Instrumental Analysis

I had a real problem trying to organize this mix, as it is all over the place. I didn’t even realize how many remixes I had, until I looked at the final version. Anyway, enjoy your weekly variety and have a great holiday.

TK Webb And The Visions – Teen Is Still Shaking
Sam Champion – Be Mine Everyone
Liz Durrett – Wild As Them
Psychic Powers – Running
Ed Laurie – Albert
Lucy Schwartz – I Don’t Know A Thing
American Analog Set – Postman (Styrofoam Remix)
Trifonic – Broken (Specter Mix)
Ladytron – Ghosts (Blestenation Mix)
Common Market – The Crucible (ft. Geo from Blue Scholars)

It’s the unofficial last weekend of summer. Those of you that are not heading towards the coast, have a few options available. There are mostly local acts playing local venues, with a couple big name shows thrown in for good measure.

Austin is representing this weekend at Towson University, when What Made Milwaukee Famous takes the stage. They are on tour in support of their new album What Doesn’t Kill Us and I definitely recommend it. Those of you in Philly can catch them at the Khyber on the 4th, with Wild Sweet Orange.

mp3: What Made Milwaukee Famous – Resistance St.
mp3: Wild Sweet Orange – Ten Dead Dogs

Ben Lee has been making music for half his life. I remember listening to him back in high school and that’s a long time ago. Pick up his new album Ripe and get to the Rams Head Tavern in Annapolis. You can get some podcasts of Ben Lee at his website.

Here’s the rest of the weekend:

Philly band Relay is heading to the Velvet Lounge for a DC show then returns home Saturday to Johnny Brenda’s, joined by Violens and Ape School and featuring a DJ set by Pink Skull.

mp3: Relay – Driver
mp3: Violens – Violent Sensation Descends
mp3: Ape School – No Shame

Friday

If you like ambient and electronica, head to the North Star Friday for an all Philly area line up featuring Cloud Minder, Quintero, In Secrecy and Sounds From Atlantis.

mp3: Cloud Minder – Casimir Effect
mp3: Sounds From Atlantis – 0505

Saturday

The Red & The Black is hosting Prabir & The Substitutes. They are joined by Red Racer, Tereu Tereu and Wakey!Wakey!. I highly recommend this show.

Over at the Black Cat, our friends Bellman Barker have their first headlining show there and are supported by locals Andy Zipf and Cobra Collective.

mp3: Prabir & The Substitutes – Oh Marie
mp3: Tereu Tereu – Don’t Be Sore, Farmer John
mp3: Wakey! Wakey! – Get Away
mp3: Bellman Barker – Charles Kil
mp3: Cobra Collective – Young Serbia (live)

Sunday

The Ottobar is hosting the final show of one of the first bands we made contact with here at IA, Two If By Sea. Sending them off is The Oranges Band. Get out there and give them your love, they deserve it.

Across the Potomac at IOTA, Pash is playing with Poor But Sexy and Club Scout.

mp3: Two If By Sea – Transmission (Joy Division Cover)
mp3: The Oranges Band – If These Stars Are Struck
mp3: Pash – Palindrome

Monday

Most bands must know it is a holiday, because there are slim pickings. So grab a burger from the grill and head to IOTA for the Federal Reserve Presents to end your holiday weekend right.

Sunset Photo credit: Joe

Originally born in Eastern Europe, growing up in Alabama and then relocating to Philly in 2003, Alexander Yaker started writing songs while a member of local band Grammar Debate!. The result became Roomtone. With a new CD releasing tomorrow night at Johnny Brendas, Roomtone will capture your attention with rich harmonies and musical prowess on a multitude of instruments.

Joining the party is an all local line up. Our friends Jukebox the Ghost are pulling opening duty. Get there early so you can catch some of their new material and old favorites. Closing out the night is the pure indie-pop of Future Tips.

mp3: Roomtone – Here’s Where the Story Ends (Sundays cover)
mp3: Jukebox The Ghost – Victoria
mp3: Future Tips – Chins Up

credit
Brooklyn power popsters, The XYZ Affair, are pretty close to the front of the line that’s always forming for those artists hoping to become the next thing to invade my brain. As soon as I’ve over Kevin Devine, these guys are up. Truthfully, it’s their video for “Evening Life” that propelled them to the front of the class. The four-part, clear-as-day harmonies, indie guitars and amateur dance moves won me over instantly. Check out the video below.

mp3: All My Friends

I have to repost this. This was forwarded from the management team of Austin’s The Boxing Lesson. Having spent some time with the band when I lived in Austin, I find this completely unfounded and insane:

The Boxing Lesson are Narco-terrorists? Free Jake Mitchell.

Austin,TX (August 20, 2008) You know The Boxing Lesson aren’t ones to keep their mouths shut, after several interviews and appearances since the release of their full length LP Wild Streaks & Windy Days. The real truth of the matter is that The Boxing Lesson have kept one of the most important parts of their story a secret. It is with much sadness we make this announcement, but it’s time the public knows what is going on.

Jake Mitchell, drummer for The Boxing Lesson and most importantly, a dear friend, will be put in Federal jail at the beginning of Sept for some marijuana growing charges. What makes this story unique and what has enraged every single one of our close friends, is that Jake has been branded by our government as a Terrorist under the Patriot Act. In fact, they have thrown the Narco-Terrorist tag on him. What this does legally for a defendant is mind blowing in terms of the new laws waged against them. If you are branded a terrorist, your wife doesn’t get spousal protections and will go to jail. If you are branded a terrorist, each party involved in the crime gets full responsibility for the scope of the crime. Then there are strict sentencing minimums. And remember, we are talking about marijuana here.

It is obvious from anyone who has ever met, hung out with and gotten to know Jake Mitchell, that he is anything but a terrorist. This incorrect and unfair branding on our own US citizen and friend, Jake Mitchell, is a disgrace and this has caused untypical hardships on his life. He has sold his house, lost his cars, and his freedom. We are asking our friends in the media, in bands, in t-shirt screen shops and really, anyone who can help, to send the message of his story to the public eye. We know there was a crime involved but branding him a terrorist has set unfair sentencing guidelines on a person who is anything but a terrorist.

We are accepting PayPal donations to help Jake’s mounting legal bills at : freejakemitchell@gmail.com

Jake Mitchell is available for interviews before jail or in jail and has a lot to say right now about the music biz, The Boxing Lesson, the system, playing drums, recording, Fecal Shock, Austin bands, marijuana laws, and life in general. Final performances from Jake Mitchell until he gets out will be next week in Austin,TX!

August 27, 2008 @ Emo’s Lounge 101x Homegrown Live show w/ Frontier Brothers
August 28, 2008 @ Carousel Lounge (Monkey Wrench Benefit)

Come out and celebrate life with Jake, before our government intervenes. Fans of The Boxing Lesson have no fear, you can keep hearing your favorite songs live. Keeping the seat warm for Jake Mitchell behind the drums will be Kevin Sparks, a veteran of the Austin music scene, who has played with many bands, including Bad Motivators, Say Hello to the Angels and Megatron Triggerdick. Until next time, we’ll see you on the Dark Side of the Moog.

Cheers,

Ryan Cano, Owner
The Loyalty Firm
Management & Publicity
Austin,TX
www.myspace.com/loyaltyfirm

mp3: Dark Side of the Moog

Getting settled down here in Blacksburg once again. Here is some music to take you into the weekend. Enjoy!

Cory Chisel – Home In The Woods
Wolf Parade – Call It A Ritual
These United States – West Won
Hazelwood Motel – Break Myself In Two
Leila – Mettle
Midlake – Roscoe
Fleet Foxes – Quiet Houses
The Little Ones – Morning Tide
The New School – My Hood
Echo Bloom – The English Teacher

Summer is winding down, kids are going back to school and bands are finishing their summer tours or starting fall ones. This weekend is very front heavy with a lot of action on Friday then tapering down to a single show on Sunday. Most are one city shows so be sure to check out who is where.

The 80’s are making a huge comeback. So many artists and groups that thrived in the early MTV era are going out on reunion tours after years of not performing. Following that trend in Billy Idol. There is something about his hits from that time that I have to listen to when they come on the radio. I never bought one of his albums but I know every word of “Rebel Yell”, “White Wedding” and “Dancing With Myself”. Billy has just released a retrospective, Idolize Yourself, that features all the hits and two new tracks. You can catch him perform all your favorites this Friday at Pier Six in Baltimore then over at the House of Blues in Atlantic City Saturday.

Friday

Speaking of ’80s revival, British popsters Squeeze are touring. After a Thursday in DC, they are heading up to the Philly ‘burbs and playing the historic Keswick Theater in Glenside. Opening is The Spring Standards (formerly Old Springs Pike) from New York, who have just released a new EP, No One Will Know.

mp3: Squeeze – Black Coffee In Bed (live)
mp3: The Spring Standards – Your Lie

Still following the ’80s vibe, our favorite (and only) Smith’s tribute band is calling it quits. Girlfriend in a Coma is playing their final Baltimore show Friday night at the Ottobar. This is your last chance, unless you head to Charlottesville September 6th for the band’s final show, to catch one of the best tribute bands in the country. It is spot on. We will miss these guys.

mp3: Girlfriend in a Coma – This Charming Man

Another local band is hanging it up. DC’s Telograph is having their farewell show at the 9:30 Club supporting No Second Troy and joined by another local favorite Exit Clov.

mp3: Telograph – Eye For an Eye
mp3: Exit Clov – MK Ultra

Subpop artist Oxford Collapse is on the front leg of a fall tour, playing Talking Head in Baltimore. They are joined by Love as Laughter and locals Impossible Hair. Don’t worry those of you in DC and Philly, the second leg brings them back through at the end of September.

mp3: Oxford Collapse – Please Visit Your National Parks
mp3: Impossible Hair – My Little Brother

New Orleans songstress Theresa Andersson is taking on Towson at The Recher on Friday then is joined Saturday at DC9 by The Spring Standards fresh off their opening for Squeeze.

Elsewhere:

Nico Muhly/Doveman/Sam Amidon @ First Unitarian Church
The Hush Sound/The Cab/Steel Train/The Morning Lights @ TLA
Don Caballero/An Albatross/Ponytail @ Johnny Brendas
New Radiant Storm King/Photon Band @ Manhattan Room
The High Strung/National Eye/New Motels @ North Star

mp3: An Albatross – The Revolutionary Politics of Dance
mp3: Doveman – Sunrise Medley
mp3: National Eye – Juno3
mp3: New Motels – Modern Thinker

Saturday

It is a night of indie-pop at Johnny Brenda’s with an all local line-up featuring Audible, as you may have heard on NPR and The OC, joined by Buried Beds and Missing Palmer West.

mp3: Audible – Sunday Bell
mp3: Buried Beds – Insomnia
mp3: Missing Palmer West – God Knows Im No Saint Paul

Over at The Chameleon, Lancaster’s Kheris plays a home town show with Philly favorites The Swimmers.

mp3: The Swimmers – St Cecilia

Keeping with the local shows, DC’s Greenland and Tiger and the Snow share a bill at the Rock & Roll Hotel.

mp3: Greenland – Forward Frame to Frame
mp3: Tiger and the Snow – Window Panes (live)

Sunday

Not much to say about Sunday night, but if you cello-based rock, then you want to head over to the Ottobar for Rasputina. Those in DC can catch them Monday at the Black Cat.

mp3: Rasputina – Cage In A Cave

I’ve said it before and I will say it again: I love Austin music. That being said, I am also not the biggest fan of electronic and synth heavy music. But there is something about the infectious indietronica that Austin’s The Octopus Project perform that I so much enjoy. Well for all you OP fans out there, released a few weeks ago (I know, I’m a little late with this), are a couple new videos and a song off of a very limited release 7″.

The video is for their latest single, “An Evening with Rthrtha”, off of the 2007 release Hello Avalanche. The video is a stop-motion animation piece of actual pictures mixed with abstract images, created by the same guys who brought you another stop-motion video for another Austin artist Spoon and their single “You Got Yr Cherry Bomb”. Scenes of Barton Springs and the band mingle with butterflies and bats and pulse seamlessly with the music. Over 5000 images create a video that at points cannot be considered stop-motion.

The 7″ released by UK outfit Too Pure (who also brought you Stereolab) was limited to 500 pressings and you had to have a subscription to get it. Now you can get your hands on one of the songs. The band describes “Wet Gold” as “a lovely jaunt through an arpeggiated land of goodness.” It is right in line with what you already know of the band. The beat thumps behind synth arpeggios, muted vocals, and a melodic sound closely related to a musical saw making you sway and nod your head to the music. The video for Wet Gold is a fan creation using creatures previously seen on OP album artwork and videos. It tells a story, but the video describes it better than I ever could.

Wet Gold

Peter Bradley Adams, a co-founder of the folksy entourage eastmountainsouth, introduced his sophomore solo album, Leavetaking, on August 5th. With a Masters in composition from the University of Alabama, his classical background clearly comes through in this release, a gentler showing than his band work.

A side note to lovers: Peter wrote a song called “So Are You To Me” for his sister’s wedding. He had such a demand for the sheet music for weddings, that he freely gives it out to anyone who asks via MySpace. The eastmountainsouth version of this song has sold over 17,000 downloads without any promotion or radio spins. Peter recorded his own version of the song for Leavetaking and continues to dish it out in the name of ceremony.

mp3: Always

Call me crazy, but I think The Faint might be having a bit of fun again. After, in my opinion, an unfortunate detour to third generation sludgy goth-dom, it seems that Todd Fink and co. have rediscovered their love of synth squiggles, syncopated beats, and fat bass-lines on their latest Fasciination.

Perhaps a result of being released from their prior contract with Saddle Creek, the band sound like they have breathed a great sigh of relief. The most positive aspect of this is a re-discovery of their dance-punk roots, displayed by the snap and crackle of tracks like the “Geeks Were Right” and “Get Seduced.”

At the same time, leaving your old label usually gives you a real excuse to stretch, but aside from some heavily layered production, the band doesn’t seem interested in covering too much new ground, either lyrically or musically. Perhaps the mixed reviews of Wet From Birth made everyone a little gun-shy. Whatever the reason, Fasciination, although a welcome return to form, still leaves me waiting for The Faint to meet the promise they showed on Dance Macabre.

mp3: The Geeks Were Right