Artist Eleventh Dream Day

Since 1983, Chicago’s own indie darlings Eleventh Dream Day have been quietly leaving a legacy as influential rockers who play by their own rules. After Atlantic Records dropped the band in 1993, the group found salvation at Chicago independent label Thrill Jockey, where they’ve been signed ever since. Eleventh Dream Day’s staying power can be attributed to an ahead-of-their-time alternative jam style that paved the way for modern indie staples like The Sea And Cake. Riot Now!, the group’s first album in five years, retains the same hard-edged whimsy that has served as the band’s calling card for decades. Tracks like “Satellite” sound like a subdued Sonic Youth, while the haunting ballad “Away With Words” proves that even the sleepiest band can pack an emotional punch.

Updated 04/12/2011