"Heavy Crown" is the fifth full-length CD from Chicago's popular Lovehammers.

The album debuts July 21 on the group's own indie label, REEP Records.

While a local luminary on the Midwest music scene for years, frontman/vocalist Marty Casey became a runner-up on the 2005 reality series, "Rockstar INXS." That landed Lovehammers a short-lived, one album contract with Epic Records wherein they put his name ahead of the band as Marty Casey & Lovehammers.

"We have control once again and feel comfortable returning to simply Lovehammers," said Casey, who has been best friends with other members of the group since their days of playing little league baseball in Hickory Hills.

Casey is once again joined with his musical buddies -- Billy Sawilchik (guitar), Dino Kourelis (bass), and Bobby Kourelis (drums) -- on "Heavy Crown," an 11-song studio set (with two bonus live tracks). It was largely self-produced with a little help from heavy-hitter Marti Frederickson (Aerosmith, Pink, Faith Hill).

"REEP, which stands for Record Executives Everyday People, will make decisions regarding singles, videos, touring, etc. based on feedback from the real music experts -- the fans," said bassist Kourelis.

The Lovehammers are currently on a mini-tour of the Midwest to promote the new album, with a one-off East Coast show at New York's Gramercy Theatre July 24.

On Sunday, Lovehammers will perform at Taste Of Chicago. The tour ends Aug. 21 when they share the stage with Plain White T's at Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill. FYI: Lovehammers.com and myspace.com/Lovehammers

Music notes

* Nick Kutzko and his staff at Music Lab (17805 Burnham Ave.) in Lansing will once again host their free parking lot, "Rockstravaganza," Saturday. All ages are welcome. Music kicks off at 11 a.m. and runs to 4:30 p.m. Onstage will be Lindsay Jurek, the Resonators, the Redundants and the Redmonds (featuring Ted Aliotta of "Aliotta Haynes & Jeremiah" fame). Food and refreshments will be available at a cost. FYI: (708) 895-2218.

* Congrats to Crown Point's original modern rock group, Asteria, on making it to the Midwest Region round of "The Next American Star." FYI: myspace.com/asteria

* With recording and artwork finally completed, the new 14-song original music CD from the Crawpuppies, "World's Much Bigger," is currently being manufactured with an early July release expected.

Crawpuppies will perform acoustic treatments of new songs live on the air from 6 to 9 p.m. Sunday as guests on the "Night Rock" program on X-ROCK-103.9 FM. FYI: crawpuppies.com or myspace.com/crawpuppies

* Northwest Indiana's Steepwater Band opens for Heart at Naperville Ribfest at 6:45 p.m. July 2. On saxophone with the trio will be Ben Mollin of region band River Oaks. The band also opens for Robin Trower at House of Blues today. FYI: steepwaterband.com

The opinions expressed are solely the writer's. Reach him at beatboss@aol.com.