Sound check: New music from State and Madison, Sammy Cannillo

Fresh tunes

• Alternative rock band State & Madison dropped the much-anticipated “We Are Two Parts of the Same Thing” full album Tuesday on all major streaming services. The band, which has been releasing the album in parts over the last year and a half, put together a solid collection of music heavy with late-90s rock influence and exploring the interconnectedness of people and events in life.

• New York transplant Sammy Cannillo has been kicking around Chicago for the last few years, bringing her perspective and depth to our local singer-songwriter circle. Her Thursday release of the single “Sleep On It” brings together the layers of emotion swirling around a loss with the stark accompaniment one's brain plays on a sleepless night. “The absence of someone else's sound just felt like the loudest thing I had ever heard,” Cannillo said. “And just not having it in my life anymore, not hearing the voice and hearing your calls.” Read more about it on Chicago Sound Check.

Fee-free Friday on Bandcamp

In March, Bandcamp waived its revenue share on all music purchases for a day, giving local artists 100% of the proceeds from purchases. From midnight to midnight Friday, May 1, the online music retailer is once again waiving fees in response to lost shows and canceled tours due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. So grab your wallet, beef up your music collection and help support your favorite local artists.

Chicagoland Musicians Facebook Live Broadcast Calendar

Artists from across the Chicago area are scratching that performing itch — and helping you satisfy your music cravings — with livestream performances. Musician Brian Kovacs created the Chicagoland Musicians Facebook Live Broadcast Calendar group to help performers schedule and promote live events with a regular listing of upcoming at-home shows throughout the day. Check out the group to find an artist to settle in with.

Social Distancing Presents ...

Journalist Mark Guarino jumped right on the livestreaming trend as soon as venues started locking down. Since mid-March, he's been keeping track of and sharing some great livestreamed performances from around the world, as well as having a hand in bringing some Chicago-area events straight to your devices. Visit the Social Distancing Presents Facebook page to see who's going live soon.

• Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor and local music junkie. Email him at bshamie@dailyherald.com, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter (@thatshamieguy) or Instagram (@chicagosoundcheck). Brian also keeps tabs on the Chicago-area music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.