The quickest way to publicly reject rock ‘n’ roll institution and unspoken rules of music in North America is to toss the f-bomb into your band name. The New York Times even wanted to write about the Toronto hardcore outfit, but couldn’t print its name due to the newspaper’s editorial guidelines. Since 2001, Fucked Up, led by gravel-and-nails-voiced Pink Eyes (Damien Abraham), has been surrounded by its share of controversy, whether it was completely trashing an MTV set, putting an image of a Hitler Youth Rally on a seven-inch or being known for consistently putting forth raging live sets that entice moshing so furious people get hurt. The best statement is always in the music, of course, and Fucked Up’s “The Chemistry of Common Life,” the band’s new record on Matador, is an eye-opener to those wondering what hardcore could, and should, be like today. By no means a lo-fi-basement affair—this record kicks off with a flute, for chrissake—Fucked Up, like on previous recordings, experiments with a bevy of unexpected instruments and structures. The guitars, a layer upon layer of guitars, treat you to a bloodlust symphony. Pink Eyes’ pink eyes turn red. So do yours. Nothing is spared. A few consecutive listens to this and you just might put your head through the wall. Angrily melodic, massive and smart, “The Chemistry of Common Life” is completely fucking brilliant. If you dare venture to the show, bring all your bottled-up rage. (Tom Lynch)
October 23 at Reggie’s Rock Club, 2109 S. State, (312)949-0121, 6pm.
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.
