Rob Merz (aka Static In Verona) has released a new full-length album called Everything You Knew Before You Knew Everything. Merz has been involved in the Chicago music scene for more than 18 years. He released his debut album back in 2009, and has released the follow-up. The reflects those five years of experiencing and experimenting.

Animal Holograms began as a solo project for Jason Willams, but the dark dream pop project has evolved into a full band with a full and ominous sound. The is slated to release their full-length debut album, í sólina, this May.

You can catch Animal Holograms on April 6th at Beat Kitchen with Pool Holograph and Hobbyist.

Guerilla has released the first single, "Royal American", from their forthcoming debut full-length, Everyone’s An Idiot. The sound on the new single has a nice nostalgic ’90’s grunge sound.

Everyone’s An Idiot will be released on April 20th.

The garage pop trio Varsity are releasing their EP, "Thanks For Nothing", via Jurassic Pop digitally and on Cassette on April 8th. The band has released the incredibly catching track "New Wave" for all to listen to.

Varsity will be celebrating the release of "Thanks For Nothing" at Emporium Arcade Bar (1366 N. Milwaukee) on April 8th with The Peekaboos. They will also be performing at Beat Kitchen on April 19th with Owel, Moxie Movie, and Dream Version.

Suburban Pop-Punk band The Cheyenne Line have released their debut EP, "Kid I Used To Know" digitally, and are still working on the physically product. The EP is energetic and seems to put a subtle new twist on the ’90’s Pop-Punk style.

You can venture on into the suburbs and catch The Cheyenne Line on April 26th at McHenry Moose Lodge #691.

The Psych-Pop band NE-HI will be releasing their new self-titled debut 12" via Manic Static in early April. The band has been building stream lately including being included on the their Revolution Brewing compilation CD for the release of their latest brew JukeBox Hero. The lead single for the 12" is called "Since I’ve been Thinking".

You can catch NE-HI at Empty Bottle on April 6th with The Rubs.

Mint Lab Astronauts (M.L.A.) have been very active in 2014. The duo, j.pak and pak.one, released an ep last month called "Return of the Astros". Since then they have dropped another three outstanding tracks, "Lyle", "Hocus Focus" and the most recently the Nate Dogg tribute "Blue Dream".

Robot Hilarious is the off-kilter hop hop of 2bones, Hound Dog, and Gamma Ray. The group dropped their latest album, It’s Official, digitally back in January, but now have physically copies ready to be sold. The album is mixture of experimental hip hop styles each more inventive then the last.

The CD release event for It’s Offical will take place on April 11th at Elastic (2830 N. Milwaukee 2nd Floor).

Wedding Dress, Mike Russell & Matt Lemke (Suns), Bobby Burg (Love of Everything/Joan of Arc) and Christian Dawson (Gypsyblood), signed to Lovitt Records at the start of 2014 and have been working on their debut full-length album. The band has a single, "Loom" b/w "Heavy Earth", and a video ready to be released. The album is due out this fall.

Wedding Dress will celebrate the release of their new single on April 18th at Empty Bottle.

Hotbreath Tea & The Invisible Branches have released a new single, "All Night Jewel". It is the first released track from a forthcoming LP the band is currently working on.

The new coffee table book on the legendary Chicago band The Jesus Lizard was released earlier this month by Akashic Books. The book contains photography, art, and other imagery with written pieces by all four members of the band. The Chicago release party takes place tomorrow night, March 27th at Empty Bottle and will feature a panel discussion moderated by Rian Murphy of Drag City and featuring David Yow, David Sims, and Mac McNeilly of Jesus Lizard. The night will also feature Chicago authors Joe Meno and Megan Stielstra reading new piece inspired by the band.

The release party takes places at Empty Bottle on March 27th at 7pm and is free with RSVP.

Axons is the work of Adele Nicholas. Earlier this month she released her debut EP Inter Vivos on cassette and digitally. Her sound is filled with dark electronics and wonderfully haunting vocals. Her first batch of cassettes sold out quickly so I would recommend grabbing one of the second batch while you still can.

Photo by Rob Gaczol