Thursday, March 20, 2014

Silo and Sky Vol 2 - Turn Off The Winter - February 2014

--- Download Early Adopters ---


The Metroids: The Metroids once opened for a young Barack Obama during a political rally in DeKalb. We aren’t making that up. Some say that the future-president was so stirred by that fateful performance that it propelled him to where he is today. So you have the Metroids to thank/curse for that.* When not propelling people to glory, this classic three-piece (now sadly defunct) wrote and performed extremely high-energy hooky hydras that one could be humming for days. Each member of the group (Gary, Nat,and Andy) brought vastly different musical sensibilities together to form something that just felt so natural and organic. Between the three of them, they had (and continue to have) a hand in over a decade’s worth of great DeKalb bands. “Yelena” is from their final album The Mad Titan. *Imighthavemadethatpartup

http://www.last.fm/music/The+Metroids

Joshua Dumas: “Joshua Dumas makes things” reads the website banner of the Chicago-based composer, filmmaker, writer, performer, photographer, etc. One look at that website will show that yes, indeed, this man makes things. With a stunning (and enviable) amount of sheer talent and drive, Joshua not only makes things, but DOES things. He seemingly embodies those qualities that have always driven great achievers to throw caution to the wind, disregard the harsh voice warning against failure, and see their visions through. It’s impressive is all we’re saying. His Silo and Sky submission “Iowa Sirens” is a gorgeous piece featuring field-recording, organ, synth, and piano. Of the titular sirens, Joshua writes: “They play through-out the piece but the first roughly 20 seconds is just the [field] recording alone. It’s the tornado sirens in Iowa City. It is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard.” Agreed.

http://quieterrors.com/

The Rutabega: The Rutabega comes to us from South Bend, Indiana. Launched in 2002 as a solo-act of Joshua Wayne Hensley, the project grew to include multi-instrumentalist Garth Mason in 2011. This duo (bet you wouldn’t guess it’s just two guys just by listening would you? They sound huge don’t they?) has set out to bring their unique style of carp rock to the masses. Incidentally, I googled “carp rock” and instead was offered the definition of “carpark,” which seems like a word that is its own definition. Anyway, “Turn on the Summer” is a wonderfully epic track from their newest album Brother the LightsDon't Work. To my mind, it is the perfect encapsulation to sum up what the album brings to the table: big drums, strong guitar work, deft vocal harmonies, and that certain carpy something.

http://theseknottylines.blogspot.com/
http://theseknottylines.bandcamp.com/

Cousin Dud: Cousin Dud brings us "Illinois", a catchy rock tune from their lastest album, The Faded. Are we in heaven or in hell? It is not so clear when you live in Illinois. I guess these guys would know best since they are based in the apex of Illinois known as Chicago. According to the band, The Faded is "a louder look at love and loss in America's Heartland".

http://www.cousindud.com 

Churchburners: Churchburners is the experimental noise/rock project of Zach Ippen, founder and operator of Rockford, IL-based Green Tape Records. With a catalogue as varied as it is extensive, Churchburners whole-heartedly embraces the can-do DIY spirit that has kept the Northern Illinois scene so healthily eclectic and just plain cool. “Train Track Pennies” is a perfectly evocative title for this window-rattling outtake from the new Churchburners album harsh tokes 4 mellow folks, generously provided by Zach for this installment of Silo and Sky. Seriously, go back and listen to it while imagining you ARE the train-track penny. Makes total sense. Oh, and check out Greentapes for a ton of great music by folks from all over, including former Silo and Sky-featured bands! 

http://greentapes.blogspot.com/
http://www.freewebs.com/greentape/

Ooh Girl: Ooh Girl is fun music by fun people having fun. That such a humdinger of a poppy, alt-rock gem, that is their The Dave-il Came Downstairs, was recorded over one weekend in Chicago, boggles. I mean, are Nat and Mikey just wandering around with hundreds of infectious Malkmusy riffs in their heads at all times just ready to be played? Do they dream in lyrics that would make David Berman grin and nod to himself with a “yeah man” expression on his face? I don’t have the answers to these questions, but my heart is telling me “probably.” Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to “Tipping Rock.” Ooh Girl indeed! 

http://genghisconscience.bandcamp.com/album/the-dave-il-came-downstairs
http://genghisconscience.bandcamp.com/

Cosmic Relief and the Black Hole Nothings: “Guitar Man,” a wonderful country love-letter to the workhorses of the music world and those who sling them, comes to us from Cosmic Relief and the Black Hole Nothings. Historically a one-gal band out of Chicago, Cosmic Relief creates beautiful, smart, folksy ballads with a combination of strong vocals, potent lyrics and reverb-tinged guitar. It’s a timeless sound that is only improved upon with the addition of these new (appropriately cosmic-sounding) Black Hole Nothings. It sounds like an album is forthcoming from these roadhouse heartbreakers. We’d really love for that to happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB3L3ObfEgg 

Nathan Dettman: Nate is a DeKalb community staple. He is likely to be spotted singing and playing his ukelele at an open mic downtown. His track "Good Times Now" is a bluesy-folk tune sure to wax your mojo. Nate's music is an extension of his community geared mindset, and deep interest in sustainability and organic farming.

https://facebook.com/nathan.dettman

Centaur Noir: Centaur Noir is the musical project of Jon Burns. A prolific painter, photographer and musician, it is no wonder he coined the darkly humorous and fabulous name, Centaur Noir. Jon is part of the covertly talented and underrated Quad Cities music scene. Jon's track, "Creatures of the Night", is from his recent release, Memoirs. Who are these creatures he speaks of? I am sure we have all known a few in our time.

http://centaurnoir.bandcamp.com/
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Silo and Sky Vol 1 - Early Adopters - January 2014

--- Download Early Adopters ---


"I Wish" is a track from "Dispatchee", the newest album by the far-flung group of tramps and vagabonds knows as The Cordeliers. It features the violin of Billie Howard, of the Chicago group The Paver (http://www.thepaver.com/). Not much is known about The Cordeliers at this time. Playing effortlessly with genres and trading turns at the microphone constantly, the three-piece project can be dangerously hard to define. Do so at your own peril. One can only presume that they are assembled in some smokey barn at this very moment, overdriving their amps and keeping all the owls awake. They don't play out much but, when they do, anything could happen. We just don't know.
The Variable Why is the Chicago-based project of Nick Sherman, who was once known far and wide as "the mayor of DeKalb." Nick has his fingers in a lot of musical pies, and we will hopefully be tasting some more of those pies in the months ahead. Since it is usually a solo effort, The Variable Why can change gears very rapidly according to what kind of music Nick feels like making. Because Nick is extremely capable of making any type of music under the sun, (the guy is like a musical octopus, able to do it all seemingly at once) you know what you are going to hear is gonna be quality. "Nature Boy" was generously provided for this edition of Silo and Sky. It was most likely written and recorded while Nick was draped in the lightest of silken kimonos, much to the dismay of his housemates.
Konrad is the namesake project of Rock Island, IL dweller Jeff Konrad. Konrad’s music is influenced from just about every genre you can find at a college radio station. His proximity to the “wrong side of town” keeps him in touch with the street, while his fertile imagination gives his music an optimistic vitality. He has worked with many musicians from the Quad City scene. This track “Like a Breeze” features Konrad and Donnie Bobb flipping styles back and forth with a catchy groove and memorable hook.
Fingers Lift is a Midwestern band that makes most of its music from beneath a frozen mountain of snow and ice. At times borrowing members from the DeKalb group Things Falling Apart (who we'll be hearing from in a later installment of Silo and Sky), it is usually a two-man band and a cat. "Japanese Pears" is provided exclusively for Silo and Sky. Brandon admits to listening to too much "Graceland" while writing it.
Matthew Dotson is an L.A.-based musician/producer of hybrid vaporwave/dance/noise music. With an extensive formal education in music, he composes genre-hopping, layered panoramas. Junk vistas, robot orchestras, sleaze-beat gonzo funk...he'll find the groove, or chaos, at the heart of things. Matthew has been making challenging and rewarding music by himself and with others since a fourth-dimensional rust-being saved his life and told him a secret at a crosswalk when he was young. He can tell you what key a streetlight hums in.
A DeKalb, IL expat, Reckless Triumphant now hails from Philadelphia, PA. The solo work of Nat Kundanis-Grow, who played in every single DeKalb band for a good 5-year period, Reckless Triumphant seems to function as an internal sounding-board for the multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter. With songs that explore the dread of planning meals on a non-existent budget, an obsession with old tennis matches, or maybe a pizza topped with brains, listening to Reckless Triumphant can sometimes feel like you’re picking up on the running thoughts of a sleep-deprived musical madman with a philosophical bent. That sounds about right.
Boba Loma, our contribution from the DeKalb-based Handmedown Satellites, was written for an as-of-yet unrealized film called "P-Apple Force." It is the chase theme in which Mark follows Brandon hither and yon in an attempt to share his sulfate-laden dried pocket apples. Eventually they do share the pocket apples. The movie ends with the dirge "Down in the Old Apple Pocket Well." Since the film has been in limbo, the song has also been added to the new HMDS album Golagat.
Gary Butterfield is a man with many irons in the fire. As one half of the popular weekly podcast "Watch Out For Fireballs!", one would think he wouldn't have time to make music, keep several websites going, write, and run some more podcasts....but he does. Gary's music perfectly encapsulates pop sensibility and marries killer keyboard hooks with highly intelligent lyrics. Compress this all under layers of synth and drum machines and you get a shining mirror ball, hanging non-ironically, in a club where the fun kids shake it to the new, new wave. Consider hiring him to write the music for your podcast, if you have a podcast.
The Bandcamp tags for Demons say it all: experimental, soul, Chicago. Demons exorcises the souls of a hundred old songs into a beautiful, organic and articulate homunculus of pure meaning. Sometimes sly, sometimes frenetic, always heartfelt and entertaining. What's more, they make it all look so easy! "West Huron" was provided exclusively for Silo and Sky. We are truly thankful to our Demon overlords.
NW Indiana/Chicago based indie artist Joshua McCormack combines a love for Beatlesque pop, Buckley-esque vocals, and Waits-like instrumentation. Making music since he was a kid, Joshua has delved into genres ranging from metal to gospel to strange hazy lounge. If you are lucky enough to share a campfire with him some night, be sure to brush up on your best Tom Waits sing-along voice, because he will consistently nail it until the sun comes up.
Tyranny Is Tyranny is the title of the fourth Chapter of Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States." Featuring ex-members of the now-defunct The United Sons of Toil, this Madison, WI group is seemingly in the perfect place at the perfect time to deliver their brutal renouncement of the ills of capitalism. With a deep knowledge of the past, and a message for the future, Tyranny is Tyranny plays with their hearts on their sleeves. Loud, angry, and honest. Our featured track comes from their new album "Let It Come From Whom It May."
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