I listen to a lot of music. No, really. If I’m not catching up on what my dudes recommend with The Indie Inspection and Ska Punk & Other Junk, or doing homework for the Crushed Monocle Podcast, I’ve got my ear to the ground for what’s next. There’s so much music out there that it’s hard to keep a cohesive list. While the podcast is a great way to discuss a few records each month, I feel I’m undercutting some of the other records that got repeated spins. The remedy? This column! The Showcase.
Welcome to The Showcase for February 2025!
Well, January and February are finally behind us. That kind of feels like pulling the Band-Aid off, right? Except in reality, said Band-Aid is a mile long and attached to your skin with super glue. I know you’re here for a few music recommendations to take your mind off the house burning down around you. And we’ll get to that stuff soon. I promise! But I want to be 100 with you for a minute. Level with me, won’t you? Humoring me works, too, I guess.
We’re all doing our best. It’s been tough, hasn’t it? The world I mean. I’m in the United States, and I’m fully aware that many other places have been blown to smithereens at this point. But living in allegedly the most powerful country in the world, it feels like ground zero for where all the bad stuff starts. Is that survivor’s guilt? I don’t know, but I suppose we’ll find out if we survive.
I say all of this because I want you to survive. And as corny as it might sound, I think the only way we can do that is if we work together.
Now I don’t mean some superficial, flowery hippie talk. I mean as a community. We’re all burnt out, disillusioned, and just very very tired. But these monsters in power want us to be that way. It’s not good enough they’re in charge, making their own rules, and we can’t do a thing about it. They also want us so depressed that we don’t even enjoy music, movies, or the tiniest things that bring us a shred of happiness. After all, it’s a hell of a lot easier to roll over and submit when there’s no joy in your life.
This isn’t the proper channel to preach politics, and I’ll spare you the hope and change speech. However, I want to say this: They can sign their laws, push their agendas, and try to make our lives as miserable as possible. But No matter what the law, an orange dictator, or a rich Nazi says, they can’t choose who you are, who you love, where your faith stands, or what you enjoy listening to. So, if sharing the music I love is the only power I have the energy to wield at the moment, then I’m gonna revel in it.
Let’s get on with The Showcase!
Obscure Sphinx – Emovere
We’re kicking things off this month with some sick Polish post-metal. Obscure Sphinx combines raw emotion with gnarly soundscapes of distorted power. That’s really the best way I can describe Emovere. It’s a powerful record in every sense of the word. But it’s gotta be the bass for me. In addition to holding everything together, the tone sounds like a woolly mammoth possessed by the devil. Just the way I like it! Sidenote: this record was a recommendation from BGM founder and Crushed Monocle co-host, Jon! (If you’re reading this, I love you, my dude!)
Coronary – M.A.D.ness
I know what you’re thinking. “Man, Coop sure likes to cover Chicago bands. He’s clearly biased.” And you would be correct! I do cover many acts local to me. It’s obvious that Chicago has the absolute best music scene. Maybe I should rename this series to The Chicago Showcase? Anyway, Coronary is back with another neck-breaking record. But with M.A.D.ness, the guys lean further into punk territory. Anything that reminds me of Suicidal Tendencies automatically gets a co-sign from me.
Mereba – The Breeze Grew a Fire
It’s been a minute since I’ve recommended a straight-up R&B record here at The Showcase, right? Well for me, Mereba is the very definition of soul music. She’s been mentored by the legendary Steve Wonder and had her music featured in the Rocky spin-off, Creed. Her career has already achieved successes that most artists can only dream of reaching. But on her second album, the consensus isn’t to go bigger, but deeper. Each track on The Breeze Grew a Fire sees the singer, rapper, producer, and multi-instrumentalist explore the facets of an artist, lover, and mother. Equal parts Erykah Badu and Minnie Riperton, Mereba performs as if she has experienced the best and worst of what life has to offer and lived to tell about it. And you know what? I believe her.
Obscura – A Sonication
Shrouded in inner-band drama and accusations of plagiarism, Obscura is the Fleetwood Mac of melodic death metal. But I won’t get into any of that because A: I don’t want to gossip, and B: I don’t really care. What I really care about is technical, progressive-flavored death metal with ugly vocals and guitars that go wugga wugga wugga meedly meeeedly meedly weeeeeeee. I don’t want a band to waste much time. Fortunately, I didn’t have to waste much with A Sonication. This record scratched the itch, and that’s all I asked for!
Horsegirl – Phonetics On and On
A few years back, it felt like the music industry was obsessed with reliving the 90s. But unlike the TikTok teens in the mainstream, Horsegirl was the real deal. Their take on the shoegaze vibes was genuine, which made Versions of Modern Performance one of my favorite records of 2022. With Phonetics On and On, the Chicago trio takes a completely different approach. The wall of guitars has been scaled back to make room for more vocal clarity. Although I miss those bendy guitars, the trade-off is worth it, as I love to hear a band evolving and growing.
Lacuna Coil – Sleepless Empire
There was a time (before file sharing on the internet) when listening to Italian gothic metal made me feel super cool. Lacuna Coil was over-top dramatic without being too cartoony yet heavy as balls without sacrificing melody. Listening to those records now means having to accept a little bit of cringe with the nostalgia. Now on their 10th album all these years later, I can’t lie; I really enjoy it! Oh boy is it melodramatic, too. You can judge me all you want, but Lacuna Coil still rules!
Moonvampire – Nocturnal
With the attitude of Bauhaus, the monotonous cadence of Joy Division, and the melancholy longing of The Cure, everything about Moonvampire screams the gothic 1980s. Despite being somewhat of a love letter to the no-wave movement, Nocturnal isn’t the least bit campy. For all I know, they could very well be a band of vampires. That works for The Showcase!
Ironweed – Phantasmagoric
Wearing their love for the early years of heavy metal on their sleeves, Ironweed featires all the pentatonic riffage of Black Sabbath but with a subtle hint of ’60s psychedelics. My favorite moments of Phantasmagoric channels elements of Alice Cooper. It’s heavy, dirty, and groovy in all the places you want it to be.
The Manhattan Love Suicides – The Manhattan Love Suicides
Okay, so this album isn’t technically new. I remember listening to this album so much in 2006 that the disc wore thin and wouldn’t play without skipping. Having it reissued for the first time feels like being reunited with a long-lost loved one. The Manhattan Love Suicides are just inescapable, fuzzy, power pop in the best way possible. If you don’t enjoy this, you don’t like rock n’ roll.
Forest Circles – Embers
Combining elements of post-rock, shoegaze, and noise, the sound of Embers is larger than life. However, the vocals and lyrics are deeply personal and romantic. Beneath the wall of guitars this track is gorgeous, through and through. I recommend this particular song this month because it’s the band’s latest single, but the entire Forest Circles catalog is worth a listen!
Pothamus – Abur
Most heavy music seems to gravitate to darker imagery. Death, horror, depression, and post-apocalyptic. But Pothamus proves that those sounds don’t always have to be derivative. While Abur is definitely a heavy record, most of the weight comes from its cinematic ethereal soundscapes. An exotic, almost tribal thread runs throughout the record giving it a sound that can only be explained as epic. This record is bigger than us.
Almost There But Not Really – singmetosleep
It’s always good to hear younger artists taking the reigns of an often exploited but rarely perfected subgenre like shoegaze. But Almost There But Not Really’s blend of warbly guitars and bittersweet melodies reveals a band that knows exactly what they’re doing. God, I love my local music scene!
FACS – Wish Defense
There’s a reason why FACS are the stalwarts of Chicago’s noise-rock scene. Read my full review here.
Morast – Fentanyl
Fentanyl is a doom-metal album you will feel more than you hear. Read my full review here.
Rapt – Until the Light Takes Us
From heart-pounding highs to heartbreaking lows, Rapt is a masterclass in storytelling. Read my full review here.