loudlooppress.com

20
Apr
A Lull – Confetti

On the surface A Lull appear to another in a long line of modern pop bands that use the the studio as an instrument more than, well, actual instruments. While their full-length debut, Confetti, will undoubtedly bring comparisons to the indie favorites Animal Collective and even local up-and-comers Yawn and Netherfriends, A Lull are a completely different animal altogether. Yes, Confetti offers airy soundscapes and trance-like vocal melodies, but A Lull exchanges harmonic loops for a barrage of digital-jungle rhythms that keep their music pulsating with life.

By Richard Giraldi \ comments

18
Apr
Cross Record – Magnetic Current

The design motto “Less is more” is often credited to the eminent architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. A German-born immigrant, van der Rohe adopted this motto to reflect his minimalist style and in part because his English wasn’t very strong—it was simple to say. It’s a nice little insight and an apt introduction for Emily Cross, whose debut EP Magnetic Current is incredibly minimal and simple yet much more than the sum of its parts.

By Joseph Montes \ comments

12
Apr
Gypsyblood – Cold In The Guestway

For a debut record, Gypsyblood‘s Cold In The Guestway seems to, no pun intended, hit all the right notes. Elements of ragged guitar rockery and noisy bedroom pop are tightly weaved together on Cold In The Guestway. And yet perhaps the band’s biggest accomplishment is that the record, while it does at times throwback to the early 90′s alternative-rock-era, doesn’t sound angsty or take itself too seriously. Among the thick guitar phrases and punchy percussion is a perfect amount of lightheartedness that keeps the music lively and infectious.

By Richard Giraldi \ 3 comments

8
Apr
Bloodiest – Descent

The debut album by Chicago’s mega-super group Bloodiest – the much talked about Descent – is more metal than the band let on. With the pedigree present in the seven member group (comprised of members from Yakuza, 90 Day Men, Atombombpocketknife) that’s not surprising.

By Ross Meyerson \ comments

7
Apr
Louis and the Hunt – Louis and the Hunt EP

If Louis and the Hunt had released the first two tracks of their self-titled EP as a stand-alone 7”, the band would already be in competition for the best single of the year. Both “They Saw Those Lights” and “Footprints On A Bed” combine anthemic songwriting with restrained production to create tracks that could fill an arena, yet still feel intimate. The remaining four songs on the EP can’t live up to the two openers, but Louis and the Hunt certainly have a strong offering on their hands that is well-played and well-sung, showcasing a band that already has a mature, streamlined sound on its first record.

By Andy Kondrat \ comments

Queens of the Stone Age | Photo by Audrey Leon

It’s been a while since those drunken misfits Queens of the Stone Age returned to Chicago. On April Fool’s Day, the hard rockers played to a rowdy and enthusiastic sold-out crowd at the Riviera Theater. The show once again proved that one album-centric nostalgia tours are as popular with fans as they are with the bands that do them.

By Audrey Leon \ comments

1
Apr
Soft Speaker – I’ll Tend Your Garden

Soft Speaker‘s first full-length, I’ll Tend Your Garden, is remarkably good. Yes, that just spoiled the surprise and probably ruined any suspense this review may have had in store. It’s just that there is no reason to tiptoe around the obvious. Rarely has an album grabbed my attention this early and held it this often. I’ll Tend Your Garden is such a mix of influences but sounds unlike most of them on the surface.

By Ross Meyerson \ comments