Seeing how our staff has distinct tastes and opinions on music, it would be nearly impossible for us to determine a 10 Albums of 2010 list as a single entity without excessive bloodshed. So over the next couple of days, we’ll be posting Top 10 Albums of 2011 lists as determined by individual Loud Loop Press staff members. Today, contributor Britni Day body slams us with her list for Top 10 Albums of 2011.
This year, I felt like I was inundated with a lot of crap on the radio. If I wasn’t learning Jagger’s moves or getting my kicks pumped, then I was rolling around in the deep (whatever that means) or forced to deal with some unfortunate guy named Mr. Saxobeat. But where radio stations failed, Chicago’s musicians rose up, reminding me real talent is out there – sans auto-tune or “da club.” I’ve reserved 3 special spots for some of my favorite locals on this list. I would also like to note that even though we do not have a Top Ten Songs of 2011, “Lana Deth Ray” by Chicago’s own Rodeo is pretty bitchin’. Just like LMFAO, I have passion in my pants and I ain’t afraid to show it, so here’s your sexcellent top ten.
“Take Five” focuses on Chicago’s ever-growing music scene by giving you insight to the city’s best local acts via the best source possible: the artists themselves. Here is the latest installment featuring Purple Apple.
At the tender age of eight, most kids are playing video games and eating way too much sugar. However, the young ladies of Purple Apple started a band, wrote music and lyrics, and got noticed.
Just a few years later, Olivia (lead vox and rhythm guitar), Madison (bassist, keyboards), Nonie (lead guitar, backing vox) and their babysitter Devin (drums) have Chicago rock legend Scott Lucas as a mentor, and Purple Apple have released their first EP in addition to playing some of the biggest venues in town. All this before their freshman year of high school.
The three adorable glitz girls and the space panda from The Maybenauts are back with a new song and a lovely new lead singer, Dixie Jacobs.
These glam poppers seem to be heavy on the move with new music, new shows and quite possibly a new album out soon (please!). For now, we have “Here Today” to suffice our Maybenaut-cravings.
This little ditty is filled with wistful lyrics, lush harmonies and those strong, groovy Maybenauts bass lines. A sort of nod to the 90′s garage rock ballad, the song pulls elements from bands like Veruca Salt and Belly. Jacobs is a very welcome addition with her husky, powerful vocals pulling out the passionate side of the band. Of course, you all can just hear it for yourself right here:
It wasn’t the blazing, perma-glow sky of Chicago that inspired James Cicero to name his band Light Pollution. It was the star-filled nights over the cornfields of DeKalb, Ill. that brought both the band and their name to (pun intended) light. Light Pollution took the local and national blogpshere by storm after the release of their first album, Apparitions, and had fans falling in love with their manic rhythm, reeling keyboards and atmospheric vocals. Now, Cicero, Matt Evert, Nick Sherman and Jed Robertson sit on top of the indie chillwave, psychedelic-pop scene in Chicago and have plans for a brilliant future.
Currently working on a second album under Carpark Records, James Cicero took a minute to catch up with LoudLoopPress.com and talk about the band and the hauntingly-good time he spent making Apparitions.
The Sweeps at the Double Door | photo By Audrey Leon
Even though all the bands were local, the crowd buzzed with anticipation before the show kicked off last Friday night at the Double Door. While the night was proclaimed an album release party for The Terrible Children, the new full-length from Chicago’s power-pop trio The Sweeps, performances from the hard rocking The Streets On Fire and danceable Love In October gave the whole night an feeling of electricity and illustrated everything that is right with Chicago’s current music scene.
Since the release of All Night, the debut from Chicago’s electronic-indie duo Houses, they’ve have reached buzz band status and with good reason. Made up of Dexter Tortoriello and Megan Messina, the duo have quite the history.
After hard times hit Tortoriello in many forms, he and Messina decided to move to a remote town in Hawaii and just start over. Once there, they lived in sustainable housing, worked for their meals, drank rainwater and used candle light at night to save their solar power for Tortoriello’s laptop so he could work on music. The lush, peaceful music he created was threaded with these experiences. After a few months, Tortoriello and Messina had to return to Chicago where they released a few songs as Houses and were instantly picked up by Lefse Records. Houses released All Night, an album filled with delicate orchestration and playful ambient tones that hide stories in lyrics and emotion in each layer of music.
On the verge of an international tour, LoudLoopPress.com was able to catch up with Tortoriello and talk to him about All Night and his time in Hawaii.
Seeing how our staff has distinct tastes and opinions on music, it would be nearly impossible for us to determine a 10 Albums of 2010 list as a single entity without excessive bloodshed. Therefore in the next two weeks, we’ll be posting multiple Top 10 Albums of 2010 lists as determined by Loud Loop Press editors and contributors. Today, contributor Britni Day body slams us with her list for Top 10 Albums of 2010.
