The Beasties Make Some Noise

Beastie Boys - Make Some Noise - Free Music Videos - Top Songs

Lovin' the new Beastie Boys first video off of their upcoming album Hot Sauce Committee Pt. 2. It's a virtual star-fest, with a crazy ensemble of actors getting together for the old-school flavored track, "Make Some Noise." Elijah Wood as a young Ad-Rock? Winning!

"Got My Knives and My Heart Up My Sleeves..."

Former Metro-area indie-poppers Jukebox the Ghost return to DC this Saturday, April 23rd, at the Black Cat. Yeah, the band is made up of three guys, but they’re not the typical “power trio” line-up, having ditched the usual bass for a piano. And it works quite nicely, thank you very much. Their newest album, Everything Under the Sun, is a remarkably catchy slice of herky-jerky piano pop, and they're is able to deftly shift between bouncy rave-ups (“The Popular Thing”) and sweeping grandiosity (“So Let Us Create”) without losing a sense of melody and hooks.

I Burned Down A Picture of a House…

Singer/songwriter Robert Francis was an unexpected surprise last night, opening up for KT Tunstall. He took the stage by himself, looking pretty scraggly, wearing a shirt that looked like it’d been on his back for five days straight. But no matter, as soon as he started playing, that was forgotten. Even with just a guitar, his songs packed an intimate emotional punch, kind of like Joseph Arthur, and his raspy voice was able to soar or dive into grittiness, depending on what was needed.

I’d never heard of him before, but apparently he does a lot of touring in Europe, and he does pretty well there. “I’ve got, like, a number one hit in France, but when I come home I sleep on my parents’ floor,” he said. “They’ve painted my room pink…And filled it with stuffed animals.”

I'd definitely like to see him again, especially accompanied by the six-piece band he usually tours with.

Meredith Is A Man

The title of this post clears up the most confusing thing about singer/songwriter Meredith Bragg. With that issue out of the way, you’re free to enjoy his lo-fi pop goodness on tracks such as the gorgeous “Next Time.” With vocals that exhibit a Ben Gibbard-esque fragile melancholy, Bragg’s songs fall in the vein of Elliott Smith and Joshua Radin. If you like what you hear, Meredith Bragg will be playing with a full band for the first time several years next Monday, March 14th at Black Cat.

Is It Love? No, It’s Valentine’s Day With Whitesnake!

It’s Valentine’s Day, and Whitesnake is back with a new video off of their new album. Here’s “Love Will Set You Free." I'm kind of digging it, and the solo is pretty kickin'. The new CD, Forevermore, drops March 29th.