Some American

What’s Up - DC Edition: 7/19 - 7/25

The live calendar this week is basically overflowing, and some of DC and Baltimore’s finest local talent are heading out to play. I’m looking forward to making it out to see Konono No. 1 and Eyedea and Abilities this week, and the Deer Tick show at the Ottobar is a chance for anybody who missed out on the tickets for their Rock N Roll Hotel gig to catch them. How will you be spending your time, folks?

Black Cat - 1811 14th Street N.W. Washington, DC 20009

Thursday - Konono No. 1 , Cheick Hamala Diabate - 8 PM - $20

Rock N Roll Hotel -  1353 H Street N.W. Washington, DC 20002

Friday - Yes Giantess , Audio Ammo - 7 PM - $15/$25/$30 - 21+

Jammin Java - 227 Maple Avenue East Vienna, VA 22180

Wednesday - Ellen Winter , Kid Architect   - 6:30 PM - $8 adv/ $12 

Ottobar - 2549 N. Howard Street Baltimore, MD 21218

Tuesday - Eyedea and Abilities , Cubbie Bear - 8 PM - $10

Wednesday - Deer Tick , Dawes , Television Hill - 9 PM - $12 

Saturday - American Womanhood , I Am Alaska - 1 PM - ??

Ram’s Head Live - 20 Market Place Baltimore, MD 21202

Sunday - Interpol , Twin Tigers - 7 PM - $35 

DC9 - 1940 9th Street N.W. Washington, DC  20001

Monday - Cerebral Ballzy - 7:30 PM - $8 adv/ $10

Wednesday - Math Panda , Kid Savant , The Honey Guns - $8

Quick Hit: Fol Chen - Part II: The New December

This week I picked up Fol Chen’s latest release, Part II: The New December, which was released earlier this month. Full disclosure here, I owe my interest in this album to Bob Boilen over at NPR, who included the album’s second track “In Ruins” as a part of All Songs Considered’s Summer LIstening show.

If you are a fan of the sound typified by bands like Dirty Projectors, then I think you will find Fol Chen’s sound very much to your liking, if a bit on the simplistic side. There is a glitchy vibrance to Part II that will mentally transport even the most dour of listeners, kick and scream all they might, to beach scene, albeit a somewhat darkened one. I’ve read several places that this album continues a story arc that was introduced on the band’s first full length, though as with all concepts of this type I had a difficult time discerning the exact features of the disillusioned world of the central character, John Shade. Maybe I just wasn’t listening hard enough?

Whether or not the concept is executed with clarity, I certainly enjoyed the method of it’s conveyance. Fol Chen’s music is disarming and joyous, a sort of mainstreamification of what the chip tune scene has been doing for years now. Production wise, this album are above reproach and, somewhat incongruously, is a bright listen that demands headphones to be truly appreciated.

I will temper my above thoughts by saying that there are a few moments on the album that come to close to being purely pop for my taste, the track “C/U” being a particular example. I don’t mind pop creeping into my ears every once in a while, but unless it cranks it to 15 in the way a band like Junior Senior does, it rarely works for me.

Part II: The New December was released July 6 on Asthmatic Kitty.

What’s Up - DC Edition

Welcome to the return of the “What Is Up” post, something that I have not done for a while because of, well, a lack of time frankly. HOW EV ER, we should not dwell on the past. It’s back! Unfortunately, I could have picked a better week for the auspicious return of this list, as the show schedule is a little thin. The highlight seems to be local band Milk Machine’s opening slot at the Rock N Roll Hotel down on H street this Saturday. Remember, it’s only a 15 minute walk (or 7 minute run) from the nearest metro.

The Black Cat

Mon July 12 - The Love Language - $10 - 9:00 PM

Fri July 16 - We Are Scientists, Lightspeed Champion - $15 Adv / $18 Dos - 9:00 PM

The Rock N Roll Hotel

Sat July 17 - Milk Machine - $10 - 9:00PM