New Music: Sons & Daughters

May 13th, 2008
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Those who know me well, know that I tend to lean towards British pop and rock versus some of the crap that comes out of the RIAA machine here in the U.S. I like everything from Joy Division, to The Smiths/Morrissey, The Cure, to Radiohead and Coldplay. Sons & Daughters, a four-some from Glasgow, have really knocked my socks off. Their debut song “Darling” quickly become one of my favorites.

As I’ve explored the band’s music further, I’ve found that most of their other songs have a very different sound to them. In songs like “Dance Me In” and “Taste the Last Girl,” lead singer Adele Bethel’s voice takes on a much richer and darker tone, reminiscent, in a way, of Siouxsie Sioux’s early days. Another song to have made it to hit status in the UK was “Gilt Complex” which curiously reminds me of a mash-up of pre-disco post-punk Blondie meets early-Siouxsie meets, perhaps, Cat Power.

Sons & Daughters are on Domino Records, which in my opinion is producing some of the best music to come out of the UK right now, including such bands as the Arctic Monkeys, The Kills, Tricky, Franz Ferdinand, Junior Boys, and Animal Collective. If you have the chance, check them out on iTunes, or go to their site where you can watch their videos and download upcoming songs.

Your new neighbor: EveryBlock Chicago

May 4th, 2008
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EveryBlock Chicago

With the current barrage of ‘Web 2.0′ type sites out there, a new one emerges for Chicago and its many neighborhoods. EveryBlock Chicago is sort of a mashup, combining crime data from the Chicago Police Department, news articles relevant to a neighborhood from the local papers and media outlets, license and inspection data from city public records, business reviews from Yelp!, and a while lot more.

EveryBlock could be, in my opinion, quite useful, as it eliminates the need to go search ChicagoCrimes.org, Yelp!, the city’s website, etc. to get the most up to date info about my neighborhood. The site also allows me to explore other neighborhoods throughout the city, handy if you’re considering a move to a new neighborhood, or just trying to find out what to do and where to avoid. I think once this site gets some publicity and gains some traction, it will be a must-check site for many in the city.

The Car Kebab is gone, and I don’t feel so well myself

May 3rd, 2008
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Yet another Chicago landmark is gone. The famous Car Kebab in Berwyn, featured in the movie Wayne’s World, is no more as of last night. The Sun-Times has a video of the demolition in their story about it. The Car Kebab was taken down to make room for a new Walgreen’s. Isn’t that always the way? Landmarks across the country are demolished to make way for a Walgreen’s.