The First Weekend of Summer

After a few days of figuring out a new server and everything, we are finally back. There are still a couple of things to work out, but things are just about back to normal. Actually, it is going to be better than normal soon, very soon.

Anyway, it is the unofficial start of summer. For those of you not heading to your vacation spot of choice, there are some great shows to see. Here's the breakdown:

Friday

For the third time in a month, David Ford is in Philly at the TLA. Wild Sweet Orange will be joining him.

Philly natives Canadian Invasion play to the home crowd at North Star.

Brit indie-rock is at Johnny Brenda's with Air Traffic. Local act The Bye Byes round out the bill. They remind a lot of Spoon mixed with 60's pop.

Down at DC9, The Republic Tigers take the stage a night after hitting The Late Show w/ Letterman.

David Ford - Go To Hell
Wild Sweet Orange - Wrestle With God
Canadian Invasion - Nikita
The Bye Byes - Binoculars
The Republic Tigers - Buildings and Mountains

Saturday

It gets a little sparse for the rest of the weekend.

Frightened Rabbit is in Philly at The Manhattan Room.

Of course, no holiday celebration would be complete without a performance by The Dance Party. You can catch them at Jammin' Java.

The Dance Party - Lipstick

Sunday

Head back to the Manhattan Room (you know you don't work Monday) for The Hymns.

At the Metro Gallery, its a huge local bill with Karmella's Game, AVEC, Second Saturday, and Your Black Star.

The big show is at the Rock & Roll Hotel with Sea Wolf. I've seen these guys and it is a great show. Opening is The Jealous Girlfriends. You can catch this show in Philly next Thursday.

Karmella's Game - One Phone Call
AVEC - Dysplasia
Second Saturday - Arianna
Sea Wolf - You're A Wolf
The Jealous Girlfriends - Organs on the Kitchen Floor

Monday

Finally, after you finish grillin', drinkin' and whatever else your holiday entails, check out Greenland at Galaxy Hut.

Greenland - Forward Frame to Frame

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 Releases

Stars - credit
This week was hell at school for me, but I still wanted to write about some of the great new releases that came out. This week featured a fair amount of folk/indie rock, but it really had a large amount of good music in general.

Probably the biggest release of the week was from Iron & Wine, with a CD titled The Shepard's Dog. For Sam Beam's newest CD, he went with a full band and a full sound. Getting more popular as the days go on, even my college newspaper reviewed the new release and gave it an A. Beam's beautiful voice paired with some great sounds and lyrics, really is a treat.

Boy With A Coin

Next on our trip of new releases by folk/indie artists, finds us at the new Cave Singers' release Invitation Songs. I really liked the first track I heard from them and I'm sure you will to. This is mellow music with a very unique voice.

Seeds of Night

Devendra Banhart released Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon. Some people have been complaining Banhart's CDs have been too long, or too bloated. I personally am not as familiar as other people with his music, but give "Carmensita" a listen and decide for yourself. The sound is a different flavor than the previous two releases, but it works really well.

Carmensita

Last up on our folk indie tour for the week is a very interesting group and one I find very enjoyable to listen to. Two Gallants newest CD is a self-titled album that sounds a bit different from the previous release What the Toll Tells. That was a hard CD to follow-up, but the band made an admirable attempt.

The Hand That Held Me Down

A band you may have heard about once or twice on this website, DC's Georgie James has finally released their full length on Saddle Creek. Solid as always, Places really puts the band on the national map. Currently on a countrywide tour supporting the album, the band will finish it at the Black Cat on 11/16, so be sure to be there for that one.

Cake Parade

Sweden had two of it's bigger artists drop releases this week. First we have Jose Gonzalez with his new release In Our Nature, which follows up the great release Veneer. A terrific singer/songwriter, Gonzalez gives us another great release that is something that both new and old fans can be happy with.



Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division cover)

Next we have Loney, Dear, who's newest CD isn't really new, but new to the US. After seeing them this summer with The Sea & Cake, I can honestly say that their music is great and any release from them is something worth being listened to.

Saturday Waits

Our next CD has been available on iTunes and other online distributors for a little while, but Stars' newest In Our Bedroom After The War is now out everywhere. I have only personally listened to a couple of songs on the CD, but what I've heard it sounds like a really solid release. One of my friends is in love with the album and I trust him, as he has introduced me to more great bands than I can count. Give the CD a listen and judge yourself.

The Night Starts Here

A group I discovered this week, The GoStation have a release that needs to be listened to titled Passion Before Function. I am always a fan of indie bands that rock hard, but still keep a full sound in their music and these guys do exactly that. Give "All Together Now" a listen to see what I mean and find a new band that I'm sure most of you have never heard of, but will enjoy listening to.

All Together Now

Another group I just discovered after hearing about their release, Athlete released Beyond the Neighborhood. This band isn't anything you haven't heard before, but they are still a solid indie band with a good release that deserves consideration.

Airport Disco

There were so many releases this week, that I'll leave you with songs from some of the others...

Eskimo Joe - New York
Matt Pond PA - Taught To Look
Office - Wound Up
Sea Wolf - Black Dirt
The Weakerthans - Night Windows
Tuung - Bullets
Via Audio - We Can Be Good

Oh Glorious Weekend

This has been one of those weeks. Finally, the weekend is here and there are a lot of shows worth seeing...

SATURDAY


The Kooks are invading America and DC is next on their agenda. They will be playing 9:30 Club along with the really good Pennsylvania band, Illinois.

The Kooks - Naive
Illinois - Alone Again


A trio of Philly bands will be playing the Rock and Roll Hotel. Dr. Dog, The Teeth and Hoots & Hellmouth are all on the bill. I can't speak for the other bands, but I accidentally caught Hoots & Hellmouth last September and they gave one of the most vital performances that I have ever seen. It was quite spiritual.

Dr. Dog - Worst Trip
The Teeth - Ball Of The Dead Rat
Hoots & Hellmouth - It's Close, I'm Undone


New York's The Orion Experience bring their indie pop sound to The Red and The Black.

The Orion Experience - There's No Love In February


DC locals Lejeune and The Antiques will release their long awaited new albums at IOTA. Julie Ocean will be providing support. This is pretty much the only big local show this weekend, but it's quite a good one.

Lejeune - Bizarre Histrionics
The Antiques - Bedsit Bones


Heading up to Baltimore, Elvis Costello brings his never ending supply of great songs to Ram's Head Live.

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up


If you are up for a short road trip, there is a nice show happening in Harrisburg, PA. Appalachian Brewing Company is having their 10 year anniversary. To celebrate, they booked bands for the entire day. They will cap it off at night with a free concert that is headlined by The Hold Steady. Hershey, PA's The April Skies will be opening.

The Hold Steady - The First Night
The April Skies - My Love Is In This House

SUNDAY


The very popular LCD Soundsystem is coming to 9:30 Club. The always eccentric YACHT is opening.

LCD Soundsystem - All My Friends
Yacht - See A Penny (Pick It Up)


Silversun Pickups are playing a show at Recher Theatre in Towson. Sea Wolf is also on the bill.

Silversun Pickups - Well Thought Out Twinkles
Sea Wolf - You're A Wolf


There is a Canadian Invasion in DC. Toronto bands Sloan and Small Sins will be bringing their brand of rock to Black Cat.

Small Sins - Stay
Sloan - Before The End Of The Race