And that's why the ice caps are melting.

​Dan Johanning is known to many as the axe-wielding teddy bear of adrenaline-driven punks the Disappeared. He remains a huge advocate of St. Louis' original calling card: Rhythm & Blues. In addition to his numerous bands, Johanning has found time to channel his long-time love for funk and soul into the Jungle Fire. Featuring members of the Disappeared, the Chill Dawgs, and Bricklayer, the Jungle Fire's varied pedigree exhibits a diverse crew of music lovers.

In the vein of the Isleys' smooth-as-milk soul and the trademark funk of the Meters, the Jungle Fire put a rambunctious spin on the roots of River City rhythm. Having already recorded a two-song demo, the Jungle Fire continues to write songs, with plans to have its upcoming EP The New Blood released by Spring 2012.

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Pretty Little Empire gives one of the best gut-punches in the city. And "All I Know" is one of its most powerful songs. Captured in it are the band's rough-hewn guitar melody, driving rhythm and, most importantly, devastating lyrical turns. Observe:

"And if that's what you want/to always be alone/then we'll probably get along/'cuz I know I know/what it's like to feel alone."

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Jennifer Silverberg

Sharon Scherer operates a Bed N Brunch for touring bands in South City

​As any band that's hit the road will tell you, the glamours of touring are greatly overstated. Musicians deal with a blurry mess of cold floors and gas station meals. It can be a trial by fire that has ended many a promising career.

Sharon Scherer knows how hard it can be, and she's doing something about it. In the past year, she's opened her spacious south city home to touring bands, calling it Mama's Bed n Brunch. Scherer's operation is the subject of this week's music feature, written by Ryan Wasoba. In it, she talks about her motivations (appreciation for artists, mostly), practices (clean sheets and hot brunch, always) and rates (a suggested donation of $10 per person per night).

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Photo provided by Adam Gillespie

Adam Gillespie -- who played bass with the hard rock group Sullen back in the early 2000s -- is the front man for the Black Bears. The group recently played Lemmons and the Way Out Club in January.

​Adam Gillespie has come full circle.

Gillespie was only nineteen years old when he joined Sullen, a hard rock outfit that created a pulsating array of grunge and hard rock music throughout the early 2000s. After naming Sullen the Best Hard Rock Band of 2002, the RFT described the group as having "well-crafted, intelligent, catchy songs that rock balls-out."

The band, though, eventually disbanded. And Gillespie -- who says he left Sullen before the breakup -- traveled on a winding personal path. He earned a law degree, temporarily relocated to Jefferson City, dabbled in solo work and started a family. Now he's the front man for Black Bears, an indie rock group that's been playing at venues across St. Louis.

"It's gratifying in a completely different way just to have your own songs," Gillespie said in a telephone interview. "And you know it might not be the hedonistic joy that Sullen was, but just totally satisfying in a different way."

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​Dots Not Feathers' pristine harmony and elegant song constructions have earned the band a spot near the top of the folk heap in St. Louis. The Mountain EP, released today, comprises two of DNF's strongest songs to date -- both will appear on an upcoming full-length. Listen below or download the EP for free via Bandcamp.

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​The Vondrukes, winner of the RFT's Best Country Band (Alternative) in 2011, just released a full length called Runaway, Goodbye Love. The album is the subject of this week's Homespun column, and in it Christian Schaeffer applauds the band's overall feel: "Fans of good-natured alt-country can stagger along to many of the tracks here." Read the rest of his review and listen to standout tracks "Everything But Fine" and "Take it Away" below.

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Mabel Suen

Erik Wolfe started ITR in 2007 with the aid of a volunteer staff.

​Illegal Tone Recordings, subject of this week's music feature, helped foster an age of Do-It-Yourself artists in the city of Belleville, Illinois. Its reach extended across the river, often providing a stage to many St. Louis based performers. On January 31 ITR will be ending a tenure that lasted more than four years, shutting its doors for good.

Since 2007 the management has worked with a great variety of local bands as well as touring artists. Erik Wolfe, Josh Jenkins and Andy Peterson were among the most involved, and they have agreed to impart valuable tips to working musicians. This advice sports an advocacy for do-it-yourself ethics while providing guidance on common courtesy in any music scene.

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"Pretty Girls" art. Nips?

​Yes, these three songs, all released last week, come from Native Sounds studio. So consider this, in some very small way, an introduction to the work being done there. But much, much more important is the music itself, which speaks volumes about three bands we sincerely hope to hear lots more from in 2012. A caveat: One of these tracks is a finished, ready-to-stand-without-caveat single -- that's Nee's "Pretty Girls." The other two are demos, so withhold your scrutiny. Instead, imagine you are buckling your seat belt in some sort of log flume amusement ride, for in both cases you are hearing a band working with some different inspiration/source material/experience that we will hear fleshed out in the months to come. Now stop reading and get your headphones dialed in:

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​It has been less than two months since the first announcement of FarFetched, a new art collective in St. Louis. Now, the group is possessed of a web site, a Soundcloud, a Podcast, a showcase on January 20th at 2720 Cherokee and as of today, a compilation album, available today digitally on Bandcamp. Maybe the people running this are sleeping at some point, but we kind of doubt it.

On the comp, you can find a wide range of music -- this release signals FarFetched's eclecticism. Funk, hip-hop, electronic, soul, rock...anything as long as it faces the future.

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​Eric Hall does not play songs. It's hard to describe the meaningful element of his improvised electronic performance without falling into hopeless abstraction: He fills the room, sends his audience within themselves and documents a time and place. Each show is recorded and mastered, and Hall has been making them available on Bandcamp in intimidating chunks.

One such chunk has just been released: Nine of his sets from 2011. It's available on a pay-what-you-like basis, though a $4 minimum is suggested. Purchasers will also get a video of Hall's performance at Cromlech Glen at the Laumeier Sculpture Park and his remix of the Union Electric's "Thylacine," previously available only to the band's Kickstarter contributors. Listen below.

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