Anyone who knows local psychedelic punk band Rabble Rabble knows they revel in the live concert experience. To replicate the band's live show in the best way possible, download the band's brand new live album through their Bandcamp. The group made the record available on Saturday. more ›

Over the course of two albums—the self-released Live Over The Rainbo, and its glossier studio twin Lux—the micro-scene supergroup has mixed garage-rock swagger and a ferociously disciplined sense of songwriting. Disappears combine sing-shouting, Krautrock’s hypnotically repetitive rhythms, and proto-punk’s snarling guitar tones to create tunes so packed with jams it’s easy to forget they often barely cross the three-minute mark. Indeed, if brevity is the soul of wit, then Disappears must be some smart motherfuckers. Guider, the band’s third effort overall and second album for Kranky Records, is only half-an-hour long. But Disappears’ creative leap forward on Guider accomplishes so much in so little time that anything else longer would be needless self-indulgence. more ›

Both Calm Palm Vapor and Young Man are two up-and-coming Chicago bands that nod heavily toward modern psychedelic rock. The former leans more toward the danceable, electronic pop side of the genre. (Think Ben Gibbard singing over My Bloody Valentine’s “Soon”). Young Man, on the other hand, leans more toward the genre’s folkier, more atmospheric tendencies, all the while adding booming, tribal drums. (Sound familiar, Animal Collective fans?). more ›

Of the many burgeoning Chicago bands dabbling in a hypnotic mix of garage-rock, German art-rock and shoegaze—think Cave, Disappears, Implodes, etc—local quintet Verma is simply amongst the most promising. In May, Verma, consisting of members of past Chicago experimental groups like Remember The Maine, dropped a self-titled three-song EP through their Bandcamp. The Verma EP showcased the band’s considerable ability to throw down the rock gauntlet. Tracks like the taut “Salted Earth,” with its propulsive bass line, and floating synth textures—which complement the female vocals quite well—are crisp and clear; artistic, but with enough melodic sensibility to appeal to listeners whose patience would be tested by the lengthy songs. By contrast, their debut cassette for Plustapes—also self-titled, confusingly enough—pushes the group’s capacity for weaving hallucinatory sonic tapestries even further. more ›

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