Show review: Mazes at The Empty Bottle, 10/11

By Adam Bonich

The day was Thursday, the 11^th of October, in the year of our Lord, 2012. I had just finished my 3^rd Pumpkin-spice latte and felt a hankerin’ for a bathroom trip and maybe some live music. Much to my chagrin, I skipped the former, but was nevertheless pleased to find myself wander into the Empty Bottle for the Mazes Blazes CD Release Show. Turns out, I wasn’t the only one with music on me mind. It was as if the cool-autumn-breeze spent the whole evening blowing in mild-mannered 30-somethings. You know, the ones with jobs and manageable beards. Indeed, the scene was “cool” and quite calm for an alleged show about rock. It was like stepping into a whispery, wine-and-cheese networking event; in other words, my heaven. Jk?

For those of you not “in the know,” Mazes are a relatively obscure indie-offshoot of the longtime popular local act, the 1900s. Led by Edward Anderson and fellow 1900s transplant, Caroline Donovan, the quartet has three releases under its belt, including brand new LP, Mazes Blazes. Does anyone know of this band? Is it just me, or is it becoming even harder to get the word out these days? Well, I’m not certain, but these peeps deserve some notoriety, a pat on the tush(es), or dare I say it, MUSE-level fame. I kid, but for those who appreciate the finely crafted pop tunes of the 1900s--only pared down, whacked out and sung by dueling gentle-sirs and lady, then this IS the band for you. In a city where the most heard are often the most connected, let’s turn our attention to a band that actually deserves it.

Weekend show picks: Silversun Pickups, The Loneliest Monk and more

The Loneliest Monk

As the long weekend gets rolling, it's time to start thinking about which live music options to check out over the course of the next four nights. There's no shortage of great stuff lined up, so read on for some picks, get out there and have a fantastic holiday!

Friday, July 2

- The Loneliest Monk at Lincoln Hall with Aleks Eva and Hollows - This Chicago couple, Michelle Morales and Miles Benjamin, put on a live show that breaks away from the norm by mixing their art rock/chamber pop with a "masquerade ball" aesthetic. The show will celebrate the release of their debut album. 9 p.m., $10, 18 and over. Tickets.

- Derek Nelson and the Musicians at the Empty Bottle with Pool of Frogs and Psychic Friends - Late last year Chicago-based folk-rocker Derek Nelson released his debut EP, Something Obscure (review here), a very impressive introduction to the singer-songwriter. He's since been singled out by many as one of the city's best up-and-coming acts and landed some notable shows, including a slot at the Taste of Chicago.   10 p.m., $7, 21 and over. Tickets.

- Mazes at Hideout with Hotel Brotherhood - Check out our recent post to catch up on all that's been going on with this great Chicago indie psych-pop band. 10 p.m., $8, 21 and over. Tickets.

Saturday, July 3

- Silversun Pickups at Aragon Ballroom with Against Me! and The Henry Clay People - The lauded L.A. alt-rockers released their latest album, Swoon, last year, and with support from notable punk acts Against Me! and The Henry Clay People, should bring a killer show. 6:30 p.m., $27.25, 17 and over. Tickets.

- The Heavy at Lincoln Hall with The Dirty Diamonds - These Brits have a wonderful style, blending indie rock with vintage soul sounds for a guaranteed good time. Be sure to arrive early for the Windy City's own Dirty Diamonds, who have a similar 1960s-meets-modern day aesthetic and are tons of fun. Click here for more on them. 10 p.m., $14, 21 and over. Tickets.

Sunday, July 4

- Tiny Vipers at the Empty Bottle with The Sight Below and The Spend - Celebrate the 4th with Sub Pop Record's Tiny Vipers (a.k.a Seattle-based songstress Jesy Fortino), who specializes in a dreamy, introspective sound as heard on her two full-lengths to date, 2007's Hands Across the Void and 2009's Life on Earth. 9:30 p.m. $8, $15 at door, 21 and over. Tickets. 

Monday, July 5 

- The Thermals at Millennium Park/Jay Pritzker Pavilion with Disappears - The next up in Millennium Park's summer series of free concerts, a set from this high energy indie/alt rock trio from Portland should serve as a wonderful way to end the long weekend. Chicago's own Disappears will start things off. 6:30 p.m. free, all ages.

Mazes announce new releases, shows

It's going to be a busy month for Mazes, Chicago's lo-fi psych-pop group featuring Edward Anderson and Caroline Donovan from the 1900s.

First, the band are planning two new digital releases for Tuesday, June 15 on Bandcamp - a single that was originally released via 7" vinyl in celebration of this year's Record Store Day, as well as a free collection of remixed tracks from their 2009 debut.

The single - My Imagination/Mazes Messes' - which Mazes actually consider to be their second album, features seven songs in seven minutes recorded over seven days (and, of course, originally released on 7"). All in the form of two tracks, an A side and a B side.

Mazzzes, the remix/de-mix album featuring 11 tracks from the band's debut reworked and re-imagined by friends and fans, will also be available. The entire collection will be up for grabs at no cost come the 15th, but for now you can download one of the tracks here:

Download mp3: Mazes - "Things I Threw in the Well" (Scott Masson mix)

If that weren't enough, the band will be recording a brand new album this month and have a series of Chicago gigs lined up. The shows are in celebration of bassist/vocalist Tom Smith's imminent relocation to San Francisco, which Mazes aren't considering a hindrance to their continuation. "None of us think of the band as ending. We'll be recording another album. We plan on going to SF and NY to play...collaborate long distance...we see it as expanding in a way," says Anderson.

The live dates are:

June 11 at the Empty Bottle w/Duchess & The Duke
June 12 at Old Town Fest
June 24 at Millennium Park (noon)
July 2 at the Hideout

New releases: U2, Neko Case and more

U2 - "No Line on the Horizon" - The band's twelfth album, featuring lead single, "Get on Your Boots." The record is U2's first since their 2004 release, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." It is released in a variety of formats, including a standard CD, 2-disc vinyl LP, digipak and a box set that includes a DVD, poster and 64-page book.

Neko Case - "Middle Cyclone" - The one-time Chicago resident and Hideout bartender has gone on to worldwide success both as a solo artist and with The New Pornographers. "Middle Cyclone" is her newest effort, featuring 15 tracks and guest performances from M. Ward, members of the New Pornographers and more. She's set to play the Chicago Theatre on April 24 as part of her Spring tour promoting the record.

The Prodigy - "Invaders Must Die" - The fifth studio album from the British electronic trio, following-up 2004's "Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned."

Bell X1 - "Blue Lights on the Runway" - The fourth studio album from the Irish indie rockers. The band garnered international popularity from their last album, "Flock," with tracks such as "Rocky Took a Lover" and "Flame."

Fountains of Wayne - "No Better Place: Live in Chicago" (DVD) - The band's first ever DVD features a 2005 Chicago performance with hits such as "Stacy's Mom," "Sink to the Bottom" and "Radiation Vibe."

Chicago artists:

Mazes - Self-Titled LP - Mazes is a side project from Edward Anderson and Caroline Donovan from acclaimed Chicago folk-pop group The 1900s. The two are joined by Charles D’Autremont for a somewhat looser extension of the 1900s sound, with songs recorded "in various studios, bedrooms and basements over the past few years." Available from Parasol.