Author Archive

The foyer of @properties’ Fulton Street office is canopied by an expansive, lush tree, reaching its branches over a bustle of young, pointy-shoed realtors who compliment each other on looking “very Lincoln Park” today. The tree grows up and out, bursting at the seams of its artificial confinements. Perhaps @’s choice of flora is... »

BEFORE THIS SUMMER, I HAD NEVER LEFT THE COUNTRY—NO, NOT EVEN TO CANADA OR MEXICO. As one of the uninitiated, I’ve always expected people to come back from their Study Abroad Experiences fundamentally changed. Does their time in the Middle East mature them beyond their years in the face of extre me poverty? Does... »

College radio is a strange little place. Weirdness seems to come with the territory for an activity that draws people who really dig sitting in a room by themselves for long periods of time in the wee hours of the morning, playing records—yes, records, on vinyl—that they simply want to share with the four... »

This column is dedicated to all of you dear readers who are still dewy-eyed, wet-behind-the-ears college students gearing up for your first summer internships. Maybe you were proactive and well-qualified and landed yourself a Metcalf—good for you, you moneymaking machines. You’re going to make a hell of a lot of photocopies for that $4000.... »

Word on the street is that punk is dead. Or, at the very least, it’s difficult to sustain when the dominant subculture is crippled by po-mo pretensions. At its purest, there’s nothing ironic about punk rock—it’s sixty seconds of an abrasive wall of frustration. It’s the creation of dedicated, creative, and passionate communities who... »

Tim Kinsella is a polarizing figure in the niche world of experimental indie rock. He’s met with people who either assign him historical significance, calling him the forefather of emo (a label he routinely mocks) and proto-indie for his work with the legendary Cap’n Jazz, or people who dismiss him as intentionally obtuse with... »