SO . . . Chicago Music Project is working on getting our television program off the ground and on the air - and one of the shows that will be presented to you will be CMPtv PLAYBACK - a music video showcase. More details to come . . .
That being said, we spend many hours perusing the interweb and lately we've been seeing a lot more music video production in Chicago. I mean, A LOT. Which makes us happy. And by happy, I mean like happy I'm not this guy's banana hammock. Gross. Anyway, it makes us especially elated when we see rocking ass videos like this from a band we've never heard of (but glad we did!).
ORNERY LITTLE DARLINGS is a local guy/girl duo that's got swag. A two person bootlegger's ball breaks out in a sea of anonymous hands and loose feathers in what they call "a highly improbable ornery-as-hell-love-child between Billie Holiday and Lou Reed". We call it awesome. I found influences of Scott Masson (who also happens to be their new tour mate with his new band The Juliets) and I couldn't help recalling Chicago throwback The Countdown. Could be because of the whole guy/girl thing but who cares?! Jason Ewers rocks in this video, and Emmi Chen . . . I'll just go right ahead and say it. She steals the scene, she's just so SEXY!
Kudos to the guys that put it together. Great concept from Endless Eye Films and awesome set design from IShootRockStars.com!! Keep it up, Chicago!
Directed by Spencer M. Rohan - an inside look at Hollus as they record the fourth Album Strange Paradise due out this summer. An intricate piece in Chicago's Americana Rock scene - Hollus' sound will take you back to a time when loving was free, war was a culture and music was a way of life. Oh wait . . . guess that's not much different from these days.
Chicago Music Project got backstage access (for the first time!) at Chicago's Metro for the EP release show (Currents). After spending the last few months recording and writing, the boys talk about maturing, recording an EP independently and searching for a new label.
Thanks guys, for a hell of a show! Can't wait to see what the future holds.
CMPtv got exclusive access to one of Bailiff's final Chicago shows at Chicago's brand new Lincoln Hall before their plans take them to the studios (and hopefully a stint at Austin's SXSW festival). Check out the interview, feel free to leave your comments.
So Chicago Music Project hasn't been the best at checking out their myspace page, claiming it's now almost a defunct medium full of crap. When I insisted that it was still a worthy way to find new music and talent, my boss said "fine, then you take care of it."
So now I'm in charge of myspace. Lesson learned, I'll keep my thoughts to myself.
So today I embarked on my duties and started cleaning out the inbox and came across Streets on Fire - and I personally haven't been so into a band's sound since I first heard Bailiff's "What I Was" back in 2008.
1964 got me moving where I sat - and each song continued to impress me. Grimy beats, bravery-esque vocals and all out danceable grooves made this band stand out above everyone else.
Do yourself a favor and check them out - you won't be dissappointed. I'm going check them out at Debonair on the 19th of February, I'm hoping they sound just as good live!
CMPtv's crews are a buzz in February - doing a number of interviews and events/shows. Here's a quick rundown of what to look forward to!
ONE NIGHT STAND 02/12/10 @ THE METRO
This month is going to feature exclusive access to UR Chicago'sOne Night Stand - a monthly 18+ dance party hosted at the Metro. CMP's crews will be capturing live performances by Moneypenny and Gemini Club as well as backstage interviews and more!
DRE DAY 02/19/10 @ THE DARKROOM
Chicago Music Project has hooked up with Ground Lift Media to celebrate one of Hip Hop's greatest artists of all time, Dr Dre, for his birthday - nationally syndicated as "DRE DAY" - hosted by Chicago's very own, and critically acclaimed, Psalm One and live covers by The Jordan Years, fronted by Wes Restless. We'll bring you exclusive interviews, performance footage and much much more! CHECK OUT THIS OLD SCHOOLPICTURE OF DR DRE I STUMBLED ACROSS - HOLY SHIT!
CMPtv INTERVIEWS 1773 & QWEL & MAKER
Our crews will be sitting down for some in depth interviews with the guys from 1773 (of CMPtv IN THE STREETS infamy) as well as hip hop gurus, Qwel and Maker.
THE DIRTY ROOKS ALBUM RELEASE SHOW 02/14/10
One of the first bands we discovered a couple years back, we've had the pleasure of watching them grow and help them put together their second album, Sugar Mama. Check out the promo video produced, shot and chopped by CMP's Leo A. Flores.
And this is just the start. You'll be seeing much more of Chicago Music Project in 2010 - bringing you the best that Chicago's local music scene has to offer. Keep checking back!
I sit here on a Monday evening, calmly collecting my thoughts and reflecting upon the events that have had a global effect . . . as the entire world is aware of, a devastating blow was delivered to Haiti a couple of weeks ago - leaving only death, destruction, agony and pain in its wake. The world's of those people were completely turned around, the entire nation virtually destroyed with hundreds of thousands of people left dead.
We have decided to dedicate the next couple of weeks to bringing you event coverage of several live music benefits featuring local artists throughout the city. Brought to you, of course, only in the fashion that Chicago Music Project can deliver under the guise of CMPtv's HAITIAN RELIEF SERIES.
Please be on the look out for updates and more information and videos coming to you soon!
The Dirty Rooks is a band of many faces, sometimes as many as 13 [!], and this Valentine's Day (02/14/10) they'll be showcasing their sophomore effort found in the form of "Sugar Mama".
This album is a giant leap forward from their 2007 self titled debut - adding a horn section, backup vocals, honky tonk keys and another guitarist in the form of Mike Bailey.
Chicago Music Project had the pleasure of meeting these guys when they were still calling themselves a "booze rock band", offering grimy guitars, rough bass, hard lined drums and a huge voice found in lead singer, Dan Stalilonis.
And now here we find them with their second album - we had a chance to catch up with the Rooks' front man, Grant Gholson, to ask a few questions:
CMP: How does this album differ from the first?
GRANT: There's a big difference. We worked with a engineer (Andy Matzdorf of Giant Squid Audio) who knows our kind of music. We did a good job capturing the experience of seeing our big band live. And I think that's something that was a priority for us this time around. The scope of some of the songs, Larry's Blues and So It Seems in particular, is orders of magnitude huger than anything we did on the last album. It's never a good thing when bands go epic for epic's sake, but I feel comfortable that we served the songs well. And is ambition really all that bad if the energy and sincerity is there? Nah.
What kind of maturation has occurred since the Dirty Rooks' first self titled debut? As a band? As musicians individually? As a collective sound?
First of all, we're much better musicans, and we've a much greater appreciation for playing together, listening to one another, learning each other's musical tendencies, etc. Mike (Bailey) is with us now, too, and he's a bit of a guitar virtuoso, so that adds another element to it that we didn't have before. Second, we've got some dynamite backing folks playing with us, just great GREAT musicians (and good friends too). And they meshed really well with the new material. I also think we've enlarged the musical territory we're covering--the blues-rock component has--and will--remain sort of our core. But we've also branched out to do some soul numbers on this album and, in sort of the other direction, a few country-influenced tunes. And we feel comfortable doing that.
What do the Dirty Rooks hope to gain from this experience and second album?
Fame, fortune, babes, etc. In our ideal future, we'll get huge, and then one of us will die of an overdose, another will take solace in religion, and the rest will live out rather bitter lives wondering how it all went wrong. Actually, we just hope people like it, want to play it, and want to come to our shows. We're extremely happy with this album, and we hope other people are too.
We didn't have the time or resources to create our list of 2009's best (but be rest assured that we're already taking notes for best of 2010). And as you all know, we're all huge advocates of many artists in Chicago from across the genre board.
One of our future categories for 2010 will be something along the lines of "hardest working artist" or something like that. What exactly does that entail? We took a look at collaborations, singles, music videos, tours and shows.
All things considered, we name Kid Static Chicago's Hardest Working Artist. This guy hustles like no other. He's out there representing his music and his persona with solo albums, collaboration with Yea Big and Demchuck, several tours in 2009 and yet ANOTHER innovative music video, directed by Daniel Zox (we think there's five so far). With plans to move to Los Angeles in the near future, who knows what's on the horizon for this artist we're proud to call one of our very own.
Chicago Music Project is launching a backstage interview campaign through CMPtv starting this Saturday January 9th. With a television program going live on local access in just several weeks, CMP is working hard to bring viewers relevant, up to date videos featuring the best in Chicago music.
Our picks for this weekend feature two vastly different but equally entertaining performances that happen to fall on the same night in the North Side:
TREATY OF PARIS
the fellas from Treaty of Paris - who has sold more than 10,000 albums.
Despite the dissolution of now defunct record label Airport Tapes & Records, Treaty of Paris has never lost sight of their vision and are now independently releasing their fourth record release of their young career. Their newest EP Currents will be showcased to their fans in Chicago at their January 9th show at the Metro, just days before its digital release on January 12th.
Watch out for our exclusive online interview backstage with the guys as they talk about their new EP and the Chicago music scene, and of course some exclusive footage brought to you by CMPtv.
Saturday January 9th 2010 the Metro 3730 North Clark Street
Doors open @ 5:30PM - show starts @ 6:00PM $10 presale|$12 door ALL AGES
One of our picks for bands to watch out for in 2010 is performing their first true headlining gig at Lincoln Hall. With a sound that's truly unique and a performance that's made the hairs on the back of our necks stand on end - Bailiff is surely a show you don't want to miss. We're hoping Ren Matthews (drummer) flexes his musical muscles and busts out his trumpet for Bailiff's awesome cover of Dick Dale's Miserlou. Seriously, the last time they busted out that song at their March '09 show at the Empty Bottle, it had everyone in the room going crazy!
Watch out for their interview coming soon, where the guys will talk about their new music, latest addition to the band and a "new side of Bailiff". These guys aim to make you dance and shake your ass, and we're pretty sure you will.
Saturday January 9th 2010 Lincoln Hall 2424 North Lincoln Avenue
When Chicago Music Project first heard local band, Lovers in Arms, it was a total accident. We went to go check out a friend, Robert Gomez (Blue Door Studios) perform with his band Subatomico at Subterranean in Wicker Park.
Chicago Music Project was in the middle of organizing their first local music showcase at the Double Door and still needed a couple of strong acts to support headliners Hey Champ. Romi Lovel had just been confirmed right before the show and Kid Static had agreed a couple of days prior. We still needed one more solid act to balance an already super eclectic lineup.
Lovers in Arms took the stage and first impression, we couldn't make them out. They started off with a song that we can't remember but it was really slow. Our executive producer even joked that they reminded him of a Latino Sonny and Cher. We didn't know what to expect and were just waiting for our friend's band to take the stage.
Boy, were we wrong! All of a sudden . . . BAM! The magic commenced and we found ourselves moving to the grooves of the funk/soul ensemble. We were completely taken off guard, Caroline Yohanan mesmerized us with her voice and entranced us with her dancing while Armando Perez continued to astonished us with his guitar skills. And not to mention having the fortune of being backed by some of the best percussionists and bassist that just melded and solidified their sound further.
The party was in full swing and the audience hung on to every note, every word and every beat of the drums. We couldn't help but look at each other, nodding our heads in silent agreement that we were impressed with these guys. And then they played the two songs that sold us. The songs that let us know that all we had listened to and watched over the past 45 minutes wasn't just a fluke. That these guys were legit and were going to be making a huge name for themselves in Chicago.
"The Alchemist" and "Oh My Brother" captivated our musical souls within. And we had to have them. The rest is history, they performed an almost sold out show at the Double Door - and as our videos show, they had the crowd dancing. And since then they've played several sold out shows at the House of Blues.
But now, at the beginning of the new year, we find ourselves wondering what happened to Lovers in Arms. They've disappeared off the maps. Our sources have told us that they have taken a "creative hiatus", but haven't been able to get any comments or responses from the band members. Other sources have speculated that perhaps it's deeper than that. But we can't say and we don't know for sure.
All we can truly say is that we miss Lovers in Arms and want nothing more than to see them come back sooner than later in 2010. They were booming, getting the attention from audiences from different walks of life - They had something special happening and then all of a sudden they were gone, into thin air.
We're calling you back, LIA. Chicago needs bands like you to exist - to make us feel, to make us move, to make the hairs on the backs of our necks stand up because your music is beautiful.
Chicago Music Project has been around for quite a while now. From its inception back in 2007 - we've been working hard to get this little dream of ours off the ground. Almost two years ago, we received some reviews that have never been published - and here's one we're still proud to present because it still holds true. Bailiff captured our attention back in early 2008 with their debut EP. And this is the review that sold us:
"Bailiff's EP mm hmm astounds with it's first-take live recordings. The single, "What I Was," starts with a mysterious lone guitar subsequently joined by the rest of the band for a perfectly controlled crescendo--it's hard to believe it isn't mastered. I'm guessing these guys grew up listening to Cobain, Meat Puppets, and maybe the lighter of the group, Built to Spill, but they make this single a moody of their very own. Bailiff is comprised of Josh Seigel on the guitar, Ren Matthews on drums, and Marc Bonadies on the bass. This three-piece comes together as Chicago's version of a subdued Black Keys, but no more comparing, just enjoy what it is--musicians that are praised for their live performance (over 100 people showed up to their debut show at the Beat Kitchen) but work just as well as a live recording. This post-grunge blues-rock sound makes you wish head banging was popular again. But this is not a 90s remake, Bailiff creates a tight, blues-infused sound that conveys so much emotion that you don't have to hear lyrics to feel what the song is about. But do listen--the lyrics hark back to how blues and the roots of rock started, through simplicity--"I don't mind, I told you what I was." Bailiff's single is a refreshing homage to genres of the past, as they say, "it's all been said, all the song's been sung," but somehow this song takes all of that to father their own new, dare I say, Chicago sound."
Josh Siegel - Bailiff's front man in the studio. Photo Credit: Brian Buckley.
by Emily Hochman Chicago Music Project writer at large.
It seems that most people have come to dread the holiday season, mostly because they've grown weary of listening to the same tired old songs everywhere you go. Every department store, Starbucks and other imaginable retail location seems to play the holiday standards year in and year out. Imagine the poor employees that have to work there and listen to them every day!! And when new material comes out - it's always those same standards redone.
Well if you're looking for something new, fresh and original . . . look no more! Natalie Oliveri - quite easily the hardest working female singer/songwriter in Chicago - has recently released a holiday single, entitled "Snow", bringing a fresh new voice to the holiday roster. Song was produced by Harley Figueroa - a well respected local musician and producer. Click on the link below to download the track for FREE.
For those of you that don't know who Natalie is yet - get to know her because you'll be seeing her name around more and more in 2010. From folkloric Columbian ensembles, to full out neo-soul "big bands" and solo performances - Natalie carries her herself as a do-it-all kind of musician. And rightfully so, because she can.
Check out her EPK - created by Chicago Music Project's very own Leo Flores.
Here's a little flashback to our first local music showcase back in June at the Double Door. We're happy to present Romi Lovel's "Rock Ur World" performed live.
Romi Lovel even hired bucket drummers to share the stage with her.
Chicago hip hop phenom, Kid Static, performs two songs for your viewing pleasure. Filmed live at the Double Door for CMP's summer local music showcase.
