Matthew Ryan CD Giveaway

Sandpapery-voiced singer-songwriter Matthew Ryan is probably one of the best artists you’ve never heard of, and he just released another excellent album, Matthew Ryan Vs. The Silver State, earlier this year. He’s got a show coming up at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA Sunday, September 7th.

In preparation for it, I’m giving away a copy of his new CD in a contest over at MetroMusicScene.com over here. It's quite easy to enter.

MP3: It Could Have Been Worse – Matthew Ryan

James on KCRW

I just found out that one of my favorite bands, James, did a live session on KCRW back on June 5th with a setlist that included “Whiteboy,” “Oh My Heart,” “Hey Ma,” “Upside,” “Waterfall,” and “I Wanna Go Home.” Check out the video from the session.

Ride AC/DC's New “Rock N Roll Train”

AC/DC's got a new album (Black Ice) dropping soon, and here's the first single, “Rock N Roll Train” for you to take a listen to. What do you think? It pretty much sounds like...AC/DC!

Jimmy Wayne - "Do You Believe Me Now"

As you know, I do enjoy me a little country, and I've got a new favorite country song of the moment - Jimmy Wayne's first single “Do You Believe Me Now,” thanks to CC's recommendation. That hooky chorus just sticks in my head.

Black Cat Saturday

Black Cat will have three local acts on the docket this Saturday, August 30th – post-punkers Cobra Collective, the catchy indie-pop of Bellman Barker, and the nearly-ethereal Andy Zipf. Take a listen…

MP3: Joe Goda – Cobra Collective
MP3: Top of the Stairs – Bellman Barker
VIDEO: So Am I – Andy Zipf

Cobra Starship - "The City Is At War"

When I went and saw Mercy Mercedes a few weeks back, in between bands I heard this very catchy track by Cobra Starship, and all the youngsters in the audience went crazy, singing along and dancing. So of course when I went home, I had to figure out who sang it, and voila…been meaning to post about it for awhile…

MP3: The City Is At War – Cobra Starship

Flobots

For some reason, I can't get the opening lines of Flobots' "Handlebars" out of my head - "I can ride my bike with no handlebars...no handlebars...no handlebars." It's not an outstanding track - it's sparsely produced with Eminem/Mike Shinoda (Linkin Park)-rap stylings on top, but it's burrowed into my head!

A Case of the Fridays

Yeah, it’s a bit last-minute, but we kick things off this week with Theresa Andersson’s “Birds Fly Away.” It’s got a light and shimmery summer Motown vibe to it, with some nice percussion and neo-soul vocal stylings. If you like what you hear, Andersson (above) will be at DC9 Saturday, August 23rd.

MP3: Birds Fly Away – Theresa Andersson

And we close things out with “Sincerely, Jane” by Janelle Monae. She’s got some big vocals, old-school style, and the track mashes together many genres, R&B, soul, hip-hop, with some nice horn accents, and I’m sure you can find a few more. Anyway, if you like what you hear, she’ll be at IOTA Tuesday, August 26th.

MP3: Sincerely, Jane – Janelle Monae

Four-Banger

SO WHAT: Looks like Pink’s new album has got a title (Funhouse) and a release date (October 28th) - and Butch Walker is one of her collaborators…interesting

INTERNATIONAL: The Monopoly Worldwide edition has been released – check out the countries. Hey, if you’ve got issues with ‘em – you should have voted when you had the chance.

ROCK: New Metallica, kids – listen to the album version of “The Day That Never Comes” and a live version of “Cyanide” at their myspace here

MORE ROCK: New Guns N Roses, too – “Shackler’s Revenge” over at Stereogum here -*so* not worth the wait

For LeRoi - "#41"

I didn't get to post a video earlier for LeRoi - here's one of my favorite DMB tracks, "#41," which always seems to bring back a flood of college memories.

R.I.P. LeRoi Moore

LeRoi Moore, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist for the Dave Matthews Band, died on Tuesday from complications resulting from a June ATV accident. He was only 46 years old. His sweet saxophone solos graced many a DMB song, and he will be missed by many.

Photo credit

Four-Banger

TIGHT: NOAA girl has got one terribly wrong picture of Michael Phelps here

DNA: CBS has tapped Laurence Fishburne to succeed William Peterson on CSI

LIVERPOOL: Need a zap of lightning? Get the new Oasis track “Shock of the Lightning” over at Pretty Much Amazing here

FREE: Ickmusic is giving away free James Brown DVDs and a gift certificate in a haiku throwdown here

New Oasis Video

Oasis' new video for "The Shock of Lightning" is...well...Beatle-y. But it sounds pretty good and looks pretty cool.

Locals Invade the 9:30 Club Friday

This Friday night the 9:30 Club will feature four DC bands on the docket. It’ll be a wide array of music, ranging from the ultra-catchy modern rock sounds of No Second Troy to the Americana musings of The Reserves, to the quirky indie pop of Exit Clov, and back to the grand indie rock stylings of Telograph.

MP3: Masquerade – No Second Troy
MP3: MK Ultra – Exit Clov
MP3: The Fever - Telograph

Angie Aparo @ IOTA This Friday

One of my favorite musical artists, Angie Aparo, will be in town this Friday at IOTA in Arlington. Dude's got amazing vocals and some excellent songs. Here he is performing an acoustic version of "Cry."

Sugarland Covers Matt Nathanson

If you’re a fan of Matt Nathanson (like I am) and Sugarland (like I am), you might get a kick out of Sugarland covering Matt’s “Come On Get Higher” at one of their live shows…in fact, they included it on the deluxe fan edition of their new CD, Love On The Inside.

Threefer

HOVA: Needing your new Jay-Z fix? Check out the Kanye-produced track “Jockin’ Jay-Z” over at Nah Right here

FUZZY: The Killers reveal a bit about their upcoming third album and its “stripped-down sound” in this interview with Rolling Stone here – check out live video of new tracks “Spaceman” and “Neon Tiger”

RYAN: Here’s a cool little video of Matthew Ryan just posted of him his band performing “Misunderstood” live on his recent tour

Family Guy Puke-A-Thon

Oh my gosh, I had never seen this Family Guy clip until tonight on YouTube, and I laughed until I cried. And then I watched it again.

2008 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest Deadline Approaching

If you've been procrastinating entering the 2008 Mid-Atlantic Song Contest, you might want to get a move on things. The final deadline for entries is this Friday, August 15th. Go here for more information how to enter.

Tell Me...Where Else Is Your Job Your Credit?

Yeah, that's right, it's time for an Eastern Motors commercial, because they're so damn good. Just tell me you won't be humming this all day...

New Pink - "So What"

Pink's got a new album due out in October, and there's a new single "So What" out on the internets. I loved her last CD, and this new Max Martin-produced track doesn't quite do it for me, but you can take a listen and judge for yourself...

A Case of the Fridays

We kick off this week with Mercy Mercedes’ “Shiver Me Timbers.” It’s shimmery power pop at its best, with some extremely catchy sing-along choruses. I'm really digging these guys right now - and their whole album is top-notch. If you like what you hear, Mercy Mercedes (pictured above) will be at Jammin’ Java in Vienna, VA Tuesday, August 12th.

MP3: Shiver Me Timbers – Mercy Mercedes

And we close out the week with “Sequestered in Memphis,” by The Hold Steady. From the triumphant Bruce-like piano strains on the intro, it’s a good one. Lead singer Craig Finn digs his distinctive vocal stylings into the rollicking bar-rocker – and love the shout-along “subpoenaed in Texas, sequestered in Memphis” chorus. Yeah, they’ve sold out their show at the 9:30 Club this Thursday August 14th, but that’s what Craigslist and Stubhub are for.

MP3: Sequestered In Memphis – The Hold Steady

Top Ten Reasons Brett Favre Is A Jet

10. The Jets threatened to reveal that Favre's lactose intolerant

9. Won't even have to get a different color car

8. Never really that comfortable with that whole "Lambeau Leap" thing

7. Packers' starting QB Aaron Rodgers is actually Packers' GM Ted Thompson's brother

6. The Sharks wouldn't give up Bernardo in a deal

5. Vicodin dealers are on every corner in New York City

4. After Favre retires, the Jets have agreed to change their name to the "Bretts"

3. Strahan's not in the AFC...right?

2. The Jets? Favre thought he was getting a share of the Mets! The Jets suck!

1. The Packers were "just tired of having a HOF All-Pro QB taking every snap for them and take them to the NFC Championship Game."

Guster - "Demons" Live and Acoustic

It’s a busy week here, full of adventures taking care of the dogs. So I’m making mostly video posts – but they’re video posts full of love. Here’s Guster doing my favorite song of theirs, “Demons,” during a private acoustic show back in 2005. Very cool.

Some Chapelle

It's been a long week, even though it's only Tuesday...so here's a Chapelle remix to put a smile on my (and hopefully your) face.

Instrumental Analysis 2nd Anniversary Show

The Instrumental Analysis Music Blog is having a 2nd anniversary party at IOTA this week, and it’s so big that it's spread out over both this Friday and Saturday nights, August 8th and 9th. Friday night’s line-up will feature The Apparitions, These United States with The Cotton Jones Basket Ride. And then Saturday night’s show has got The Apparitions, These United States with Bellman Barker on the docket.

MP3: West Won – These United States
MP3: Two Bees - Bellman Barker
MP3: God Monkey Robot - The Apparitions
MP3: The Spinning Wheel – The Cotton Jones Basket Ride

Coldplay Video Extravaganza

Coldplay has gone bananas and released not one, but two videos for the track “Viva La Vida.” OK, maybe not totally bananas, but it's pretty impressive when you get both Anton Corbijn (“Heart-Shaped Box”) and Hype Williams (“Waterfalls”) to each direct different videos for the same song. Check out Corbijn's version above (where Chris Martin gives The Burger King a run for his money), and Williams' version below. Got that?

Van Halen - "Dreams"

I was curious to see what I could find in the way of live Van Halen on YouTube. But I didn't feel like looking for too long. Anyway, I found this pretty good 1995 live version of one of my favorite tracks, the underrated and highly melodic "Dreams."

Threefer

DOES THIS CLASH: Get yourself a nice live set of The Clash from 6/9/1981 over at Captain’s Dead here

MERSEYBEAT BREAKDOWN: So why were The Beatles’ songs so damn good? This interesting, albeit a bit technical, article analyzes the chordal patterns and shifts used by The Beatles

SICK OF BONO: Looks like there’s a campaign/petition afoot to get the U2 frontman to retire from public life here

Photo credit

The Fotoweek DC contest is taking entries up until August 18th. You can be an amateur or a professional, and there's several different categories - I know there’s quite a few excellent rock photographers out there, so hopefully the local music scene can be represented visually as some of the finalists.