The Run Down - Monday April 7, 2008

DC is where it's at tonight. The Black Cat has Dirty Projectors and No Kids, The 9:30 has Saul Williams and Dragons of Zynth, and the Rock and Roll Hotel has Ambulance LTD, Bear Hands, and Wild Light.

mp3: Dirty Projectors - What I See --> website --> buy
mp3: No Kids - For Halloween --> website --> buy
mp3: Dragons of Zynth - Get Off --> website --> buy
mp3: Ambulance LTD - Ophelia --> website --> buy
mp3: Bear Hands - Long Lean Queen --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Saturday April 5, 2008

Saturday's are always pretty grand and this one keeps the tradition going. In Baltimore there's a phenomenal show at the Talking Head with HEALTH, Ponytail, Ecstatic Sunshine, and Videohippos. In DC there's three dynamite events. The Black Cat has Georgie James, Tereu Tereu, and Olivia Mancini and The Housemates, while the Rock and Roll Hotel has Kelly Stoltz, Julie Ocean, and the Dirtbombs, and finally DC9 has Bellman Barker, My Robot Friend, and Wooly Mammoth. In Philly don't miss Ambulance LTD, Bear Hands, Will Light at the North Star.

mp3: Georgie James - Cake Parade --> website --> buy
mp3: Julie Ocean - At The Appointed Hour --> website --> buy
mp3: Ambulance LTD - Ophelia --> website --> buy
mp3: Bear Hands - Bad Blood --> website --> buy
mp3: Bellman Barker - Two Bees --> website --> buy
mp3: My Robot Friend - My Robot High School --> website --> buy
mp3: HEALTH - Crimewave --> website --> buy
mp3: Videohippos - Narwhals --> website --> buy

The Run Down - Saturday March 8, 2008

If I wasn't having my own party tonight, I would for sure be at the Rock and Roll Hotel. What more could you want from a line up including Jukebox The Ghost, Tereu Tereu, Bear Hands, and Modern Skirts? Or maybe you might want something like The Hives and The Donnas at the 9:30 club. Also in DC is Appomattox, Len Bias, and The Mussels at the Velvet Lounge. In Philly Jose Gonzalez plays the World Cafe Live. Finally you might want to consider Prabir & The Substitutes, Happy Anarchy, Orbit To Leslie, and OSO at The Fire in Philly. Have a great one!

mp3: Jukebox The Ghost - Good Day --> website --> buy
mp3: Tereu Tereu - Don't Be Sore, Farmer John --> website
mp3: Bear Hands - Bad Blood --> website --> buy
mp3: Prabir - This Little Heart Of Mine --> website --> buy
mp3: The Hives - Tick Tick Boom --> website --> buy
mp3: Appomattox - Gotta Run --> website --> buy
mp3: Jose Gonzalez - Heartbeats --> website --> buy

Toofer Toosday - The Muggabears & Bear Hands

The Muggabears are a trio from Brooklyn comprised of Travis Johnson on guitar and vocals, Emily Ambruso on bass, and Gabriel Wurzel on drums. They play a brand of music called noise pop, a genre that seems to be thrown around a lot these days. Sonic Youth pioneered this style and seemingly everything else pales in comparison to them. Well not anymore. The Muggabears do what most noise pop bands fail to do...and that's the pop side to it. They layer cacaphonic distorted guitars and wild sharp drums into fully realized and sometimes melodic pop songs. Their most recent EP, Night Choreography, is full of these rich strains that sit in your ears and echo through your mind. If you get a chance, check them out at SXSW later this month.

mp3: The Muggabears - The Goth Tarts --> website --> buy
mp3: The Muggabears - Automatic Others

Speaking of Brooklyn, there seems to be a lot of good music in that town. Who would have guessed? Another band that is consuming my musical rotation is Bear Hands, a four piece from Brooknam. They recently released a four song EP, Golden, that teases me with the short length, but satisfies every sense associated with great rock music. Dylan Rau on vocals/guitar, Ted Feldman on guitar, Val Loper on bass, and TJ Orscher on drums all form to make rhythmic catchy pop rock that doesn't concern itself with anything but getting you(the listener) to bob your head and sing along. The remind me of We Were Scientists in that sense. Forceful beats propel the songs, but Rau's pensive brooding lyrics and voice take it to the upper tiers of great indie rock. Bear Hands leave me with one question. When's the LP coming out? You can catch them at the Rock and Roll Hotel this Saturday on March 8th with Jukebox The Ghost, Tereu Tereu, and Modern Skirts (holy crap that's a friggin awesome show!).

mp3: Bear Hands - Long Lean Queen --> website --> buy
mp3: Bear Hands - Bad Blood