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Fiona Apple In Chicago

By Steve Rhodes

Tribune rock critic Greg Kot awarded Fiona Apple’s new album 3.5 out of four stars in a review in which he called the recording “a raw, unsettling listen” filled with “jagged arrangements, lurching rhythms and off-kilter melodies” that lay out “tales of personal mayhem.”
WBEZ music blogger Jim DeRogatis couldn’t disagree more; on a recent edition of Sound Opinions he told Kot that listening to Apple was a “chore.”
“You’re so wrong,” Kot replied.
So which is it?
Apple was in town last week at the Chicago Theatre; I’ve pulled some YouTube videos so you can judge for yourself – though obviously not all selections are from the new record. And if it makes any difference, here’s what a couple others think.
Ryan Dombal, Pitchfork: “[T]he most distilled Fiona Apple album yet . . . Every single waveform is pierced with purpose.” Nine out of ten stars.
Jeremy D. Larson, Consequence of Sound: “Apple’s vocal violence is both hard to listen to and yet totally punk rock . . . succeeds in creating a singular world more daring than any of Apple’s previous records and one of the most daring pop records in recent history.” Four-and-half out of five stars.
Also, here’s a much talked-about New York magazine feature/profile.
And now, Apple at the Chicago Theatre.
(One thing I will say about Kot’s incredibly well-written – as usual – concert review: I’m not sure Fiona looks “fierce”; she looks anorexic, which is worrying when it comes to her. Only her voice seems physically strong.)
*
1. It’s Only Make Believe (Conway Twitty covert)

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Posted on July 14, 2012

The Week in Chicago Rock

By The Beachwood Rock Local Affairs Desk

You shoulda been there.
1. Fiona Apple at the Chicago Theatre on Tuesday night.

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Posted on July 13, 2012

Sucker Free Scene Report

Food, Liquor And MTV

Snapshots from a moment.
1. “The rise of Chicago’s hip-hop scene has been heavily documented in the past couple of months, but MTV2 will go even deeper into the city with Sucker Free: Chicago,” Hip Hop Wired reports. “Artists such as Chief Keef, King Louie, LEP Bogus Boys, Sir Michael Rocks, GLC, Young Chop and plenty more will be on display.
“The Chicagorillas invite MTV2 into their city and talk about why the city has become so popular, through the eyes of the artists themselves. Sucker Free: Chicago debuts on MTV2 on July 11th at 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.”
(The show’s official page says “Sucker Free is going to the ground level of an emerging scene in America’s third largest city. Don’t miss Sucker Free: Chicago Sunday, July 15th at 11/10c on MTV2.”)

Get More: Sucker Free, MTV2

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Posted on July 11, 2012

The Weekend in Chicago Rock

By The Beachwood Rock Local Affairs Desk

You shoulda been there.
1. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at Navy Pier on Saturday night.

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Posted on July 9, 2012

The Week in Chicago Rock

By The Beachwood Rock Local Affairs Desk

You shoulda been there.
1. Rev KM Williams at the Old Town School of Music on Tuesday night.

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Posted on July 6, 2012

Rhymefest vs. Chief Keef

By Steve Rhodes

In a guest post on Analog Girl In A Digital World last week, Chicago rapper and former aldermanic candidate Rhymefest wrote that fellow hometown teen star Chief Keef “represents the senseless savagery that white people see when the news speaks of Chicago violence” and likened him to a bomb because a bomb “has no responsibility or blame, it does what it was created to do; DESTROY!”
This was Rhymefest’s way of saying Keef – who just signed to Interscope Records – is being used as a tool and a fool in another man’s game.
“To think of the persona of Chief Keef as a person would be the first mistake; he will more then likely come and go without us knowing much of anything about his personal pains, struggles, great loves and ambitions beyond rap,” Rhymefest writes. “Major record labels always put million-dollar life insurance policies on artists of this nature so that they get paid one way or the other.”
On Tuesday, Rhymefest reiterated his stance in an interview with WGCI. (He also said “To hell with that” when asked if he would run for office again.)
“It’s really not about Chief Keef as much as it is about exploitation,” Rhymefest said. “It’s no coincidence that one of the most violent periods Chicago has ever seen, that this is what represents us musically. This is what represents us as a people . . . So if all of the diet of the music that you get is kill kill kill and we’re going to glorify that, then that’s what we are conditioning our shorties and they’ll never end.”
Here’s the full interview.

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Posted on July 4, 2012

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