Dorian Taj And The Hating Game

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 6, 2010 7:40PM

Chicago is filled with treasures like Dorian Taj; these are the musicians who have been around just under the surface creating great music for so long that people tend to take them for granted. That's certainly a shame, because it's guys like Taj that provide the underpinnings of what makes Chicago such a great music town. A Midwestern work ethic and a no-bullshit approach that drives some of the most enduring offerings from our local catalog, and Taj has done his best to contribute more than a few entries.

Taj's latest album is The Hating Game, a fiery collection of garage pop spiked with venom and delivered atop brick solid rhythms countering guitars that rage and wane against scratched and sometimes venomous vocals. This is usually a young man's game and Taj is crashing it with his wisdom untarnished by boyish sentimentality. Despite often angry lyrics, the songs end up being buoyant and life affirming -- rock and soul for the oppressed -- creating a twisted blend of tunes that make you want to dance while shoving your fist through a wall.

Dorian Taj's live full-band performances take songs that throb on the albums and turns them into musical Molotov cocktails. The funny thing, though, is that these aren't angry shows. The band shows no malice. Instead Dorian Taj takes the opportunity to display the raw emotion that drives the compositions, and it's a celebration of that honesty that provides fuel for the live show's fire.

Dorian Taj plays tonight, January 6, at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western, 10 p.m., $3 advance / $5 door, 21+