Tim Kinsella: "Idolize"
Over my 26 years, I have idolized and found myself influenced by a number of writers, artists, and musicians. As I got older, I saw some of those influences and styles disappear from my own art. Yet, there are two very distinct influences whose writing styles are so ingrained into my own writing that I'd be a different writer without them. One of these aforementioned influences is local Chicago legend Tim Kinsella. For close to a decade, I've held his first band, Cap'n Jazz, in the highest regards, while subsequent Kinsella bands (Owls, Make Believe, Joan of Arc, etc.) have their own little corners of my heart.
Recently, Kinsella has collaborated with poet Marvin Tate and former Wilco drummer LeRoy Bach for a limited edition album, Tim Kinsella Sings the Songs of Marvin Tate by LeRoy Bach featuring Angel Olsen. For this series of songs, Kinsella sings poems written by Tate (with the occasional accompaniment from Olsen) over songs written and performed by Bach. What results is a completely collaborative effort showcasing the unity amongst singers, musicians, and writers.
The first song from the album, "Idolize" features Kinsella telling the story about a girl the narrator once idolized. Check it out below! Tim Kinsella Sings the Songs of Marvin Tate by LeRoy Bach featuring Angel Olsen will be available via Joyful Noise Recordings on December 3rd, 2013.
Top Bands to See at Riot Fest Chicago 2013
Riot Fest Chicago 2013, at least for myself, has the greatest lineup of artists out of the summer's seemingly never-ending onslaught of music festivals. This year's Riot Fest in Humboldt Park is a dream collection of bands that have played huge roles in my formative years as I made my way through the musical spectrum, falling in love with all types of bands, musicians, artists, etc. Considering this is my first Riot Fest since Riot Fest 2006 and that Ruby Hornet, as a whole, is growing into a much larger outlet that covers many more forms of entertainment, music genres included, Brynn Bixby and I have decided to put together our recommendations of the top bands to see this weekend.
With a lineup as amazing as this, there are a number of bands we have left off of our lists. However, don't let that detract you from experiencing new music! Take a chance and walk over to a random stage whenever you have downtime; I can almost guarantee you'll enjoy any band on this year's lineup... just make sure you prioritize our choices. Get your vocal cords ready to scream along to every song; get your suspenders and checkerboard Vans so you can control the skank circle; lace up your Docs so you can moonstomp like no other; these are Ruby Hornet's Top Bands to See at Riot Fest Chicago 2013. - Geoff Henao
Riot Fest after parties announced
With Riot Fest two short weeks away, the promoters of the event have announced the official after parties for the weekend. On Friday, September 13th, Sublime with Rome will be playing an 18+ show at the new Concord Music Hall, party monster Andrew WK will play a 21+ show at Double Door, and hometown heroes The Lawrence Arms will play a 21+ show at Cobra Lounge. On Saturday, September 14th, Against Me! will play a 21+ show at Cobra Lounge and Rocket from the Crypt will play a 21+ show at Double Door. Closing out the weekend on Sunday, September 15th, are Quicksand for a 21+ show at Cobra Lounge, Peter Hook and the Light for a 21+ show at Double Door, and The Lillingtons playing an all-ages show at Beat Kitchen.
Are you ready to up the punx? Tickets will go on sale promptly at 11am this Friday.
[Album] Ghost Wave: "Ages"
for the New Zealand band. The album was recorded in the band's hometown of Auckland, New Zealand and harks back to an earlier day of more jam-infused rock music. Last week we posted the video for "Country Rider" one of the lead singles off of "Ages" check it out below as well as the full album, which is available for digital download here.
[RH First Glance] Exit Ghost: "Speaker"
Chicago's own Exit Ghost released a new song today, "Speaker", off their upcoming sophomore LP, Elston, due out November 5. Check out the track below and be sure to catch Exit Ghost this Friday at The Hideout with Jon Drake and The Shakes and Belleisle.
[RH Premiere] whysowhite: "Live At The Firehouse"
Live at The Fire House, is the latest release from the highly eclectic seven piece band, whysowhite. The group spans four states, multiple genres and a smattering of haircuts and fashion styles that keeps fans guessing. In a congested market like Chicago it can be very hard for a band to differentiate themselves but whysowhite is easily one of the most fun acts coming out of the city right now. Live At The Fire House was recorded exclusively at the group's home, a converted Fire House (Engine co. 86). The firehouse was built in 1898 and is the last free-standing wooden firehouse in Chicago's North Center where whysowhite writes, rehearses, records, and lives. The album was recorded there on April 6th, 2013 and features many of the songs on their self-titled debut, self-titled album, two new songs, and a cover of Common's "The Light" for which there is a video below. They perform tonight at Township to celebrate the release with Pinegrove and Treehaus, tickets available here.
http://youtu.be/pY-qvMTcu-M
Bars of Gold: "Coffee with Pele"
One of my favorite bands of all time was a Michigan, post-hardcore band called Bear vs. Shark. Their debut album, Right Now, You're in the Best of Hands. And if Something isn't Quite Right, Your Doctor will Know in a Hurry, is also in my Top 20 Albums of All-Time. Of course, my discovery of the band happened around the same time they broke up in 2005. As the story goes, the best bands are the ones that don't stick around for too long. In the case of Bear vs. Shark, it was all too unfortunate for myself to have never caught them live.
Following the band's demise, singer Marc Paffi and ex-BVS drummer Brandon Moss reunited alongside members of Wildcatting to form Bars of Gold. The sound is equal parts Bear vs. Shark and Wildcatting, forming a distinctly original Bars of Gold style. Their song, "Coffee with Pele," is a great first song to introduce you to the band's indie-rock sound.
[RH Review] The Spectacular Now
I'll admit something: When I saw the first trailer for The Spectacular Now, I said, "The Spectacular Now is indie film bait with the common trope of self-discovery, coming of age themes, but that’s exactly what I’m attracted to." After watching the film, I can confirm that I was only half-right. Spoiler alert: The Spectacular Now wowed me in a way I haven't been wowed in a very long time. Allow me to try to find the words to convey exactly why.
http://youtu.be/0dCfbBwFI2Y
The Spectacular Now
Director: James Ponsoldt
Rating: R
Release Date: August 2nd, 2013 [NY and LA]
Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is the popular class clown that everybody can't help but like. He's the life of the party, has an equally popular and awesome girlfriend, Cassidy (Brie Larson), and truly embraces living for the now. However, when Cassidy breaks up with him, Sutter's life begins to change, although not in the way you'd expect. After a long night of drinking, a girl from his class, Aimee (Shailene Woodley), finds him sprawled across a yard on her newspaper route. What began as a budding friendship becomes something more as Sutter's attempts to essentially mentor and guide Aimee transition into a deeper connection that Sutter might not be able to comprehend.
Behind the jokes and public facade, Sutter has a dark side to his life that can serve as a bit of a warning to audiences. Despite being only 17, Sutter is a budding alcoholic always seen with a flask full of whiskey. The characteristic defines his actions, sure, but the point doesn't come heavy-handed by director James Ponsoldt (Shamed) or screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ([500] Days of Summer). The Spectacular Now can be seen as a warning against underage drinking or alcohol dependency, but it never feels like an outright propaganda-filled activist statement. Rather, it's understated and subtle, or as subtle as it can be every time Sutter takes a drink out of his super-sized "big gulp" or flask.
When Sutter and Aimee get together, and she begins to pick up on his habit, I kept worrying about where it would lead. The tension was never overbearing, but I had the chilling feeling that something would happen, and it wouldn't be good. It wasn't too dissimilar from the suspense in horror films, but at least in those films, you know for a fact something's coming; in an independent drama, you don't know when, if, or how that "something" would come. This foreboding notion not only helped humanize Sutter and Aimee, but it also makes you actually care for these characters, and what's more important for a film than an audience empathizing and connecting with them?
There are some common tropes in the film, such as father-son dynamics, popular boy falling for a not-so-popular girl, relationship drama as a narrative crux, and the obvious "coming-of-age" epiphany that characterizes the genre. However, such tropes and cliches are tropes and cliches because they're taken from real life, and sometimes I forget that. The Spectacular Now featured real characters who, for better or worse, find themselves in these situations because they're real situations that we have or will find ourselves in.
As I walked out of the theater and reflected over the film, all I could think about was just how right it felt. Sure, I'm biased, because it truly played to my film interests, but it did everything right and what I love in independent dramas. Ponsoldt, Neustadter, and Weber wanted to create a high school film that was devoid of everything that "high school films" have become, reintroducing a level of reality to a film that isn't reliant on an overbearingly dark drama or sophomoric shenanigans. Honestly, Films like The Spectacular Now truly affirm why I've dedicated an extensive period of my life towards covering films.