November Updates

Arcade Fire has NEVER put out a bad album and every single one of their releases somehow sounds completely different while still sounding just like Arcade Fire.  No surprise here, but Reflektor manages to do this once again.

They released a really cool interactive music video for "Reflektor" that you can find at https://www.justareflektor.com (it only works on Google Chrome). They also announced one of their tour stops is going to be the Verizon Center this summer, but tickets go on sale this Friday! So if you're planning on grabbing tickets you better be planning well in advance.

Along with Arcade Fire I've recently been listening to a random variety of music. It has mainly come from The National, Daughter, Alex Winston, Smith Westerns, Sky Ferreira (both are touring together and stopping at 9:30 Club tonight!), Mr. Little Jeans, and MS MR.

I stumbled upon this amazing cover of Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" by Daughter, which made me rediscover how much I love the band.  I never could have imagined that anybody could take a classic Daft Punk song with its upbeat techno/disco and turn it into a scaled-back somber version while keeping the original chord progressions and beats. The talent this London trio has is truly awing.  It was originally covered last spring for the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge so it's not new. I'm just late to find it.

I'm Back!

You all thought I was gone, didn't you? Well I did too. I was thinking what's the point in keeping this running? Does anybody even read it? Well I've been getting responses pretty similar to this:

SO I'M BACK!

Some concerts I've attended since my last post were The Killers, Muse, Above & Beyond, Naked and Famous, Franz Ferdinand, Cold War Kids, Freefest Music Festival and of course Osheaga Music Festival. It's too late to write anything on each of them, but I'll just tell you that Muse was absolutely epic and Franz Ferdinand was really great. The Naked and Famous and Cold War Kids were your typical good shows at the 9:30 Club; they are talented groups that put on great live performances that are fun to attend, but nothing mind-altering or life changing. The Killers played a fun set at Merriweather Post Pavilion with a solid mix of new and old stuff. Above & Beyond was at Echostage and a general trance concert. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain the way that these concerts are. I feel that have to attend one to understand.

I'm sure part of the reason Muse was so fantastic was due to the technology they have at the Verizon Center and the ability to put crazy graphics on the screen and different moving stages, so I'm trying to keep that in mind, but it doesn't make it any less amazing. The 9:30 Club and Merriweather simply don't allow artists the same level of freedom to do whatever they see fit with their set, but the tickets are much cheaper which makes up for the difference. The Freefest Festival was in the pouring rain and pretty cold, but most people made the best of it. The people who got tickets just because they were free ended up leaving early, so the people who stuck it out till the end were the true music lovers who wanted to be there.

Osheaga may have been the greatest experience of my life up to now and anything I write wouldn't do it justice. If I were able to travel to Montreal every summer for it I would.

On a completely different note, there is a summit for the Future of Music Coalition this Monday and Tuesday at Georgetown University. The Future of Music Coalition is a leader on many issues anybody working in the music industry faces, including fair internet radio, copyright issues, and music education. Anybody who appreciates music and wants to keep it alive should look into what they do. http://futureofmusic.org

Of Monsters and Men from June 11

There's been a number of shows along with a 3 day music festival between the Of Monsters and Men show and today, so this won't be my most detailed post, but it'll give you the gist of how Of Monsters and Men are live.

Half Moon Run

Half Moon Run began the show as the first opener, with HAIM after them. Half Moon Run performed only a few songs, but overall I enjoyed them. I wish I could say the same for HAIM, but it seems like they're just not for me. Half Moon Run has one song available on Spotify and iTunes, but they're releasing an album on July 23. I'm certain we'll see more of them in the near future, and they're definitely a band to keep an eye on.

I've listened to HAIM a few times since the show and definitely like their recorded songs much more, but I can't see myself as a huge fan. Maybe it was because I was just so ready to see Of Monsters and Men and hadn't been ready for TWO openers, or maybe I just really dislike their music. I don't know, but either way it left me with a bad impression of HAIM. They had a huge range of styles though, from a Michael Jackson feel, to a hard rocker style. I remember liking the song "Falling" (which I'm listening to now and ok I'll admit I may not hate them as much as I thought). The pop style seemed to work for them, but then there were songs with tons of drums and screaming that I really couldn't stand. Maybe on the recorded tracks it doesn't sound like screaming, but live some of the songs sounded like a bunch of girls screaming into a microphone. I was so ready for Of Monsters and Men to get on the stage. However, I don't want to turn people away from HAIM, because as I listen to their studio albums I really do appreciate some songs, and tons of people are calling them a band to watch. They have a Spotify Session and were featured at the iTunes Festival in London last year, so obviously they're making a name for themselves. Also, if they were able to tour with Of Monsters and Men, there must be people who like them. I really believe that everybody needs to have an open mind about all music styles, and listen to all genres without making any immediate decisions on what they like. Somebody else's view of a style of music should stimulate your curiosity and encourage you to go listen to it and see how you feel about it, not to immediately judge it or dislike it. I don't like to say I've ever seen a "bad" band because there are always going to be a few bad shows, and what I like somebody else may hate, while what I hate could be someone's favorite song.

Of Monsters and Men

Ok enough with my philosophy on music, Of Monsters and Men were really great, but didn't play enough of the music everybody has grown to love. Of course they played all their hits, and they were all great, but I was surprised by how early they played "Little Talks" in the show.  I can't remember exactly what song they closed the initial set with, but I remember wondering if they wouldn't have an encore because they had played all their hits already. They ended up giving us one, but it was not at all what I expected. They played a cover of a song by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and ended the entire show with "Yellow Light" which is a fine song if you're in the mood for it, but at a live show I would want to leave with a song that the band didn't just describe as a "lullaby" right before they played it. The lighting was cool with the song, they had yellow streaks of light all over the stage, but still not what I would expect or want from a live show. The show overall though was great and really fun, but I was disappointed with the very end of it.

Of Monsters and Men playing "Yellow Light"

Sea Wolf and Savoir Adore at the Rock and Roll Hotel from June 9

Rock and Roll Hotel

** I know this is late. I had it written out as a draft but never actually submitted it. I'm trying to get these out fairly soon after the shows, but delays happen.**

This concert was phenomenal in so many ways. I've always loved Sea Wolf, but in this venue and setting my appreciation grew.  First, I must say that the Rock and Roll Hotel is BY FAR the best music venue I've ever been to.  It's not actually a hotel at all, just a building with 3 levels.  It has a really fun atmosphere, 3 bars, a small but intimate stage, nice staff, and and good sound.  The rooftop bar was a nice place to hang out before the show started. They offered the usual bar food, but in the setting overlooking DC on top of the building everything was better.  After this concert I immediately looked up the rest of the summer event schedule at the venue, and saw that The Lighthouse and the Whaler are playing there in July.  I like the band a lot, but the band mixed with this venue is what makes me want to go so badly. It's small, so of course huge big name mainstream bands won't ever go to it, but the less known bands who haven't made it big yet will stop by and at the end of the show hangout by the bar on the level with the stage, where they'll take pictures, sign stuff, talk to their fans, and just have fun.

Bar on the 2nd level of Rock and Roll Hotel

People seem to go to this venue not necessarily just for the band, but for the experience of the venue, so I didn't feel like I was running into the usual obnoxious, pushing and shoving crowds.  I was able to easily get to the very front right next to the stage without any problems. I didn't have to push my way through, the spot was just open waiting for me.

Savoir Adore opened for Sea Wolf, and it was a very nice surprise. I usually don't love the openers, but these guys had a really good sound and were a bit faster and more upbeat than Sea Wolf.  They're sort of a mix of MGMT and the xx.  It's that strange genre that goes by so many different names, but is still really vague and nobody knows what to call it. Some stick with alternative, others with indie, but they're a self-coined "fantasy rock" duo. Basically rock plus synthesizers and electronic stuff. Spotify's description classifies them as a "neo-psychadelic" group, which I think fits pretty well. The band is full of talented members, and during the show they kept switching instruments, so they're all very musical people.

Savoir Adore

Savoir Adore at Rock & Roll Hotel

Sea Wolf at the Rock & Roll Hotel

I thought Sea Wolf was amazing. As I said, I've always loved their music, so maybe I'm a bit biased, but everything was great at this concert.  The lead singer even had a cold, but I could only tell when he spoke.  My only complaint would be that they were scheduled to start at 9:15, but came on closer to 9:45, which is a pretty long delay.  The band was started and is led by Alex Brown Church, who signed the shirt I bought after the show, along with the guitarist, Scott Leahy. I love small venues since I was able to grab a spot near the front, and at the end of the show I was close enough to lean over and grab the band's set list they had left on the floor. The set list is below and appears to have the lipstick from Lisa Fendelander, the band's keyboardist. All these words are just a short part of their song names, but if you don't know Sea Wolf enough to know what those songs are, then there's probably no reason for you to be reading this. Of course, if you go look them up and listen to their music, then you'll figure out what the songs actually are, why I love them so much, and we'd all see that there were plenty of reasons to read this. They did have a 3 song encore, and at this point I unfortunately can't remember what they were, but there were three additional songs played that were not on their set list, so it was a nice surprise for anybody close enough to read the set list.

Sea Wolf at the Rock & Roll Hotel

Signed Sea Wolf T-Shirt & Set List

Third Eye Blind at the Celebrate Fairfax Festival

The B-52s were supposed to be the performance for this event on Saturday night, but Third Eye Blind was told the day before the concert that they had been booked due to an illness.  They aren't touring right now, but they flew over to Fairfax from LA to play at the event the band dubbed a "campfire show." It was really fun to watch them perform when there was nothing planned. They played the song requests that people shouted out, and it's obvious that the lead singer is a really weird, but cool guy. Without a staged show, each band member's true personality comes out. I really wish it was possible to see other bands with unprepared shows, but I also don't want to be disappointed by a group I think are really talented, but turn out to just have good shows that someone else organizes.

They're working on an album right now, which they announced will be released in the fall.  Third Eye Blind played two songs they've been working on, "Sherry's a Stoner" and "I Was So High." They said they enjoy playing their new music at the smaller shows to see the reaction and how people like it, and they seemed to enjoy their newer songs too. They didn't say if these tracks would be on their next album or not.

Apparently Sherry is their manager's wife who they just want to make fun of.  They also quickly ranted about why you shouldn't smoke, and played the song while focusing directly on a group of people in the front who were not very inconspicuous about it.

They managed to get me excited about their upcoming album, and I wouldn't have called myself a real Third Eye Blind fan before this show. Sure I knew "Semi-Charmed Life," "Never Let You Go" and "Jumper" but that was it. I can't think of many concerts I've been to that didn't get me loving the band afterwards, and this was no exception. There's just something I love about seeing the band's personality, the way they interact with each other and the fans, and watching them show off some talents that can't be portrayed through headphones.

June Releases

May brought some great new music (Vampire Weekend, The National, Daft Punk!) but June is looking to be even bigger. It's the first real month of summer, and all these bands are looking to get their hits on the charts for summer.  I'm only listing the bands I've heard of, so there are many more releases this month. Some of the big names include Queens of the Stone Age, Goo Goo Dolls, Jimmy Eat World, The Lonely Island, 3OH!3, Kanye West, Mac Miller, City and Colour, Portugal. The Man, and MANY MORE.

June 3

Camera Obscura - Desire Lines

I liked the track "French Navy" off their last album.  This group has been around for a while, but they're still not very mainstream.  They're touring this summer with She & Him, and will be making a stop at WolfTrap.

June 4

Barenaked Ladies - Grinning Streak

This will be their 11th studio album.  They're known for their tracks "One Week" and "Pinch Me." They'll be at Merriweather Post Pavilion this summer on July 15th with Ben Fold Five and Guster.

City and Colour - The Hurry and the Harm

I really loved City and Colour's last album Little Hell, and I'm hoping this one won't disappoint.  City and Colour is really just a guy named Dallas Green, who has said that this album is "the fullest sounding City and Colour record to date." I'm looking forward to it

Capital Cities - In a Tidal Wave of Mystery

This is Capital Cities' first full length album, but with their hits like "Safe and Sound" and "Kangaroo Court" it's sure to be great.  Their EP Capital Cities put them on the radio, and they're playing at many of the major music festivals in North America this summer. I'm certain this band is just going to keep getting bigger.

Matthew Morrison - Where It All Began

Matthew Morrison made his debut on Glee, but has shown that he can do much more than just act.  

Megadeth - Super Collider

Portugal. The Man - Evil Friends

You can stream their entire album on their tumblr page at http://portugaltheman.tumblr.com/allthefeels.  There is not a single other band I can think of that releases this many albums.  Portugal. The Man regularly releases 2 albums per year, and even though they all start to sound very similar, there are always some great tracks from each album.  Evil Friends is sure to be another great album.  They'll also be at the 9:30 Club on June 6!

Queens of the Stone Age - ...Like Clockwork

They're back! They were known for their guitar riffs and arena rock feel.  Their last studio album with new music was released in 2007, after that they disappeared for a while.  This album can be streamed for free on iTunes before its release.

Rogue Wave - Nightingale Floors

Rogue Wave is playing at the Black Cat on June 19! "Eyes" and "Lake Michigan" are my favorites.  This will be their 5th album, with their last album released in 2009, so it's been a while.  I'm hoping that means it's going to be really good.

Said the Whale - I Love You [EP]

Said the Whale is still a fairly unknown band, but I love their music.  "Loveless" and "Camilo (The Magician)"are my favorites, but there's really nothing that I dislike by them.  They have a very specific style though, that isn't found in many bands today.  You can go to their website www.saidthewhale.com and join the mailing list.  They'll then send you a link to download their single "I Love You." You really don't want to miss out on that opportunity.

June 10

Black Sabbath - 13

This is the heavy metal band's 19th studio album.  Black Sabbath was signed in 1969, and I thought the band members had gone their separate ways, especially with all the stuff Ozzy Osbourne was doing with his solo project.  But they're back with this album, and have released "God is Dead?" as a single.

June 11

Disclosure - Settle

This is their debut album, and they are also making many appearances at major music festivals this summer.  With dance and electronic music growing, I don't see them disappearing anytime soon. You can stream their album at their soundcloud website at https://soundcloud.com/disclosuremusic 

Goo Goo Dolls - Magnetic

"Rebel Beat" was released as a single from this track, which has a very catchy chorus, and seems to have more of a pop feel than their past releases. I've heard it on the radio a few times, and actually really like it, even though it's a little different than the Goo Goo Dolls I'm used to.  The album isn't available yet, but on iTunes you can listen to samples from each song, and buy "Rebel Beat."

Jimmy Eat World - Damage

They're back! They're touring again all summer (making an appearance at the 9:30 Club on Aug 11). Their first album Jimmy Eat World released in 2001 was an instant hit, but no albums since has come even close.  Then they just disappeared off the radar after their last album Invented in 2010.  3 years later they're touring and have a new album. I guess they're far from gone. You can also listen to a few tracks off this album at their website http://jimmyeatworld.com/audio/damage/.

Prodigy & Alchemist - Albert Einstein

This is the second collaboration album by Prodigy & Alchemist.  It's a collaboration between the rapper Prodigy of Mobb Deep, and the producer The Alchemist, who is also currently working as a DJ with Eminem.

The Black Dahlia Murder - Everblack

The Lonely Island - The Wack Album

They're doing "Wack Wednesdays" and releasing a track from this album every Wednesday on their Youtube page. Check it out at www.youtube.com/thelonelyisland. They've announced that this album will feature collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Adam Levine, Pharrell Williams (Him again! Where did he suddenly appear from?) Lady Gaga, Billie Joe Armstrong, T-Pain, Kendrick Lamar, Robyn and more.

June 18

3OH!3 - Omens

This album was originally announced to be released in the fall of 2012, but obviously there were some major delays. We can hope that the delay allows the album to be even better and that the wait was worth it. The single "Back To Life" and "You're Gonna Love This" are tracks off this album that were released as a singles. I like them both, but they're far from the sound of "Don't Trust Me" that made this band popular in the first place. They'll also be making a stop at Merriweather Post Pavilion on July 10 as part of the Vans Warped Tour.

Empire Of The Sun - Ice On The Dune

Empire of the Sun's sophomore album.  Their first album Walking On A Dream had some major hits, so this one shouldn't disappoint. "Alive" was a track off the album released as a single.

Hanson - Anthem

J. Cole - Born Sinner

Kanye West - Yeezus

He announced this as his album cover, saying that he was taking a minimalist approach. Simply a blank disk, with tape that has the album name "Yeezus" written across it.  I'm not sure if he'll surprise us later with a more elaborate cover, but Kanye's been doing some strange stuff recently.  This album is also never going to be available for pre-order, which is pretty unusual nowadays. I really don't know what Kanye's doing here, and he hasn't released anything about the album.  It's as though he just wants to drop it all on June 18 as a total surprise.
This has also been theorized to be an album cover, but it's just been going around the web. Kanye has not said anything about it, and it has not been in any ads.

Kelly Rowland - Talk A Good Game

Mac Miller - Watching Movies with the Sound Off

Mac Miller's album was first announced to be out in "early 2013." There was some delay, but it happens. After Mac Miller announced the name of this album, Donald Trump tweeted, "Little Mac Miller's next album may bomb. He can't use my name again for sales." I would not consider this guy anything close to "little" with the recognition he's earned.  It's true that one of his hit singles from the last album was "Donald Trump" but I'm sure that Mac Miller has many other ways to make his sales, and that the name of his single wasn't one of them.

Sigur Rós - Kveikur

They classify themselves as an Icelandic Post-Rock band.  They've been around since 1994 and this will be their seventh studio album, so clearly they're doing things right. None of their music is in English, but you really don't notice that at first.

The Mowgli's - Waiting for the Dawn

The Mowgli's released the EP Love's Not Dead, which was an immediate hit with the few people that actually heard this relatively unknown band.  Eventually though, the track San Francisco hit the radio, and has been playing nonstop on just about every alt rock station.  They're going on a long tour this summer, with a stop in San Francisco, of course!

June 25

August Burns Red - Rescue & Restore

This will be their fifth studio album.  They're a leading force in the modern metal scene with past appearances with the Vans Warped Tour. They're touring again with them, and will be at Merriweather for it on July 10th. They're a Christian band, and the lead singer is quoted by Shout! as saying "Christian is a religion and not a style of music," and he would "rather just let the music speak for itself."

Hawthorne Heights - Zero

They'll be at all tour dates with the Vans Warped Tour this year.  This is their 5th album, and you can preview it from their Youtube page at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0YfBxp0WQw.

John Legend - Love in the Future

This is John Legend's 4th solo album, and he's said that it has the feel of his first two albums, but with some changes.  You can hear his first released single off the album "Who Do We Think We Are" featuring Rick Ross on his website at www.johnlegend.com.  He also released "Ordinary People" which can be found his Youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=PIh07c_P4hc.

Skillet - Rise

This will be Skillet's ninth studio album.  They call themselves a Christian rock band, but you wouldn't guess it from just listening to their songs.  They've released four singles off this album, which can be found on their Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/skilletband.

Tech N9ne - Something Else

This will be their 13th studio album.  They're well known for their track "Caribou Lou", but not working well with other artists.  Tech N9ne discussed in an interview that the name Something Else comes because his album really is something else.  He says that it's put together in a completely new way, and that many tracks are not radio length, with 4 or 5 versus.  He also said that he often can't work with other rappers because of his "military style work ethic." You can see that interview here if you're interested http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=i3f_akE6Aq4. This guy is actually pretty interesting, he also makes a stab at Eminem.

Wale - The Gifted

Wale has announced that his album features appearances from Cee Lo Green, Nicki Minaj, Juicy J, Rihanna, Ne-Yo, Rick Ross, Wiz Khalifa, 2 Chainz, Jerry Seinfeld, and more.  Just with that list of names, this album is hyped.  The single "Bad" was released, featuring Tiara Thomas, and made it to number 25 on the Billboard (even with the squeaking bed sound the ENTIRE song, which in my opinion just takes away from the song more than anything else). "LoveHate Thing" was also released as a single.  He's from DC, so I have to like him, right? "Chillin" featuring Lady Gaga was the first track I heard by him, and I think had a big part of his fame. It's also all about "DC Chillin'" so I have to like it.