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The Changes: Windy City Pop (That Rocks)The Changes: Windy City Pop (That Rocks)

The Changes are a Chicago band that got their start at last year's Lollapalooza (via MOKB) as the only unsigned band there. They've also had pretty recent media success with the blogs and even scoring Spins Artist Of The Day last month. They punch out some damn catchy melodies and write surface-deep lyrics that may not get you contemplating life but will definitely get you bouncing around. A plus is this music is pretty accessible. You'll be hooked on the first listen, though artists like that end up sliding down my most played list of the year, it's something I'm not making any long-term judgements on. It's just enjoyable.

Their debut release Today is Tonight is a bit of concept-album going for it as the soundtrack for your day. Opening up the album with a wonderfully new wavey mid-afternoon track "When I Wake" is a perfect snapshot of how times have changed. While singers Darren and David lament about getting up at the crack of noon, it was just 35 years ago that Harry Nilsson rang out about getting up before the sun comes up in "Gotta Get Up".

The album just keeps getting better from there with the xylophonic "On A String", the dancey "Modern Love", and the sultry "Twilight" (love that bass line). "Such A Scene" has got a great drum beat backing up the perfectly strained lyrics about heartbreak. The Changes close out the concept-album with tracks like "In The Dark" and "When I Sleep". Overall a very solid debut by this Windy City quartet. From the sound of their live MP3s, you should look forward to The Changes delivering all their love-ridden dance-pop songs in your face at CMJ.

Hearsay has some live tracks from their KEXP performance and there's a Threadless Loves contest going on where you can win an autographed CD & poster.

CMJ Performances:
Friday 11/3, 1pm @ Fontana's (Free BrooklynVegan Show)
Friday 11/3, 10pm @ Union Hall
Saturday 11/4, 8pm, @ Rebel

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