"I think we can see…not just as artists today…that the confusion of the world is mirrored by the confusion of so many people materially." Spoke with Thomm Jutz about alchemy, psychology, and his great new album Ring-A-Bellin' sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8138772...

mclusky hasn't lost a step on record (@ipecac.com) or live (@metrochicago.com), while @pile.bsky.social's embrace of post-hardcore on Sunshine and Balance Beams (@sooperrecords.bsky.social) has made them a looser live band sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8134253...

Hey, even in the worst case scenario, maybe some of the cost-controlled pitching they trade for at this year's deadline sell-off is ready to contribute at the major league level for the next season in 2028. (I suppose this assumes we still have a civilization, but you get my point.)

Mary Lattimore & Juliana Barwick Album Review: Tragic Magic (InFiné) BY JORDAN MAINZER The type of music that harpist Mary Lattimore and singer/producer Julianna Barwick play is transformational. Beautiful and sometimes droning, it lulls you into hypnosis,.....

Have found myself returning all year to Tragic Magic, LP1 from Lattimore x Barwick, made in partnership with @infinemusic.bsky.social and the @philharmonie.bsky.social. Wrote a review! sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8131503...

Bosh Rothman Song Premiere: "Big Me" Photo by Megan Anton BY JORDAN MAINZER Introducing a new side of yourself to the public often feels vulnerable, even when that introduction is mostly via covers of well-known songs. For drummer Bosh...

"Foo Fighters’ 'Big Me' video is iconic, so I didn’t try to compete with it. I went in the opposite direction and kept things really personal." sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8127915...

Cass McCombs & Danny Arakaki Live Show Review: 3/28, Lincoln Hall, Chicago Cass McCombs BY JORDAN MAINZER One's a playful singer-songwriter and the other's a certain Deadhead, but on their tour, Cass McCombs and Danny Arakaki have switched places. On Saturday at Lincoln...

On Saturday at Lincoln Hall, Cass McCombs stretched out even the most taut and punchy songs from his latest album Interior Live Oak (@dominorecordco.bsky.social), while Danny Arakaki reined in his compositions, reducing them to their bare elements. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8127877...

Carlos Niño Interview: The Infinite of our Souls and Spirits Carlos Niño BY JORDAN MAINZER When I first listen to a Carlos Niño & Friends record, I dive right in without reading too much about it. The sounds seem endless, a spectrum from the human voice to...

Had a great chat with Carlos Niño around his new album Bubble Bath for Giants and releasing music consistent with his values sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8125172...

Cass McCombs Interview: Songs Aren't Sounds, They're Something More Ethereal Photo by Silvia Grav BY JORDAN MAINZER For almost 25 years, NYC-via-California singer-songwriter Cass McCombs has shared gentle, sparse, impressionistic songs and albums that combine Dylan-esque...

Check out my interview with Cass McCombs about Interior Live Oak (@dominorecordco.bsky.social) and the "flimsy" way he and his band play live. Catch him Saturday at Lincoln Hall! sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8120607...

Michael Shannon & Jason Narducy: (Go Back to) Metro Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy and Friends BY JORDAN MAINZER When actor Michael Shannon and prolific local hero/musician Jason Narducy teamed up to play R.E.M.'s classic debut Murmur in full at.....

Did Michael Shannon and @jasonnarducy.bsky.social know that their tribute to one of the finest rock bands of all time would somewhat follow the evolution of @remhq.bsky.social themselves? My review of their @metrochicago.com show on Friday. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8115232...

From the opening samples (!) of “The Everchanging Spectrum of a Lie”, it was clear that “stripped-down” wasn’t synonymous with “unplugged.” Reviewed @joyformidable.bsky.social's set at @oldtownschool.bsky.social last month sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8113323...

Softcult Interview: Being the Change, Making the Change Photo by Kaylene Widdoes BY JORDAN MAINZER The benefits of leaving a smothering situation might not be immediately apparent, but they're almost always fruitful. Twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix...

"I feel like the live versions naturally evolved from the recorded versions because we all bring our own sensibilities to them...That’s the beauty of the alchemy of a band." @softcult.band speaks to me about touring When A Flower Doesn't Grow. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8103455...

Cut Worms Interview: A Different Kind of Substance Cut Worms BY JORDAN MAINZER These days, Max Clarke explores the elusive. The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, who records as Cut Worms, has made a name for himself writing classic-sounding rock and...

Max Clarke of Cut Worms told me his upcoming album Transmitter (@jagjaguwar.bsky.social) is "a product of being alive for longer." Maybe he'll discuss it with Jeff Tweedy (who produced it) tonight at @oldtownschool.bsky.social? sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8102566...

Low Cut Connie Interview: Pennies in the Jar Photo by Danny Clinch BY JORDAN MAINZER Adam Weiner, the founder and sole constant member of the project Low Cut Connie, operates with steadfast principles. From his continually self-released music,...

"That’s...what I’m trying to do with this album: do a more rock and roll album, something that will make you dance and move and inspire you to have fun with the social commentary." Spoke to @lowcutconnie.bsky.social about the upcoming Livin in the USA sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8100879...

The Joy Formidable Interview: Little Bricks Towards Something Better Photo courtesy of the artist BY JORDAN MAINZER Let's get this out of the way: Welsh band The Joy Formidable, whose drummer Matt Thomas left the band a couple years ago, haven't broken up. They...

Thanks to Ritzy from @joyformidable.bsky.social for talking about the band, being vulnerable in revisiting older material, she and Rhydian's solo projects, and their stripped-down duo show tomorrow night at @oldtownschool.bsky.social sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8097067...

Langhorne Slim Interview: A Fire Within Me Photo by Kate LaMendola BY JORDAN MAINZER When I called Langhorne Slim a couple weeks ago, he picked up from a Hilton Hotel in Carrboro, North Carolina, having left for tour from his home in...

Talked to Langhorne Slim in the middle of his current tour for The Dreamin' Kind, which includes a stop tomorrow night at @thaliahallchicago.bsky.social. "This set is 95% the new record, which is super fucking exciting." sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8094518...

Beverly Glenn-Copeland Album Review: Laughter In Summer (Transgressive) BY JORDAN MAINZER "Life is a part of love," sang Beverly Glenn-Copeland on "Prince Caspian's Dream", a track from 2023 album The Ones Ahead. That album represented the culmination of...

Despite the album title Laughter in Summer (@transgressive.bsky.social), the symbol of the preceding season, spring, and its connotation of cyclical rebirth, is exemplary of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s remarkable story and eventual legacy. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8093417...

Spoke with actor and musician Adam Goldberg about his new The Goldberg Sisters album When the Ships of My Dreams Return, out tomorrow, why he doesn’t often play live, and allowing himself to be sad while listening to Elliott Smith and Sparklehorse. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8089880...

Like the best indie rockers that preceded them, Westside Cowboy’s ramshackle nature seems not just intentional, but downright holy. @pitchperfectpr.bsky.social sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8087110...

Don't try to define Westside Cowboy on their sophomore EP, So Much Country 'Till We Get There sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8087110...

Jana Horn Live Preview: 2/12, Judson & Moore, Chicago Jana Horn BY JORDAN MAINZER Normally, I don't give too much attention to capitalization choices in song titles, but that the tunes on Jana Horn's self-titled album (No Quarter) are in sentence case....

Jana Horn's new record is a balm. Previewed her show at Judson & Moore tonight, with James Elkington opening sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8083552...

A thudding snare hit from @noochiez.bsky.social introduces a level up for @ratboysband.bsky.social, 30 seconds into their new album Singin' to an Empty Chair. The band doesn't look back. Review: sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8082590...

Lande Hekt Interview: All Music Is So Embarrassing Photo by Robin Christian BY JORDAN MAINZER "There's always things to write about if you move around enough," Lande Hekt said to me last month. She was speaking over Zoom from a cold, breezy...

"Recording layers of guitars and proper fuzzy guitars is so much fun. It’s very easy to get carried away." Spoke to Lande Hekt about everything Lucky Now, her great new album out via @tapeterecords.bsky.social sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8078108...

Was here too. Can confirm, SPRINTS rips. Read Jordan’s write-up!

SPRINTS & Trophy Wife Live Show Review: 1/29, Lincoln Hall, Chicago SPRINTS BY JORDAN MAINZER There was a moment during SPRINTS' set on Thursday at Lincoln Hall where it was clear to me that the Dublin punk quartet had leveled up. It wasn't a particularly showy...

Thursday at Lincoln Hall, in the middle of “Coming Alive”, a standout from their second album All That Is Over (@subpop.bsky.social), SPRINTS made it clear they had leveled up. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8074739...

Friendship & Natalie Jane Hill Live Show Preview: 1/29, Empty Bottle, Chicago Friendship BY JORDAN MAINZER The bill tomorrow night at the Empty Bottle presents two different sonic manifestations of interpretational music, observations colored by the subconscious mind....

Friendship's Caveman Wakes Up (@mergerecords.bsky.social) is a series of earnest barroom confessionals...Natalie Jane Hill's Hopeful Woman (@dearliferecs.bsky.social) is content to drift even though she knows she’ll hit rough patches. Both playing 2morrow sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8069935...

Brigitte Calls Me Baby Live Show Review: 1/21, Schubas, Chicago Brigitte Calls Me Baby frontman Wes Leavins BY JORDAN MAINZER In the middle of presenting songs from Brigitte Calls Me Baby's upcoming sophomore album Irreversible (ATO), frontman Wes Leavins...

Wednesday night at Schubas represented a remarkably confident beginning of an assured new era for Brigitte Calls Me Baby sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8065402...

The Salt Collective Interview: A Beautiful Surprise Photo by Declan Levitt BY JORDAN MAINZER Stéphane Schück's life so far has been chock full of coincidences. How many full-time physicians do you know, who are also power pop aficionados, who...

You could say A Brief History of Blindness (@propellersound.bsky.social) is a lifetime--of fandom, hard work, leadership, struggle--in the making. My interview w/ physician and power pop aficionado Stéphane Schück about the latest from The Salt Collective sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8063600...

Austra's Chin Up Buttercup (@dominorecordco.bsky.social) works because it’s not linear; a lesser artist might have succumbed to the temptation of telling us what happened. Katie Stelmanis instead mirrors the imperfect timeline of heartbreak. sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8059025...

"How one’s lived experience colors the interpretation of a song is as different as there are as many people on the earth." Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu spoke to me about the band's new covers record out Friday via @polyvinyl.bsky.social sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8057239...

SILY's Top Albums of 2025 BY JORDAN MAINZER During our first year of full-blown fascism, music--and art in general--proved to be more important than ever, as the form of expression with the purest intentions around which to.....

From daring experimentalists @maryhalvorson.bsky.social and @orenambarchi.bsky.social to pop geniuses @sparksofficial.bsky.social and FKA twigs: SILY's top albums of 2025 sinceileftyoublog.tumblr.com/post/8052860...