The experimental electronic duo the OPUS released a new digital EP last week called Praying Mantis. The Opus is comprised of Mr. Echoes a.k.a. Fanum, and The Isle of Weight, and together they make atmospheric beats that are second to none. The ep features contributions from Billi D., Mc ADaD, and Eliot Lipp. The entire 8 track EP is only $4, and will fill your speakers with the perfect spring beats. The title track pops and snaps with drums and strings, and is really the centerpiece of this near concept EP. Echos & Weight have outdone themselves on this one, and you can stream and purchase their EP here. 

Last week we sent photographer Shalimar Beekman to Lincoln Hall capture some stills of the Company of Thieves show. You can find more of her images on her flickr page.

Starting today Atlantic Records’ Photo Finish label artists I Fight Dragons will launch a new one-hour radio show. The show will run every Monday night, at 8pm, and be based around fans calling in. This is the bands way of reconnecting with the legion of fans they have amassed over the last couple years. Be sure to tune in tonight and ask any questions you have about the band, the up-coming major label debut, and of course fighting dragons.

Greta Morgan (formerly of The Hush Sound) has a new project, Gold Motel, and they will be bringing their indie pop gems to the Sub-t tonight. This all ages show gets started at 6:30pm and is $10. Color Radio and Volcanoes Make Islands will be playing as well. – Brendan Losch

In support of the new album, We Became Your Family When You Died, which you can download for free, Bullets in Madison will be playing at Schubas on Saturday, March 20th. This 18 and over show starts at 10pm and is $10. We The Living and Chrash will also be playing. – Brendan Losch

Last month Bathetic Records released a split cassette featuring Cleveland’s Cloud Nothings and our Campfires. Yes a cassette tape, and that lo-fi hiss lends itself nicely to the laidback ‘60’s folkadelic style. It was printed in an edition of 100 and has already sold out. This follows closely on the heels of their cassette ep, Burning Rivers, TV Flickers, Drifting Off to Bed, that they released through Leftist Nautical Antiques. Campfires is defiantly a band on a mission this year.

Tomorrow, legendary punk band Naked Raygun will enter Transient Sound Studios to record a slew of songs for release on their ongoing 7” Series. The first 7” (their first recordings in 20 years) sold out in record time and the 2nd in the series will be released on vinyl and digitally on June 15th. The band is as crisp and aggressive as ever. They’ll also be filming a video for one of the new songs, but it has not been revealed which song it will be. During a recent two night stand at the House of Blues in Chicago, Naked Raygun debuted their first new songs in seventeen years. The crowd loved it and these singles will surely be well received. Later this summer, Raygun descends on Europe and the UK.

Are you looking for honest and hard-hitting rock music? Well, Scissors might have what you are looking for. They are releasing their new album, You Can Make It Dangerous, this Saturday, but you can stream it for free in multiple locations. To celebrate the release the band is performing at The Beat Kitchen this Saturday (Mar. 20th). Despite the albums title, this is release is perhaps the bands most accessible album. The band seems to balance punk with elements of pop and anthem rock. Everyone in attendance on the 20th will receive a free copy of You Can Make It Dangerous.

One of the more anticipated releases of the Spring has to be the new album from Canasta. The Fakeout, the Tease and the Breather will be released on May 8th and the band recently gave fans a little sneak peak by posting three tracks on their website. The first track, “Mountains of Molehills”, is a shimmering ‘70’s AM pop gem complete with horns and piano. “Mexico City” is an all out indie rock assault and never gives up. The last track they posted is my favorite. “Becoming You” is a slow burning, atmospheric ballad that is simply irresistible. The album promises to be worth the wait.

Canasta will be celebrating the release on May 8th at Schubas with two separate shows. The first will be with Gregory and the Hawk and is 18 ad over, and the second will be with Brighton MA and will be 21 and over. Best of all, a copy of the CD will be FREE with each and every $14 ticket!

The third installment of Small Chicago is live and it features the incredibly talented band Brighton MA. The band performed three tracks in the Small Chicago’s basement studio and completely rocked each of them. Check out the session here.

Brighton MA will be performing a 17 and over show at Subterranean on March 26th.

Growing up a kid in Chicagoland without cable or any access to MTV I got my music fix by taping (yes, vhs) episodes of JBTV and watching them endlessly. Jerry Byrant is a Chicago legend in my mind, but still, after 25 years, has not received the attention and recognition he deserves. For the launch 25th season Jerry has added a few new hosts ((including Q101 DJ Ryan Manno and Lawrence Arms frontman Brendan Kelly) and in turn has revamped the show and its visibility. They are increased the size of the crew producing the show. This relaunch will hopefully gain JBTV a whole new audience and keep the show thriving for another 25 years.

Portugal. The Man is the featured guest, with Chicago band Treaty of Paris on the JBTV soundstage, and Jerry taking a look back at the last 25 years on the show. JBTV airs five times a week on cable channels 25 and 62, and we just started streaming full episodes online at JBTV Online.

You have to love what Brooklyn’s Factory 25 is doing to preserve the historical archives of music. This is especially valuable for us in Chicago when they present a project like the DVD they released last Fall, You Weren’t There A History of Chicago Punk 1977-1984. The documentary was fascinating and hopefully exposed many of you to a side of Chicago music that you may had not been that familiar with. Two of the bands featured in the documentary were Tutu & The Pirates and DA. Next month (April 17th), Factory 25 will be releasing two albums of music by these bands and in turn exposing a whole new generation of punk fans to their sounds. Tutu & The Pirates, Chicago’s first anti-lectual sub-urban insult rock band and perhaps even its first punk band finally gets its due in their first 17-track LP compilation of demos (from ’77/’78), practice tapes and live material (from ’78). They quickly became the go-to opening band when acts like The Ramones and The Pretenders came to town. DA came along a few years later and played a part in Chicago’s post-punk scene. The label will be re-releasing DA’s album “Exclamation Point”. If you preorder this album you will get the Original Pressing of the "Dark Rooms" 7”.

These are both exciting releases for punk rock fans, music historians, and Chicago music in general.