Top 4 Chicago Bands you may or may not have heard of.........

Here are some bands from the Chicago scene that you may or may not have heard of. Keep in mind, when I say they are the 4 best, that is just my opinion. I would love to hear about what bands you like as I am always looking for new music to listen to.

- Pint Size Studio

4. Ocean Orbit – With influences like Ghostland Observatory, Daft Punk, Castelvainia and Mega Man, Ocean Orbit's brand of techno/dance/house/8 bit chip music makes them not only unique in the Chicago scene, but quite a refreshing break from power chords and guy-liner. While more popular acts use gimmicks (ie. AutoTune) just because they can, or because it has become the new standard, Ocean Orbit's use of a hacked NES game console and vocoder type effects never seems banal or out of place.

   Their self titled debut EP contains 7 songs that make for a cohesive collection that makes sense from start to finish and leaves you wanting more. What's more, each song can stand on its own and easily enhance any playlist or party mix. While standout songs like Wily Dragon and HAC get a touch more attention from my ears, make no mistake that the rest (Launch, One, DVD, PST, and the tongue-in-cheek FAP) are by no means filler.

   Since their freshman offer, Ocean Orbit has released two new songs on bandcamp.com. Final Girl is an 80's new-wave sounding homage to campy slasher films like Halloween and Friday The 13^th, while BRAVURA is a bit more 80's sci-fi based, all the while never losing that signature Ocean Orbit “sound”.

   You can check out Ocean Orbit for yourself at http://www.myspace.com/oceanorbit and download their music at http://oceanorbit.bandcamp.com .

3. AM Taxi – I would say if you like Lucky Boys Confusion then you'll like AM Taxi, but that wouldn't necessarily be true. While the two bands share members Adam Krier (vocals/guitar) and Jason Schultejann (bass), that is where the similarities end. Don't get me wrong, LBC has some good tunes, but AM Taxi's major label debut We Don't Stand A Chance is more mature, honest and raw than anything else Krier has written to date.

   I'll admit, that upon first listen I wasn't a fan of the record eventhough I was a fan of the band. It didn't seem to be as polished a sound as I have been conditioned to expect from a major label, but after listening to it a few more times, I came to realize that was the band's intention. This is a very “dry” (not a lot of effects like delay and reverb that seem to come standard with most releases) record. It has a sound comparable to early Springsteen, with everything very tight, up front, and very urgent sounding. You feel like you are right there in the room with the band.

   Some of my favorites are the obvious Dead Street, The Mistake, and Fed Up, as well as the more under the radar Paper Covers Rock and Maydays And Rosaries to which Genevieve Schatz of Company Of Thieves lends her incredible voice (of which I would love to hear more).

   As for their live show, it is every bit as high energy as the record, if not more. They leave you feeling beat up and begging for another punch. You can catch AM Taxi on tour in city near you, but in the meantime check them out at http://www.amtaximusic.com .

2. Savvy – Savvy describes themselves as “Strangefunk”, and although they are strange at times and offer a certain amount of funk, I would hesitate to label them as such. They have such a unique sound that it is almost hard to define, but if I were going to try, the closest I could get would be to say they sound like a combination of Bjork, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Tricky, and Minus The Bear. They are definitely a band that has to be heard to be understood and appreciated, but once you give it a listen you will wonder how your music collection survived this long without them in it.

   Savvy has just independently released their first record Dictated Not Red, and so far it has lived up to every expectation I had (and in some cases exceeded). Before the record came out I had the opportunity to check out the songs That's Just Good Business and Aray Bali on their myspace page, and thought, “I don't know how they are going to top this.” Well, they managed to. Not to say those two songs are crap, because they aren't, but songs like 101608, It's About How My Face And Balls Itched Real Bad For About A Week, Hmph, and Mono are by far my new favorites from this band that usually gigs as a Talking Heads tribute called This Must Be The Band.

   I have yet to catch one of their live shows as they rarely play out anywhere as Savvy, but I am willing to wager that they are just as good live as they are recorded, if not better. If you would like to find out what all the buzz is about, check out their myspace page http://www.myspace.com/savvychicago and go to http://savvychicago.bandcamp.com/ to download their debut album Dictated Not Red. I promise it is well worth the time and money.

1. Company Of Thieves – What can you say about Company Of Thieves that hasn't already been said? Should I talk about Marc Walloch's songwriting and out of this world guitar work, or maybe I should mention the hauntingly beautiful voice of singer Genevieve Schatz? No matter what you decide to focus on, there is no denying that Company Of Thieves is one of the most original, smart, intense, and outstanding bands out there right now. Anywhere! Don't believe me? Then you NEED to check out their debut release Ordinary Riches.

   From the first creaks of the guitar in Old Letters, to the chant, “Let's all get together and start a cure” in the final song New Letters, Ordinary Riches never lets up. Company Of Thieves produces and incredibly distinct and unique sound that appeals to everyone from the indie rock scene to the mainstream. While songs like Oscar Wilde and Pressure have given them national attention and acclaim, it is the album as a whole that makes Company Of Thieves a force to be reckoned with. If forced to pick a favorite, I would have to say it would be the entire record. There isn't one song I can't stop listening to.

   Now, to quote Gen, “the pressure is rising.” I am talking about their much anticipated sophomore release to be out early in 2011. Are they going to be able to live up to brilliance of their first record? After hearing a few of the new songs live, I would say the answer is a resounding YES! While I expect the new record to sound markedly different than Ordinary Riches, Marc's guitar playing and Gen's voice will be what keeps their second release very much a Company Of Thieves record.

   Now, I may be biased as I have wanted to play bass in this band for some time now, but all jealousy aside, Company Of Thieves is no flash-in-the-pan. They will be around and continue to be relevant for a long time to come. You can catch them on tour this fall. Check out more about the band at http://www.myspace.com/companyofthieves and you can find their debut album Ordinary Riches on iTunes or in stores.