COMPLEX COMPLEX

CONFIDE

CONFLUX

Conflux’s music coalesces meticulous classical composition, loose jazz improvisation, and raw heavy metal brutality into a deeply sophisticated but widely accessible sound. Sound crazy? It is. But it’s also unequivocally awesome. With a broad range of appeal, the quartet consistently challenges the notion that “art” and “entertainment” are two separate entities, producing songs that are just as groovy as they are cerebral.

Consider The Source

CONSIDER THE SOURCE

Sci-fi fusion trio Consider the Source defy easy categorization. If intergalactic energy beings, upon their initiation into an order of whirling dervishes, built a pan-dimensional booty-shaking engine powered by psychedelic math…it would sound like a cut-rate CTS cover band. With their blend of progressive rock and improvisatory jazz, soaked in Indian and Middle Eastern styles, CTS blends disparate elements into an utterly original whole. A relentless touring schedule has earned them a fervent following around the world, with fans ranging from jam-band hippies to corpse-painted headbangers.

Their latest album, You Are Literally a Metaphor, is the culmination of a fifteen-year musical journey. Packed with the same fury and dazzling virtuosity of their previous work, Metaphor is also a portrait of three musicians reaching new levels of maturity.

From the bluesy swing of “When You’ve Loved and Lost Like Frankie Has” to the ethereal electro-synths of “Sketches From a Blind Man”, CTS’s minimalist pop instincts stand shoulder-to-shoulder with progressive metal and freewheeling improvisation in a true expression of their omnivorous musicality. Three of Metaphor’s nine songs are Eastern European traditionals, but could easily be mistaken for the band’s original tunes, so singular has their sound become. CTS retain their signature fiery maximalism while pushing the hooky, anthemic songwriting to the forefront. Bassist John Ferrara’s new Taurus bass pedals and guitarist Gabriel Marin’s new custom Vigier double-neck guitar add new dimensions to the band’s already diverse sound.

This is an album born of comfort and growth. In the five years since World War Trio, the band has toured extensively, Marin and Ferrara have released side projects, and drummer/percussionist Jeff Mann has gone from a relative newcomer to a road-hardened veteran. After all this time, CTS knows how to create space for each other, how to finish each other’s musical thoughts and sentences, how to think as three individuals but speak with one voice. You Are Literally a Metaphor is a statement of confidence, an assertion of identity from a band with no reservations and nothing to prove.

CTS have performed in a half-dozen countries across three continents. They have shared the stage with a wide variety of artists, including: Victor Wooten, King Crimson Projekt, Wyclef Jean, Ozric Tentacles, Soulive, The Disco Biscuits, Papadosio, Turkuaz, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Wayne Krantz and many others. They have performed at festivals and events including: Electric Forest, Peach Fest, Gathering of the Vibes, Resonance, Summercamp, Shakori Hills, ProgDay, and Progtober. You Are Literally a Metaphor is available at considerthesourcemusic.bandcamp.com

CONVERGE

Converge is a smart, aggressive, brutal quintet. They are an absolute cataclysm of noise that sounds like contact mics were stuffed in a bass drum and tossed down the side of a mountain. Very clever, disorienting time swaps, extensive riffage. An actual racket, swirling and careening as the band takes turns possessing and being possessed by their own instruments. Converge are so full of intelligence, skill and intensity that it’s simply masterful.

COOKIE REMAINS

COOLER BY THE LAKE

Combine tight musicianship with a loose cannon and you get Cooler by the Lake. With a two-guitar attack, rhythm section, keys, flute and sax, a dedicated back up singer and raucous singer Rory Lake at the helm, Cooler by the Lake has conquered rock clubs all over the Midwest for the last 12 years. It’s more than music; it’s an intense rock experience. That’s why their shaken cocktail of classic rock, psych, prog and punk appeals to all fans of rock, especially when served by wildly charismatic Rory Lake. Due to their unique versatility and amplified entertainment factor, Cooler by the Lake has squeezed on stages with rock legends Molly Hatchet, The Fixx and Asia as well as punk and indie acts Nashville Pussy, Cherry Valence, Danko Jones and Apocalypse Hoboken. Cooler by the Lake has also performed during a live simulcast of a bacon eating contest on ABC’s, The Jimmy Kimmel Show.

Coolzey

COOLZEY

Golden era hip-hop roots planted in black Iowa dirt are the foundation. Growth tempered by alternative era rock influence. This along with a love for the juxtaposition of the dark, horrific nature of life paired with a slapstick and comedic view of the world allow for a wide, unpredictable arsenal ranging from soul-spilling indie bedroom rock to wise-cracking battle rap and on to radio pop.

CORNMEAL

CLASSY HANDFAVOURS

CLOUD BURIAL

COACH HOUSE

COASTWEST UNREST

COLA-COLA

COLDCOCK JONES & GINA BLACK

COLDCOCK JONES & THE SHITHAWKS

Coldcock Jones & Lightnin’ Deuce Rooster formed The Buttermilk 5 in Peoria, IL in 1958 when they released their debut album, “Stop, Drop & Boogie.” Their sophomore release, ten years later, “O’ Lord the Things I Done,” flopped because they couldn’t fit enough albums in the trunk of the Zephyr. There may have been another album around that time. The band resurfaced in 1972 or 1973 with a live album recorded in St. Louis. Chuck Berry fought to have production of the album halted, as he found it stupid, but album was pressed and no one bought it. “Live At St. Louis ’72” (or ’73) sold 5 or 6 units before the band’s bass player, LaVel Brown, left the remaining albums at a music venue. Some shithole in Pekin (Illinois, not China). Coldcock and Lightnin’ both worked plenty of solo projects, but with only 8 or 9 blues musicians in Peoria, things moved slowly until they reunited in prison early in 1979. This lead to the creation of Buttermilk 5 Christmas album, “Christmas At Stateville,” which was released for charity in 1980. In Spring of 2006, Coldcock woke up in Chicago. Unable to find a ride back to Peoria, he took residence with Chicago rock band, The Last Vegas, and began recruiting musicians and doing a lot of drugs while watching Canadian television programming. When he found the right drugs and musicians, The Shithawks were hatched… and shit on everything.

Cole DeGenova

COLE DEGENOVA

Somewhere between a soul pop concert, South Side jazz club, slam poetry reading, and punk rock dive bar, lives the music of  COLE DeGENOVA. As a pianist, vocalist, and composer Cole DeGenova has spent most of his life crafting his eclectic artist voice, beginning his career at age 16 as a jazz pianist around his native Chicago. As a bandleader, he started his funky alternative soul group Cole DeGenova and The Peoples Republic at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, where he released his first album JUST PEOPLE AGAIN in 2009. A few years later, DeGenova released his second album ANOTHER COUNTRY. Now based in Chicago and Los Angeles, he is both an in demand studio musician as well as a touring performer around the globe. He has worked with Lupe Fiasco, Brett Brennen, Chance the Rapper, Gallant, Latin Grammy winner Lucky Diaz, Meshell N’Degeocello, Paula Cole, James Carter, engineer Eddie Kramer, Hey Champ, Dave Shaw, as well as funk group The Heard and experimental jazz trio Hanging Hearts. DeGenova is also a co-founder and organizer for the Chicago artist collective The Galla. His third album THE RADIO HERO MIXTAPE was released spring of 2015. His song “Hollywood Girl” was chosen as a Finalist in the 2015 American Songwriting Awards.

COLE DEGENOVA & THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC

COLLIDE AND SCOPE

COLUM A

COLUMBIA COLLEGE BANDS

Comasoft

COMASOFT

Comasoft is a pop rock band from Chicago. A lot of keyboards, a lot of jumping around and a LOT of sweet riffs. OUR NEW EP “Ropes on Fire” is done, with the lead single West Town featuring Anthony Bagnara from Makeshift Prodigy as guest vocal. We also tried something completely new this time around and that was to unplug all the machines and play some songs acoustically. You’ll hear 3 songs stripped down on this record, 2 of which might sound familiar to the old school Coma fan. We’re beyond exited to get the ball rolling on this new chapter of Comasoft. 

CHUCK INGLISH AND VIPJ OF THE COOL KIDS DJIING

CITY UNCOMMON