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!

Flatfoot 56 - Warriors mp3

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The startling, romantic voice of singer Ana Laan was born in Madrid and matured in Stockholm, Sweden. The daughter of a Spanish professor of literature and an American mother, Ana was raised in a home where learning was revered and multi-culturalism was the norm.

As a teenager who spoke several languages fluently (including English, Spanish and Swedish) she returned to Spain to finish her secondary education and then went on to University in Madrid, where she studied English Literature in earnest. To this day, Ana remains a great reader of books and a woman deeply involved in the cultural movements of the world. She is particularly taken with the plight of the outsider, perhaps because she, too, has felt what the outsider feels as she has traveled from country to country.

Ana spent the summer of 2006 in New York recording her sophomore album, Chocolate and Roses, co-produced with Leo Sidran. Although in this CD she remains faithful to her Latin roots, she’s ventured out on a bit of a limb as a songwriter, with a larger portion of songs in English, and even a couple of bilingual tracks, along with a smattering of French and a traditional Swedish folksong.

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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!

Aaron Mansfield - Try mp3

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Lets all give a little listen to the Devonshire [UK] four piece known as Hey Molly. With over 18 different varieties of beer and cider on their jeans, their home made hair cuts and their DIY touring, these lads are never really at home unless they are in their transit van playing town to town eight days a week. With their continously changing live stage shows, the lads who dont even know the meaning of the words “set list” (as it would never go to plan if to be written), play an exciting set of catchy scratchy original songs to make you dance sing and play with the person you thought you’d never play with.

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Band Links:

• heymolly.co.uk
• Myspace
• Youtube

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After a fairly long absence, IR Orlando is back! This episode will give you a taste of some great bands who will be playing in the upcoming Florida Music Festival next weekend (May 15, 16, and 17). Please check the festival website for dates, times, and location information for the many music showcases, and get out and support your local scene!

FLORIDA MUSIC FESTIVAL

1. Dish | Cold Is | BUY (debut EP)

2. The Queues | And I Never Knew Her

3. Trés Bien | Easy to Love Me | STORE

4. Pop Suicide | I’m So Indie

5. Ambertone | My Disaster

6. Empyrean | Gods & Idols

7. Clock Hands Strangle | The Soul of the Universe | BUY (new album)

8. The Oaks | Masood | BUY

9. Lonely Heroes | Perfect Day

10. Mike Dunn & the Kings of New England | The Queen | MySpace | BUY | iTunes

11. Derek Stroker | Lose Control | MySpace | iTunes

12. Fairweather Friend | See This Through | BUY

13. Strangers | Hey Hey Spacemen

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I don’t know too much about them currently, although am intrigued by the song references to the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire. If you’d like to hear more you can check them out at the site above or at Starcleaner Records.

Happy Mothers Day.

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Friend and classy wordsmith of “The Black Watch”, John, told me that his band will be cracking into a fresh show at the Echo, and naturally I was surprised to hear his troubadours will include Steve Schayer (Ex- The Chills/Clay Idols).

All three groups performing have new albums that just released or are about to drop, and we are also very excited to present the following gems excavated from our audio spelunking:

LINEUP….UP….Up….up….
1) The Black Watch - On Another Plane
2) Port O’Brien - Five and Dime
3) Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - I Think I Wanna Die

Artist online stores: TBW | POB | SSLYBY

Manny Motta… motta.. motta…

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Once claimed to have once actually seen The Lone Ranger. First record purchased was Glen Campbell’s “Rhinestone Cowboy”, but mostly listened to dad’s Frank Sinatra and Al Jolsen records. Lives in New York City across from Jack’s Coffee. Would most likely pick up his acoustic guitar to write a song but should probably do this on piano more often. There are also banjos, basses, harmonicas, tambourines, mandolins, accordians, and a wurlitzer strewn across his room in various states of disrepair.

He really wishes he had a dog. Knows that if he can’t decide what to listen to, “Sweetheart of the Rodeo”, “Harvest”, “Pink Moon” or “Being There” never feel wrong. Some of the most talented people he knows are his friends and they’re all broke too. “Photographs of 1971″ is Don’s third album.

Check out Don’s blog, The Velvet Elk. Recent topic: Top 5 Welding Movies of all Time! Don can also be found on iTunes or CD Baby when he isn’t watching his favorite welding flicks.

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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

BOUNCE Radio

IR Chicago Store

IR Chicago #21

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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

Dot Dot Dot - Stay mp3

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Love Song: Timothy Simpson From his album “Timothy Simpson” From Lakeland, Florida Timothy Simpson has just released his self-titled second album. This is an impressive feat for anyone, but even more so for Simpson, who handles writing, recording, promotion and booking himself, while working around his main career as a Surgical Intensive Care Unit nurse. This leaves less time for playing live than many artists spend, but he still manages to do it from time to time and has lent his considerable talents to some benefit shows in Orlando and Tampa. He also made an appearance as a musical guest on “Studio 10,” a TV show produced in Tampa (performing “The New Year” with his friends guitarist and singer Harry Behr and drummer Perry Danner, and you can view that on his MySpace page along with some other video performances. Purchase his new CD, “Timothy Simpson” at CD Baby, and while you’re at it, grab a copy of his excellent debut CD too!

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Links:

• Myspace
• Purchase at CD Baby
• YouTube

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It is the first time since Crowded House in 1986, that a New Zealand act has broken into the US top 10. Five summers ago, excited whispers raced across the Edinburgh Festival about two deadpan, strumming-and-singing Kiwis. Even those with a morbid dread of “comic” songs were saying that they were the driest, drollest, funniest act in the city. And those rumours were right.” [Telegraph]

“On 24th of April FOTC caused a Beatles-like frenzy in Los Angeles, where they performed for a packed house at Amoeba Records. Hundreds of screaming fans had to be turned away because the New Zealand musical comedy duo brought out a massive crowd that reportedly rivalled that of former Beatle Paul McCartney, who performed at the same venue last year.” [NME]

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For more New Zealand musical goodness, don’t forget to check out the Insomnia Radio: New Zealand regional show hosted by Laurie Stanbridge!! Drop by Subpop as well, and while you are there don’t forget to congratulate them on their 20th anniversary this year!

Upcoming FOTC Shows
May 9, 2008 - Lisner Auditorium, Washington, DC.
May 10, 2008 - Michigan Theatre, Ann Arbor
May 11, 2008 - Riverside Theatre, Milwaukee
May 13, 2008 - Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis
May 1