J. R. Nelson
Chicago Reader
Chicago, IL, United States
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Past articles by J.:
Siul Reynoso of Los Gold Fires drops a supremely summery new single as Gabacho
Plus: The second annual Rockwell Street Stroll brings top-shelf blues and jazz to Burning Bush Brewery, and art-rock duo Soft and Dumb celebrate a new self-titled album. → Read More
Chicago lures jazz trombonist Jeb Bishop back home
Plus: Blake Karlson of Chicago Research closes his label and opens a record store, and friends of drummer Noah Leger launch a GoFundMe to help him through an injury. → Read More
Hannah Sandoz releases a new collection of melancholy avant-garde folk
Plus: The famous Danny’s Smiths Night comes back for one evening at the Empty Bottle, and cult house artist Marcus Mixx looks for help with a new apartment. → Read More
Veteran sound explorer Kevin Drumm uploads a Bandcamp bounty
Plus: Reedist Hunter Diamond launches his label by releasing his solo debut, and rapper-producer Flowurz drops a terrific new full-length. → Read More
Experimental-music newsletter Tone Glow hosts an international streaming showcase
Experimental-music newsletter Tone Glow hosts an international streaming showcase, RJ Lake soundtracks a video game about an alien airport run by dogs, and more. → Read More
Tijuana Hercules drop the trash-blues masterpiece they delayed for COVID
Tijuana Hercules drop the trash-blues masterpiece they delayed for COVID, Johnny Caluya of Verma and Surgery Boys makes his solo debut as JC Tascam, and more. → Read More
Ayanna Woods raises funds to capture ten years of songwriting in the studio
Plus: Fulton Street Collective hosts an exhibit of photos by four jazz musicians, and underground Chicago hip-hop veterans Pseudo Slang collaborate with German producer Pawcut. → Read More
Longtime Reckless Records buyer Jim Magas quits to spend more time with his music
Plus: Emo four-piece Kittyhawk play their first show in more than three years, and Clear drops a posthumous 12-inch by the late Dan Jugle’s duo Juzer. → Read More
Rest in peace to Chloe the punk-scene pug
Plus: Online ecology publication Mid Magazine launches with an Ariel Zetina mix, and Thalia Hall hosts a benefit for pediatric brain tumor research. → Read More
Once Riot Fest has you, how does it treat you?
The festival grounds themselves provide a pretty different experience than, say, Lollapalooza or Pitchfork. → Read More
Hopping the Riot Fest nostalgia train
Reunions and full-album sets are the festival’s specialty—so what does it have to offer this year, besides Bikini Kill? → Read More
No Men summon a demon to fight climate change in their new video
Plus: DJ and producer Ariel Zetina celebrates a new EP at Danny’s, and Daptone releases more music from soul singer Doug Shorts. → Read More
The quest to be Pitchfork’s perfect consumer
What happens if you indulge every corporate sponsor at the festival? Does the Chase Sapphire Lounge have to let you in? → Read More
Dusty Groove is selling off thousands of LPs for a dollar each
Plus: Anonymous local dark-ambient producer Faithful drops a free EP, and the Better Yet podcast raises funds for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago with a Wilco tribute compilation. → Read More
Three-fourths of Ne-Hi switch gears as Spun Out
Plus: J Bambii’s Brown Skin Lady Show throws an anniversary party on a boat, and acid-house veteran Terry Mullan plays his final Chicago show. → Read More
Guitarist and soul singer Isaiah Sharkey drops a kaleidoscopic new record
Plus: Black metal takes on the Fantastic Four, and the Nick Mazzarella Trio releases a transatlantic live album. → Read More
Radio Free Honduras celebrate their first album in five years
Plus: Outstanding rapper Xavier Holliday releases his swan song, and the Numero Group hosts a bonkers open house in Little Village. → Read More
Bodymilk Tapes invites a crowd of queer and trans musicians to Noise Prom II
Plus: The Chicago Humanities Festival hosts a discussion of Jim DeRogatis’s new R. Kelly book, and rapper Pete Sayke drops a guest-studded full-length album. → Read More
Death-metal crew Warforged drop a kaleidoscopic hurricane of an album
Death-metal crew Warforged drop a kaleidoscopic hurricane of a debut album, Jordan Reyes of Ono and American Damage launches another new label, and more. → Read More
West-side rapper Musa Reems dazzles with a weekly single series
Plus: College radio stations WHPK and WNUR fill the weekend with festivals, and Flesh Panthers turn “flower punk” on a new Dumpster Tapes release. → Read More