Soil Compilation

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Interview: KRUI With The Plain White T’s

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At When We Were Young 2025, fellow Chicago area natives Plain White T’s sat down with me as we discussed how the local scene has changed, their tour with We The Kings, and how Las Vegas scares us all the slightest bit. We started the conversation out by sharing a mutual love of Death Cab for Cutie:

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The Best Releases of October: Music Staff Picks

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The Body & BIG|BRAVE – Leaving None But Small Birds  The Body and BIG|BRAVE have each earned their tenure in metal, but together they have created an album that defies any preconceived notions one might have had for them. On Leaving None But Small Birds, both bands veer into a brand of folk rock that is rife with an eerie grit. Twangy layered strings mesh with the heavy distortion of guitars that both The Body and BIG|BRAVE are known for, creating a delicate and foreboding atmosphere. Similarly, the guttural shrieks and growls of The Body are replaced by the haunting croons of BIG|BRAVE’s lead vocalist Robin … Continued

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The Best Releases of July – Music Staff Picks

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Written contributions from Jaden Amjadi, Sydney Sjobakken, and Derek Tate Illuminati Hotties – Free I.H: This is not the One You’ve Been Waiting For Everything about the presentation of this new record from Illuminati Hotties–from its status as a mixtape to its name–implies it is meant to be taken more as an interim before their real sophomore album. And yet, this may go down as one of the most memorable punk records of the year. Core member Sarah Tudzin takes the foundation of power-pop and plays with its boundaries with songs that are still fun and immediate. The opener, “will … Continued

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Independence Day: Director’s Cut

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On a holiday that celebrates American Independence, the directors take a moment to reflect on the rich history of political activism in music. We are not free until all of us are free. (image via Bernie Boston/The Washington Star Collection)

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What the Students Want and What the University Wants

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The University of Iowa sent out an email to students on Friday which detailed their plans for reform following the Iowa City Police Department’s recent use of teargas and flashbangs against peaceful protestors–inducing a seizure for one protestor and knocking others unconscious. In the email, they acknowledge “calls from members of our campus community to cut ties with the Iowa City Police Department”. Student Government demanded this same action in a mass email sent just moments before the University’s. After a paragraph discussing how the University must be a “driver of change” they list the plan’s steps. Any decrease of … Continued

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