Cameron McGill & What Army

McGill's "autobiography" claims that he was born in 1877 and lived in seclusion in Illinois until his death in 2056 — a joke that, intentionally or not, gets to the heart of his appeal. The Chicago-based performer, who follows Schofield and John Common to the Walnut Room stage, has been...

By Michael Roberts

April 16, 2009

Audio By Carbonatix

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McGill's "autobiography" claims that he was born in 1877 and lived in seclusion in Illinois until his death in 2056 — a joke that, intentionally or not, gets to the heart of his appeal. The Chicago-based performer, who follows Schofield and John Common to the Walnut Room stage, has been a part of the alt-country and neo-folk scenes for a decade now, but the tracks on Warm Songs for Cold Shoulders, due later this month on the Parasol imprint, sound as if they're a lot older. "Low Ways," with its fingerpicked opening, sweet-and-sour harmonies and rousing chorus, and "Dark Times, Dark Times," which boasts a charming melody and unexpected pop bounce, could have been released at any point during the past half-century and not confused the populace. But that doesn't mean they seem out of date. Indeed, the sort of tunesmithing verities that mark McGill's best work should hold up well even after he exhales his last breath, 47 years from now.

Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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