Another Reason to Love Baltimore

Much maligned Baltimore, known to music lovers as one of the best cities around has produced another band, generating a good bit buzz lately.

So in the tradition of Wye Oak & Beach House and me being one step behind Stereogum, presenta  Lower Dens!

Here are some delicious vidyas of their work! "I Get Nervous"

Live vidya that doesn't suck or look like it was made on a cheap cell phone. "A Dog's Dick"
Shit just got REAL!

Looks like the Delaware River Bridge to me..."Hospice Gates"  410 represent!

I'm not saying they're shaking the earth like "kewl" new band Animal Collective, but I find it pleasing to my ears and look forward to their album.

They're playing the Metro Gallery on the 1st of August.  See you there?  Seems like they won't sell out the place in a minute like Sleigh Bells would...like I think they're the ones that moved all of the Virgin Mobile Fest Tickets away from me...I'm not bitter.

I'm Living the Arcade Fire Dream?

Neon Bible view of the status quo...
we're still here though.

So it seems the internet has leaked nearly the entirety of the new Arcade Fire album (out 8/2/2010)...well a lot of it was from recent "dark" shows around Canada.  I couldn't hide my anticipation and anxiety over hearing the new sound.  Ever since Funeral, I've been a ravenous consumer of the Arcade Fire's style.  I love their full on assault on music with their simple, dancy rhythms and loud blending of the multi-instruments and voices.  At once both punk and big-band folk, kinda like the hoe-downs of yore. The Suburbs offers more of the same sound you love with as much depth, introspection and power in lyric and music.

Compare this track to the arcade fire...and how so many instruments were blended from bigband jazz, to honky tonk in the early 20th century.  Big Band is probably one way to describe the arcade fire sound, as the cacophony is allowed to crescendo past all of the solos being played.  ...and of course that driving swing rhythm.

Vidya of the "CowBoy Stomp" by Bob Wills

However, as hard as people try to describe the sound of the Arcade Fire, it's hard to pigeonhole these innovators.  They pulling from everything they can for this new album.  It's probably the album from them I've heard (previewed) with the least amount of aural cohesion between tracks, as in, they don't really borrow much from each other musically, just thematically.  Though you can hear sounds that we've previously heard from "Funeral" and "Neon Bible".  This is of course, a strength of the album in my opinion.

Vidya of "We Used to Wait"

We're no longer in the Bush administration's apocalypse, but returning to the dream, drama and nostalgia of life in the suburbs.  Many of us middle class kids grew up there, some of us eschewed the cul-de-sac for the edge of city-life.  Some of us then return to the suburbs to have kids and raise a family...and what I like is basically the question that the album poses is "what do the suburbs mean to you?".  Which is at once deeply personal, and at the same time demands reflection as suburban dwellers continue to be demonized for their use of cars, they expansive, uncontrolled destruction of wild-habitat and farmland re-appropriation, larger per-capita use of power and consumption of goods and services than urbanites etc...

"Ready to Start" is a wonderful example of this.  Superficially, seems to be a  introspection of a suburban dweller who's being drained by his business-job and a breakup with their romantic partner.  Then it turns toward the within with introspection; that personal liberation of having an open mind, and understanding the delusion of romance, the illusions of freedom in the physical realm, and the joy and happiness one can have by being content.  We often need these little moments of near-regret and self-isolation before we have the satori that we're actually ok with our life...that and of course losing your partner.

Vidya of "Ready to Start"

There's no "Powers-Out" statement of social injustice here.  It's just thought provoking and sublimely beautiful.  I like my vegetable garden...and my house...and I sorta talk to my neighbors...with big words like...

Burbs...with delicious parkland and tech-parks

Vidya of "Roccoco" by the Arcade Fire

Sacramento Mythologically Glaciated

My business trip to Sacramento California last week ended up being one of the better field events I have attended.  That being because of several reasons:

1. California has no idea what humidity is.  You can give me 110 F on the tarmac any day, as long as the breeze and shade is going to cool me off!  It was very very pleasant, even in the July heat.  I would take the exposure of the desert to the miserable heat and humidity of the New Jersey fen or the Maryland estuary.  Californians complain if there are clouds in the sky...

2. UC Davis has one of the best free-form radio stations, with an FM reach that went from Yuba City, to the Eldorado National Forest.  How do I know this?  I took an amazing drive/loop up to Chico for the Sierra Nevada Brewery, and then drove and did mini hikes around the Tahoe National Forest, Lake Tahoe area and the Eldorado National Forest.  The vistas are great, and the shade/altitude provide a  nice respite from the dry heat, replaced with even more pleasant breezes.

3. Emma's Tamales along with good sushi and a good Persian restaurant have made my gastronomic stay top notch compared to other areas I've been to.

This blog is about how awesome KDVS is...cause I'm done singing Sacramento's praises. Not only is the radio station top notch, with extremely diverse programming, where I've heard everything from pitchfork-indie rock, to  psych-out, noise, drone and freak-folk, to old school punk, to modern classical, to traditional songs of Brittany, to...  Pretty much one of the best stations I've heard.  Plus they get Pacifica Radio and Free Speech Radio Network news feeds.  These are so in depth that I got asked several times if I was listening to a podcast...nope, just "extremely liberal," well thought out and written radio news.  Not to mention they organize shows in normal venues, and have a strong network of house-show venues, that all seem networked and passed-on generationally to KDVS DJs, like the DAM-HAUS.  From this great network of people and venues also springs a well-kept, updated and loved listing of all shows in the sacramento metro area called undietacos.  Undietacos is to sacramento DIY music scene as to what Pheer.com was to DC.  Of course, because the DC music scene is what it is..Pheer is no longer in existence.  And it seems all the good house shows are word-of mouth only...and I seem to have lost touch with the house-show clique that would organize any of this anyway :(

Aside from the fact that many sacramento residents hate it here, especially in the south with apparent reports of bad schools and high crime, or at least...that seems to be the perception.  I have to say I really enjoyed my time here...especially if you can escape to the Sierra Nevadas for a little RnR.

Sacramento's "Ziggurat"

Along with all this, I just want to name drop two bands I got turned onto because of KDVR.  Sadly, their stuff is only on tape/CD-R/Myspace cause I guess they're just starting out...not even grooveshark can help here...

GLACIER SAINT

First is Glacier Saint out of Seattle, Washington.  The group really needs to put out a release.  I enjoyed the genre smashing and mutli-textured production of this group.  First blush, reminded me of Cocorosie, but the lead singer is a bit more ethereal.  Apparently what got played on the radio was a Tape produced at a house-show.  The sound was really nice.  Unfortunately the sessions I heard on youtube from "Carousel-Fest" weren't as good.  Singer sounded nervous...and of course, you're not going to hear all the textures if the sound-guy isn't balancing the electronic and acoustic instruments well...partially due to bringing in your own amps and recording off mics.  Definitely a group to look out for, if they want to to take it anywhere that is...  I recommend starting with Synthsete.

MYTHS

Next is Myths out of Vancouver, Brittish Columbia.  Granted, I may a little obsessed with noise-dance currently...But I really enjoyed the likes of Adult and Dandi-Wind back in the death-throws of electroclash in the early 2000s.  I recommend starting with  Deadlights.  Both myspace songs are pretty similar in quality though.

I have to wonder...where's all the buzz.  Sounds like these guys have it going on, at least as far as the zeitgeist is concerned.  I guess they need to promote to Pitchfork to get themselves out there.  Then again, could be a West Coast vs. East Coast style of doing music...that seems to avoid all the "east" venues.  Maybe the Myth's show via "Death by Audio" will get them some exposure...or maybe people will pass them off as poseurs, just copying a sound that's done and gone.

Time will tell...  In the meantime, I will just daydream of awesome weather, and beautiful lakes and mountains waiting for my flight back to DC...did I mention that Sacramento Airport has free Wi-Fi?

Blue Hawaii - Chill-wave Crash, or Overstimulated Recession?

Also, if you want some free & legit dayglo/chillwave, goto:

http://www.arbutusrecords.com/

I don't think it's past it's prime as an art-form...but I wonder if the dayglo noisefilter has gone over people's ears nowadays...



Just give it a whirl!  I don't think you'll be disappointed.  I like this track...and I may catch them on tour...

A Festival I May Go To This Year and Not Spend $1000

SHAME ON ME!

I'm a terrible Baltimorean music lover...

I did just get a record player from True Vine in Hampden.  When I first went there a week ago, I was disheartened to see that the storefront it once occupied was empty...but Oh! it moved!  But it lost Ian Nagoski...but still has a part of Leprechaun Catering.

But I totally forgot to keep in touch with Wham City...the fine purveyors of Floristree...the place that gave birth to the first time I saw Beach House & Dan Deacon...and many more less known acts like Nautical Almanac, Prurient, Sun City Girls and Double Leopards.

Yes, it's been about 4 years since I've been to a show there...

And they're having this amazing festival called WhartScape in about 3 weeks.  (July 22-25)

All I gotta say is that a line up including (so many good Vidyas!):
Lighning Bolt

Xiu Xiu

Health

Wye Oak

Dan Deacon

and No Age


Along with tons of local acts and other artists...I would highly recommend going...that is if you have time and money...I'm hoping to get a little of both for something...

Of course Sleigh Bells sold out that same weekend at both their Baltimore & DC locations :P

Well...if I can't make this...gotta try to get to High Zero 2010!

Anybody going?