AltWeeklies Wire
Rescued from Obscuritynew
Instead of fighting hippie excess with speed, volume, and a few choice barre chords, the Groovies embraced melody, economy, and reverb-kissed riffs. Also reviewed is Puerto Muerto's Songs of Muerto County.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
08-26-2005 |
Reviews
Touring the Prairie Statenew
Before writing the CD's 22 songs, Stevens buried himself in books, reading everything from Saul Bellow novels to out-of-print regional histories to familiarize himself with the state of Illinois, and he produced an emotionally authentic work of art.
Illinois Times |
René Spencer Saller |
08-22-2005 |
Reviews
Lizz Wright Gets It Rightnew
Even if she’s not exactly revolutionizing jazz vocals, Lizz Wright is by no means an industry-issued knockoff, and this, her second album, reveals a singer of exceptional promise.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
08-17-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Dreaming Wide Awake, Lizz Wright
A Bit of a Pillnew
Swedish chanteuse Stina Noderstam's so good, you'll forget she's annoying.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
08-05-2005 |
Reviews
The Real Dealnew
Dwight Yoakam is a purist and a
reactionary, but that doesn’t make him any less of a rebel.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
08-05-2005 |
Reviews
Balancing Contrary Forcesnew
If Joe Pernice's Discover isn’t a radical departure, it’s a highly enjoyable variation, proof that some artists are just plain good enough that they don’t need to reinvent themselves with every new release.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
07-25-2005 |
Reviews
SV Mach-IInew
The first new Son Volt full-length in seven years boasts exactly one original member: Jay Farrar, the band’s founder, frontman, and songwriter. Still, the album rocks like a rock band, sounding more like vintage Son Volt than solo Farrar.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
07-15-2005 |
Reviews
Party Like It's 1964new
Originality is in short supply these days, so ripping off the Beatles -- especially when a band does it as competently and as pleasurably as the Redwalls do -- is no worse than ripping off any number of currently fashionable influences.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
07-11-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: The Redwalls, De Nova
Cut and Pastenew
Embellished with clarinet, trumpet, cello, and saxophone, these 13 tracks vacillate between effervescent chamber-pop and rattletrap free jazz, folktronic freakouts and luminous art songs, skittish beat pastiches and free-association ramblings.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
07-11-2005 |
Reviews
Hard to Hatenew
If you turn off your brain and your conscience, it’s possible to enjoy the burbly bass line and urgent whisper that Kaine and D-Roc use to deliver their heinous message.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
07-08-2005 |
Reviews
A Risky Band's Radical Departurenew
Although any one of the 10 tracks would have been a highlight on any other album, the overall quality is so consistent, the sequencing so inevitable, the juxtapositions so compelling, that singling out a particular track does a disservice to the others.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
06-21-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Sleater-Kinney, The Woods
Two Great Tastes Taste Great Togethernew
This album is a study in bleak romanticism, 10 stunning tracks in which luminous harmonies materialize from moody maelstroms and dark dirges give way to ravishing lullabies. Also reviewed is Jim White Presents Music From Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
06-21-2005 |
Reviews
An Embarrassment of Richesnew
The sheer multiplicity of this miniorchestra's sound can be a bit nerve-wracking, but when Head of Femur hits a groove, the results are breathtaking. Also reviewed is the Mercury Rev's The Secret Migration.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
05-27-2005 |
Reviews
The Best of Highbrow Musicnew
Mugam Sayagi, Kronos’s first album since 2002’s Nuevo, consists of four pieces by the Azerbaijani pianist/composer Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, three of which were commissioned by the quartet.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
05-23-2005 |
Reviews
Indie-Rock's Joyce Carol Oatesnew
The quality of Jill Johnson’s songwriting for South San Gabriel is so consistently excellent that it seems petty to carp about his prodigious output. Also reviewed is Nouvelle Vague's Nouvelle Vague.
Illinois Times |
Rene Spencer Saller |
05-13-2005 |
Reviews
