Omaha-based Son, Ambulance is the clever play-on-words product of Joe Knapp and various cornhusker cronies, although the aforementioned singer/songwriter has been the band’s axis. Their debut effort, Oh Holy Fools was a collaboration with Saddle Creek star Bright Eyes, and their follow-ups, Euphemystic and Key, drew from the talents of many of the labels’ frequent contributors. Son, Ambulance’s latest release, Someone Else’s Deja Vu, is mostly a solo effort by Knapp, and departs from piano domination in favor of a more musically diverse sound that incorporates complex arrangements and a wider range of instruments. more ›

This week looks to finally mark the beginning of winter around here, and while we're not huge fans of bulky sweaters, digging our out cars from under three feet of snow, and the unshakable common cold, we do love the feeling of coming out of the freeze and into our favorite cozy Chicago music venues. Ushering in wool sock weather this week are three very special rock shows: more ›

Two Gallants are some weary motherfuckers. Besides the strained, vagabond nature of their music — and the "holy crap, that guy is messed up!" storytelling in Adam Stephens’ serrated, whiskey-choked voice — there’s the black-and-white fact that these San Franciscans have a total of 14 days off between now and the end of the year. Indeed, Stephens and drummer Tyson Vogel seem to be living up to the title of their latest release, The Scenery... more ›

When Tim Kasher isn't busy fronting the band Cursive and writing screenplays, he's penning songs and touring with his other project, The Good Life. The band began as a side project of sorts, but now has noted two albums under its belt: 2004's heart-wrenching The Album of the Year, which narrates a romantic-turned-nasty two-year relationship, and the recently released Help Wanted Nights, which actually serves as a soundtrack to Kasher's play of the same name.... more ›

Tuesday night at Metro, The Faint attempted to answer the question, "What the hell have you guys been doing for the past three years?" With no new album to promote, they gave an hour and a half of non-stop greatest hits and debuted a couple of new songs. The new material was not as well received, as it was more stripped down, emotional and of the type of sound one would expect from a band on the Saddle Creek label. Even so, the surprisingly young crowd bounced and sweated and pumped their fists for the entire set, and although songs from The Faint's most popular album, Danse Macabre, seemed to be favored, songs such as "Worked Up So Sexual" from 1999's Blank Wave Arcade were still received with fits of full-body freak out dancing. more ›