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L’Rain creates glittering, warped pop collages on Fatigueon July 1, 2021 at 11:00 am

Brooklyn composer and multi-instrumentalist Taja Cheek, aka L’Rain, has titled her sophomore album Fatigue (Mexican Summer), but she doesn’t sound tired. Her aesthetic is languidly manic, with an eclectic mix of genres and moods bobbing in and out of her layered, psychedelic orchestral pop. Opener “Fly, Die,” kicks off with washes of voices and instrumental sounds interspersed with sudden stops, like a radio station coming in and out of tune. The rest of the album blithely channel surfs through an alternate realm of interdimensional playlists: sweet, distorted shoegaze pop that transforms into gospel testifying in a basement church (“Find It”), a kids’ jump-rope game interrupted by an electroacoustic intrusion (“Black Clap”), and some sort of broken retro dance (“Two Face”). Album closer “Take Two,” about a toxic friendship that’s beyond repair, sounds like a Dua Lipa track being eaten by an exceedingly stoned Day-Glo revenant. L’Rain’s 2017 self-titled debut was a ravishingly melancholy tribute to her mother, who died during the making of the album. Fatigue is more ambivalent and vacillating in mood; its shifting styles and odd interpolations make its sad moments feel charged with energy and give its upbeat passages an edge of uncanny desperation. Syd Barrett, Marvin Gaye, and Animal Collective all seem like spiritual touchstones, but L’Rain quickly wanders away from them–and from everyone else–to nurture her own “future poison-blooded little babies” (as she sings on “Blame Me”). Her devotion to her own idiosyncratic path makes Fatigue a weird, lovely, and restless album. v

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L’Rain creates glittering, warped pop collages on Fatigueon July 1, 2021 at 11:00 am Read More »

Woman killed in Roseland shooting that also wounds 8-year-old girl and another womanon July 1, 2021 at 10:59 am

A woman was killed in a shooting in Roseland early Thursday that also wounded an 8-year-old girl and another woman.

The two women were sitting on the porch of a home in the 11300 block of South Wentworth Avenue when someone stepped from a white Nissan and fired at them, Chicago police said.

A 40-year-old woman was taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she was pronounced dead, police said. She has not yet been identified.

A 30-year-old woman was grazed by a bullet and taken to Roseland Hospital in good condition, police said.

One of the shots went through the house and struck an 8-year-old girl in the arm, police said. She was taken to Roseland Hospital and was also in good condition.

No one was in custody.

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Woman killed in Roseland shooting that also wounds 8-year-old girl and another womanon July 1, 2021 at 10:59 am Read More »

Chicago Blackhawks: Tough news comes out on Duncan Keithon July 1, 2021 at 11:00 am

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 07: Duncan Keith #2 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center on March 07, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Lightning defeated the Blackhawks 6-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – MARCH 07: Duncan Keith #2 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center on March 07, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Lightning defeated the Blackhawks 6-3. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Things have not been going well so far this offseason for the Chicago Blackhawks organization. That comes both on and off the ice for obvious reasons. The latest hit the team is going to take sounds like it will be on the ice as Duncan Keith is going to get traded. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet in Canada reported that they are looking to trade him to a team in either the Pacific Northwest or Western Canada per his request.

The Chicago Blackhawks may be without Duncan Keith after this summer is over.

Do you have to wonder first and foremost where Keith is going to go. Based on Friedman’s suggestion, it sounds like the Pacific Division is a good place to start if you take the southern teams out of the equation. That leaves the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, San Jose Sharks, and Seattle Kraken as options.

It would be kind of cool to see Duncan Keith move on to play for the Kraken as they expand into the league starting in 2021-22. The trade possibilities are endless with that because they can use this type of trade as their expansion draft selection. Seattle probably wants to have a formidable team in year one which would be helped along by adding someone like Keith.

Duncan is one of the best players in the history of the Chicago Blackhawks. You can make the argument that he is the best defenseman they have ever had. He has won the Norris Trophy twice, the Conn Smythe Trophy, and three Stanley Cups. He was one of the key pillars on a team that had so much success for such a long time.

They might not get all that much in return for him but they might get something. He is still a very serviceable defenseman, even at his age. It is sad but he has still probably been the best defenseman on the team over the past two or three years as he aged. If he went to a team where he was properly used, you might see him have a really nice year.

Related Story: We finally have a real update on Jonathan Toews

This is going to be a hard thing for Blackhawks fans to get over because of what Keith has meant for so long. He was a terrific player on a terrific team. He also played a premier position at an elite level for so long. This is the nature of the business and it does seem like something that is going to happen. Hopefully, if it does, both sides are content with how it went down.

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Eric Clapton helps the homeless population in Londonon July 1, 2021 at 11:00 am

I’ve Got The Hippy Shakes

Eric Clapton helps the homeless population in London

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Eric Clapton helps the homeless population in Londonon July 1, 2021 at 11:00 am Read More »

Concealed carry license holder grazed by bullet in traffic related shooting in South Shoreon July 1, 2021 at 10:35 am

A concealed carry license holder was grazed by a bullet in a traffic related shooting Thursday in South Shore on the South Side.

About 2:40 a.m., the 23-year-old was in his vehicle in the 7100 block of South Yates Boulevard, when a silver Ford Escape struck his vehicle and fled the scene, Chicago police said.

The man began following the SUV until it stopped, a man got out, and began firings shots at him, police said. The 23-year-old, who is a licensed concealed carry holder, returned fire and the man fled the scene on foot.

The 23-year-old was grazed by a bullet on his leg, and was released at the scene after refusing to go to the hospital, police said.

No one is in custody as Area One detectives investigate.

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Concealed carry license holder grazed by bullet in traffic related shooting in South Shoreon July 1, 2021 at 10:35 am Read More »

Woman killed, child shot, women grazed in drive-by in Roseland: policeon July 1, 2021 at 9:10 am

One woman was killed, a second woman was grazed by a bullet and a child was shot Thursday morning in Roseland on the Far South Side.

About 1:10 a.m., two women were sitting on the porch of a home in the 11300 block of South Wentworth Avenue, when a person stepped out of a white Nissan and fired multiple shots before getting back inside the vehicle and fleeing southbound, Chicago police said.

A 40-year-old woman was struck in the torso and taken to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where she was pronounced dead, police said. She has not yet been identified.

A 30-year-old woman grazed by a bullet on her torso and taken to Roseland Hospital in good condition, police said.

One of the shots fired went through the house and struck an 8-year-old girl in the arm, police said. She was taken to Roseland Hospital and is also in good condition.

Area Two detectives are investigating.

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Woman killed, child shot, women grazed in drive-by in Roseland: policeon July 1, 2021 at 9:10 am Read More »

10 shot Wednesday in Chicagoon July 1, 2021 at 7:23 am

Ten people were shot Wednesday in Chicago, including a man who was shot Austin on the West Side.

About 11:50 p.m., the 23-year-old was standing outside in the 5200 block of West Ferdinand Street, when someone approached him on foot and fired shots, Chicago police said. He fled the area but realized he was struck in the arm. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital, where he is in critical condition.

Four teenagers, including two 15-year-olds, were hurt in a shooting in Little Village on the West Side. About 8:20 p.m., the four teens were walking outside in the 2200 block of South Millard Avenue when a dark-colored SUV approached and someone inside began firing shots at them, police said. One 15-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound to the buttocks and was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. The other 15-year-old was struck in the left thigh and taken to the same hospital in good condition. An 18-year-old man suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was listed in serious condition at the same hospital. The fourth victim, another 18-year-old man, was struck in the foot and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where his condition was stabilized. The dark-colored SUV fled the scene.

Wednesday morning, a 21-year-old man was shot and critically wounded in Austin on the West Side. He was shot in his abdomen and hip around 11 a.m. in the 5900 block of West Iowa Street, police said. Paramedics took him to Mount Sinai Hospital in critical condition.

A man was shot while driving in Humboldt Park on the Northwest Side. About 12:40 a.m., the 35-year-old man was driving in the 800 block of North Richmond Street when he was shot in the hip, police said. He was taken to Rush University Medical Center by a bystander, then transferred to Stroger Hospital, where he was in fair condition.

Three others were wounded in shootings citywide.

One person was killed and eleven others were wounded in shootings Tuesday in Chicago.

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10 shot Wednesday in Chicagoon July 1, 2021 at 7:23 am Read More »

July 4 Weekend with Beer in Chicagoon July 1, 2021 at 3:43 am

The Beeronaut

July 4 Weekend with Beer in Chicago

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July 4 Weekend with Beer in Chicagoon July 1, 2021 at 3:43 am Read More »

On July 4, celebrate — but get vaccinated firston July 1, 2021 at 1:55 am

This year’s Fourth of July is likely to be all the more celebratory for so many now-vaccinated Americans, who will once again mark the holiday with family cookouts and beach-going with friends and fireworks.

And millions of us, having gotten our shots, are more than ready to mark an official summer “reopening.”

All the same, and not to sound like a scold, but we had better remember: There’s still plenty of work ahead to put the pandemic fully behind us.

The threat of COVID-19 continues to loom large. Pockets of Chicago, Downstate Illinois and the rest of the nation are struggling to get everyone vaccinated. Add to that the growing spread of the more contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, which has been identified in dozens of countries and already accounts for some 20% of newly reported COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

By fall, the Delta variant could cause the same surge in cases that other nations are experiencing. We dare not risk that scenario, especially with some research suggesting that the Delta variant also causes more severe illness.

Getting vaccinated is now all the more critical. The vaccines, experts have said, are effective against coronavirus variants, and the vast majority of new COVID-19 infections are among the unvaccinated.

Everyone who is medically able to get the shot must do so, for their own and everyone else’s health and safety.

Numbers sound the alarm

Gov. J.B. Pritzker made much the same point on Monday when he urged unvaccinated Illinoisans to get their shots and to heed warnings about the new Delta variant.

“This is very real,” he said, with great understatement.

“The lessons here at home and across the world are a harbinger of what could happen here, particularly in low vaccinated areas,” the governor said, “if we don’t see a higher uptake of the vaccine across Illinois.”

“Higher uptake” is needed in a number of states, particularly in the South and Midwest. Pockets of the country where folks either have less access to shots — or stubbornly refuse to get them — already have forced the White House to concede that America will fall short of President Joe Biden’s initial goal: To get 70% of the adult population vaccinated with at least their first dose by July 4.

Opinion This Week

A weekly overview of opinions, analysis and commentary on issues affecting Chicago, Illinois and our nation by outside contributors, Sun-Times readers and the CST Editorial Board.

In Illinois overall, 71.6% of adults have gotten at least one shot and 56.3% are fully vaccinated, according to state Department of Health data. But consider the situation in Southern Illinois, where a number of counties have vaccination rates hovering at 20% to 35%. In Alexander County on the Mississippi River, just 14.4% of adults have been fully vaccinated.

Chicago is lagging behind too. Here, just 49.5% of adults are fully vaccinated and 55.7% having gotten their first shot, city Department of Health data show. The racial disparity remains stark, with just 33.1% of African Americans and 40.4% of Latinos now fully vaccinated. In some ZIP codes on the South and West sides, only about a third of residents have been fully vaccinated.

Get your shot before celebrating the Fourth.

Send letters to [email protected]

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On July 4, celebrate — but get vaccinated firston July 1, 2021 at 1:55 am Read More »