. . . I was never that good at the words anyways - bn


. . . you're not punk and i'm tellin everyone, save your breath i never was one - bs



Friday, October 26, 2012

Friday Playlist - 10/26

Tracklist:
Frank Turner - To Absent Friends / Arliss Nancy - Wind and Sirens / Helium - Honeycomb / American Gun - Heart Locket /  Red City Radio - Drinking Yourself into the Future / Father John Misty - I'm Writing a Novel / Cory Branan - The Freefall / Centro-Matic - Calling Thermatico / Propagandhi - Gifts / The Holy Mess - Goodbye 3713 / Grass Giraffes - Backstories / Failure's Union - The New Walk Home / The Weight - Johnny's Song / Caitlin Rose - For the Rabbits

DPDC Friday Playlist - 10/26

Friday, October 19, 2012

DPDC Quarterly Report 3Q2012

Time for another summary of the best of the past three months of music, according to me. So take it for what it’s worth, but these are albums I think you should pick up.  It’s going to be incredibly tough narrowing down a year end list of favorites for 2012. Descriptions are brief because the list is long.

Follow the link below or use player at the bottom of the post to listen


You can check out the lists for the first half of the year here and here respectively.

JKutchma & the Five Fifths – Pastorals: Well as I predicted last time around Jason Kutchma (of Red Collar) makes it on this list with his more twangy and soulful offering.

The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten: You know what Gaslight Anthem sounds like. I’d probably wedge this album somewhere between American Slang and 59 Sound in terms of feel.

Dinosaur Jr. – I Bet on Sky:  The original trio reunited in 2005 and they have graced us with 3 nearly perfect albums since. I sincerely think this one is the best yet, and arguably their best to date period.

American Aquarium - Burn.Flicker.Die: Similar to previous albums but i'd say they've expanded and improved their sound. More rock-y and melodic. Really earnest and clever songwriting. It's just damn good.

Downtown Struts - Victoria: Heartfelt punk rock, that's really catchy in a good way, with a nostalgic nod to bands like American Steel. Dueling vocals make me think a more poppy Dillinger Four.

Bob Mould - Silver Age:  Bob Mould is rockin' out again. Best stuff since Sugar, maybe better than than those albums.

Holy Mess - Cande Ru Las Degas: Less sloppy and frantic than their self-titled album. While I can't completely decide if that's for better or worse, it doesn't matter this album's great. For fans of bands like The Menzingers and Elway.

The Evening Rig - Nothin' to Hear Here:  I love this band.  They've picked up right where they left off with "Is Doin' Stuff." Do you like the Replacements?

Bedford Falls - Elegant Balloons: Guess you'd call this power pop. If you're into bands like Cheap Girls or Failure's Union, this'll be right down your alley. 

Nude Beach - II: Seen a lot of comparisons of Nude Beach to early Elvis Costello and 'Let it Be' era Replacements (which seem pretty apt) and to Tom Petty (which i get less). At some point newer bands and albums start becoming timeless in their own right, right?

Grizzly Bear - Shields: I've never really totally understood the fascination with this band and struggled to get into 'em.  With this album, no longer. Seems 'louder' (all relative) and less meticulous but somehow more cohesive.

Joel Plasket Emergency - Scrappy Happiness: Jangly heart on the sleeve indie rock with some classic and southern rock tendencies.

Title Fight - Floral Green: If Jawbreaker had been/become a hardcore band, I feel like they would've put out albums like Title Fight's "Shed" and "Floral Green." Certainly no complaints here. 

Bohannons - Unaka Rising: This is American Music has delivered yet another fantastic album from a largely unheralded band deserving of more attention.  Fundamentally Bohannons are southern rock . . .  with metal, blues, stoner, classic, and punk rock influences, which is to say this album is all over the map. It's eclectic, but in in heavy, fast, rock n roll way, rather than an experimental, pretentious, self indulgent one.

Sundials - When I Couldn't Breathe: Reminiscent of early Weezer albums, with a little more of a pop punk feel, which for me is a good thing.

In addition to those above there's a large laundry list of exceptional albums released in recent months  from Cat Power, Band of Horses, The Whigs, Will Johnson, Teenage Bottlerocket, Patterson Hood, Diiv, Dikembe, Jason Molina, Some Dark Holler, You Blew It!, Spider Bags, The XX, Chuck Prophet, Jr. Juggernaut, Two Gallants, Calexico,and Divine Fits. All of 'em are represented on the playlist so hope you've got some time on your hands.

On top of all of these Luther, The Pollies, Hostage Calm, Paws, Fistful of Beard, Bad Books, The Mountain Goats etc. have already come out with must have offerings in October.

Friday Playlist - 10/19

Tracklist:
Loved Ones - Player Hater Anthem / Drive-By Truckers - Women Without Whiskey / Have Gun Will Travel - Now I Lay Me Down / Elway - Aphorisms / Lucero - Last Night in Town / Ladyhawk - The Dugout / Nightlights - Are You The Keymaster? / Arkells - On Paper / Make Do and Mend - Keep This / Fistful of Beard - In the Casket / The Arteries - Mutual Friends / Restorations - When You're Older / Defiance Ohio - Hairpool / The Thermals - Pillar of Salt / Tim Barry - 222

DPDC Friday Playlist - 10/19

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Very Full Docket of Late October DC Shows

Beginning tomorrow there is a crazy run of great shows to close out the month of October. So if you live, or will be, in DC (and don't have a 4 month old) you should take advantage. Almost too much to choose from, feels like feast or famine around here most of the time . . .

Thursday 10/17 
OFF! @ Black Cat 
Divine Fits @ 9:30 Club 
Hold Steady @ U Street Music Hall 
Davey Brown @ Velvet Lounge

Friday 10/19:
Hey Rosetta! @ Rock & Roll Hotel 

Saturday 10/20: 
Father John Misty @ Black Cat 

Sunday 10/21: 
Cheap Girls w/ The Front Bottoms @ DC9
The Flatliners & Dead to Me @ Black Cat (Opening for Lagwagon) 
Langhorne Slim @ Rock & Roll Hotel
Kopecky Family Band @ Iota

Monday 10/22 (couldn't we have combined or staggered these shows): 
Laura Stevenson and The Cans w/ The Wild @ Black Cat
Cat Power @ 9:30 Club

Tuesday 10/23:
King Tuff @ Black Cat
Milo Greene @ Rock & Roll Hotel
Franz Nicolay @ Iota

Wednesday 10/24:
Titus Andronicus w/ Ceremony @ Rock & Roll Hotel

Thursday 10/25 (wow what a night):
Dinosaur Jr. w/ Shearwater @ Black Cat
Sharon Von Etten w/ Damien Jurado @ 9:30 Club
Those Darlins @ DC9 

Friday 10/26:
AC Newman w/ The Mynabirds @ Black Cat
Old 97's @ 9:30 Club

Tuesday 10/30:
Heartless Bastards @ Black Cat


Wednesday 10/31
Freelance Whales @ 9:30 Club
Crooked Fingers w/ John Vanderslice @ Rock & Roll Hotel

Monday, October 15, 2012

Titus Andronicus - Local Business - Preview

NPR has offered up a stream of the new Titus Andronicus album 'Local Business,' which is officially due out next Tuesday 10/23.  It's a bit more melodic and less sprawling than 'The Monitor.' Actually upon first listen it's damn good and might be their best to date. Hear for yourselves below.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Friday Playlist - 10/12

Tracklist:
The Hold Steady - Magazines / The Pollies - Rebel Man / Constantines - Young Lions / American Aquarium - Abe Lincoln / Luther - The Concrete Sound / Alkaline Trio - San Francisco / Paws - Pony / Titus Andronicus - In a Big City / The Riot Before - We are Wild Stallions / Plants and Animals - Bye Bye Bye / Dear Landlord - Landlocked / Cory Branan - Karen's Song / Chase Fifty Six - Hey Bartender! / Bruce Springsteen - Used Cars

DPDC Friday Playlist - 10/12

Friday, October 5, 2012

Friday Playlist - 10/5

Tracklist:
Alone at 3am - Takes the Pain Away / You Blew It! - Terry vs. Tori / Through the Sparks - Warring Arms / Carpenter - Just Another Friday Night / Best Coast - Boyfriend / Fake Problems - Songs for Teenagers / Avail - Fix / Bohannons - The River Above / Wess Floyd - Hot Headed Rebels / Downtown Struts - Postcards / Todd Snider - Incarcarated / Campaign - Old Haunts / The Replacements - Left of the Dial / Chuck Ragan & Austin Lucas - Hold My Bed

DPDC Friday Playlist - 10/5