Poet Thax Douglas has long been described as a polarizing figure in the local music scene, but after viewing the recent documentary on Douglas, Thax: The Movie, we've decided that viewpoint is skewed and incorrect. While there are a number of incredibly vocal critics who deride Douglas' presence at shows, the overriding majority of musicians and concert attendees appreciate his contributions to the community. Luminaries from Ted Leo, to Josh Caterer, to Jeff Tweedy sing......

Between "Let's Make Love and Listen to Death From Above" and the iPod commercial soundtrack "Music Is My Hot Sex" we think it's safe to assume every human being has heard the music of Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS). On their sophomore effort Donkey, due next week from Sub Pop, the band continues to deliver danceable rock songs guaranteed to keep their fans happy. We've heard some criticism directed CSS's way for not being experimental......

A visit to the East Coast isn't complete without lifting a pint or four of selections from the Boston and Vermont-based Harpoon Brewery. Harpoon's UFO hefeweisen is probably my favorite American weiss beer. But that's like saying that the girl you're dating is the best looking one at an all-girl college. The focus this week, however, is on Harpoon's India Pale Ale, which is a lighter version of the style. That lightness can be attributed......

We’ve been a big fan of Le Colonial for a long time, and after visiting the posh French/Vietnamese restaurant a couple of weeks ago we remembered why. That particular part of River North, replete with restaurants of all shapes and sizes, doesn’t usually impress us with the quality of its offerings – but a few excellent dining options can be found if you look hard. The Chicago outpost of Le Colonial is in the midst......

While a sizable portion of the greater Chicago area were making a beeline to the Feist/Juana Molina show at Ravinia Friday night, we were at a loft in Humboldt Park taking part in another one of Efrain Cuevas' Clandestino dinners. The five-course menu Cuevas had planned was teeming with a lot of bright flavors, spices and acidity, so we were looking for a wine that could pair well with all the courses. From our kitchen......

With Bridgeport and Chinatown bordering each other, there's no loss for good Chinese food near our home. Matter of fact, we live only a two block walk from LTHForum favorite Ed's Potsticker House. Open a little over a month and located a block south of Ed's is a new entry to Bridgeport's Chinese Restaurant scene. One Two Three Express has a menu covering the best of both worlds. It has the Cantonese and Szechuan staples......

A problem we have with Skylark — a good one to have, mind you — is that we've managed to work our way through their entire draft beer menu, save for the most recent additions. Last week while enjoying the grilled tuna sandwich (the address for Skylark is in the "One Great Sandwich" post that went up yesterday) we were equally blissed on the beer we were drinking. Lagunitas doesn't get enough of the "BotW"......

Hybrid grapes, with regard to winemaking, are often ignored or ridiculed by the wine "experts." Sometimes this is with good reason; a mere mention of the word "chardonel" transports us back to Sundays at the Magic Pan. But these "frankengrapes" have their attributes. One such grape is the cayuga, a hybrid of Seyval Blanc and Schuyler that vintners from the Finger Lakes to the Midwest have embraced for its ability to withstand frost, its high-yield......

It's a blessing and a curse to live so close to Skylark (2149 S. Halsted). The latter, of course, is that it's often hard to walk home after a long night of inebriation through moderation. the blessing is that their food menu goes a long way toward taking some of the starch out of the dog that bit us. Since we're now starting to hit the really humid days of summer, we wanted something......

The M's latest, Real Close Ones, opens with a squall of guitars and a piano fighting its way out of the mounds of fuzz its buried under before it's pushed back down in the mix by a swelling line of horns. The band's modus operandi of mixing noise with undeniable melody seems to be back in full effect. Or is it? After the brawling opener the band suddenly pulls back with more intimate arrangements, dialing......

Taking a look at the reader's choice selections this go-round, it looks as though I roped myself into a style theme. Three of the four selections — including this week's — have been porters. By no means was this intentional; they were simply the selections that stood out the most. Digressing, this week's selection comes from D.H. "The Meterologist" Lee. His words about Anchor Porter: "I know it's not the most summery beer, but it's......

Fried chicken is one of those dishes that we eat about twice a year; usually one of those times is disappointing. It’s a dish that’s very easy to get wrong and even the best examples of the frying art sometimes weigh you down like a lead overcoat. Happily, there is fresh hope for the fried chicken lovers of Chicago who are willing to try something a little different. Crisp is a Korean restaurant that specializes......

Japan's Love Psychedelico is fronted by singer Kumi and guitarist Naoki Sato. Their latest self-titled disc is their American debut, but they already have a whole passel of albums that have sold millions overseas. We admit when we first put this one under the stylus we were expecting yet another faceless J-Pop band, but man-oh-man were we wrong. The group sings sunny, late-'60s inspired guitar pop, and its so finely constructed that when Kumi mixes......

Occasionally I receive e-mails from readers asking what taverns or restaurants they can find the "BotW" selections and if I could include them in the reviews. Admittedly I take for granted that readers know I buy most of the selections from one of two stores: Lush Wine and Spirits University Village location and Archer Liquors. But knowing that a certain bar carries a "BotW" selection may spur some readers to both seek out the beer......

We've been smitten with the Icelandic band Sigur Ros ever since we first laid ears on their sophomore effort, 1999's Agætis Byrjun. That album's spacey, icy atmosphere did its cover art justice: it felt like music from another world that perfectly captured the feeling of being on the new millennium's doorstep. Over the course of four proper albums, a collection of singles, EPs, and soundtracks, Sigur Ros has captivated us every step of the way.......

There's no shortage of good Persian or Lebanese food in Albany park. Kedzie Avenue has Noon O' Kabob and the amazing Semiramis. Near the intersection of Kedzie and Lawrence sits Al-Khaymeih. This spacious restaurant offers the best of both dining worlds. Customers are treated to familiar Lebanese dishes served promptly by very attentive waiters who cleared out empty plates as soon as they saw them, kept the pita and hummous coming and uncorked our......

Erykah Badu's New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) is just completely and utterly fantastic, and believe us when we say that judgment is based on an objective level. Badu has long been a cypher of sorts -- is she an Earth mother? a revolutionary? an unbalanced eccentric? -- but New Amerykah draws together all the disparate threads of her personality and weaves them into a piece of work that stands as her strongest statement......

Dan Roush wrote his main choice in the header of his e-mail, along with a couple other selections that we needed to hunt down for later. Thankfully, Dan stayed local, recommending Two Brothers "The Bitter End" Pale Ale. This American pale ale, a winner at the US Beer Tasting Championship, is a wonderful brew. It pours a light amber to copper in color with a lot of head and lacing on the glass. We could......

Photo by Chris Butcher It's hard to believe Sloan has been around for over 17 years. It's even harder to believe that in that time the band has released 9 studio albums, 1 live album, and zero weak albums. Sure, some discs are stronger than others, for instance even though we loved 2006's 30-track Never Hear The End Of It the disc probably could have benefited by a bit of judicious culling, but overall......

There are more places to eat on 18th Street besides carnitas shops and taquerias. Honky Tonk BBQ and Mundial have their fans and there are more than enough pizza joints and hot dog stands for the lunch pail crowd to feel sated during the week. Then there's Take Me Out, a basic Chinese restaurant located a block east of Ashland, across the street from the offices for Thrill Jockey Records. If you don't stop......

We almost fell off our chair when we learned The Republic Tigers were from Kansas City. To us their dreamy pop sounds far more suited to the fog filled late-night / early morning streets of London. But we suppose that just goes to illustrate how convincing the musical tableaux the band has managed to craft around themselves really is. The band's debut, Keep Color, is chock full of layered vocals and gently insistent melodies. Most......

Our second annual "reader's choice" month here at "BotW" begins with a simple question from Dan Jones: "How about Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter?" How about it, Dan? We've been on a porter kick lately as grilling season is starting to kick into high gear. The smell of smoke normally suggests to our senses barbecue and smoke is what you get on the nose with Edmund Fitzgerald immediately upon pouring, along with a deep black......

The Futureheads' live show is a spectacle to behold. The band combines ultra-tight four-part harmonies with whip-snap drumming and razor sharp guitars. Their debut album was the best thing XTC hadn't recorded in two decades. The band seemed poised to have it all. Their sophomore disc came out to middling reviews and to be honest, it just wasn't nearly as good as their first one. The band retreated for a rethink and recently reemerged with......

The seeds for a recent visit to Juicy Wine Company for brunch started with a spirited discussion over where to find a good bloody mary. Every item on Juicy's brunch menu, served Saturday and Sunday - is $5 and we wondered if we would be served a quality bloody mary for the price. Thankfully, we were, although it was served in a Collins glass, not the standard pint to which we're accustomed. The can......

We really find it somewhat amusing that Figdish, a band known for short, punchy, pop songs, would eventually spawn NESS, a band unafraid of either over-the-top bombast or 25-minute songs. One listen to the new NESS disc, You Can't Afford To Feel, and the progression no longer seems so unlikely. Bandleader Rick Ness still manages to write super-catchy pop songs, the only difference is that he is fearless about letting them develop at their......

Add The Dandy Warhols to the ever growing list of established bands adopting inventive new routes for getting their music out to the people. The band has released it newest album, ...Earth To The Dandy Warhols..., under an innovative subscription model for folks that want the album before the physical discs hit the streets. For $34.99 subscribers get a digital copy now, a physical copy in the mail accompanied by a hand silk-screened poster, one......

A couple of weeks ago we had the chance to stop by Mado, a new Wicker Park dining spot. Just off the main Milwaukee Street business district, Mado is tucked away in a cute little spot with exposed brick, chalkboards on the walls and pretty, understated décor. We’d heard a lot of good things, and went in with high expectations. Mado focuses on local products and wood-grilled meats. Their antipasti selection includes a variety of......

You've seen Ramon Norwood around town, trust us. He's kind of a hard guy to miss since his tall figure is easily spotted bobbing to the beats at shows around town, but you would never guess he's the sort of guy to hole up in a studio to create a hip-hop concept disc based around the neighborhoods he frequents around town. Working under the moniker of Radius, Norwood has done just that and created an......

Leading into next week's "Reader's Choice" selections, we figured we'd stick local. You'll remember that last month Flossmoor Station Brewpub launched a bottled beer program. One of the three selections they bottled also happens to be a longtime favorite of ours whenever we take the Metra Electric down that way. For folks who think brown ales start and stop with Newcastle you are in for a treat with Flossmoor's Pullman Brown Ale. This monster ale......

After a full day in trade show hell, we needed a beer to the point that we might have accepted a Budweiser if it was presented to us. Lucky for us we moseyed past the Food and Wine of Australia booth before it came to that. The Australian-based Coopers Brewery is noted for making simple, clean beers, and home brew kits. We've actually experimented with their malt and yeast extracts in the past and came......