Stevens gets himself off the hook when he himself calls “The Avalanche” shameless right in the damn cover art. The recent collection of more Illinois songs, aka songs that didn’t make the original “Illinois” record, are enough to make you brain-dead. I like “Illinois” just as much as the next guy, but this record burned me out on Stevens after only one listen. There are some good songs that maybe could’ve made it onto the first record—like “Pittsfield” or “The Mistress Witch from McClure”—but other than that, it’s a true sonic rehash of last summer’s glory, for better or worse, that includes three different versions of “Chicago,” none of which anywhere as good as the original. Live, however, Stevens has never failed to put on a fun show, and I’ll guess tonight won’t be any different. Whether he’s saluting Illinois, remembering Michigan or taking it down a notch and singing of swans, Stevens is a showman for sure, knows how to involve the audience and have fun, even though some of his songs are really, really depressing. (Tom Lynch)
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
Can’t-Miss Music Events (Fall Arts Preview 2023) This fall we get new albums and tours from iconic acts like Wilco and Kurt Elling, plus a Corrine Bailey Rae project inspired by Theaster Gates' Stony Island Arts Bank.
