Helicopters have released a video for their track "jpns_pls". The track comes their 2011 release "The Honey and The Hiss". Yesterday the band also released 7 track retrosprective sampler that spans their 7 albums/eps. You can find that here.

The video for Willis Earl Beal’s haunting track ‘Evening’s Kiss" has been released. It was directed by Beal himself and animated by Michael Zauner.

There is a new music collective in town called, Yes Club, and they have released their first project. They have sign the band On Again Off Again, and released their the band’s debut album, Acres, today. The video for the album’s first single, "Gemini" was directed by Elijah Alvarado.

You can grab a copy of the album here, and you can check out On Again Off Again live on March 1st at Subt with Musikanto and Chaperone.

Local producer Radius has partnered with Moment Sound to release an ambitious new project called Sleeping Wide Awake. The free digital album sleepy, dream-like, mediation on how too people live their day to day. This is instrumental hip-hop for the mind.

You can stream and download the album over at Moment Sound.

Tonic Room is hosting a free show tomorrow night, Feb. 29, that features The Sham Band with Sad Brad Smith (video below), Fletcher Rockwell, Barefoot & Santiago, & Anthony Ablan.

Doors open at 7:30pm and the music hits at 8pm.

S/S/S is a new project that features Sufjan Stevens, Son Lux, and our very own emcee Serengeti. This unique supergroup have recorded an ep called Beak & Claw that will be released on March 20th via Anticon. I can’t wait to hear what this group can come up with. Stevens latest album, 2010’s The Age of Adz, was much more beat-driven that anything he had previously done so his partnership with Serengeti is not that insane. Another "s" name, Shara Worden of My Brightest Diamond lends here voice to the track "If This is Real".

Beak & Claw Tracklist
1. Museum Day
2. Beyond Any Doubt
3. If This Is Real
4. Octomom

Pitchfork has announced the artist currently signed on to perform at this year’s music festival. The initial line-up includes one of our favorite Chicago musicians right now, Willis Earl Beal. Others announced are Vampire Weekend, Feist, Hot Chip, Grimes, Cloud Nothing, and others.

Visit the Pitchfork Music Festival site for more information.

Big Science has announced the release of their debut full-length album Difficulty. The album will be self-released on May 29th digitally and on a limited vinyl pressing. Here is our first look at the album and the new track "No One Ever Wakes Up".

MP3: Big Science "No One Ever Wakes Up"

Handshake Media is releasing the first two ep’s from the duo The Soft Jolts on April 1st. The release will be a limited cassette release with digital download for free. The Soft Jolts are Dan & Jim Duffy, they create gritty pop-tinged garage rock.

Andrew Bird has released a free four track sampler to continue to build the hype surrounding the release of his upcoming LP, Break It Yourself, on March 6th. The sampler can be found here and features "Eyeoneye" from Break It Yourself, and three covers including a great cover of The Handsome Family’s "So Much Wine".

Jenny Gillespie is back and has a new ep, Belita, dropping on April 10th through Narooma Records. For this ep she has partnered with multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily to help with production and has teamed with Sam Amidon for vocals and Marc Ribot for guitar. Each bring a unique flare to the project.

MP3: Jenny Gillespie "Creature of Our Make"

Rambos seem to have it all, the look, the color scheme, the awesome album title… Rock and Roll Monsters, and the name of course. However, do they have the sound to back it up? Rambos is fronted by Julie Meckler and Jeremy David Miller, along with Ryan Anderson, JJ Evans & Ian Tsan. They play what some are calling "Junk Rock", it is gritty, fun, lo-fi at times, but it packs enough punch to be considered monstrous and worthy of the Rambo name. Rambos resided at an intersection of rage and humor, rock and folk, set up shop and proceed to entertain. The band’s debut album, Rock and Roll Monsters will be released on March 6th by Grape Juice Records.

You can catch Rambos at Empty Bottle on Feb. 25th with Pretty Good Dance Moves and Pictures of Then. The show is free if you shoot an email to rsvp@emptybottle.com.