Kendrick Lamar delivers masterful ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’
So what would the late Tupac Shakur and the very much living Kendrick Lamar talk about if they were ever to meet face to face in the next life? According...
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Lightning Bolt unmasks its nastiness on ‘Fantasy Empire’
The Providence, R.I., duo Lightning Bolt defies category and even personal identification – drummer Brian Chippendale is prone to wearing serial-killer masks in concert. Chippendale and bassist Brian Gibson have...
YOB gets spiritual at 120 dB
Mike Scheidt isn't just the singer and guitarist in Portland heavyweights YOB. He's a diehard, one of those guys who found his life's purpose buried inside the long, lava-flow suites...
‘Blurred Lines’ verdict blurs artistic lines
There's a reason the vast majority of musical infringement cases in the music world don't end up in front of a jury. Count Robin Thicke among those artists who likely...
Review: Tweedy at the Vic
Jeff Tweedy had a couple of running gags going Friday in the first of two concerts at the Vic Theatre with his family group Tweedy. One was about a headache...
Madonna shows vulnerability behind ‘Rebel Heart’
The previous two Madonna studio albums, "MDNA" (2012) and "Hard Candy" (2008), have come off as transparent attempts at co-opting the latest waves of dance music. She used to be...
Skrillex to join Diplo in Jack U as Spring Awakening headliner
Jack U – the all-star DJ combo of Skrillex and Diplo – will make its Midwest debut at the Spring Awakening Festival on June 12-14 in Soldier Field. Promoter React...
Ravinia Festival announces 2015 lineup
A new Ravinia Festival season brings powerhouse pop and a noteworthy jazz lineup. On the classical side, crowd-pleasing symphonic fare and movie nights will dominate the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's six-week...
Of Montreal: Glam meets gloom
Of Montreal's Kevin Barnes spent a good portion of his childhood making music by himself in his bedroom. Over 13 albums in two decades, he's always liked the notion of...
Grateful Dead promoter plans to do right for shut-out fans
If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of Grateful Dead fans who got shut out of tickets for the band's 50th anniversary shows July 3-5 in Soldier Field, promoter...