Butch Walker

Butch Walker has practically done everything possible in the music industry as a recording artist, producer and songwriter — having worked with an array of diverse names such as Tommy Lee, Avril Lavigne, Family Force 5, Bowling for Soup, Pink, Lindsay Lohan, and All Time Low, to name a few. Walker himself was first signed to Virgin Records in 1988 with his band Byte the Bullet. Years later he became a member of Marvelous 3 and morphed into a solo artist in 2001 before becoming a guest judge on the TV show “Rock Star: Supernova”. In 2007, a house fire took all of Walker’s possessions, including the master recordings of all of his studio work as a result of one of California’s wildfires, which led to the production of his Sycamore Meadows album — released as a tribute to his lost work. Most recently, Walker has spent 2009 working with Weezer, producing several songs on their new record Raditude, while periodically resuming his first love of performing with a select number of shows across the U.S. (Appearing at Schubas on January 5, 6, 7 & 8) –text: Jyn Radakovits–photo: Lucia Holm

Maserati, The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Yourself & The Air, Butch Walker

MASERATI
The future looked bright for Maserati during their short stint on Kindercore Records before the label suddenly went bankrupt, leaving Maserati homeless until the Athens, Georgia band was scooped up by Temporary Residence Limited. Begun in 2000, the post/hard rock jammers have no use for lyrics or vocals. Words also seem misplaced when it comes to labeling a genre to tag to their epic 2007 release Inventions for a New Season, which was the result of four years worth of writing and recording. While the band has been called everything from technical rock to post-emo to psychedelic, Maserati is a band that is wildly appreciated by the type of fan looking to draw something indescribably powerful from music. As where the jams may remind you of something your parents may have gotten stoned around a bonfire listening to back in the day, don’t let such thoughts tamper with your buzz. Whatever you want to call Maserati, call it damn addictive. (Appearing with Headlights and Oceans at Empty Bottle on March 12) –text: Jyn Radakovits

THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES
“You aren’t going to like this band. It isn’t hard enough for you,” said a friend of mine when I came across a burned Memorex CD with the words “The Soundtrack of Our Lives” penned on it during a moving sale. Formed in 1995, the band also known as TSOOL or just Soundtrack is an import from Sweden featuring members of former punk band Union Carbide Productions. TSOOL finally found success in the States in 2002 with their album Behind the Music, formerly released in Sweden and later nominated for a Grammy in 2003. With a post-rock feel and psychedelic undertones mixed with just enough modern alternative to make it current, Soundtrack released their newest record Communion in 2008 with a short Stateside tour currently scheduled in places like Boston, San Francisco, and Chicago. And for the record, you can mark finding that burned CD at my friend’s apartment that day squarely in the “win” column. (Appearing at Double Door on March 13) –text: Jyn Radakovits

YOURSELF AND THE AIR
The delicious music created by suburban Chicago 5-piece Yourself & the Air is urban and jangly, yet spaced-out with a dreamlike quality — akin to the soundtrack to a twisted kids movie delivered with an eerie calm, climactic structures and relentless rhythms. The drums are full, building and do their best to echo a heartbeat. The guitars are dueling; the riffs angular and contrasting. The bass, well the bass is the bass, but it’s pretty funky and provides an excellent foundation. There’s even xylophone for brevity, the occasional tambourine to get people clappin’ and of course some keys every now and then for ’80s-style nostalgia. Oh, and the vocals…how could we forget the vocals? The vocals reel you in. They call out to you, they whisper sweet nothings in your ear, they tickle your spine — and just when you think you’re gonna get the chills, they spank you in the ass. (Appearing with Dear & the Headlights at Reggie’s Rock Club on March 12) –text: James H. Ewert Jr.

BUTCH WALKER
Butch Walker has worked behind the boards as a Hollywood producer for “artists” such as Pink, Lindsay Lohan, and Katy Perry. He’s also the guy who brought you Avril Lavigne’s “My Happy Ending.” But don’t judge the man by his day job, because Butch Walker is also the force behind The Rise and Fall of Butch Walker and the Let’s-Go-Out-Tonites, a ‘70s rock-inspired album that earned him indie cred as a songwriter. His latest album, Sycamore Meadows, was written and recorded after wildfires destroyed his home in California. Walker combines soft, folksy anthems with real pop ballads, creating songs that range from the powerfully subtle to the mildly humorous. And with a single brush of his guitar pick Walker easily shows up his more mainstream clients, who would be lucky to possess even half of his talents. (Appearing with The Films at House of Blues on March 10) –text: Caroline Evans

The Enemy UK, The Go! Team, Manchester Orchestra, The Parlor Mob, Rogue Wave, Butch Walker, Yeasayer

THE ENEMY UK
Some U.K. bands cover up their accents to the point where you can’t discern their country of origin, but The Enemy UK boast and flawlessly flaunt their British-ness in all its Hackney glory. With pure Brit-rock and sharp guitars, their fast-paced beats also hearken back to ‘80s-style Smiths. The Enemy has supported bands from Kasabian to Super Furry Animals to Stereophonics since the release of their 2007 debut, We’ll Live and Die in These Towns. (Friday, 2:15-3:00, Citi Stage) –text: Katie Knaub

THE GO! TEAM
The Go! Team’s 2004 debut album Thunder, Lightning, Strike was the brainchild of the group’s founder Ian Parton, who decided he would like to blend the sounds of car horns, Sonic Youth, and Double Dutch chants to make some kick-ass original music. Their latest album, Proof of Youth, boasts the same high energy and intriguing sonic mixture as the debut…with a little tambourine thrown in for good measure. (Friday, 2:15-3:15, Bud Light Stage) –text: Elizabeth Aguirre

MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA
Atlanta quintet Manchester Orchestra’s name is a misnomer: no strings are actually involved. Formed in 2005, the band crafts fine indie rock that vacillates between lilting acoustics and harder-driven guitar numbers as Andy Hull’s vocals warble and crack. They released the peculiarly titled EP You Brainstorm, I Brainstorm But Brilliance Needs a Good Editor in 2005 and followed it up with their full-length debut, 2006’s simile-enhanced I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child. (Friday, 1:00-1:45, Citi Stage) –text: Garin Pirnia

THE PARLOR MOB
Formerly known as What About Frank?, The Parlor Mob plays aggressive, guitar-driven rock that could translate into a surprisingly good stage show. The 5-piece band from New Jersey is currently backing their latest release, And You Were A Crow, an album that delves into everything from roots to psychedelia. To me, vocalist Mark Melicia emulates Jack White and Robert Plant but thankfully, the rest of the band doesn’t sound like The Black Crowes. (Friday, 1:30-2:15, BMI Stage) –text: Billy Kenefick–photo: Max Dodson

ROGUE WAVE
When asked what his favorite city for a live show was, Rogue Wave frontman Zach Schwartz replied, “anywhere in Chicago is usually pleasurable.” No doubt the Oakland native will feel right at home at Lollapalooza, having played the city close to a billion times and naming the lead single off of 2007’s Asleep at Heaven’s Gate after Lake Michigan. Expect to hear more of the band’s chiming guitars and Schwartz’s lilting vocals at Lolla’s lakeside locale. (Friday, 1:15-2:15, MySpace Stage) –text: Tim Slowikowski

BUTCH WALKER
Butch Walker seems like a pretty intense guy, sort of like a less cheeky and more angst-ridden version of Debbie Downer. He’s pissed off at record companies, Wikipedia, iTunes, and probably wildfires (seeing as how he lost his home to one last year). Amazingly, none of his feelings are necessarily unfounded or overly zealous. Lucky for us, Butch Walker being outraged leads to some pretty passionate singer/songwriter output. (Friday, 1:15-2:15, PlayStation Stage) –text: Katie Bordner–photo: Angeline Vuong

YEASAYER
Yeasayer is stopping by Lollapalooza amidst a summer spent winding through the European festival circuit. They’re the newest in a line of Brooklyn bands making seriously captivating music without taking themselves too seriously. It’s surprising that the music is written and recorded anywhere near such a metropolis, as their 2007 debut All Hour Cymbals is a spiritual journey through various eras and cultures. They show a strong sonic resemblance to the vocal harmonies and layered guitars of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, but totally modernized and pumped full of meditative Eastern flourishes. On their website an animation flashes and declares, “By 2080 only enlightenment can prevent terror everywhere.” The song “2080″ features swirling guitar up against lyrics that address the predicament of living in the modern world. This represents a steady theme of Yeasayer: to overcome the tragic situation we were unwillingly thrust into and to reach unknown heights of glory through the redemptive power of music. (Friday, 2:15-3:15, AT&T Stage) –text: Nick Meador