Who do you recommend/Spotlight: Deric from Chicago's Aleks and The Drummer

Chicago's Aleks and The Drummer are definitely not a band you have heard before. Their sound is wholeheartedly unique and inspiring. Singer/keyboardist Aleks Andra Tomaszewska perform music so intricate and interesting that you can be left a bit speechless. Someone in Ohio needs to book a show with this band so I can check them out. Liz Armstrong, writer for the Chicago Reader had rave reviews for the band in August 2006, writing: "This local duo is one of an apparently dwindling number of bands gutsy and straightforward enough not to hide behind outfits or effect pedals or laptops. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it's always worth watching. Aleksandra Tomaszewska sings deadpan and wobbly, often in her native Polish, and it's like she just has to or her chest will burst; she scribbles her fingers over a Farfisa and occasionally barks orders at the Drummer (aka Deric Criss), mostly to tell him to slow down. Their Gypsy emo is in the spirit of Victorian high drama."
I love the sound of this. Deric also referred me to this link of a review for their band: HERE

Deric helped us out with his recommendations for getting to know Chicago indie bands:
"Hey yeah this is the drummer, not the dreamy polish girl. I like a lot of the kickass 'indie rock' with guitar bands from Chicago that everybody else talks about so I'm just going to skip them for this list:
I like All the Creatures of the Sea who are so underground they haven't played live yet but can be found in our friends. Somebody needs to encourage them to leave the recording compound once in a while. Two multitalented guys in a playland of sounds.
I like the Cool Kids, this hip-hop group that is, how you say, blowing up.
I like the Fake Fictions, a really cool pop band. But not so much that sugar prevails. They keep it in your face just enough. Your teeth are safe. Plus they're married now, and so very cute.
I like the Chandeliers who are a drummer and a number of keyboardists that I never remember the count. 3, 4, 5? I don't remember. But when they are on, I geek out in a drummerly kind of way. I love it when they do their changes.
I like Brilliant Pebbles with Monika the singer/acrobat, who is Aleks' cousin. Her voice rises, drops, howls, moans, and then spits out your eyes. Phillip is an amazing drummer and thats a very important thing.
I like Brenmar, the young master. Tosses samples, noise, drums, effects, synthesizers together until somebody almost dies. It never sounds "pretty" which happens to way too many people in electronic situations but its never just like a guy sticking a microphone in the microwave, and recording it until it explodes. which is a pretty cool idea actually.
Eh, don't want to paragraph any more. Here's a few more to check out:
Plastic Crimewave Sound (psychedelic maelstrom), Mucca Pazza (scarily impressive marching band, best seen live, confrontational) White/Lichens (totally inventive guitar with drones as a foundation) Golden Birthday (pretty new band, maybe a bit of an 80s/Joy Division, Brian Eno pop songs, Velvet Underground territory?) Lazer Crystal, Pit Er Pat, Velcro Lewis, Arks, Sally, Spires That In The Sunset Rise, LMNOP, Bird Names, Rotten Milk, Scalpels, Waterbabies, Lord of the Yum-Yum, Josephine Foster, The Pussy Pirates, The Coughs, The Rories, Tirra Lirra, Perfect Panther, The Unborn Whores of the Universe(I just made that one up)... I don't know I'm forgetting a lot of stuff I shouldn't. Plus I think I threw in a couple of those indie guitar bands at the end."
(Editor's note: I swear I will try to make links to all of these bands he has mentioned, but it'll take a while! He provided a great jumping off point for a lot of cool underground things going on in Chicago.)