The press release for Sonoi’s debut album defines their sound as experimental pop, and with an album that is diverse and complex I can see why they defaulted to that verbiage. However, this album is very accessible, melodic, and clearly driven more by pop than experiment. What adds that extra element and excitement are the layered and textured sound that the listen will find hidden throughout the album. Yes, there is cowbell and catchy rhythms, but the band does expand their sonic palette and breaks some patterns with horns and other surprising elements. A song the really brings all of this together is the albums very first track, “Red Ant”. The track begins with what sounds like flutes or horn and then transitions into a calculated guitar rhythm before giving way to Adam Busch’s creative vocals. My favorite track on the album is the mysterious and eerie “Rotativa”, it’s all instrumental and beautifully constructed. Coupled with the closing track, “Friends In Dry Places”, Sonoi becomes more closely related to the likes of The Books than anything else. Sonoi made it live debut just over two years ago at the Hideout, and since then have culled a strong local following that with this worldwide release on Low Transit Industries should begin to spread.

Sonoi plays at Empty Bottle on May 14th.

Ever since SXSW the buzz surrounding YAWN has been unbelievable. It shows you what a solid SXSW performance can do for a band. They have a new video that should be out soon and they have a remix ep coming out shortly as well. We have a sneak peek at the ep with a remix of “Midnite” by German artist Groovehahn. The original version of the track can be found on YAWN’s free self-titled debut ep.

YAWN plays next at Empty Bottle on May 29th with Yourself and The Air.

Bully in the Hallway has a new ep called Advice that can be download now digitally (name your price) or you can buy the limited edition physical ep at their next show. The three song ep is a full-blown rock experience that was just recorded late last month at Phantom Manor. The turnaround on music these days is amazing.

Bully in the Hallway will be playing at Lincoln Hall on May 29th with Smoking Popes and Shot Baker.

Yesterday the line-up for this year’s Edible Audible Picnic was announced and the theme seems to play heavily to fans of electro-pop. Featuring bands like Thrill Jockey’s High Places and Javelin, Solvent, The Juan Maclean and Dosh and much more, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion will be bouncing all summer. The Chicago acts performing this year are The Cool Kids (6/14), Green Velvet aka Cajmere (7/3), Chicago Hip Hop — All Headz on Deck (7/24), A Grape Dope (7/26), All City Affairs (8/23), Future Rock (8/30), and Orchard Lounge (9/4).

Everyday throughout the summer between June 1 and September 21, visitors can find free concerts on the stage of the Jay Pritzker Pavilion as part of the On Stage at Noon series, along with family programs and open rehearsals of the acclaimed Grant Park Music Festival.

Tomorrow night at Schubas four local bands will take the stage. The band I would like to talk about today though is Geronimo! They are using this event to release their full-length debut album called Fuzzy Dreams. What strikes me about this album is the level of production and leap forward in quality from their previous ep. What Geronimo! was about was the gritty basement lo-fi near-punk sound, and they have retained some aspects of that, but have added a cleaner more polished element to their sound. The lead single from this album is the catchy, “Design Yourself A Heart”. The song pulls together that lo-fi grit with the distant vocals and driving guitars, but there is a pop aspect that makes it so enjoyable.

Geronimo! will be performing tomorrow night (4/30) at Schubas with Kid, You’ll Move Mountains, polarOPPOSITEbear, and Inspector Owl. Tickets are $8 and the show starts at 9pm.

Mahjongg has announced a few details on their forthcoming album, The Long Shadow of the Paper Tiger. The album will be released on July 20th by K Records and features a ton of collaborations. The band has put up three new tracks on their myspace page for fans to check out.

01 Gooble [ft. Mbulu & Robert Conn]
02 Miami Knights [ft. Suddenly Susan & Jeanine O’Toole]
03 Grooverider Free [ft. Rotten Milk]
04 Wardance
05 DeVry [ft. the Unauthorized Terrance Duke]
06 Whoop [ft. Tom Tom Tom Boy & Clint Crane]
07 LA Beat

The power pop band The Interiors have emerged from the studio to release a new five-track EP called Teeth and return to the stage. On May 3rd at Empty Bottle the band will play a free show to celebrate the release of Teeth. This release is their first since their 2008 self-titled debut on 54-40 or Fight. On a down note this will be their last show with drummer Brian Lubinsky. The band has announced that they will be looking for a new drummer, and will continue to perform and record as The Interiors.

The Interiors will be performing at Empty Bottle on May 3rd with The Ragtones and Dorian Taj. The show is free and begins at 9:30pm.

On May 4th the new single from Via Tania will be released by The:Hours. “Fields” will include remixes from Lemonade, The Presets, and The Juan Maclean. You should also check out Tania’s cover of Fever Ray’s “If I Had A Heart” filmed in New Zealand.

You can see Via Tania on June 13th at Old Town Art Fair and on June 21st at Jay Pritzker Pavilion with The Books.

It’s finally here, well almost, on May 9th at Beat Kitchen electro-magicians j+j+j will release their debut album They Hump While We Go Nuts. The band, Joanna, Johnny, and Jesus, will release these ten brand new tracks on a limited edition credit card-sized USB drive. The album features artwork by the talented local designer Jana Kinsman.

1986 (Ghost Song)byJ+J+J

j+j+j will celebrate the release with Chicago’s Faggy Pussy and Salt Lake City’s Forest World and Ok Ikumi on May 9th at Beat Kitchen. The show begins at 8pm.

The current incarnation of FETCH has only been performing since the summer of 2008 and has been able to play consistently solid shows all over the Midwest. This Friday they will be sharing the stage with New York’s Martin Bisi and Inchworm.

FETCH will be performing at Darkroom on April 30th with Inchwork and Matin Bisi. The show begins at 9pm and tickets are $8 adv/$10.

Greta Morgan’s (The Hush Sounds) new band Gold Motel has been making some noise around the city for awhile, but with their current east coast tour and the release of their full-length debut, Summer House, on June 1st, the band will be launch to the national level.

The record release event for the new album will be on June 11th at Lincoln Hall.

The latest album from Tinyfolk is being released this month through Pattern Hungry Records, and it can be preorder for just $5. The album produced by the talented local musician Jim Laczkowski (aka Garden on a Trampoline), and this added production depth has added a new element to the Tinyfolk sound. The album is fun and filled with tiny sounds and bears, but it does have few more introspective moments. My favorite track is the unexpected Mystikal cover, but the official mp3 tells the tale of the bands transition to life here in Illinois.

Tinyfolk will be performing on Thursday (April 29) at 8:00pm at Space in Evanston with Garden On A Trampoline.