Voices: Music - The Chicago Maroon

Pat Metheny brings new meaning to "wall of sound"

by Ruben Montiel

Metheny's magnificent machine mimicked many musicians May 10 during the Chicago stop of his tour

Julia Silverman

Sounds of summer burst onto campus

by Will Sims

Nas, Damian Marley, and The Dirty Projectors had the hipsters and the hip-hopsters moving at Summer Breeze.

Internet killed the video star

by Voices Staff

Scandalous videos to shock a jaded audience

Matt Bogen

Virtuosity and vivacity: a night at Mandel Hall with the Belcea Quartet

by Alexandria Pabich

Group gives campus a spring string fling

Courtesy of Passion Pit

Passion Pit electrifies Congress Theater

by Ben Samuels-Kalow

Passion Pit, the five-man electropop outfit from Cambridge, MA, played its second sold-out concert at the Congress Theater April 22.

Gogol Bordello thinks globally, rocks locally

by Blair Thornburgh

Immigrant punks take Chicago

Lloyd Lee

University Orchestra shows off its Lisztomania

by Rob Underwood

Pianist Chen steals the spotlight with outstanding performance

Courtesy of Concord Jazz

Shortcuts—Christian Scott, Yesterday You Said Tomorrow

by Ruben Montiel

Yesterday You Said Tomorrow is Scott’s most fully-realized, listenable, and mature record to date.

©Jeremy & Claire Weiss Photography

OK Go puts rock in motion

by Ben Sigrist

The Maroon talks music videos and record labels with OK Go bassist Tim Norwind

If it's too loud, you're too old

by Asher Klein

Smith Westerns' energy and talent show the kids are all right

Newsom's quirks charm Chicago

by Jordan Larson

The singer and harpist brings her unique brand of folk to the Vic Theater

Newsom plays conductor to Have One on Me's multiple movements

by Asher Klein

Out of many disparate elements, One album emerges

Norman Wong

Still Life Still plays together, stays together

by Mattias Darrow

Brendon Saarinen of Still Life Still speaks about about the development of the group, the excitement of being in an up-and-coming band, and the importance of feeling good and loving the universe.

Courtesy of Michael Dvorak

Bad Plus trio jazzes up Mandel Hall

by Marcella De Laurentiis

Audience members were blown away by the band's performance on Friday night

Adam Elmakias

With Sunday evening show, Friday Night Boys threaten the space-time continuum

by Keegan Hankes

Citing Blink 182 and Sum 41, Boys stay true to pop-punk influences

Girl Talk throws a party at Mandel Hall

by Hayley Lamberson

A review of MAB's fall concert

Tom Tian

Voices Top 5

by Ben Sigrist and Hayley Lamberson

Voices gets critical of the past year, giving you our Top 5 picks for Music, Movies, Songs, Guilty Pleasures, Fashion Trends, and Obama Merchandise.

Top 5 Guilty Pleasure Songs

by Hayley Lamberson

You know you love them.

Courtesy of Kid Cudi

Top 5 Songs

by Yusuf Siddiquee

The tunes that get stuck in your head over and over again.

thenewno2 hops from London to L.A.

by Kate Shepherd

thenewno2--fronted by George Harrison's son--had a backstage discussion with the Maroon about rainy weather and L.A.'s traffic apocalypse.

Person L rises from pet project to underground hit

by Cristina Carrazza

The Chicago Maroon spoke to the band about Fugazi and their other influences

Asian hip-hop reaches its Summit at the U of C

by Ben Sigrist

The Asian Hip Hop Summit performs on campus this Saturday.

Courtesy of Samantha Martin

Play 'em off, Rock Cats: Acro-Cats celebrate feline fancy

by Jordan Larson and Sharan Shetty

Chicago's most talented cats perform acrobatic feats and rock out.

Brendan Burden

Looking beyond the Life of the Mind, Kid Savant seeks electronic existence

by Mathias Darrow

Kid Savant is an electro-rock group from Chicago, with one of its band members majoring in political science here at the U of C. The Maroon discussed making it big and balancing academics and extra-curriculars with the drummer.

Matthew Wallace

Rising through the ranks, Chicago natives make the Cut

by Cristina Carrazza

Rough Cut uses its Chicago heritage to create its own blues/rock sound, which has launched them into recognition.

Top 5 Chicago Music Events

by Derrick Teo Wee Ghee

Lollapalooza dominates with big names, while Pitchfork draws from the fringe. Other acts certainly hold their own.

Shortcuts—Meat Puppets

by Anjali Verghis

Despite its spotty originality, Sewn Together, the band’s 14th studio album seems to be missing more than just the distinct sound of their original drummer, Derrick Bostrom.

Glasgow’s Mogwai rocks long and loud at Congress Theatre

by Derrick Teo Wee Ghee

Mogwai’s Barry Burns muses on drugs, his “bastard” band mates, and the meaning of “Xmas Steps.”

Bottom-bound Cursive tweaks alt-rock formula

by Hayley Lamberson

Hailing from Omaha, NE, Cursive is known for its use of unusual and distinctive instruments. We talked to Cursive guitarist Matt Maginn about Omaha and Bright Eyes.

Courtesy of Universal Music Group

Shortcuts—Asher Roth

by Emale Gray

Asher Roth's debut rap album Asleep in the Bread Aisle is caught somewhere between a motivational speech and Lady Gaga’s drunken anthem “Just Dance.”

Courtesy of Marsalis Music

Shortcuts—Branford Marsalis Quartet

by Ruben Montiel

The Branford Marsalis Quartet is one of the tightest groups of jazz musicians working today, and the Quartet’s new release, Metamorphosen, is a technical, if not always subtle, tour de force.

Prog-rock pedigree and lengthy improv will make U-Melt

by Rob Underwood

U-Melt combines exhilarating and fast-paced guitar riffs with a steady but infectious rhythm section. VOICES spoke with keyboardist Zac Lasher, who discussed everything from the band’s current tour to their upcoming album.

Aussie songstress breaks into U.S. music scene with new tour

by Derrick Teo Wee Ghee

Australia native Missy Higgins is an up-and-coming singer touring the United States with novelist Harlan Coben. She took time before her April 7th performance at Wilmette Theatre to talk to the Maroon.

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Shortcut—Keri Hilson's In a Perfect World...

by Emale Gray

After writing for Britney Spears, Keri Hilson successfully traverses the border between producer/songwriter and recording artist.

Shortcuts—Kelly Clarkson's All I Ever Wanted

by Emale Gray

Appealing lyrics and production make All I Ever Wanted a welcome improvement over Clarkson's last album, My December.

Words & Guitar: Replace the University of Chicago

by Supriya Sinhababu

If the University of Chicago were a band, it’d be the Replacements. Like the kids here, the Replacements had obvious talent; yet they constructed a grandiose loser persona for themselves, and could disappear behind it at will.

Standout voices round out Idol’s solid top 13

by Sara Jerome

American Idol's top 13 are a pretty strong bunch, despite a wide range of vocal ability and star potential.

Jackson's comeback not a thriller

by Hayley Lamberson

Yesterday Michael Jackson announced one more comeback before retiring permanently from performing, but does anyone really care?

Words & Guitar: Out of step with the world

by Supriya Sinhababu

Sometimes what’s superlatively crazy isn’t the stuff artists do when they’re high. It’s the stuff they can do with the complete absence of chemical help that’s truly insane.

Student composers to get world-class debut at Mandel Hall tonight

by Erik Lokensgard

This year, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra held a competition to determine which student works would be performed in one of its public performances at Mandel Hall. Chicago Maroon talks to the two winning composers.

Words & Guitar - Warning: Our band could be your life

by Supriya Sinhababu

Parents should be afraid of music, but for the right reasons.

Jeremy Martin

With new costumes and choreography, the slipper fits for UBallet’s Cinderella

by Mitch Montoya

UBallet's adaptation of Prokofiev's Cinderella promises to breathe new life into the classic fairy tale.

Shortcuts—Beirut's March of the Zapotec/Holland

by Sierra Sterling

It seems as if Beirut fashioned the structure of March/Holland after the idea of a vinyl record.

Miyagi dispenses sage wisdom on Bowie, Beefheart

by Nora Sorena Casey

Voices interviews singer and guitarist David Best, stage name Miyagi, who shares his thoughts about the perils of heavy metal and the trouble with dirty socks.

Courtesy

Words & Guitar: The misogyny playlist

by Supriya Sinhababu

There’s plenty of girl-unfriendly sentiment throughout rock history. But as it turns out, there’s hardly a song that reflects the female misogynist's perspective.

Shoegazers take stage on heels of debut full-length album

by Yusuf Siddiquee

Titus Andronicus may be named after a Shakespearean drama, but the band's meteoric rise has been anything but tragic.

For 49th year, folkies dust off time-worn tunes

by Michael Lipkin

Folk musicians from across the country converge on Mandell Hall to celebrate American root music.

World's greatest garbageman, dead at 62

by Supriya Sinhababu

Lux Interior now the upholstery of Satan.

Ludo lingers on Brides, brushing teeth

by Hayley Lamberson

Tim Ferrell looks back fondly on indie days and U of C cast parties.

Courtesy

Shortcuts—Antony and the Johnsons's The Crying Light

by Dmitri Leybman

One would need to look back to the glam rock of the ’70s to find musical personae who so indiscriminately traversed gender boundaries in their music.

Sonic Living

by Supriya Sinhababu

Minimum effort, maximum rawk showz.

Q: Pitchfork? A: Micro-reviews

by Supriya Sinhababu

Oh, the loads of crap a little two-line limit can cut through.

Words & Guitar—1/16/09

by Supriya Sinhababu

Last year, Ian MacKaye killed rock 'n' roll.

Marshmallow melodies

by Supriya Sinhababu

Rock history, as told by Peeps.

Courtesy

Top 5 Top 40 Albums of 2008

by Emale Gray

We top our hats to the top 5 of the top 40 of the bottom year we call 2008.

Top 5 Independent Albums of 2008

by Jingru Yang

The hard-knock indie records that took the cake in '08.

Top 5 New Artists of 2008

by Yusuf Siddiquee

The groups that blasted onto the music scene in '08.

Courtesy

Top 5 Songs of 2008

by Rob Underwood

The tunes that kept us tapping our toes all 2008 long.

Courtesy

Shortcuts—The Killers' Day and Age

by Rebecca Gieseker

The Killers' new album is everything a Killers fan could hope for.

Potter pontificates on Pete Townshend, Pat Leahy, and playing Chicago

by Anjali Verghis

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals bring their blues-rock blend to Martyrs'.

Hark! CMAC delivers time-worn tunes, feisty skits

by Marcella De Laurentiis

Like a liquor-heavy recipe for eggnog, the Chicago Men's A Cappella group serves up holiday hits with a twist.

Shortcuts: Kanye West—808s and Heartbreak

by Yusuf Siddiquee

Kanye West isn’t scared to take big steps, even if they are missteps.

Benjamin Curtis chimes in on Seven Bells

by Derrick Teo Wee Ghee

School of Seven Bells guitarist Benjamin Curtis took time out to chat with VOICES about his new project and the band’s motivations, and tells us what inspires the dreamy quality of Bells’ music.

M83 mastermind composes odes to youth

by Derrick Teo Wee Ghee

As M83 mastermind Anthony Gonzalez hits the road on his second tour of America this year, VOICES chatted with him about the record, his influences, and playing live.

Margot hits Bottom Lounge after triple-album explosion

by Hayley Lamberson

Perfect for the cold, gray winter, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s is the kind of band that makes you want to stay inside and lounge around the house. Still, try to come see them at the Bottom Lounge on Saturday.

Shortcuts—Beyoncé's I Am...Sasha Fierce

by Emale Gray

On her latest release, Beyoncé attempts to showcase her human side, as well as her stage persona, Sasha Fierce. Clearly, this idea for commercial success is about as lucrative as adding the surname Christ Superstar and believing it to be true.

Speak of the devil! Mafia makes an album you can't refuse

by Madelyn Freed

Three 6 Mafia founding member Juicy J chats with VOICES about Mafia's new album and dispels rumors of his satanism.

Shortcuts—Snow Patrol's A Hundred Million Suns

by Rebecca Gieseker

Snow Patrol's fifth and latest album was highly anticipated by indie fans and 15-year-old McDreamy worshipers alike.

Chris Salata

Crowd leaves Decemberists out in the cold

by Jake Grubman

While The Decemberists’ performance at Mandel Hall this weekend had some bright spots, a cold crowd ultimately set the tone for the night.

Shortcuts—Lady GaGa's The Fame

by Emale Gray

There is one Stefani who has not only succeeded at redefining the pop genre, but has inspired some of mainstream music’s top artists to follow suit.

Courtesy

Shortcuts—Nora Casey

by Emale Gray

A self-proclaimed “Funky White Bitch” by the name of Nikka Costa wholeheartedly revives a genre that Teenie Marie defined: blue-eyed soul.

Meyer, Thile to make melodies at Mandel

by

VOICES asked Thile and Meyer them a few questions about their musical experiences.

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Neutral Milk Hotel’s Koster leads Elephant to Bottom Lounge

by Hayley Lamberson

To celebrate the release of two albums, Julian Koster teamed up with various member bands of the Elephant 6 Recording Company for “The Elephant 6 Holiday Surprise Tour.” VOICES talked to Koster about his upcoming tour, his new albums, and how his music has evolved.

Deerhoof and Maggie make tracks for Metro

by Derrick Teo Wee Ghee

VOICES talks to the members of Deerhoof about their new album, Offend Magic, and the possibility of a rock opera in their future.

Mirah ready to rock out with prosthetic pinky

by Yusuf Siddiquee

Though she had gone through an unfortunate accident, Mirah was still psyched for her new album and her Chicago show during her chat with the MAROON.

Jenny Lewis - Acid Tongue

by Sierra Sterling

When Rilo Kiley front-woman Jenny Lewis released Rabbit Fur Coat in 2006, listeners heard a new confidence in her voice.

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Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination

by Emale Gray

Ever since the Spice Girls said goodbye to the music world, the girl-group genre has been at an all-time low, rife with groups devoid of lyrical and musical substance.

City Music

by

Music thrives in Chicago.

Campus Music

by Joe Riina-Ferrie and Supriya Sinhababu

Thanks to student groups, the U of C attracts big talent

Mogwai still doesn’t care what you think

by Jingru Yang

Mogwai and Fuck Buttons play at Congress Theater on September 26.

Jazz fest riffs on city’s musical past

by Tyler Warner

Between 12 p.m. and 2 a.m. September 27, jazz will once again fill the streets and cultural institutions of Hyde Park. The festivities will include some 30 shows in 12 venues.

Shortcut—The Bake Sale, by The Cool Kids

by Sierra Sterling

The Bake Sale offers a lot of insight into why The Cool Kids have gotten so much love. The EP feels laid-back, as if Mikey and Chuck wake up, put on their vinyl jackets, scarves, and retro-Nikes, and just start to spit rhymes as easily as breathing.