Sapropelic Pycnic is the world debut of music presented under the name of Ka Baird. While this record is a commencement of many sorts, it is in no way a mere beginning: Ka was one of the founding members of experimental psychlings Spires That In the Sunset Rise. Formed in 2001 out of the Chicago scene, and described by late guitar legend Jack Rose as a "female Sun City Girls," Spires' sisterhood of sound deepened the New Folk slant with an array of... (read more)

Some artists are at a level of genius so singular and existing on it's own plane, it's difficult to fully surmise using our limited vocabulary. One such singer songwriter was brought to us by none other than Gregg Turkington (he of impeccable sharpness of ear only surpassed by the sharpness of his tongue as funnyman Neil Hamburger): the inimitable Frederick Michael St. Jude. Back in 2013 we gave a proper issuing of his inaugural, lost treasure, Here Am I - a trippy batch... (read more)

What do the greatest musical innovators of the 20th century, such as The Bjelland Brothers, The Blue Jean Committee, and Crisis of Conformity all have in common? Fred Armisen! A true renaissance man, Fred Armisen’s deep supply of locally-pressed records has presented undersung heroes from the history of music in his series Hometown Heroes. Without Fred, who else could bring you songs from the smooth and sensual yacht rock leaning The Blue Jean Committee or a band of young... (read more)

Holy shit, that headline reads true! Wand are all set to release Plum, coming to the world September 22nd! They've got a video for its titular track which you can scope right now, you lovely impatient music lover, you. And the world over is Wand's oyster, "plum" fresh with ripe new tour dates taking us into the new year! Plum is Wand’s fourth LP since the band formed in late 2013, but their first new album since 2015. After a whirlwind first two... (read more)

Bitchin Bajas and Bonnie Prince Billy released Epic Jammers and Fortunate Little Ditties a little over a year ago, and all who’ve subsequently come in contact with it continue to prosper! As such, the collaboration between BPB and the Bajas is one of the most exciting and unique musical happenings of our young century, as the history books will note. Everybody deserves to be a part of history, and the Bitchin’ Bonnies know this as well as any: that’s why they continue to tour Epic... (read more)

Please join us this Sunday (6/25) from 4PM-8PM for the opening reception of Deep Cuts!

Deep Cuts brings you a body of work from Chicago artist Mariano Chavez's visual lexicon, including characters and works that have slowly evolved over many years. A catalog of the works included in this exhibition and special edition t-shirts will also be available for purchase at the opening.

Mariano Chavez (b. 1974) works in a variety of media ranging from painting, drawing, printmaking and... (read more)

Dead Rider are up and rolling again, and Crew Licks is the latest job. After the thousand days and nights since Chills on Glass, Dead Rider had to overcome the creeping suggestion that they multitask themselves to sleep - or to premature brain death, whichever came first. Now they're ready to get into their Rolling Stones suit and thank you for letting them be themselves again; to extrude rude grooves, shattered r'n'b and mother's blues in a priapic triad. Tripped-out and overlaid, shedding the... (read more)

ALL YOU NEED IS REMIX  

What? You actually thought that all required of you had something to do with love? Think again, Romeo (/Einstein!) - because that's actually the only thing you're guaranteed in this life, the right to think again! IF you can. Reconsideration seems to be the ONLY consideration nowadays. For instance, take us and the state of our industry (please!). It was 50 years ago today (ish) that Sgt. Pepper’s band provided a new play... (read more)

Introducing the Crimsmen introduces The Peacers group coming into their own, marking territory established on their 2015 debut, and rubbing our noses in it. Among the many tracks on the new album, you slip and slide from peakings of keening bubblegum scuzz romp to gleaming melancholic nocturne with rips and bits of things flown in from other places amid the gentle settling of dust in the basement recording room. We've previewed a couple of songs already, flashing elements of jangle, wistful acoustic and punk/classic... (read more)

Lordy, John Mulaney has totally cleaned up on the late night TV circuit over the course of the last week! Fresh off a visit to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert last Wednesday, John stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers last night to discuss, among other things, his forthcoming LP/CD on Drag City—The Comeback Kid! After being released on Netflix last year, Mulaney’s hilarious stand up special (recorded live at the Chicago Theatre) The Comeback Kid is officially set to arrive at record... (read more)