Jesca Hoop

Review: Jesca Hoop’s The House That Jack Built

Jesca Hoop: The House That Jack BuiltJesca Hoop: The House That Jack Built (Bella Union, 6/26/12)

“Born To”

Jesca Hoop: “Born To”

Northern California-born signer/songwriter Jesca Hoop (a current resident of Manchester, England) has made quite the impression on people in high places. Garnering endorsements from the likes of Elbow’s Guy Garvey, Peter Gabriel, and Tom Waits (for whom she used to nanny, and who has described her music as being “like going swimming in a lake at night”), Hoop has established herself as well-crafted songstress who relies on her strong voice and pop sensibilities to impel her songs forward. But the support from her tried-and-true forebears isn’t unfounded; on her new album, The House That Jack Built, Hoop disinters the raw talent and musical vision to back up all the hype surrounding her.

Giant Sand

Giant Sand: A Mutable Southwestern-Rock Institution

Tuscon-based singer/songwriter Howe Gelb has made a name for himself by collaborating with an ever-changing cast of players. As Giant Sand, Gelb has released more than 20 records, with contributions from the likes of Neko Case, PJ Harvey, Vic Chesnutt, and Steve Wynn.

Lollapalooza 2009: Sunday

Sunday, August 9

Ra Ra Riot

As expected, Sunday’s heat topped well into the 90s, but that wasn’t about to impede Lollapalooza’s crowds. Before Ra Ra Riot’s set in the early afternoon, audience members were vying for the tiny sliver of shade directly in front of the Chicago 2016 Stage.

Lollapalooza 2009 Lineup Announced

Running from August 7-9 in Chicago’s Grant Park, one of the world’s biggest summer festivals is back, including headlining performances by Tool, Beastie Boys, Depeche Mode, Jane’s Addiction, The Killers, and Kings of Leon.  Check out the rest of the massive lineup below.

What We’re Doing This Weekend

Our plans for this weekend include Nora O’Connor (shown left), Riot Fest, Dan Deacon, Religulous, the Millennium Chamber Players, and…a 100-foot mystical dragon?

Destroyer: The Mad Genius of Dan Bejar

Destroyer‘s Dan Bejar is all over the place — the New Pornographers, Swan Lake, and Hello Blue Roses all employ and depend on his talents — but out of them all, Destroyer is his project, truly highlighting his own quirkily poetic style and interests.