Fifteen of my favorite 2011 Chicago music releases

By Frank Krolicki

Damn. At this point the last thing the world needs is another year-end list, but here goes. I tried to resist adding to the mountain of existing roundups, but after seeing so many people write about their favorite releases of 2011 I started to think more about mine and what I might say about them in a sentence or two. In keeping with the spirit of this site all of my picks are releases from Chicago-based artists, some who I previously highlighted as favorites in years past and others who I heard for the first time in 2011. I'm not going to say they're the "best" because of course it's all subjective--I'm sure even my fellow WCR writers would have very different lists--but below are 15 releases that I enjoyed the most, in no particular order.

Company of Thieves--Running From a Gamble: For their second LP, COT managed a bolder, sharper, more memorable set of tunes to create the opposite of a sophomore slump. The crazy-good vocals of frontwoman Genevieve Schatz move effortlessly from sultry to snarling, and so does the guitar.

Pet Lions--Houses: Introducing themselves with straightforward guitar pop on 2009's Soft Right EP, Pet Lions expanded on that foundation with greater depth and more atmosphere on their debut full-length.

The Kickback--Mea Culpa Mea Culpa EP: Four solid tracks of muscular, hooky alt-rock that make me really curious what these guys will come up with on their first full-length, currently in progress. Plus, "Sting's Teacher Years" is quite possibly my favorite song title of the year.

Gypsyblood--Cold in the Guestway: Speaking of alt-rock, there's plenty more high quality, guitar-driven specimens on Gypsyblood's debut, which goes the extra mile by throwing in the occasional curveball like the strangely twangy "Dirty Thieves."

Architecture--When We Were Young EP: Dream pop that’s equal parts sweet and eerie. Sort of like music for a haunted dollhouse, which I can't say about anything else I heard this year.

Smith Westerns--Dye It Blonde: I still can't figure out why Smith Westerns are one of the only current Chicago bands people are willing to give buzz outside our city, but that doesn't take away the fact that this record's exuberant glam pop is worthy of praise.

Village--Local Moves: A great big guitar record loaded with power pop hooks, psychedelic undertones and pure rock 'n' roll energy. 

My My My--Wishing You Whatever’s Best EP: One of Chicago's most consistently fun bands returns with more slightly off-kilter singalongs, this time with a dancier, synthier touch.

Record review: Tiny Magnets - 'Time to Try'

By Frank Krolicki

Ever since I listened to Tiny Magnets' 2010 debut EP Daughters of the Frontier, they've ranked high on my list of Chicago bands I've been most anxious to hear more from. The six tracks on that release had a timeless quality that captured the spirit of Midwestern rock and roll--full of heart and soul without being gimmicky, simultaneously pretty and rough around the edges, and devoid of pretense. It sounded like the work of a band that just wanted to make great music and really couldn't care less if they ever got a mention on Pitchfork, and I loved that. After spending the past year playing regular live shows and taking some time in the studio, Tiny Magnets are back with Time to Try, another strong set of tracks that picks up where Daughters of the Frontier left off, but with an even more confident sound and a bit more stylistic variation. You could cite plenty of genres to describe the album, from alternative rock to power pop to folk rock; what makes it all work so well is the consistently high quality songwriting and the genuineness of the delivery--these are heartfelt tunes that stand out with earworm guitar hooks, solid melodies and guy-girl vocals.

Tiny Magnets have a knack for opening strong. On Daughters of the Frontier it was "Olivia," a starry-eyed, slightly melancholy dose of tuneful rock that sounded like it could have been played on 120 Minutes back in the day. On Time to Try it's "New London" which takes everything that makes the band's sound so appealing and rolls it up into three minutes; the bittersweet mood, Kevin Henretta's ringing guitar, the accessible melody and the co-ed singing are all well represented. The vocal tradeoff is especially effective here, with Brian Cremins (who also plays bass) starting off with his cool rasp and Allison Felus's bright delivery stepping in with a great part that starts by asking, "So where should I begin and how did it end?" It's an example of a song that manages to showcase two lead singers equally and sound effortless in the process.

Ten great Chicago music releases of 2010

Posted by Frank

Village, a band I dug in 2010 (photo: Amelia Moore)

At the end of every year I come to the same conclusion: I suck at making year-end lists. I hear so much music I like within the course of 365 days that it's incredibly hard to narrow it down. Plus, it's impossible to take in everything put out during the course of a year, so who can say what's really the best? But because I love spreading the word about music that makes me happy, I wanted to write a few words about some of the releases from Chicago artists that I've played and enjoyed the most this year. I won't declare that these are the "best of" anything, but below, in no particular order, are ten of my personal favorites from 2010. I'd love to hear your thoughts and your own picks in the comments.

EP review: Tiny Magnets - 'Daughters of the Frontier'

Posted by Frank

Tiny Magnets (photo: Annie Johnston)

MP3: Tiny Magnets - "Olivia"

If you consider yourself a fan of classic alternative rock and count records from the likes of Pixies and The Jesus and Mary Chain among your most prized, chances are you'll find it hard to resist Chicago band Tiny Magnets and their debut EP, Daughters of the Frontier. In fact, you'll probably be sold before the lead-off track, "Olivia," is halfway over, and after the remaining five tracks you just might christen the quartet one of your newest favorite bands.

The above-mentioned "Olivia" is arguably the star of the show here, offering up the perfect combination of sweetness and rawness, plus hooks that worm their way into your mind and hold on tight. There's a lot to love about this song, from the way the deep, cool vocal delivery from singer/bassist/songwriter Brian Cremins is complemented by Allison Felus's infectious, Kim Deal-esque co-vocal, to the way the lead guitar seems to add a third voice of its own. It would be tough to top this kind of introduction, but the band come damn near close with the rest of the tracks. All of them are solid, but the upbeat, rocking "Gary's Song" (a tribute to the late Gary Rogers, who ran sound at local clubs such as Bottom Lounge and Gunther Murphy's) is especially wonderful, as is the Felus-sung "CTA," a dreamy, spacious song about riding public transportation in the Windy City that somehow sounds as sad and lonely as it does hopeful and optimistic.

After taking a look at the band's past, it becomes less surprising that they  make such a strong showing on their self-produced debut. Guitarist Kevin Henretta has been a member of the Chicago rock scene since the early 90s, playing in bands such as Plastics Hi-Fi, Dead Electric and Ten Hundred. Cremins spent many years playing with Hartford, CT act Confessors, in addition to local bands after moving to Chicago. Drummer Jake Montgomery has played with Dark Country, while Felus has diverse experience both playing and writing about music.

Daughters of the Frontier is simply top-notch rock and roll that's well worth checking out. It's very clear that these four musicians have something very special together, and I'm looking forward to hearing more.

Tiny Magnets are holding an EP release show on Friday, October 8 at Cole's (2338 N. Milwaukee) with Space Mandino and Chew Heart opening, and are also scheduled to play Martyrs on November 9. The EP is also available at Reckless Records, or directly from the band at tinymagnets@yahoo.com.