Digby, perhaps best known for her acoustic cover of Umbrella, delivers a collection of thirteen pop songs here on her second domestic album. Breathing Underwater is, when you get down to it, a refreshing listen in the face of the rest of what garners attention in the pop world. Her lyrics have a level of depth and creativity that is usually missing in the whole mass-produced pop-music scene.

Andrew Bird will help break in the new modern wing of the Art Institute in his own, special style with a small, intimate little show on Monday, September 21st.

Five facts about Rufus Wainwright.

High Wide & Handsome is a 30-song walk through traditional Americana as well as newly-composed songs by Wainwright and company, written from Poole's perspective (including the title track).

Are you the kind of person who likes to plan ahead? And I mean really, really ahead? Like, nearly 365 days ahead?

This CD brings together two things that I have perhaps a bit of an irrational soft spot for: Ben Folds and his quirky piano rock, and college a cappella groups.

For a performer who is finally getting the mainstream attention that he deserves, Bird is still remarkably humble and down to earth.  As a relatively recent transplant to Chicago, I unfortunately missed out on the days where you could catch Bird routinely playing at the Hideout or Schubas, but I can’t shake the feeling that he would be just as happy playing for a few hundred people as he would be performing in front of a sold-out Radio City Music Hall.  Even though his show has gotten bigger and more intricate over the years, he looked as comfortable as ever, owning the small Schubas stage and having the audience pretty much eating out of the palm of his hand.

Review of my day at Lollapalooza: April Smith, Hockey, Manchester Orchestra, Gringo Star, The Knux, The Gaslight Anthem, Bon Iver, Ben Folds, Fleet Foxes, The Decemberists, Andrew Bird, and Kings of Leon.

So remember when I talked about all of that wailing and gnashing of teeth over the fact that I had missed out on Andrew Bird tickets? Yeah, about that...

After three+ years of living in Chicago, and constantly avoiding Lollapalooza, I've finally caved in and will be checking out Friday's shows this year. Check out my Lolla!lineup, and see how well I stick to it when I report back.