The Hit Back officially release their debut album, Who Are These Weird Old Kids, through Sidetown Records today. The band may not have a lot of experience on the scene, but their electro-pop sound is right in line with a lot of popular bands. Their sound is a mixture of guitar-based pop and subtle but effective electronics.

You can catch The Hit Back at Saki on May 14th.

The unique Psych-rocker Stephen Paul Smoker has released a fun new video for his track "No You No Me". The track comes from the new 7" from Kilo Record with features this track and "Neon Green". Both tracks will appear on the bands forthcoming full-length Ripe Fruit.

Stephen Paul Smoker will be performing at Viaduct Theater on May 7th with Grace Kulp, and The Funeral and the Twilight.

I've long felt that Nick Butcher of Sonnenzimmer is not only a great screenprinter, but it one of the most inventive musicians in Chicago. With his latest project he has again teamed up with Portland's Hometapes to create an instrumental work of art. Free Jazz Bitmaps, Volume One is a process-based publication in the form of a series of lathe-cut 7”records culminating in a 12” vinyl LP release. The architecture of this inaugural volume is provided by Hometapes musical and visual artist Nick Butcher. Songs created by Butcher will come to life throughout 2011 in six bi-monthly editions of ten lathe-cut records each made in an edition of 10. The collection will ultimately be featured on vinyl LP, alongside reinterpretations of those songs by renowned Chicago improvisers Jason Adasiewicz, Tim Daisy, Keefe Jackson,Mike Reed, Jason Reobke, and Jason Stein.

The entire project will be available digitally through bandcamp.

Lollapalooza has released their 2011 initial line-up for the festival taking place at Grant Park from Aug. 5th to Aug 7th. Included are Chicago's Smith Westerns, Maps & Atlases, Disappears, Gold Motel, Young Man, and former Chicagoans Ok Go. You can view the full line-up here.

Talons is essentially the work of Mike and Sommer Tolan, and together they make beautiful and heartfelt and soulful music. Even though the band is based in Chicago their music is very much rooted in nature. Most of the new album was written while Mike with living in Spain. The new album "Songs for Boats" is a collection of near hymns masterfully sungs over an array of acoustic guitars, autoharps, chord organs, clarinets, violin and lapsteel. It is peaceful and relaxing through out. The local label Positive Beat Recordings released this album on March 29th, but the band is celebrating the release tonight (4/25) with a free show at The Whistler.