My Aching SoulSflynnon October 13, 2020 at 1:48 am

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My Aching Soul

My Aching SoulSflynnon October 13, 2020 at 1:48 am Read More »

BREAKING: Chicago White Sox fire Rick RenteriaCCS Staffon October 12, 2020 at 3:43 pm

The Chicago White Sox reached the postseason for the first time since the 2008 season and despite it being a first-round exit at the hands of Oakland, the team does have a bright future. But that future will be without manager Rick Renteria.

The franchise announced on Monday morning that they were “mutually parting ways” with Renteria, ending his reign after a few years with the club.

The Chicago White Sox and Manager Rick Renteria have agreed to part ways following the 2020 season

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) October 12, 2020

Despite a 35-25 record and a playoff appearance, the White Sox were not satisfied with Renteria’s managing especially down the stretch where they lost some key games. His decision to pull the starter early on in Game 3 backfired due to an injury and Renteria was criticized for it.

Now, the big offseason goal for the White Sox is to find a manager that can take a very talented team to the next level and get them to the World Series.

BREAKING: Chicago White Sox fire Rick RenteriaCCS Staffon October 12, 2020 at 3:43 pm Read More »

Loraine James expands her kaleidoscopic IDM on NothingJoshua Minsoo Kimon October 12, 2020 at 1:00 pm

Loraine James makes kaleidoscopic music defined by frenetic, glitched-out beats. Despite its restless sense of perpetual movement, the London producer’s music is transparently emotive; every turbulent arrangement allows for a narrative that conveys anxiety, anger, and giddiness, even as the sound and aesthetic of a track is often icy and austere. After breaking through with the 2019 LP For You and I, James has released a string of EPs, and the latest, Nothing (Hyperdub), is her most exciting yet: a lean collection of four songs that expands the scope of her capabilities as a producer and features an eccentric cast of guest vocalists. She imparts a sense of numbness to the title track with a lurching beat that recalls the sound of feet dragging across the floor, while Uruguayan singer Lila Tirando a Violeta repeatedly, dejectedly declares, “We don’t feel nothing.” As ghastly synths wriggle in the mix and reverb-drenched coos swallow any silence, the only feeling left is helplessness. “Marg” is even more despondent; a forbidding verse by Iranian-English rapper Tardast rubs up against synth pads that creepingly swell in intensity to heighten feelings of dread. Jonnine Standish of Australian electronic indie-rock duo HTRK appears on Nothing’s glumly sensual highlight, “Don’t You See It.” If any song perfectly captures the quarantine-fueled desire for intimacy, this is it; it’s frazzled and fractured, desperate yet listless. The EP ends with an instrumental track that’s as dazzling as the others, but if Nothing confirms anything, it’s that James can make the most of any vocalist. v

Loraine James expands her kaleidoscopic IDM on NothingJoshua Minsoo Kimon October 12, 2020 at 1:00 pm Read More »

After influencing pop for decades, veteran Chicago producer the Twilite Tone drops his solo debutLeor Galilon October 12, 2020 at 5:00 pm

In Brian Coleman’s liner notes for the 2010 Get On Down reissue of Common’s Resurrection, producer No I.D. (aka Dion Wilson) talked about his early collaborator, the Twilite Tone, who was also Common’s DJ. Specifically he credited Tone, born Anthony Khan, for helping catalyze the growth of Chicago’s hip-hop community in the late 80s and early 90s: “Tone was a house DJ, too, and he took what he got from the house scene and started his own hip-hop scene,” No I.D. said. Some of Tone’s creative partners from those days have since become household names: No I.D. is an executive vice president for the Capitol Music Group, where he gave Jay-Z’s career a kick in the pants by serving as an executive producer on 2017’s 4:44, while Common is the only Oscar winner to perform at the 2020 Democratic National Convention and play a critical role in John Wick 2. Tone’s influence on pop culture has been a little more under the radar: in 2017, for instance, he coproduced Humanz, the first album in seven years from animated pop supergroup Gorillaz.

The Twilite Tone’s diverse contributions to that polymorphous record foreshadow the genre-crossing fluidity of his new solo debut, The Clearing (Stones Throw). In a recent interview for Gary Suarez’s hip-hop newsletter, Cabbages, he explained that he prefers to say his music “transcends genre.” Tone’s approach dovetails with that of Chicago’s beat scene, whose adherents refract sounds from across pop history through a hip-hop lens. Before the pandemic, Tone regularly spun records around Chicago with other open-minded, omnivorous DJs, including local nightlife leader and DJ Dave Mata, who connected him to Stones Throw founder Peanut Butter Wolf. Tone’s even-keeled but animated production work on The Clearing enlivens its most relaxed moments and smooths the edges of its loudest passages. He delicately transforms the sparse adult-contemporary piano melody at the heart of “Baby Steps” by layering on rococo percussion and funk bass, and his restraint makes the song’s florid awakening arrive with a euphoric kick. v

After influencing pop for decades, veteran Chicago producer the Twilite Tone drops his solo debutLeor Galilon October 12, 2020 at 5:00 pm Read More »

Making a More Ethical Field Museumon October 12, 2020 at 4:23 pm

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Making a More Ethical Field Museumon October 12, 2020 at 4:23 pm Read More »

4 Names We Can Expect to Replace Rick Renteria as White Sox ManagerBrian Lendinoon October 12, 2020 at 5:52 pm

The Chicago White Sox are in search of a new manager after Rick Renteria was relieved of his duties on Monday morning. Renteria’s firing comes after the White Sox were eliminated in the Wild Card series against Oakland in three games, after also limping into the postseason losing nine of their final 12 games of the season.

Though the White Sox fell short in 2020 they are considered one of the best young baseball clubs in the sport and primed to make a charge at a World Series in the next couple of years. Similar to the Cubs in 2015, the Sox have decided the Renteria was better suited as the “Good Luck Chuck” of the sport than the actual guy to lead them to the Fall Classic.

pic.twitter.com/UF5sxf6Tn7

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) October 12, 2020

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Given today’s news, here are four names you can expect to see linked to the White Sox managerial job this offseason.

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#MLB #Astros #AJHinch #JeffLuhnow fired as part of cheating scandal. Yet bench coach #JoeEspada interim manager. Fade #Astros this season.

A post shared by Craig Eyles (@kick_down_the_corridor) on Jan 14, 2020 at 12:47am PST

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AJ Hinch or Alex Cora

We’ll just lump the two together because we’re going to touch on the same exact thing when it comes to both of them and that’s the fact that both were fired as a result of the Houston Astros 2017 sign-stealing scandal. Both managers were required to take a year suspension away from baseball, however, both are strong candidates to get new positions in 2021.

Both guys have a World Series title under their belt, with Hinch winning in 2017 in Houston (and making it to another in 2019) and Cora winning with the Red Sox in 2018. Perhaps the kicker between the two comes with Cora as he’s fluent in Spanish and the White Sox youthful core is primary Latino players with Spanish as their first language. This doesn’t mean Hinch is out, as he speaks some Spanish too and managed a club with the likes of José Altuve, Yuli Guirriel, Carlos Correa, and Martin Maldonado to a World Series victory.

In terms of name recognition, these are the two “star” hires of the offseason despite the red flag that comes with either guy.

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@mlb let the boys play

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AJ Pierzynski

This one would come out of left field, but if you’re looking at a former White Sox great to step into the dugout (a la David Ross on the North Side) then Pierzynski fits that mold. He’s an incredibly intelligent baseball mind, former player, and he’s kept around the game since retiring becoming a full-time analyst for Fox’s baseball coverage. When bringing in a new manager, finding a good culture fit is always a top priority and that’s something you’d get immediately with a guy like Pierzynski. He’s familiar with the organization and as a former player was revered for leadership in the clubhouse.

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Joe Espada, Bruce Bochy, Dusty Baker and Buck Showalter among candidates for Astros’ managerial opening #MLB #BruceBochy #DustyBaker #BuckShowalter #HoustonAstros #JoeEspada

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Joe Espada

If this name sounds familiar is because he was likely the second option for the Cubs last season for a job that ultimately went to David Ross. The White Sox could be a fantastic landing spot for the Houston Astros bench coach who is looking for his first official managerial job. Espada, too, is fluent in Spanish and has a reputation as a player’s coach from his time with the Marlins and Astros. It’s just a matter of when not if Espada will get himself a managerial gig and the Sox certainly are a glove fit.

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Featured Image Credit: Chicago White Sox Facebook Page

Southwest Airlines to Begin Service at O’Hare as Soon as 2021Brian Lendinoon October 12, 2020 at 6:57 pm

Southwest Airlines, the famed “wanna get away” brand that is popular for letting you pick your own seats, will begin operating out of O’Hare International Airport (ORD) as early as mid-2021. To most, this isn’t a big deal. To those who live in Chicago, this is basically as big as a Bears’ Sunday.

Since 1985, Southwest has operated solely out of Chicago’s second airport, Midway International, on the south side of the city. O’Hare, which is much larger and much more crowded, did not offer Southwest service thus making it a frustration to anyone who lives north of 290. Until this point, Midway and Southwest were about as synonymous as the city itself and an Italian beef sandwich. The airline also announced added service in Houston at Bush Intercontinental Airport.

We decided to see how our north side looks in Chicago and Houston. Keep your eyes here in the coming months for route specifics. pic.twitter.com/rtBTUCd1hN

— Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) October 12, 2020

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In a statement, the airline stated that, “…[flying out of O’Hare] has been a wish of theirs for a long time” and also that this would not impact anything with their current operations at Midway. In a separate news release, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said, “Southwest owes decades of success to our employees and customers who have supported our business in Chicago and Houston…today’s announcement furthers our commitment to both cities as we add service to share Southwest’s value and Hospitality with more leisure and business travelers.”

The Chicago Department of Aviation followed that up by stating, “Chicago is one of the strongest and most competitive airport markets in the world, and we are always eager to work with our existing airlines and new entrants on enhancing the service they offer to travelers. This is a vote of confidence in our city and in O’Hare, and we’re excited to build on 35 years of partnership with Southwest Airlines.”

This is huge news for anyone who has brand loyalty when it comes to their airline choice aka myself and comes as some welcome aviation news during a time where it seems as if nothing in that industry is trending upwards. We look forward to Southwest Airlines O’Hare service in 2021 because boy oh boy do we… wanna get away.

At UrbanMatter, U Matter. And we think this matters.

Tell us what you think matters in your neighborhood and what we should write about next in the comments below!

Featured Image Credit: Southwest Airlines Facebook Page

COVID Safe Family Activities: Outdoor Movies!Anne Marie Williamson October 11, 2020 at 1:00 pm

Error fetching full content with error: 500 (COVID Safe Family Activities: Outdoor Movies! Tweet By Anne Marie Williams, Sunday at 8:00 am At the beginning of the pandemic, I broke down and started shopping for a TV. Between the cost, and the lack of places to put said TV, I decided to just get …)Read More

COVID Safe Family Activities: Outdoor Movies!Anne Marie Williamson October 11, 2020 at 1:00 pm Read More »