This Week's Mix

What? Oh why yes, I still do, in fact, do these. Lets get to it then shall we.

Starfucker - Medicine
Phoenix - Lisztomania
Akron/Family - The River
John Vanderslice - Sunken Union Boat
Deer Tick - Easy
The Thermals - Now We Can See
Apostle of Hustle - Soul Unwind
El Ten Eleven - Jumping Frenchmen of Maine
Miike Snow - Burial (DJ Mehdi Remix)
The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa (from Abeano.com)

Note: All tracks above, unless otherwise noted, were obtained legally and with artist's permission via KEXP. Please see here for more information.

This Week's Mix

School slowed down a tad, so I had time to get the mix out this week. The cold is starting to set in, so keep warm and enjoy your weekend!

Friendly Fires - Paris
People in Planes - Last Man Standing
The Beta Band - Dr. Baker
Blitzen Trapper - Furr
Beirut - Forks And Knives (La Fete)
Passenger - Table For One
Junior League Band - The Station
The Helio Sequence - No Regrets
John Vanderslice - Keep The Dream Alive
The Weepies - Little Bird

This Week's Mix

This week's mix is dedicated to myself and my birthday. I was going to make this one hip-hop oriented as I don't get to do that very often, but I couldn't find enough stuff that I thought everyone would like. Therefore, this mix has no real common theme, except that it's a bunch of songs that I never get tired of. Have a great Fourth.

The Dandy Warhols - A Loan Tonight
The Hood Internet - Pitbull vs El Guincho - Anthemillias
Lifesavas - It's Over
Sigur and Mob Deep - Untitled Shook Ones (Emancipator Mash Up)
Tokyo Police Club - Tessellate
Bell X1 - Rocky Took A Lover
Foals - Red Socks Pugie
John Vanderslice - Coming and Going on Easy Terms
Menomena - My My
Cabin - I Was Here

IA Area Weekend

Your team out of the tournament? Got a little cabin fever? Luckily, there are plenty of good shows rolling through the region this weekend, most doing double duty in Baltimore/DC and Philly.


After spending the better part of this decade living in Austin, the must-see show for me this weekend is Ghostland Observatory. Unfortunately, they are only hitting DC, but you can see them Saurday night at the 9:30 Club. Hopefully, they will hit Philly soon.

Ghostland Observatory - Robotique Majestique

The Raveonettes are working extra hard. After doing a show in Philly Thursday night, they pull two shows on Friday in different cities and cap it off in the District on Saturday. They are on tour with Black Acid and local friends Thrushes join the bill in Baltimore.

3/28: Philly @ World Cafe Live *XPN Free at Noon* (Raveonettes only)
3/28: Baltimore @ Ottobar w/ Thrushes
3/29: DC @ Black Cat

The Raveonettes - Dead Sound
Thrushes - Heartbeats

Two tours of reinvented 90s indie cross in the night along I-95, swapping cities. Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks with John Vanderslice in tow switch it up with the return of The Eels.

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks/John Vanderslice

3/28: DC @ 9:30 Club
3/29: Philly @ TLA

Eels

3/28: Philly @ First Unitarian Church
3/29: DC @ Sixth and I Synagogue

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Baltimore
John Vanderslice - The Parade
Eels - Novacaine for the Soul

Other shows in the area:

Langhorne Slim/Wes Mattheu/Sisters 3

3/28: Philly @ Johnny Brendas

Langhorne Slim - Mary
Sisters 3 - Giggling Gremlins

Caribou/Fuck Buttons

3/29: Philly @ TLA
3/30: DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel

Caribou - Melody Day
Fuck Buttons - Sweet Love For Planet Earth

The Dodos

3/30: DC @ DC9

The Dodos - Fools

This Week's Mix

Here is this week's mix. I hope that you enjoy the list, as I tried to switch it up a bit for this week.

DeVotchKa - Transliterator
Drive-By Truckers - Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife
Lightspeed Champion - Dry Lips
KaiserCartel - Season Song
El Perro Del Mar - People
Sea Wolf - You're a Wolf
Vandaveer - However Many Takes It Takes
John Vanderslice - They Won't Let Me Run
The Whigs - Right Hand on My Heart
The Voom Blooms - Thoughts of Rena

This Week's Mix

This mix is for those cold and snowy nights, when you are sitting by a fireplace and drinking hot chocolate...

Apostle Of Hustle - Sleepwalking Ballad
Kings of Convenience - Misread
Slumber - Komodo
Iron & Wine - Boy With A Coin
Devendra Banhart - Seahorse
Sufjan Stevens - John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
DeVotchKa - We're Leaving
Belle & Sebastian - Sleep The Clock Around
John Vanderslice - The Parade
The Shins - Phantom Limb

John Vanderslice and Bishop Allen In Philly

Photo by Autumn de Wilde
Finally some action early in the week in Philly. Tonight, San Fran's John Vanderslice showcases his smart lyrics and melodies at Johnny Brenda's. Brooklyn's Bishop Allen, who is known for popping out EPs almost at will, rounds out the show with their brand of indie pop.

John Vanderslice - Tablespoon of Codeine
Bishop Allen - Click Click Click Click

New Releases From The Past 2 Weeks

It has been crazy around IA lately and that has made us slow with keeping up with the new releases. So, here are two weeks worth. Hopefully, we will be back on track this week.


John Vanderslice released Emerald City. His singing and songwriting are always great to listen to and this disc continues that tradition.

The Canadian female duo Tegan and Sara gave us The Con. The girls' album is full of indie pop songs that don't seem to be anything special in the beginning, but once the full band breaks in, you realize they actually aren't half bad.

Brooklyn's Bishop Allen is this quirky little pop group that puts out fun songs that are great to listen to. They always seem to put me in a great mood and the music in the background has a very playful sound to it. The Broken String continues that tradition and improves upon it.

Tiny Vipers is a male and female duo from Seattle and they just release Hands Across The Void. Jesy has a beautiful voice that goes hand in hand with the music and speaks to those emotions deep within you. They will be here in DC at the Rock and Roll Hotel on August 26th.

Keeping with the one release for those who can appreciate some great electronic instrumentals and awesome dance beats, UNKLE just released War Stories. Unlike The Chemical Brothers, UNKLE is more trip hop and guitar oriented and has a dark edge to it. This release is definitely one of their best.

After teasing us since late last year, NYC's Robbers on High Street finally made Grand Animals available to the masses.

1990s released Cookies on Tuesday. If you are into the dance indie in the vein of Franz Ferdinand, I highly recommend this.

The last release, is the one that I most looked forward to. It is the Is Is EP from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The YYYs wanted to redo a few songs and make studio recordings of some live favorites. I feel that they did a great job capturing the more aggressive feel of their live show. I was listening to it in the car yesterday and I could barely keep my eyes on the road, because I just couldn't contain myself from rocking out.

John Vanderslice - Tablespoon of Codine
Tegan and Sara - The Con
Bishop Allen - Click Click Click Click
Tiny Vipers - On This Side
UNKLE - Burn My Shadow
Robbers On High Street - Crown Victoria
1990s - See You At The Lights
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Down Boy

St. Vincent/John Vanderslice

For those of you that like singer/songwriters with a bit of a kick and are looking for a show to attend tonight, Rock and Roll Hotel might have something for you. St. Vincent and John Vanderslice will be hitting DC as part of their ongoing tour.

John Vanderslice has released several records in the last few years and seems to always be touring. St. Vincent is Annie Clark and she is touring in advance of her forthcoming debut CD. You may recognize her as a member of The Polyphonic Spree. However, she is pretty good in her own right and I actually like her solo stuff better than her other projects. Take a listen and see what you think.

St. Vincent - Paris Is Burning
John Vanderslice - Exodus Damage