One of the lesser-known legacies of Ronald Reagan’s years in the White House is a band comprising citizens of the Czech and Slovak republics, formerly Czechoslovakia. It’s probably fair to say that without Reagan’s efforts to end the Cold War, Fragment would not have come together. The band, which formed in 1983, has performed here […]
Music
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Root cause
How often do we hear a musician praising his or her record label as the fairest group of people you ever could hope to meet? Close to never. Labels and artists have been at odds with each other since records were pressed into wax. But ask those recording for Bloodshot Records about their label, and […]
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Burch masters the timeless quality of classic country
Paul Burch is one of the craftiest composers alive. A bona fide difference exists between songwriters and composers, and Burch falls squarely into the latter group. Beyond good lyrics with three-chord fare, Burch’s melodies are ripe with subtle nuances and textured intricacy. Tremolo guitar enhances the mood of desolation, muted bass lines demonstrate a man […]
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Now Playing 6-10-04
Deep in the heartland of America is a sleepy little town that teems with nightlife on an unimaginable scale. This tiny but mighty source of monumental musical moments lives in constant denial of the true caliber of its entertainment world. Trained workers, in a valiant attempt to enlighten the ignorant public, struggle night and day […]
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Sound Patrol 6-10-04
Sam PhillipsA Boot and a Shoe (Nonesuch) “When no one is listening, I have so much to say,” Sam Phillips sings on “How to Quit,” the opening track of her new CD, A Boot and a Shoe. It’s a bit of an exaggeration — some of us have been listening to her obsessively for 16 […]
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Now playing 6-3-04
What? June. How did that happen? Last thing I remember it was winter and it was snowing. Not exactly, but here we are almost halfway through 2004. Hey, there’s no time for wallowing in the past. We have things to do. Let’s do ’em. Enjoy some music in the great out-of-doors this week. Start off […]
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Now playing 5-27-04
It’s here, the official summer kickoff weekend, whatever that means. No really, I read about it in the paper and I always believe everything I read. And so should you. If you like hanging out on the streets of Springfield, drinking, eating, and listening to music without the worry of being run over by a […]
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Now playing 5-20-04
Great googly-moogly what is going on here? Are those people wandering around downtown Springfield at night, enjoying the fine entertainment offered by scores (almost) of nearly new nightclubs? Even the most hardened Springfield cynic has to be somewhat softened by the recent growth of late-night goings-on in our fair city. And if the offerings are […]
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Now playing 5-13-04
Enjoying your day? Now get on out there and enjoy the night, too. Everyone should burn the candle at both ends for awhile, it’ll help you to appreciate a good night’s (or day’s) rest. Some like it hot, they say, and if you’re one of the sizzling ones, Hot Property is the band for you. […]
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A raindrop, trembling on grass
Alison Krauss has come a long way since her days on the Champaign talent-show circuit. The violin prodigy formed her own band at age 10, won the Illinois State Fair fiddle championship two years later, and scored a recording deal with Rounder Records by the time she was 14. By 16, she’d dropped her debut, […]
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Now playing 5-6-04
Strike up the band — several of them in fact. Let’s see who’s on first, who’s on last, and what’s in between. All the signs of approaching summer are here. The oak trees are leafing out, the swallows are back, folks are donning shorts and losing shirts, but most importantly, the beer gardens are open. […]
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Now playing 4-29-04
Enter, my friends, into the wild and wonderful world of music in the capital city. It’s a place of diversity and digressions tied together by darkness and booze, smoky taverns, and bright beer lights. The rewards are great if you take seriously the challenge of finding your music and don’t mind the added attachments that […]
