When it comes to summer music plans, jump on it.

Lollapalooza '10

Even though it is barely mid-April, savvy music fans know that now is the time to start finalizing some sort of concert and festival plans for the summer. Early bird deals, weekend passes and other time sensitive incentives and deals are in full fledge.

LOLLAPALOOZA

It's already too late to get the early bird passes for Chicago's most famous summer music fest (which sold out in a matter of hours), but full price weekend passes are on sale for $215. At first glance this price might seem a bit steep, but I give you my word that it's worth every cent (I don't blow my hard earned money made by telling people to be quiet in the library on just anything). The three day pass is your key into the festival perimeters of Grant Park from August 5-7 for seemingly endless possibilities of shows to go to. Stages are set up throughout the park with artists to cater to fans of all genres. This year's full lineup won't be released until the end of April, but rumored artists include Muse, Foo Fighters, Eminem, Girl Talk, Lykke Li, Best Coast and in a less amusing petition site, Rebecca Black.

PITCHFORK

The Chicago based indie music publication, Pitchfork Media's summer project, Pitchfork Music Festival, will mark it's 6th year at Union Park from July 15-17. Fans of indie-alt bands will appreciate this years lineup including Animal Collective, Neko Case, Fleet Foxes, Cut Copy, TV on the Radio and many more. The three day pass has already sold out, but individual days can be bought for $45 each. And don't let the indie aura throw you off, Pitchfork is a great, less expensive option for those who want the full festival experience.

She & Him concert from the  2010 Millennium Park series

MILLENNIUM PARK

Millennium Park's summer concert series is one of the most underrated Chicago resources. As with previous summers, every monday starting May 23, different artists will put on concerts at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion for - wait for it - FREE. This year's artists include Iron & Wine, Blonde Redhead, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, Delicate Steve and many more. A short train ride and walk to the park makes this concert option an enticingly cheap evening. Food and drinks are permitted in the lawn, adding even more reason to make a night of it. Concerts typically start at 6:30 p.m. and can fill up quickly, so arrive at least half an hour early to set up camp.

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Chicago's summer concert scene is bustling, but the options of venues and shows could be overwhelming if you don't know what you're looking for. Sites like Ticketmaster, OhMyRockness, MetroMix and LiveNation make finding concerts at any price and location easy. Never overlook public transportation as an easy option to take advantage of when it comes to getting downtown, especially if you're like me and fear the inevitable panic attack from merging in construction. Summer is arguably the best time of the year for concerts, so heed these tips and make the most of being in the epicenter of outdoor shows.

Album Review: Lupe Fiasco - Lasers

Chicago native Lupe Fiasco’s third studio album dropped last week after three years of tweaking, much to fans’ dismay. The album collectively deviates from Fiasco’s previously perfected easygoing repertoire, however has moments of notable greatness.

There’s something nostalgic about “Till I Get There” that reminds me of early Fiasco from the “Kick Push” days. If there’s one thing he’s perfected in his career, it’s the ability to combine simple beats with seemingly effortless lyrics for an unmistakeable personalized sound. Where were more tracks like this, Lupe?

The second single released (after “The Show Goes On” released in October and brilliantly sampling Modest Mouse’s “Float On”), “Words I Never Said” features up and comer Skylar Grey, who has been featured on other recent hits like Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Coming Home” and Eminem’s “I Need a Doctor”. This track, while containing overwhelming political undertones, has an undeniably catchy chorus. Whether or not it should have been such an early single is questionable, but Grey’s recently acquired fan base should help launch its popularity.

In my opinion, “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now” should be released as the next single. It has definite mass appeal including a fantastic hook from MDMA. The beat has Timbaland-like qualities, which alone would be an indicator of instant radio hype for those unable to appreciate Fiasco’s more understated songs. 

Personally, I found the album to stray a little too far from what Fiasco’s signature laid back sound and veer into the overly-mainstream zone, but overall found the album enjoyable. Fiasco experimented with a variety of different sounds and a exhibited collection of impressive collaborations making the album likable, but hopefully Fiasco returns to his roots in Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album scheduled to be released later this year.

The Thursday Thirteen

The 13 songs I can’t get enough of right now.

1.       Laughing by Hooded Fang

2.       Aberdeen by Cage the Elephant

3.       Erasing Me by Alpha Leonis

4.       Skinny Love (Das Kapital Rerub) by Bon Iver

5.       Here I Come by Nicki Minaj

6.       Nyquil by Ground Up

7.       Sister Wife by Alex Winston

8.       The Calendar by The Do

9.       You Be Killin’ ‘Em by Fabolous

10.   Road to Nowhere (Talking Heads Cover) by Coolrunnings

11.   Romans Revenge Pt. 2 by Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Wayne

12.   I Know Places by Lykke Li

13.   Belong by The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Album Review: Alexander - Alexander

Alex Ebert continues playing his part in the retro-folk revival right where his work in Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ Up from Below left off. His effort in this debut album is aided through an unstoppable combination of simple acoustic guitar riffs, epic vocals, story-telling lyrics, and the occasional tambourine. Fans of Up from Below’s hits like “Home”, “Janglin’” and “40 Day Dream” will be more than appreciative of Ebert’s ability to maintain the same laid-back-makes-you-want-to-drive-cross-country-in-a-VW-van sound while making it his own. The term "folk" has a tendency to turn off people from exploring further, but this will hopefully change soon with Ebert's, as well as his recently turned mainstream industry peers, Mumford and Sons', contributions. 

“Glimpses” especially stands out from the rest of the tracks on this album because of its mo-town sounding vocals and simple accompanying instrumentals. Ebert’s normally passionate vocals are even more heartfelt. The nostalgic sound continues with “Remember Our Heart” which could have easily been a top selling single of the 50’s. My favorite track from the album is “Truth”. Easily the darkest sounding track, Ebert channels aspects of blues and hip hop for this powerful ballad. My favorite element is the juxtaposition of quick and fluctuating vocals in contrast to the slower drums and backup vocals.

Overall, this seemingly simplistic album is riddled with nuances that Ebert has proven himself a master of. And as long as his quest for a retro revolution continues, my hopes for humanity won’t be completely diminished.

Similar Recommendations:
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Mumford & Sons, Jens Lenkman, and Bon Iver

Album Review: Peter, Bjorn & John - Gimme Some

Frequently, I find myself being completely infatuated with a band based on their first (or another early) album, but am instantly turned off by any subsequent releases. This is because of a trend I notice that after a band’s debut album, any future albums have a tendency to go one of 2 ways:

1. Complete style 180, where the band reinvents their sound. Generally this occurs during the second or third album. Rarely are bands able to pull this off without sounding like they’re trying to hard, probably because they’re attempting to experiment with a genre they’re typically not as familiar with. One of the few examples of this working was Panic! at the Disco’s sophomore album “Pretty Odd” (although the first single from their new album, “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” sounds like an unreleased track from 2005’s “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out”).

2. The second is the band sticking only to what they know. Although this seems like it would be a foolproof hit method, it often results in a collection of sounds that are redundant and mediocre at best. However, it’s arguably the best system for bands with extraordinarily unique sounds, definitely a contributing factor to the success of Vampire Weekend’s “Contra”. 

January 2011’s Peter, Bjorn & John album “Gimme Some” is a refreshing example of the latter trend. The swedish trio’s third album, “Writer’s Block” put them on the map with their indie pop anthem, Young Folks. Five years and three albums later, we’re reminded why everyone with access to an alternative radio station went around whistling PB&J. Tracks like Black Book, Second Chance, and (Don’t Let Them) Cool Off maintain the quintessential indie pop sound that PB&J have seemed to perfect with darker undertones than they’ve previously released. The upbeat sounds reminiscent of past PB&J are still found, however, with ironically pessimistically named tracks like Lies, Dig a Little Deeper and Down Like Me. One of my favorite features of this group is the diverse talent of all three members, who add vocals as well as a myriad of instruments throughout the album. I haven’t been able to differentiate between Peter, Bjorn and John’s voices, but one day aspire to reach that level of expertise. 

Similar Recommendations:

Fun, Phoenix, Matt & Kim

Album Review: Tennis - Camp Dory

Nearing the end of their stint as undergrad philosophy students, husband and wife duo Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley decided to sell their belongings and set out on their own and sail the Eastern seaboard. "Camp Dory" lives up to its intended purpose as musical documentation of the couple's seven month trip in a way photos or postcards couldn't do justice. Track titles like Baltimore, South Carolina and Bimini Bay offer geographic pinpoints, adding to some of the best thematic usage I've ever seen in an album (among the ranks of teen angst in "The Suburbs", loving and losing in The Antlers' "Hospice" and the high school undertones of "Treats" by Sleigh Bells.) The simple yet elegant lyrics invite you to a world where the tide is your only enemy and your only worry is deciding between SPF 15 and 30. All of this makes me think that the winter release was a conscious decision to provide a mental vacation to those of us unfortunate enough to be in the Midwest. 


Favorite Tracks:
• Tales of high-tide-induced-near-death-experiences have never been so bubbly as they are in Marathon. The tale of misjudging the weather at Coconut Cove is told in this flawless pop ballad.
• I don't know how else to explain how intoxicatingly cheery and addicting Long Boat Pass is than by mentioning that I've had it on repeat since last Monday. If that's not enough to encourage you to set it on repeat for a couple hours, then Moore's fluctuating vocals and Beach Boy reminiscent guitar reps should do it.
• The title track, Camp Dory, is an fantastically effortless combination of beach-y sounds and nostalgic "oh oh oh"-ing that pretty much sums up Tennis' mission: to make you wish you were living as an extra in a 1960's surfing movie, monkeying your way to success. 


Similar Recommendations:
Little Joy, The Drums, Surfer Blood