The Bridges
Hyped on: Mixtape Maestro; Indiependent Music; Mainstream Isn’t So Bad…Is It?
MySpace
Who: A family act made up of four siblings (Natalie, Stacey, Isaaca and Jeremy Byrd) and one cousin (dewy-voiced lead singer Brittany Painter), the Bridges started out as an acoustic coffeehouse and church parlor group called Long Story Short before graduating to electric instruments and club gigs in 2005. They grew up home-schooled in Oxford, Alabama, but their sound is more ‘70s California than 21st century Bible belt.
What: With big assists from producer Matthew Sweet and pedal steel ace Greg Leisz, the Bridges’ debut evokes both classic country-tinged pop acts like Fleetwood Mac and crossover country stars like the Judds and Emmylou Harris. Painter’s voice is strong enough to stand on its own, but it’s when those sibling harmonies kick into high gear that “Limits” really does reach for the sky. Lead single “Pieces” and the swooning “Echo” are especially pretty, while “One I Love” should turn heads in Nashville with its infectious chorus.
Made for: Country fans looking for something a little more musically sophisticated than Sugarland and less politically polarizing than the Dixie Chicks. Matthew Sweet fans who love it when he dials down the guitars and dials up the sugary pop harmonies. Anyone who’s a sucker for twangy female vocals.
X-Factor: With their countrified sound and complex harmonies, the Bridges are perfectly suited for a summer tour as the opening act for…Rooney? Maybe we’re not giving Rooney’s tween-heavy audience enough credit, but the Bridges seem like a tough sell with the Radio Disney crowd. – AH
The Hood Internet, "The Hood Internet vs. Chicago" (Two Thumbs Down)
Hyped on: Gorilla vs. Bear; analog scene; Missingtoof
Official site
MySpace
Who: The concept of the “mash-up” may make your skin crawl—music purists have scoffed at the idea of blending track A instrumentals with track B vocals since the micro-genre became widely popular in the beginning of the ‘00s. But we think music purists are afraid to shake they asses. Chicago’s the Hood Internet (DJs STV SLV and ABX) have pumped out over 140 of these tracks, highlighting the duo’s appetite for Southern rap, indie rock, Frenchtronica and R. Kelly in their nimble blends. (Disclosure: I’ve been friendly with the duo since college, hosting STV SLV on my long forgotten radio show Beats, Rhymes and Hype.)
What: This latest mixtape is a love email to the Chi, featuring artists who have “been in Chicago for a minute, some recent transplants and some have even moved away,” according to the Hood’s Web site, where all the tracks are available for free download. The 23 tracks feature the establishment (Do or Die + Kanye West vs. Tortoise on “Ten-Day High”), the indie (Tha Basix vs. Mahjongg on “80s Problems”) and simple brilliance—“Superbowl Jesus” pairs the Kanye battle-rhyme B-side “Classic” with the rusty fiddle opening from Wilco’s “Jesus, Etc.” Oh yeah, the 1985 Chicago Bears make a cameo with those classic PG raps from Walter Payton and “Samurai" Mike Singletary’s “Super Bowl Shuffle,” before the pulsing synth lines from Liz Phair’s “Headache” signals the next track (Phair mates with Southside freestyle slayer Juice).
Made for: People who only know Chicago as the home of ubiquitous blues clubs and the Smashing Pumpkins (who also appear, obvs). Folks biding time before the next Girl Talk album is released this summer.
X-Factor: Like Girl Talk's Gregg Gillis, the duo actually performs their laptronica live, chopping up cuts ADD-style and mixing it on demand. – MR
Modey Lemon, "Season of Sweets" (Birdman)
Hyped on: Welikeit.indie; Let's Sexy Fighting
Official site
MySpace
Who: Pittsburgh trio Phil Boyd, Jason Kirker and Paul Quattrone have been redefining garage rock for nearly a decade, and landing tours with the White Stripes, Von Bondies and Jon Spence Blue Explosion along the way. If that doesn’t hint at their sound…
What: It’s not a rehash; Modey Lemon simply offers up the best of the past. The trio’s fractured blues and Moog-enhanced psychedelia create a whirlwind of lo-fi noise, aided nicely by some truly Sabbath-worthy bass lines, goofy lyrics (“Milk Moustache”) and Quattrone’s percussion wizardry (paging Keith Moon).
Made for: Classic rock fans who veer toward the louder stuff. Indie-rockers who think Queens of the Stone Age and the Mars Volta sound too polished. Anyone who owns a bong.
X-Factor: Members of the band occasionally perform as Jack Sabbith, a (surprise) Black Sabbath cover band. – KM
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