Chicago F'in Rocks: Flameshovel Records

Download: The Narrator- "All the Tired Horses"
Download: The Narrator- "Breaking the Turtle"

May is going to be quite the month for Chicago's Flameshovel Records. First off, the Windy City label releases a very strong album from The Narrator today, 5/15/07 (which I have reviewed here, on this very blog). The Narrator record will very likely be on my local best-of at the end of the year. By clicking the link in the previous sentence, you can read my more in-depth thoughts on All That To The Wall. Also, The Narrator was profiled in the last issue of Chicago's alternative newspaper, The Reader. Read that article here.

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Download: The Race - "Feathers" (from Ice Station)
Download: The Race - "Safe and Sound" (from If You Can)

Also released on Flameshovel today is the latest record from Chicago's The Race. The album is titled Ice Station. As you may have guessed already, I have written about The Race on this blog before, and you can click on the link to read my thoughts about this excellent band. The Narrator's success may threaten to overshadow The Race. If that is the case (which I obviously think it shouldn't be, as they are both praiseworthy bands deserving of success), then expect Ice Station to become one of the year's most underrated records. The Race plays a record release party at Chicago venue The Hideout on June 2nd, 2007. Read more about the band here.

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Download: Bound Stems - "Andover"
Download: Bound Stems - "Western Biographic"

Last, but not least, are the Bound Stems, who released their most recent record, Appreciation Night, on Flameshovel in 2006. Click the two links above to get a sample of what the band is about (fans of Modest Mouse may find a kindred spirit in this band). The stems are playing a FREE show at Chicago's Double Door on May 27th, 2007, at 8 p.m. with...(drum roll)...you guessed it, The Narrator and The Race. Good times, indeed. If you don't have anything going on that night, you should definitely go, as you'll be seeing many of Chicago's finest bands for a price that's almost too good to be true. Get a better background on the Bound Stems here.

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You can stream or, better yet, order all three albums from the Flameshovel website

(Jonathan Graef)