Get Everything
Flatfoot 56- Warriors
May 15, 2008
Carl Sandburg once wrote of Chicago, “They tell me you are wicked and I believe them,” but that wasn’t necessarily a dis. The storied poet and historian subsequently breaks down a laundry list of Windy City malfeasance, only to boldly proclaim, “Come and show me another city with lifted head singing so proud to be alive and coarse and strong and cunning.” It’s a perspective shared by the fiery young South Siders of Flatfoot 56, but the boys go one better than unyielding urban pride. On their second Flicker Records’ full-length Jungle of the Midwest Sea, a rollicking barrage of Celtic punk and hardcore roundhouses, a more universal message is clear: Where you live is who you are, so don’t blow it.
The ensuing 14-track onslaught more than underscores the sentiment. Comprised of brothers Tobin, Justin and Kyle Bawinkel (respectively frontman, drummer and bassist) along with tartan-toting multi-instrumentalist Josh Robieson, Flatfoot 56 attacks dark subject matter—avarice, faithlessness, cowardice—with a gravity that belies their barely legal ages. That said, in the tradition of their street-punk forefathers, they’re just as adept at dialing up bone-crunching good times. Most of the Flatfoot live show is improvised, and it’s all contingent on Robieson and crew making swift transitions between guitar, mandolin, bagpipes and whatever other eclectic instruments they bring to the party.
“He’s got it down to a science,” Tobin says of Robieson’s equipment juggling. “We don’t really make set lists. We kind of go with hand signals because we like to play certain songs to get certain crowds involved. Because of that, Josh has become really quick at flipping instruments. He’ll have a guy stand on the side for bigger shows to throw him the instrument he needs. It helps to tailor our set to each crowd as opposed to playing the same songs every night.”
While Flatfoot is already accomplished entertainers—they’ll break out Twisted Sister or the Proclaimers for a broad audience, lesser-known Ramones scorchers for more discerning punk crowds—their principled intensity is unmatched. Jungle of the Midwest Sea’s title track is informed by Upton Sinclair’s infamous turn-of-the-century novel The Jungle, which single-handedly transformed Chitown via a scathing assault on the meat-packing industry and lower-class exploitation. (“I like it when bands write historical songs,” notes Tobin, who has a degree to teach high school history. “Iron Maiden was known for doing that a lot.”) Bouzouki-driven stomp “The Galley Slave” applauds courage in the face of adversity, and the breakneck “Loaded Gun” appeals for a progressive stance against the perpetuity of violence. The songs are rich in conscience, even deeper in metaphor.
Then there’s the grab bag of influences that color Flatfoot’s palette: Tobin fell for the Pogues after high school, ultimately incorporating elements of Oi!, hardcore, ska and even folk into his band’s populist mix. (“My dad always played things like ‘Do Your Ears Hang Low’ to us when we were kids, stupid little songs that basically mean nothing, but at the same time they’re funny little plays on words.”) And although it’s not their primary inspiration, Flatfoot’s love of old school Celtic traditional folk bands like the Dubliners and Chieftains is certainly among their most intriguing.
“When you look at the roots of Celtic music, most of that isn’t created by rich upper-class people—it’s a middle-of-the-lower-class style of music,” Tobin explains. “The best writers of some of the Celtic classics were all immigrants making nothing. It’s all about the rich oppressing them. Obviously, punk is not a very positive thinking genre as a whole either as it also comes from the lower-class kids.”
At the end of the day, Flatfoot covers a wide swath of the punk spectrum, from impassioned to idiosyncratic, and fans have their choice of which version to embrace. For what it’s worth, the band claims that the show’s in the audience, not onstage. That’s community. That’s reciprocation. That, says Tobin, is “what punk rock is all about.”
“People come up to us all the time and say, ‘I busted my nose at your show,’ and we apologize and they’re like, ‘No, it’s the best breaking I’ve ever had,’” the frontman laughs. “It’s like a war wound. Not like we encourage that type of thing, but a lot of people take pride in remembering that show—they’ll have it the rest of their lives.”
Artist – Flatfoot 56
Track – Warriors
Album – Jungle of the Midwest Sea Buy it!
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Aaron Mansfield – Try
May 13, 2008
At 11 years old, Aaron Mansfield picked up a guitar and started strumming as loud as possible at a local guitar shop, having no clue what a chord was or how to coordinate his hands to do two different things. He believed he found his passion at that moment. At 13, Aaron was playing at his church, coffee houses and at friend’s houses at any opportunity he had. On an overnight plan, Aaron packed up and moved away from the “townie” lifestyle. In an effort to move his career forward, Aaron took his music to the world playing two weeks in Italy.
Aaron’s obsession is to connect through music. He has the drive and ambition that many musicians could dream of.
“I write and sing my songs because…I just do, if people like the songs and shows, that’s awesome. That’s what I want, but it’s a sweet thing doing this for no other reason than because it’s my passion.”
Currently, Aaron is one of the most genuine independent singer/songwriters in the industry right now. He consistently brings cordial songs that anyone can comprehend through his pop/rock music.
Artist – Aaron Mansfield
Track – Try
CD – Portrait of Me – Buy It!
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IR Chicago #21
May 9, 2008
Quite a high energy episode this time! Need one every once in a while! This one has some punk rock, glam rock and rock. Enjoy! Also, come and visit me at bounceradio.net Live every Monday 11pm est/10pm cst/ 8pm pst!
Set List
Here We Are – Swizzle Tree
Lights Go Out – Deadfingers
Rain – Dead Town Revival
The First Time – Audio Spaghetti
Strip Rock Roll – Asphalt Valentine
Warriors – Flatfoot 56
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Dot Dot Dot – Stay
May 9, 2008
Millions have seen Dot Dot Dot.
Chicago’s hottest band was chosen from thousands to participate in Fox Television’s “The Next Great American Band”, which aired nationally in 2007. Featuring the all-star cast of Adam Blair, Rose, Michael, Little Lisa, and $tephan, Dot Dot Dot explodes with energy every time they get on stage.
Performing songs from their tv appearances, past and present hits, and their own original material, Dot Dot Dot delivers each song with such intensity and commitment, you would think they had written every song they play.
This full time touring band regularly performs for thousands in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Demand has become so great for Dot Dot Dot, they are now performing across the nation.
Armed with an impressive schedule, extensive contact list, hundreds of thousands of MySpace hits, and thousands of online friends, Dot Dot Dot are fast becoming America’s darlings!
Artist – Dot Dot Dot
Track – Stay
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Algren – Bled
May 6, 2008
These are words that have been used to describe Algren, a fresh rock band from Chicago that has burst onto the local music scene with their unique blend of introspective lyrics, searing guitar riffs, grooving rhythms and dynamic songwriting.
Although just formed in July 2006 the members of Algren bring with them a rich musical history that has aided their rapid development as a band. Vocalist Aaron Priest, Guitarist Jonathan Iseman and Bassist Jason Holly played together for three years in the band Amici, a group out of Valparaiso, Indiana that received numerous accolades and significant regional radio airplay for tracks on the 2003 release, “801 EP”. After a two year musical hiatus, the three friends reconnected in Chicago last year and formed Algren with new drummer Ben Brown.
Algren hit the ground running, quickly building a repertoire of songs that are difficult to label into one specific genre. Known for their inspiringly energetic sets, Algren has played gigs at numerous Chicagoland bars and clubs throughout spring 2007, including highlight performances at Double Door, Cubby Bear, Elbo Room, and Martyr’s. The band is quickly building up a devoted fan base with the help of various media outlets, such as Fearless Radio, the Red Eye, Rock Chicago on CANTV-19, The Local Tourist, and 97.9 The Loop which featured Algren’s “Bled” on Erin Carman’s Local Music Monday program.
All four members are dedicated and driven musicians, performers, and promoters looking to make a name for themselves in the regional and national market while performing the music they love. The group recorded a new demo in December and looks to record a full-length album for a summer/fall 2008 release. Please feel free to contact the band via AlgrenMusic@gmail.com.
Artist – Algren
Track – Bled
Daily Dose – Algren – Bled mp3
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Sarah VonderHaar – I Got Sunshine
April 30, 2008
From Chicago, IL., Sarah VonderHaar has been a busy girl! She has been a contestant on America’s Top Model, photographed her first Forbes magazine spread, acted in a film and now just finished her debut album! Released on April 22nd, her debut album is called Are You Listening Now?. I Got Sunshine is an optimistic song reminding us that we need to try to stay that way in this troubled world.
Artist – Sarah VonderHaar
Track – I Got Sunshine
Album – Are You Listening Now? Buy It!
Daily Dose – Sarah Vonderhaar – I Got Sunshine mp3
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Olaus – Perfect is a Myth
April 27, 2008
Olaus is a guitarist and songwriter who hails from the Chicagoland area and has been writing and performing since before the turn of the millenia. His current full-length album, Abort, features a wide array of songwriting styles and musical palattes encompassing guitar-driven classic rock, dusty sidewalk folk, and bright summertime pop. Featuring instantly memorable melodic hooks and deft phrasings, these are the kind of songs you find yourself humming the next day; songs of a committed craftsman with a core of pure feeling, sung in a pitch-perfect baritone/tenor as expressive as the guitarwork that supports it. These songs are raucous celebrations, heartbreaking elegies, blissful fantasias and savage double-edged accusations, incisive examinations of tattered relationships and enduring friendships, with lyrics that consistently avoid cliche in favor of fresh metaphor and dazzling poetic power, delivered in energetic and passionate live performance.
-Aaron Young
a note from O-
I fluctuate wildly between pride and hatred of this project, which is one of the uderlying themes tying all these tracks together. My indecision. Incapability. Fear of success, fear of commitment, and fear of failure all in one. Abort is my expression of abandonment issues in the abstract; abandonment I have both dealt and felt when dealt to me. Hopefully it’s catchy enough to make up for being such a convoluted pile of… pop.
Artist – Olaus
Track – Perfect is a Myth
Album – Abort
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IR Chicago #20 – A Taste of my BOUNCE Debut
April 24, 2008
If you missed my LIVE show here is a taste of what I had on! It was a little nerve wracking but, I am excited to do it every Monday! Come join me sometime and also check out the other shows that are on BOUNCE Radio….Net Radio Worth Listening To!!!
Set List
No You Don’t – The Good Luck Joes
How Was I Supposed to Know – Painkiller Hotel
Waiting For No One – Mike Mangione
Along the Way – Jen Porter
Marionette’s Eyes – Mindsight
Fast Girl – The Frantic
I Got Sunshine – Sarah VonderHaar
Other links
Audio Comment Line – 1-206-339-8893
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Relic – Inside
April 23, 2008
From Youngstown, Ohio, Relic is for sure your ultimate DIY band! They finance, promote and book everything themselves! With strong melodic riffs and heartfelt lyrics, they bring Hard Rock, Alternative and Metal to a different level! Inside comes off of their debut EP Nothing Sacred!
Artist – Relic
Track – Inside
EP – Nothing Sacred
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Promo for Show on BOUNCE Radio
April 22, 2008
Here is my first promo for my LIVE show on bounceradio.net!
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