Mystery man
	Palace Brother Will Oldham becomes Bonnie 'Prince' Billy by MATT ASHARE

Irish eyes David Gray's New Day by SEAN RICHARDSON

Ax man for all seasons Rich Gilbert goes down the country road BY BRETT MILANO

Local Anesthesia: Love you live Planet Groove lays it down at the Ocean Mist by BOB GULLA

Since the synthesizer became popular, the vast majority of rock bands have topped out at quartets, so it's no surprise that few bands in the '80s or the '90s have been able to replicate the swoon you'd hear on albums from the '70s -- the breath-like swell of pianos and horns and guitars falling in together, sweeping songs and listeners right off their feet. Chicago's Boas learned to play by studying the classics -- Neil Young, the Band, Bowie, Let It Bleed-era Stones -- and if they sound gloriously anachronistic, that's in part because they're a five-piece who brought in a horn section to help out on their excellent debut, Mansion (Overcoat). Before the album's release, they toured with both Wilco and the Warlocks, and the disc has excellent examples of the former's loose, elegant austerity and a more understated take on the latter's '60s-ish psychedelic pop. On tour with fellow Windy City residents 90 Day Men, Boas are at the Middle East (617-864-EAST) in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Saturday and at the Met Café (401-861-2142) in Providence on Sunday. Meanwhile, Chicagoland's brightest indie label is sending its most famous export, former Palace frontman Will Oldham, who's out in his Bonnie Prince Billy guise behind a new album called Master and Everyone (Drag City). He's at the Middle East on Friday, the Iron Horse (413-584-0610) in Northampton, Massachusetts on Saturday, and Lupo's Heartbreak Hotel (401-272-5876) in Providence on Sunday.

Read reviews from: | 01-23-03 | 01-16-03 | 01-09-03 | 01-02-03 | 12-26-02 | 12-19-02 | 12-12-02 | 12-05-02 | 11-28-02 | 11-21-02 | 11-14-02 | 11-07-02 | 10-31-02 | 10-24-02 | 10-17-02 | 10-10-02 | 10-03-02 | 09-26-02 | 09-19-02 | 09-12-02 | 09-05-02 | 08-29-02 | 08-22-02 | 08-15-02 | 08-08-02 | 08-01-02 | 07-25-02 | 07-18-02 | 07-11-02 | 07-04-02 | 06-27-02 | 06-20-02 | 06-13-02 | 06-06-02 | 05-30-02 | 05-23-02 | 05-16-02 | 05-09-02 | 05-02-02 | 04-25-02 | 04-18-02 | 04-11-02 | 04-04-02 | 03-28-02 | 03-21-02 | 03-14-02 | 03-07-02 | 02-28-02 | 02-21-02 | 02-14-02 | 02-07-02 | 01-31-02 | 01-24-02 | 01-17-02 | 01-10-02 | 01-03-02 | 12-27-01 | 12-20-01 | 12-13-01 | 12-06-01 | 11-29-01 | 11-22-01 | 11-15-01 | 11-08-01 | 11-01-01 | 10-25-01 | 10-18-01 | 10-11-01 | 10-04-01 | 09-27-01 | 09-20-01 | 09-13-01 | 09-06-01 | 08-30-01 | 08-23-01 | 08-16-01 | 08-09-01 | 08-02-01 | 07-26-01 | 07-19-01 | 07-12-01 | 07-05-01 | 06-28-01 | 06-21-01 | 06-14-01 | 06-07-01 | 05-31-01 | 05-24-01 | 05-17-01 | 05-10-01 | 05-03-01 | 04-26-01 | 04-19-01 | 04-12-01 | 04-05-01 | 03-29-01 | 03-22-01 | 03-15-01 | 03-08-01 | 03-01-01 | 02-22-01 | 02-15-01 | 02-08-01 | 02-01-01 | 01-25-01 | 01-18-01 | 01-11-01 | 01-04-01 | 12-28-00 & before |