Plus: Black Metal Thrills & Chi-Cal Power Country
A loose collection of whatnot.
1. Peace Rap.
“Join the Universal Zulu Nation as we usher this initiative into our communities to have a SAFE, PRODUCTIVE AND FUN Chicago Summer for our Children and Teens!
“We are pleased to invite you to participate in Chicago’s first annual Hip Hop For Peace: Youth Against Violence Month, designated for Monday May 6th, Tuesday May 14th, Friday May 17th, and Friday May 24th, 2013 at the historic landmark Chicago Cultural Center in downtown Chicago, and Saturday May 18th at the Gary Comer Youth Center.”
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2. First Rock Critic Ever.
WBEZ’s Jim DeRogatis on Paul Williams, who died last week:
“[H]is greatest trait as a writer: the ability to unleash a relentless, persistent, but always convincingly argued tidal wave of passion about the music he loved. His prose made resistance futile, dragging you along in its wake, and almost always for the better.”
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And . . .
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WGN-AM’s Turi Ryder talks to Williams’ wife, Cindy Lee Berryhill.
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3. Chicago-bred Indie Glam Britpop.
Pitchfork catches up the Smith Westerns, whose upcoming third album is due in June.
Here’s a teaser:
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4. Black In The Saddle.
“Brooklyn black metal outfit Liturgy have seemingly been M.I.A. since issuing their 2011 Thrill Jockey debut Aesthethica, but vocalist/guitarist Hunter Hunt-Hendrix has announced he’ll be delivering an LP for the [Chicago] label with his other band Survival,” Exclaim reports. “The outfit’s self-titled debut arrives May 14.”
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5. Chi-Cal Power Country.
Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray drop by Quenchers on April 14th in support of We’re From Here.
From the press kit:
Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray is an Americana rock band blending well-traveled vintage warmth with the exuberance synonymous with rock & roll. Known for the intensity of their live show, hauntingly emotive songs and evocative imagery, Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray has an almost impossibly large and dynamic sound.
The duo set out from Chicago at the beginning of 2011 with dreams of the open road, and spent the year living in their Honda Element playing shows everywhere their travels took them. The adventure continued with the release of their debut album, We’re From Here in September 2012. This expansive record garnered praise for its well worn familiarity combined with its imaginative exploration of the genres that make up American music.
Miss Shevaughn is often compared to Emmylou Harris and Joni Mitchell, not only for her effortless shimmering vocals, but for authenticity of performance and intimacy of storytelling. Yuma Wray weaves these tales into dynamic guitar-driven sonic magic with splashes of Ennio Morricone and bursts of Jimmy Page inspired power.
Together they trade off on lead vocals, harmonies and a wide array of instruments, giving the band the versatility of Fleetwood Mac and the overarching musicality of 1960’s California Country and Rock. Their songs are at once eerie and heartfelt, honest and compelling, tying the gothic storytelling of Miss Shevaughn’s Deep South roots to Yuma Wray’s windswept, mystical desert soundscape.
Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray recently released a live album, Live@DC9 on Bandcamp for name your own price, and will tour the United States in spring 2013. They are working on a new album.
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6. The Men of Chicago Music Exchange Calender Shoot.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on April 3, 2013