New Music: Junius

Our first love here at IA, is to talk about local music. Our second love, is to find great new music from all around the world. A great release we just got word of a couple days ago, is from the band Junius. They are a dark, electro-enhanced rock quartet from Boston. Think Explosions in the Sky, with lyrics.

Their self-titled release will compile the two EPs that they have previously released. I have had the pleasure of listening to the whole album and it blew me away. The sounds and emotions that are put into each and every song are rare and can only be borne out of hard work and lots of attention to detail. The urethral feel of some of the songs will put you in a trance-like state.

The guys are currently on tour out west. The CD should be released in October. Junius has plans to start recording another LP in 2008, along with plans to tour Europe, Japan and all of North America. You can stream the album here.

Junius - At The Age of Decay

The Hailing - Galaxy Hut - 7/14

For their the third gig at Galaxy Hut, The Hailing were poised to take Arlington by storm. The bar quickly filled up an hour before anyone was even going on and the excitement for the band was building with every moment. Once everyone got things set up, the show got started with Slumber opening.


I have been friends with Slumber since high school and I personally think he will be as big as Dylan some day. His talent is surpassed by his modesty and I hope that he will believe me one of these days. This was Slumber's first bar gig and the crowd was stoked to see what this guy and his band could do. He blew us all away.

I had seen him a few weeks earlier at a friendly gathering and was amazed. It was the first time that I had seen him with a band and with some of the songs, I could close my eyes and be transported to the 930 Club or Black Cat. He was that good. The guys must have practiced even more for this show, as they had improved greatly.

Slumber, accompanied by Hinges and the band for the first half of the set, played many fan favorites such as "I'll Be Your Friend" and "Wine." The folk roots along with some great fast paced guitar work, really made for a enjoyable and unique listening experience. At the end of the set, the band played a combined 2 song piece with amazing solos connecting the two separate songs. The crowd went crazy when the set was over and my views of how famous this guy will be some day, were reinforced tenfold.

After a short break, it was time for The Hailing to come on. These guys can play like there's no tomorrow and they make you feel like time stands still while you watch them. I was pretty excited to see them again. I haven't had the chance to see them since the beginning of the summer, where I was completely captivated. After a little set up, they got started and had the crowd cheering and dancing by the time the first song ended. Many favorites were played such as "Photograph" and "Rose Family," which is my personal favorite.

You could really hear the DC influences and the impression that Inner Ear has on them. They record under the label Parlor Press Records. These guys really blow you away with their amazing musical talents and are one of the best bands to see live.

Both Slumber and The Hailing are finishing up work on CDs and I am really excited to hear the final products. You can also catch these guys live on the 11th in Arlington at a free show with very special guests. I will have info on that, as well as an interview with The Hailing in future posts.

Tuesday @ Black Cat

There is a good show at Black Cat tonight. DC's Paul Michel will be headlining backstage. He will be joined by 2 Fredericksburg, VA bands: Tereu Tereu and Rocky's Revival.

Paul Michel - The Ways and Means
Tereu Tereu - Furwinked! (The Lion/Bear Song)

New Travis Morrison

Since this site covers the DC region, I am pretty much obligated to mention this. Travis Morrison of Dismemberment Plan fame, has a new album getting ready to drop. All Y'All will be on out August 21 on Barsuk. He also has some upcoming dates in the region. On 9/1, he will be at IOTA and on 10/25, he will be at Rock and Roll Hotel. I will leave you with a track from the new LP. Feel free to comment.

As We Proceed

Random Topics

It's Monday morning and I am half asleep. It seems like a good time to mention a few items that I keep forgetting to post about...


Ben Thornewill of DC's Jukebox The Ghost has spent the month of July touring England and playing shows with his friend and manager, Seth Kallen. The two of them kept a blog of their travels and it includes all sorts of pictures, video and audio. You can check it out here and I'll post a couple of their live interpretations of Jukebox The Ghost songs below.

Hold It In (Live)
Good Day (Live)


Whartscape has been over for a week, but my friend Jeff (also known as The Baltimore Taper) has a treat for us. He recorded many of the sets from the festival and he is posting the downloads here. If you have never checked out Jeff's site, you should. He records several shows a week and he is always sharing audio.


Over the weekend, Baltimore's Thrushes received some bad news. They learned that their drummer is leaving them. They asked me to pass a message on the everyone.

Matt is leaving us for good in a few weeks. While this comes as a quick and unexpected shock, the rock must go on. So, we are looking for a new drummer in or around the Baltimore area that is able to play some of our back catalog as well as pick up on new songs. We have some fall shows booked that we really want to play, if at all possible.

We are almost ready to go back into the studio for album 2. We practice 2x a week for a few hours and play out a few times a month. Also, we would like to do a week or so tour over the summer. Drumming style wise, I think Steve Shelley/early Sonic Youth is pretty close to what he had been doing.

Need to have your own equipment, a good attitude, and no drugs are a must. A van would be a major plus. Think this is something that you might want to do? Please get in touch.

Casey, Anna, Rachel

If you think you are up for this, please e-mail Casey here.

Saturday and Sunday in DC

Here is a quick rundown of some Saturday and Sunday shows...


On Saturday, City-State and Philly's East Hundred play a show at The Red and The Black.

City-State - Great Lakes
East Hundred - Meantime


The White Stripes will also be in town on Saturday. They have a big show at Patriot Center.

White Stripes - Icky Thump


On Sunday, The Foundry Field Recordings make a stop at The Red and The Black.

The Foundry Field Recordings - Buy/Sell/Trade

Great Northern @ Black Cat - Thursday, 7/26

Last night, I went to see Great Northern at Black Cat in Washington, DC. Going into this concert, I actually thought that Great Northern was the main act, not The Comas. Great Northern has the talent to headline, but it didn't matter. The biggest crowd that I had ever seen for an opening act at Black Cat backstage, made it out to see them. When the band hit the stage, Rachel admitted that they had just shown up about 15 minutes before the set started, due to the traffic that they hit coming out of NYC. It didn't play a part in the show though. The band played a wonderful set.


The band had a lot of energy coming out of the gate and that really got the crowd into it. Songs like "Telling Lies" and "Home" were fan favorites that had a lot of people singing along. Many of the songs had great solos and the lyrics blended so well with the music, that everyone was just swaying back and forth while enjoying a great night. The band knew the material well and they all did an excellent job playing their parts. When you listen to their album, you notice the lush soundscapes that they create. Seeing them live, allows you to visualize how they create each of those sounds. To me, that was the real treat.


The only problem that I noticed last night, was a minor sound glitch. Some of the vocals and keyboard were drowned out by the other instruments. Other than that, it was a great set. They played most of the songs off of their latest album and on the last song, The Comas joined them on stage banging away on tambourines. Next time that they come through town, I will definitely be in attendance.


You can view the rest of the pictures I took here.

Great Northern - The Middle

A Brief Friday Escape

It's Friday, we can all use a laugh. A friend sent this to me and it reminded me why I love this show...


Flight of the Conchords

Friday Night Lights

It's Friday and like usual, there is a lot to do. Tonight, it seems like there is a party around every corner and you don't have to try very hard to find one.


Alright, so the big one in DC is at Black Cat. Local darlings The Dance Party are having their CD release party, but they wouldn't be who they are if they stopped there. Nope, the party is doubling as a prom. There will be tuxes, dresses, corsages, photographers and people getting busy in the bathroom. Let's French and De Novo Dahl will be providing support for what is sure to be a crazy night.

The Dance Party - Lipstick
Let's French - Here She Comes (There She Goes)
De Novo Dahl - The Funk


Speaking of theme parties, there is another one at Rock 'N Roll Hotel tonight. The Gaskets, New Rock Church of Fire and The Invisibles will be playing and this time, everyone will be decked out in their Halloween costumes. Insanity ensues.

The Gaskets - Left Hand


For those of you looking for a straight forward rock show, IOTA has one. DC locals Lejeune and The Glory and The Majesty will be sharing the stage for what is sure to be a solid night of music. No gimmicks.

Lejeune - The Latest Greatest


Finally, I have a treat for those of you that are up for a little trip. Lancaster, PA's Chameleon Club had a last second announcement for tonight... TV on the Radio! Imagine 9:30 Club, but with about 1/3 of the capacity and you get the idea. Anybody going?

TV On The Radio - Staring At The Sun

This Week's Mix

This week's mix features many relatively unknown bands along with some new music from bands you should know already. I have also tried to keep with the tradition of including two songs from local artists.

1. Architecture In Helsinki - Fumble


2. Kinetic Stereokids - Explosions Were Heard


3. Two If By Sea - Report From Damage Control


4. Phoenix - Long Distance Call


5. Broken Social Scene - Fire Eye'd Boy


6. Snow Patrol - Run


7. The Hold Steady - Massive Nights


8. Soft Complex - Barcelona


9. Stars of Track and Field - Movies of Antartica


10. The Automatic Automatic - Monster

Just a note on the locals. It looks like Soft Complex will be playing a one off at 9:30 Club on September 8, before they go back into hibernation to finish the album. Two if by Sea has several dates coming up in Baltimore and many other dates in the works. Check both of their sites for more information.

The Weekend in Philly

Summer is heating up and so is the Philly music scene. Friday night I'll be at the Guster and Ben Kweller show on Festival Pier. Chris Cornell is at the Borgata in Atlantic City, so gamble a little, then rock out. Or you could just wait until Sunday and check him out at the Electric Factory. The Grand Opera House in Wilmington is hosting a sold out White Stripes show. If you don't have tickets to that show, good luck. They are going for around $400 on the resale sites. If none of those are in the cards, go local at The Khyber in Old City with Philly-electro sounds Crooked Looks and East Hundred supporting Brooklyn's In Flight Radio and Ladycop.

Saturday enjoy the reggae groove of Matisyahu on the Festival Pier. Or you could head into University City and enjoy Bucks County's (they are quite proud of that) Illinois at the World Cafe, fresh off last weekends performance at the eXPoNetial Festival.

Guster - Two Points For Honesty
Ben Kweller - Magic
Chris Cornell - Can't Change Me
The White Stripes - Icky Thump
Crooked Looks - Pay Day Baby
East Hundred - Meantime
In Flight Radio - Come Back and Stay
Matisyahu - King Without a Crown (live at Stubb's)
Illinois - Screendoor

The Vita Ruins - Black Cat (Mainstage) - Friday 7/13

The Vita Ruins

I recently discovered The Vita Ruins on myspace. When I found out about their July 13 Black Cat show, I knew right away that I wanted to go. Once I found out that they were giving away copies of their EP, it became a no-brainer. I mean, how much does that rock? As I opened the doors to the mainstage, I saw a huge stack of CDs on the Merch Table. I quickly grabbed one, grabbed a beer and waited for the set to start.

When the guys got up on stage, there was a pretty good turn out. I tried to get as close as possible, but there were two or three photographers going back and forth and that kept me from getting too close. That said, the guys played all of my favorite songs from the EP and they played some new songs as well. More and more people kept showing up during their set and everyone was really into it. It was my first time listening to that type of slow melodic music in concert, but it was just as enjoyable as an energetic rock show. You could really feel the emotion flowing from the stage.

I got the chance to talk to a couple of them after the show to see what their future plans are. They are going on a 5 or 6 day tour with The Jaguar Club starting on August 20th at IOTA. On September 1, they will be playing a show with VHS or Beta at Rock and Roll Hotel. A full length is also in the works and they hope to have that out by the end of this year or at the beginning of next year. I will leave you with a track. If you like it, you can download the whole EP here.

The Vita Ruins - The Song of Ariel

Tonight @ Black Cat

There is great show at Black Cat tonight. Great Northern and The Comas are playing backstage. Filter is keeping a tourzine for the entire run and they asked us to log tonight's DC date for them. Chris will be taking care of the duties and if you make it out, I'm sure that you will see him with camera in hand. Check back tomorrow for his review and photos.

Great Northern - Telling Lies
The Comas - Red Microphones

New Music: Tereu Tereu

Credit: www.shervinfoto.com

As a music blog, we get tons of emails from bands. Every single one more or less wants the same thing, exposure. Lately, there has been a backlog and we haven't been able to put the best ones on display. No longer will you have to wait. Joe forwarded me the 100s of them that he had and I am slowly going through each of them. For now, I want to start off with one of my favorites.

Tereu Tereu are from Fredericksburg, Virginia. They have recently recorded and released an EP. One thing that I really like about their sound, is that they incorporate non-standard instruments like trumpet into their songs. That really helps set them apart from their peers. There is also a playful undercurrent to their music and I find that really refreshing. I'll post an mp3 below. If you like what you hear, you can check them out next Tuesday. They will be at Black Cat along with Paul Michel and Rocky's Revival.

Furwinked! (The Lion/Bear Song)

Black Cat Tonight

Local favorites Greenland will be headlining a great backstage show at Black Cat tonight. They will be joined by another local favorite, Mikal Evans. Rounding out the bill is Canada's A Northern Chorus.

Greenland - Greenland Pt. 2
Mikal Evans - Dark Hushes Light
A Northern Chorus - The Millions Too Many

Morrissey at The Mann

Morrissey is a God in the music world. Yeah, he's getting older. Sure, he had vocal troubles earlier in the tour, but do not tell me that he has lost anything. I had the pleasure of seeing him for the second time Monday night at the Mann Center in Philly. The swagger is still there, as are the playful swings of the mic chord.

Opening with a powerful "The Queen is Dead," the crowd was into it from the start. Swinging into a flurry of more recent releases, peppered with older solo and Smiths gems, such as "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" and "Everyday Is Like Sunday," this was a new and old fan pleaser. Morrissey seemed like he was feeling it, interacting with the crowd, grasping hands, and letting a few individuals speak into the microphone. Early in the set, he made mention of the barrier zone between the pit area and the normal seats. After that, all hell broke loose down front and controlled civil disobedience ruled. Barrier jumpers everywhere! The band was wearing identical outfits and was introduced as the Philadelphia Orchestra, however Morrissey flubbed the line. The crowd gave Boz Boorer a large ovation when he was introduced. Ending the first set was "How Soon Is Now?," the crowd was going nuts. I was a little disappointed when the encore consisted of one song, but it was a great one: "Last of the Famous International Playboys."

It was a great show and I can't wait until he comes back. Rumor has it that there will be a fall tour and hopefully the East Coast will be on the itinerary.

Everyday is Like Sunday
Last of the Famous International Playboys
How Soon Is Now?

Pela / Two If By Sea @ Black Cat

Pela's Anytown Graffiti is one of my favorite albums of the year and I have been anxiously waiting for them to stop in DC for a show. Once I found out that they were coming to Black Cat with Baltimore's Two if By Sea on July 11, I started counting down the days. The best backstage shows always turn into sweaty messes and as the pictures prove, this one was no exception.

Two If By Sea

Going into their set, I was not familiar with any of Two if by Sea's music and had no idea what to expect. To my surprise, I got blown away. I think the majority of the crowd didn't really know what to expect either, but with the long guitar solos, fast paced drumming, strong vocals and solid bass playing, people really got into it and many started dancing. They were the perfect opener for Pela and they really warmed up the crowd well.

Pela

Before Pela began, I pushed my way through the crowd and made it to the front for what turned out to be a really crazy show. The guys started off with "Waiting On The Stairs." They went through the majority of their catalogue and they even played a strong cover of The Pixies' "Holiday Song." The show was so crazy that Billy started falling off of the stage and 3 of us had to catch him. A girl in the crowd even bought the band shots and they all took them together. All in all, it was the perfect high energy set and I can't wait for them to come back.

After the show was over, I got a chance to talk to both bands at the bar. I talked to Billy and Tom from Pela about how they felt about the tour, what they had in store for the future and their general feeling on the night. Billy actually mentioned the title of the new CD that they are starting to work on. If you head over to their tour blog, you can get more info on the upcoming album.

I will leave you with some mp3s and the links to the pictures that I took. Most of the pictures are horrible, but you get the idea.

Two If By Sea Pictures
Pela Pictures

Pela - Holiday Song (live Pixies cover)
Two If By Sea - Summer Borne For Sleep

Party Poster

indie @ the abbey: The Preview Show

One of the things that I have been working on over the past few months, has been indie @ the abbey. To sum things up quickly, a venue in Harrisburg, PA brought me in to help book a weekly indie rock showcase. It will run every Wednesday night, starting September 12. I will get into the details and lineups later. I just wanted to mention that we are having our preview show tonight. The bands include Hershey, PA's The April Skies and former Sire/Warner Bros artists Riverside. There is also a third act on the bill. Making their first ever appearance outside of DC, is this little band called Le Loup. The show starts at 9 and it's a great bill, so hopefully I will see you there.

Le Loup - We are Gods! We are Wolves!
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House

R.I.P. The Hard Tomorrows

After 4 years on the DC scene, it's the end of an era. The Hard Tomorrows play their last show tomorrow night at The Red and The Black with Eons and Ladycop. As a tribute to them, several of their peers sent in their personal thoughts on the band.

"Our first experience with The Hard Tomorrows was right around the time we were doing our residency at DC9 (spring 2006). We met a lot of great local bands, whether they were sharing the bill with us or just curious as to how a band of lanky, goofy guys from neighboring Baltimore would fare doing a residency there.

The shows all went well & we kept in touch with many of the bands that we met there. What struck us about Rob & the HT's was how laid back they were in a time where it seemed like everyone was pushing their band so hard. They gave off a really good vibe - like they were doing this for the right reasons.

After seeing them play a handful of times, we were hooked. This led to us doing a dual CD release show with them, which turned DC9 into a sardine can. We've only played a handful of gigs with them, but we're definitely going to miss the sincerity & catchy tunes that they brought to the scene."

- David, Two if by Sea


"It's a huge bummer that these guys are throwing in the towel. "There's No Reason" is one of my all-time favorite tracks, and for completely selfish reasons, I would have prefered that they stay together and write more great tunes, but there's nothing anybody can do at this point. I just hope the individual members keep writing and performing in other groups. At least I have their CD. I'll miss 'em."

- Ian, Middle Distance Runner


"They were one of the first bands I met in the city and they have remained some of my better friends. I had the privilege of playing bass with them in a jokey one-off REM cover night a couple years back and we (Tom and I) have for the past 2 years teamed up with the HT's at the Black Cat's annual Run For Cover show. We played together at this year's 6 points music festival--sadly, the only time we shared a stage. Oh wait, we played Polly's together way back when... Rob and I. The HT's are fun guys who care about their friends and friendships and they write beautiful songs. I remember shouting "Put Yourself Out" with Tom in my pickup on the way to one of their Black Cat shows. I had tears in my eyes the first time I heard the guitar intro on Lights Out--there's nothing ordinary about that music. I remember the release show at DC9--the way they performed, and especially the way Rob sang that night--such force, such emotion, like there was nothing left but that moment and that note, each note--that was pure, that was inspiring. I love the HTs; I'm going to miss them immeasurably. What the fuck... I can't wait to hear them kick ass on Saturday."

- Aaron, Bellman Barker


And on that note, I will leave you with their entire catalogue... fully downloadable. You can thank them tomorrow. They will also be giving away copies of the CDs at the show.



Lights Out

1 Take Down
2 There's No Reason
3 Glossy Eyed Sweetheart
4 Stop and Shoot
5 Patterns
6 Darling
7 Lights Out
8 Counterfeit
9 Wrecking Ball
10 Fences Around Lawns
11 Fiction Aide



5 Songs

1 Put Yourself Out
2 Jaywalker
3 Dear Mary
4 I Never Write Anyone
5 Stay Cool


And...
Teenage Kicks (The Undertones cover)

For Rob's thoughts on each song and an exclusive track, go here. If you have your own tribute, comment away.

Some Things To Check Out

I guess filling in on Any Given Tuesday last week sort of got to me. Every time I see an item worth posting, I jot it down. Keeping with that spirit, here are a couple of things that have interested me this week...

In the past, DC's These United States have had tour blogs on their myspace pages. This time, DCist decided to run them. I always enjoy reading Tom's take on the road. If you are interested, you can check them out here.

To offset Baltimore's commercial Artscape, the Wham City crew are having Whartscape. Butter Team has a nice preview over on their site. Both events will be running over the next 3 days.

This Week's Music Mix

Since I am going away for the weekend, I won't be able to post my normal weekend mix. Instead of waiting until Monday to post it, I will post it today! I have been getting a lot of new music and listening to many different things, but these are all songs that I have playing on repeat on my mp3 player:

1. Vampire Weekend - A-Punk
2. The Vita Ruins - Godspeed To That Polytheist
3. Sigur Ros and Mob Deep - Untitled Shook Ones (Emancipator Mash Up)
4. Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It
5. Iron and Wine - Boy With A Coin
6. Zulu Pearls - Half Hearted
7. Fields - Charming The Flames
8. Film School - On & On
9. Wild Sweet Orange - Ten Dead Dogs
10. Ra Ra Riot - Each Year
    
11. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Isis (Video Shown Below)<hype machine>

I have two local bands in there, The Vita Ruins and Zulu Pearls. The Vita Ruins played an amazing set last Friday at Black Cat and Zulu Pearls are having their CD Release Party this upcoming Tuesday at the Rock & Roll Hotel. I will definitely be attending this show and I highly recommend it! Enjoy the music and I will be back with a lot more next week.

Live Review: Built To Spill - 930 Club - Sunday 7/8

To kick off my live review posts on IA, I will be starting with the Built To Spill show at the 9:30 Club a couple of Sundays ago.

The Stay Lows

This show kicked off my run of 4 shows in 7 days, so I was pretty excited. The 9:30 Club isn't as personal as Black Cat is and the drinks cost more, but it fits more people and attracts bigger names, so I guess that it balances out. I have had hits and misses with opening bands so far this summer, so I was interested to see who Built To Spill had touring with them. Luckily for me, it was The Stay Lows, who are amazing. These guys are from Buffalo, NY and it was their last show with Built To Spill and man, did they bring it. Think Explosions In The Sky, except on speed.

They had 5 guys playing. 2 guitarists, a cello player, a drummer and a guy that played bass/guitar. The cello was an interesting choice, but it definitely blended really well and added a lot to the uniqueness of their sound. In true DC fashion, there were a few of us that were rocking out, moving around and dancing, while the rest of the crowd just kinda stood there and watched. To each his own I guess, but that seems boring to me. My favorite memory from the set was when the lead singer (who really only sang on one song) switched between bass and guitar mid set and played one of the best guitar solos that I have seen in a long time. Rock on fellas.

Built To Spill

Next up, was Built To Spill. I really enjoy them, because of how talented they are musically and how much time and energy they put into each song to make it sound perfect both musically and lyrically. I am also a sucker for songs that have more instrumental than they do singing, so Built To Spill is perfect in that respect as well. Doug, the lead singer, told us that they had been here a couple months before and I am guessing that is why they only played 3 songs from their newest album, You In Reverse and did not play "Goin' Against Your Mind" at all. That was kind of a downer because I didn't know their old stuff too well and that is one of their more well known songs. Other than those two things it was a pretty good set. Fortunately for me, they played my favorite song off the album "Messing With Time". It is a really fast paced hard rocking good time of a song and I was definitely going crazy out there, as was the rest of the crowd. The guys were on their game that night and played some great solos.

One thing I did note, however, was that Doug barely talked to the crowd at all and I overheard someone else say that out of the 3 other times that they have seen them, this time they talked the least. I don't really know why, but he seemed to warm up near the end of the show. The encore they played was one song, but was a little over 15 minutes long with minimal vocals inter spliced with solos from every single member. The encore had everyone on their feet dancing, building up the energy to one huge crescendo that had everyone begging for more at the end.

Both sets were really great, but for me I felt like The Stay Lows almost upstaged Built To Spill. They had great rapport with the audience and seemed to have even more enthusiasm than Built To Spill had. I am actually looking more forward to The Stay Lows coming back, than I am Built To Spill.

In related news, Built To Spill just released a single last week with two new tracks they just produced in their new semi-reggae style. The songs are also pretty political and slower paced than their more recent works. Check them out on iTunes for a preview.

The Stay Lows - Shooting The Breeze (Live)
Built To Spill - Messing With Time

This Week's Releases

Editor's Note: This is the first post from our new DC reporter, Chris. He will be covering anything and everything. Live shows, CD reviews, mixes... they are all in play. You will definitely be seeing him around town. Please join me in welcoming him to IA.

Some huge releases dropped last week. We saw new offerings from Interpol, Spoon, BOAT, Justice, Ra Ra Riot and The Smashing Pumpkins. The one thing that I noticed, was that the list was very US heavy. This week also saw several big name releases and this time, the UK flexed some muscle.


The first big release is from Editors, with their sophomore disc An End Has A Start. I have listened to this CD a couple of times so far and I highly recommend it. They built upon all that they learned from the first release and this one sounds like a more upbeat Boxer from The National, with the same amount of emotion and great lyrics packed into it.

For those of you who like to dance, The Chemical Brothers finally dropped their new album We Are The Night. I haven't heard the whole CD yet, but the few songs that I have listened to have been amazing.

Our third UK band may not have as big of a following as the other two, but definitely brings it in their new release. The Cribs break out with Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever. The first single "Men's Needs", is a hard hitting, energy packed song that will have you rocking out after the first verse. I also had a chance to listen to "Women's Needs" today and although not as fast paced, the song also has great hit potential.

For our hip-hop fans out there, M.I.A. releases her first single off of her newest CD KALA, called "Boyz." M.I.A. is from Sri Lanka and takes a different approach to hip-hop than most artists from here in the states, in that she mixes a good amount of dance beats into her music. She draws her beats from all around the world, making her songs some of the most invigorating and unique experiences you have heard from a hip-hop artist.

For a full list of all of the notable releases out there, check out this list. There should be something for everyone this week and a lot of things for those of you that are like me and like music from all genres.

I also want to recommend a CD that I discovered yesterday, called How It Ends from DeVotchKa. Check out "Enemy Guns" to get a good idea of what they are like. Their music and vocals are simply amazing and like M.I.A,. they take their musical inspirations from many different places, yet have huge ties to Eastern Europe and gypsy type music.

That should do it for my first post, but you will see much more from me in the coming weeks. For now, I will leave you with some mp3s.

Editors - Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors
Editors - An End Has A Start
The Chemical Brothers - All Rights Reserved (ft. Klaxons)
The Cribs - Men's Needs
The Cribs - Women's Needs
M.I.A. - Boyz (Kimino Kops Mix)
DeVotchKa - The Enemy Guns
DeVotchKa - How It Ends

They Might Be Giants

Get yourself down to the Bottle and Cork Thursday night to start your weekend at the beach with They Might Be Giants. They are supporting a new album, but you know that all of the old favorites will be there. Always a good show. And for a small side note, they are also at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster, PA on Friday night, but I know that all of you will be at the preview show for Joe's new indie @ the abbey showcase. That will be held at The Abbey at ABC in Harrisburg, PA and features The April Skies and DC's latest sensation, Le Loup.

Ana Ng (live)
Birdhouse In Your Soul (live)

Tuesday

Wow, it's only Tuesday. Yet, tonight's regional concert slate is loaded. No matter where you are, there is something worth seeing.


At Sonar in Baltimore, you have a fantastic show. Scotland's The Twilight Sad has been taking America by storm and they will be in town tonight. Philly's Relay will be joining them.

The Twilight Sad - That Summer, At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy
Relay - Context


Ottobar has the rescheduled date of last month's postponed Voxtrot show. The support slots read like a who's who of Baltimore bands. Two if by Sea, The Heavycoats and The Jennifers are all playing a set tonight.

Voxtrot - The Start Of Something
Two if by Sea - High Water Mark
The Heavycoats - Sea Song
The Jennifers - Oh Caroline


Down in DC, there is an excellent show at Black Cat. Canada's The Besnard Lakes and Brooklyn's Dirty on Purpose will both be in town tonight.

The Besnard Lakes - And You Lied To Me
Dirty On Purpose - No Radio


DC9 also has a fantastic show. My friend's The Jaguar Club and San Francisco's Scissors For Lefty are both on the bill. This should be a nice early week indie dance party.

The Jaguar Club - World Gone By
Scissors For Lefty - Ghetto Ways


Finally, IOTA also has a great show. Local favorites Junior League will be joined by the fantastic Hoots & Hellmouth. Gringo Star is also on the bill.

Hoots & Hellmouth - It's Close, I'm Undone
Junior League - Chess Records
Gringo Star - No Reason

Travis

Alright, it's Monday and there isn't a lot happening. That said, Travis will be at 9:30 Club. They will be supported by John Paul White. Here are a couple of old Travis tracks to make you feel all nostalgic.

Travis - Writing To Reach You
Travis - Why Does It Always Rain on Me?
John Paul White - Can't Get It Out Of My Head (Electric Light Orchestra cover)

The Vita Ruins EP

Washington, DC's The Vita Ruins are in very good spirits after their Black Cat show. They are in such a good mood that they have decided to offer their entire debut EP as a free download. I was fortunate enough to be the person that they asked to exclusively host it. So download away...

The Vita Ruins - Thanks For Your Concern (But We're Okay)


Godspeed To That Polytheist
Alien
My Last Days On Earth
The Song of Ariel

Saturday

So it is Saturday and there are plenty of things to do. Here are a couple of shows to check out.


The Decemberists make their way to Merriweather. They will be accompanied by Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

The Decemberists - July, July!


Making a quick return to the area, St. Vincent comes to Rock and Roll Hotel. This time she will be headlining. Scout Niblett will be providing support.

St. Vincent - Paris Is Burning
Scout Niblett - Dinosaur Egg

Friday

It is once again Friday in the region and there are a pair of shows to check out in both Baltimore and DC. Tonight is very good for music.


In Baltimore, there are two big CD release shows. At Sonar, The Seldon Plan is having a soft release for their upcoming full length. Over at Metro Gallery, The Payola Reserve drops their new disc upon the world.

The Seldon Plan - Holding Patterns Are Slow
The Payola Reserve - Music Is Not Music


In the fair district, there is a big all local show at Black Cat. The Vita Ruins, City-State and Metropolitan will all be gracing the main stage. In honor of this occasion, The Vita Ruins will be giving away copies of their debut EP to everyone in attendance.

The Vita Ruins - My Last Days On Earth
City-State - Mary
Metropolitan - Homeroom


At DC9, Bamboo Shoots are coming to town. They are always entertaining and are sure to not disappoint the masses.

Bamboo Shoots - Hey Girl

Popping the Cork

The Bottle and Cork summer music series is in full swing and has one hell of a line up this weekend. So head on down Route 1 and get yourself to Dewey. Forget the bad luck vibe Friday (yeah, its the 13th) and get in the groove with The Samples and Pittsburgh faves The Clarks. Enjoy the beach on Saturday then soothe that sunburn on Sunday with cool blues by the legendary guitarist Buddy Guy.

The Samples - Don't Let It Bring You Down (Neil Young Cover)

The Clarks - On Saturday

Buddy Guy w/ SRV, Jimmie Vaughn, Clapton, Robert Cray - Sweet Home Chicago