Man, it is videos like this one that could put me out of a job! Kidding aside, The Chicago Roots Collective is doing an outstanding job promoting, encouraging, and supporting each and they are hosting an event this Friday at Subterranean. It features four great Chicago bands, Miranda Rae, Will Phalen & The Stereo Addicts, Derek Nelson & The Musicians, and The Shams Band. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door.

Yesterday Maps and Atlases announced that they had signed with Barsuk Records and will release their debut album this summer. Barsuk is currently home to bands like Ra Ra Riot, David Bazan, Mates of State and many more. This announcement was timed perfectly and will surely be buzzing around SXSW next week while they play their six different showcases.

Are you looking for something to do this Saturday? Do you love to dance and listen to the best in Chicago hip hop? Lincoln Hall is home to this year’s Claychella event and the line-up is insane and the event, taking place tomorrow March 13th, is free between Noon and 10pm and only $5 from 10pm to 2am. Featuring Flosstradamus, Hood Internet, Million $ Mano, Hollywood Holt, Mic Terror, and so many more top acts. Sponsored by Everyone Is Famous this event promises to be action-packed and a lot of fun.

One of my favorite acts appearing at Claychella is Moneypenny. Don’t miss their SXSW mixtape download it at their myspace page.

The latest ep from Panda Riot, Far & Near, maintains their signature wall-of-sound sonic base, but pushes their sound into a cleaner more developed realm. There is a driving undercurrent of pure pop sounds that makes this ep more accessible than anything else the band has done. The first track that jumps out in this way is “Motown Glass” and in fact this sonic cocktail and name sake fuzz is almost completely gone on this one. The song instead is driven by this funky drummer, this groove that hadn’t been present in their prior releases. It so exciting to see a band progress and grow into style like this, and Panda Riot is still growing and changing with show and song.

Panda Riot will release Far & Near on May 11th. This is their first release since 2007’s She Dares All Things.

Sometimes it takes a deadline to inspire something great. I am sure that is one of the motives of the recent RPM competition. The challenge was to create an album in one month basically to prove you can. Many musicians took up the challenge and one of them was our own Kid Static. The resulting album, Hypnotized, finds Static (aka Moses Harris Jr.) creating ten tracks that are very different than what you except if you are a fan of his work with Yea Big. These tracks stick close to the roots of hip hop and even to r&b and avoid many of the electronic glitchy elements Yea Big brought to the production. The finished product doesn’t feel like and album that was quickly thrown together. I image some of this had been floating through his thoughts for a while. I am glad he finally let it out.

You can name your price and purchase Hypnotized through Bandcamp and support this great Chicago emcee. Today (March 11th) is the last day to enter the Coach House Sounds contest to see Kid Static record a live session with CHS this Saturday. Email them at coachhousesounds@gmail.com to enter. The winner will be announced tomorrow on their site.

Last summer, Delicate Noise (aka Mark Andrushko) released his second album Filmezza through Lens Records. The album was filled beautifully lush and cinematic electronic soundscapes, and well-placed samples. On April 6th he returns with a collection of seven remix from talented electronic artists from around the world. The album is title Filmezza Remixes and features reworks by artists from France, Japan, UK, Iceland, Italy, Canada, and Spain of the best the original had to offer. This global collaboration pushes the sounds of this Chicago musician into a whole new dimension.

There are many Chicago bands headed to SXSW, but of them there are a few that are poised for a major explosion. One of those bands has to be Empires. Yesterday they released their new ep Bang which is the follow-up release to their 2008 debut album Howl, and now they are headed to Austin. Bang is a mixture of back alley darkness and grit, and shiny anthem-pop. A mixture of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and The Killers. These seven tracks soar and rattle, thrill and upset, but never disappoint. It is all perfectly encapsulated in the track “Damn Things Over”.

Empires will be back near the city of April 23rd at The House Café in DeKalb.

Spring is in the air here in Chicago so it is only natural to start thinking about Record Store Day, right? On April 17th, to coincide with Record Store Day, Mr. Russia will release their first 7” single, and give it away for free with any purchase at all three Reckless Records locations. The single will feature two different versions of the David Bowie track “Boys Keep Swinging”. It’s an anthem for all the boys out there. “Boys keeps swinging because boys always work it out” the band shouts in their best dirty barroom vocals, as the gritty guitars whale along. The track has this swagger that makes you proud to be a boy.

Mr. Russia will be performing at The Beat Kitchen on April 17th to celebrate the release of the single and Record Store Day. If you haven’t downloaded Mr. Russia’s free ep Training For The Gameshow Host from last year you can still do that here. “Wild World” appeared on their debut album Teething, which was released in Feb. 2009.

To commemorate their trek down to Austin Loyal Divide has released a new song called “DDF”. The track is the first single from the bands upcoming debut LP which is due out later this Spring. This will be the bands first release since their praised 2009 ep Labrador.

Loyal Divide will be performing tonight at Double Door with LA’s Letting Up Despite Great Faults and Chicago’s City at Large before playing their way down to SXSW.

We’re happy to announce that Blane Fonda has been selected for couple showcases in Austin during SXSW: on Friday March 19, we’ll be playing as part of JBTV’s SXChicago Showcase at The Trophy Room, and on Saturday March 20 at 9pm we’ll be playing at Cuba Libre for a RedGorilla showcase; we hope that any Chicago friends that are planning on being down there will come say “Hey!” or something to that effect.

Before we leave for Austin, we are excited for a few events around here: Tonight (3/9), we are sharing the stage at Schubas with two bands we like a lot called Via Audio and Pattern is Movement. Also, illustrations from Blane’s own Mark Wetzel will be on exhibit during a one night event, titled twentysomethings: revelations in asymmetry. The gallery (Gallery 3) will be held Friday March 12 from 6pm – 10pm at 1542 N Milwaukee, 3rd Floor. and it is free. – Charlie Nadler

Last week BBU released their impressive mixtape, Fear of a Clear Channel Planet. These three are all about Chicago and serve the scene well on their mixtape. With the help of Million $ Mano and Ruby Hornet, they have encapsulated what Chicago independent hip hop is all about right now. If you are headed to SXSW this month be sure to check out BBU as they six different showcases in three days!

Carpark Records announced today the signing of a band we have liked for quite sometime, Light Pollution. The label, currently home to bands light Beach House, Dan Deacon, and Ear Pwr, plans to release the bands debut LP, Apparitions, on June 15th. The first track on the album will the synth-heavy anthem “Good Feelings”. The band is still putting the finishing touches on the album, but will be touring for the next two months. The tour includes a stop at SXSW where they will play eight different shows including the Carpark/Paw Track show on the 18th.

Light Pollution can next be seen here in Chicago on March 26th at Mopery Loft and then on April 1st at Bottom Lounge.