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CHIRP Playlist: Friday, February 3, 2012

Sarah — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 16:44:57 +0000

Hear my delightful music selections every Friday night on Chicago’s own CHIRP Radio, from 8 – 10 pm Central time. It’s awesome. Next week’s my birthday. I’m definitely playing whatever the heck I want.

9:53 PM Scout Niblett Cherry Cheek Bomb from The Calcination Of Scout Niblett (Drag City)
9:49 PM Radar Eyes Secrets from Radar Eyes (HoZac)
9:42 PM Kid You’ll Move Mountains Volts from Loomings (self-released)
9:39 PM Comet Gain Ballad for Frankie Machine from Howl of the Lonely Crowd (What’s Your Rupture)
9:37 PM Dan Mangan Tina’s Glorious Comeback from Nice Nice Very Nice (Arts & Crafts)
9:33 PM Chin Up Chin Up We Should Have Never Lived Like We Were Skyscrapers (Stephen Snydacker Mix) from Chin Up Chin Up (Flameshovel)
9:29 PM Apparat Black Water from The Devil’s Walk (Mute)
9:25 PM The Roots The OtherSide (featuring Bilal Oliver & Greg Porn) from undun (Def Jam)
9:20 PM Brandi Carlile Dying Day from Give Up the Ghost (Columbia)
9:19 PM Tegan and Sara Living Room from If It Was You (Vapor)
9:14 PM First Aid Kit King of the World from The Lion’s Roar (Wichita)
9:09 PM Teddy Thompson (From Now On All My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers from Up Front and Down Low (Verve Forecast)
9:05 PM The David Mayfield Parade Blue Skies Again from The David Mayfield Parade (9th Grade)
9:03 PM Buddy Holly Not Fade Away from Greatest Hits (MCA)
9:01 PM Virgin Forest Big Old Mama from Easy Way Out (Partisan)
8:58 PM The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir …And The Horse You Rode In On (Album) from …And The Horse You Rode In On (Bloodshot)
8:54 PM Hockey Too Fake from Mind Chaos (Capitol)
8:49 PM Royal Baths Black Sheep from Better Luck Next Life (Kanine)
8:45 PM Casiotone For the Painfully Alone Scattered Pearls from Etiquette (Tomlab)
8:40 PM Chappo Island Opiate from Plastique Universe II: Pisces Princess (self-released)
8:37 PM Poliça I See My Mother from Give You the Ghost (Totally Gross National Product)
8:32 PM Noe Venable Five on the Dime from No Curses Here (Intuition)
8:29 PM Cate Le Bon The Man I Wanted from Cyrk (The Control Group)
8:25 PM Andrew Bird Bein’ Green from Muppets: The Green Album (Disney )
8:21 PM Band of Horses I Go To The Barn Because I Like The from Everything All the Time (Sub Pop)
8:17 PM Maná Mariposa Traicionera from Revolución de amor (Warner Music Latina)
8:14 PM Adrian Younge Presents Venice Dawn Mourning Melodies in Rhapsody from Something About April (Wax Poetics)
8:09 PM Broken Records You Know You’re Not Dead from Let Me Come Home (4AD)
8:06 PM Unicycle Loves You Sun Comes Out (And I Don’t Care) from Failure (Mecca Lecca)
8:02 PM Quiet Company The Easy Confidence from We Are All Where We Belong (self-released)

Wow, That’s A Good Song: Mbira DzeNhaira, “Toputika Neshungu”

Mel — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:14:42 +0000

Here’s your gorgeous for the day. The professor in the music class I’m taking this semester started off this morning with this video, and I’m considering skipping the rest of the day to watch it over and over.

Mbira DzeNhaira is a mbira orchestra from Zimbabwe, and they have an album available on iTunes. Check them out — when I’m not running between classes and meetings, I certainly will.

Mbira DzeNhaira: Official Site | iTunes

This Week in Great Music: 1/30 – 2/5

Sarah — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:37:20 +0000

A bit of a late start today due to some hosting issues, but never mind. Concert landscape this week is a little thin, but I’m sure you all will find ways to enjoy yourselves. Let me know what I missed!

Monday, January 30
Robbie Fulks, The Pussycat Trio; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
Clip Art, Baby Teeth, Jennifer Hall; Schubas. 8 pm, $5
Adam Arcuragi & the Lupine Chorale Society, The Pear Traps; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, free

Tuesday, January 31
Meh.

Wednesday, February 1
Meh?

Thursday, February 2
Rumer, Bryn Rich; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $13-15
AZITA, Thomas Comerford, Robbie Hamilton & Soft Ones; Schubas. 9 pm, $6

Friday, February 3
Andy Grammer, Ryan Star, Rachel Platten; Lincoln Hall. 7 pm, $14

Saturday, February 4
Alfonso Ponticelli’s Gypsy Flamenco Project; Mayne Stage. 9 pm, $15-20

Sunday, February 5
Birdy; Schubas. 12 pm, free

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, January 27, 2012

Sarah — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:20:48 +0000

Hear my delightful music selections every Friday night on Chicago’s own CHIRP Radio, from 8 – 10 pm Central time. It’s awesome.

9:55 PM Jakob Olausson Keep the Sky from Falling from Morning & Sunrise (De Stijl)
9:51 PM The Dresden Dolls Ultima Esperanza from No, Virginia (Roadrunner)
9:47 PM Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse Grim Augury from Dark Night Of The Soul (EMI)
9:44 PM John K. Samson Highway 1 West from Provincial (Anti/Epitaph)
9:38 PM Anson Krekeler Orange Coastline from Orange Coastline (self-released)
9:33 PM Abalone Dots Over Georgia from Traveler (RCA)
9:29 PM Joe Pug Nation of Heat from Nation of Heat EP (self-released)
9:25 PM Cloudbirds Soak’d from Cloudbirds (Movings)
9:21 PM The Decemberists Rox In The Box from The King Is Dead (Capitol)
9:17 PM Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings How Long Do I Have to Wait for You from The World of Daptone Records (Daptone)
9:13 PM Blanche Garbage Picker from If We Can’t Trust the Doctors (V2)
9:09 PM Puerto Muerto Drumming For Pistols from Drumming For Pistols (Fire)
9:06 PM Laura Gibson La Grande from La Grande (Barsuk)
9:02 PM Martha Wainwright When The Day Is Short from Martha Wainwright (Zoe)
8:58 PM Paper Route Tearing The House Down from Paper Route EP (Drama Club)
8:55 PM Nada Surf Waiting for Something from The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy (Barsuk)
8:50 PM Tortoise & Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy Daniel (Elton John) from The Brave and the Bold (Overcoat)
8:44 PM Gemma Hayes Horses from The Roads Don’t Love You (Source UK)
8:41 PM Over the Rhine I’m on a Roll from The Trumpet Child (Great Speckled Dog)
8:37 PM First Aid Kit Emmylou from The Lion’s Roar (Wichita)
8:33 PM Mutts Blind Truth from Pray for Rain (8eat8)
8:30 PM Neil Young Only Love Can Break Your Heart from After The Goldrush (Reprise)
8:27 PM Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah Lake Shore Drive from Lake Shore Drive (Quicksilver)
8:22 PM New Buffalo On Sunday from The Last Beautiful Day (Arts & Crafts)
8:18 PM Nerissa & Katryna Nields Haven’t I Been Good from This Town is Wrong (Zoe)
8:15 PM Sandro Perri Impossible Spaces from Impossible Spaces (Constellation)
8:10 PM Lonely Drifter Karen Ready to Fall from Fall of Spring (Crammed Discs)
8:07 PM Kathleen Edwards Sidecar from Voyageur (MapleMusic)
8:03 PM Cate Le Bon Puts Me to Work from Cyrk (The Control Group)
8:01 PM Hannah Georgas Chit Chat from This Is Good (Hidden Pony)

First Aid Kit, “The Lion’s Roar”

Sarah — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:39:25 +0000

Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg return with their second full-length album, a collection of simple indie-folk songs which feature their well-matched vocals above all else. Beyond the lyrics and the songwriting — none of the lyrics are particularly groundbreaking — their voices are the real draw on this album. They’ve been previously compared to a female version of Fleet Foxes, which is understandable, given their tight harmonies and simple backing music. Most of the tracks fit that model of gentle but mostly upbeat folk-rock songs. Title track “The Lion’s Roar” is an excellent track, one which I already admit to listening to on repeat an embarrassing number of times. “Emmylou”, a sweet tribute to country greats like Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash, is heavy on lap steel and could easily be mistaken as a track from any of the current Americana-inspired US bands rather than a pair of Swedes. Closing track “King of the World” features a guest appearance on vocals by Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes).

The Lion’s Roar is out today on Redeye (Wichita in the UK).

First Aid Kit: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Store

This Week in Great Music: 1/23 – 1/29

Sarah — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:37:38 +0000

I’ll be at Schubas on Wednesday for Cheyenne Marie Mize, and Lincoln Hall the next day for Kathleen Edwards. I’ll be the lady with a camera, looking very tired and surly. Say hi if you see me.

Monday, January 23
Meh.

Tuesday, January 24
Kevin Hearn & Thinbuckle; Schubas. 8 pm, $10-12
Kevin O’Donnell Quartet; Hideout. 9 pm, $5 suggested donation

Wednesday, January 25
Cheyenne Marie Mize; Schubas. 8 pm, $10-12

Thursday, January 26
Kathleen Edwards, Hannah Georgas; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $20
Gringo Starr; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $8

Friday, January 27
Joe Henry, Unloved; Old Town School of Folk Music (West; 4544 N Lincoln). 7:30 pm, $21-25
Los Campesinos!, Parenthetical Girls; Metro. 7:30 pm, $20
Strange Arrangement, Greensky Bluegrass; Park West. 8 pm, $15

Saturday, January 28
Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival, ft. Drive-By Truckers, Dawes, Joe Pug, Bailiff, Van Ghost, Jaik Willis, The Shams Band, Great Divide, Jon Drake and The Shakes, Ben Ripani Music Co., Go Long Mule, The Future Laureates, Band Called Catch, Paper Thick Walls and Michele McGuire; Congress Theater. 1 pm, $35
Christine Lavin; Old Town School of Folk Music (East; 4545 N Lincoln). 7 pm, $21-25
Devotchka, Elephant Revival, Danny Black & Nora O’Connor; Metro. 8:30 pm, $21
Mucca Pazza, Lasers and Fast and Shit, DJ Roma Soul; Double Door. 9 pm, $13-15

Sunday, January 29
Cass McCombs, Frank Fairfield; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $15

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, January 20, 2012

Sarah — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:54:41 +0000

9:53 PM Retribution Gospel Choir Poor Man’s Daughter from 2 (Sub Pop)
9:49 PM The Black Keys Little Black Submarines from El Camino (Nonesuch)
9:45 PM La Oreja de Van Gogh Cometas Por El Cielo from Cometas Por El Cielo (Sony)
9:41 PM The xx Crystalised from xx (Young Turks)
9:37 PM Chris Connelly Classically Wounded from Artificial Madness (Relapse)
9:33 PM Amanda Palmer Runs In The Family from Who Killed Amanda Palmer (Roadrunner)
9:28 PM Doomtree Bolt Cutter from No Kings (Doomtree)
9:26 PM 2Cellos Smooth Criminal from 2Cellos (Masterworks)
9:21 PM Murder By Death Dead Men and Sinners from In Bocca Al Lupo (East West)
9:17 PM The Pines Rise Up and Be Lonely from Dark So Gold (Red House)
9:14 PM The Handsome Family The Loneliness Of Magnets from Honey Moon (Carrot Top)
9:08 PM Brown Bird Shiloh from Salt for Salt (Supply and Demand)
9:05 PM Simon & Garfunkel Somewhere They Can’t Find Me from Sounds of Silence (Columbia)
9:00 PM Cloudbirds Ripples from Cloudbirds (Movings)
8:58 PM Justin Townes Earle Ain’t Waitin’ from Harlem River Blues (Bloodshot)
8:54 PM The Magic Numbers Let Somebody In from Those the Brokes (EMI)
8:51 PM The Mountain Goats Prowl Great Cain from All Eternals Deck (Merge)
8:49 PM John K. Samson Stop Error from Provincial (ANTI-)
8:43 PM Levon Helm Wide River to Cross from Dirt Farmer (Vanguard)
8:39 PM Booker T. Jones Walking Papers from The Road from Memphis (ANTI-)
8:37 PM Andre Williams and The Goldstars Babblin’ Brook from Nightclub EP (Pravda)
8:32 PM Frank Carillo and the Bandoleros Eastern Time from Someday (Jezebel)
8:29 PM Tiger Bones In the Dark from When You Die (Candy Dinner)
8:25 PM The Format She Doesn’t Get It from Dog Problems (The Vanity Label)
8:20 PM Jakob Olausson Engraved Invitation from Morning & Sunrise (De Stijl)
8:14 PM The Wars of 1812 Homestay from Status Quo Ante Bellum (Afternoon)
8:11 PM Wooden Wand & The Briarwood Virgins Wither Away from Briarwood (Fire)
8:07 PM Jessica Lea Mayfield Run Myself Into The Ground from Tell Me (Nonesuch)
8:03 PM Kim Taylor So Black, So Bright from So Black, So Bright (Bulldog Farm)

This Week in Great Music: 1/16 – 1/22

Sarah — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:17:43 +0000

Hey! My band’s doing a show this Sunday night at the Double Door! You should come see me.

Monday, January 16
Robbie Fulks; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, January 17
Akron/Family, Bad Weather California; Hideout. 9 pm, $14

Wednesday, January 18
Nicholas Barron Band, Chris Siebold & the Psycles; Schubas. 9 pm, $8

Thursday, January 19
Mike Mangione & the Union, Dave Tamkin; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-15
Dastardly, Brighton MA, Santah; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $10
Jaymay, Alison Breitman; Schubas. 9 pm, $10

Friday, January 20
The Waco Brothers; Martyrs. 7:30 pm, $25
Martin Sexton; Park West. 8 pm, $27
Tea Leaf Green, Ha Ha Tonka; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $20

Saturday, January 21
Chicago Blues and Bluegrass Festival, ft. Del McCoury Band, David Grisman, Joe Purdy, The Bluegrass Ball featuring The Travelin’ McCourys, The Giving Tree Band,Henhouse Prowlers, Majors Junction; Auditorium Theatre. 2 pm, $39.50-59.50
Todd Snider; SPACE. 8 pm, $25-30
Vintage Blue, Ty Stone, Elisa Grace; Subterranean. 8:30 pm, $10

Sunday, January 22
Jungle of Cities, Brandon Harrod, Rob Scallon, Mike Murawski; Double Door. 8 pm, $1
Gaberdine, Conrad Plymouth Parker, Jim & Jen; Subterranean. 8 pm, $8

CHIRP Playlist: Friday, January 13, 2012

Sarah — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:15:50 +0000

I got through a four hour show without once mentioning the fact that it was Friday the Thirteenth. You can thank me later.

Next week, I’ll be back to my normal-sized two hour show, nothing to worry about. Four hours of me is a lot to take.

11:54 PM John Aler & Gino Quilico Les Pêcheurs de perles: C’est toi!…Au fond du temple saint from 100 Best Opera Classics (EMI)
11:52 PM Fleet Foxes White Winter Hymnal from Fleet Foxes (Sub Pop)
11:50 PM Sea Lions I Loved Her So Much from Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sea Lions But Were Afraid to Ask (Slumberland)
11:44 PM Brandi Carlile Before It Breaks from Give Up the Ghost (Columbia)
11:40 PM Mavis Staples Wrote A Song For Everyone from You Are Not Alone (ANTI-)
11:37 PM The Mighty Imperials Thunder Chicken from The World of Daptone Records (Daptone)
11:31 PM Low Especially Me from C’mon (Sub Pop)
11:28 PM Dayna Kurtz Beautiful Yesterday from Beautiful Yesterday (Kismet)
11:24 PM Darkness Falls Noise on the Line from Alive in Us (hfn)
11:19 PM The Benny Goodman Quartet Moonglow from Greatest Hits (BMG)
11:15 PM Jason Adasiewicz’s Sun Rooms Run Fly from Spacer (Delmark)
11:09 PM Ha Ha Tonka Death of a Decade from Death of a Decade (Bloodshot)
11:05 PM Bell X1 Pinball Machine from Neither Am I (Island)
11:03 PM Nada Surf No Snow on the Mountain from The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy (Barsuk)
10:54 PM Carissa’s Wierd September Come Take This Heart Away from Songs About Leaving (Sad Robot)
10:51 PM The Darcys Glasnost from The Darcys (Arts & Crafts)
10:44 PM A Hawk And A Hacksaw Espanola Kolo from Cervantine (L.M. Duplication)
10:41 PM Mar Caribe Pirates of Lake Michigan from Songs From Under the Flight Path (self-released)
10:36 PM Herculaneum Elmyr from UCHŪ (EF)
10:31 PM Róisín Murphy Primitive from Overpowered (EMI)
10:27 PM Booker T. Jones Progress (featuring Jim James) from The Road from Memphis (ANTI-)
10:25 PM Little Ben & the Cheers I’m Gonna Get Even with You from Eccentric Soul: The Nickel & Penny Labels (Numero Group)
10:21 PM Girlyman The Shape I Found You In from Remember Who I Am (Daemon)
10:15 PM Sigur Rós Lúppulagið from Inni (XL)
10:08 PM The Avett Brothers Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise from I and Love and You (Sony)
10:05 PM Mumford & Sons The Cave from Sigh No More (Glass Note)
10:01 PM Cloud Control Ghost Story from Bliss Release (Infectious)
9:57 PM The Get Up Kids Close to Me from Eudora (Vagrant)
9:53 PM Rainer Maria Hell and High Water from A Better Version of Me (Polyvinyl)
9:51 PM Los Campesinos! Hate for the Island from Hello Sadness (Arts & Crafts)
9:49 PM April Smith and the Great Picture Show Terrible Things from Songs for a Sinking Ship (self-released)
9:44 PM Brown Bird Nothing Left from Salt for Salt (Supply and Demand)
9:40 PM Luke Roberts Anyway from Big Bells and Dime Songs (Thrill Jockey)
9:37 PM The Milk Carton Kids I Still Want a Little More from Prologue (self-released)
9:34 PM Lawrence Arabia Eye A from Chant Master (Bella Union)
9:30 PM Coconut Records West Coast from Nighttiming (Young Baby)
9:27 PM Tiger Bones When You Fall from When You Die (Candy Dinner)
9:20 PM Jacaszek Dare-gale from Glimmer (Ghostly International)
9:16 PM Marissa Nadler No Surprises from Covers I (self-released)
9:08 PM Nicole Mitchell F.O.C. from Awakening (Delmark)
9:02 PM Dave Douglas Bowie from Spirit Moves (Koch)
8:58 PM Sloan Take Good Care Of The Poor Boy from Between The Bridges (murderecords)
8:54 PM Guided By Voices Spiderfighter from Let’s Go Eat the Factory (Guided By Voices Inc.)
8:50 PM Whitehorse Passenger 24 from Whitehorse (Six Shooter)
8:45 PM Cat Power The Greatest from The Greatest (Matador)
8:40 PM Kathleen Edwards Change the Sheets from Voyageur (MapleMusic)
8:38 PM 16 Horsepower Wayfaring Stranger from Secret South (Razor & Tie)
8:33 PM Ray Davies Dead End Street (ft. Amy McDonald) from See My Friends (Universal)
8:29 PM JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound Baltimore Is the New Brooklyn from Beat of Our Own Drum (self-released)
8:26 PM Doomtree The Grand Experiment from No Kings (Doomtree)
8:21 PM Apex Manor Under the Gun from The Year of Magical Drinking (Merge)
8:18 PM Chris Connelly The Paraffin Hearts from Artificial Madness (Relapse)
8:14 PM Save the Clocktower You Got Me from Carousel (self-released)
8:08 PM Sandro Perri Love & Light from Impossible Spaces (Constellation)
8:03 PM Rufus Wainwright Release the Stars from Release the Stars (Geffen)

Hooray for Covers! Walk off the Earth, “Somebody That I Used To Know”

Sarah — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:28:53 +0000

Stop! Do not pass go! Watch this!

That is five people, on one guitar, playing Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know”.

I’ll be right back; I’m busy feeling inadequate with the handful of chords that I know.

Walk Off The Earth is a Canadian group which plays their own original music, but who are gaining a lot of attention for this fairly inventive take on an already awesome song.

Walk Off The Earth: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter