Spending what little free time you have to uncover unique, handmade products on your own around Chicago may cause you to lose your mind. Fortunately, four intrepid scavengers have decided to dig up new artisanal food, design and fashion vendors and invite between 40-50 of them each month to...

One of this season’s most highly anticipated albums finally made its way across my desk –- and it hasn’t stopped playing since I got it. Madonna has outdone herself once again. On Confessions on a Dance Floor, the Queen Chameleon did what she should have done years ago –-...

As with everything Madonna does, she does it with style, creativity and of course a ton of mystery. Step by step, Madge is revealing information about her forthcoming all-dance album, Confessions on a Dancefloor. The first single, the electro-disco-inspired “Hung Up,” is set to drop Oct. 17, with the...

After countless tours, millions of albums sold, drug busts, blood transfusions, extramarital affairs and more, you would think the Rolling Stones would run out of ideas to keep things exciting. But one look at the stage setup for their current “Bigger Bang” world tour (yes, it’s amazing that they’re...

The wait is almost over. After coming out of complete obscurity to turn the world upside down in early 2004, Franz Ferdinand has spent the better part of the last six months writing and recording. And they’re just now teasing us with the first single from its forthcoming new...

Your favorite pint glass just got more useful. From Innermost comes a stylish and functional half-pint mug. Currently available only in the UK, the mug comes in white and black and has a twin wall so hot beverages (read: green tea or a vanilla latte) won’t burn your hands...

There’s nothing more annoying than when hype isn’t followed by substance. Annie’s debut CD, Anniemal is fantastic, filled with upbeat, uptempo disco beats, breathy vocals with poppy lyrics. When I interviewed her last week, I was taken with her sincerity, her sweet attitude and her excitement about her success...

Move over Shelby. Step aside Sheryl. There’s a new roots-rockin’ girl in town. And her name is Brandi Carlile. Sure, she may sound like a porn star at first glance of her name, but give her self-titled debut a whirl and porn is the furthest thing from your mind....

With a breakout summer single – Hey Now Now – The Cloud Room is the latest indie band from the Brooklyn art rock scene to capture my attention. With a sound that nods toward Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie and Joy Division, the Cloud Room may get lumped into the new...

When I was in Montreal last month doing a story on the city’s music scene, a few people told me to check out Black Mountain, a west coast Canadian band that was doing great things. So when their self-titled CD showed up this week I tore into it and...

In the world of celebutainment, timing is everything – and unfortunately someone forgot to drop that memo to Kelly Osbourne. Kelly, famous at first for being the bratty middle child of Ozzy, now has a singing career of her own, which may not have happened if it weren’t for...

It’s funny when people who like music, but aren’t necessarily totally into music, inform me about a new band. Such was the case last week when Josh, the editor of this website, wrote to ask if I have ever heard of this group called Phoenix. I emailed him back...

Who says a white teenager from Saskatchewan can’t have the blues? Thank god no one told 17-year-old Kyle Riabko because we’d be without one of the hottest young up-and-comers in the blues genre. Back in the ‘90s, Jonny Lang, another young blues wunderkind from the northern region (North Dakota's...

Set at a crossroads between downtown and the hip Plateau neighborhood, in an edifice that straddles old-world charm and modern exuberance, the six-month-young Hotel Godin is the newest boutique hotel to cater to the trendy jet-set crowd in Montreal....

Alison Breitman, an adorable pixie of a New Yorker, has a voice that blows away most female singers I’ve heard in a long time. Combine the intelligence of Aimee Mann with the sultriness of Fiona Apple and the friskiness of Annie and you have a fantastic night of live...

Back in the ‘70s, there was a public service campaign in the United States called R.I.F. – Reading Is Fundamental, which encouraged school-aged children to read more books. Apparently the government of Quebec feels the same, but also wants its citizens to read in a beautifully constructed, modern dwelling....

Nearly two years after its initial conception, Loose Record finally launched this week. Providing everything from live reviews to show previews, Loose Record aims to bring live music to the masses. Where JamBase was born to inspire people to go out and see live music, mostly in the jam...

A Band of Bees wants you to Free the Bees. On their second full-length album, the Isle of Wight duo returns, not only to the fold but also to some classic rock roots. I don’t really remember liking the Bees music in the past, but the first time I...

While up in Montreal last weekend, I had the chance to meet some of the city’s movers and shakers in the music scene. Someone told me about this young singer/songwriter named Adam Brown and after hearing a couple of his tracks, I knew I had to meet him. Adam...

Here’s a case of maybe needing to listen to a CD more than a few times before making a solid judgment call. Or maybe actually believing other music lovers and giving a CD another shot when you’ve written it off yourself. Such is the case with Cut Copy’s Bright...

Like most things associated with the iPod, the prototype for the Numark iPod DJ Mixer is stunning, cutting-edge and beautiful. Revealed at the Musikmesse show in Frankfurt last month, the DJ Mixer enables DJs to mix two iPods simultaneously, taking “spinning discs” to a whole new level. The unit...

Aram Danesh and the Super Human Crew, sounds like a ridiculous amalgam of a Middle Eastern hip-hop collective, right? Wrong. More like a throwback to old school rap, the Crew represents all that is great about the Bay Area's music scene. Danesh, who lives in beautiful Tiburon, across the...

If you like long dark winters; salty, hairy fish and tall blond people, you'll adore Country Falls by Husky Rescue, the latest import from Helsinki. Like Morcheeba or St. Etienne before them, Husky Rescue makes beautiful atmospheric music with a hint of country thrown into the mix. At times...

All the Rage,î is currently available and Cary is currently mastering his full-length, which is scheduled for a release sometime in September. Check out his website for new songs; he posts ìfree songsî each week and theyíre either new tracks, live tunes or songs played by his friends. Pay attention...

Kenmore HE4T is one of the best-looking machines on the market. It has a very retro vibe with snappy colors with sophisticated names (ok, maybe they took a cue from J. Crew): Sedona, Bisque and Pacific Blue are just a few. But most impressive is the actual girth of...

Heather, Lady D and Dayhota, turned the dance music world on edge with collective house spinning techniques. Each DJ has gone on to achieve individual acclaim and in June Colette will put out her first artist album, “Hypnotized.” Always a singer, Colette became known for singing over tracks she...

Vacuum Bottle. In fact, the company had women in mind when they revamped its classic half-quart stainless steel canister. Stanley released a new version, updating the almost-century-old thermos by streamlining the vacuum seal, widening the opening for easy drinking and adding ice cubes and introducing three new colors to...

6isolator Earphones, a set of in-ear earphones designed in the same manner as EarLove, but as a sonic helper specifically for iPods. This got me thinking about other in-ear devices so I popped over to Shure and found their E3c Sound Isolating Earphones. A challenged was hatched....

Verve: Remixed projects have done it again. The third volume in the series takes things up a notch by not only employing the skills of top DJs, but also some indie rock and hip-hop artists as well. This time around, the obvious divas are remixed, including Billie Holiday, Nina...

A band has to be hot to sell out a decent-sized venue – in advance – the same week its debut album drops, not to mention selling out in numerous cities. It doesn’t hurt that they played five packed shows at South By Southwest. Nor does being featured in a...

Karim Rashid-designed bottle opener from Magppie (yes, it has two Ps). Sure, it looks like a space-aged Weeble or Gloop and Gleep from the Herculoids, but this elegant device does a lot more than worry about falling down. Its ergonomic design sits comfortably in your hand, while the splash...

Teany Book: Stories, Food, Romance, Cartoons and, of course, Tea.” The tome is a hilarious collection of self-help advice (how to cure a hangover), grooming tips (using tea bags to reduce puffy eyes – with a picture of a Golden Retriever with tea bags on its eyes and a...

Built NY put out a great wine carrying bag (I have the two bottle ByoBag and I absolutely love it). This year, they may have topped their design with two new products: a six-pack carrying bag and a lunch bag. All of their products are made out of neoprene,...

Last Thursday night, Kaiser Chiefs visited Chicago and I have to say, it was sad to see them go. The band stormed the stage at the Double Door, thundered through its hour-long set and left almost as quickly as they arrived. When I got Kaiser Chiefs’ CD a few weeks...

The International Home & Housewares Show hit Chicago’s McCormick Place last week (admittedly not as cool as Carol's trip to the gaming convention in San Francisco, but I digress). After trekking miles through the three buildings (without a Sherpa, I might add) filled with things for your kitchen, bathroom, garden,...

Until I had my iPod and Tivo I never knew how much I needed both. Now that I’ve had the opportunity to test out the Sonos Digital Music System, I smack myself in the head and wonder how I ever lived without it. This is one of the coolest gizmos...

official website or at MTV Brasil (Thanks Arjan for the MTV tip.)...

In 1986, Run DMC paid homage to their favorite shoe – the adidas city series here), including, of course, a Music Series. Adidas tapped seven artists – Run DMC, Ian Brown, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Roc-a-Fella Records (Damon Dash), Underworld, Bad Boy Records (P. Diddy) and Missy Elliott...

Bringing together elements of his African roots, Parisian upbringing and American musical influences, trumpeter Pascal Ohse, a.k.a. Soel, created a brilliant collection of music bridging jazz, ‘70s funky soul and R&B and ambient electronic music. Imagine the JB Horns smashed up with Miles Davis, Barry White and Brian Eno. The...

Bravery. Hailing from New York, the Bravery evokes ‘80s New Wave that you can rock and dance to with a look that says they really like the Clash -- except on days when they're feeling Andy Warhol. The band got its start more or less as a backlash to...

Jay Hannan, another stellar DJ. This 2-CD set was a direct result of the Lazy Dog club night they put on every Sunday in Notting Hill in London – and it was some of the best deep house produced in the late ‘90s. They followed this up with a...

Kasabian. Their self-titled debut drops on Tuesday, although itís been out in the UK since last fall. These guys, from Leicester in the middle of the country, have a cocksure attitude that rivals the grand swagger of the Gallaghers. Their music reflects both ë60s psychedelia and late ë80s/early ë90s acid...

There’s nothing worse than leaving a concert or a night out clubbing and your ears ring so much it’s like the bass and drums left with you. The high decibel levels cause physical damage to your ear drums – and too much exposure can lead to permanent hearing loss. With...

I just got back from Costa Rica and, among so many other wonderful things about this friendly country, I fell in love with the coffee. If you think you can’t live without your daily Starbucks, you’ll about lose yourself in the incredible aromas and rich flavor of Costa Rican beans....

Dusty Groove. This is the place to turn to for hard-to-find, one-of-a-kind recordings that places like Tower and Virgin never carry. The one problem is that you generally can’t preview tracks, but each CD or LP has a great description and review so you’re not going into your purchase...

It’s always been amazing to me how British music fans can completely and wholly rally around an artist, like Robbie Williams or Kylie and America just doesn’t pay any attention. Such is the case with Ian Brown. Many of you likely know him as the frontman for the Stone Roses...

Apartment Therapy, I had to see what other great designs Vessel thought up. And whaddaya know – they shocked the hell out of me with simplicity. The Tissue Ring, a stainless steel hoop that lies atop a stack of Kleenex eliminating the need for a tacky box or a...

Beatport is Napster or iTunes exclusively for the electronic music world. As its tagline says: Log on. Get Down. That's exactly what you do on Beatport. It is the digital download network. Electronic music enthusiasts will find thousands of tracks from hundreds of labels and DJs in a dozen...

take the stage. Just when rock was getting good again, we’re sideswiped with something out of left field that makes you take a step back and scratch your head. But when you listen to the music, it’s not all bad. With their straight-forward fierce guitar and "ays" and "ohs"...

Spalding Rockwell delivers druggy electro-funk reminiscent of searing ‘80s guitar-driven attitude chick rock. They’ve been a staple on the New York scene for a little while and haven’t really broken out – but they should. Mary Louise (ML) Platt and Nicole (Nikki) Lombardi are tough, gritty, sexy and domineering....