Lorelei - Talk It -- Black Cat - May 22 2013

Talk It - Some how I have managed to miss this DC trio over the many years I have attended shows and am proved tonight to be sorry for that. They have guitar, keyboard, and drums and play vibrant instrumental post rock music for the most part. The first cut is quite heavy, reminding me of Kinski with sonic traces of Mogwai and Sonic Youth as well. Thereafter they add some quirky rhythms and there is more of a head bobbing pop structure in place. This has a real 'feel good' vibe at work as they explore variations in tone in texture. I particularly enjoyed the striking moment where they stopped playing and briefly sang off microphone. Creative fun was had by all here tonight in the backstage, as this band added its name to my long list of local bands creating smart music.

Lorelei - And already high atop that list of DC bands creating smart music, is Lorelei, a trio that has been gracing stages around here for many a decade. They are a perfect continuation of the opening set, adding vocals and steadier rhythms. There is plenty of Wire and Wedding Present in their sound with an energetic pop reminiscent of the Feelies. I love watching the blur of a right hand of the guitarist which seems more fitting for a hardcore band, yet creates more expressive tones here. There were a good 50-75 people here tonight and many of them know this band far better than I do and like me, were enjoying tonight's set. It may have been the most energetic performance I have seen from this band, but they always deliver. They may not be back to a DC stage for a while, so I am happy I caught them on such a high tonight. Clearly, there is plenty left in the tank, so we should be seeing them again some day.

Quote of the Day: From Kim Deal in Mojo Magazine... "Punk rock passed Dayton by, still has, I think."   This did not go over well with my many friends from the Dayton scene of the 70s and 80s who are still out there, and still creating.

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - Xenia Rubinos - Healing Power -- Black Cat - May 20 2013

Healing Power - This collective has a lot of diverse elements immediately apparent. And almost immediately, they show signs of the skills needed to put it all together in a cohesive package. They alternate lead vocalists, yet all of them seem to have high soaring voices that are fairly profound for the Black Cat's backstage. The guitars and synthesizer parts are a mix of pop and rock with a few postpunk jagged edges, while drums and bass really lay down a gutsy foundation that could fuel a classic punk band. Yet it all works quite well in their half hour opening set. They have amusing stage patter where they thank all members in the Kiss Army in a southern preacher style. They also call themselves 'Neil' after Mr. Diamond, which makes sense as I hear a bit of Sweet Caroline running through one of their songs, if it were played by a high energy new wave band. They are from Cincinnati which makes sense as I remember it as these guys could be the next generation from the Raisins, the Kustoms with nods to many more of the assertive pop rock bands from southern Ohio. The large crowd enjoyed it, although the club was getting surprisingly hot (even though the Swans were not on the bill).

Xenia Rubinos - First off, I am much happier seeing Xenia Rubinos here in DC, than I would be if I were seeing the Rubinoos in Xenia, Ohio. She hits the stage behind a keyboard and mic with only a drummer for support. She quickly meets my expectations with some inventive rhythmic pop music, but knocks me on my butt with some extreme experimental moves. I hear some Chaka Khan mixed with a hip hop feel delivered with high energetic bursts. Then she sets sail with some Sheila Chandra styled staccato vocal mannerisms, before delving into perhaps a bit of Kristeen Young, Diamanda Galas and Scott Walker terrain. Yes, Scott Walker would enjoy this, I suspect. Suffice it to say, this is a well developed personal vision that I am not sure everyone fully could get into on one listen, but the crowd did respond to the energy and creativity here. Fascinating and a joy to behold.

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - While I feel like I am catching a hot act in Xenia Rubinos in the early stages, I feel I am getting on the Lady Lamb train a little bit late. While the band name has often meant a solo performance for Aly Spaltro, she is now sporting a full band here complete with drums, bass, and keyboards (from her labelmate, Ms. Rubinos). The folk rock is there and it has a great jangle quality in her guitar playing. There are a lot of tempo shifts, which seem to make the pop hooks even larger. These are smart, well crafted songs given fine interpretation mostly from Ms. Spaltro with her excellent guitar work and voice. She sings with a toughness and a vulnerability, but leans more heavily to the former. She can hit the blues or soar off into folkland, but has the jangly pop going much of the time surrounding it all. She tackles a few songs solo on guitar and then banjo, which offers even more interesting contrasts within the theme. This all works extremely well and the full room is absorbed with this set. And although I do not know all the insiders in town, when I see two other notable people from other clubs here tonight, I am reminded of the stock market axiom of buying with the insiders. Clearly, she is on the rise, even as she is quite humble in her thanks for so many people coming out on a Monday night. She may have to move it upstairs when next she tours through.

Other notes -- RIP to Ray Manzarek, a fun guy who was essential to rock music.

And on the lighter side, I wish Sir Alex Ferguson a great retirement, and I think he would even bristle if he saw this on EBAY (let alone see that the asking price was 1,500 quid)

Murder Troy - Area 52 - Cousin Sleaze - Ashes Within -- The Pinch - May 19 2013

Ashes Within - Good hard NYC metal here. The street toughness is evident at all times from this twin-guitar quintet. At times it almost got a bit too 1-2-3-thud in the drumming department, but then the band's guitarists twisted their sounds into washed out psychedelic waves which were startling amidst the controlled noise. When they pushed the tempo they closed in on the metal/hardcore merging that NYC was famous for. The vocalist did well with a highly iffy PA and got through enough of his growling to push things songward. I hope they experiment a little more and keep things moving in interesting directions. They may be on to something, but if not, there are plenty of metalheads out there that will dig this exactly as it is.

Cousin Sleaze - Next up are the opening band's touring buddies, also from Brooklyn. Just one guitar this time around, although the sound is similar to Ashes Within. The main difference is the faster tempo evident and they really rip it up, almost sounding like a Finnish hardcore band (I still find it odd that Terveet Kadet is playing in the US this year, but I digress). The vocals are struggling to get through the PA, although not for lack of vocal power. The Pinch is suffering from being a new club tonight and it is really hard to tell if anyone is here beyond band members. Credit to these guys for laying it out there, as I feel I am monitoring a band practice.

Area 52 - The sound is an utter mess by now as this area metal trio tries to make a go of it. I am not really getting into their set, but it's impossible to make a fair judgment. There probably is some talent here. But how can un-mic'ed drums drown out guitar and bass? Vocals were barely audible, although it didn't sound like we were missing much (and it is barely a 'we' beyond the other band members). Was the guitarist just playing with his teeth? I had to cut this set short.

Murder Troy - I didn't stay for this set, but it may have actually gone well as they play instrumental psyche-metal and wouldn't be bothered as much by a bad PA. They have a new full-time bass player and are still getting experience on their way to becoming a very nice act around here. I recommend seeing them at the Rock'n'Roll Hotel in early July when they play with the always excellent Caustic Casanova. Stay tuned.

Cherry Tree - Flown -- Comet Ping Pong - May 18 2013

Flown - This female power trio is from Brooklyn and they brought with them a severe case of the heavies. They lay out some of the thickest, heaviest metal stoner riffs this side of Black Sabbath. But they go well beyond the confines of sludge metal, with fascinating forays into psychedelic worlds. They do this with the instrumentation, but even more importantly in the vocals where all three members join in. They have twisted psyche-gothic moves that remind me some of United Bible Studies. Of course, they sing with gnarled intensity when the music heats up and the riffs start flying. They continue to vary the volume and vocal style keeping a fair amount of tension in the set. It works because they manage to keep you glued to their sound when the go from the lower depths to soaring heights, yet completely skipping the dullish middle ground. I enjoyed how they appropriated a wonderful Hawkwind riff and quickly moved it into a creative powerhouse of their own making, available on their recent single. This is powerful and fully involving with their great grasp of style. As the songwriting will likely to produce more gems, this band could be a great presence on the modern extended psyche scene. Feral Grrrl Psychedelia? It works for me and worked for the 25-30 people digging the sounds tonight.

Cherry Tree - This local power trio left the Black Cat backstage smoking hot a couple months back and I was quite happy to catch them again. All the brilliant early 1970s monster riffs were back complete with thick bass, powerful drumming, and tuneful vocal work that somehow makes it through the mix. The added dimension I noticed in one of their brand new songs and a couple of the others was that they do manage to integrate some power pop in there as well. I heard a bit of the Only Ones tonight, which is an excellent way of changing the style a bit to give some nice contrast in a long set. There still is a lot of the throwback style, but with this kind of youthful energy, it is hard not to get caught up in it. And if you grew up with this like I did, all the better. I really hope that the masses that flock to the Black Keys and many other successful bands that pull from the 70s find there way out of the arenas and into the clubs to discover bands like Cherry Tree. You will only have to manage 5-10% of the crowd, pay 5-10% of the cover to get in, and for my money, receive nearly 100% of the musical value. May this band continue to gig and continue to prosper.

Club update... I've had my issues with this club before, and it still starts a little late in a remote part of town which will always be a bit of a challenge for me. But, they continue to book quality shows and tonight's show ran smoothly and was a lot of fun. And as I was thinking how pleasant it all was as I was walking out the door, chatting with Davis from Lorelei (go see them at the Black Cat this Wednesday!) just before 1am, when boom--I was actually walking into the glass door (think Sid and Nancy without any breakage). I took it all on the nose, but am still reminded today of how happy I am that I never took up boxing.

Proverbs Reggae Band -- Mount Rainier Day - May 18 2013

Proverbs Reggae Band - I caught a brief set of this band at a block party festival in Mount Rainier on Saturday afternoon. There were PA problems and a tight schedule full of music for the festival goers, so this was not the ideal way to catch this excellent area reggae band. They still managed to cook up that lilting contemplative, happy vibe that good reggae music will bring out and they managed to give the dancers a couple of up tempo numbers that played well. I unfortunately missed their Howard Theatre set recently, so I wanted to at least check them out. Fortunately they seem to be gigging quite a bit in the area, so I will be checking back in to see what they sound like indoors playing a full set of grooving reggae music. And for the record, I am quite biased here as the bass player is an old office friend. I do miss work, when I can get into a passionate musical discussion with the guy down the hall.

Teen Girl Scientist Monthly - Grand Revival - Duswhales -- Velvet Lounge - May 17 2013

Duskwhales - Geeze, these four guys seem young and the four x's on hands confirm that observation. They have keyboards, bass, guitar, and drums with everyone singing and shifting with a two guitar sound for several songs as well. The most formal talent here seems to be in the keyboards as his piano flourishes were high level. The rest of these sounds were all competent, although I am not sure it ever really fit together at times. The vocal work was garage pop and I marveled at how four voices would join in and yet there was no real harmony with just one part coming through. This was all quite insane and fiendishly clever in a similar vein of Daniel Johnston or the Modern Lovers. Although these guys had a tentative side to them, they were audacious enough to ask the 11 people in the room (half of them parents) to clap along to one song. I love it. After a big outdoor festival and a trip to the Big Apple, it is refreshing to head back to the garage or basement and indulge in youthful rock spirit. This is what it is all about.

Teen Girl Scientist Monthly - The headliner takes the stage next and delivers 41 minutes of fun pop rock that feels like the grown up version of the opening act. It has a B-52s feeling with the energized pop, two female singers (one on keys) and male guitarist/vocalist, along with rhythm section and Gary Wright style keyboard (as guitar). The sound is less B-52s and far closer to that of the Rezillos, although not as punk. The interesting feature that really brings it together is the driving rhythm section. The drums are great and the bass player locks in with quick and fluid, nearly jamming lines. This allows the keys, guitar, and singers to indulge in putting forth their personality and keep things frothy and energized. The lead vocals have a sultry lounge quality, although they never lose perspective of fun pop music--quite tricky, actually. I would only advise them to tighten up endings as crafty songs like this deserve a tighter finish. Still, they were highly effective at pulling in the now larger crowd by keeping their enthusiasm high and their charming, yet rocking pop music moving at just the right pace.

Grand Revival - These four youngsters (all x'ed again) are a lot tighter than the openers as they take their twin guitar attack backward into the days of hard rock with enough modern metal touches in their as well. The rhythm section does have a little swing to it in the basslines, but the lead guitar work and overall heaviness is the star. Hard charging bluesy rock, with a bit of slide, a double lead or two and powerhouse drumbeats. I get a feeling of Richie Blackmore on one guitar solo, although most of the others are in the bluesier strain. All in all, this flat out rocks and although they are presently in a good place, once they get their full direction worked out--something about new members, missing singers, or what not--things could take really take off. And oh yeah, they are young, so they can work on their banter. But for now, I will leave them with a suitable blurb... Better than Foghat!

Quote of the Night: Although the first band was far more musically skilled than 1/2 Japanese, the spirit was similar, so I am reminded of this classic quote from Jad Fair... "The only chord I know is the one that connects the guitar to the amp."

Coming in late May at a DC Club near You!

Here is a video and audio sampling of some of the better shows headed our way in the next two weeks. As always, check my recommendations section in the right column for a full listing of shows I will be attending or those I would if cloning procedures were in play.

!!! plays the Black Cat this Saturday night and for those of you that want to say their name out loud, it is chk chk chk.

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper plays the black cat this Monday, May 20th. I've missed them before--not this time.

Futurebirds come to town to the 9:30 Club on Thursday, May 23rd.

The Uncluded not only have a great name, but their sounds are worth a listen when they hit the big 9:30 Club stage on Tuesday, May 28th right after your Memorial Day weekend has concluded.

The Thermals make their way to the Black Cat on Thursday, May 30th, and will provide an even mix of punk energy and pop hooks from the sound of this video.

Mudhoney - Endless Boogie -- Bowery Ballroom (NYC) - May 12 2013

Endless Boogie - I am in Manhattan tonight with my brother and we get started with this local twin-guitar quartet. They are loud, with snarling vocals, dirty slide guitars, fuzz, and wah-wahs, with a pounding rhythm section--in another word, Mudhony. But no, they use much of the same tools to play longer blues-rock jams. Their boogie is not quite endless, but with four songs in 38 minutes, it is close enough. So not exactly like Mudhoney, but they certainly are a good opening band choice to get the extensive crowd warmed up. My brother hears the Stooges and I would have to say that the first cut sounded like a good outtake jam from 'Raw Power'. The middle dragged a tad, but the closing number was a powerful drone with a steady (nearly dull) rhythm section setting the stage for long, throbbing guitar wanderings and a few vocal lines salting it up a bit. I enjoy a good drone and these guys nailed it at the end. They may not be a band I would want to listen to in the studio as they are more about sound than songs, but they certainly create a great atmosphere on stage. And although I have heard of this venue for some time, this is my first visit and I would certainly be happy to be a regular here. They have a comfortable downstairs lounge with the ballroom and a small balcony with some seating that all-in-all looks like it would accommodate a Black Cat-sized crowd.

Mudhoney - I have been a huge fan of this band pretty much since Day One, and even BC in the Green River days. Somehow I have only caught them once on stage which is really odd, so I trekked up to NYC to catch them before they head off to Europe. Although I was not sure they would be hitting DC, they now have a U Street Music Hall show set for September 23rd. So if you're in DC (or any of the other cities they are hitting), should you go see Mudhoney in 2013? Absolutely! Early in the set I was thinking that it may be hard to imagine how profound this sound was back when these guys were pretty much creating in what would become the grunge scene. And although it is much more familiar these days and not quite as dangerous, there are still moments of pure magic in many of their songs. And they do a fabulous hour long set that balances brand new material with songs from their early days ignoring albums they don't care about and providing most of their classics which had the crowd doing some serious dancing and even a few stage dives and crowd surfing. You still see the brilliant component parts of this band with Dan Peters powerful drumming anchoring it all. The 'new' bass player Guy Maddison has been a great fit for many years now and even had a long dazzling lead bass run later on. Steve Turner creates his magical sounds and can vary the style and pace brilliantly while Mark Arm does the wicked slide work and hyperthick sludge rhythms. I am very happy that his voice still has that sneer to it as he can stretch it all over his gnarled range, creating that great vocal tension needed to stay on top of this wonderful music. They played for an hour with a 25 minute encore 'set' that finished off with the Dicks' "Hate the Police", which still may be the greatest American punk song ever (at least post 1977). So Mudhoney 2013 still has it and I will be writing this all again come September, when I hope to make it back from Europe to do this all again.

Quote of the Day: From the opening band... "Did everyone call their Moms today? I see some of you you shrinking."

Sweetlife Festival -- Merriweather Post Pavilion - May 12 2013

Lindsey Sterling - It is 12:30pm and there is a good enough crowd to get things rolling. I hear some chords emanating from the second stage as Shark Week got started a few minutes earlier, but I am seated at the main stage for a violinist, keyboardist, and drummer. Ms. Sterling is the violinist who creates interesting enough music with even more mesmerizing dance moves. The drums are strong and the keyboards will provide a bit of background but more often provide the bass lines. This is melodic music and works well enough for this 40-minute set, mostly due to her graceful maneuvering around the stage. She has hit it big via Youtube and was received warmly enough here, but I would think that just one more instrumental element may elevate this to the point that the set could be closing a club show rather than opening for one. Still, I kind of preferred that she leaned a bit more to Nash the Slash rather than go Jean Luc-Ponty on me.

Solange - Next up on the big stage is Beyonce... 's little sister. The voice and overall style don't seem entirely dissimilar, but it would take someone who listened to both a lot more than I to really discuss the distinctions. She comes out in a colorful spring dress with drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, and a couple of back-up singers helping out. The music is fairly low-key and sounds like it would do very well in the dimly lit club, late at night. The R+B pop hybrid with light traces of funk still works well enough here today, although everything is a bit on the safe side of things. The crowd was lightly enjoying it, but really picked up toward the end when the material picked up pace and volume. The strong finish worked well with me and had me feeling pretty good about the set and her prospects. Whether she will be remembered more as a Stevie Ray Vaughan or a Simon Townshend remains to be seen.

Gary Clark, Jr. - Speaking of Stevie Ray Vaughan, there is a Texas blues connection here with gunslinging guitarist, Gary Clark, Jr. He is joined here by a guitarist, bassist, and drummer who are not just here to play the blues, but to push it into crushing rock territory. Guitar-wise, there are elements of Cream and the early blues to heavy rock moves from various British bands. But the backing band reminds me more of Ten Years After, the way they so smoothly find the groove and let the lead guitarist consume the spotlight. And when you can play as well as Clark, there is not much need for a whole lot else. But of course, they vary their songs nicely from hare, hard rock to more blues/rock, and even a Chuck Berry style rock'n'roll number. This 57 minute set was smoking hot and a lot of eyes and ears were opened here, although he clearly had plenty of knowing fans as well.

MS MR - I did take 5 minutes away from the main stage to check out the band I skipped the other night at the U Street Music Hall. It was similar to the other bands that night with a gut gutsy brand of pop from what I could tell in so brief a listen. This stage was off to the side with a lawn for people to sit on or dance on and it was nice to see that it was well packed even as the main stage was now full with a crowded lawn as well. So the Sweetlife Festival has certainly pulled in music fans with its diverse line-up today.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - I was never much a fan of the No No Nos, as I unoriginally dismissed them many years ago. Since then, I have warmed more to the two instrument line-ups that have proliferated due to the White Stripes and the Black Keys. So I was quite happy to see another Yeah filling in on bass and keyboards (and they likely have been doing this for some time like many bands). Still, the songs varied in quality for me with some still sounding a little on the thin side like some sort of twee-psyche genre. But when they pushed things with some heavy and interesting guitar moves, and strong drumming, they could be quite vibrant. And the vocal work of Karen O is always a high point. She had loads of energy in delivering her pop-Penelope Houston sounds taking command of the song and the stage. They even reminded me of a highly abrasive Eurhythmics a couple of times. The crowd was huge (and it was even getting a bit claustrophobic for me) and the band won them over quite easily. Still, a little mixed for me, but the talent is much clearer to me taking in this 52-minute set.

Kendrick Lamar - Lamar has a DJ providing the beats and he does the rapping full of many of the cliches I have heard, and I really don't even hear that much of this genre to get as tired of it as I do. I know punk and metal have serious issues with cliches as well, as does every genre (in part causing the separation). But I cannot detect anything thoughtful in the lyrics here without a lyric sheet, but do hear all the eye rolling buzzwords that get ever so annoying. He probably is quite clever (and his website does say that we all know he is a lyrical genius), but I can't get beyond the annoying lyrics of something like P&P (based on my quick scan of titles, so I am offering an educated guess). I need a lot more from hip hop than this, also on the musical side of the equation, and I have gotten it in the past from Public Enemy and some local acts, but this still worked up enough of the crowd. So you can check with some of them for a more complete review.

And that finished the day for me. I would have liked to have seen Passion Pit and Phoenix, but I have an early train to NYC to catch Mudhoney tomorrow night. Perhaps, a certain one of my readers who stopped by to chat can fill us in with what I missed. I am sure it continued the pattern of diverse music that pulled in the large audience here. This place was full, people were happy, so you would have to rate this as a success.

Quote of the Day - Posted on the screen after a rainstorm really hit hard in the early evening... "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

MS MR - Sir Sly - Magic Man -- U Street Music Hall - May 9 2013

Magic Man - I am getting a sense that this club does not get sound checks done in a timely fashion. First, they have the early comers (check that, the people that arrive on time) wait in the rain until 18 minutes after the posted time before opening the doors. Then, the opening band (for the second straight time I have been here) starts off with abominable sound. This is pop music through  a wall of mud. Fortunately, by the third song, the crisp synth pop of this Providence band starts taking on a nice shape. The vocal work is airy and tuneful and there is a nice guitar and rhythm section bit underneath go give it some heft. It is still on the light side, but is likable enough and effective for warming the crowd to a night of catchy, danceable pop music.

Sir Sly - This LA quintet also has to do a lot more checking of their sound while they set up. I've seen punk bands on stage for their sets for far less time that it took for this band to get ready for their 31 minute set. Thankfully, the care was worth it as the sound was crisp and strong right from the word go. The vocals are far edgier here in more of a direction toward Brit-Pop of the 1980s and maybe even a touch of stronger post punk noise. There is a lot of percussion going on with a drum kit and some side drums and even a couple of guitars going at times. The club is filling up rather well by now and the crowd seems fairly into the sounds here. I like the toughness in the sound, while they still have the requisite pop hooks seamlessly flowing throughout. At times it was rather by the book, but there were a few songs that really popped out and showed what the band is capable of when they really have a great song to present. They should do quite well with this approach and did so tonight.

MS MR - Sorry guys, but I had to get back and continue recovering from my sore throat before a very busy weekend (see promo below).

Quote of the Night: Sir Sly - "This last one is called 'Ghost'" Innocuous enough, but I thought I also heard the opening band say they had a song called 'Ghosts'. Plus I also had the Strawbs song 'Ghosts' come on my IPOD earlier that day as well as the Japanese band Ghost come on my IPOD during my walk home. Sweden's Ghost AD is playing the 9:30 Club this week and Shirley Kent's UK band Ghost is still broken up after 43 years. I could go on...

Promo of the Night: This was the kickoff party for the Sweetlife Festival which takes place this Saturday at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, starting at noon. There is lots of interesting touring talent here, but get there early to catch hot local band Shark Week starting things off. And come say hi. I'm the old guy scribbling in a notebook, hopefully not coughing.

Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars -- DCJCC - May 7 2013

Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars Klezmer-Bhangra Extravaganza featuring Deep Singh - In the time it takes to announce this band, the Minutemen could knock out a song or two. But it also takes as much time to explain this fascinating concept of combining Jewish and Indian music with both the spiritual and party connections. It is not really all that surprising as Frank London has been turning traditional music on its head for decades now, most known as a member of the great Klezmatics. I saw them years back in Denver as they played klezmer music with reams of jazz and rock moves woven in. A rather straight laced guy at work told me the next day he saw me at the show and although he and his wife were traditional dancers to klezmer music, he had never seen anything quite like them and he liked it. And that was what was great about tonight's show, as it was filled with an audience from age 8 to 80 who had never experienced anything quite like this. That went for me as well, as although I've heard a lot of Indian music, I had never heard it infused into klezmer jazz anything remotely like this.

Frank London was on trumpet, but was also conducting in a jazz manner of calling out solos, switches, and some volume control with his usual band of trombone, clarinet, accordion, tuba, and drums. They played a revved up eleven minute number that gave everyone a taste of this band's past history. But then it was on to the future with fresh material with two guest vocalists, an electric guitarist, and Deep Singh on a large Indian drum he held and played with a stick on each end (may be a dhol or naal). They mixed it up with up tempo party numbers and deeper spiritual songs with graceful and seamless shifts. One of the vocalists tackled a Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan songs, which is challenging task, but proved up to it. The other sang some hyper-fast Jewish traditional songs while the band kept up. There was a lovely Indian song with chanted vocals and slide guitar in a minor harmonic scale perhaps with only a touch of other instrumentation. They even did a song by a famous cantor in a Sun Ra style arrangement. So basically, anything in the world of music was fair game tonight and the band pulled it all together with a cohesion where they embraced their rare mistakes with their amazing instrumental prowess. This was a fabulous 105 minutes of music delivered with spirit and taken in with respect and excitement.

I am thankful that the Washington Jewish Music Festival continues to pull in such exciting acts like this, although it reminds me of what a dolt I have been for not paying attention to Frank London the past 15 years. There are only a couple more shows left in this year's festival, but if you can't make those, be sure to put it on your calendar for next year.

Taylor Carson - Mia Dyson -- Iota - May 4th

Mia Dyson - I always give just a little bit extra respect for the musicians that come a long, long way to ply their trade. Although Mia Dyson has previously made her way to this continent, this is the first Virgina showing for the native of Torquay, Victoria, Australia. She is a veteran guitarist and probably has been playing since very young ages since her father not only plays blues guitar, but builds them as well. Her style definitely includes some blues, especially when she adds a bottle neck to her quality electric playing. She adds the requisite singer songwriter skills to her quality playing and these songs are quite lively. This is a very sharp band here as well, with a powerful rhythm section that adds that extra push that you can feel in your body as you get into the songs. The keyboardist was also pivotal with his flashy organ runs with that rich leslie sound. There is good intensity throughout this breezy 33 minute set, and not even the jet lag that affected her voice hurt her vocals enough to matter. This was a fine set fully appreciated by the big crowd.

Taylor Carson - It seems that lately, every time I come out to a weekend Iota show it is a packed house. While the club is a nice place to see a show, it also shows they are booking some quality talent from around the world and not ignoring the fine homegrown talent like Taylor Carson. He has been around a while and has no doubt pulled in a lot of people that have seen him before. But it is my first time and I am quite impressed with his effort tonight. He sings and plays acoustic guitar and has a full band with electric guitar, bass, drums, and organ. The band is a little more understated than previously, aside from the tasty electric leads and interesting patterns. They are a highly proficient bunch with nary a misplaced note or accent. The music is homespun Americana styled folk rock to some extent, but it pretty balanced and moves a bit in the direction of each song. And although some of it blended a bit too much into so much of what I have heard before, there was the occasional song that was actually quite brilliant. And one song sounded like it should be one for the top of the charts (didn't catch the title, but it was one he described someone as asking him 'you really wrote that?'). My schedule has been wearing me out (6 nights in a row, not sure when I get my next night off), so I left after an hour, but they were still going strong and cooking up some great music for the crowd, who was fully into the vibe created tonight.

Quote of the Night: from Taylor Carson... "Why can't we have a band name instead of saying my name over and over again... It's Starbucks. It's weird."

Free Energy - Deap Vally -- Rock'n'Roll Hotel - May 3 3013

Deap Vally - This fairly new duo from LA makes its way to DC for the first time and the moderate crowd is pretty pumped to see them. Both sing while playing drums and guitar. So while their raw sound may aspire to something like the White Stripes, I am hearing more Troggs. Most people may regard that as an insult, but I enjoy the more primitive approach in this case. Yes, it can be a little thin at times but hey have a nice crazed intensity as they take their bluesy guitar moves into loose and raw terrains. The style is a bit over the substance at this point, but the energy and direction are good and since they are still in their infancy, good things can easily get better. The last cut hinted at how good they can be as they ripped through their longest twisted blues jammer. The crowd appeared to enjoy these 26 minutes as much as I did.

Free Energy - This five piece band has a honest to god vocalist in front of a couple of guitars, bass, and drums and the classic look bangs out the classic modern style of rock that works in a bar, club, or arena. They clearly sound as big or bigger than any environment and have loads of energy to push the pace, while digging in deep into the songs. There was nothing terribly original or dazzling about it all, but it was so likable, that they should impress all but the most jaded (and I'm not there... yet). Perhaps the one interesting thing to me was that I have never seen this half full club have virtually everyone pushed forward to the stage. There were only 2-3 people hanging about the bar with everyone else packed in up front and having a great time. It is always refreshing to me to see people excited about fun rock music and even without Boris tonight, it happened again.

Quote of the Night: Deep Vally (after coming up from Psyche Fest in the capital of the great republic of Texas) ... "It's kind of a thrill to be in the Nation's Capitol".

Boris - Stephen Brodsky - Young Widows -- Rock'n'Roll Hotel - May 1-2 2013

Young Widows - There was a different opening act for each of the two nights Boris played the Rock'n'Roll Hotel with this Louisville trio up first. These guys played within the metal format but opted for nearly unrelenting drone with volume bursts. While there was not a lot of variance within the songs, there was enough from song to song, like the one where they added swirling psyche moves and thunderous drums in the direction of Kylesa. Then there was a bluesier drone rock take. There was nothing terribly brilliant here, but this was still highly effective with those subtle shifts and kept things engaging for their 42 minute set. As my music buddy said to me, they accomplished what they set out to do.

Stephen Brodsky - Opening up on night two was Stephen Brodsky on guitar and vocals with a partner mostly doing keyboard embellishment along with some vocals. Like myself, this Mass native discovered after many exciting years in punk and hardcore, that there is this really vibrant genre called psychedelic folk. His vocal style is on the inspired side of dreamy and musically he moves gently somewhere in between stoner folk and acid folk. This is very easy to drift in to and even the crowd anticipating the heavier sounds to come later is getting into it. Brodsky has a drone quality at work which is a nice lead in to Boris's second night set and even adds some heavier noise at the end finishing off a very fine set.

Boris - This Japanese trio is pretty much a fixture on my 'Ten Best Shows of the Year' list any time they come to town. This time around, as in most cities they are hitting, their 'residency tour' takes place over two nights with the first devoted to the hits and some rarities and the second night devoted to their 2000 album "Flood" along with some other droning cuts. My first thought was that I may not enjoy this as much as a regular show featuring their amazing ability to twist metal, shoegaze and psychedelic forms into noisy yet fully melodic moments blending in both drones and song structures. Yet, the first night featured 90 minutes of songs that still moved in and around in all their styles, even if there were more of the recognizable 'hits'. I missed Ghost's Michio Kurihara's added guitar abilities mostly in the volume department, since Wata and Takeshi are already brilliant players. Add Atsuo's powerful drumming and great personality and you have three people that consistently deliver as much as any other band I see. The second night may have been more droning, but there were quiet psychedelic moments and lots of variety in the sound. And the best part about this tour is that you get three full hours of Boris--still not enough. If you are not particularly fond of the heavy droning alt metal bands, but are curious enough to want to put your foot in the water, this would be the place to start. Boris lifts the music so much higher than many of their contemporaries and rarely does this style sound so warm and sexy. They have captured the magic long ago and are not letting it go any time soon. Their albums are very very good, but the live show is still the place to full embrace this alchemical wonder.

Quote of the Night: From some blog seeking comments on Boris albums to get...

1. I like Boris - Mayor of London incarnate -Very droll with a hint of Terry Thomas..
2. He had a good backhand.
3. He should have won an Oscar for Frankenstein, the Body Snatcher, too.

Coming in April, at a DC club near you... (Pt. 1)

Here's some video and audio of upcoming shows. Be sure to look to the column on the right for my recommendations with links to the club for further details. Enjoy!


Deep Vally fresh from a gig at Psyche Fest joins Free Energy at the Rock'n'Roll Hotel this Friday night, so arrive early. Here's a promo for their EP.


Frank London has played a mean trumpet for krazed klezmer jazz oddballs the Klezmatics for many a decade. He closes this year's Washington Jewish Music Festival with a Klezmer Brass extravaganza featuring plenty of great musicians. The show is on Tuesday, May 7th at the DCJCC, 1529 16th Street NW. This will be fun.


Also headed up from Austin on their first North American tour are LA's Sir Sly who you can see at U Street Music Hall on Thursday, May 9th. Here's what they sound like...


Drew Holcombe and the Neighbors are headed to the Jammin Java on Friday, May 10th. They have a free seven song EP for you to get warmed up with.


Or if you want the sound of New Orleans on that Friday, May 10th, head out to the Artisphere to see Big Sam's Funky Nation. So many choices...


And Brass Bed is touring their third album with a visit to the Dunes on Wednesday, May 15th. Check out a cut here.

The Gun Outfit - Fell Types -- Black Cat - Apr 30 2013

Fell Types - This area trio is doing the post-punk thing with a touch shoegaze and goth in the male vocals at least. They have the power and a bit too much volume early on which the sound man reigns in just enough. I am in a really foul mood tonight for a variety of reasons which has me thinking... A great band can take me out of that mood and lift me up into some sense of normalcy. A bad band will have me reeling and leaving the room. But a good band like this (and with the appropriate style) will grab me and guide me along the murky path I am on for a 30-minute jaunt through the thick jungles of guitar, bass, and drums. There may be an end to this path some time soon.

The Gun Outfit - This twin-guitar quartet is from Olympia, Washington. Oh, there are so many analogies or jokes I could make about that, but I'll just leave it alone and focus on the music. They begin with some fine grinding rock music with rock steady drumming and some pop hookery in there, not completely unlike the Wipers, which a certain other Olympia band used to follow. But back to the Gun Outfit... they continue rolling out songs with some rather significant style twists within their steady inviting sound. I am hearing a Wooden Shijps style psyche drone at times and then some slower material that invokes thoughts of Jessie Sykes or Bardo Pond (finally a non-Pacific NW reference). The sound is excellent and when the songs work, this band is a real pleasure to drift off with. They got just a little too loose jam oriented late in the set which had me doing a bit of clock watching. The Tuesday night turnout was a bit smaller than I would have liked to see, but the dozen or two that were here did appreciate these sounds. I hope they push themselves in the writing department because the highlights are well worth returning for.

Quote of the Night: From the opener... "Let's fight to make this world safer for all of us."

Kaki King -- Howard Theatre - Apr 29 2013

Kaki King - It is high time I return to clubland in DC and I was welcomed back by this most fascinating guitarist. She employs a unique overhand style that is becoming a little more popular, but still wildly difficult to employ to this level of dexterity. She alternates that with classic fingerstyle technique on her acoustic guitar. Not only does she employ direct rhythm with the tapping of the guitar body, but she has a pulsating style with lightning bursts of fingerwork employed with enough feeling to be far more than a display of virtuosity. She has a quick right hand and creates involved instrumental songs that display a nice array of emotions. The guitar tones are exquisite and she holds the growing audience's attention for an opening 70 minute set. And then just to spice it up more, she comes back with an array of guitars, ukuleles, along with a drummer and a trumpeter who plays a bit of synth, but spends most of his time on an Electronic Valve Instrument. I am glad she gave us the instrument's name, as I had not seen one before. I did recognize that he was playing it like a trumpet, but connected through a synthesizer it produced keyboard sounds, basslines, and all kinds of odds and ends in the way of accompanying the drums and guitar. The trio's hour long set had a lot of hit/misses with the songs (now with some vocals), but the hits included some extraordinarily inventive progressive music as well as some great heavy and intriguing riffing. This was a real ear opening show of a fascinating and supremely odd artist. She mentioned that you never quite know what you'll get from her, which is the danger of experimental music, but when it is this inviting, it is a pretty easy recommendation to make with even straight forward mainstream fans.

Quote of the Night: Kaki King... "Thank God I didn't get that gig." after yet another story about people in the 'biz' who have tin ears.

Washington Jewish Music Festival 2013

Before heading off to Austin for Psyche Fest, I wanted to alert you to what is always an interesting music festival here in Washington. The Washington Jewish Music Festival starts on April 28th at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring and continues through May 11th featuring some fascinating music from various corners of the world. From Noa to Frank London and so much more, I would advise a look at the schedule to see what may be interesting to you. Or just take a look at these video samples the Festival staff has put together on Youtube. Enjoy!

RECORD REVIEWS - APRIL 2013

AKRON/FAMILY "SUB VERSES"

Long one of my favorites, I look forward to each and every album from this eclectic trio (once a quartet). They live in three different states and evoke at least that many states of mind with their innocent and playful brand of modern psychedelic folk rock music. I love deep, contemplative music, yet Akron/Family consistently provides a lightness to their brand of contemplative music. They bring out the light smiles as listeners can drift back into warm thoughtful psychedelic pastures, even as they rock out with standard rock instruments.  This is one of their steadier album as the space between light and heavy is less than usual and has a smooth sonic theme woven into the fabric of the entire album. You owe it to yourself to check out their music and by all means, see the live set.

AKRON/FAMILY celebrate the release of this album, tonight  (Friday, March 29th) at Iota.

Songs to try out first:

No Room - The opening cut has power, drive, drone and that passionate clarity that the best of their vocals bring out.

Until the Morning - Lovely lead vocal work atop a mix of African and Americana background vocals with shimmering guitars and a hypnotic beat.

Holy Boredom - More magical meditation as only this band can bring.


THE BESNARD LAKES "UNTIL IN EXCESS, IMPERCEPTIBLE UFO"

The dreamy state of this album is even more cottony and that of the semi-conscious rem state of sleep than most of the dreamy psychedelic albums released this century. You almost do not notice the chunky rhythm guitar underneath the delicate guitars and layered vocals. Or perhaps it is the hypnotic rhythm section that is the ribcage of this band? It is a slippery sound that is at times a little too low key, but careful listening will reveal some lovely highlights. If you are into Hush Arbors or if you can imagine Sigur Ros covering Voice of Seven Thunders, this album is something worth devoting some time to. After another ten listens, I may get closer to the heart of the matter. But if not, it was worth the journey.

Songs to try out first:

People of the Sticks - This has a bit of rock bite within the elegant pop structures and flows majestically.

Catalina - Simply, there is a comforting musical pattern in this song.

Alamogordo - Deliberate pace with one of the longest gentle fade-outs I have heard in some time.

GREAT DIVIDE "GREAT DIVIDE"

If you enjoy classic rock merged with soul, R&B, and a touch of Americana--basically the sound of around 1970, then this Texas outfit may be worth a listen. There are some things that are fairly essential if you tackle this style of music. First, you better have good vocals. Thankfully the lead vocals are steady and have the ability to push the envelope enough at the intense moments. The backing vocals could even be used a bit more as they shine brightly when employed. The rhythms for this musical style need to be assured which is true enough here, with plenty of space offered for horns and guitar runs that sneak in and out of some songs while offering steady rock moves in others. Possibly the only thing I would like to see more of, is more dynamic shifts in intensity and/or instrumentation. The songs are all good and although few stand out as 'hit singles', they all play well together and have you enjoying the band more at the end than at the beginning, as you get into their sound.

You can come see what this band does live at the DC9 on Tuesday, May 7th.

Songs to try out first:

Moorie - Quiet song with that distant organ sound, horns, light and tasty guitar and full out gospelesque backing vocals.

Shine - More good vocal work that really brings out the soulful late 60s/early 70s

It's Alright - Maybe the best hooks in the songs here and the strong guitar and horns don't hurt a bit.

JOHN LEE "THE NATURE SERIES" EP

This local guitarist had a successful run in a Philadelphia band called Caveman who dazzled many with its unique brand of experimental post rock music. Now, John Lee is an active local guitarist who sounds like he enjoys stretching barriers even further. This is fantastic instrumental landscape music that is fully inviting, yet has all sorts of creative edgy shifts within the melodic framework. As I so often bore people to death with, I thoroughly love music that is experimental and challenging, while retaining firm grasp of core musical forms. It is a delicate balancing act that many great artists have been able to maintain. And John Lee shows that here with fully twanged electric guitar painting the Leone/Morricone landscape, while there are mad keyboard, guitar, and percussive bursts to take this to Dali-land.

LOVE AND RADIATION "YOU WILL KNOW ME"

The electronics of Love an Radiation come more from the synthesizer pop scene of old than anything too newly twisted and beat infused. There are interesting skronky noises from time to time, but the lush atmospherics are what will pull you in. That, and the scrumptious harmonies the two women design. This is not my first genre of choice, but when you have the hooks and create an atmosphere this warm and relaxing, I am happy to accept the invitation in. They specialize in shorter songs that accomplish the pop atmosphere they strive for and move on, with the atmosphere as a whole lingering in the air. This is a light pleasure with enough substance to allow for enjoyable revisits.

Come see them live with Sansyou and Silo Halo (both I will happily endorse) at the Pinch this Sunday, April 28th. And if you can't make that they stay in town and play at the Velvet Lounge with Pleasure Curses and Lenorable.

Songs to try out first:

Winter - I love the harmonies and this opening cut will hook you in for good.

Ganymede - Frankly, I just like the word Ganymede, but the vocals shine again.

Augury - Why do they choose such cool words for song titles? How about Murmur? Oh wait, REM did that already.

THE STONE HILL ALL-STARS "LIVE"

Fifteen live tracks served with style and panache by this Baltimore collective. They are certainly a part of the Americana roots scene, but they conjure up a lot more jazz and worldbeats than one might first suspect. That is likely due to the high level of musicianship these guys have. All the more amazing that this is a live recording. The keyboards are outstanding and they connect with the guitar parts in elaborate ways, while the rhythm section swings effortlessly (seemingly so after a million years of practice and gigging no doubt). This is a veteran band that is smart with the songwriting and the arrangements. The live forum is definitely the way to present this material and hopefully they can make it their way south some time. But if you are in the Baltimore area, I would advise finding their live shows whenever you want a a cross between a bar band and a major league all encompassing rock band.

Songs to try out first:

Daybreak Until Seven - Undulating rhythms and instruments locked in a loose manner proving the unlikely.

He's the Weatherman - Hilarious lyrics and one of the more dancehall beats, old school. I'm bopping around at home looking quite silly to Jimmy Stewart across the way in the other window.

McCarthy's in the Second Row - This melodic line is as playful as it gets with clever lyrics and a quick pace.

SUUNS "IMAGES DU FUTUR"

I had envisioned this band as a monster noise machine, but was left impressed with the sonic complexities at a variety of volumes, tempos and tones on this thoroughly interesting album. They remind me of a more experimental (and stoned) Black Mountain taking psychedelic approaches to carefully extended songs. There is more minimalism in this, than that of fellow psyche travelers Dead Meadow and the Black Angels. It is not a sound that will grab you as instantaneously as those bands, but for people wanting to move from their world of electronica into psychedelia, Suuns may have opened the portal doors significantly wider. This will not be the record I grab when I want a few psyche nuggets to blast open my mind, but will be one to put on when I want to drift into similar terrain for 45 minutes.

Songs to try out first:

2020 - The twisted slide guitar run sounds like something from No Wave Land with disturbing undertones near by.

Sunspot - The soft vocals work well with the quiet bite of the guitar and the electronics moving amongst the rhythms.

Music Won't Save You - No, but it sure makes the time pass by more pleasantly.

VAKIRAI "VAKIRAI"

You may know Vakirai as the former vocalist of the excellent local band, The Honeyguns. His stellar tones took the lead in an intriguing stew of mixed genre rock music. He uses some of his bandmates along with the excellent guitarist John Lee and some other top musicians for this, his first solo album. The style is not as rocking as that of his former band, but is every bit as creative with a mix of intriguing styles. It starts with his personal roots from Zimbabwe, which immediately has me thinking of one of my favorite musicians, Thomas Mapfumo. The songs are not fully of that style but there is a lot of backing vocal work that sounds familiar to fans of South African vocal music. American soul music may be the strongest root here, but there is so many subtle touches occurring in both the songwriting and the skills of the backing musicians, that there is great pleasure in feeling all sorts of styles come together. I hear Isaac Hayes style guitars, folk moves, and standard rock signatures mixed with African or American rock rhythms. Above it all, Vakirai proves once again he is one of the finer singers in the area as his personality stays strong on every song, no matter where he may travel. And I should also thank him for inviting me to a listening party at One World Studios, where he and producer J. Kofi Rozzell presented the songs to a small crowd. This was a fun way to be introduced to a new album. I am happy to see Vakirai continue to create great music and hopefully will catch a live set some time soon as this album in officially released on May 31st (with the single Shine out May 2nd).

Songs to try out first:

Oliver - The opening cut has a great combination of trad African sounds fused with rock, Americana, which pulls together into a cohesive pop soul song.

Michael - I like the sparse vocal and acoustic guitar folk style here, with a vocal that is powerful in a Dino Valente manner.

Shine - The production and full bodied arrangements complete with horns shine here, yet Vakirai's vocal work is still strong enough to stay on top of all the exciting instrumentation.

THE VELVET ANTS "EXTRA"

This local slightly-psychedelic rock band's new album is filled with B-sdes, alternate versions, demos, and all but the kitchen sink. Some times these albums are 'for fans only', but thankfully this has lots of intriguing music with psychedelic roots along with quieter pop rock tunes. The quieter tunes are not as interesting as the heavier material (are they ever?). What really works best for this band is how they take a quiet dreamy vocal line and manage to blend it in to a thicker distorted guitar sound with loads of fuzz and feedback and manage to make it so complete. The quiet/loud compare and contrast within one song is a great way to explore psychedelic territory. It is a bit of a grab bag here, but that sort of goes with the premise of this album. The highlights are well worth repeated listens as this band manages to take familiar sounds and combine them in ways that make them intriguing to any long time of recent psyche-rock fan.

Songs to try out first:

Save Room for the Water - Nice crunching guitar fighting through feedback noise deep in the mix with crisp rhythms and nice understated vocal work.

Let's Go with Alice - The wailing guitar battles the dreamy vocals to see which is more haunting and it is a tie.

Anyone - Byrdsian vocal harmonies atop a good garage rock stomper.

Carousel Rogues - The Share - The Echo Wall - Blind Man Leading - The Band Concord -- Jammin Java - Apr 22 2013

The Band Concord - In one of those wonderful cosmic alliances, no sooner had I typed this band's name, ready to begin my review, when on came the song "Ho Hey"--the fifth cut from the Lumineers album I was playing. The connection was that this band played a nice cover of this song complete with a loop of the 'Ho Hey' chorus. This band features a singer on acoustic guitar and a mandolin player assisting. The vocals were in a Don McLean style and the folk material was mostly straight strumming with the occasional mandolin solo. Later in the set the guitarist employed some finger style moves which were a welcome accompaniment. There was even one original song that sounded eerily similar to Jackson Frank, which is someone more folkies should be modelling themselves after (or at least learning from). Good set with a nice early crowd to hear it. And why not? This is a comfortable place with good food, nice sound and they are continuing their fine coverage of the local scene with this series of JamnJavadoorGal's Local Scene shows.

Blind Man Leading - This Baltimore trio has a rather straight pop-rock sound with a modern indie feel to it. The vocals are soft and wrap nicely around a somewhat jagged guitar at times. The rhythm section is solid and the band almost hits that soul-rock sound, but does not quite get there as things are a bit more modern and understated. They do not generate a lot of immediate excitement within me, but they slowly work their way in to my brain with some quality songs in the latter part of their set. And it is hard to complain with a nice steady set from the fourth band on a five-band billing. Keep at it lads, with additional quality songs, this can be a good act.

The Echo Wall - I have seen this local seven-piece band before and have liked them with a few reservations. And once again, the formula of taking some time off between seeing a band has paid dividends as I thought this was their finest show yet. They still do not always integrate the strings (cello and violin) as much as I would like, but with guitar, glockenspiel, and trumpet/french horn, and rhythm section, they have a lot going on already. I particularly thought the rhythm section was flowing beautifully tonight and even on the opening number where they apparently played it on the fast side, they were making all the right choices. The songs are good in the Americana folk-rock style and this band really brought them to life tonight.

The Share - Two sisters--one blond, one darker hair; one with guitar and vocals, one on vocals... sounding a bit like the Wilson sisters and probably a few other sister combos through the ages. Like the Wilson sisters, these two certainly create some magical vocal work together. They are joined with a guy who adds some acoustic guitar, but not really enough to matter much. The women are the focal point, although I do hope they can work in some musical heft as there were some songs where I felt something was missing. But they are on there way to becoming a Smoke Fairies or Chimera in sound, and just lack a little of the intensity and songwriting for now. But there is a lot of potential here.

Carousel Rogues - The three core members of this Frederick band are on guitars and keyboards with a little bit of instrument swapping. They are joined by a rhythm section and have a timeless rock sound, not rooted in any particular place or scene. When then happens, you certainly need quality and there is enough here. The keyboards are used well with variety, helped by the different players' style. The vocal work is strong and they occasionally put out some nice hooks. There were a couple of rough edges in some of the songs, but maybe when I see them again in a year or so, it will come together even better (see above). But there is nothing wrong with the set now, as they employ some nice skills to these good songs.

Quote of the Night: From me to myself... "If I ever quit this vocation, one reason will be to attain the eternal peace of being spared the question put to me hundreds of times a year...'how are you guys doing tonight?'"

The Joy Formidable - Blood Red Shoes - You Won't -- 9:30 Club - Apr 21 2013

You Won't - The modern style of guitar and drum duos is presented first tonight, which always has my mind racing of how to approach my somewhat lessening suspicion of this format. Fortunately, this Boston band takes my mind off of the cliches and into their music rather quickly. One of the keys to their success was the drummer's additional instrumention. In what was a first for me, he played harmonica while drumming on several songs. He also had a glockenspiel, ukulele, and electronics and keyboards which he sometimes employed while drumming in the same way as you see in Wye Oak. The guitarist handled the vocal work with a strong nasal tone and brought out a lot of pop elements with the rock and Americana base. The drums were crisp and quick with plenty of flourish which helps when your guitarist isn't named Jack White. But the guitar moves were playful and plenty rocking with great energy and cleverness added to the songs. One song even seemed to be a cross of the Meat Puppets and Presto Bando, so these guys were here to have fun with their 30 minute opening set. And most of the sold out crowd was here early and appreciated the unique yet comfortable style presented here.

Blood Red Shoes - This UK duo also has the guitar and drums approach with a sound that is much more straight forward in a hard rock style with a touch of garage pop. So basically, we get seven musicians tonight, which equals the size of say Lynyrd Skynyrd, but spread out over three bands. Yet from what I am hearing early in this set, the sound will be big, bigger and biggest. For there is plenty of rock intensity in this duo's quick hitting approach, although the early songs may have been a bit thin. But the guitar work toughened up and offered some creativity, but not as much as the vocal trade-offs and harmonies which were more the star. They also sounded almost too much like the headliners at times, but the songs were good and their 40 minute set breezed by and was a pleasure to listen to.

The Joy Formidable - It's only been a little over two years since this Welsh trio released their debut album "The Big Roar", but they have been touring so hard it feels like they have been around a decade. This is the third time I have seen them and I have missed two other area shows that I know of. But it is hard to pass up an opportunity to see one of the better young bands out there, so here I am again. And it was great to hear them feature much of their second album whose material is about as strong as that of their first. I was a bit worried at first as the vocals sounded pretty awful, but by the second or third song, the sound man made the correct adjustments and the melodious tones of Ritzy Bryan became clearer. Of course the band was roaring away with their brand of shoegaze tinged assertive rock. All three make a ton of noise but have a fluid style that meshes so well together in their hook laden songs. Everything is bright and energized when they are on, and they had it working tonight in one of their favorite clubs in a city that Welsh born Ms. Bryan knows well, living here for a while just before forming this band. If you like catchy rock music, you really can't go wrong with this band. I just hope they can keep their energy and not burn out with all the road work that has piled up recently. If so, they have a long career ahead of them.

Quote of the Night: "Eats... Shoots... Leaves?" from the Guardian commenting on Liverpool's Luis Suarez who bit a Chelsea opponent in the second half (missed by ref) and went on to score the last second tying goal before being greeted by the press wondering if he will be shipped off of the island, since this is the second time in his career he has been caught biting. Oh yeah, there was that ten game ban for racist comments, too.

Steven Wilson -- Howard Theatre - Apr 20 2013

Steven Wilson - Such a misleadingly simple name--Steven Wilson. His main band's name, Porcupine Tree, conjured up more of the image of the complex progressive music that endlessly flowed out of Wilson. He has also worked behind the scenes with Mikael Akerfeldt of Opeth and many other collaborators as he has built a deserved reputation as one of the masters of progressive music. Tonight he featured a normal sized band consisting of drums, bass/backing vocals, keyboards, guitar, and flute/sax, while he sang and played an ever changing array of guitars, keyboards, and even bass. It did not take me long to remember how great he is on stage. I had not seen him in many years since Porcupine Tree played in Falls Church. He has a great personality and energy that he shows in the music and even in his pleasant and funny stage patter. The music was fantastic as well, as was the overall stage presentation. They began about a half hour before the show with a film related to their recent album cover and some great ambient psychedelic droning music. The band then ripped into a variety of music from recent albums, along with a few older numbers (as best I could tell--you'll have to get set lists elsewhere as I am terrible with titles). They were extremely versatile as you could hear folk moves, psychedelic touches, some very heavy metallic moves, and a touch of progressive jazz. At one point they seemed to be a blend of Parsifal, recent Opeth, and Rush, while at other times I would hear progressive metal, or a reworking of King Crimson's "Cirkus". The versatility in the writing is more than matched by the skills and versatility of these players. I thought the excellent bass player was familiar and yes, it was Nick Beggs who I saw tour with Steve Hackett some years back--the use of the Chapman Stick is a giveaway, although he is a recognizable presence on any stage.

Just before the halfway point of the 2 hour set, a scrim dropped as the band took a four minute break while a film played with more trippy music. They returned and played behind the scrim for a few songs which was a nice touch as they showed films which blended into the band who were lit enough blend in with the images. Sound, imagery, personality... everything clicked tonight. They finished in style and came back with an encore that was a medley of surprises for the hardcore fans, of which there were many. In fact, it was wonderful to see such a full house tonight as I was not sure how this would go over at this venue. But smart music fans know to come and see Steven Wilson when he comes to town, as it is a rare treat that works on about every level. I now feel a lot smarter for choosing this as my Saturday night treat.

Quote of the Night: SW... "I'm going to play a cheery song... Do I detect some sarcasm?"

Vietnam - Silent Old Mtns. - Brandon Butler -- Rock'n'Roll Hotel - Apr 19 2013

Brandon Butler - The former guitarist from Boy's Life starts off with a solo set featuring voice, acoustic guitar, and awkward rambling (sometimes funny) stories. Normally, acoustic solo sets are death in this club on a Friday night, but the ferocious storms outside kept the crowd down to a quiet dozen when he started his set. As the crowd doubled and then some, it did get noisier, but Butler had a strong enough voice and guitar strum to keep control of the stage. He evokes thoughtful and emotional moods with his songs and he was completely wrong when he said it was all down hill from his opening cut. A few of the latter ones were excellent and he even added a nice finger style in one of the last cuts. His story telling kind of skewed things to a dullish modern vibe that distracted from the timeless qualities in the music. Otherwise, this was folk solid.

Silent Old Mtns. - From nearby Frederick, comes this collective of musicians who have plenty of guitars, banjos, voices, and a rhythm section. They cook up a whacked out brand of Americana folk rock that dives headlong into psyche terrain frequently. The songs were good enough, but the arrangements really shined brightly when they connected. Maybe they are a trippier version of O'Death, but these guys take familiar things to strange places. They were loose, but in a good way, like a jamming band that uses space properly where listeners can float around and connect far more often than get lost. I will certainly look forward to seeing them on another night when the rains are not keeping people away. But the 30-40 people here were enjoying the set.

Vietnam - This band is has a rhythm section, a couple of guitars, keyboards, and violin. They continue the motif of the evening with a psychedelic jamming rural stoned-out folk rock vibe. The songs were not as distinct as that of their recent album (although I recognized a few), but blended together into what felt like an extended jam. They reminded me a bit of MV & EE, but they certainly have their own style. What was interesting was that no player seemed to ever jump to the forefront with any sort of virtuosity, but skillfully wove their sound into the overall fabric. They did a good job on a tough night and I may be catching them quite soon when I make my way to Austin for Psyche Fest.

Quote of the Night: From Silent Old Mtns.... "How many people have wet socks". Thankfully I got here early enough, so I was not one of the many who cheered, but with the wind kicking up, I had a lot of wet clothes to hang up after the walk to the car following the show.

Ivan and Alyosha - The Lone Bellow -- DC9 - Apr 17 2013

The Lone Bellow - This Brooklyn trio through way of Georgia and Virginia play guitars and mandolin and are accompanied by a rhythm section. It is easy to see that the star of this show is the three-part harmony created with one female and two male voices. Yes, it they do a magnificent job at that, but I keep thinking that if I want great vocal music, I would stay home and listen to Palestrina and Tallis like I have been doing a lot of lately. There just is not much going on musically to help get my interest up. The music is more country than alt, and has gospel roots showing as well. It is all pretty much 1-2-3-4 without variation or interesting tonal color. When the mandolinist sings, she brings a lounge blues quality out which is a nice diversion. But I am left with very little to grab hold of in this 50 minute set. Fortunately, the band was not listening to me and instead listened to very excited crowd who was having a great time before 8pm on a Wednesday night. So there is definitely something here for somebody.

Ivan and Alyosha - This show sold out so fast, that they added an early show which also sold out. I am not sure what the buzz is, aside from the always excellent work by their publicist, but this is one upbeat crowd. As in the prior set, it was great to see a crowd so into the music tonight, despite everything wrapping up before sundown. I went along more with the crowd this time, as this band was a bit more my style. They have three guitars going for many songs which was often one more than may have been needed, but careful listening revealed careful sounds well placed in these folky pop rock songs. There were vocal harmonies, but this time the lead vocalist carried more of the weight in leading the song. They did not quite hit the heights of the Decemberists or the Long Ryders, but when they nailed a song, they created some great music. There was even a song that sounded like Canned Heat trying to play a shoegaze version of a Sigur Ros song. Or maybe not, but they had some nice creative touches dancing in between some comfortably familiar sounds in their songs. And there was nothing cloying in this set, just clever music honestly coming out and pulling the listeners in. Obviously they will be in a bigger club the next time in town and they have the sound to handle all of that and more.

Quote of the Night: From the opener... "This is great, there are so many people tonight." Fill in your own ironic reply.

Woven Hand - Wrekmeister Harmonies -- DC9 - Apr 14 2013

Wrekmeister Harmonies - One man sits on stage with a guitar and promises us a 30-minute composition. And exactly 30 minutes later, Chicago based J.R. Robinson not only kept accurate time, but delivered a lovely hard ambient soundscape filled with imagination and even a touch of humor. Spacey guitar pillows and droning background sounds lay out space for soft spoken vocals that build in intensity. The guitar noise moves up a few notches as well before ceding to a quiet finish filled with odd lyrical bursts including a few lines from the Meat Puppets' "Lake of Fire". This reminded me of Robbie Basho's "Zarthus" album with its contemplative sonic intensity, and Basho may have played in this manner if he was born 20 years later. There were also vocal moves that were reminiscent of Alan Vega from Suicide with a trace of Nick Cave. Woven Hand likes to play live with drone bands, which create an interesting comparison and contrast with what they have evolved into. And this set was effective both as part of that overall pattern or by itself as a way to spend 30 minutes floating between highly active and passive listening. And in chatting with him afterward about a new album coming out featuring strings, and many musicians collaborating, I will want to keep up with this interesting musician.

Woven Hand - This band is on a short list of bands I will always go out of my way to see and whose records, I am constantly replaying year after year, likely until I expire. David Eugene Edwards has been a genius of a songwriter ever since he began 16 Horsepower in my former hometown of Denver, Colorado. Woven Hand has evolved from a solo project into a full band featuring Ordy Garrison on drums and a variety of players and combinations that now comes to us as a trio with a bass player filling the gap between percussion and the intensity of DEE's vocals, guitars, and banjos. Intensity is the word a friend of mine used when he saw them recently and I would add mesmerizing as rarely am I as transfixed by a 75 minute set of music as I was by tonight's performance. This is a very heavy Woven Hand, sonically speaking, as there are subtle droning sounds going on somewhere in the mix, as well as masterful control of guitar feedback, and constant bass work segueing the many songs from their recent albums. Yet the real heaviness is the journey we take following this music forward into dark mystical territory. Answers are not there, but insights develop as the assembled crowd follows along, with far more rapt listening than that of a crowded DC9 show. It was good to see several Xes on hands here, along with the many people that like I, have been following this music for a long, long time. Rather than write more, it is time to lean back and continue to absorb this profound experience while the music surrounds my head.

Quote of the Night: From the introduction before the Wrekmeister Harmonies set... "Don't talk, but if you have some thoughts (during the set), write them down and put them under your pillow tonight and I'll come by and give you a shiny quarter. No answers, but you'll get a shiny new quarter."

Band of Heathens - Drew Gibson -- Jammin Java - Apr 12 2013

Drew Gibson - Long a favorite of mine, this local singer songwriter delivers high quality sets whether it is solo with acoustic guitar or like tonight with a full band of sharp musicians he frequently works with. And it is a good thing to have the full band tonight, as this is a late show with a sold out crowd, many of whom are already lubed up and quite noisy. But there were plenty of people locked and focused to these delicate yet hearty folk rock tunes. Gibson sings and plays guitar with drums, bass, and steel guitarist providing a soft touch with just enough mystery in the air to highlight the songs. I still find his song "I Know I Miss You More" to be quite amazing and it hit me how much it fit in with the songs of Alan Tunbridge as interpreted by Wizz Jones. And although Drew Gibson is back home after a brief tour of the midwest, this half hour set affirmed Drew Gibson's position in the local scene as on the short list of high quality singer songwriters. Add the full band and they can hold there own on any stage around town.

Band of Heathens - This Austin based collective certainly has the chops and the songs to draw in the crowds. They harmonize exceedingly well and all the instruments blend together with a deft handling of the Americana style. Yet, I find this all incredibly predictable tonight. I do not want to be too hard on this band, as they do everything right. They remind me a lot of the Band--and like that band, have earned plenty of respect from music lovers everywhere. But I was never a big fan of the Band, and although I find few flaws here, I am not fully into this set. But (also like the Band) when they have a really great song and lock into a groove, they are absolutely brilliant. The guitars and organ are really capable of weaving some great patterns. More importantly, the crowd that came to see them got everything they wanted as these guys have the skills to deliver some powerful music. It may take me a little more time to get the full effect, but they don't need to wait around for that to happen.

Quote of the Night: From BofH..."We heard Kim il-Sung (North Korea) put Austin on his list of targets. We thought we'd show him by playing in his other targets--DC, New York... We don't give a shit."

Garnet Rogers - Eliot Bronson -- Jammin Java - Apr 11 2013

Eliot Bronson - This singer/songwriter is from Baltimore but lives in Atlanta now. He has the expected folk presence with acoustic guitar, microphone and a bag of harmonicas used for a couple of songs. His voice is more the star than his guitar, although his control of volume in his chords and fingerwork is effective and thoughtful. He mostly strums with some light fingerstyle that works its way in as the 50 minute set progresses. He has soft, yet rich voice which is effective in bringing to life his original songs. His pleasant personality endeared himself to the crowd which was very much into his music. Everything was warm and full of enough quality to keep this modern folk stylist on your radar.

Garnet Rogers - I first heard of this Canadian folk artist when I was filling out my record collection with Scottish legend Archie Fisher's catalog, where there is one collaborative album. His name came up again recently as his brother Stan Rogers has had his catalog rereleased, which I have been reviewing for Folkworld. Sadly, his brother passed away in 1983 in a tragic airplane fire, but thankfully his Canadian sea shanty old school folk songs live on and have impressed me so much, that I wanted to see what younger brother Garnet was up to these days. I bring up this background sequence to let you know why I should spend less time finding angles and reasons to see older folk artists, and just get off my butt and go to the show. There is little better in the musical world, then to see an old pro play great songs and regale a crowd with hilarious and interesting stories reflecting a lifetime of musical experiences around the world. Garnet Rogers was pure magic here tonight with gripping, funny stories that rank up there with Robyn Hitchcock, Joe Boyd, Robin Williamson, and all the greats I have seen over the past few decades. But even if he never said a word, his deep baritone voice warmed over the crowd, while his fiery acoustic guitar runs offered a cornucopia of delight to feast on. He played much of his own work, a cut from his brother, and pulled the bottleneck out for a crisp version of "Corinna Corinna". Also enjoyable was a Nic Jones song he did to keep his spirit alive and get his music out there, as Nic Jones has had limited performance capacity for several decades after a horrid car accident. Yet, it was hard to top his "Welcome to Hell" which was lyrically updated with events in the past week and had me in a Joker-grin for about five minutes (for those that know me, that is very hard to do). This was fabulous and I hope he will continue to come down from his Nova Scotia home and play his music. I have little doubt that most everyone in the room tonight will be back for more.

Quote of the Night: Impossible to choose from stories of female stalkers who would only talk to him through identically dressed puppets or the horrors of CB radio, but I'll go with this snippet from Garnet Rogers talking about raising horses with foals (paraphrased as best I could between laughter and asides)... "We would listen with a baby monitor over the radio and hear these horses taking these massive pees going on and on and bowel movements... it's like rooming with a bass player."