Some American: Music Blog + Reviews + Podcast

what is up

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:02:00 -0500

Springtime is springing, and SXSW is about to kick off the year’s musical festivities. In the event that you will not be in Austin, TX, why not see some live music closer to home? There’s not likely to be free PBR and the presence of every indie music notable trawling thousands of shows, but one shouldn’t get too greedy.

Mon 03.08.TEN

930 - DROPKICK MURPHIES + guests | 7:00 - SOLD OUT

Black Cat - HENRY HOMESWEET + guests | 8:30 - $10

DC 9 - FAMILY PORTRAIT + Andrew Cedermark | 9:00 - $8

Sidebar Tavern - SOLAR TEMPLE SUICIDES + guests | 9:00 - $7

Ottobar - AWESOME COLOR + guests | 9:00 - $8

Tue 03.09.TEN

Black Cat - CASPIAN + guests | 8:30 - $10

DC 9 - THE CLOUD NOTHINGS + guests | 9:00 - $8

Velvet Lounge - DONE & DONE FUNDRAISER | 9:00 - $8

Ram’s Head Live - MIKE GORDON (PHISH) + Danny Barnes | 7:00 - $20

Ottobar - STARS OF TRACK & FIELD + guests | 9:00 - $10

Wed 03.10.TEN

Black Cat - TITLE TRACKS + guests | 9:00 - $10

Rock N Roll Hotel - MAYER HAWTHORNE & THE COUNTY + Nikki Jean | 9:00 - $15

The Red and The Black - THE CAPSTAN SHAFTS + guests | 9:00 - $6

DC 9 - PIERCED ARROWS + guests | 9:00 - $8/10

Velvet Lounge - SCOTTIE NOVA + guests | 9:00 - $8

Sonar - THE RED CHORD + guests | 7:00 - $12/14

BROTHER DANIELSON + guests | 8:30 - $12

Thu 03.11.TEN

930 - THE LOW ANTHEM + Vandaveer | 7:00 - $15

Black Cat - THE MORNING BENDERS + guests | 9:00 - $10/12

Rock N Roll Hotel - THE MIGHTY HEARD + guests | 8:30 - $10

The Red and The Black - THE MIDNIGHT WINE + guests | 9:00 - $6

DC 9 - SMALL BLACK + Washed Out/Pictureplane | 9:00 - $8

Velvet Lounge - PEANUT BUTTER AND DAVE + guests | 9:00 - $8

Sidebar Tavern - PIANO BECOMES THE TEETH + guests | 9:00 - $7

Sonar - OLD CEREMONY + guests TBA | 8:00 - $8/10

Ottobar - PEELANDER Z + guests | 9:00 - $10

Fri 03.12.TEN

930 - BALKAN BEAT BOX + guests | 8:00 - $20

Black Cat - SUCKERS, MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON, SHILPA RAY & HER HAPPY HOOKERS | 9:00 - $12

Rock N Roll Hotel - RAMZY + guests | 8:30 - $10

The Red and The Black - THE AMERICAN SPACE CADETS + guests | 9:00 - $8

Velvet Lounge - SING SWAN SONG + guests | 10:00 - $8

Ram’s Head Live - LEFT STRONGER & LA FOR ANOTHER + guests | 7:00 - $9

Sat 03.13.TEN

930 - STS9 + Two Fresh | 8:00 - $22.50/40

Rock N Roll Hotel - HERE WE GO MAGIC + guests | 9:30 - $10/12

The Red and The Black - KING GIANT + guests | 9:00 - $8

Velvet Lounge - (SOUNDS OF) KALEIDOSCOPE + guests | 10:00 - $8

Sidebar Tavern - A SHOW IN MEMORY OF BRANDON ZOCH | 7:00 - $10

Sonar - JD SAMSON ( LE TIGRE) + THE VERY BEST | 9:00 - $10/12

Ottobar - EGG BABIES ORCHESTRA + guests | 9:00 - $8

Sun 03.14.TEN

930 - STS9 + Ana Sia | 8:00 - $22.50-40

Rock N Roll Hotel - THE VERY BEST + guests | 8:30 - $15

DC 9 - FOREIGN BORN + guests | 8:30 - $12

Velvet Lounge - KIND NUGGET + guests | 9:00 - $7

Ottobar - DAM FUNK + guests | 9:00 - $10

They’re coming…

*Fri 03.19* - BLACK LIPS | Black Cat

*Sun 03.21* - MAN MAN | Sonar

*Mon 03.22 & Tue 03.23* - SPOON + Deerhunter (SOLD OUT) | 930

*Sun 03.28* - JULIAN CASABLANCAS | Ram’s Head Live

*Wed 03.31* - Megafaun + SHARON VAN ETTEN | Black Cat

*Mon 04.05* - BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB | 930

*Thu 04.08* - TED LEO & THE PHARMACISTS | 930

*Thu 04.08* - THE BRONX + Mariachi El Bronx | Rock N Roll Hotel

*Wed 04.14* - Xiu Xiu + TUNEYARDS | DC 9

*Tue 04.20* - MASTODON + BARONESS | Ram’s Head Live

No howling dogs in the background this week, we promise. ...

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:37:39 -0500

No howling dogs in the background this week, we promise. Instead, we have the lovely sounds of JP’s beard, unneccesary wordplay, and Gringos. There’s also some music scattered in there somewhere.

Baker’s Dozen Contents 3/1/2010

1. Spank Rock - Bump
2. The Vita Ruins - Seven Suns
3. Unkle Feat. The Black Angels - Natural Selection
4. Caddywhompus - Fun Times At Whiskey Bay
5. Souvaris - Hello, Antelope
6. Sincabeza - Facile a Compter
7. The Do - On My Shoulders
8. Heartless Bastards - The Mountain
9. Converge - Dark Horse
10. High On Fire - Frost Hammer

Download it HERE

damien jurado / peter wolf crier

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:06:52 -0500

Damien Jurado, fresh off his Hoquiam project with Jurado hermano, Drake, has his own album coming out this May - Saint Bartlett - and his label Secret Canadian has just made available a preview from said release, the song “Arkansas”. A new, more “grandiose” sound is thanks to Richard Swift’s throwback production, emphasized on this track by tinkling ivories straight from the early 1960s. The song has a stately feel, accompanying Jurado’s lyrics of love lost, swaying gently between sad and sweet.

Damien Jurado - “Arkansas”

Also out now is a single from Peter Wolf Crier, newly-added to the Jagjaguwar stable. Home-recorded and produced by Minneapolis denizens Peter Pisano (songwriter, guitar) and Brian Moen (drums, production), Inter-Be will be released this May, and sounds like it could be a charmer based on the evidence of this single, “Crutch & Cane”. Though it begins as if Bon Iver had recorded “Flume” in June on a southern porch, in the throes of the early stages of romantic desire, not the shittier tail end, jaunty guitar lines and and tumbling drum fills pair with Pisano’s snapshots of the earlier, more pleasing stages of love, not the shittier tail end that Mr. Vernon came to know so well.

Peter Wolf Crier - “Crutch & Cane”

Damien Jurado’s Saint Bartlett and Peter Wolf Crier’s Inter-Be are both out on May 25th.

Song Of The Day: Meshuggah - Neurotica “Neurotica”...

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:13:41 -0500

Song Of The Day: Meshuggah - Neurotica

“Neurotica” is the third song from 1998’s Chaosphere, an album that marked Meshuggah’s move away from the straight ahead thrash metal of their previous efforts towards more avant garde song structures and experimental instrumentation. When paired with its follow up Nothing, the two albums represent a divergent take on rhythmically complex heavy music and act as a fascinating complement to the creative output of more mainstream bands like Tool.

Also, how awesomely “Nuclear Blast Records” is that album artwork?

Dillinger Escape Plan - Farewell, Mona Lisa The video for...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:00:00 -0500

Dillinger Escape Plan - Farewell, Mona Lisa

The video for “Farewell, Mona Lisa,” the first single from Option Paralysis the forthcoming… forth album… by ex-hardcore not-math rock heroes Dillinger Escape Plan, is basically an artsy live performance clip. As Stereogum pointed out, this is hardly a bad thing, as the band knows how to rip it up live, a fact that I can attest to as I have personally come thisclose to having my face re-arranged by Ben Weinman’s guitar. Nearly the coolest moment of my life. Honest.

Option Paralysis will be out on 3/23.

Song Of The Day: Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish (Radio Rip) Our...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:39:00 -0500

Song Of The Day: Gorillaz - Superfast Jellyfish (Radio Rip)

Our song of the day today is the bouncy, bizarre, and distinctly nautical lead track from the Gorillaz next release Plastic Beach, which is due out next week. Guest artists Gruff Rhys and De La Soul come together for the first (and my guess only) time to create a song that sounds pretty much unlike anything I’ve ever heard before. It kind of left me wishing that there was a cereal called “Superfast Jellyfish” out there somewhere.

In related news, the good folks over at NPR music have started streaming the entirety of Plastic Beach before its release next week. While you wont have the ability to select from the sixteen individual tracks, you will get the whole experience from its start, which features a classy turn from professional guest artist Snoop Dogg, to its modern age creep-rock ending.

The list of collaborators is extensive, as always, and includes the likes of Lou Reed, Guy Garvey, Mos Def, De La Soul, and the aforementioned Snoop Dogg. Suffice it to say that the sheer variety of musical heavyweights being brought to the table ensures that Plastic Beach will have something for every set of ears to enjoy (or at least appreciate), as has been the case with previous Gorillaz efforts. My worry is that the variety will detract from the quality of the collection as a whole, as both their 2001 debut and Demon Days suffered from a lack of cohesion and a number of decidedly “meh” moments, due in large part to the enormity of the guest list.

Listen to the full stream of the album here.

soundgarden to re release debut vinyl single

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:30:12 -0500

So it seems that in getting back together, Soundgarden are determined to turn the clock back and act like the past decade and a half haven’t happened. To that end, the band will be re-releasing its debut single “Hunted Down” along with its B-side “Nothing To Say” on April 17th, which is Record Store Day (apparently). The two songs will be sold in select independent record stores on a 7” orange (!) vinyl pressed by Sub Pop.

For more info on this and the other limited edition releases that will be available on Record Store Day, check out this here link.

Some American Radio 2/22/2010 The full crew reunites once more...

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 15:54:19 -0500

Some American Radio 2/22/2010

The full crew reunites once more for this week’s roundtable discussion of the music at hand. Also, a dog yelps in the background incessantly throughout the proceedings. Why? I guess you’ll just have to listen to find out.

Baker’s Dozen Contents:

1. Erykah Badu - Jump Up In The Air And Stay There Feat. Lil Wayne
2. The Morning Benders - Excuses
3. Cold Cave - Life Magazine
4. Controller.Controller - Poison/Safe
5. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra - I Built Myself A Metal Bird
6. Yuzo Kashiro - Intro (S.O.R. Super Mix)
7. Broken Social Scene - World Sick
8. Junk Culture - West Coast
9. Björk - Pluto
10. Balmorhea - Bowsprit

Download it HERE

Song Of The Day | Pantha Du Prince - “The...

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Song Of The Day | Pantha Du Prince - “The Splendour”

“The Splendour” is a track from one of Germany’s most interesting techno producers, Pantha Du Prince, whose new album, Black Noise, is out now on Rough Trade. The backdrop is minimalist, the setting ambient though an unfussy beat keeps the metronome clicking, and the song itself is bristling with intriguing pops, clicks, and other odd, jangling noises. It also features an unconventional turn from bassist Tyler Pope of !!! and LCD Soundsystem.

Song Of The Day: UNKLE - Natural Selection UNKLE, the duo of DJ...

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:09:36 -0500

Song Of The Day: UNKLE - Natural Selection

UNKLE, the duo of DJ legend James Lavelle and his grade-school buddy Tim Goldsworthy, has produced some of the most vital and interesting “trip hop” to ever see the light of day since the genres inception. I place them at the top of a rather illustrious list of artists (one that includes Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky, and DJ Shadow) knowing full well that I will incur the internet’s considerable wrath by doing so. To that I say, bring it on.

“Natural Selection” is the first piece of music to be released from their latest lp entitled Where Did The Night Fall. Rather than delivering one of the tracks to feature Mark Lanegan, whose presence is said to be prominent throughout the collection, “Natural Selection” takes a distinctly different course. For one, it was made by an actual four or five piece band (The Black Angels) and for two, it actually sounds really upbeat. I’m not sure how much of this sonic shift can be accredited to The Black Angels, as their slow-burn style seems more closely aligned to the UNKLE I am familiar with from previous releases. But then again, UNKLE do seem to have an ability to change an artist’s tone, as the Josh Homme track “Restless” from War Stories demonstrated to full effect.

Where Did The Night Fall will be released on May 11th, 2010

zombies + folk + precipitation = hoquiam

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 11:51:00 -0500

St. Ives is an off-shoot of the Secret Canadian label that puts out select, limited edition runs of albums only on vinyl, with the added bonus of handmade covers. Their latest is Hoquiam, the moniker for songsmith Damien Jurado and his previously non-musical brother, Drake. Their self-titled album is full of spartan folk ditties recounting macabre tales influenced by horror movie fare, set in the actual Hoquiam, WA, Drake’s hometown. Have a listen to one of the album’s cuts, “Zombies of the Sea”, and allow Damien himself to expand on the band’s genesis and influences.

Hoquiam - “Zombies of the Sea”

Hoquiam by Hoquiam is out now.

New York can return to its normally frumpy self now that Fashion...

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:57:04 -0500

New York can return to its normally frumpy self now that Fashion Week has ended and the plus élégants have scattered for another year. The only highlight from that week that Some American will discuss: sartorialists have discerning musical taste, too, as is demonstrated by this poor sound-quality but nonetheless excellent video of the Dirty Projectors’ “Stillness Is The Move” with Solange Knowles at some assuredly awesome fashion after party in a NYC hotel. The best part by miles? When the band breaks it all down to allow Solange and Amber Coffman to do some vocal gymnastics, and Dave Longstreth slides in the slinky guitar lick from Erykah Badu’s “Bag Lady.” Well played, Dirty P’s. Well played indeed.

Speaking of Ms. Badu, The Internet has gotten its dirty mitts on a mastered copy of a new song. It features Lil’ Wayne and Bilal, it is called “Jump Up In The Air & Stay There”, and is quite odd. And quite good, too.

what is up

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:12:28 -0500

An interesting variety of music this week, from St. Vincent to Turbo Fruits, from George Clinton and P-Funk to Rodrigo y Gabriela, from Flogging Molly to T-Model Ford, an 89-year-old Mississippi blues hound. Spring is in the air, too, as good gigs are beginning to come thick and heavy in the coming weeks and months. Those of us at Some American are already getting the vapors over the arrival of couple of swell little bands from Georgia, a certain Mastodon and one Baroness. Get your metal pants ready, music-lovers.

Mon 02.22.TEN

930 - The English Beat & Fishbone + Outlaw Nation | 7:00 - $25

Black Cat - Fredrik + guests | 8:30 - $8/10

DC 9 - ArpLine + Pocketknife | 9:00 - $8

Ram’s Head Live - Eric Church + Josh Thompson | 7:00 - $22.50

Tue 02.23.TEN

930 - Chrisette Michele + guests | 7:00 - SOLD OUT

Black Cat - The Clientele + Vetiver | 8:00 - $13/25

Rock N Roll Hotel - Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears | 9:30 - SOLD OUT

The Red and The Black - The Escape Artist + guests | 9:00 - $6

DC 9 - Via Audio + guests | 9:00 - $8

Velvet Lounge - Chris Sand aka Sandman | 9:00 - $8

Sonar - Living Sacrifice + guests | 5:30 - $13/15

Ottobar - The Defect + guests | 7:30 - $?

Sidebar Tavern - For You The World + guests | 8:00 - $?

Ram’s Head Live - Flogging Molly + guests | 6:00 - SOLD OUT

Wed 02.24.TEN

930 - St. Vincent + guests | 7:00 - $15

Black Cat - Haiti Benefit | 8:00 - $10

The Red and The Black - Elisium + guests | 9:00 - $6

DC 9 - Surfer Blood + guests | 9:00 - SOLD OUT

Velvet Lounge - The Last Monarchs + guests | 9:00 - $8

Ottobar - Franz Nicolay + With Romania | 9:00 - $10

Sidebar Tavern - Clownpunch + guests | 9:00 - $7

Ram’s Head Live - The English Beat & Fishbone + Outlaw Nation | 7:00 - $25

Thu 02.25.TEN

930 - Cage The Elephant + guests | 7:00 - SOLD OUT

Black Cat - The Pimps of Joytime + DJ Christine Moritz | 9:00 - $10

Rock N Roll Hotel - Future Rock + guests | 8:30 - $10/12

The Red and The Black - Shadows and Ghosts + The Orchid | 9:00 - $6

DC 9 - Exit Clov + guests | 9:00 - $8

Velvet Lounge - These Are Powers + guests | 9:00 - $8

Sonar - Twiztid + guests | 7:00 - $20/25

Ottobar - Turbo Fruits + guests | 9:00 - $8

Fri 02.26.TEN

930 - State Radio + guests | 8:00 - $20

Black Cat - Laura Tsaggaris + guests | 9:00 - $10

Rock N Roll Hotel - US Royalty + guests | 8:30 - $12

The Red and The Black - Powder Kegs + The Torches | 9:00 - $8

Velvet Lounge - Screen Vinyl Image + guests | 10:00 - $8

Sonar - The 410 | 8:00 - $10

Ottobar - Now What + guests | 9:00 - $10

Sidebar Tavern - Full Blown Chaos + guests | 8:00 - $12

Ram’s Head Live - George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic | 8:00 - $40

Sat 02.27.TEN

930 - State Radio + Can’t Hang | 8:00 - $20

Black Cat - Wild Beasts + Still Life Still | 9:00 - $13

Rock N Roll Hotel - V.P.R + guests | 8:00 - $10

DC 9 - Nouveau Riche | 9:00 - free before 10:00/$8 after

Velvet Lounge - T-Model Ford + The Shirks | 10:00 - $12

Ram’s Head Live - Cryptic Warning and Anubis Unbound + guests | 7:00 - $11

Sun 02.28.TEN

930 - Rodrigo y Gabriela + Alex Skolnick Trio | 7:00 - SOLD OUT

Black Cat - Off With Their Heads + guests | 8:30 - $10

Velvet Lounge - Lowercaseletters + MGL | 10:00 - $12

Ottobar - Olde York + guests | 8:30 - $10

They’re coming…

*03.05.TEN* | Sondre Lerche - Rock N Roll Hotel

*03.11.TEN* | The Low Anthem - 930 Club

*03.11.TEN* | The Morning Benders - Black Cat

*03.19.TEN* | Black Lips - Black Cat

*03.22.TEN & 03.23.TEN* | Spoon + Deerhunter - 930 Club

*03.28.TEN* | Julian Casablancas - Ram’s Head Live

*04.07.TEN* | Arctic Monkeys - Ram’s Head Live

*04.13.TEN* | The Bad Plus - Wolf Trap The Barns

*04.20.TEN* | Mastodon + Baroness - Ram’s Head Live

Song Of The Day: George Stathakes - Untitled #4 George...

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 13:01:18 -0500

Song Of The Day: George Stathakes - Untitled #4

George Stathakes is a New Orleans based singer songwriter whose work is infused with a dose of blues, a sense of history, and an affinity for the theatrical. Every syllable and bar of Stathakes musical output seems intended to transport the listener to a century old sideshow, with the customary affectations and references to match. In short, it’s evocative, and in a way that belies George’s age and the fact that his latest release Drawings in Dust, is his first. If the song hits you where you want it to, then be sure to check out George via the links below.

George Stathakes

George Stathakes MySpace

George Stathakes on Twitter

song of the day

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 07:00:00 -0500

Song of the Day | White Hinterland - “No Logic”

Back in January, we shared the ethereal “Icarus” with you on Some American Radio, the first single from the upcoming album, Kairos, by White Hinterland, essentially the creation of Casey Dienel, assisted by musical partner Shawn Creeden. Dienel’s first album, Philactery Factory, was a collection of strange, lyrical pop songs, but the group has shifted gears on Kairos, delving into dreamy indie-R&B songs drenched in reverb and cozy synths.

On the heels of the fantastic “Icarus” comes a second single, “No Logic”, which we happily share with you now. It does not have the immediate accessibility of the first single - though both prominently feature Dienel’s voice as an important melodic component - sounding more like a song deconstructed, then rebuilt with a miscellany of guitar and ukulele snippets and electronic pulses and clicks. Consider it a warped love-child of Dave Longstreth and Merrill Garbus. So a departure of sorts from the more straightforward “Icarus”, but nonetheless sharing the same musical genes.

White Hinterland - “No Logic”

Kairos is out on March 9th on Dead Oceans

White Hinterland will be in Washington, DC on April 25th at DC 9.

Some American Radio 2/15/2010 Aaaaaand we’re back. ...

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:46:13 -0500

Some American Radio 2/15/2010

Aaaaaand we’re back. After a two-week hiatus due to the preposterous weather conditions in the D.C. area, the Some American crew (minus one Sean) returns for some more music and bickering. Sadly, Jamie acts solely as a talking head this week without any music to share. She has good reason though, as we’ve just relocated the podcast HQ to a new house that is (still) without internet. With any luck, everything will be back to business as usual by next week. Until then, an hour of our nonsense will have to suffice.

Baker’s Dozen Contents:

Phantogram - As Far As I Can See

Mux Mool - Death 9000 (Prof & P.O.S. Broadcasting Version)

Flying Lotus - Quakes

Brooklyn Rider Feat. Kayhan Kalhor - Ascending Bird

Chris Rehm - Don’t Leave Me Blue

Seasick Steve - Thunderbird

Download it HERE

a considered opinion | phantogram - eyelid movies

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:56:00 -0500

Saratoga Springs, NY must have something going on by night that the rest of us cannot even begin to suspect. Though it is an extremely unfair assumption to make, one hears “Saratoga Springs” or any similarly out-of-the-way locale out there in America, and it is hard to imagine cryptic, compelling electronic music emerging from such a place. But here is Phantogram to prove such assumptions drastically wrong. Though it seems rather incongruous in this global age of Internet and instant availability of everything, the larger metropolises still monopolize the lion’s share of musical talent, but this upstate New York duo demonstrate that, yes, town and country have broadband access, speakers, and ears attuned to what makes for some fantastic music.

The band - keyboardist/vocalist Sarah Barthel and guitarist/vocalist Josh Carter - released a couple of EPs in 2009, generating growing interest with some strong live performances and in particularly on the strength of a pair of excellent songs that kick their new full-length, Eyelid Movies (Barsuk Records) off, “Mouthful of Diamonds” and “When I’m Small”. The former is a slow-burning treat, a dulcet guitar hook snaking its way through squeaky electronics and an unhurried beat, tempered by Barthel’s opaque yet resigned lyrics. A song deserving of a much wider audience. “When I’m Small” points to the band’s gloomier influences, though they never let it unravel too far into despondency. When Barthel sings, “I’d rather die, than to be with you,” the mood is leavened by thumping beat and a thuggish bass line which keep hips moving. That dynamic is the band’s strong suit and runs strongly through most of the songs on this record.

Their influences can be heard quite clearly in many places. “Futuristic Casket” opens like a Danger Mouse creation, before Carter begins wailing through a wall of distortion, à la Chino Moreno. The most obvious point of reference across the album would be Portishead - with a generous helping of J Dilla - as Phantogram often sound like they rose from the same dirty but chic city streets, punctuating their songs with similarly thumping 90s trip-hop beats.

The duo do not delve into the same murky depths, though, as they tend toward the more accessible. Carter’s and particularly Barthel’s sweetly hushed vocals temper such melancholy, despite the subject matter of scorned lovers and the more pitiless realities of the world. Their pop sensibilities and ear for a hook are never buried too deeply: “As Far As I Can See” exemplifies the poppier, more shoe-gazing side of their songwriting - it is a burst of sunshine pop dead center in the album, dreamy guitar and staccato samples of horns laid over a treacly beat, yet Barthel blithely claims, “As far as I can see, nobody loves me… as far as I can tell, nobody loves you with her.”

The album is uneven - some songs (“All Dried Up”, “You Are The Ocean…”) rather melt away without ever really going anywhere or finding that sweet spot of hook, beat, and mood. But when Barthel and Carter do find it, the results - such as “Running From The Cops” - are excellent: brooding, nocturnal songs blending buoyant guitar parts with washes of synths and samples, both fuzzy and vibrant, all of it eminently danceable, ideally by oneself in the dark.

Some American RECOMMENDS Phantogram - Eyelid Movies

what is up

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 14:42:19 -0500

If the mountainous drifts of snow have receded from your doorways, Metro tracks, and parking spaces, you can venture back out into the world having survived two weeks of nival madness to see some very good gigs this week. If you can, be sure to stop by DC 9 on Monday night, Ottobar on Tuesday, and the Black Cat on Saturday to see Phantogram, Fucked Up, and Mission of Burma, respectively.

MON 02.15.TEN

Black Cat - Cigarbox Planetarium + guests | 8:30 - $8
DC 9 - Phantogram + Junk Culture | 9:00 - $8
Ottobar - Mercy Mercedes + guests | 7:30 - $8
TUE 02.16.TEN

930 Club - Eric Church + guests | 7:00 - $25

Black Cat - Tortoise + Disappears | 8:00 - $15
Rock N Roll Hotel - Polysics + Geist | 8:30 - $15
The Red and The Black - Sideways Reign + The Very Small | 9:00 - $6
DC 9 - Miracle Conditions + Vertical Dogs | 9:00 - $8
Velvet Lounge - The Beets + guests | 9:00 - $8
Ottobar - Fucked Up + Kurt Vile + more | 8:00 - $10/12

WED 02.17.TEN

930 Club - The Used + guests | 6:00 - $25

Black Cat - The Growlers + guests | 9:00 - $10
The Red and The Black - Worlds Fair + guests | 9:00 - $6
DC 9 - The Press + Hollertown | 9:00 - $8
Velvet Lounge - Little Bigheart & The Wilderbeast + Red Sammy | 9:00 - $8
Sidebar Tavern - My Useless Self + guests | 9:00 - $?
THU 02.18.TEN

Black Cat - The Soundtrack of Our Lives + Nico Vega | 8:00 - $15

The Red and The Black - The Honeyguns + The New Retro | 9:00 - $6
ROck N Roll Hotel - The Moderate + guests | 8:30 - $10
DC 9 - !Outernational! + guests | 9:00 - $10/12
Velvet Lounge - Gangland Buries Its Own + The Lolitas | 9:00 - $8
Sonar - This Time Next Year + guests | 5:00 - $10/12
Sidebar Tavern - Deep Sleep + guests | 9:00 - $?
Ottobar - Sean K. Preston + guests | 9:00 - $8
Ram’s Head Live - The Disco Biscuits | 8:00 - $30

FRI 02.19.TEN

930 Club - Hotspur + guests | 5:00 - $25

Black Cat - Los Amigos Invisibles + guests | 9:00 - $23/25
Rock N Roll Hotel - Sweet Interference + guests | 9:30 - $10
The Red and The Black - Yell County + guests | 9:00 - $8
DC 9 - V.V. Brown | 11:00 - $8
Velvet Lounge - Reboot: The DC Hip-Hop Takeover | 9:00 - $5
Ottobar - Dan Deacon + guests | 9:00 - SOLD OUT

SAT 02.20.TEN

930 Club - Nouvelle Vague + Clare and the Reasons | 8:00 - $25

Black Cat - Mission of Burma + Office of Future Plans | 9:00 - $15
The Red and The Black - Ravenous + guests | 9:00 - $8
DC 9 - Franz Nicolay + Romania | 9:00 - $8
Velvet Lounge - La Snacks + guests | 10:00 - $8
Sidebar Tavern - Angry & Broke + Hatecrime | 9:00 - $?
Ottobar - Emmure + guests | 5:15 - $13
SUN 02.21.TEN

930 Club - Editors + The Antlers & The Dig | 7:00 - $20

Black Cat - Lookbook + Frau Eva | 9:00 - $8
Rock N Roll Hotel - Elementary + guests | 6:00 - $10
The Red and The Black - Skeletonwitch + guests | 9:00 - $12
DC 9 - Leslie and the Ly’s + guests | 9:00 - $10
Velvet Lounge - Animal Genital + Free Pop | 9:00
They’re coming…

*WED 02.24.TEN* St. Vincent - 930 Club

*WED 02.24.TEN* Surfer Blood - DC 9

*FRI 02.26.TEN* George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic - Ram’s Head Live

*THU 03.11.TEN* The Low Anthem - 930 Club

*FRI 03.12.TEN* Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Black Cat

*FRI 03.19.TEN* Black Lips - Black Cat

*WED 04.07.TEN* The Bronx - Sonar

*WED 04.14.TEN* Xiu Xiu + Tuneyards - DC 9

Die Antwoord...I...they... shrug...

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 12:38:00 -0500

Okay…. So as near as I can tell, Die Antwoord (‘The Answer’) found fame in one of two ways: 1)Through a die hard belief that they were actually put on this earth with the unique and specified task of spreading ZEF kulture to all of us puritanical americans who quake in light of their oh-so-very-far-from-politically correct lyrics or 2) They watched 8-mile with AQUA’s ‘barbie girl’ playing on repeat for the entire film, until….LIGHTBULB!

Though I’ll admit I’m becoming more and more convinced that these three are just far smarter than the bloggers that have been spreading their $3 beatz around the internet like ringworm at a tickling convention (myself included), I guess one has to come to their own conclusions about Die Antwoord, but here’s a little food for thought…

Taxijam presents Die Antwoord from taxijam on Vimeo.

Welp… their album $0$ is out… well, sometime in february (I think this week has been so good to these three, they havent even set a release date beyond ASAP!)

czech it out?

a considered opinion: george stathakes - drawings in dust

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:13:24 -0500

Folksier strains of music escape me in the same way that hip hop often does. Raised as I was in an upper middle class (and mostly white) suburb of a major city, my only contact with wild mountainsides, untamed stretches of country road, and big sky occurred through car windows as my family drove from a to b. Essentially, I am Donny. I am out of my element and I have no frame of reference. In spite of this, George Stathakes debut Drawings In Dust has managed to grab my somewhat philistine attention and retain it throughout multiple listens.

Above all things, this debut is a rough, adventurous record. George’s voice has an untamed quality, one that occasionally bottoms out on its way to hitting something sublime. The singer is not afraid to push himself beyond his comfort zone to explore the broad range of his musical tastes. Similarly, the songwriting seems hell bent on gathering everything into one envelope. In the most successful moments, like on the excellent “Stranger Music” and the album closer “Champagne and Cigarettes”, the blend is uniquely George, mixing the flavors and textures of Waits and Bowie together to create slinky, unnerving anthems tailor made for a night wandering around foggy southern streets. When Stathakes strays from that territory, he sounds like he is overreaching, and tracks like “Judy Collins” wind up taking away far more than they add in terms of variety. Stick to the moody, good sir. That is what makes you special.

Drawings In Dust deserves a huge amount of credit for being as bold as it is. Throughout it’s length, Stathakes takes bits and pieces of roots and folk, and forms them into something unfamiliar and original. As far reaching as a shotgun blast, Stathakes hits the same beats as his most idiosyncratic forebears, but with a joy of discovery that infuses the totality with an energy that overcomes Dust’s uneven moments. A must buy for anybody who craves being the first to know.

Some American RECOMMENDS: George Stathakes - Drawings In Dust

Some American: Music Blog + Reviews + Podcast

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