The Dogs are back with a new album called Camping. The album recording almost entirely on their own with a few microphones and a laptop, but they did use the four hours of studio time that they won in one of our polls. Camping is an example of how mobile the process has become, and the wide range of sounds you can capture. The Dogs are a close group that feels like family, and nothing brings a group closer than roughing it in the woods of Wisconsin.

Camping officially comes out on March 1st. You can grab the first singles from the album on the band’s bandcamp page.

Heartichoke (aka Thomas Fricilone from Raise High The Roof Beam) has released a free Tribute EP to Fleetwood Mac’s Tusk album. These recordings incorporate a lot of experimentation and are uniquly beautiful little tributes. You can stream or download the Tusk Ep here.

Heartichoke will his first live show on April 29th at Viaduct Theatre.

Flosstradamus recently released a remix of the track "Equestrian" from the debut album Mirors from the Washington, D.C. band U.S. Royalty. This track will make you think it’s summer with it’s bounce and bleeps.

Grape Juice Records musician Curtis Evans appeared on Daytrotter last week and performed two tracks from his 2010 debut LP Live With The Buffalo. He also performed two other tracks, one of which appeared on his 2008 release More Songs About Lonliness. 

Sonoi have released a new video for an ambient track for a collection they will be releasing later this year. The track is called "Etude D" and the video was created by Joy Whalen.

In case you missed it, Gold Motel appeared on Daytrotter last week. The band performed four tracks from their debut LP Summer House.

Gold Motel will be performing at The Bottom Lounge on Feb. 17th.

Don’t miss the quality live session that Secret Colours recorded with the folks at Coach House Sounds. You can stream the session here.

Secret Colours will be performing at Empty Bottle on 2/17 with Panda Riot Calm Palm Vapor, and Florida’s Young Circles. The event is free with RSVP (rspv@emptybottle.com).

Are you all alone on this Valentine’s Day? Well, Kyle Andrews has a solution. He has four unique dance partners waiting for you right now. You will both will be dancing to his new track "Sushi (Slow Dancing At Prom)". You can even dance with Kyle himself. I personally enjoyed dancing with Becky, and only received a few strange looks from my co-workers. You can pick you partner here. 

Kyle will be releasing his new album Robot Learn Love will be released this summer.

Essex Channel composed the soundtrack to the Strangeloop Theatre’s Valentine’s day show "French With Me". You can download the soundtrack here, and find out about tonight one night only performance here. Also, Essex Channel’s performance on Chic-A-Go-Go will be airing on Chicago Cable Channel 19 tomorrow (2/15) at 8:30pm and 2/16 at 3:30pm.

I Lost Control is excited to announce a release for its debut EP, "Cones & Arrows" early Spring. The 5 song disc was recorded at Million Yen Studios in October. "Andy Gerber at the Yen and Collin Jordan at Boiler Room did a great job of capturing the intensity of our live shows on the disc. We’re very pleased with the result." stated Steven Anderson, lead singer for the band. "We’re glad we had the opportunity to get these songs down before Grant [Davidson, ILC’s bassist] left the band." In addition to a CD, the band plans to release a limited edition vinyl 12". The album is also available on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, and Rhapsody. The band has been rehearsing with a new bass player and is in the process of scheduling a CD release show in the Spring.

Adam James and vocalist/drummer/bassist Kyle Victor formed the band Gypsyblood in 2009 after the breakup of their previous band. Last Winter the duo recorded over 30 tracks working on their own in an old building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The songs were captured on equipment normally used for film audio recording. The openness of the building and method of recording both lend themselves to the lo-fi and raw sound the band. Gypsyblood’s style is a noisy approach to classic pop, and their debut album Cold In the Guestway will be released by Sargent House on April 12th.

The duo will be performing at Beat Kitchen on Feb. 11th and at Lincoln Hall with Maps & Atlases on March 11th before heading down to SXSW.

Casey Meehan (Rock Proper, Jitney) has been a long time supporter of Chicago Music and on Feb. 14th he is launching a new site and service called Chicago Mixtape. Its mission is simple: a mailing list that continuously connects Chicago music fans to progressive local bands by supplying a weekly compilation of high quality MP3s to its subscribers.

Fans who subscribe before midnight on Valentine’s day will instantly receive a bonus “Starter Mixtape” featuring unreleased material from long standing Chicago favorites Oh My God as well as the buzz-worthy new soul band JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound and more.