Gene's 2012 favorites

By Gene Wagendorf III 

Twin Peaks at The Whip (photo by Gene Wagendorf III)

It's the end of the year and we're a music blog, so you know what that means: "best of" list time. That said, "best" is a silly and subjective word that we at Windy City Rock are trying to avoid this year. Instead we're offering you some lists of local favorites from several of our contributors. Over the next few days we'll be posting about our favorite Chicago records, bands, shows and what-have-you from 2012. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

5 Favorite Records

Twin Peaks - 'Sunken'
The soundtrack to my summer came courtesy of a group of delinquent minors who, between burning trees, skateboarding and prepping for college, managed to put together a record filled with anthemic, sunny jams. Expect big things out of Twin Peaks in 2013. Read a full review of Sunken here.

Fave track: Fast Eddie
Get the record: here

Running  - 'Asshole Savant'
Get Bent nailed it when they described Running as "an incendiary blast of rock ‘n’ roll akin to smashing Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music into the Stooges and then smashing that combo into Suicide." Asshole Savant does an admirable job of capturing the mayhem of Running's live sets. 

Fave track: I Can't Believe I'm Alive
Get the record: here

The Smashing Pumpkins - 'Oceania'
Oceania is Corgan and company's best record in the better part of a decade. Doesn't quite reach as high as it aims, but there are some beautiful moments here.

Fave track: Pinwheels
Get the record: here

WCR and The Empty Bottle Present: A Rock For Kids Charity Jam

By Gene Wagendorf III  

Where does the music you love come from?

It's a simple question, with an equally simple and completely obvious answer: It comes from musicians.

Chicago's music scene is experiencing a creative swell unlike almost any time in its history; there are new, incredible bands being born seemingly every day. Whether you're into punk, art-rock, garage-pop, folk or just anything that sounds great in a sweaty basement, this city has dozens of killer bands to meet your taste. But even a scene that's flourishing the way Chicago's is can't sustain itself without new ideas and new creators to give those ideas life. That's where Rock For Kids comes in.

Rock For Kids is an inspiring and wholly necessary local non-profit that provides music education to underserved youth. Quite literally, they're putting guitars and drum sticks in the hands of children who might not otherwise get a hold of them. They're teaching critical thinking and musical theory. They're offering kids an outlet for their creativity, and, lucky for you, laying the foundation for the next generation of Chicago bands that you'll be rocking out to. As important as it is to support already existing bands by seeing shows and buying records, it's equally important to invest in the scene's future.

On that note, Windy City Rock is beyond proud to join Chicago's best rock club, The Empty Bottle, in hosting A Rock For Kids Charity Jam. The benefit show will take place on Sunday, November 25th (6pm, 21+), and proceeds from the show will go directly to R4K. We're asking for a $15 donation at the door, but we also understand that times are tough, and have provided smaller donation options that will still allow you the help out and enjoy a night of fantastic local music.

That music will be provided by 7 bands who, in this writer's opinion, are some of the best acts making music in Chicago. The lineup is as follows.

Windy City Rock and The Empty Bottle Present: A Rock 4 Kids Charity Jam
Sunday, November 25th
6pm, $15 donation

Rambos
Official Website Facebook Bandcamp
Panda Riot
Official Website Facebook Bandcamp
We Repel Each Other
Facebook Bandcamp
The Hecks
Facebook Soundcloud
Massive Ego
Facebook Bandcamp
Shiloh
Facebook Bandcamp
Tiny Fireflies
Official Website Facebook Bandcamp

and special guest DJ Miss Alex White 

The bands have generously offered to donate their sets, and The Bottle is joining them by donating the door. With that in mind, we ask you join us, buy some records, have a few drinks and jam out for a good cause. 

Tickets are on sale at The Empty Bottle's website, and you can join the action on Facebook here.

If you enjoyed this, like us on Facebook and follow Gene on Twitter. 

Show review: Shonen Knife, White Mystery, Rambos at The Empty Bottle, 8/2

By Gene Wagendorf III

Rambos

When I first saw that Shonen Knife and White Mystery were playing a show together at The Bottle, I thought, "aw, fuck, that's the day before Lolla." Much as I dig both bands, I wasn't keen on the idea of being out late before kicking off three days of loud music and nasty heat. Then Rambos were added to the bill, and I thought, "aw, fuck, I'm going to be hungover for Lolla."

The local garage rockers opened their set with "Terrorize," the lead track from this year's Rock and Roll Monsters and the ideal song to play during any imp prison break. I imagine such a thing being a playful rampage, which seems fitting for Rambos as well. During "Human Monster" singer/bassist Jeremy David Miller delivered his somewhat slapstick lines with an eerie conviction that suggested something vile, hairy and howling was on the loose. He was right, though the culprit wasn't a werewolf, it was the grizzly guitar of Ryan Anderson. Playing without French songstress Julie Meckler, the band did a fine job of carrying on; her absence only really glaring on "Vampire," which found Anderson filling in on the harmonies. Not a bad job, but not quite the chemistry and haunting dissonance that exists between Meckler and Miller. Rambos compensated by cutting a little looser in her absence, really digging in to the manic, jammier parts of songs like "Hiyawatha."

Show preview: Julie Meckler, 4/15 at The Whistler

By Gene Wagendorf III  

If you're the kind of person that uses their non-football-season-Sundays for resting your 5 Hour Energy and whiskey riddled soul, The Whistler has a show that ought to be right up your alley. WCR readers might know Julie Meckler as the one pretty thing about local junkyard rockers Rambos, but that band's horror-tinged garage stylings are a far cry from Meckler's solo work. The French-turned-Chicagoan chanteuse lives closer to Mazzy Star than to the morgue, drifting through travel-weary ballads with a haunting lilt and somber charm. Songs like "Mexico" are vaguely reminiscent of The Children's Hour, a magnetic combination of fragile guitar work and eidolic swooning. What makes Meckler's music captivating is the deliberate delivery of her words. Even in moments of romantic lament there isn't a syllable lost in excess or hyperbole- or to paraphrase Phillip Lamantia, there is never "a spoken word caught in its own meat saying nothing." If that doesn't have you interested enough to check out this free show, here's the video for "Manhattan."

Record review: Rambos - 'Rock and Roll Monsters'

By Gene Wagendorf III 

It's not often that I find myself comparing a band to a genre of comics, but such was the case last Friday night. I was telling a friend about the upcoming record release show for Rambos' debut album, Rock and Roll Monsters (Saturday, February 25th at the Empty Bottle), and was asked the obligatory question: What do they sound like? I talk about music enough to mostly loathe comparing one band to another (note: the more inebriated I get the more fun it is to play "Band X ripped off Band Y" and see how many moves it takes to get back to The Beatles) and so I decided to go another route and asked Said Friend if they'd ever read any horror comics from the '60s or '70s. The answer, of course, was no, but the comparison was appropriate never the less. Rambos draw off a couple of musical styles in creating their sound, but few things nail down what exactly their record sounds like as precisely as looking at an old issue of Vampirella.

Show review: Close Hits, Rambos at The Burlington, 1/4

By Gene Wagendorf III

If the Mayans are right and this really is The Last Year for humanity at least I can say I kicked it off with two of my favorite Chicago bands. Close Hits and Rambos left my ears ringing and had me pumped for a 2012 that ought to be filled with great local music.

Rambos

Gearing up for the release of their debut record Rock and Roll Monsters, garage-rock gang Rambos blasted through a set of old and new material in front of an eager crowd at The Burlington on Wednesday. I don't know what this crew drank on NYE, but whatever it was had them charged with enough energy to level a small town. They didn't actually shatter the walls of the bar, but it wasn't for lack of effort, especially with respect to drummer Ian Tsan. After getting his leg shattered by a car back in October, Tsan seems to have spent his recovery time plotting ways to take it out on his kit. "Terrorize," the band's musical call to arms, lurched from the stage like a drunken, pissed-off Frankenstein's Monster, stumbling and thrashing with drum rolls and fills. Later, "Human Monster" maintained the Svengoolie-esque atmosphere. Washy guitars swirled over a chugging riff, giving vocalists Jeremy David Miller and Julie Meckler a Fright Night playground to yelp and holler over. The on-stage chemistry between those two remains one of Rambos' strong suits, and in a better world it would be the backbone for a Rambos Variety Hour special.

Two reworked (and re-titled) covers were sprinkled into the set, both getting the crowd bouncing- "Faggots," a comic take on the Black Lips' "Bad Kids," and "Do You Want to Die?," a punk take on Bobby Freeman's “Do You Want to Dance?"As I've noted previously, the latter is closer to a Ramones tribute than it is to the dreamy original, allowing it to fit perfectly next to newer Rambos tunes like the jangling punk of "Sweet Mothers of Death." That song tore across The Burlington like a black dust storm, contrasting starkly with some of the more plodding numbers that followed. Drifting away from their punk energy for a bit, Rambos gave their guitar players a chance to shred on some chunky, riff-heavy songs. The set ended with "Arrows," a song that has the musical charm of getting slapped in the face during a really great bout of sex. It hooks you in to the moment, leaving you to wondering whether you should slap back or start laughing. Either way it's hot and I'm comforted to know that this kind of fun has a place in 2012.

The duty of post-coital cuddling fell to Close Hits, who were more than eager to step in and give us a lighter bit of loving. That isn't to say the trio took the stage and eeked out pappy fluff, but their Motown and candy rock influences stir up a whole different kind of musical copulation.

Show review: Rambos, The Woes at The Whistler, 5/22

By Gene Wagendorf III

Rambos

Sunday night is normally my least favorite night to go to shows. With any luck I've been tearing it up all weekend and I no doubt have to work Monday morning. This Sunday was different, though. We, as a species, needed to celebrate. The world didn't end on Saturday. What did the lack of a rapture get us? A great free show at The Whistler.

The Woes took the stage to a humming and seemingly disinterested crowd. That changed quickly. The band from Brooklyn launched into an upbeat country-blues number that immediately shut everyone up. Lead singer Osei Essed has one of those striking presences on-stage that makes you look like a fool as you grope the bar blindly searching for your drink. Much of the music came from their November EP, The Bird & The Bear, which fluidly moves from between soul, bluegrass, country and rock. Essed's voice has a kind of Tom Waits twinge and an indelible sincerity that fits perfectly into the banjos, pedal guitars and horns that the rest of The Woes expertly manipulate. “World of Stone” moved with the determination of a Baby Huey & The Babysitters slow-jam while “There are Fields” called the audience to slap their knees and sing along. That The Woes come from Brooklyn seems a bit of an oddity considering how authentically southern their stylings are, but that they were playing in Chicago Sunday night was nothing short of a gift.