[Mixtape] YP: "Restless"
YP is still Restless in his pursuit for greatness and he proves in this brand new 'tape that he will stop at nothing to accomplish his goals. With features and production by the likes of C-Sick, DJ L, Lil Bibby, Mikkey Halsted and more, this project definitely showcases that true Chicago sound. Restless is 15 tracks-long and very much worth the download!
Full Riot Fest lineup revealed
The Chicago music festival I'm most looking forward to has just finalized its artist lineup. Riot Fest announced earlier that The Pixies, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Suicidal Tendencies, Andrew WK, T.S.O.L., and more will be joining the already amazing lineup full of punk, indie, and hip hop acts. Unfortunately, it was also announced that Bad Brains, Motorhead, and Attack Attack! had to cancel their performances. Regardless, Riot Fest is still shaping up to be the definitive Chicago music festival of the year.
Both daily lineups and tickets will go live on July 24th, so if you're curious who's playing when or can't put the money down for a 3-day pass, keep your eyes peeled here next week for more information. The full lineup poster can be seen below.
[Video] North Coast Music Festival 2013 Teaser + Daily Lineups Announced
Since it's the halfway mark for the summer, the onslaught of music festivals are prepping to take Chicago over. North Coast has already released its full lineup of artists previously, but the daily list of artists have been made public today. Have you wanted to jam to RL Grime, ProbCause, Mac Miller, and Team Bayside High, on one day? How about PHNM, NaS, and Porn and Chicken? Wu-Tang and Danny Brown? Everything's covered! Remember to buy your 3-day passes for this year's North Coast Music Festival here. The daily lineups are in full below with ticket links for each respective day.
http://youtu.be/mJAPftF93wI
FRIDAY
PASSION PIT
The Disco Biscuits | Mac Miller
Laidback Luke | Paper Diamond
RL Grime | AlunaGeorge | Just Blaze | Capital Cities
The Werks | Zoogma | French Fries | Dean Cohen
Ghosthouse | The Heard
Team Bayside High | Zebo | ProbCause | Jaime Lono | Xonic | Howie Doin
SATURDAY
AFROJACK | BIG GIGANTIC
Nas | Skream | Gramatik | Aloe Blacc
Future Rock | Conspirator | Seven Lions | El Ten Eleven
Flatbush Zombies | On an On | Bondax | The Knocks | DVBBS | heRobust
Russ Liquid | Thibault | Brassft Punk | Porn and Chicken | Ghost Beach | Milk n Cookies
PHNM | My Boy Elroy | Animale | Kruser | D1rty Noize | Dakota | Enoptix
SUNDAY
WU-TANG CLAN
Lotus | Rebelution | Gary Clark Jr | Purity Ring | A–trak
Datsik | Madeon | Claude Vonstroke | Emancipator | Danny Brown
JC Brookes & Uptown Sound | Dirty Dozen Brass Band | Cherub | Poolside (Live)
Midnight Conspiracy | Manic Focus | K.Flay | Ojo De Buey | The Coop | Gemini Club
Exmag | Pugs Atomz + Ill Legit | NORdjs | Paul Universe
Kings of Class | Danger Wayne | VIPeeps
Netherfriends: "Uptown Boys"
Did you ever think you could live this way? Did you ever think you could ever say? "I'm living my dreams until the day I die. I'm living my dreams until the day I die."
Netherfriends certainly has been living his dreams over the past few years. Song after song, project after project, he has amassed a large catalog of music over a relatively short period of time (this summer alone has seen New CHI-t, Kind of Buzzed vol. 1, and 50 Songs 50 States with more to come). Today, the first look at his first studio album, the indie-tinged P3ACE, was premiered by SPIN.
"Uptown Boys" shares some of Netherfriends' catchy indie-pop sensibilities. Remember when I said this was going to be "The Summer of Netherfriends"? I can guarantee "Uptown Boys" will be your favorite song of the summer. It'll only take a few listens before you begin singing the chorus out loud and into the summer sky.
[Video] Tera Melos: "Weird Circles"
Tera Melos has gone through a few large changes since the band formed in 2004. Originally a 4-piece instrumental math-rock band, the band has evolved into a 3-piece with the addition of vocals from guitarist Nick Reinhart. I admit, I wasn't a fan of everything that followed after the IDIOMS EP, despite being a huge fan of Tera Melos and Drugs to the Dear Youth, two albums I still listen to on a regular basis.
However, I did decide to give them another shot with their video for "Weird Circles" from their latest album, X'ed Out. The abstract video shuffles through scenes of controlled randomness, from The Muppets' Animal making a cameo while somebody destroys a guitar on a fire hydrant in the background to a TV burning on fire while Nick sings on-screen. The added vocals are still gonna take a little getting used to, but Tera Melos is definitely the type of experimental band everybody should check out at least once. After all, they were once named the craziest live band in America at one point in time.
Chicagoans can catch Tera Melos at this year's Wicker Park Fest on July 27th.
http://youtu.be/oyv7fjaRMT8
Those Darlins
Raw, sultry, audacious rock-a-billy indie trio Those Darlins are worth a good listen. This group of saucy southerners from Nashville, Jessi Darlin, Nikki Darlin, and Linwood Regensburg, are known to throw a party on stage. The band's early folky vibe has evolved into a spit-whiskey-in-your face experience that I definitely prefer from the former -- and not just because I love whiskey. Their latest album "Screws Get Loose," include tracks like "Be Your Bro," which lyrically paint a vivid picture: "I just wanna be your bro/ You just wanna be my boyfriend/ I just wanna run and play in the dirt with you/ You just wanna stick it in."
With Karen O-worthy screeches bumping up next to sing-a-long choruses Those Darlins' sound brings to mind a Best Coast/Yeah Yeah Yeahs mash up, but with a retro-rock edge to snag your sleeve on. Download a sampler of Those Darlins right now for free, here. But don't hesitate to donate, they are definitely worth it. And don't miss your chance to catch them live at West Fest this weekend.
http://youtu.be/0tzfzN0MyhU
[Video] Yo La Tengo: "Ohm"
Indie-rock experts Yo La Tengo delivered a new music video for "Ohm" off of their latest album Fade. The animated video starts off with a classroom figuring out the formula of Yo La Tengo and dives into a trippy, multi-colored world guided by a cigar-smoking baby, discovering the band in their "natural" habitats. Personally, I think the video is a perfect fit for the track and gets me even more excited for seeing them live next weekend at Pitchfork. Check them out, along with our other top picks for the festival.
http://youtu.be/Py2KOyrtq6o
Top Picks At Pitchfork 2013
Since 2006, Pitchfork Music Festival has been recognized as one Chicago's must-see summer music festivals, and there are several, so that's really saying something. But with more than 40 break-through artists performing in just three days, Pitchfork is proving to be the Midwest spotlight for emerging talent.
This year, with headliners such as R. Kelly, Bjork, and Belle and Sebastian, the festival is sure to wrack up huge numbers of attendees, but that goes without saying. Who I'm here to tell you about is who you probably don't know about already -- but totally should. My top picks for Pitchfork aren't household names just yet, but they are definitely cutting-edge acts that you don't want to miss.