As we reported back in February, Chicago metal heroes Sanford Park (Minsk, Nachtmystium, Twilight) and Jeremy Lemos (White/Light) have united with Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and Ministry/Revolting Cocks vocalist Chris Connelly to form the group High Confessions.

The noise-rocker’s debut album Turning Lead Into Gold with the High Confessions is now available for streaming via Stereogum.com.

Per Stereogum:
The 5-song/50-minute collection’s a slow-release patchwork of dark clattering tones, drum rolls, drone, outbursts, noise-rock, shades of Current 93, weird industrial chatter. The old-school post-rock opener “Mistaken For Cops” is a scene-establishing intro that makes way for the four challenging, satisfying 10 minute epics that follow it.

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By Audrey Leon  \  comments

You know how when you were a kid and you would think about how cool it is to be a rock star because you could hang out with other rock stars and just jam out? Well, it turns out rocker Beck had the same fantasy growing up.

Time Out Chicago reported yesterday that Chicago post-rockers Tortoise joined magical freak-of-nature Beck in his Los Angeles studio for his Record Club project.

Beck’s Record Club project is a relaxed studio session where Beck and his coolest rock star friends get together to re-record classic albums.

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By Audrey Leon  \  comments

As we reported back in February, Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley, Chris Connelly of Ministry, Sanford Parker of Peoria, Illinois metal band Minsk and Jeremy Lemos of Chicago psych outfit WHITE/LIGHT have formed a group called The High Confessions.

Well, the High Confessions have posted their debut song, titled “Chlorine and Crystal”, to their Myspace page today. The track is a dark and off-kilter slow mover that blends atmospheric post-rock with industrial touches.

Additionally, the group has titled their debut album Turing Lead Into Gold With The High Confessions, which will be available on July 20 through Relapse Records.

By Richard Giraldi  \  comments

According to Pitchfork.com, Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley has formed a new band called The High Confessions with industrial rocker Chris Connelly, well known for his work in both the Revolting Cocks and Ministry, Sanford Parker of Peoria metal group Minsk and Jeremy Lemos, who is not only a member of Chicago experimental, psychedelic outfit White/Light but has worked as an engineer along side Bill Callahan and Jim O’Rourke.

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By Richard Giraldi  \  comments

Ex-Sonic Youth member, Wilco producer and Chicago experimental rocker Jim O’Rourke is set to release Visitors, a new solo effort of original material, on September 8 on Chicago’s Drag City label.

Additional details from Pitchfork.com:

According to the label, the record is more song-oriented than his excursions into avant-electronics (see: stuff like 2001’s I’m Happy, and I’m Singing, and a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 2007’s collaboration with Merzbow and Carlos Giffoni, Electric Dress). It’s apparently more in line with O’Rourke’s somber instrumental LP Bad Timing than his sly pop records, Eureka and Insignificance.

By Richard Giraldi  \  comments

Welcome to the Editor’s Open Thread (E.O.T.)! This Open Thread is designed for feedback from YOU a.k.a. the reader. We’ll pose a question and then we’ll post views/opinions from our editors/contributors for you to read, dissect and agree/disagree with by commenting on the story. The idea is to create some interesting musical dialogue.

First up we ask, What was the best album from June 2009? Now, the editor/contributor picks for best album from June 2009…

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By Richard Giraldi  \  9 comments

Thurston Moore grabbed the mic stand and held it high as he yelled, “We’re Queer, We’re Here, Get Used to It” before offering a completely raucous version of new album track “No Way.” The scene couldn’t have been more perfect. Chicago’s Pride Festival was blocks away from Lakeview’s Vic Theatre, where inside Sonic Youth, a band that dared to similarly go against the grain by creating pop songs with musical afterthoughts like dissonance, static, and alternate tunings, was electrifying a sold out crowd.

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By Richard Giraldi  \  1 comment