Three going-out-with-a-bang-isn’t-usually-my-style-but-let’s-see-what-I-can-do-here reasons to read this and then head to the Bottle tonight…

1. If you’re like me, then you already know that you dig Great Society Mind Destroyers. I do. If you’re not like me, but like music and really like music that is groove oriented but doesn’t ask you to dance, you might find yourself digging GSMD. Just, here’s the thing, GSMD love to lock in and then freak out over what they’ve locked in to. You’ll dig it.

2. Iowa City’s Paleo offer up a different kind of quirk. Golly, I want to reference M. Ward here but feel like y’all will pounce. But, before M. Ward was the poster boy for Starbucks music, he made some pretty aesthetically weird and unique records, see. And Paleo seem to tread in similar territory. It’s lo-fi but that doesn’t mean it’s not full of ideas and sounds and what feels like pure joy.

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Three weening-myself-off-of-coffee-so-just-know-that reasons to not get irritable and just head on over to the Ultra Lounge this evening (if you can stay awake):

1. I kind of really like the Blizzard Babies biography on the mP Productions site. Not that I’m just going to steal it but describing a band as loving rock ‘n’ roll so much that their simple garage-y tunes often stretch passed the five minute mark really says more than a supposedly clever gent like myself could ever say. Enthusiasm is just one of those things that can’t be taught but is completely infectious. Maybe you’ll catch it tonight.

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Three I-just-relearned-how-much-I-kind-of-loved-and-still-shockingly-do-love-old-Soundgarden reasons to explore your past kids and then head over to Schubas tonight…

1. Chicago’s Island Of Misfit Toys are good. Don’t believe me? Well, believe me. Please. Don’t get all bent out of shape that an 18-year-old is pumping out some pretty mature indie pop. hat 18-year-old in question, one Anthony Sanders, sounds like a guy that has lived longer and absorbed musical influences at some sort of freakish rate. Go to their Soundcloud page for proof if you don’t believe me. It’s ok.

2. Hudson Branch are nice. Precious would be a good word as well. Tasteful is a word as well that one might use to describe them. Hudson Branch make nice, precious, tasteful music. It is decidedly Midwest indie in the fine tradition of the oft mentioned by me Seam. Bear in mind they don’t sound a thing like Seam. They do, however, share a somber going-to-take-their-sweet-sweet-time vibe. Hudson Branch add a bit of dreaminess to the sadness. You can easily download their latest full length, “Tightrope Walker” from their Bandcamp. I would.

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Three did-you-really-go-to-that-mega-fest-this-weekend reasons to assume you didn’t because you’re a pretty cool kid and so you’re jazzed up to head to Panchos tonight…

1. Prizzy Prizzy Please sound pretty much like their name. They just can’t take themselves seriously. That doesn’t mean they are Weird Al but it does mean you’ll hear songs called “New Shoes” that are literally about new shoes. The fact that they wrap their silliness in some kind of post-punk dance just muddles the whole thing. In a good way, see.

2. Our own Audrey Leon once upon a time lavished some praise on Hospital Garden‘s self titled debut. Well deserved praise indeed. Hospital Garden pump out some clean and jangly indie rock with a touch of the Feelies thrown in for good measure. It’s simple but so darn right.

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Three (maybe just two?) do-your-eyelids-sweat-because-I-think-now-my-eyelids-sweat reasons to stretch first then head over to the Hideout tonight…

1. It’s a double header tonight, see. The Hideout does this from time to time. If you’re an early bird and like to hit the hay before ten o’clock and, really, music isn’t your bag, check out tonight’s Funny Ha Ha. It’s not music at all. No sir (ma’am). It’s a bunch of funny people reading funny stories that came from their funny minds. Look at all those funny people. Take a load off, dear readers, and let some funny folks tickle your funny bone, won’t you?

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Three thank-goodness-the-fantasy-football-season-has-been-saved reasons to keep drinking hot coffee despite the obvious reason to switch to iced and then head over to Panchos tonight…

1. Three words… rock. ‘n. roll. Well, two words and a cute little abbreviation, really. Check out Young Coconut. These guys play instruments and sing in a gravelly way and when those things come together you get some righteous rock. Not quite the Replacements or Archers of Loaf but not not quite that either. Just good old loose and dirty rock ‘n’ roll with a hint of a sneer.

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Three seems-as-if-we’ve-moved-into-the-bearable-part-of-summer reasons to dress accordingly whilst heading on over to Panchos this evening…

1. Oh, it’s gonna be a rocking one at Panchos. Firstly, Rambos will enthrall you with their sleek, drunken swagger. Sometimes they choose a slow burn to get their we’re all singing at the same time message across while other times they seem to use the theme from Batman as the template. Either way, there are plenty of sea shanty sing-a-longs for y’all to, welp, sing-a-long to.

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