Monday, June 30, 2008

Whartscape 2008


















This year's festivities are bigger than ever, taking place at multiple venues throughout the city of charm July 17-20. Friday night at 2640 and outside on North Ave Saturday and Sunday look to be the standout sets, but a highlighted schedule of most the action follows:

Charles Theatre, Thursday, 6 pm to midnight:
Matmos, Ultimate Reality, Mark Hosler, Blue Leader, Teeth Mounain, Leprechaun Catering, Nautical Almanac, Ben Heresey, Ric Royer, Missoula Oblongata

2640 Space, Friday, 6pm to 11 pm:
Beach House, Jana Hunter, Lesser Gonzalez Alvarez, Santa Dads, Golden Age, Arbouretem, Wheatie, Mattiasich, Matteah Baim, Andy Abelow, Eagle Ager, A Murmered Tale

Outside @ 331 North Ave., Saturday, Noon to 10 pm:
Celebration, Thank You, Deathset, The Mae Shi, Ecstatic Sunshine, Lexie Mountain Boys, WZT Hearts, Ed Schrader, Oxes, Killer Whales, DD/MM/YYYY, Bird Names, Eyeball Skeleton, The Creepers, Dufus, Facts, Air Waves, Ben Stoofy, Smarts, King Cloud

Sonar, Saturday, 11 pm to 2 am:
"Secret Surprise Guest", VideoHippos, Blood Baby, Human Host, Food for Animals, Nuclear Power Pants

Outside @ 331 North Ave., Sunday, Noon to 10 pm:
Dan Deacon, Ponytail, Parts and Labor, Double Dagger, Future Islands, Black Dice, White Williams, Trey Told 'Em, Height, Club Lyfestiles, Adventure, Thrust Lab, Narwals, Ear Pwr, Mincemeat or Tenspeed, Kyle H Mabson

Annex Theatre, Sunday, 11 pm to 2 am:
CEX, Wet Hair, Egyptrixx, Swean Leather, Teengirl Fantasy, Smart Growth, and the infamous and curious... DJ Dog Dick.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

It's Business, It's Business Time

Somehow J Roddy Walston and The Business managed to slip by my radar, at least until a few days ago when I came across their album. The band sounds like a bunch of whiskey drinkin', ragtime jammin', southern rockin', hootin' and hollerin' dudes who like to get down and dirty. And I for one am all ears.

These Baltimore via Tennessee lads released Hail Mega Boys last year, with only an EP preceding that. I can only assume that a band of this nature puts on an excellent live show, and look forward to checking them out ASAP. You should do the same, and of course peep the album in the meantime. Preferably after you put on your business socks on a Wednesday and the conditions are perfect.

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Shall Noise Upon















Apollo Sunshine's third full length rocks your speakers via vinyl and digital 8/5/08, with the CD hitting shelves a month later. With hopes that Shall Noise Upon reaches back to their top notch LP Katonah, the band has not released anything in 3 years. A sample track, "666 The Coming of the New World Government", can be found here.

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Ponytail Video


Here' the video for "Die Allman Bruder" from Ponytail's Ice Cream Spiritual. Expect the sudden urge to fingerpaint upon viewing.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

A Little Hoochie Coo On The Side

I've got a fever. And I'm pretty sure the only prescription is more King Khan and the Shrines. Their new album, The Supreme Genius Of, is that straight up dose of rock and roll you've been seeking. I promise. The first track on my playlist is for your sampling pleasure. Or, just get the album wherever.

Feed The Animals


















Go here to get it. Pay whatever you want. I'd save your hard-earned dinero for the vinyl copy that Wham City is eventually releasing.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

4 Names, 1 Dude, & 1 Ridiculous Album

While picking up some other awesome records during my lunchbreak yesterday, I stumbled upon Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's debut LP. The first track off this album has been on repeat for me over the past couple weeks, so naturally I grabbed it.

When you have Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor on production along with fellow bandmates Chris Bear and Daniel Rossen collaborating, chances are your going to produce an amazing album. Oh, and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio also makes a few appearances. Wow.

The thing is, I'm pretty sure that even without all of the extra talent helping him out, this record would have been remarkable anyways. His songwriting style and lyrics are truly unique, which will certainly draw much attention to this new Brooklyn-based artist.

The album will be released on Say Hey Records July 1st, but Soundgarden has copies of it now. Check out a few of the tracks for free right here. "Burified" is the jam that has not left my head for the past month.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Lookout Ice Cream, Lookout Zoomer

There are three releases to look forward to tomorrow, one of which features the elephant adventurer cover art seen to the left. The Silver Jews drop Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea on Drag City tomorrow. The band just finished a tour with Monotonix, who bring their supposedly stellar live show back to Baltimore on Tuesday.

Another local event this Tuesday includes the release of Ponytail's second album. The band's highly anticipated Ice Cream Spiritual promises to be packed with shrieks of experimental power pop. And of course, Sup Pop's behemoth, Wolf Parade also puts out their second LP the 17th. At Mount Zoomer is an album most have been looking forward to since their first epic release in 2006.

In completely unrelated news, today's Daytrotter session features Spoon. The four free tracks include a Paul Simon cover, a song from their very first EP, and a song that Daytrotter claims to be unreleased.* However, that song is in fact the second to last track on their 2002 record, Kill the Moonlight.

*edit: The page still says its unreleased but changed it to mention that it is on Kill the Moonlight (probably Spoon's best record).

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Soapy Fresh New Devendra?

Devendra Banhart's new project maybe possibly surfaced on myspace this week, going by the moniker "Megapuss". The dudes underneath the garbage bags are rumored to be Devendra along with Priestbird's Greg Rogove.

Their myspace page features 2 spankin' new tracks, one of which is pure 1960's soul/bliss/pop titled "Crop Circle Jerk '94". The other track is a bit more ridiculous, with lyrics pertaining to Trader Joe's Hummus, but is still pretty awesome. Go and check them out now.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Half Yearly Top 10

There's been some pretty decent releases in the the first half of 2008. While we have yet to come across to this year's Person Pitch, there's been no lack of quality albums. Here are my favorite 10 records so far this year:

10. The Black Angels, Directions To See a Ghost

9. The War On Drugs, Wagonwheel Blues
(out 6/19)

8. Atlas Sound, Let The Blind Lead Those Who Can See But Cannot Feel

7. BSS presents Brendan Canning, Something For All of Us
(LP out 7/22...digitally available now right here.)

6. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Lie Down in the Light

5. Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes

If you don't like this album,
you are a jerk.





4. No Age, Nouns

Perfect for sunny day cruises with the windows down and the yearning for rock & roll music has ensued.





3. The Dodos, Visiter


Two dudes that sound like eleven dudes, and also put together an excellent freak/psych/whatever folk(ish) record.




2. Beach House, Devotion

If you have a wine cellar in your basement, or better yet a dungeon, play this record there. I have done neither, but am pretty sure it would be to your benefit.




1. The Ruby Suns, Sea Lion

This album consists of truly blissful musical elements from the entire world, by way of a band from New Zealand.





Honorable mentions include, but are not limited to:
Saturday=Youth by M83, Third by Portishead, In Ghost Colors by Cut Copy, Welcome by James Pants, and Heretic Pride by The Mountain Goats.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Falafel and Drum-Surfing

In light of my recent travels, I present you with Monotonix. They are from Tel Aviv, and they kinda rock. If blending the Black Lips with a little Sabbath and maybe some Spoon sounds good to you, then they are probably your thing.

Still not convinced? Testimonials like this one just might get your attention:

"You hit my girlfriend in the head with a trash can, and as much as i love her, you were still the best fucking band i've seen in ages." -Siobhan, Raliegh NC

They have an EP out now on Drag City, check out the title track on my playlist. The band just ended a European tour with the Silver Jews, who reportedly spent the tour explaining that they were not the band from Israel. Monotonix will be in Baltimore June 17th.

Monday, June 2, 2008

His Songs Are Better Than Yours

Sir Brian Adam Ant makes the trek down 95 to play stuff for us. This Saturday. At the "new" Talking Head. Go and talk obnoxiously about how honey bunches of oats are the new frosted flakes while he plays. He loves it.