Night Dials - “I’ve Done More Things”/“I’ll Sleep When I Die”

This very first release from Night Dials is a double A Side single that showcases the London based quintet’s obsession with recreating the bare-bones recording techniques favored by English bands in the early 1960s. From there, they add a more modern edge, particularly with energetic guitar playing. The songs are credited to a gentleman named Ilan Hartogh, but other than that, you won’t find much information about the members of The Night Dials on their own site or their record label’s. 

The stronger track, “I’ve Done More Things,” concerns a guy boasting superiority over his girlfriend’s new beau, even as he comes to realize his own relationship with her is doomed. The catchy arrangement, with its infectious drumbeat and emotive vocals, makes this song sound like it could gave sprung from an early LP by The Kinks. The melodic “I’ll Sleep When I Die” starts out ornate and simple with echoing vocals before morphing into a guitar-driven garage rock tune that would have been perfect to dance to in a 1960s swinging discotheque.

The Unswept - The Unswept Today!

Photo from The Unswept Facebook page.

For the past few years, The Unswept’s official bio described how cousins Charlie and Ryan O’Brien first performed with a band in Sheffield, England before moving to the Chicago neighborhood of Logan Square in 2013. Since making their debut as a duo at International Pop Overthrow - Chicago that year, they’ve added Liz, who supposedly is another O’Brien cousin from the old neighborhood across the pond, on bass along with a drummer. A quick scan of the band’s website will have you wondering just how much of this back story actually happened, but it’s all done with an appealing sense of humor. Charlie and Ryan’s wit and charm has been evident throughout live performances, a 2014 self-titled debut, and the recently released The Unswept Today!

As the band’s chief songwriters, Charlie and Ryan continue to mix self-effacing lyrics with three-part harmonies and catchy arrangements that hark back to the earliest days of the British Invasion. On “Super Sad,” the talky vocals are at odds with the ringing guitars and irresistible melody, but the song still works as a satire of people intent on wallowing in self pity. “Please, Please Look My Way” is from the point of view of a guy crushing on a woman who works at the local department store, and on the acoustic-based “Mellow Doubt,” a lad fears he’ll never be good enough for the woman he loves. Even the peppy “(You Can) Do The Math,” which overflows with clever compliments for the beloved, tries to downplay the success of a romantic relationship. “Get Away” offers another intriguing juxtaposition, as the band uses some mind-bending psychedelia as the backdrop for a guy kicking his girlfriend out of their apartment.

Slumgullion

Photo from Veruca Salt's Facebook page.

Slumgullion comes out early again this week due to another action-packed Friday that will leave me no time to sit down at the computer and compose a typically massive and eclectic blog post. So here’s one now.

WXRT has been playing “The Gospel Of St. Me” by the recently reunited Veruca Salt. The guitar-driven song, with its gritty Rolling Stones feel, is from the upcoming album Ghost Notes. A summer tour is also in the works.

Burnside And Hooker, the six-piece band led by vocalist Rachel Bonacquisti, has a Release Party for its new All The Way To The Devil album at The Double Door on Friday, May 22nd. 

After another successful stay in Liverpool, David Bash now brings International Pop Overthrow to Stockholm this weekend at the Pet Sounds Bar. The Lannie Flowers Band, Dave Rave, and The Jeremy Band are (of course) on the schedule, along with hometown acts like Rooni, Top Sound, The Plastic Pals, and The Vanjas.

The Rolling Clones will be belting out Mick and Keith tunes Friday, May 22nd, at 27 Live in Evanston. Avant garde/indie rock band Whitewolfsonicprincess is the opening act.

Whitewolfsonicprincess will be part of a lineup that include Gunnelpumpers, The Rut, Citizen’s Relief, comedian Elizabeth Gomez, and The Revelettes Go-Go Dancers next Sunday afternoon, May 31st at Red Line Tap next.

Theatre Nebula’s staging of Godspell at Cutting Hall in my home town of Palatine wraps up this Sunday night, May 24th. 

The Church will share a double bill with The Psychedelic Furs on 20 of the dates for its summer tour in America. That includes New York, Philadelphia, Louisville, Kansas City (MO), Portland, Las Vegas, and San Diego. The Church has a solo show at The Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago on August 29th.

Sunken Ships, The Penthouse Sweets, and Milk At Midnight will comprise a triple bill of bands with unusual names at The Hideouot on Saturday, May 23rd.

Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles wraps up its week-long run at the Bank Of America Theatre this Sunday.

AIM: Angotti Illarde McDonough Rock And Roll Oldies Show, featuring Phil Angotti, Anthony Illarde, and Casey McDonough, takes place at Simon’s on Chicago’s north side this Sunday night at 9:00 PM. I’ve seen Angotti pay tribute to a number of 1960s acts, so I’m sure these “2 sets of top-of-the-head, skin-of-the-teeth oldies” will be a blast. There is no cover charge.

This coming Tuesday, Angotti continues his Tuesday night May residency at The Hideout with a show called For Pete’s Sake - The Songs Of Pete Ham and Pete Townshend. 

The Second Disc website recently reported that the Sundazed label is about to release the first three Lovin’ Spoonful album in mono on CD and 180-gram vinyl.

Singer-guitarist Kevin Lee, a Chicago music scene veteran who has released a number of albums over the years, recently posted on Facebook that he has written enough new material for a pair of albums. Each release will have its own vibe. He’ll start recording soon.

There’s only one week left for fans of 1960s and ‘70s rock to check out the Vintage Music Poster Show at Curly Tale Fine Art Gallery at 16 W. Erie. The exhibit, which includes a framed ticket from a Cream concert, a Janis Joplin poster for her appearance at the Auditorium Theatre, and a Beatles poster from Japan, closes May 30th. Admission is free. 

In other rock and roll related exhibit news, the Paul Natkin: Superstars exhibit runs through June 14th at the Ed Paschke Art Center on Chicago’s northwest side. Admission is free.

The Manchester band Temples, who racked up a lot of airplay with the psychedelic gem “Shelter Song” from their 2014 release Sun Structures, are the headline act for the Do-Division Fest  next Sunday. I can’t say that I’m familiar with all the acts at this event, but they’re definitely not the same ones booked for every other outdoor bash in the Chicago area. Which is a great reason to support Do-Division Fest.

The Romeros: They’re not just for the final night of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago anymore. IPO - Chicago veterans The Romeros, led by Mike Vanderbilt, will perform next Thursday, May 28th at Orland Days in Orland Park. I’d like to see this kind of unorthodox booking for Palatine’s outdoor concert series, but I know it will never happen.

Noel Gallagher’s High-Flying Birds will likely be playing songs from their new Chasing Yesterday CD at their concert next Saturday, May 29th, at the Riviera Theatre in Uptown. They have a show the next night at the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee.

Alan Parsons has a gig at The Arcada in St. Charles next Friday, May 29th. On the following  night, Peter Noone’s Herman’s Hermits will be performing at The Arcada.

The Blisters, The Evening Attraction, and The Forest Fires will help The Throne Room celebrate its 1 Year Anniversary next Friday, May 29th. Show time is 9:00 PM.

Christie’s Dairy Delights in Palatine will celebrate its 1 Year Anniversary with a DJ and special deals next Saturday, May 30th, from 6 to 10 PM.

There will be a Help Rebuild Nepal Benefit Concert with Lynne Jordan, Wayne Baker Brooks, The Empty Pockets, and Rick King’s Royal Hustle at City Winery on June 16th. Tickets are $25.

Hey, I’m On A T-Shirt! Lucy Van Pelt from Peanuts once theorized that an individual cannot be considered famous unless he’s been on a bubblegum card. On Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a man was thrilled when his small village of Wainscotting was mentioned on television. Well, I feel honored that Chicago’s psychedelic band The Luck Of Eden Hall has included Broken Hearted Toy in a list of supporters on the back of its 2015 UK Tour t-shirt. I’m there along with Fruits de Mer Records; Goldmine Magazine; WXRT Local Anesthetic, and Vintage Vinyl Records, and other blogs and stores. The $25 t-shirts are available in color or black and white on The Luck Of Eden Hall’s Bandcamp page.   

There’s Good Rockin’ On This Night

A hearty Broken Hearted Toy welcome to Jeff Beck, whose current tour brings him to the Chicago Theatre tonight. My longtime friend and Jeff Beck’s most ardent fan Maryel will be there, along with quite a few other people with excellent taste in guitar players. Beck moves on to the Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee tomorrow, and he’ll be at the State Theater Minneapolis on Saturday.

Those who don’t have the opportunity to see Beck in person can pick up his brand new CD LIVE +, which is now available from Best Buy online and Amazon. Recorded during his 2014 tour, it includes performances of classics like “Going Down,” “Morning Dew,” “Superstition,” and “A Day In The Life,” along with a few brand new songs. You can also get a sampling of Beck’s firepower by watching the video of “Hammerhead” on his official website.

Elsewhere in Chicago tonight:

Ellis Clark And The Big Parade with special guest vocalist Ary Jeebie will headline a five-band showcase at House Of Blues in downtown Chicago. Hannah Frank Group, Skipping Rocks, The Mainstays, and Coyote Union are the other bands performing at this ages 17+ show. The first band goes on at 7:30 PM; Ellis Clark And The Big Parade perform at 10 PM.

Secret Colours, Soft Speaker, The Van Goghs, and Bad Bad Meow will be performing at Martyrs in a show benefiting Supplies For Dreams, a nonprofit organization that helps Chicago Public Schools.

Feral Conservatives - The Feeling Noise Becomes

The Virginia-based Feral Conservatives have been recording their distinctive music in bits and pieces over the past three years, while also building a loyal following with live performances. Their most recent release, the cassette EP The Feeling Noise Becomes, showcases how accomplished Rashie Rosenfarb has become at incorporating her folk style vocals and mandolin playing into the cutting-edge arrangements she forges with drummer Matt Francis and bassist Dan Avant. The four tracks are also available for download on the group’s Bandcamp page.  

On “Misfire,” aggressive rock instrumentation creeps in around Rosenfarb’s beautiful singing and picks up steam as the song progresses. That pristine vs. power tension is even more impressive on “Class Reunion,” which features some classic guitar feedback, intricately layered vocals and a strong melody. Feral Conservatives opt for a more straight-forward folk approach on “Lies” backed a steady drum beat, while the catchy “Last Legs” has an appealing hint of R.E.M.

Slumgullion

Slumgullion arrives a day early this week because there are some important Friday events to discuss, and I’ve got a full day of freelance proofreading tomorrow.

Jeff Tweedy’s Annual Benefit For Education takes place Friday, May 15th at The Vic on Chicago’s north side. General Admission tickets for this 18 and older show are $75; $150 for the VIP treatment.

International Pop Overthrow - Liverpool runs through this weekend and all the way to Tuesday, May 19th at The Cavern Club. North Americans Dave Rave, Lannie Flowers, and The Jeremy Band will hit the stage, as will a multitude of English and European acts. Aerial, Spygenius, The Backlash, and Las Annettes are also scheduled to appear. Check out IPO online and you’ll be sure to discover a bunch of fun new bands.

EXPO ‘76 and The Total Pro Horns will make a triumphant return to Mac’s On Slade in my humble village of Palatine on Friday, May 15th. As always, patrons can expect the unexpected in terms of what songs from over five decades of rock this group will choose to cover. The musicians have expansive experience in other bands like The Slugs, Poi Dog Pondering, The Service, etc, and one or two of them even know how to run a local independent record label. Sounds like a recipe for fun. Note: Previous EXPO ‘76 shows at Mac’s On Slade have packed the house, so it’s best to get there early.

So The Hollies (Official) Facebook page has revealed the identity of that new release they teased fans about on Tuesday. It’s titled Changin’ Times - The Complete Hollies - January 1969 – March 1973. The five-disc set from Parlophone will include every album track and non-album single released within that time span. It’s due out in July, and the Facebook page promises more details as the release date gets closer. Hopefully, there will be some rarities involved.

The first annual Evanston Literary Festival continues through this coming Monday at various venues around town. At Bookends and Beginnings on Friday, May 15th at 6:00 PM, Julia Sweeney from Saturday Night Live will read from her latest book If It’s Not One Thing, It’s Your Mother, and Christine Sneed will read from her novel Paris, He Said. Both writers will also discuss the writing process and influences on their work. At 7:00 PM The League of Graphic Novel Readers book club will discuss Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns at Comix Revolution. There are five events on Saturday; six on Sunday; and one on Monday evening.

One if by rock, two if by roll. Paul Revere’s Raiders have a performance this Sunday night at The Arcada in St. Charles. Upcoming shows at The Arcada include Alan Parsons on May 29th; Peter Noone’s Herman’s Hermits on May 30th; Graham Nash on July 28th (already have my tickets!); Belinda Carlisle on September 9th; and The Jayhawks on September 19th.

My ever changing moods. This Tuesday, May 19th, for his second show of a May residency at Hideout Inn on Wabansia Avenue in Chicago, singer-guitarist Phil Angotti will concentrate on Happy/Sad Songs. He recently posted a request on Facebook asking for people’s favorite sad songs, so maybe he already knew enough happy ones. Angotti will be joined by Casey McDonough and Tommi Zender.

I have no idea how the Los Angeles/Phoenix band Motobunny got my address to send a copy of their self-titled debut CD, but I’m glad they did. Comprised of members of The Love Me Nots and The Woolly Bandits, the quartet’s songs recall The Cramps and The Runaways, with added bits of glam and techno rock. I’ll be giving this a full review in the near future. They have an album release show Friday, May 15th in Phoenix.

Ellis Clark And The Big Parade with special guest vocalist Ary Jeebie will headline a five-band showcase next Thursday, May 21st at House Of Blues in downtown Chicago. Hannah Frank Group, Skipping Rocks, The Mainstays, and Coyote Union are the other bands performing at this ages 17+ show. The first band goes on at 7:30 PM; Ellis Clark And The Big Parade perform at 10 PM. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Guitar deity Jeff Beck will be performing at the Chicago Theatre on May 21st .

Secret Colours, Soft Speaker, The Van Goghs, and Bad Bad Meow will be performing Thursday, May 21st at Martyrs in a show benefitting Supplies For Dreams, a nonprofit organization that helps Chicago Public Schools.

Burnside And Hooker, led by vocalist Rachel Bonacquisti, has a Release Party for its new All The Way To The Devil album at The Double Door on May 22nd. The six-piece band mixes jazz, rock, and blues, along with a theatrical flair.

The Rolling Clones will be belting out Mick and Keith tunes next Friday at 27 Live in Evanston. Avant garde/indie rock band Whitewolfsonicprincess are the opening act. Whitewolfsonicprincess will also be part of a Sunday afternoon lineup at Red Line Tap on May 31st that will include Gunnelpumpers, The Rut, Citizen’s Relief, comedian Elizabeth Gomez, and The Revelettes Go-Go Dancers.

Time flies when you’re on the throne. The Throne Room, at 2831 N. Broadway, will celebrate its 1 Year Anniversary with a trio of bands on May 29th. The Blisters, featuring Spencer Tweedy, whose profile has been raised quite a bit since he’s been recording and performing with his father Jeff, are the headline act. Self-described boppop rock n rollers The Evening Attraction and indie rock quartet The Forest Fires are the other scheduled acts. Show time is 9:00 PM. Tickets are $12 at the door and $9 in advance.

WXRT recently announced that Spooner, Houndmouth, and the son/daughter duo Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear will be the acts for its annual XRT Concert at Taste of Chicago on July 11th.

Death and Memphis, a guitar-driven punk/rock and roll quartet that includes guitarist Steve Gerlach of The Bad Examples, Tomorrow The Moon, and Sons of the Silent Age, has an EP release party coming up on June 5th at Liar’s Club in Chicago. 

Matthew Sweet and In Tall Buildings will be performing as part of Millennium Park’s Downtown Sound series of outdoor concerts on July 12th. Other acts scheduled include Poi Dog Pondering and Caroline Smith on June 29th; and King Sunny Ade and Matthew Tembo on July 6th. 

Congratulations to Marty Lennartz on completing his first week as the new afternoon DJ on WXRT. Lennartz has the major challenge of following Frank E. Lee, who retired after over 30 years with the progressive rock station. Luckily, Lennartz is no stranger to WXRT listeners, having manned various time slots over the years as well as hosting of the weekly alternative rock showcase The Big Beat. He’s also interviewed big name acts and covered major festivals like Lollapalooza for the station.

The Second Disc website is reporting that the ABKCO label is reissuing a limited edition “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones as a remastered 12-inch single with a replica sleeve to mark the iconic song’s 50th Anniversary. In addition to “Satisfaction,” the record will have “The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man,” which was the original B-Side in America, and “The Spider and the Fly,” which was the original B-Side in England. It’s already available on Amazon for $14.98.

Facebook Fun For Hollies Fans

Look Through Any Frosted Window. Photo from Hollies Official Facebook page

After over six months of inactivity, The Hollies (Official) Facebook page featured a teasing post about a new collection that’s coming soon from the band. A photo of what looks like 1970s era Hollies is deliberately blurred, as the message promises, “More to come on Thursday!” A cynic would be tempted to assume it’s yet another greatest hits package, although The Hollies’ recent Radio Fun offered previously unreleased live material. There’s also a possibility that this mysterious release could be a DVD. At any rate, it will be fun for Hollies fans to let their imaginations run wild for a few days. 

For more Hollies fun on Facebook, I recommend the Allan Clarke Appreciation Society which is run by Imogen Bebb. You won’t have to wait six months for new posts on this site, which features tons of rare photos of Clarke and his other mates in the band. Another good resource is the Hollies Appreciation Facebook Area page run by Carole Patricia Smart. Regular contributors like Godfrey Davies, Martin Dodd, Anthony Strelley, Knut Skyberg, and Konrad Duke Hestar keep this page jumping with vintage videos, photos, and comments. Both of these sites are exuberant in their support of their favorite British Invasion band.