Andy Downing

The Chicago Afrobeat Project, which released its self-titled debut in late 2005, has constructed its lineup with the same measured pace it brings to its polyrhythmic tunes. The group's songs...

Brief reviews of some notable sets from three days at Lollapalooza: New Pornographers: As the sun settled behind the skyline Saturday, the Vancouver sextet sailed into the glorious "hey-la" coda...

Abraham Levitan, keyboardist and frontman for rollicking three-piece Baby Teeth, is struggling with the perception that the band is on some ironic expedition, embracing '70s pop with the same cheekiness...

New Yorkers love to boast about their city's brawny hip-hop industry. Nashvilleans don't waste any time reminding you that they're at the wheel of the country music machine. And Austin,...

When the Chicago Underground Duo, an artistic collaboration between Rob Mazurek and Chad Taylor, started work on its ninth record, "in praise of shadows" (Thrill Jockey), the two musicians envisioned...

When the Blacks reunited after nearly five years apart, the initial attention focused, in Fleetwood Mac style, on the relationship between former lovers Gina Black and Danny Black (originally Danny...

A weekly column on musicians and happenings in the Chicago area music scene. When the Blacks reunited after nearly five years apart, the initial attention focused, in Fleetwood Mac style,...

It's a Tuesday night in late June and Head of Femur frontman Matt Focht is pacing a makeshift stage on the second floor of the Michigan Avenue Apple store. The...

Some musicians aim for perfection in the recording process, laboring for hours to achieve flawless renderings of their tunes. Yet Emily Hurd lives for the mistakes on her self-released third...

It's ironic that Visual's first album is titled "Figured It Out" (Community Service) because the 27-year-old emcee, born Cesar Zamudio, doesn't seem to have an ounce of hubris in his...