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CHIRP Playlist: Friday, December 9, 2011

Sarah — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:32:20 +0000

I had a week off, but now I’m back. Hear me again, same time next week, on CHIRP Radio, Friday nights, 8-10 pm Central. I even take requests!

9:57 PM Peter Wolf Crier Down Down Down from Inter-Be (Jagjaguwar)
9:54 PM Brown Bird Fingers to the Bone from Salt for Salt (Supply and Demand)
9:50 PM Cloud Control This Is What I Said from Bliss Release (Infectious)
9:47 PM Atlas Sound Amplifiers from Parallax (4AD)
9:43 PM Laura Marling Devil’s Spoke from I Speak Because I Can (Astralwerks)
9:39 PM Ani DiFranco Little Plastic Castle from Little Plastic Castle (Righteous Babe)
9:37 PM DRC Music Lourds (featuring Yende Bongongo of Okwess International) from Kinshasa One Two (Warp)
9:31 PM Luke Roberts All American from Big Bells and Dime Songs (Thrill Jockey)
9:26 PM John Prine Angel from Montgomery from In Person & On Stage (Oh Boy)
9:22 PM The Mountain Goats Birth of Serpents from All Eternals Deck (Merge)
9:18 PM Mt. Desolation Departure from Mt. Desolation (Interscope)
9:14 PM Thomas Comerford Dear Stephen Hauser from Archive + Spiral (Spacesuit)
9:10 PM Justin Townes Earle Ain’t Waitin’ from Harlem River Blues (Bloodshot)
9:05 PM Boyd Lee Dunlop Boyd’s Swinging Blues from Boyd’s Blues (self-released)
9:01 PM Mavis Staples Wrote A Song For Everyone from You Are Not Alone (ANTI-)
8:59 PM Hannah Fury Never Look Back from Through the Gash (self-released)
8:53 PM Tycho Coastal Brake from Dive (Ghostly International)
8:50 PM Daniel Bedingfield Wrap My Words Around You from Second First Impression (Universal Distribution)
8:44 PM Nneka Kangpe (feat. Wesley Williams) from Concrete Jungle (Yo Mama’s)
8:41 PM BC Camplight Richard Dawson from Hide, Run Away (One Little Indian)
8:38 PM Korallreven Keep Your Eyes Shut from An Album by Korallreven (Acephale)
8:29 PM DeVotchKa How It Ends from How It Ends (Cicero)
8:27 PM Mar Caribe Pirates of Lake Michigan from Songs From Under the Flight Path (self-released)
8:21 PM Kathleen Edwards Chameleon Comedian from Voyageur (MapleMusic)
8:18 PM Anthony da Costa Heart Without a Home from Not Afraid of Nothing (self-released)
8:14 PM David Vandervelde Corduroy Blues from The Moonstation House Band (Secretly Canadian)
8:10 PM Vampire Weekend Bryn from Vampire Weekend (XL)
8:07 PM Peggy Sue There Always Was from Acrobats (Yep Roc)
8:03 PM Ane Brun Song No. 6 from A Temporary Dive (Determine)

CHIRP Playlist: Saturday, October 1, 2011

Sarah — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:23:58 +0000

Thanks to everyone who tuned in to my inaugural (internet) radio adventure on CHIRP Radio. If you’re interested to know what kind of music I play whenever I get three hours behind the controls of Chicago’s best radio station, then read on. I’ll be back on the air on Saturday, October 8th, from 9 am to noon, Central time.

8:56 PM Neil Young Southern Man from After The Goldrush (Reprise)
8:52 PM Jessica Lea Mayfield Blue Skies Again from Tell Me (Nonesuch)
8:51 PM The Jayhawks She Walks in So Many Ways from Mockingbird Time (Rounder)
8:47 PM Tinariwen Tamiditin Tan Ufrawan from Tassili (ANTI-)
8:44 PM Martha Wainwright Jesus and Mary from I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too (Zoe)
8:40 PM Serengeti Flutes from Family & Friends (Anticon)
8:33 PM Andrew Bird Not A Robot, But A Ghost from Noble Beast (Fat Possum)
8:29 PM Brandi Carlile Looking Out from Live at Benaroya Hall with the Seattle Symphony (Columbia)
8:25 PM Milagres Halfway from Glowing Mouth (Kill Rock Stars)
8:20 PM The Bowmans Make It Last from Far From Home (self-released)
8:17 PM Wilco Black Moon from The Whole Love (dBpm)
8:14 PM Justin Townes Earle Poor Fool from Midnight At The Movies (Bloodshot)
8:08 PM Allá Es Tiempo from Es Tiempo (Crammed)
8:04 PM Vienna Teng 1BR/1BA from Dreaming Through the Noise (Zoe)
7:59 PM Active Child Johnny Belinda from You Are All I See (Vagrant)
7:54 PM Gotye Somebody That I Used to Know from Making Mirrors (Ais)
7:52 PM Buffalo Rome Plant White Roses from Obscurities (Merge)
7:45 PM Ohbijou Balikbayan from Metal Meets (Last Gang)
7:41 PM The Avett Brothers The Weight of Lies from Emotionalism (Ramseur Records)
7:37 PM Low Majesty / Magic from C’mon (Sub Pop)
7:33 PM White Mystery Take a Walk from White Mystery (self-released)
7:28 PM Okkervil River Your Past Life as a Blast from I Am Very Far (Jagjaguwar)
7:25 PM Peter Wolf Crier Beach from Garden of Arms (Jagjaguwar)
7:20 PM Booker T. Jones Representing Memphis (featuring Matt Berninger and Sharon Jones) from The Road from Memphis (ANTI-)
7:15 PM Teddy Thompson Separate Ways from Separate Ways (Verve)
7:07 PM Braid Universe or Worse from Closer to Closed EP (Polyvinyl)
7:04 PM St. Vincent Northern Lights from Strange Mercy (4AD)
7:01 PM Anais Mitchell Hades & Persephone from The Brightness (Righteous Babe)
6:57 PM Dessa Into the Spin from A Badly Broken Code (Doomtree)
6:53 PM The Grey Race On the Chin from Give It Love (Unfiltered)
6:51 PM Tom Vek World of Doubt from Leisure Seizure (Co-op)
6:45 PM Nico The Fairest of the Seasons from Chelsea Girl (Polygram)
6:42 PM Laura Marling Rest in the Bed from A Creature I Don’t Know (Ribbon)
6:39 PM Jeff Pianki Missing Parts from Paper Window. (self-released)
6:35 PM Alpha Consumer The Crown Salesman from Kick Drugs out of America (self-released)
6:30 PM A.A. Bondy Surfer King from Believers (Fat Possum)
6:25 PM Dusty Bibles Wintersong from Sinus Rhythm EP (self-released)
6:20 PM April Smith and the Great Picture Show Drop Dead Gorgeous from Songs for a Sinking Ship (self-released)
6:17 PM Beirut Goshen from The Rip Tide (Pompeii)
6:14 PM Neko Case Runnin’ Out of Fools from Blacklisted (Bloodshot)
6:09 PM The Mountain Goats Psalms 40:2 from Life Of The World To Come (4AD)
6:03 PM Girls Just a Song from Father, Son, Holy Ghost (True Panther Sounds)
5:59 PM Ha Ha Tonka Usual Suspects from Death of a Decade (Bloodshot)

This Week in Great Music: 9/19 – 9/25

Sarah — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:05:24 +0000

Everything about this week is just a lead-up to the Hideout Block Party. I’ve missed you, Andrew Bird.

Monday, September 19
Robbie Fulks; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, September 20
Cut Copy, Washed Out, Midnight Magic, Only Children; the Riviera. 8 pm, $27
Abigail Washburn, Mar Caribe, Alana Amran; Martyrs. 8 pm, $15
Bomba Estereo, Luisa Malta; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $15
The Watson Twins, Aunt Martha; Schubas. 8 pm, $10
Movits!; Hideout. 9 pm, $10

Wednesday, September 21
Ani DiFranco, Anais Mitchell; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $41
Kaki King; SPACE. 7 pm and 10 pm; $20-34
Jill Andrews, Kevin Andrew Prchal; Schubas. 9 pm, $12

Thursday, September 22
Okkervil River, The Felice Brothers; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $25-27
An Horse; Beat Kitchen. 8:30 pm, $10-12
Laura Marling, Alessi’s Ark; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, sold out

Friday, September 23
They Might Be Giants, Jonathan Coulton; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $25
Liam Finn, Marques Toliver; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $15

Saturday, September 24
Hideout Block Party, ft. White Mystery, Jon Langford, Mavis Staples, Dosh, Andrew Bird, and more; Hideout. 12 pm, $25
Pinto and the Bean, Hemmingbirds, Bad Bad Meow; house party at 4326 N. Ashland. 6 pm, free
Las Guitarras de Espana; Mayne Stage. 7:30 pm, $25
Peter Wolf Crier, Baliff; Schubas. 10 pm, $12

Sunday, September 25
Meh.

This Week in Great Music: 6/20 – 6/26

Sarah — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:24:40 +0000

Monday, June 20
Robbie Fulks, Kelly Hogan; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, June 21
The Lonely Forest; Hideout. 9 pm, $8

Wednesday, June 22
Jason Webley, Destroy Nate Allen, The Gunshy; Panchos. 6 pm, $8
Matt Duke, Matthew Mayfield; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-20

Thursday, June 23
Peter Wolf Crier, Yellow Ostrich; Schubas. 7:00 pm, free with RSVP
k.d. lang and The Siss Boom Bang, The Belle Brigade; Ravinia. 8 pm, $22-55
Ashley Riley, Todd Kessler; Uncommon Ground. 8 pm, $5 suggested donation

Friday, June 24
The Infamous Stringdusters; Double Door. 9 pm, $15

Saturday, June 25
Matt and Kim, The Thermals; Metro. 7:30 pm, sold out
Jonny Lang, Moreland and Arbuckel; House of Blues. 9 pm, $47.50

Sunday, June 26
A Day in the Country, including The Lawrence Peters Outfit, Sanctified Grumblers, The Hoyle Brothers, Sarah and the Tall Boys, The Barehand Jugband; Hideout. 2 pm, $10
Califone, Bloodiest; Illinois Centennial Monument (2600 N Kedzie). 4 pm, free with RSVP
Matt and Kim, The Hood Internet; Metro. 7:30 pm, $25
Yo La Tengo; Subterranean. 9 pm, $22.50
Califone, Bloodiest, Redgrave; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $12

This Week in Great Music: 1/31 – 2/6

Sarah — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:49:26 +0000

Friday and Saturday are full of great shows that have been awful to choose between. If only we could all split ourselves into multiples.

Monday, January 31
Todd Carey, Bascom Hill, The Heyday; Schubas. 8 pm, $6

Tuesday, February 1
Shelby Lynne, Derek Nelson; SPACE. 8 pm, $27-40
Scott Lucas and the Married Men, Kevin Tihista’s Red Terror; Schubas. 8 pm, $8

Wednesday, February 2
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, The Opposition Party; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $22

Thursday, February 3
Tina Dico; Schubas. 8 pm, $12-14
Greensky Bluegrass; Double Door. 8 pm, $10-12

Friday, February 4
The Decemberists, Wye Oak; the Riviera. 7:30 pm, sold out
Trina Hamlin, Keri Noble; SPACE. 8 pm, $12-20
Talib Kweli, Que Billah; The Shrine (2109 S Wabash). 9 pm, $25-35
My Brightest Diamond, Cloudbirds; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $14

Saturday, February 5
Sahara Smith, Liza Day; Schubas. 7 pm, $10
The Giving Tree Band, Hoots and Hellmouth; Mayne Stage. 8 pm, $15
Fitz and the Tantrums, JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, The Right Now, Soul Summit DJs; Metro. 9 pm, $14
Retribution Gospel Choir, Peter Wolf Crier, Zeus; Schubas. 10:30 pm, $12

Sunday, February 6
Meh.

Favorite Tracks of 2010

Sarah — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 16:53:36 +0000

While the rest of the world was out enjoying themselves in drunken year-end debauchery, I was home making a best of 2010 mix. That’s basically the story of my life.

Check it out below, via this handy little Grooveshark widget. Happy new year, all.

This Week in Great Music: 11/8 – 11/14

Sarah — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:32:00 +0000

A bit of a quiet week overall, and yet I still will be finding myself at two, maybe three, shows. I’ll be at Dawes on Wednesday and Johnny Flynn on Friday, and thinking about catching the Heavy on Saturday. Busy week. If you see me, say hi!

Monday, November 8
Candy Town, Tim Seisser Quintet, Hood Smoke; Martyrs. 8 pm, $7
Ezra Furman, Rambos; Schubas. 8 pm, $6

Tuesday, November 9
Kate Nash, Peggy Sue; Park West. 7:30 pm, $20

Wednesday, November 10
Green River Ordinance, Miggs; SPACE. 8 pm, $12
Dawes, Vetiver, Peter Wolf Crier; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $15

Thursday, November 11
Johnny Flynn, Owen; Mayne Stage. 8 pm, $15
Derek Nelson and the Musicians, Rachele Eve, Jessica Robbins; Schubas. 9 pm, $8

Friday, November 12
Mindy Smith; SPACE. 8 pm, $18-30

Saturday, November 13
Robyn, Maruka, Natalia Kills; Metro. 6:30 pm, sold out
The Fab Faux; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $45-125
The Heavy, Wallpaper; Double Door. 9 pm, $15
My Gold Mask, Unicycle Loves You, Blane Fonda; Schubas. 10 pm, $10

Sunday, November 14
Janis Ian, Natalia Zuckerman; Old Town School of Folk Music. 7 pm, $24-28
The Chapin Sisters, The Pines; SPACE. 8 pm, $10-18

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

June in Review

Sarah — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:25:34 +0000

Look what’s up in a timely fashion, my friends. I did a lot of non-blog related writing this past month, and almost all of it was completed to a soundtrack consisting of Mumford & Sons, Peter Wolf Crier, and Joe Pug. But there was other stuff, too. Check it out.

Concert Review: Freelance Whales with Peter Wolf Crier, Schubas, 6/11

Sarah — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:52:24 +0000

I’ll be honest and say that before this show, I could count on one hand the number of Freelance Whales songs that I’ve heard. I think I listened to the session they did for Daytrotter a couple of times. This is really more to say, wow, I sure am behind on listening to new music than anything else. Anyhow, Freelance Whales’ music fits very neatly into that little niche of hyper-literate indie rock, with creative instrumentation and lyrics reading sometimes more like short stories than any thing else. Freelance Whales have been frequent guests at Schubas, and you could probably easily mistake them for a Chicago or other midwestern-based band, given just how rabid the fans were. With just one album under their belts, they didn’t have a whole lot of material to draw from, and I doubt there were many surprises on the set list, but that didn’t keep the audience from jumping, dancing, and singing along word for word. Their set was unfortunately plagued with sound problems, a first for the four+ years I’ve lived here and have been going to Schubas. By the end of the set, Doris (on bass, harmonium, and others) gave up on her mic for vocals and crouched down, singing into the harmonium’s mic instead. Quick thinking!

For me, though, the main draw was Peter Wolf Crier. These guys are one of those bands which serve as a prime example in favor of making sure you show up in time to see the opening act. I saw them open for Sharon Van Etten and Owen Pallett in January and was pretty blown away, so I was more than glad to see that they’d be making their way back through Chicago. For a two-man group, their sound is incredibly complex, with vocalist/guitarist Peter Pisano using lots of loops and layering on his voice and guitar. While the band formed mostly by accident — drummer/vocalist Brian Moen was brought in to help record a set of songs which were supposed to be Pisano’s solo project, but they quickly realized that two heads are, in fact, often better than one – the duo have an incredible chemistry on stage. The music and performance is gritty and raw, and a pretty poignant contrast to the music of Freelance Whales. While their music consists largely of jangly, glockenspiel-filled pop-rock songs, Peter Wolf Crier offers a dark, sometimes frantic, lo-fi counterpoint. They ran through the songs from their newly re-released album, Inter-Be, the fuzz and distortion of instruments and voice cutting through the often-times sadly unappreciative crowd. After the show, I had the opportunity to talk with Peter for a little while and can say he comes across as a very humble, genuine guy who just loves making music — just the way things should be.

Freelance Whales will be back in Chicago twice in August: once on the 8th for Lollapalooza, and again on the 20th at Metro, supporting Tokyo Police Club. Peter Wolf Crier will be back on July 24th at Bottom Lounge, supporting Heartless Bastards. You should be there.