Go Time! - VI

Go Time! gives listeners an earful on its new IV album via 18 hard-hitting power pop tracks. As the title suggests, this is the sixth release from the Chicago-based band, following 2015’s Ratsel. These latest songs carry on the Go Time! tradition of matching lead vocalist-guitarist Scott Niekelski’s distinctive, almost talky delivery to consistently inventive arrangements.

Niekelski wrote all the material, and his outlook is bleak whether he’s describing crumbling relationships or trying to make sense of the everyday work world. “We are sinking fast,” he notes on the edgy but melodic “On The Brink.” Elsewhere, there are lines like, “It all turns to dust,” “The prognosis is rotten,” and “You became a slave.”

As for the music, Niekelski, working with bandmates drummer Steve Grzenia. bassist Mark Market, and guitarist Paul Schmidt, never seems to run out of ideas. “No More Tomorrow” kicks off with Marketti’s slinky bass playing before the band breaks into a full gallop, and there’s a dash of Latin flavor on “Old Habits Die Hard.” The high-speed “Way Out” bristles with a punk intensity that’s reminiscent of fellow Chicagoans The Effigies, and Go Time! adroitly weaves acoustic guitar into the electric arrangements of “Broken” and “Crash Land.”

Go Time! has a record release show for IV coming up in January 28 at the Uptown Lounge. 

Christopher David - Stereopsis

Stereopsis is the second effort singer-guitarist Christopher David released in 2016. Like its full-length predecessor The Houdini Tapes, this four-song EP is a deliberate departure from Magatha Trysty, the band he formed with his wife Catherine Louise. The acoustic-based arrangements are more subdued and David delves further into his bag of cryptic imagery. There’s also a hint of psychedelia in the way he weaves electric guitar into some of the songs and crafts layered vocals.

The slow and melodic “Scarlet Fever” concerns a search for a new relationship in the wake of one that has disintegrated, while the more enigmatic “The Night Of The Hotel Fire (Hard Sell)” relies heavily on symbolism. “Come Back Home Sometime” serves as a romantic invitation to a woman who once lived across the street, as well as a wistful reflection on the other neighbors who had moved away. “Valley Of Ashes” aligns more closely with David’s Magatha Trysty style, featuring a hard-edged indie rock approach that evokes vintage R.E.M.

Stereopsis is currently available for download on David’s Bandcamp page, and is due out on vinyl this spring. A recent post on his Facebook page promises a major announcement next Monday.

The Flat Five - It’s A World Of Love And Hope

All the members of The Flat Five have busy schedules in the music scene, which might explain why this full-length debut has been a long time coming. Kelly Hogan, Nora O’Connor, Scott Ligon, Casey McDonough, and Alex Hall formed the band as a means to utilize their impressive harmonies in Chicago area clubs, and have steadily built a loyal following. While initially known for eclectic cover versions, they found a kindred soul in Scott Ligon’s songwriter brother Chris. All 12 tracks on It’s A World Of Love And Hope are his compositions.

Those original tunes sound like that they could have sprung up decades ago, thanks to vintage vocal interplay and musical arrangements. And like some of the well-known artists of those long-gone eras, The Flat Five relish adding a certain amount of silliness. Still, it’s surprising (and funny) to encounter gorgeously delivered lines like, “Rub a dub a dub, you dirty thing” and “I know it was wrong to hit your mother but she had it coming all the way.” On “Buglight,” which sounds at least partly inspired by The Mills Brothers’ “Ragmop,” there’s the line, “My girl don’t look like Madonna, but she gets hot when she turns on a buglight.”

Occasionally, the humor and quick rhymes feel forced, as on “Blue Kazoo,” but that’s easy to overlook when the album offers treats like the jazzy and sensual “You’re Still Joe” and the off-kilter but enticing techno pop of “Almond Grove.” The easy-going “Florida” taps into The Andrews Sisters, but fans of the more recent sibling act The Roches would also be impressed. The Flat Five are at their best on “This Is Your Night,” an irresistible samba that recalls “Mas Que Nada” by Sergio Mendes and Brazil 66.

Slumgullion

In the event of something happening tonight. Sorry for the late notice, but I only just saw the ad in this weeks’s Reader, and now it’s sold out. Tributosaurus, the Chicago-based collective that meticulously recreates famous music artists, will become The Bee Gees tonight at Martyrs’ on Lincoln Avenue. Hopefully, they’ll cover a lot of vintage brothers Gibb stuff and not just the Saturday Night Fever era hits. The show starts at 8:00 p.m.

Give me hope, help me cope, give me Chicago-area bands celebrating George Harrison’s life. Plenty of advance notice on this one: Ellis Clark and The Big Parade featuring Ary Paloma Jeebie will be hosting a a George Harrison Birthday Tribute Concert on February 25 at Martyrs’. Special guests so far include Mars Williams from The Psychedelic Furs, Carla Prather from Poi Dog Pondering, Phil Angotti, The Handcuffs, Aethereal, Social Act, The Polkaholics and Gunnar Cleermann all the way from Denmark. Admission is $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

I’ve gotta get a message to you. The Bangles are promising to provide plenty of information to fans who sign up for the band’s new mailing list. Details and a link can be found on The Bangles Facebook page.

Yes, Sir! Congratulations to Ray Davies of The Kinks on receiving knighthood from Queen Elizabeth as part of her annual New Year Honors list. According to a report by Daniel Kreps on Rolling Stone online, Davies was rewarded for his service to the arts.

The Telepaths, the garage rock outfit that includes James Moeller from whitewolfsonicprincess will be performing tomorrow night at Phyllis’ Musical Inn on Division. Steve Gilpin And Crown Vic Royal are also on the bill. The music starts at 9:45 p.m.

Best wishes to veteran news anchor Kathy Voltmer, who is is leaving her position at WDRV The Drive to explore new adventures. I’m most familiar with Voltmer from her days of working with morning air personality Lin Brehmer on WXRT, but she has many devoted followers from her time at The Drive and other Chicago radio outlets.

Tickets are now on sale for The Wild Honey Orchestra Plays The Band’s Music From Big Pink, The Band And Beyond  at Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA on March 25. The event’s Facebook page promises very special guests will be announced soon and if past Wild Honey shows are any indication, expect a lot of well-known musicians from the California area.

Go Time! has a record release show coming up on January 28 at The Uptown Lounge. Mama YaYa is the scheduled opened act. I’m currently in the process of listening to the new Go Time! album VI for a review on Broken Hearted Toy, and it’s an 18-track collection of hard-edged pop led by lead vocalist Scott Niekelski’s distinct delivery.

Have you seen you wife, Mr. J? There was an unexpected reference to Mick Jagger’s former spouse Bianca in a recent Chicago Sun-Times article on Bob Herguth’s new book Genuflections: Famous Folks Talk About Growing Up Catholic. The Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation is devoted to defending human rights and ending violence toward women and girls. Little known fact: Herguth once did a profile on me for the Sun-Times back in the days when I was a matchbook proofreader and performed with the Famous In The Future comedy group.

There’s an all-ages four-band showcase taking place next Saturday, January 14 from 3:00 to 8 p.m. at 2200 N. California. The Hustle, a quartet that includes vocalist-bassist Ted Ansani from Material Issue and Material Reissue, is hosting the event. The other acts performing are The Ex Okays, The Safes (whose CDs have been favorably reviewed her on BHT), and The Differents. Admission is $8.

Sons Of The Silent Age, the Chicago-based David Bowie tribute band, will be performing Bowie’s Low album and other songs next Sunday, January 15 at Metro. The event is part of the 2017 Tomorrow Never Knows festival.

Chicago-based alt-rock band whitewolfsonicprincess is hosting its first Rock ’N’ Roll Circus event on January 29 at The Red Line Tap. Other acts on this eclectic showcase include The Dark Room Men, KC Cronis, and The Hens. Carla Hayden and James Moeller of whitewolfsonicprincess plan to stage The Rock ’N’ Roll Circus (which takes its name from a famous happening led by The Rolling Stones in 1968) on a semi-regular basis, and are looking for all sorts of creative types to participate. Anyone interested can contact them via the new whitewolfsonicprincess website.

Steep Theatre Company will perform Earthquakes In London, Mike Bartlett’s play about a climate scientist and his three daughters coping with global destruction, at its location on Berwyn Avenue starting January 26. Jonathan Berry directs a cast of 15 actors.

Peter Asher: A Musical Memoir Of ‘60s and Beyond takes place next Sunday, January 15 at The Old Town School Of Folk Music on Chicago’s north side.

I still plan to do my annual Big Ideas post, in which I solicit contributions and come up with my own suggestions for what creative types hope to or should accomplish in the coming year. Anyone who’d like to participate can send me a short message with your plan via brokenheartedly@gmail.com. Since I’m so late in starting this, I’ll be accepting contributions through the end of January.

The Unswept - Fake It

The Unswept, a trio that comprises cousins Charlie and Ryan O’Brien, along with Liz O’Brien, who might also be a cousin, is probably best known in Chicago for its appearances at International Pop Overthrow. Vocalists-guitarists Charlie and Ryan moved from Sheffield, England to the Logan Square neighborhood in 2013, although their music is more reminiscent of Carnaby Street circa 1965. Their new four-song EP Fake It (which also includes four mono versions) follows in the steps of the band’s previous two off-kilter and infectious releases.

The title track borrows the riff from The Beatles’ “I Feel Fine” while describing a working stiff who can only survive his nine-to-five existence by slapping a phony smile on his face. As on all four tracks, bassist-singer Liz O’Brien adds some fetching backup vocals. Lustful intentions are couched in the light, melodic arrangement and cuddly lyrics of “The Boy Who Wants To Wake You Up.”

On the fast and catchy “SALLY,” a guy compares his girlfriend to a supermodel, not because of her looks, but because of her privileged attitude. “She Just Knows It’s Over” is the strongest cut on Fake It, as the band employs a power pop arrangement while delving into the deeper emotions of woman leaving her husband and kids. “It’s hard to believe that all she needs will fit in the boxes she’ll take when she leaves.”

Local Music News

Art work from The Flat Five Facebook page.

An eclectic triple bill of rock will be getting an early start this Friday night at Reggie’s Music Joint in the south Loop on State Street. The three acts involved are the hard rock quartet Moontower, The Handcuffs, the coed indie band led by singer-guitarist Chloe F. Orwell and drummer Brad Elvis; and Statues Of Liberty, a 10-piece band that describes its music as full-on, full tilt boogie. I’ve covered The Handcuffs’ albums and live shows several times here on Broken Hearted Toy. Showtime is 8:30.

That’s also the same night The Flat Five has a sold out show at City Winery. Regarded as an all-star band due to the extensive experience members Kelly Hogan, Nora O’Connor, Scott Ligon, Casey McDonough, and Alex Hall have on the Chicago and national scene, The Flat Five puts a major emphasis on harmony vocals while creating original tunes that sound like that they could have sprung up decades ago. They’ve been getting a lot of press and rave reviews for their long-awaited debut effort It’s A World Of Love And Hope. For the City Winery gig, The Flat Five will be joined by Chicago’s Total Pro Horns.

The Weeklings - Studio 2

It’s no surprise The Weeklings continue to draw from The Beatles on this second effort since vocalist-bassist Glen Burtnik and vocalist-guitarist John Merjave are also members of the popular Beatles tribute band Liverpool. As with their debut Monophonic, The Weeklings mix original tunes with vintage rarities The Beatles composed but never officially released. This time out though, the emphasis is on songs Burtnik composed with vocalist-keyboards player Bob Burger, with only a third coming from Lennon and McCartney. The band also has a new drummer now that Joe Bellia has replaced Dave Anthony.

Sporting a cover that mimics the Second Album by The Beatles,’ Studio 2 features short, peppy tracks that were recorded at London’s Abbey Road Studios. On “Morning, Noon And Night,” The Weaklings adroitly tap into the British Invasion, right down to the harmonica playing. “You’re The One,” the only Burtnik-Merjave composition, and “Little Elvis” have a touch of rock-a-billy, while the inspired vocal interplay on “Don’t Know, Don’t Care” comes across like The Hollies covering a Chuck Berry tune.

“You Must Write” shows these guys still know how to go treasure hunting in the Beatles catalog, and Burtnik’s loping bass is particularly impressive. The exquisite harmonies on “Because I Know You Love Me So” underscore Lennon and McCartney’s fascination with The Everly Brothers, while the rollicking “Some Days” is an irresistible look back at the English lads’ childhood days. “Loved Of The Loved,” like The Weeklings’ own “Love Can,” is almost too pretty and polished, but overall, Studio 2 is another round of Anglo-flavored fun.