In the early days of the COVID pandemic, retail clerks, day-care staff, public-transportation employees, and many other workers learned what coal miners have known for a very long time: that the authorities who deem their labor essential don’t necessarily feel the same way about their lives. Freakwater and the Mekons have each sung folk ballads […]
Tag: Freakwater
Will Bloodshot Records stay in the saddle?
Internal strife, unpaid royalties, and the looming possibility of a sale have forced venerable Chicago indie Bloodshot Records to a crossroads.
The best Chicago albums of the 2010s: the critics’ ballots
Here’s where to see who voted for what and how the points got divvied up.
The best Chicago albums of the 2010s
The Reader polled dozens of critics to arrive at an absolutely indisputable ranked list of several hundred records that will definitely not start any arguments.
Chicago Underground Film Festival at 25: A look back
As the 25th Chicago Underground Film Festival approaches, here are ten stand-out features from festivals past.
Alt-country heroes Freakwater and postpunk lifers the Mekons come together to get their Freakons
Four years ago, alt-country legends Freakwater crossed streams with postpunk pomo-folk group the Mekons and gave rise to a hybrid beast: the Freakons, a project that’s brought out some of the best in both bands at its rare live performances. Now the group is back, and with a particular purpose. Concurrently with these two sold-out […]
Danielle Sines of Impulsive Hearts on a 16-year-old who cowrote a doo-wop hit
Current musical obsessions of Impulsive Hearts front woman Danielle Sines, CHIRP codirector of features Amelia Hruby, and Reader music editor Philip Montoro
In Rotation: Janet Bean of Eleventh Dream Day on Nick Drake’s mom
Janet Bean of Eleventh Dream Day on Nick Drake’s mom, and more
Best shows to see: Freakwater, Michael Vallera
Shows to see over the next few days include Freakwater, Michael Vallera, Femi Kuti, Castle, and the NRG Ensemble
Reader’s Agenda Mon 1/21: Freakwater, Fresh Meat’s Cleave, and “Yuck!”
What’s on the Reader‘s Agenda for Monday, January 21, 2013
Our guide to Record Store Day
An overview of the overwhelming fifth annual Record Store Day
Mr. Tuten Goes to Washington
Tickets go on sale at 4 PM today for the Hideout’s inauguration-eve concert in D.C., featuring Tortoise, the Waco Brothers, Ken Vandermark, and Freakwater, David “Honeyboy” Edwards, and other Chicago acts.
Freakwater
Along with Alice Cooper, Freakwater has the distinction of recording one of the finest dead-baby songs of all time. But that’s probably where the similarities between the two end.