• • The Tribune’s Howard Reich explores the possibility of both the Center for Black Music Research and Chicago Jazz Ensemble finding homes at other Chicagoland universities such as Northwestern and DePaul, if Columbia College decides to withdraw funding.
• • Gapers Block’s Ricardo Villarreal talks about divisions in Chicago’s hip-hop scene with local artists and music bloggers, including King Louie, Chief Keef, Chandler London, The WHOevers, and Andrew Barber of the blog Fake Shore Drive and Alex Fruchter of the blog Ruby Hornet.
• • Rocker Scott Lucas talks politics and Local H’s new album, Hallelujah! I’m a Bum, with the Sun Times.
• • The Tribune also featured a report on the new “Squared Roots” festival that will replace the Old Town School of Folk’s annual “Folk & Roots” neighborhood fest. The new event, which takes place July 20-22, will feature folk music and craft beer and will make use of the school’s indoor facilities.
• • WBEZ music critic Jim DeRogatis pans Andrew Bird’s new album Break it Yourself.

Then we highly recommend you get to the music journalism panel being held by DePaul University’s Society Of Professional Journalists chapter tomorrow night titled “Staying In Tune: Covering Chicago’s Music Scene.”

The panel includes some great names from Chicago’s digital, local music landscape including Jaime Black – Founder of Chicagoverseunited, Neptali Figueroa – President of management company RWIM-Chicago, Anne Holub – Gapers Block music editor, Miles Raymer – Chicago Reader music staff writer and Mannequin Men rocker, and Amy Phillips – News editor at some site called Pitchfork.

And the panel will be moderated by me – Loud Loop Press founder/editor Richard Giraldi.

A wide range of topics wil be discussed including music reporting and the blogosphere, ethical issues in covering music, Mayor Emanuel and the music scene and more.

And if you don’t like leaving the confines of your parents’ basement, you can follow along and ask questions on Twitter @spjdepaul and also by using the hastag #SPJchat.

But if you want to attend in person, and we highly recommend that you do, it goes down tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. in the College Of Communication Basement Theatre located at 247 S. State Street. See you there!

Editor’s note: “Introducing…” is a series of feature profiles that spotlights lesser-known Chicago acts. This second installment showcases Chicago alternative rock act Rosaline.

The life of a working college student is unmistakably a busy and stressful one. Add to the usual commitment the responsibility of a band and you have Madison Stozler’s life. As a student at DePaul University and guitarist of Chicago-based Rosaline, a forceful and harmonious six piece, it’s a surprise Stolzer had the time to chat with me about their most recent happenings.

Signed to Eulogy Records, an independent and deep-rooted Florida based label, in May of 2009, Rosaline has now joined the one time home of bands such as New Found Glory, Set Your Goals, Unearth and Evergreen Terrace.

“John Wylie, the label owner, said that our sound was powerful, aggressive yet melodic and mainstream,” Stolzer said. “He was really excited to add us to the long lasting roster and we were excited to join.”

While being signed was perhaps an opportunity for a sigh of relief, Rosaline did nothing but speed up their pace. Going on tour in June and venturing out to Milwaukee to record a nine-song, 37-minute rookie record, A Constant North, with producer Joel Wanasek, which debuted July 21 with a release show at the Beat Kitchen.

“It encompasses all dimensions of our musical intentions, from two instrumental trance pieces to a soft lullaby-esque indie jam and some intense emotional hardcore in between,” Stolzer said.

All of these pieces to the Rosaline puzzle can be seen in the recently released video for “Culture Wars,” a song that features a range from delicate riffs and gentle lyrics to aggressive screams and even spoken word. A mix that naturally would seem problematic is mixed admirably to a video featuring nothing more than all six members playing their instruments in a newspaper-covered room.

With all of their work thus far, Rosaline shows no sign of slowing down. Sharing their music with others is what they plan to do as much as often. However, don’t expect a multitude of shows in the Chicago area all at once due to a little advice from Smashing Pumpkin’s Billy Corgan.

“He [Corgan] said never play in the same city more than once a month, there is just no point.” Stolzer said. “Do other things in the time between shows to strengthen your whole project, and make your shows quality.”

It looks like Corgan’s advice has worked well up to this point. Rosaline has a show lined up for September 5 in Crystal Lake but in the mean time are trying to promote their new record in any way possible. Plus, don’t forget, school starts soon.