Tom Schraeder's new EP, Lying Through Dinner, displays a remarkable step forward for the young singer-songwriter. Previously we've compared Schraeder's gritty country tinged rock to a one man version of The Band, but here he takes our previous perception of his music and turns it on his head.

On the new EP Schraeder often mixes Americana with the feel of a humid New Orleans bordello. Boozy, swinging strains spill out of darkened nightclubs into puddle-splashed streets. Rouged nipples brush inches away from the unshaven crevices of a miner's chin on the boozy sing-along "When You're Not Around," an excellent compliment to the soaring hopeful organ strains permeating "Guadalupe Cries." Schraeder expertly mixes the dark with the light creating a chiaroscuro effect on his compositions.

Schraeder will be performing this new material tonight at the newly opened SPACE (Society for the Preservation of Art & Culture in Evanston) with Scott Lucase opening the show. As a special treat to our readers we've arranged for all of you to be able to get free tickets to tonight's show. All you have to do is go here and enter "chicagoist" where it asks for the discount code to get as many free tickets as you need!

Tom Schraeder plays tonight, September 25 at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave, Evanston, 8 p.m., tickets free as per above, all ages

Photo by Victoria Renard