Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited
I was always one to criticize the deification of Bob Dylan, but this album has me all but converted as of late. There’s just so much meaning and emotion and urgency in every song - things I often find to be lacking in most modern music. The jagged edges of his voice and the slightly off-pitch melodies that had so often put me off on many other Dylan songs make the songs on this album even better for some reason. “Tombstone Blues” sounds like the American addendum to the Book of Revelations. “From a Buick 6” has a defiant swagger about it that makes you want to pick up your step to walk in time or press that gas pedal down just a little further. Every song on the album is rock solid and the stuff of legend. Highway 61’s significance is unfathomable. It should be seen as a prerequisite for anyone interested in rock ‘n roll.

Tombstone Blues

Cold War Kids – Robbers and Cowards
I’ll admit that lead singer Nathan Willet’s high, piercing voice made getting into this band a little trying at times, but somewhere down the line it all just came together for me. So many of the things that are so closely linked to the origins of rock ‘n roll, such as blues and jazz, are clear and identifiable on this record. This band has a way of sounding stripped down and complicated all at once. This ‘evolution through devolution’ songwriting approach makes Cold War Kids one of the most unique of the rising indie bands. Their influences range from the Velvet Underground to Radiohead, Bob Dylan to Billie Holiday. I especially recommend the songs “We Used to Vacation,” “Passing the Hat,” and “Hospital Beds.” Cold War Kids will be playing Chicago’s Metro on December 7th.

We Used to Vacation

On Friday night the217.com proudly presented …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead at The Canopy Club. It was a very special night both for this website as well as for Chambana music lovers. The band was in perfect form and took complete control over the crowd. The people witnessing the maelstrom that is a Trail of Dead live performance for the first time Read the rest of this entry »

Some of you who have seen the new Wes Anderson film “The Darjeeling Limited” (which was awesome) may have been intrigued (as I was) by the recurring song that Jason Schwartzman’s character seems to carry with him like an albatross throughout the movie. The song is called “Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)” and was written by Peter Sarstedt in the late ‘60s. It was actually a number one hit for over a month in the UK and several other countries before it faded into obscurity. The freshly dug up song is the first track on “Darjeeling” ’s official soundtrack. Fittingly for the film, Sarstedt happens to have been born in India.

There are a few other great songs featured in “The Darjeeling Limited”. The Kinks make a return appearance in a Wes Anderson movie (they also had a song featured in “Rushmore”) with three songs, the best of which is called “This Time Tomorrow.” The Rolling Stones’ “Playing With Fire” is a great example of how good the band can be when Mick Jagger isn’t trying to simultaneously sing and achieve an orgasm. Most of the instrumental Indian music used for the film is even pretty cool by itself. All in all, I would say that Anderson’s quirky-yet-surprisingly-appropriate song selections, something he has developed quite a reputation for, continue to add a charming sparkle to his work.

This Friday at the Canopy Club will see the return of …And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead, a Texas-based rock quintet boasting two drummers and one of the most energetic live shows to be found this side of the apocalypse. I’ll have more about this band and how the concert went in the near future. Tickets are 15 bucks.

The show is also an informal the217.com launch celebration. So, if you’d like to show some support for the site, compliment anyone’s work, or kick me in the chest, then this show is definitely the place to be. Hope to see you there!

Official Trail of Dead Website

Listen HERE.

Question: Does the new Radiohead make anyone else feel like they’re staring into a fire after drinking an entire bottle of Robitussin? Also, is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Radiohead just announced a tour through North America starting in May of next year. Maybe I’ll get a chance to ask them myself… Chicago can’t get snubbed by Thom Yorke AND Billy Corgan in one year’s time, can it?

You can check out the tour story HERE.

Listen HERE

It’s been several weeks since the official release of Jimmy Eat World’s newest album, and after giving it a fair number of listens I can still only hope that after the next time through I’ll “get it.” This is coming from someone who will practically fight to the death for Futures’s honor. It hurts to say it, but it’s the truth. Jimmy Eat World seems to be catering to a different crowd, and trying way too hard to do it. With this being said, here’s why I haven’t lost hope for the band. Read the rest of this entry »