Photographer Jon Shaft was on hand to document Those Darlins‘ recent show at Lincoln Hall in Chicago. Openers Turbo Fruits and Velcro Lewis kicked things off before the Darlins took the stage with its raucous brand of country-punk pop.
World in Stereo: Peña
Each week, World in Stereo examines classic and modern world music while striving for a greater appreciation of other cultures.
Peña: s/t (Secret Stash Records, 10/12/2010)
Peña: “Tarumbero”
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It is one thing to travel and experience world cultures other than your own, but it’s another thing to record and share your findings on an album. In March of 2010, Cory Wong and Eric Foss of Minneapolis-based independent record label Secret Stash began planning a dream project that sought to discover and examine the roots of Afro-Peruvian music. Though Secret Stash Records specializes in releasing and cataloging rare grooves from all over the world, this project carves out a different place in the catalog.
Peña — a two-disc CD/DVD collection that comes in an actual secret-stash-esque wooden case — is not a compilation of rediscovered tunes, but instead is a journey through Afro-Peruvian music from a rotating cast of some of the best local musicians in the genre.
The Bad Plus: Known for Transforming Others’ Work, Brawny Jazz Trio Turns Focus Inward
Stripped of the band’s most tried and true novelty, Never Stop reveals what The Bad Plus could have exploited all along — the intricate, idiosyncratic writing styles of all three band members.
Morrow vs. Hajduch: Mark McGuire’s Living with Yourself
Scott Morrow is ALARM’s music editor. Patrick Hajduch is a very important lawyer. Each week they debate the merits of a different album.
Mark McGuire: Living with Yourself (Editions Mego, 10/12/10)
Mark McGuire: “Clouds Rolling In”
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Hajduch: Living with Yourself is the most recent solo-guitar release of Mark McGuire, who also plays guitar in Emeralds. Much like Emeralds, McGuire’s music spins a gradual yarn over a combination of picked arpeggios and buzzing drones, delayed and looped and layered into a hypnotic tapestry that has become impossible to ignore.
Poster Art: Justin Santora’s “constructions”
Poster Art is a weekly column about today’s independent poster art and the artists who create it.
Based in the Chicagoland area, Justin Santora is an illustrator whose work focuses primarily on the themes of construction and disassembly, as well as “the pursuit for security and the desire for autonomy.” His perspective stems from the concept and process of “constructing something from the ground up” and an ongoing interest in subcultures.
Many of Santora’s illustrations focus on the reoccurring motifs of unfinished buildings, houses, and general architectural structure, while other poster designs simply hint at his love for animals. His pieces often include imagery of abandoned spaces and empty rooms that produce a sense of isolation, as well as despondence within human relations. Additionally, his more recent works include a strong presence of light, shadows, and translucent, haunting human figures.
Trentemøller: Danish Electronic Producer Builds Chilling Organic Followup
The sophomore solo album from Danish production guru Trentemøller is a dramatic departure from his previous electronic works, now incorporating robust organic orchestrations that are topped by his tremolo-swollen guitar riffs.
The Groove Seeker: Garage a Trois’ Power Patriot
On a weekly basis, The Groove Seeker goes in search of killer grooves across rock, funk, hip hop, soul, electronic music, jazz, fusion, and more.
Garage a Trois: Power Patriot (The Royal Potato Family, 10/26/09)
Garage a Trois: “Rescue Spreaders”
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Garage a Trois is the improvised groove child of saxophonist Skerik, drummer Stanton Moore, and 8-string guitarist Charlie Hunter. The trio made a grand debut in 1999 with Mysteryfunk, a raw EP of completely improvised recordings, foregoing interest in post-production effects and multi-tracking. In 2002, percussionist and vibraphonist Mike Dillon was added to the mix, giving the group a new tonal texture, and the band began rooting its music in powerful repetitions à la Critters Buggin, Skerik and Dillon’s former band. The departure of Hunter in 2007 led to a temporary void that was filled by rotating musicians, most notably John Medeski. Soon after, jam keyboardist Marco Benevento was chosen to permanently fill Hunter’s place.
Behind the Counter: Jackpot Records (Portland, OR)
Each Tuesday, Behind the Counter speaks to an independent record store to ask about its recent favorites, best sellers, and noteworthy trends.
Sporting two locations, (Fabulous!) Jackpot Records has served Portland’s independent music community for 13 years as both a new/used CD, LP, and DVD retailer and a record label that reissues lost treasures. We recently caught up with Burnside manager Patrick Dennehy to get some staff picks and see what has been trending.
