar and Shauna Hicks 11.30 - 12.2
@ Museum Of Contemporary Art - 312/280-2660: Boubacar Traore, Eddie C. Campbell and Willie "Big Eyes" Smith 9.23 / Zlatne Uste Brass Band 9.24 / Hamza El Din and Alim Qasimov 9.26 / Sussan Deyhim and U-Cef 9.30
@ Navy Pier's Skyline Stage Courtyard - 312/595-7437: Nick Colionne 9.21/ Reginald T. McCants 9.28 / Joan Collaso and The Larry Hanks Trio 9.14
@ No Exit - 773/743-3355, 6870 N. Glenwood: New Music Sundays hosted by Laurie Lee Moses
@ Old Town School of Folk Music - 773/278-6000: Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks and Andrew Bird 9.15 / Bill Miller 9.22 / Chico Cesar 9.23 / Hedningara & Wimme 9.24 / Lila Downs & Mary Jane Lamond 9.29 / Nass Marrakech & Guillermo Anderson 9.30 / Aashish Khan & Swapan Chaudhuri 10.1 / Ricky Skaggs and Steve Rosen 10.6 / Astral Project and Eric Lugosch 10.13 / Dave Alvin and Robbie Fulks 10.14 / Holly Near 10.15 / Freakwater and Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel 10.20 / Bulgari 10.21 / Retrograss ( David Grisman, John Hartford, Mike Seeger ) 10.22 / Branford Marsalis 11.1 / Garmarna 11.4 / Oumou Sangare and Habib Koite and Bamada 11.5 / Eliades Ochoa 11.8 / Inti Illimani 11.10 / Geoff Muldaur and Geoff Van Ronk 11.12 / Do It Yourself Chanukah ( David Broza, Rabbi Joe Black, Maxwell Street Klezmer Band ) 11.18 / Marcio Faraco 11.24 / Hot Club of Cowtown and Johnny Gimble / Aengus Christmas Show 12.10 / Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie 12.31
@ Orchestra Hall - 312/357-4700 ( JCC for info ) : Itzhak Perlman 11.8
@ Park West - 773/929-5959: Jeff Tweedy 9.13 / Zap Mama 9.14 / Joan Osborne 9.24 / Elastica 9.27 / Patricia Barber 9.29 / Billy Bragg 10.7 / Solas 10.13 / Cubanismo 10.14 / John Hiatt 10.19
@ The Piano Man - 773/472-2956: Every Tuesday "Dub/Jazz/Funk - Live DJ Night" / Every Wednesday "Open Mic Night" / Every Thursday "Cabaret Night with Scott & Matt" / Elijah Levi Trio 9.15 / The Mark Fechner Jazz Experience 9.16 & 10.21 / Martha Lorin Trio 9.22 / Michael Mason & The Exploratory Quintet 9.23 / The Danglers 9.29 / Phil Kidder 9.30 & 10.28 / Elijah Levi Trio 10.6 / Sparrow AM/FM with Joanie Pallatto 10.7 / Frank Portolese Quartet 10.13 / Guitar Legend George Freeman 10.14 / The Global Jazz of Flippo Music 10.20 / The Corky McClerkin Trio 10.27
@ Record Emporium - 773/248-1821: Baddigo 9.16 / Shannon Roberts 9.23 / Jeff Freling 9.30 / Planet Strange 10.7 / Tristen 10.14 / Ripley Caine 10.21 / Tautologic 10.28 / Grace Note 11.4 / Mumbojumbo 11.11
@ Riviera Theater - 773/275-6800: Travis 9.19 / Bad Religion and The Promise Ring 10.14
@ Rosemont Theater - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Culture Club 10.4
@ Schuba's - 773/525-2508: Hoot Night: Sixteen Horsepower 9.15 & 16 / Ron Sexsmith and Peter Stuart 9.16 / The Hangdogs 9.20 / Stacey Earle 9.21 / Ryan Adams and Sally Timms 9.22 / Ryan Adams 9.23 / Jonatha Brooke 9.25 / Lucy Kaplansky and Josh Ritter 9.26 / Richard Buckner 9.28 / Carrie Newcomer 9.29 / Hank Williams III 9.30 / Jill Sobule and Ellen Rosner and Sarah B. 10.1 / Chris Knox 10.2 / Low 10.5 ( 9pm ) / Darden Smith 10.6 ( 8pm ) / Low 10.6 ( 10:30pm ) / Ellis Paul 10.7 Angie Aparo 10.8 / David J 10.9 / Amy Rigby 10.21
@ Smart Bar - 773/549-0203: Chris Knox 10.2
@ Strand Cafe - 630/257-2112: Tristen 9.22
@ Symphony Center - 312/294-3000: Compay Segundo 9.18 / Chava Albertstein and Susana Baca 10.1 / Anoushka Shankar and Ravi Shankar 10.13 / Ute Lemper 11.11
@ Tinley Perk - 708/633-7375 - Tristen 9.30
@ UIC Pavillion - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Barenaked Ladies and Guster 9.24
@ Uncommon Ground - 773/929-3680: Tristen 10.19
@ United Center - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Tina Turner and Joe Cocker 10.4
@ The Vic - 312/559-1212 ( TM ) : Face To Face 9.15 / The The and Joseph Arthur 9.23 / Word Of Mouth Tour ( Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples and others ) 9.27 / Fourplay 9.28 / Dar Williams 9.29 / Emmylou Harris and Buddy & Julie Miller 10.6 / Paul Weller 10.11
@ Waterloo Tavern - 773/929-1300: Mr. Blotto 9.20
