REGO grew up on a small farm in southeastern WI. She was always in love with the guitar. “Some of my early memories are sitting in my neighbor’s living room and watching him run over blues licks” she says. As she got older, her mother, a former concert cellist, encouraged her to study and play classical guitar and that’s what she did for most of her adolescence. n 2006 she moved to Chicago and recorded her first EP. Cutting her teeth in the fertile Chicago open mic scene, she slowly began to gain a voice and a following. Since then she has released two other records, the last of which, All These Bones And Us, sold out the famous Chicago venue Old Town School of Folk Music. This February, Seconds will be her second full band release. Seconds marks the fourth studio record for REGO since 2006. Moving in a new direction, the new record reveals a more mature and evolving set of songs.

"Algebro is the solo project of local singer/songwriter Thom Cathcart. At first glance you may take note of his handlebar mustache, dopey demeanor and terrible choice of band name. But don’t let all that fool you; Algebro is a witty songwriter - a master of subtle sarcasm and dark humor.

Cathcart originally hails from Gainesville, Georgia, so it’s no surprise his music comes with a hint of southern charm. His debut full-length, The Algebro Album, is an 11-song collection of strangely charismatic folk songs that are sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes cheerful, but never cheesy. Take a listen for yourself over at Algebro’s Bandcamp."

-Chicagoist.com

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @LincolnHall | @ |

Hawaiian Lion started as a trio between drummer John McNulty, bassist John Tom, and songwriter Christopher Rodriguez. Eventually they climbed to the top of the mountain and stared into the eyes of a mystical beast - Randy the Ram. Now a newly formed four piece band, Hawaiian Lion is hoping to tickle souls with a ten foot boom stand.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @LincolnHall | @ |

The shimmering sound of Sharon Van Etten’s Jagjaguwar debut album, Tramp, both defies and illuminates the unsteadiness of a life in flux. Throughout the 14 months of scattered recording sessions, Van Etten was without a home -- crashing with friends and storing her possessions between varied locations. The only constant in Van Etten's life during this time was spent in Aaron Dessner's garage studio. Tramp contains as much striking rock, as pious, minimal beauty; it can be as emotionally combative as it can sultry. Van Etten has traveled far, and if her displacement took an emotional toll, she offset those setbacks with a powerfully articulated vision. And so, once again, each listener will discover their own moments along the way, and the debates as to the best song start anew.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @sharonvanetten | @ShearwaterBand |

Click Here to RSVP to the Facebook Event!

In 2005 the band hit the road... and they hit the road hard. Often dubbed "road warriors", SOJA has brought their unique sound and stage show to nearly every city in North America, as well as many cities throughout Europe, South America, the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean. With no signs of slowing down. SOJA is planning a world tour for 2011/2012 in support of their upcoming album release. There is no doubt about it. This band is on the forefront of a Revolution with hopes to bring about positive change: environmentally, politically and socially.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @sojalive | @themovementvibe | @LincolnHall |

"Although the members of Stay Golden hail from Texas, Indiana and Illinois, the band have become a force on Chicago's pop-punk scene, thanks to local shows and gigs with groups such as Fireworks, The Graduate and You, Me, And Everyone We Know. Buoyed by the success of their self-released album, "Three Day Weekend" - which received plenty of positive feedback after hitting iTunes earlier this year - Stay Golden are already hoping to release a new record in early 2012."

- Alternative Press

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @Staygoldenband | @Lincolnhall |

In the last three years Nika Roza Danilova has gone from being an outsider experimental teenage noise-maker to a full fledged internationally celebrated electronic pop musician. She has emerged as a figurehead—a self-produced, self-designed, self-taught independent woman. Nika however is a woman who can command a room, any room, without needing a band, a stage, or even a microphone. Her voice is unmistakable it cuts right to the core. Conatus is a huge leap forward in production, instrumentation and song structure. It says it all in the definition of the title: the will to keep on, to move forward. From thumping ballads to electronic glitch, no sound goes unexplored on her new record. It is an icy exploration in refined chaos and controlled madness, an effort to break through capability and access a sonic world that crumbles as it shines.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @Zolajesus | @LincolnHall |

"The energy, however, was tremendous...The lyrics, which are worth paying attention to, brim with self-pity and heartache...But the backbeat is tight and the guitar heroics have just enough of a wink...Only 40 minutes into the festival, and the best part of the night is already over."
- Sterling Clover, Village Voice

"Few dudes could successfully accomplish a pop-forward album complete with such devastating hooks, auto-tune in all the strangest places, and even a rap verse, but Jack weaves this unique anthemic sensibility into an album that deserves to be sincerely appreciated… because how many of us could personally adapt our styles to a mainstream accessibility only to so sweetly flip that script and be a stronger person on the other side of it?"
- Noah Kline, thefmly.com

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @sharplessmusic | @Schubas |

Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore met while studying philosophy in college. The two agreed that upon graduating they would sell their collective possessions and leave behind their lives in Denver. They wanted a life of experience unmediated by people or things, a life of intimate participation with their environment. Cell phones, television, household appliances, the conveniences of modern life were traded for simplicity and contentment. A return to evenings spent indulging in the profound silence of the remotest regions, far from the yellowy glow of civilization.

The long way is the beautiful one. The hard way is the most rewarding. Two years after completing their 2500 nautical mile voyage, Riley and Moore’s experience has led them to seek out a new endeavor. Their music bears the mark of months spent alone with the sea and each other. It is tinged with the sweet affection of new lovers. It bears the uncluttered aesthetic of time spent in remote and uninhabited regions. Their music is a modest attempt to translate an old truth rediscovered. Their album will be released by Fat Possum in January 2011.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @tennisinc | @LincolnHall |

Islands began in 2005, emerging from the ashes of Montreal pop sensations The Unicorns. In their previous incarnation, they had crafted a vibrant distinctly low-fi sound that quickly made them cult sensations. Popmatters heralded The Unicorn’s distinct style as, “genuinely great pop music that's experimental, catchy, and, most of all, weird” while Pitchfork called the trio’s sound as “totally natural and new.”

With the Islands, Thorburn and his compatriots advanced a finely crafted futuristic pop sound. The group quickly became a sensation amidst the thriving Montreal rock scene. Their 2006 debut album Return To The Sea was recorded in the drummer’s bedroom and featured guest appearance by members of fellow Montreal bands Arcade Fire and Wolf Parade. All Music Guide described the record as “a rich, exciting, and emotionally deep sounding album.”

A Sleep & A Forgetting is the Island’s fourth album and the follow up to their critically heralded record Vapours, which Black Book described as "infectious and weird....masterful.” The new album was produced by Thorburn and fellow Islands member Evan Gordon in less than two weeks, the 11 songs recorded live with hardly a single overdub. It’s a stripped down process and beautifully understated sound which only reinforces the confessional content of the lyrics.

Island’s latest offers all the shimmering sonic textures and irresistible melodies that have come to the band’s enduring appeal, but there is a deeply personal cathartic undercurrent to the songs. Far from being self pitying, A Sleep & A Forgetting powerfully transforms personal unrest into affecting and soulful pop music. “It’s kind of frightening,” Thorburn reflects. “I’ve always hidden behind devices and humor but this album is just so much starker and open.” And it’s a risk that absolutely pays off. The new record features some of the most startling and memorable songs from a supremely talented band that has continued to both evolve or surprise.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @LincolnHall | @ |

Welcome to Parallax, the third long player from Atlas Sound, the ever expansive solo project from Bradford Cox of Deerhunter. Atlas Sound is not a “side-project” but rather a fully fleshed musical landscape chock-full of pop chronicles culled from sci-fi fever dreams and mid century rock . This is perhaps Cox’s best work to date, juxtaposing his modern, sometimes avant, songwriting sensibilities against a backdrop of ambient lonliness and a quiet feeling of desperation. The artwork and photos were done by Mick Rock, the legendary photographer best known for his work with David Bowie. Let the album unfurl slowly, listen repeatedly and it will reveal itself in all its intricate resplendence.

“... a clear indication that his solo creative output is just as richly rewarding as what came before.” - NME

“brilliantly channels spaced-out folk balladry through hazy chamber pop à la Panda Bear or Stereolab.” - Rolling Stone

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @LincolnHall | @ |

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @republicoflight | @LincolnHall |

From backwoods barbecues and community gatherings; Allen Stone emerges to share personal melodies, telling his tales of life after just 24 years. Getting his start singing at his father's church in small-town America; it wasn't until later when introduced to the greats of soul music (Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin) and then to the confessional lyrical fashion of the 60's -70's singer/ songwriters, did music begin to ignite intense passion, eventually carrying this boy to a musical home.

On his self-titled sophomore album - an independent self-release which hit digital shelves October 4, Allen has pushed his sound and lyricism to a greater level of noted individuality. It touches upon a range of styles and themes. Integrating classic soul, catchy pop hooks, r&b beats and folk roots with lyrical matters of testimonial broken relationships, poisonous politics and the age-old topic of simple, pure celebration. Stone's music is notable for his ?nely crafted evocative songs and a fresh, smooth, soul-?lled voice-one that certainly belies his age.

Allen Stone has shot up the R&B/Soul charts on iTunes, peaking at the number 2 spot, and hit #29 and #62 on the Billboard Heatseekers and R&B/Hip Hop Album charts, respectively, and has garnered national praise - USA Today called him a "pitch-perfect powerhouse" - all without any support of a label, publisher, or publicist.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @allen_stone | @LincolnHall |

The music of Korallreven is constructed along a simple philosophy: to create sounds that capture both the essence of a spiritual experience and the freedom of experimentation. Born in the South Pacific and illuminated by the changing scenery of constant motion, Korallreven’s music is dynamic and universal, never bound to a single geography. Place is just a state of mind.

The duo’s debut LP, An Album By Korallreven, was released in November 2011 by Acéphale and winds a blissful journey. With influences that include dream-pop, reggae, minimal techno and southern rap, Korallreven’s glittering production focuses on melodic evolution rather than following a distinct structure: lush, dubbed-out instrumentals pour into wistful vocal loops. Careful electronic builds give way to swirling acoustic parts. This is music for losing yourself and also finding yourself, sometimes in the same afternoon.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @korallreven | @LincolHall |

Rubblebucket’s second studio album, Omega La La produced by Eric Broucek (LCD Soundsystem, !!!, Holy Ghost) @ DFA Studios & mastered by Joe Lambert (Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors, Herbie Hancock) came out June 21st.

CBS The Street Date
"Very few bands of the hipster generation care to challenge the confines of a song structure as vigorously and successfully as Rubblebucket does throughout Omega La La."

Spin
“A must-hear artist”

LA Music Blog
“They sound like hippies who have taken over a city, hog-tied any uptight citizens, and painted all the yucky grey/brown buildings in acrylic colors and neon war paint.”

the GROWLERS - Gay Thoughts : Audiotree Live from Audiotree Live on Vimeo.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @rubblebucket | @theGROWLERS | @LincolnHall |

Cursive is the longtime trio of Tim Kasher (vocals, guitar), Matt Maginn (bass), and Ted Stevens (guitar, vocals), with Patrick Newbery (keys) and Cully Symington (drums). I Am Gemini (out February 21, 2012 via Saddle Creek), the band’s seventh LP, is the follow-up to 2009’s critically praised Mama, I’m Swollen, which caught the attention of publications including Alternative Press, Billboard, Playboy, Rolling Stone, and Time Out New York, among others, and earned the band their network television debut on The Late Show with David Letterman. Cursive has released six full-length albums – including the heralded Cursive’s Domestica (2000), The Ugly Organ (2003), and Happy Hollow (2006) – two EPs, a disc of rarities, and numerous singles since the band’s 1995 inception.

The band is also known for their vital, magnetic live show, earning rave reviews from outlets including the Cleveland Scene’s C-Note music blog

(”[Tim Kasher’s] effect on the crowd was chilling last night…Cursive was focused and on-spot, composed and gripping”), Nuvo Weekly (“…the five-piece slashed through a near-perfect set of songs from their last nine years of albums”), and the Orlando Sentinel’s Soundboard blog (“…the band still knows how to rock on stage…[Cursive] thrashed away with an abandon that heightened the passion of Kasher’s dense, emotionally charged wordplay.”).

I Am Gemini is the surreal and powerful musical tale of Cassius and Pollock, twin brothers separated at birth. One good and one evil, their unexpected reunion in a house that is not a home ignites a classic struggle for the soul, played out with a cast of supporting characters that includes a chorus of angels and devils, and twin sisters conjoined at the head.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @cursivetheband | @LincolnHall |

Emotion is what drives the psychedelic catchy pop rock tunes crafted by the ofteffervescent Brad Oberhofer. Drawing on influences ranging from Brian Wilson to Descartes, the 21 year old is fixated on the idea of making philosophically minded, energetic melodies that just make people smile.

"Music is this thing I just inherently do and psychologically, I have a desire to make as many people happy as possible. Music helps you think about stuff, it helps you feel, you know?" With an unforgettable way of speaking directly from the heart, Brad Oberhofer's songs have a pulse that form the very core of what makes Oberhofer, Oberhofer. To put it quite simply, a great Rock & Roll band.

After moving to Brooklyn from his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, to attend New York University, Brad quickly immersed himself in the indie rock community forming the 4 piece which is now quite simply, Oberhofer. Catching the attention of Glassnote Records, the band officially joined the labels roster over the summer of 2011. Brad recorded the debut album Time Capsules II with legendary producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, The Rolling Stones, Morrissey among others) in Brooklyn last fall and is now preparing for a year on the road, playing shows all across the country, including a performance at this springs Coachella. Its apparent that this year is going to be a big one.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @OBERHOFERMUSIC | @Lincolnhall |

The passion, the obsession, the dissolution of intellectual rigour; heart and longing colliding with mind and matter; these are the recurrent themes of Fanfarlo. As aging instruments are brought back to life with a creaking aching beauty, a bizarre collection of characters join our midst, each an accidental Fanfarlo metaphor - the irrational pursuit of an otherwise intellectual mind. Case in point: Howard Hughes' decent into madness in "I'm A Pilot;" the delusion of Pellegrino Ernetti in "The Walls Are Coming Down" and the absurd writing career of "Harold T. Wilkins," all sweep from sweet murmuring melodia to orchestral pop.

Again and again the UK five-piece find ways to mirror the impotent fury of the words. Members Cathy Lucas (violin, keyboard, vox), Justin Finch (bass) and Amos Memon (drums) and Leon Beckenham (trumpet, keyboard) all conspire to ensure that Fanfarlo eschew a defining format. Reaching for less than obvious conclusions to musical conundrums: saws, clarinets, cellos, mandolins, ukuleles, melodicas, hands clapping and feet stomping.

There is no doubt that all of Fanfarlo are clever, bookish coves, but when they come together to make music, they function on a gut level. For a band that comes from all over - frontman Simon Balthazar (vocals) is himself from Gothenburg - there is that restless, furtive artistry. A keenness to avoid the constraints of home, battling with the longing of the heart, the distant locations of a burning house "Fire Escape;" a drowning village "Ghosts;" and the uneasy sensations of urban sprawl, "Luna."

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @FANFARLOMUSIC | @Schubas |

William Fitzsimmons is equal parts songwriter and psychotherapist, creating captivating music, which uniquely melds depravity, honesty, and autobiography into a counter-intuitive seamless whole. Since 2005, Fitzsimmons has created three full-length albums, each thoroughly themed and embossed with matters of family history, intimate disclosure, and bold confession, yielding rich folk music, ranging from the stark and acoustic to the voluminous and electronic. All the while reflecting William's commitment to addressing what is always pressing, and yet all too often ignored.

Fitzsimmons' new release, Gold In The Shadow, is a musical reflection of the personal resuscitation and psychological renovation, which took place in the years following his divorce. Based on a specific set of psychopathological disorders from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSM-IV), he describes the songs as "a real and long coming confrontation with personal demons, past mistakes, and the specter of mental illness that has hovered over me for the great majority of my life." However, whereas nearly the whole of William's previous albums have dealt with the bleak and somber side of inter- and intrapersonal disaster, Gold is a work focused on healing. William continues: "I had reached the point where I was either going to yield to my sicknesses or engage them headlong. In either case, I could no longer continue the way I was."

Gold In The Shadow represents a welcomed musical departure, not from authenticity in writing, but in the field of focus. It is a return to his pre-music therapeutic passions, but with one eye now fixated on actual and optimistic change. It is ripe with personal elements, but also represents his first foray into external perspective taking; examining the lives and psychological struggles of those around him in addition to his own. It is an acknowledgment of the shadow self and the Todestrieb (Freud's "death instinct"); but, even still and more so, an acceptance of hope.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @wfitzsimmons | @LincolnHall |

It’s the year 1990. Friday night in a small east Texas town called Greenville. Boys are cruising Wesley Street in their S10 pickup trucks, searching for action. They pull into Sonic, order cheese tater-tots and begin to socialize. Everyone’s dressed up in cowboy hats. The cool kids are wearing Justin Lace-R’s and competing to see who can lace them the fastest. A Ford F-250 sits at a red light. The driver rolls down the windows as a DJ says, “That was the latest hit from Travis Tritt and you’re listening to 93.5 KIKT FM!”

“I’ve been lucky. I’ve worked with some of the greatest producers and learned from them all. For Horses it was time to take the wheel.” Clearly, a lot of time was spent on the arrangements, which come alive thanks to his stellar rhythm section, Chris Morrissey (bass) and Mark Stepro (drums). The jaw-dropping talents of Kitt Kitterman, (Pedal Steel and Dobro) are debuted here and play off Ben like a vocal duet. The 11-day recording session took place in Austin, TX at Public Hi-Fi, an all-analogue studio founded by Spoon drummer Jim Eno. Public Hi-Fi’s gear list wasn’t the only reason he recorded in Austin. “I’ve gone through a lot of changes in the past few years. Re-prioritized, found the important things in life. After our son Dorian was born, [my wife] Lizzy and I started to crave open spaces. Wanted to simplify. we needed nature. I was growing tired of writing songs in my apartment. I used to write outside all the time. I missed that. As a new father I started thinking about my parents and my roots, which were in Texas.

In April of 2008, after nearly nine years in New York, the Kwellers packed up and headed south to their new home in Austin. “I’ll always love New York and the albums I made there. They have an urgency to ‘em that I really like, but of all the albums I’ve made, this was the easiest. It was so nice to sit around and make music with those guys. We’re brothers.” Those brothers include Ben’s long-time engineer Steve Mazur who turned the knobs at the old Neve desk.

“I’ve always been at ease in recording studios,” Kweller says. “They’re magic places I can escape to, where everyday confines don’t exist. That’s why art is so important, there are no rules.” With his art, Kweller views the world with fresh eyes and empathizes with all walks of life. “This album’s about the people in the background, in the alleyways of society. I relate with them because we take life as it comes. We roll with the punches, twists and turns.” In the third verse of “Fight”, he sums it up, “Some days are aces and some days are faces, some days are twos and threes.” Changing Horses is a whole deck.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @benkweller | @LincolnHall |

"The first hip-hop crew signed to the Sub Pop label, Shabazz Palaces is the brainchild of Ishmael "Butterfly" Butler, although the Digable Planets member isn’t so quick to admit it. In 2009, Shabazz Palaces released two EPs — one self-titled, the other titled Of Light — but Butler’s name didn’t appear on either. No promo shots, no social networking sites, no interviews and no press releases were issued by the enigmatic, Seattle-based project, but that didn’t stop the local press from throwing praise at these EPs, which hit much harder than Digable while retaining that forward-thinking wordplay. The EPs became favorites at the Sub Pop offices, too, and in 2010, the usually indie rock label signed the project, releasing their debut album, Black Up, in 2011." - Apple

Black Up is the new sonic move from Shabazz Palaces. Like rich velvet hijabs or gold threaded abayas. Luxury as understood by the modest. Shabazz Palaces. If Bedouins herded beats instead of goats and settled in Seattle instead of the Atlas Mountains, this would be their album. Forward thinkers but nostalgic for a sparer time when ancient astronomers only recognized five planets. Hip hop. Black light uses electromagnetic radiation to eradicate microorganisms, but shabazz didn’t come to kill a sound, just to shine their own incandescent lamp on this. Hear. Hard and clear. Fifty thousand years in the making. Honorable.—palaceer pink gators. Produced by Knife Knights.plcrs at Gunbeat Serenade Studio in Outplace Palacelands. It was recorded and mixed in Lixx-alog by Blood.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @LincolnHall | @ |

Right on cue, the third annual report from Chicago's Disappears is submitted for your consideration. Following up on the acclaimed Guider album released just over a year ago, and with new drummer Steve Shelley now fully integrated into the group, these songs were again forged into proper shape during live shows before heading to the studio and the tape machine.

Never ones to dither or be indecisive, it's a full-bore assault from the opening track to the last as Disappears attack these new songs with their usual relentless determination. It's a sinister proceeding - debut Lux was preoccupied with death and endings while follow up Guider with protection - but Pre Language finds the band speaking on, of all things, love. Direct allusions to Philip K. Dick, James Baldwin, and Joan of Arc sit side by side with songs about the lows of life and the characters that permeate it.

Recorded in Hoboken New Jersey at Sonic Youth's Echo Canyon West studio and mixed with John Congleton, Pre Language finds Disappears at their most potent and focused. The band has finally stepped into their own world and the results are thrilling.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @DISAPPEARS | @LincolnHall |

When a band's first album is unpredictable enough to invoke comparisons with artists as wildly diverse as hardcore innovators the Minutemen and professorial idiosyncrasy of Randy Newman, then you can reasonably assume its been made by people who care about music. Lots of it. Jazz, punk, funk, country, acid rock, even piano ballads – all these labels have been used, accurately, to describe White Denim. Their second record is more problematic though. It has to sound like them.

Declared influences range from the obvious – the early works of Funkadelic, to the deep – drummer Josh Block has been listening to a lot of seventies Brazilian pop, and it shows.

For all the contemplation, Fits is effortlessly fun. There are more elements of jazz and soul than previously. Vocals sit in the mix rather than on top, effectively another instrument. The playing is, again, deft without being showy, and there are melodic hooks to spare. So what's the secret? "We set the tempos high and set off," says Petralli. It's that simple. And it works. In spades.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @whitedenimmusic | @LincolnHall |

Revelation is part of The Jezabels’ art. Three EPs have led us this far. The Man Is Dead. She’s So Hard. Dark Storm. Strange jewels dropped along their winding path to who knows where, each more lustrous than the last.Did you see how they caught the light? Hurt Me broke the US charts, made iTunes’ single of the week. Easy To Love and Mace Spray were indie radio staples; Dark Storm an iTunes #1. AIR and APRA nominations were lavished for records and songwriting.Meanwhile in the live arena, maybe you’ve been shaken by The Jezabels’ cocktail of power and elegance, at one of their sold out headline shows around the world, or at any number of festivals that left critics gasping, from Oz inkies to UK glossies to Austin’s SXSW

Perhaps related is the fact that The Jezabels have chosen to remain an independent entity for their debut album — in spite of a virtual stampede of label interests.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @thejezabels | @LincolnHall |

Gemini Club is Dan Brunelle, Tom Gavin and Gordon Bramli, a three-piece indie-electronic dance band from Chicago, Illinois. Their unique live shows have been tearing up the scene for the last two years. Far from the conventional live performance, Gemini Club have a specially designed rig that allows for on-the-fly remixing of their own songs meaning each Gemini Club show is different from the last. This has resulted in them being asked to the support the likes of Chromeo, A-Trak, Two Door Cinema Club, Who-Made-Who, Dj Falcon and Chateau Marmont.

Tags | Local | 18+ | Follow | @geminiclub | @LincolnHall |

San Francisco psych wunderkind Ty Segall continues a tireless musical assault on ears and minds with his third album Melted. Segall says it sounds like “cherry cola, Sno-Cones and taffy.” Indeed! Over the past two years he’s released records more often than most people do laundry, but somehow there is still a heap of anticipation for this new album on Goner packed full of truly psychedelic pop songs with great vocals and exciting arrangements.

On the heels of two critically acclaimed solo albums, Segall holed up in a basement studio with Mike Donovan of the Sic Alps in late 2009 and early 2010 to come up with Melted. It’s a carefree yet precise balance of acoustic and electric elements. Distorted echo and thunder mix together with enough clean guitar lines and addictive choruses to deliver an album that recalls the ’60s without sounding like anything created during that decade. Time melts away, vision melts away, minds melt away. Get Melted!

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @LincolnHall | @ |

“Where We Meet” has captured both the charm of Tyrone Wells wistful serenades and the weight and yearning of an artist who continues to grow. Spending the greater part of 2011 bouncing between Los Angeles and Nashville, Tyrone Wells was able to take the time to write tirelessly until he knew that he finally had the album he wanted. From sweeping productions to paired down, sparse tunes, “Where We Meet” carefully navigates a sonic landscape that is powerfully rich yet intimate and honest.

More

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @tyronewells | @LincolnHall |

For Pat Grossi of Active Child, the last two years have been nothing short of enriching. Musically, Pat has worked within and appropriated a number of styles into his sound, from his early days singing with that heavenly voice as a choir boy to his more recent forays into laptop-assisted indie-pop made in his bedroom, best exemplified on 2010’s acclaimed Curtis Lane EP. His sound is so wide-ranging that he has found himself touring with many notable acts of differing genres, including dubstep producer James Blake, dreamy synth-pop of School of Seven Bells, and the indie-rock bands White Lies and White Rabbits.

Nothing quite prepares you for the leap that Pat has taken with his debut album, You Are All I See, out on August 23rd via Vagrant records. Recently, he has expanded his sonic ambitions and turned the studio into an instrument for a record that sounds cosmically huge and yet intimate all the same.

Last year, Tri Angle introduced the world to BALAM ACAB (aka Alec Koone), and his otherworldly, secretive sound of submerged bass and phantom vocal harmonies, with the release of his universally acclaimed debut EP ‘See Birds’. Tri Angle is now very excited to announce the release of BALAM ACAB’s debut album, WANDER / WONDER, which will be available worldwide on September 6th, 2011 on CD, LP, and digitally. It was written and produced by Alec Koone and mixed by Alec Koone and Sam Haar (member of Blondes). NPR recently premiered the second single off the album entitled “Apart”. You can listen to the NPR stream online or via Tri Angle’s Soundcloud. The first single “Oh, Why” is also available for download online.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @activechild | @thebalamacab | @Lincolnhall |

A FRIEND CALLED FIRE.. is a high-octane rock trio hailing from The Windy City. With a foundation based upon an infectious rhythmic assault, the band's music is a pairing of heavy grooves based in rock and metal influence fused with hooks and melodies both genuine and purposeful.

The trio, consisting of Jon Allegretto (lead vocals, guitar), Powers (bass, backing vocals) and Johnathan Schiller (drums, backing vocals) are quickly making headway in their native Chicago in addition to many regional markets through touring and relentless marketing and promotion. Lyrically Allegretto's words seek to entice listeners to view their own lives and strive for improvements in the world around them. A Friend Called Fire's music is the catalyst for songs concerning love and hate, grief and ecstasy, the current state and future of the world we live in and beyond. The band's explosive live shows prove that much like their name implies, A Friend Called Fire in many ways creates and destroys with passion and power.

Think Muse hanging out with Strata and Social D., while on the phone with Sevendust, Breaking Benjamin and Clutch who just left a party at System of a Down's house that was just crashed by Mute Math in a rebellious frenzy. Or something.

Tags | 18+ | Follow | @AFCFChicago | @HoldingMercury |