How's My Living?

Album Review: Wovenhand, “The Threshingfloor”

Sarah — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:34:05 +0000

David Eugene Edwards returns with Wovenhand’s fifth studio album, The Threshingfloor. The band’s music, as always, draws on traditional Americana sounds, mixed liberally with influences from Native American, Middle Eastern, and Celtic tradition. He also continues to draw on his deeply-held religious beliefs, putting him in a category all his own: respected indie-type musician writing overtly Christian music without being pigeonholed into any sort of religious genre. For the most part, Wovenhand’s music can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of belief. Just close your eyes and let yourself be drawn in by the urgency of Edwards’ voice, instead.

Stand-out tracks include “Sinking Hands”, “Truth”, “Wheat Straw”, and the title track, “The Threshingfloor”.

The Threshingfloor is out now. Catch Wovenhand on tour when they stop by Lincoln Hall on September 28th.

Wovenhand: Official Website | MySpace

This Week in Great Music: 7/26 – 8/1

Sarah — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:22:52 +0000

Less commentary from me, more sleeping, which is what I’m going to go do right now.

Monday, July 26
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, Bomba Estereo; Millennium Park. 6:30 pm, free
Robbie Fulks, Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
David Dondero, The Heligoats, Animal City; Schubas. 8 pm, $8

Tuesday, July 27
Gaslight Anthem, House of Blues. 6 pm, $21-23
Marc Broussard, Jeffery David; SPACE. 8 pm, $30-40
Smashing Pumpkins, Kill Hannah; Metro. 8 pm, $100-500 (benefit for Madina Lake bassist Matthew Leone)
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound, Daytonics, Soul Summit DJs; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $15

Wednesday, July 28
Keane, Ingrid Michaelson, Fran Healy; Chicago Theatre. 7 pm, $29.50-49.50

Thursday, July 29
Todd Carey, Jessica Robbins, Josiah Leming; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $10

Friday, July 30
Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel; Navy Pier Beer Garden. 5 pm, free
The Barehand Jugband; Hideout. 5:30 pm, $5 suggested donation
The Dead Weather; Congress Theater. 8 pm, $35
Tift Merritt, Dawn Landes and the Hounds; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $18

Saturday, July 31
The Right Now, JT and the Clouds, Dan Dyer; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $10

Sunday, August 1
Nothing

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Retribution Gospel Choir, “Hide It Away”

Sarah — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:19:13 +0000

Retribution Gospel Choir’s sophomore album, appropriately titled 2, is already an early frontrunner to make it onto my Favorites of 2010 list. ”Hide it Away” kicks the album off, and it’s a perfect start — it grabbed my attention and still manages to suck me in for the rest of the tracks.

Retribution Gospel Choir, “Hide It Away”

You started to shake
You could not even say your lines
The graft didn’t take
Now it’s holding you back sometimes
You hide it away
You hide it away, child

Retribution Gospel Choir: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook

This Week in Great Music: 7/19 – 7/25

Sarah — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 15:03:10 +0000

As usual for the summer, there are a ton of great shows going on which also happen to be free. Trek on down to Millennium Park or Navy Pier to check out some cost-free tunes.

As for me, I’m hoping to make it to the Hideout tonight, and then on Friday I’ll be at the Langhorne Slim/Ha Ha Tonka show, and Saturday is Heartless Bastards/Peter Wolf Crier.

Monday, July 19
Kid Sister, Konono No. 1; Millennium Park. 6:30 pm, free
Robbie Fulks, Nora O’Connor; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, July 20
Patrick Park, Heather Styka; Schubas. 8 pm, $10

Wednesday, July 21
Nathaniel Rateliff, JBM; Schubas. 9 pm, $10

Thursday, July 22
Josh and the Empty Pockets, Juniper Mays; Park Grill. 4 pm, free
Natalie Merchant, Chicago Theatre. 8 pm, $38.50-48.50
Nick Tremulis, Deanna Devore; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-15
Derek Nelson and the Musicians, Ceiling Stars, Zach Pietrini and the Broken Bones; Martyrs. 9 pm, $7
Scott H. Biram, Lasers and Fast and Shit, Roses Pawn Shop; Double Door. 9 pm, $10

Friday, July 23
Juana Molina, Jim Elkington; Old Town School of Folk Music. 8 pm, $18-22
Langhorne Slim, Ha Ha Tonka, Young Man; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $14

Saturday, July 24
The Right Now; Navy Pier. 5 pm, free
Heartless Bastards, The Builders and the Butchers, Peter Wolf Crier; Bottom Lounge. 8 pm, $16
Jane and The Steadfast Acrobats, The Future Laureates, Mike Mangione and The Union, Sarah Holtschlag and The Crosscuts, The Sunken Ship; Lincoln Hall. 8:30 pm, $7
Danny Chaimson, Facing Winter; Schubas. 10 pm, $10

Sunday, July 25
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Millennium Park. 12 pm, free

Hooray for Covers! Hugo, “99 Problems”

Sarah — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 15:58:20 +0000

How to make Jay-Z’s iconic “99 Problems” even better?

Why, by adding banjos and a really really freaky video, that’s how.

Hugo – “99 Problems” from Consequence of Sound on Vimeo.

Tip of the hat to Cover Me Songs and Consequence of Sound.

Hugo: Official Website | MySpace | Facebook | Twitter

This Just In…

Sarah — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:49:58 +0000

Tik Tok and California Gurls are the same song.

In other news, water is wet.

No related posts.

This Week in Great Music: 7/12 – 7/18

Sarah — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:36:35 +0000

The indie music world comes to a screeching halt this weekend as Pitchfork rolls into town. Three-day tickets have been sold out for ages, so try hitting up Craigslist or something to make your way in.

Monday, July 12
Caribou, The Budos Band; Millennium Park. 6:30 pm, free
Robbie Fulks, Paul Turner; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
Islands, Gregory Pepper; Lincoln Hall. 7 pm, $15

Tuesday, July 13
Kevin O’Donnell’s Summer Spectacular; Martyrs. 8 pm, $8

Wednesday, July 14
The Swell Season; Ravinia. 8 pm, $22-50
Sarah Harmer, David Romano; Schubas. 8 pm, $18

Thursday, July 15
Loudon Wainwright III, Meg Hutchinson; SPACE. 8 pm, $28-65
Cary Brothers, Harper Blynn; Subterranean. 9 pm, $9

Friday, July 16
Old 97′s, Patricia Vonne; Navy Pier Beer Garden. 6 pm, free
Anne Heaton, Rose Polenzani; SPACE. 7 pm, $12-20
Jonny Lang, Moreland and Arbuckle; House of Blues. 9 pm, $40.50-43
Titus Andronicus, Hallelujah the Hills; Subterranean. 10:30 pm, $12

Saturday, July 17
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Drive-By Truckers; United Center. 7:30 pm, $49.50-125
Here We Go Magic, Sharon Van Etten, A Lull; Schubas. 10:30 pm, $12 or $6 with Pitchfork wristband

Sunday, July 18
Cains and Abels, Strand of Oaks, The Daredevil Christopher Wright, The Loom, Benjamin Ezra; Abbey Pub (3420 W Grace). 8:30 pm, $8-10
Local Natives, Yawn; Lincoln Hall. 10:30 pm, $15
Real Estate, Zola Jesus; Subterranean. 10:30 pm, $12

Wow, That’s a Good Song: Meursault, “A Small Stretch of Land”

Sarah — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 15:04:32 +0000

Where has Meursault been all of my life? Singer Neil Pennycook’s voice is positively haunting. I’m apparently late to this party, but Love Shack, Baby has written about Meursault several times, in much more depth than I can muster, including a review of their latest album, “All Creatures Will Make Merry”.

Meursault, “A Small Stretch of Land”

She was all that your heart did demand
And you fueled its ambition as you followed every plan
And you took leave of any common sense
Hoping that this doubt inside of you would soon be laid to rest

Meursault: MySpace | Store

This Week in Great Music: 7/5 – 7/11

Sarah — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 18:41:35 +0000

Today’s post is late because I indulged myself on my day off by sleeping in and then watching Animal Cops for most of the morning. For the most part, both of these things are more interesting than the thinned out concert goings-on for the week.

Monday, July 5
The Thermals, Disappears; Millennium Park. 6:30 pm, free
Robbie Fulks; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, July 6
Ashley Arrison, Claire Stahlecker; Martyrs. 8 pm, $7

Wednesday, July 7
Kate Miller-Heidke, Kaiser Cartel; Schubas. 9 pm, $10

Thursday, July 8
Mary Chapin Carpenter, Catie Curtis; Park West. 7:30 pm, $40
Daysleeper, Borrow Tomorrow, simplesinger; Schubas. 8 pm, $8-10
The Shams Band, Rachele Eve, Valentiger, Nelkin; Beat Kitchen. 8:30 pm, $8

Friday, July 9
James Taylor and Carole King; United Center. 8 pm, $50-125

Saturday, July 10
Emily White, Tricia Scully; Martyrs. 7 pm, $7

Sunday, July 11
Nothing

Happy Fourth of July

Sarah — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 22:11:30 +0000

Happy Fourth of July, to my fellow US-types, from both the Muppets and me.

Stars & Stripes Forever