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Colossal – “The Serious Kind”
Next month, Asian Man Records will release Colossal’s debut album, Welcome the Problems, for the first time on vinyl. The label initially released the full-length on CD in 2004. Colossal formed in Elgin, Illinois in 2001 and at the time of this recording their lineup consisted of singer/guitarist Pat Ford, guitarist/singer/trumpet player Jason Flaks, drummer/singer Rob Kellenberger and bassist Eli Caterer. When asked as to why this album is now being re-released, label owner Mike Park said “People kept asking me about it. The band never said a thing. It was strictly folks messaging me and asking if it would be released on vinyl. Originally, I didn’t do the vinyl for this. A small, now defunct label called Grey Flight Records did, so I wanted to have this in our discography.”
As part of this re-release, the record was fully remastered by Carl Saff. A total of 600 copies were pressed, with 300 on white vinyl and 300 on black. When speaking about why this album is special to him, Park said “Because I slept on it. When I first put this out, I wasn’t a big fan to be honest. I think I mostly originally put this out just because of my relationship with Rob Kellenberger and Slapstick. Basically, any member of Slapstick I would say ‘yes’ to whatever they brought to the table. And so that was the case with Colossal. I didn’t love it and that makes me angry because I listen to it now and go ‘geez…this shit is insane.’”
We’re streaming the album’s second track below, “The Serious Kind,” which exemplifies the band’s progressive arrangements and penchant for melody. Pre-order the record here and expect it to ship by mid-October.
350 Fest 4: Citizens on Patrol
Photos by Katie Hovland
On August 25th, 350 Fest 4 will take place at the Tinley Park Convention Center. The Descendents, Less Than Jake, Smoking Popes, A Wilhelm Scream, Mest, Sincere Engineer and Burn Rebuild are all playing the event. In addition, over 25 different 350 Brewing Company beers will be available, with each beer priced at only $5. There’s also live wrestling, a hot wing challenge and more. We recently spoke with 350 Brewing employee Justin Maynard regarding the details of this year’s fest. Continue Reading…
The Addisons – “Down Down Down”
On August 9th, The Addisons are scheduled to release their second EP, Here It Comes Again. Recorded and produced by Mike Felumlee of The Smoking Popes, the record finds the band noticeably advancing their interpretation of Midwestern indie/punk. The Addisons’ roster consists of singer/guitarists Dave Lysien, (Not Rebecca, Textbook) and Tom Counihan, (Not Rebecca, Tom Daily). Anchoring the rhythm section is bassist Rick Uncapher, (Textbook, Dan Vapid and the Cheats, Noise By Numbers) and the newest addition, drummer Jesse Carmona, (Gods Reflex, The Braves).
When asked about recording with Felumlee, Counihan said “I’ve been playing and recording with Mike on and off for over 20 years, since I played with him in the Smoking Popes. He played drums on a bunch of my solo recordings, so it was very natural to record with him.” He added, “I just like the tones of the recordings. Mike and I have similar tastes in music, so the mixes, especially the drum sounds, are right where I like them.”
We’re streaming one of the songs from Here It Comes Again below, called “Down Down Down.” When speaking of what inspired its creation, Counihan said “The song came together really quickly. I wrote it in my car at lunch one day. I had my guitar in the back seat and I started and finished in less than an hour. I recorded it onto my phone and sent it to the rest of the band right away. The next practice we started working on turning it into a full band version. I don’t write songs nearly as often as I used to, so it was great to have it be so painless.” Take a listen to the track now and on Thursday, get the record here.
Red City Radio – SkyTigers
Red Scare – Release Date: 3/09/18
Marking their first official release in nearly three years, SkyTigers finds Red City Radio embracing a multitude of new influences to further hone their signature sound. Recorded by Mike Kennerty, (The All-American Rejects) and mixed by Matt Allison, (Alkaline Trio, The Lawrence Arms) the EP not only sounds phenomenal, but also highlights the subtleties found within the detailed songwriting. “If You Want Blood…” is the leadoff track and it contains many of the characteristics found throughout this collection of songs: layered backing vocals, blistering guitar solos and an underlying sense of self-empowerment. “I’ll Still Be Around” opens with a slight country vibe and piano accents, not unlike frontman Garrett Dale’s solo EP from last year, before the rest of the band comes in and provides a sturdy framework that spotlights the talented rhythm section. “In the Shadows” is an ominous rocker that recalls 80’s metal and boasts the record’s most intricate guitar leads, while “Rebels” is a defiant, melodic anthem that’s sure to elicit significant crowd response when played live. With the title track, RCR has managed to craft a uniquely structured six-minute entry that champions positivity. It’s largely built around a piece of dialogue from the 1940 film The Great Dictator, reinforcing a message of inclusion and persistence, which seems especially relevant nowadays. SkyTigers sees Red City Radio further differentiate themselves from their peers with topnotch musicianship and the merging of multiple genres. These five songs represent a new era for the band and should leave fans anxiously awaiting their next full-length.
The Brokedowns – “Life Is a Breeze”
Elgin’s favorite sons, The Brokedowns, recorded a live performance last month at Live! from The Rock Room. This is the first video to be released from the session, and features the band performing their song “Life Is a Breeze,” the title track from their most recent album. We recently caught up with the man behind Live! from The Rock Room, Mike Felumlee, to discuss his motivations for this project. We talked about how he got things off the ground, some of the Rock Room’s unique features, where he hopes to see this endeavor in the future and more. Continue Reading…
The Treasure Fleet
Photo by Katie Hovland
The Treasure Fleet is a new Chicago band that consists of Isaac Thotz and Dave Merriman of The Arrivals, Neil Hennessy of The Lawrence Arms and Smoking Popes, Eli Caterer of Smoking Popes and Mike Oberlin of Sass Dragons. We spoke with Isaac and Neil and talked in detail about how the band formed, their unique sound, their upcoming album for Recess Records and more. Continue Reading…
The Smoking Popes
Photo by Katie Hovland
The Smoking Popes are one of Chicago’s most influential bands. They got their start in 1991, achieved widespread success with two albums on Capitol Records and this March released their latest full-length, This Is Only a Test. We spoke with singer/guitarist Josh Caterer about the new record’s concept, what it was like recording at Atlas Studios, the band’s relationship with Asian Man Records and more. Be sure to check out the Popes on tour this summer with Alkaline Trio and look for their classic album Born to Quit to be reissued later this year. Continue Reading…
The Smoking Popes
The Smoking Popes by Katie Hovland
Smoking Popes – It’s Been a Long Day
Asian Man Records – Release Date: 2/16/10
The Smoking Popes are one of the quintessential Chicago punk rock bands of the ‘90s. While it may be commonplace nowadays for punk bands to inject a sizeable pop influence into their sound, back when the Popes formed in 1991 this was far from the case. Their legacy, however, really speaks to the talent of each individual member, as well as how they came together to collectively write numerous high-quality songs. There’s the unmistakable, pristine croon of singer Josh Caterer, the intricate lead guitar work of younger brother Eli Caterer, the dutiful bass playing of older brother Matt Caterer and of course the powerhouse drumming of Mike Felumlee. It’s Been a Long Day captures their humble beginnings and features 20 songs in total, including the following seven inches; Inoculator, Break Up and 2. Highlights include the frenzied start and stop interplay of the bubbly fan-favorite “Writing a Letter”, and what is easily one of the best examples of the Popes’ patented laments of forsaken heartbreak, “Under the Blanket”. “Hang” is a laidback rocker worth mentioning, as are the patient, well-executed disc closers “Do Something” and “Pasted”. Nearly all of the songs on It’s Been a Long Day have been out-of-print for years, so that alone should be reason enough to pick this up. This collection of re-mastered tracks is also the perfect refresher for longtime fans who are awaiting the release of the next Smoking Popes full-length, which is due in the fall of 2010.
Atlas Studios
Growing up in a musical family from Rockford, Illinois, Matt Allison began his path to becoming a producer while playing guitar and bass in various high school bands. He later moved to Champaign, Illinois to pursue an English degree, yet his passion for music remained. Allison continued playing in bands, but also took interest in recording demo tapes for his and his friends’ bands alike. “I kind of realized you could really exercise a lot of whatever creative urges you had via recording music, while at the same time making a much better living than you possibly would as a musician,” he said. “In some ways it was like hedging a bet, career-wise, but on the other hand I never have been interested in being a touring musician. Working in a studio is something I really enjoy doing.” Allison and a friend eventually constructed a small studio in the attic of the home where they were living, though it soon became apparent that Champaign was simply overcrowded with studios and under-populated by bands. This revelation is what ultimately led Allison to migrate to Chicago. Continue Reading…
Riot Fest, 2010
All photos by Katie Hovland. Click on a photo to enlarge.
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