Music Reviews

The Tide Has Turned by The Assembly»

The Assembly
“The Tide Has Turned”
Self-Released
Click here to buy the disc!
Chicago’s The Assembly is comprised of the far too talented Dave Suh on Vocals/Guitars, Nathan Suh the master on the keys, Gary Gustovich on pounding on the Bass, and Mike Zuffante slamming the hell out of the Drums. To those of you from Chicago whom haven’t [...]

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You Are All My People by I’m Not Jim»

You Are All My People is a collaboration of The Silos founder Walter Salas-Humara, critically acclaimed novelist, Jonathan Lethem, and music production team, The Elegant Too, Chris Maxwell and Phil Hernandez. It was released last month on Bloodshot Records and is the first time all artists have worked together. You Are All My People is [...]

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Firelight by The Coral Sea»

The Coral Sea
“Firelight”
Self-released
Click here to buy the CD!
The Coral Sea is composed of some of the most talented musicians whom are based in Santa Barbara, California is producing some of the best original sounds that I’ve come across in Independent music since I started covering it just over 15 years ago. Rey Villalobos’s delicate vocals [...]

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Autonomy vs Shame EP by The Unbearables»

Autonomy vs Shame by The Unbearables
A little information about the EP (from The Unbearables website)
“2008-2009 marks a busy period for The Unbearables. Plans include three EP’s being released. The theme behind the EP’s involve achieved social scientist Erik Erikson’s “Stages of Social Development”. Each EP will be released as a stage, one conflicting another. The [...]

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New Denver by Motel Motel»

New Denver by Motel Motel
Eric Engel, Mickey Theis, Timothy Sullivan, and Jeremy Duval make up one of my favorite bands, Motel Motel. Engel has this great unique voice which is what first hooked me in. You can definitely hear the slight influences of Sonic Youth that is inevitable on any band originally from NYC, but [...]

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Cardboard Wings by Birdlips»

Cardboard Wings by Birdlips
Birdlips’ Cardboard Wings transports you to a different time, bringing up images of the perfect autumn day filled with lush reds and oranges walking down a dirt road paved only by the footsteps of strangers paving a path along their travels. I suppose in this instance Nick Drake and Jack Kerouac would [...]

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Just Say Yes by The Narrative»

Just Say Yes by The Narrative
Just Say Yes by The Narrative is one of my favorite EPs I’ve received in the past couple months. I adore them so because they have this Mates of State meets old Jimmy Eat World sound that makes my heart ache in such a wonderful way. I love Suzie’s vocals [...]

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Moonwink by The Spinto Band»

Moonwink by The Spinto Band
Released on Park the Van
If you’re looking for a great indie pop band that makes you dance around your room with a smile then I highly recommend The Spinto Band’s Moonwink. It’s full of hooks, snaps and at some points beats just perfect enough for a little clapping action. You won’t [...]

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Feeling Like You Used by Color Radio»

Feeling Like You Used To by Color Radio
Color Radio’s Feeling Like You Used To is an EP made of five brilliant songs that don’t scream at your and at the same time don’t put you to sleep. Reminiscent of Snow and Patrol and Coldplay these Chicago boys have a gift for ambient pop rock that [...]

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Devastator by Star»

Star — “Devastator”
Click here to buy the CD!
Upon first listen I was immediately thrust back into shoegazer heyday. Star’s album, “Devastator” borrows heavily from the Jesus & Mary Chain guitar sound, and the vocals seem to be reminiscent of the sweet harmonies of Lush and Love Spirals Downward. Shannon Roberts voice is a beautiful counterpoint [...]

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The Ax in The Oak by Ben Weaver»

The Ax in The Oak by Ben Weaver
Released August 12, 2008 on Bloodshot Records
The Ax in The Oak plays through my apartment passing through the thins walls slowly filling each room with it’s bittersweet melodies. I find it hard to write this review because I’d rather just sit on the couch with a beer and [...]

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Fictions EP by Snowsera»

Fictions EP by Snowsera
Snowsera consists of University of Illinois students, vocalist Bill Arteaga, bassist Nate Christenson, guitarist Ian Erard and drummer Jeff Wagner. Considering the band only formed last year, and they haven’t even recorded a full length album yet, I was rather impressed by their second EP titled Fictions.
The EP only contains 5 tracks, [...]

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OKR Articles

The Music of Obama and McCain»

With less than a week to go until the election, it’s time to examine the most important and pressing issue for those of us at One Kind Radio: campaign music.
Just like in our everyday lives, music is a constant presence in both the McCain and Obama camps. It’s there before and after speeches; sometimes it’s [...]

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GIVE AWAY!! SHARING IS CARING!!»

Receiving and giving mixes has always been one of my favorite things. I still get a little giddy when someone gives me a mix. Some of my most beloved bands have been passed on to me by friends or old flames on lovingly made mixes.
Recently, onekindradio had a private launch party, to celebrate, the staff [...]

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Perfect for Autumn, Everything All the Time»

As I was walking to my car this morning, the leaves were zig zagging softly down to the ground; they were yellow, and it finally hit me, Fall has arrived. I’ve been to busy to notice the trees have begun to turn brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows and shed their leaves. The weather here in [...]

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Indie Label Feature: Matador Records»

For me, Matador is like that friend you have known since high school. Maybe at times you weren’t as close as you had been, but for some reason or another eventually you reconnect, and they become an important part of you life again. Matador has grown with me. There were times when bands on Matador [...]

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Xtine’s Favorite Podcast: Talking Ship»

I am a blog addict. I love MP3 blogs, regional blogs, radio blogs, what have you. But my most most favorite is Talking Ship.
Talking Ship is a talk show with Jitterbug and Nerves and is one of the few pocasts that actually belong on radio. Most podcasts are entertaining but are dreadfully amateur whereas Talking [...]

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Concert Reviews

Hideout Block Party: Day One»

I spent this weekend completely immersed in show after show after. Well, mainly two: Tiger Spirit at the Darkroom which you can check out my review for elsewhere on the site and The Hideout Block Party. When the lineup was first announced all I cared about was Neko Case solo and The New Pornographers. When [...]

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Hideout Block Party: Day Two»

So I got up to the Hideout Block Party later than I had planned and I was pretty pissed at myself for missing The Jon Rauhause Sextet and Honey Boy Edwards with Devil in a Woodpile - BOO!!!
But I made it in time to hear Ugly Suit - which I absolutely loved. So first off, [...]

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Hideout Block Party 2008 According to John B»

After reading Xtine’s coverage, which she covered very well, of the event I noticed some differences between our viewpoints on the experience and felt that it was much needed to get another aspect on OKR.
After covering the Chicago Blues Fest, West Fest, Wicker Park Fest, Celtic Fest, and anything else called something “Fest” here in [...]

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Armchair View: Andrew Bird at the Pritzker Pavilion Chicago»

It’s a few minutes after six and I’m in a little produce store on the northeast side of the City after work. I had decided hours ago that I was going to skip the Andrew Bird show, despite the fact that I had sent out an email notice to friends to mark their calendars for [...]

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Midstates Live at the Empty Bottle»

by Jason K & Karen K
Midstates’ show August 22 at the Empty Bottle in Chicago presented the first time I could catch the new lineup. After seeing the band over the past several years, I was excited to see what the new Midstates would bring. Over the past decades, it seems that Midstates’ lineup has [...]

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