Denim Icarus — a project from Champaign-Urbana’s own Teddy Lerch — has just released their new album titled Jean Dreams. It’s 9 tracks of psychedelic, reverbed out rock, with some synthesizers, sick guitar licks, and also features some …
Posts by Sean Wilkinson:
The Overture: March 7-13
After a weekend of warm weather, we're back to chillier temps, but the live music is heating up.
A University of Illinois student is researching how acoustics affect singers’ performances
Natalia Łastowiecka is an undergraduate student at the U of I — double majoring in vocal performance and speach and hearing science — conducting research into how a singer’s vocal performance can change depending on the …
The Bashful Youngens pave their own path in new song “When I’m Dead and Gone”
“You don’t like the road I’m down, it’s not yours to understand…I’ll settle all my demons when I’m dead and gone.” The Bashful Youngens aren’t here to bend to standards. Their new track “When I’m …
Get a dose of 2000s nostalgia with Nectar’s cover of “Perfect Day”
Champaign-Urbana DIY punks Nectar have released a new cover of Hoku’s “Perfect Day.” The song was first heard in 2001’s Legally Blonde. Nectar’s cover captures the fun, energetic, youthful spirit that the original track offers, while …
The Overture: February 28-March 6
It's Mardi Gras week, and Tuesday sees some great jazz bands around town, alongside some other great shows throughout the week.
A street in Urbana could become Angie Heaton Drive
We don’t normally share petitions here at Smile Politely. However, we had to share the news of a petition to rename a street in Urbana after the late, great, beloved, Angie Heaton. Heaton passed away …
This new song by The Latex Figure is creepy and haunting in the best possible way
The Latex Figure has just released their new song “Spiders In Your Head.” The track blends acoustic guitar with metal and it’s kind of unlike anything I’ve heard before — and I mean that in a …
The Overture: February 22-27
Some CU favorites including Melvin Knight, Anika Emily, Chip Stephens, and more this week in live music.
Listen to People in Places, the debut album from Cade Whitt
Champaign-Urbana native Cade Whitt has just released his self-produced, debut album People in Places. Whitt is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, mixing and mastering the album himself. The album blends rock, indie, and alternative, reminiscent of …