A Deli favorite and winner of our 2009 emerging artist poll, I Fight Dragons made a major announcement last week. The band finally put the rumors to rest and announced that they have joined the Photo Finish / Atlantic Records roster. They also announced that they will be touring this Spring with fellow Atlantic Records bands 3OH!3 (Photo Finish), Cobra Starship (Fueled by Ramen), and Travis McCoy (of Gym Class Heroes, on Fueled by Ramen). It is a huge step forward for these NES rockers!

There is a new label in town and its diverse sound is rooted heavily in the cities tradition of house music. The multi-faceted label overseen by three musicians from Chicago – Joshua Kleckner, Garo Tokat and Slava Balasanov. Each of these music are true electronic craftsmen who revel in the exploration of sound. They each have the remarkable ability to deconstruct the traditional structure of a song and rebuild it from the ground up. This March the first label’s first compilation, The Moment Sound Vol. 1 will be released on vinyl. The can be previewed (and preordered) here, and is clearly an album fit for both the club and the home. It is comprised of original material by its founders Garo, Lokua and Slava, and clear indication that house music is alive and well in Chicago.

Congratulations Mark! As evidenced by the above picture, Blane Fonda’s front man and lead singer became pregnant while we were on the road for shows in Missouri last month. You can get pregnant from gas station cheese dogs, right?

In related news, Blane had an excellent time playing some rocks and roll shows in Kansas City and St. Louis; there’s a recap of the trip complete with color pictures up at our internet website-blog. Next weekend, we head back for another show in St Louis, this time with a stop in Indianapolis for a show with some fellow Chicago-types, Dr Manhattan. Before all that, we’ll be playing tonight, at Subterranean in Wicker Park with Explode into Colors and Carbon Tigers.

So… 2010 is looking pretty busy so far, but we’re not complaining. Except when the heat in our rehearsal space is never on and we wear gloves during practice; then we’re complaining. – Charlie Nadler

Via Nuon has created a beautifully animated video for the new track from Sonoi called “Red Ants”. The self-titled debut album from Sonoi will be released this April by Low Transit Industries. Here is another peak at the eclectic and expiremental album and the track “Sherry Fall”.

Messenger, the debut full-length from Joe Pug, will be released on February 16th. In preparation Joe just released another track from the album called “The Sharpest Crown”. The track is a somber love story about the struggles we all face. Joe also announced that his debut ep, Nation of Heat, will be re-released on 10" colored vinyl later this month. You can preorder Messenger here and you can catch Joe at Lincoln Hall on Feb. 27th.

Here is a new free single from Mike Schpitz and Slot-A called "Daily News". The track also appears on the compilation Rhymes & Rhythm for Relief released late last month by DJ booth.net. All proceeds go to CARE Foundation to help the relief effort in Haiti. The minimum donation is $5. The compilation also features Chicago emcees Pugz Atomz, Mikkey Halsteed and more.

Young Man is fantastic project by 20-year-old Chicago based songwriter, Colin Caulfield. With a sound reminiscent to Panda Bear or Deerhunter, Colin seems to keep things simple, yet with the addition of some exceptional layers, giving him some major promise for 2010. A debut "concept" album, Boy, is planned for a spring/summer release. Here’s a lovely demo called, "Just A Growin’," however head on over to his YouTube page to watch some great clips/covers and to grab some mp3s. – Brendan Losch

February 9th, husband and wife duo Puerto Muerto will release Drumming For Pistols via UK label Fire Records. Yesterday they released the new video for the track “Hurting Now” directed by T. Foley.

The first thing you notice when turning on this EP is the snowy guitar and relaxing drum flow. You can already picture yourself cruising down a sunlit highway going to who knows where. After the intense daydream phase, you notice something peculiar for an indie rock band, the melody and chords actually go to predictable places. Something noticeable with indie bands that actually have big plans.

Once the singers voice kicks in you can only think of the soothing vocal melodies made popular by the one and only Benjamin Gibbart of Death Cab fame. The band manages this without being a total and complete rip off or copy. Even lyrically it is very similar. Singing about concepts of dieing and the fear attached to it.

This band will get you up and dancing all the way through the album. The track "Don’t stop it" sounds like it’s coming from a Passion Pit jam session. This continues to show that this band knows exactly how to make hook laden, fun hits, while still maintaining enough indie "cred" to keep the hipsters and jaded youth happy.

The only thing that is bad about this album is that it is barely a real "EP". Every track is either a remix or some sort of extended jam track. If you really liked the intro track "Hate To see you smile" then you will have fun listening to the very remixes. But if your looking for more original tracks you’ll be very disappointed.

Despite this small complaint, the EP is very fun and catchy. With their danceable hooks and snowy melodies this band is definitely one to watch in the coming years. They will just have to release more originals to keep people interested.

Midstates and The Choir of Ghosts are playing a free show tonight at The Empty Bottle with Camera and House of Normandie. The show starts at 9:30pm. – Nick Coamey

From a duo split between Chicago and Brooklyn comes an ep, PGDM, that is just divided but still quite enjoyable. The first aspect is their ability to recruit talented vocalist to sing over their beat driven sound-sculptures. Second, it is the inventive but danceable instrumentals they provide their vocalists. Featuring contributions from Angelica Lucer, Bjorn Yttling, Heather Christian, Sydny and Wayser, the ep offers depth in texture and sounds that was not as prevalent in the duos first ep. A track like “600 Days” finds the bands pushing into a slower, more mature area of sound, while “Leave Me Alone” is more radio-ready catchy pop. Yes, this is dance music, but it has more soul than most. It’s a mixture that will prove successful when Jimmy Giannapoulos and Aaron Allieta do attempt to venture out and record a full-length album.

Pretty Good Dance Moves will be playing a record release shows at Schubas on March 12th and 13th before they head down to SXSW. 

Chris Otepka (formerly of Troubled Hubble) may have recently moved to Washington, but he is still a Chicagoan at heart. In fact, most his new album, Goodness Gracious (Greyday Records), was recorded here last March just before Chris left. Chris spent his last Chicago winter around a wood stove with friends Michael Mergenthaler, David James, Steven Mitchell and Nick Lombardo, who played in local band Ulysses S. Grant. The result is a chilling collection of songs that are a full-band composite of many songs written and performed solo by Chris during the past two years of touring. Releasing at least one record per year since the first The Heligoats release in 1999, this album is not just another entry in the catalog. Opteka and the band have really crafted something unique and extremely enjoyable here.

Goodness Gracious was released today by Greyday Records, and The Heligoats will be playing at Schubas on March 2nd.

A Chicago legend, Gill Scott-Heron, return this month with the release of his album I’m New Here (xl Recordings) on February 22nd. A full review of the album is coming, but for now you can preorder the album and watch this incredible video directed by Coodie & Chike and Michael Sterling Eaton.