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Issue 2.1 ALBUM REVIEWS Dag Juhlin - Into the Woods (Self Released) Reviewed by Theresa Killebrew Google the name Dag Juhlin and fifteen pages of actual Dag Juhlin related links come up. That’s fifteen pages of Chicago Music History, which translates to about 20 years. The last 12 of those years were spent creating Into the Woods, Dag’s solo Debut. Well, that is, when Dag wasn’t busy playing guitar for Poi Dog Pondering or for garage rockers the Goldstars or fronting local legends the Slugs. He also writes music for the local theater scene, and serves as the Sound Opinions comical Poet Laureate. I think Dag may secretly write stand up comedy as well, given the hilarity of his live show. Secretly, or in his magazine parody The Tri-County Sampler. He has recently returned from a tour with John Wesley Harding and Scott McCaughey. That’s a pretty impressive resume, but then, Dag is a musical genius. He plays the guitar like no one else on the planet. People have invented names for the way he plays, like “grip it and rip it”, but I prefer Dag’s own description, “chugging…loose limbed showmanship.” When Dag is onstage, it is impossible to take your eyes off his hands. How does he do that? Into the Woods is full of sweet guitar melodies that stop just short of a full on attack when he plays them live. Nice touches like piano and violin add warmth and depth, and Dag is lyrically a master of metaphor with a penchant for storytelling. Although his lyrics lean toward a certain sentimentality I tend not to love, I reach for this album every couple days. The opening track, “Man in the Mirror” should already be in regular rotation on Chicago’s WXRT (93.1). The fact that it isn’t feels sometimes like a testament to Clear Channel’s growing control over what used to be Chicago’s Finest Rock. Aside from "Man in the Mirror", “I am Ready” and “Little Black Glasses” (perhaps for rather obvious reasons) are my favorite tracks. If you have the chance, I highly recommend that you take any opportunity to see these songs performed live, it is an evening well spent. To purchase Dag things, please visit his website at www.DagJuhlin.com. Midwest Blue - Alarm Clock (Johann's Face) Reviewed by Mark Oster This four song EP from the suburban 5 piece is their first on Johann's Face and third overall. For me, guitars take center stage on this album; the songs are marked by dueling leads on their verses and powerful, overdriven chords on their choruses. The dominant guitar work is laid upon upbeat, punk drumming and complimented by well crafted, melodic basslines and leadman Sam Swanson's throaty, poppy vocals. This guitar driven emocore will most easily remind a listener of Bob Nanna's Hey Mercedes. In this city, that is certainly an asset. At fifteen minutes long, Alarm Clock seems to server as a teaser for their first full length for Johann's Face, and if you're into Hey Mercedes, Saves The Day, and the Vagrant set in general, you may enjoy being teased. The Ponys - Laced With Romance (In the Red) Reviewed by Mark Oster Okay, so it's January of 2005, and we're just getting around to reviewing one of Chicago's big winners of 2004. Give us a break, we're tiny, sometimes we have to wait until one of us goes and buys the album. Better late than never though, right? Anyway, if you aren't familiar with The Ponys, they're comprised of members of the Guilty Pleasures, the Mushuganas, and Happy Supply, and they're worth every bit of hype you've heard. I'm sure you've heard that plenty of times about the multitude of post punk and/or garage throwback acts we've seen on the national and local radar over the last half decade, but The Ponys are definitely one to take note of. Think Mudhoney, if they were trying to make people dance. On Laced With Romance, there's an abundance of fuzzed out guitar tone with straight, hard hitting drum beats and moving, slightly grooving (hey, I'm a poet and didn't know it) bass lines keeping the tunes rolling along. The songs are fun, front man Jered yelps with a Robert Smithlike squeak to his voice. His repetitive melodies leave plenty of room for simple but effective guitar leads and electric organ hooks. This album is definitely a must if you are at all intrigued by modern post punk/60's style garage. If you're reading this and still don't have this album, we haven't left you much time to say you liked them before it was cool, and for that we apologize. Shot Baker - Awake (Underground Communique) Reviewed by Mark Oster It's a shame that the way the word "punk" is thrown around, there aren't more bands like Shot Baker out there. It's a shame there aren't more bands throwing the punches musically rather than pulling them in an artsy fashion. And it's a shame bands that drape the word "punk" around them like some sort of promotional robe only try to fashion themselves to the part, rather than bother with the musical or lyrical value behind it. But that's the way it is now, and right when you're about ready to lower punk rock's coffin for the seventy fifth time, an album like "Awake", Shot Baker's debut, lands in your grubby paws, and you have to postpone the funeral again. The first thing that comes to mind is early Dropkick Murphy's (before they signed to Epitaph, lost McColgan and started to suck) if they had come from Chicago, with their dark melodies, and harmonized "oh's" a la Naked Raygun. No frills here, just straight forward aggression fueled punk rock, snare shots on the off beats, thick, driving guitars, and raspy, soulful vocals (but still singing, mind you, quite melodically, even). 15 tracks, and 45 minutes of straight ass kicking. Sounds like a pretty generic description, doesn't it? Fine, I challenge you to listen to this album and disagree. |