Now Here This - Week of July 30, 2012

As Lollapalooza lands in Grant Park this weekend, there are a boatload of great concert options before the festival takes over the city. Unfortunately, most of the pre and post Lolla shows are sold out, much like the festival itself, so we are going to skip right over those to avoid cluttering up the calendar.

Gold Motel: Gold Motel Review

Chicago quintet, Gold Motel return with another batch of their retro flavored rock on their self-titled sophomore album.

Commercials Rock - T-Mobile - 'Rooftop'

A rooftop concert seems like a cool setting. T-Mobile's latest commercial makes it seem even cooler thanks to the indie pop powerhouse playing the show.

Chris Price: Homesick Review

Vintage recording processes and an iPhone would seem to be polar opposites, but Chris Price pulls the two worlds together on his solo debut.

Missy Higgins: The Ol' Razzle Dazzle Review

Australian singer-songwriter, Missy Higgins finally returns with her third album five years after, her excellent sophomore release, On A Clear Night.

Cosmo Jarvis: Think Bigger Review

UK singer-songwriter, Cosmo Jarvis returns with his third album of uniquely twisted acoustic rock tunes.

Angus Stone: Broken Brights Review

The brother half of, excellent folk duo, Angus & Julia Stone follows his sister's sophomore solo offering with his own debut.

Now Here This - Week of July 16, 2012

The Chicago summer concert schedule is not letting up any more than the heat.

Everest: Onwerless Review

Everest spice up their brand of blues affected rock n roll with a dash of psychedelic classic rock on their third album.

Right Away Great Captain At Subterranean Review

Packed, sweaty clubs in the middle of a sticky Chicago summer and quiet folk are natural enemies, typically adding up to restless, chatty crowds with short attention spans. The crowd could not have been more opposite Wednesday night in the tiny upstairs stage of Subterranean.

Elle King: The Elle King EP Review

Elle King's raspy, blues-kissed vocals sound like what Adelle might in the wake of an all-night bender. The worn quality in her voice works to her credit, as the raw emotion haunting her more-than-capable pipes makes her infinitely more interesting.

Communist Daughter: Lions & Lambs EP Review

Lots of bands cull lost love and past mistakes into songs, but few do it with the grace and beauty displayed on Communist Daughter's latest EP.

Andrew Bird And Wilco At Fifth Third Bank Ballpark Review

Wrigley Field is not the only ballpark in the Chicago-area holding killer concerts this summer. Music fans might have to head out to Kane County a bit more often for great outdoor concerts in the coming years. If Sunday night was any indication, you might not mind.

Now Here This - Week of July 9, 2012

We would recommend easing yourself back to work this week, but the concert calendar is relentless in its rockness this week.

Top 25 American Songs

With Independance Day upon us, we wanted to take the time to salute America in song.  While we could have eailsy dove into the world of sappy country and found a boatload of overly sentimental patriotic slush, or dipped into the world of punk for biting anti-American sentiment, we chose to hold our criteria to simply being a great song and having some form of 'America' in the title.  What we came up with was a list so tight that not even James Brown's "Living In America" sould shimmy its way in.  We're shocked too.

Now Here This - Week of July 2, 2012

If you tire of blowing stuff up and roasting meat over an open flame, the city has plenty of sonic excitement in store this week.