On April 4^th, Artistic Integrity Records will issue the debut release from Mean Sean. The band formed in early 2014 and consists of singer Vito Nusret, guitarist Nicolas Kubica, bassist James Henderson and drummer Vincent Miller. When asked to describe their sound, Nusret commented “I’d like to think we sound like Crimpshrine or Black Flag, but we probably just sound like a sloppy pop punk band that wears black t-shirts.”

The self-titled album will be available both digitally and on cassette. Recorded by Erik Rasmussen at Observatory Studios, the cassette contains a total of 13 songs and comes in lime green or light blue. They’re limited to 50 copies each, include a download code and can be purchased here. We’re streaming one of the tracks below, called “Hard of Feeling.” Speaking in regards to the song’s lyrics, Nusret said “It was inspired by a friend dealing with an autoimmune disease. I’m terrified of how our bodies can betray us without warning or pain while still doing severe and sometimes irreparable damage. It’s about juxtaposing that with a hardening of one’s feelings against potential emotional attacks, and examining how we can be considered too sensitive or too callous in both physical and mental ways.” While the content is decidedly serious, that’s not to suggest that the group doesn’t also have a comical side. Take for instance their name, which according to Nusret is derived from a friend’s dream about having a pet duck that smoked cigarettes and was named Mean Sean.

To commemorate the album’s release, the band is playing a show at Quenchers on April 7^th, along with Drilling For Blasting, Angel Lust and Sincere Engineer. The show starts at 9:00 PM, costs $5 in advance and is 21+. Tickets are available here.

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/13-hard-of-feeling.mp3|titles= “Hard of Feeling”]

The ninth annual Ian’s Party is scheduled to take place this January 1^st through the 3^rd, at Double Door, Subterranean and the Chop Shop. The event began in Elgin and moved to Logan Square in 2011, but this year has shifted to Wicker Park in hopes of creating more of a festival feel with the venues located so closely together. This year’s lineup is nothing if not eclectic, with genres ranging from pop punk to folk to electronic. A majority of the scheduled bands are also Chicago-based. The shows are 17+ and three-day passes can be purchased here for the only $25, but the price will increase to $30. Single-day passes are available on all venue sites for $12 or they’ll cost $15 at the door. Friday will feature sets from The Brokedowns, Prizzy Prizzy Please, Drilling for Blasting, Truman and His Trophy, Rad Payoff and approximately 15 other bands. Saturday will host Absolutely Not, Vacation Bible School, Sass Dragons, Dethwarrant, Al Scorch, Canadian Rifle, Elephant Gun and over a dozen more. Sunday concludes with Panda Riot, The Howl, Sweet Cobra, Brickfight, The Mons, Mean Sean and many additional acts, including local favorites Meat Wave. Half Acre Beer Company is sponsoring the entire event, which promises to maintain its party-like atmosphere while simultaneously showcasing some of the most exciting bands in Chicago’s underground. Check out some of the tracks below for a sample of what to expect this year.

Chicago’s Turnspit formed in 2014 and features singer/guitarist Jason Douglass Swearingen, (Love & Squalor) singer/guitarist Gillian McGhee, bassist Jason Duarte and drummer Dan Tinkler, (Dog & Wolf). Despite only having played a handful of shows, the band is set to open for The Lawrence Arms at Double Door on Friday, December 11th. The night will also serve as a record release show for Turnspit’s debut EP, I Wonder If They’re Happy. It was recorded by their drummer at both Atlas Studios and in his home. Check out a song from the EP below called “Lamplighters” and for those attending the sold-out show on 12/11, plan on getting there early to catch this new and emerging act.

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/03-Lamplighters.mp3|titles= “Lamplighters”]

In August of this year, The Bollweevils released a new 7” via Underground Communiqué, entitled Attack Scene. It marks the band’s first new material in 17 years. Containing two tracks in total, the 7” was recorded at Million Yen Studios by Jeff Dean and was mastered at Azimuth Mastering by Bill Henderson. The cover art was done by Wade Marks and the record is available on clear blue or black vinyl. When asked how it feels to be releasing new music for the first time in many years, singer Daryl Wilson explained “Damn it’s been too long! It’s exciting! Love the new songs and we are totally excited to get the other new songs recorded and released. We have gotten so much better with the passage of time and are having a blast doing what we do. It’s the best feeling seeing something we created come together and have the opportunity to share that creation with others. Especially if those people like it as much as we do.” Combining the melody of their Stick Your Neck Out! LP with the aggression and hardcore tendencies of Heavyweight, these songs find the band sounding invigorated and developing upon the sound in which they’re known for.

We’re streaming the record’s first song below, “Honesty Isn’t So Simple,” and asked Wilson what inspired its lyrics. He said, “Everyone has aspects of themselves that they never reveal. It’s really hard to be completely honest and show vulnerability to other people. If you show your hand you fear that it’s not always reciprocated. All we want in life is to trust others but it’s pretty hard to do that sometimes.” While the subject matter is fairly serious, the band definitely shows their humorous side on Attack Scene’s other track, “The Bollweevils Anthem.” Take a listen to “Honesty Isn’t So Simple” below and purchase the record here.

Also, this Thursday, 11/05, The Bollweevils are playing at 1^st Ward, (2033 W. North Ave.) with Break Anchor, Union 13 and The Mizzerables. The show starts at 8:00 PM, is 18+ and costs $10. Tickets for the event can be obtained here.

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/the-Bollweevils-Attack-Scene-EP-01-Honesty-Isnt-So-Simple.mp3|titles= “Honesty Isn’t So Simple”]

Local band Ribbonhead is set to release its new EP Animals on 10/14 through Bandcamp and on cassette. The EP was engineered by Nick Biscardi at Flashpoint Studios, while the band handled mixing duties and Bill Henderson of Azimuth mastered the record. Writing and playing out since mid-2014, Ribbonhead consists of Josh Glass, (guitar/vocals) Lee Zickwolf, (bass/vocals) and John Sant, (drums). The Bandcamp release will be immediately available on 10/14, with the tape release that includes an exclusive track following shortly. They’ll be hitting Liar’s Club at 9:00 PM tonight, 10/12, alongside Honah Lee, Beat the Smart Kids, and Butchered.

On Sunday, October 11th, Chicago’s Dog & Wolf will self-release their debut album, called Filler for the Vacancies. Formed in 2012, the band consists of Kyle Geib, (guitar/vocals) Nick Arvanitis, (bass/vocals) and Dan Tinkler, (drums). The LP was recorded at Atlas Studios by Matt Jordan and mastered at Boiler Room Mastering by Collin Jordan. Coinciding with the record’s release, Dog & Wolf is playing a show at Fireside Bowl on the same day. The event is part of Phantom Note Production’s Phantom Fest and the lineup that evening includes Sincere Engineer, Turnspit, Mean Sean and Dowsing. Filler for the Vacancies will be available on CD at the show or it can be obtained digitally via the band’s Bandcamp page. Dog & Wolf will also be touring later this month in support of the album, including a stop at The Fest in Gainesville, FL. Check out an exclusive stream of the entire record below.

The Bigger Empty traces its origins back to 2007, when Mike Felumlee, (current/founding Smoking Popes drummer, former Alkaline Trio drummer) began playing solo shows. He called upon some friends to assist him in playing live, and after a few years of playing shows together they’d grown to become more of an actual band than a solo project. As of last year, they started calling themselves The Bigger Empty, with a lineup consisting of Felumlee on vocals/guitar, guitarist Jim Steinkraus, bassist Reuben Baird and drummer Kevin Baschen. When asked as to what inspired the band’s name, Felumlee said “We have a song called ‘The Bigger Empty’ about my dog that runs away quite frequently. It’s about him going out into the world and discovering that it’s really not that great out there and he’d rather be back home. We loved that song title, so we decided to use it as our name. The lyrics and title were written by our friend Brian Birkland. I team up with him a lot when I’m stumped on writing lyrics.”

This Saturday, 7/25, The Bigger Empty is playing Subterranean with Spitalfield and Daniel Wade. The show starts at 6:00 PM, is 17+ and costs $17. They’ll have copies of their debut EP available at the show, though it officially comes out on 8/08 via Artistic Integrity Records. The EP is called vs. The Cloud and was recorded at bassist Baird’s studio, Chicago Sound Lab. Check out a song from the record below, called “My Great Escape.”

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ESCAPE.mp3|titles= “My Great Escape”]

The Suizos formed in 2011 and feature singer/guitarist Darren Vorel, (That Lying Bitch) and singer/guitarist Chris Mason, (Super Happy Fun Club). Their name is inspired by the suizo burritos found at Taco Burrito Palace #2 in Lincoln Park. Mason lives nearby and after late night writing/drinking sessions, the duo would often find themselves indulging in the fine cuisine at said restaurant. The band recently recorded a four-song EP at Atlas Studios with Matt Allison, and “Fuck Work” is the second single from the release. Mason handled drum responsibilities on the recording, while Dave Tirio, (Plain White T’s) played bass. According to Vorel, the basis for many of The Suizos’ songs is “stuff we don’t like,” and this song certainly falls under that category.

To coincide with the song’s debut, The Suizos also created a video for the track, which Vorel and Mason co-directed. The concept for the video came to the band while on a recent road trip to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to witness Green Day’s induction. When asked what filming the video was like, Vorel said “It’s always fun to do music videos. I wanted to be an actor when I was a kid, so this is as close as I’m going to get. Chris and I managed to rally a lot of amazing people to be part of this. We had a high school kid named Spencer help us with camera this time, so we could focus more on our roles. Corttanie, (our lead) is someone I met while doing the Mancow show with my other group. She is totally amazing, foxy and has a fantastic potty mouth that livened up the set. Chris was like ‘What if we got Matt (Allison) to play the boss man?’ I was like ‘That’ll never happen.’ And then it did. That was my favorite part. The guy’s a natural and had us all in stitches on his shoot day. We have an hour of bloopers that are just terrific.” The Suizos don’t have any upcoming shows booked as of yet, but do plan on releasing the remaining two songs from their EP very soon. Check out the exclusive premiere of the “Fuck Work” video above and buy the song on iTunes here.

Next Monday and Tuesday, Bad Religion will bring their “Battle of the Centuries” tour to the Metro. On the first night they’ll play songs from 1980 to 2000, while the second night will feature songs from the last 15 years. Monday’s show is sold out, though tickets remain for Tuesday night. The shows start at 7:00 PM, are 18+ and cost $31. Plague Vendor opens both nights and tickets for Tuesday’s show can be purchased here. Bad Religion’s latest album, True North, came out in 2013 on Epitaph and they recently announced plans to begin recording a new full-length this fall.

On Friday, March 13^th, Revolution Brewing will celebrate its fifth anniversary at the Riviera Theatre. Andrew W.K. is headlining the event, with support from The Orwells, Beer Nuts and the Superfriends DJs. In addition, a special appearance by Nordic Thunder, the 2012 World Air Guitar Champion, was recently added to the bill. Doors open at 7:00 PM, the show starts at 8:00 PM and the occasion is 21+. Tickets can be purchased via Etix or in person at either the Vic Theatre or Revolution’s Kedzie Tap Room, (sales at the tap room end on Sunday, 3/08). If tickets are bought at the latter two locations, service fees do not apply. Several giveaways will also be held at the concert and over a dozen kinds of Revolution beer will be available for $4 each. Some of the beers being poured are Straight Jacket, Bean Gene, Deth’s Tar, Jukebox Hero and more. Be sure to mark your calendars and get set to “party hard.”

Back in December, The Brokedowns released their second album for Red Scare Industries, entitled Life Is a Breeze. Containing 16 songs in total, the record is not only comprehensive, but also a good representation of the band’s best characteristics. There are influences of Dillinger Four and Hot Snakes to be found, but those are overshadowed by The Brokedowns’ unique take on Midwestern punk and the sheer amount of aggression they generate in their songwriting. This Sunday, 3/01, they’re playing Beat Kitchen, along with Meat Wave, Canadian Rifle and Foul Tip. The show starts at 8:00 PM, is 17+ and costs $8. Check out a track from Life Is a Breeze below, called “Born on the Bayou Too.”

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/06-Born-On-The-Bayou-Too.mp3|titles= “Born on the Bayou Too”]

This Friday, February 13^th, Little Dave Merriman, (Arrivals, Treasure Fleet, Textbook Committee) will play a release show for his solo album at the Rock Island Public House. The record is called Odd Bird and is coming out on Hewhocorrupts Inc. Featuring a variety of influences, including pop, folk and gospel, the album is a distinct departure from the styles of Merriman’s other projects. At Friday’s show, 50 copies of Odd Bird will be available on limited-edition purple cassettes with digital download cards. The standard yellow cassettes will also be for sale. A portion of the proceeds from the record’s sales will benefit the Dwight D. Eisenhower music program, which is where Merriman was taught by choir director Lynette “Miss K.” Mulder. Odd Bird is dedicated to her, as well as to Merriman’s grandmother, who passed away during the making of the album. Merriman will perform on Friday with his newest group, The Pantomimed Suicides, and plans to play the record in its entirety. Opening the show is an acoustic band called Al Scorch, and Ditches, which features members of Canadian Rifle and Sweet Cobra. Take a listen to a song from Odd Bird below, called “Line It in Chalk.”

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/04-Line-It-In-Chalk.mp3|titles= “Line It In Chalk”]

Rapids are releasing their debut EP this Saturday, called Traction. The relatively new band features members of Slapstick, Colossal, Dead End Days, The Love Shots and others. Their EP was recorded last winter by Chris Heilemann in Elgin, IL and its cover art is by Jason Swearingen. Beginning this Saturday, the EP can be downloaded at Rapids’ Bandcamp page. Rapids are also playing the very same day at Quenchers with Two Houses, Nervous Passenger and Costanza. The show starts at 10:00 PM, is 21+ and costs $5. Check out an exclusive stream of one of Rapids’ new songs below, called “Coroner Bar.”

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/02-Coroner-Bar-1.mp3|titles= “Coroner Bar”]

This Saturday, The Lawrence Arms are playing Metro with The Copyrights, Sam Russo and Dog & Wolf. The show starts at 6:00 PM, is all-ages and tickets can be purchased here. The Lawrence Arms are touring in support of their latest album and Epitaph debut, Metropole, while The Copyrights just announced that they’ll be releasing a new 7” on Fat Wreck Chords this summer called No Knocks. Also, Sam Russo released a split EP on Red Scare last month with TLA singer/bassist Brendan Kelly and it can be ordered here. Check out the above photos of The Lawrence Arms that were taken by JIC’s own Katie Hovland. They’re from the band’s practice space and were shot just before their recent show at the Concord Music Hall.

Elephant Gun, which features members of Meat Wave, Truman & His Trophy, Rad Payoff and more, will self-release their latest full-length, Castle Boots, this Sunday, 4/27. It was recorded by Joe Gac and has artwork from Frank Porcaro. To celebrate, the band is playing a record release show at Township on the same day. The event starts at 8:00 PM and is 21+, with openers Chicken Happen, Hot Garbage and Secret Science. Also, fans that bring their own jump drive will be able to download Elephant Gun’s entire new album for free. Check out an exclusive stream from Castle Boots below, called “I Know Why.”

[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/01-I-Know-Why-1.mp3|titles= “I Know Why”]