What? As proven by the double success of 2005's heart-tugger, Black Sheep Boy, and its excellent leftover scraps follow-up, Black Sheep Boy Appendix, Austin's Okkervil River are always trying to bring a grand idea full circle.

What? Tapping into the same spiritual curiosity he sought in a town full of psychics on Bright Eyes' Cassadaga, Conor Oberst seeks solstice in the footsteps of Mexican lore, ditching longtime producer Mike Mogis' genius for an unadorned, hee-haw Americana jam session; a far enough departure from Bright Eyes' decade-plus formula for the Omaha native to dub his new project a "solo"

Last night (July 29), Metronomy commanded the PA at the Funky Buddha Lounge’s Tuesday “Outdanced” series, in which Chicago’s most fashionable hipster-clubbers shake their asses on the cheap while local DJs support hype machines like Crystal Castles and Simian Mobile Disco. And on this particular evening, U.K.

As the Pritzer Pavilion’s signature shards of steel swallowed the mid-summer eve’s sun last night (July 17), the budding Seattle five-piece howled an a cappella ode from their first EP Sun Giant, drawing all walks of the Central Park of Chicago denizens -- especially wild-haired, barefoot children and their hip mothers -- to a vortex of harmonizing energy.

Vicarious experiences abound last night (July 15) in the candle-lit halls of Chicago’s Schubas, as Omaha’s psych-pop set, Son Ambulance, wafted out gems from Someone Else’s Déjà Vu, released last week.

Though lead singer Matt Skiba suspected he was spat upon, and a few bass guitars putzed out on Dan Andriano, a hometown crowd pulled from all walks of Hot Topic-sponsored clientele never missed a cathartic chance to scream in sync as the Trio careened through an oeuvre-spanning, 18-song set at Chicago’s House of Blues last night (July 9).