Contest: Win tickets to Champaign-Urbana’s Pygmalion Music Festival

Held in Champaign-Urbana, IL (the home of the University of Illinois), the Pygmalion Music Festival 2010 will take place September 22-25, showcasing rock stalwarts like Built to Spill alongside up-and-coming acts like Janelle Monae.

There are loads of big-name performers, including Fang Island, Cut Chemist, Holy Fuck, Of Montreal, Roky Erickson & Okkervil River, Caribou, Cap’n Jazz, Ted Leo, Emeralds, and Owen. That list hardly scratches the surface, though. To see the full schedule, click here.

Morrow vs. Hajduch

Morrow vs. Hajduch: Roll the Dice

Scott Morrow is ALARM’s music editor. Patrick Hajduch is a very important lawyer. Each week they debate the merits of a different album.

Roll the Dice: s/t LPRoll the Dice: s/t LP (Digitalis, 6/8/10 — digital copies available via iTunes)

Roll the Dice: “The New Black”
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Hajduch: Swedish duo Roll the Dice are not a household name, but you may have heard their work as individuals before. Malcolm Pardon “continously composes for film and television,” while Peder Mannerfelt has long written music as The Subliminal Kid and most recently contributed to Fever Ray‘s album and touring line-up. Together, they make meditative, arpeggiated drone music using only synth and piano.

Chicago Underground Duo embarks on mini-tour of Midwest and East Coast

Long-time collaborators Rob Mazurek (Exploding Star Orchestra, Sao Paulo Underground, Mandarin Movie, and more) and Chad Taylor (Iron and Wine, Marc Ribot, and more) recently released their fifth album together as Chicago Underground Duo (Thrill Jockey). The album, entitled Boca Negra, is a combination of composed and improvised ambient grooves, highlighted by melodic bursts and the occasional understated ballad.

From today to September 19, Chicago Underground Duo will visit the Midwest, Eastern US, and parts of Canada. Full tour dates below.

Cougar: Naked, Mercurial Electro-Rock

With rangy stylistic influences, impressive chops, and “naked” production, Cougar‘s brand of electro-rock is as diverse as its members, whose tastes span progressive rock, Brazilian music, New Orleans jazz, and classical works.