Guster - Last Night @ 9:30 Club

One of my favorite bands, Guster, concludes their sold out two-night stand at the 9:30 Club this evening (10/30). They’re on their aptly-titled Lost & Gone Forever Ten Year Anniversary Tour celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their strong-from-start-to-finish Lost & Gone Forever album. Catchy songs with beautiful harmonies and percussive hand percussion – what more could you ask for? Anyway, two sets, no opening act, and they'll be playing Lost & Gone Forever in its entirety as the second set.

I caught last night’s show, and they definitely fleshed out the arrangements of the album nicely, incorporating a few guests (which I won’t reveal) into the festivities in true Guster fashion. Lead singer Ryan Miller got stronger as the night went on, with the perennial underrated “other voice” Ryan Gardner and Joe Pisapia providing lush harmonies and backing vocals, so essential to their sound.

I must say, it was great to see drummer Brian “Thundergod” Rosenworcel going old-school and taping up his hands to play a good deal of hand percussion. On recent albums he’s been playing a lot more conventional kit drum, but it just doesn’t pack the same energy as his hand percussion.

Their first setlist focused mainly on tracks from later albums (none, sadly, from Parachute), plus they threw in some first-listens of songs from their upcoming new album. I was pretty psyched to hear them play “X-Ray Eyes,” and they did a simply hypnotic version of “Come Downstairs & Say Hello.”

Yeah, the show’s sold out, but you most likely pick up a ticket off of Stubhub or from somebody out front of 9:30 Club.

Todd Wright Joins The 40/40 Club

Singer/songwriter/producer Todd Wright, former lead singer of Getaway Car and occasional player with the Pat McGee Band (among other things), has got a pretty cool project going on. Begun back on 9/30/09, he’s writing, recording and releasing one song every week for 40 consecutive weeks, culminating with his 40th birthday. Songs will be available for free download every Wednesday. That’ll be 40 songs in 40 weeks. Wright’s got a wicked pop sensibility, and some great production values, so it’s worth checking out.

You can catch him live Sunday, November 1st at the Rock n’ Roll Songwriters Circle at Jammin Java, along with Luke Brindley, Anthony Fiacco and Shane Hines. And download a song a week every Wednesday - just use the link below...

New Damnwells On The Way...

One of my favorite bands, The Damnwells made their most recent album, One Last Century, available as a free download. And a quality album it was.

The good news is they’re working on a new one. And this time, they’re using a grass roots campaign to finance it via donations from their fans, a method of fund-raising many bands have adopted. It’s pretty cool – for certain pledge amounts, donors can receive certain rewards, ranging from receiving signed copies of the CD, to getting go hang out at band practice, to having The Damnwells come play at a house party. And there are exclusives, too. It’s all broken down here.

I’m looking forward to hearing some new Damwells music, but in the meantime, below is my favorite track from One Last Century. And music blog Sell the Lie has unreleased tunes here and demos here and here. Nice.

MP3: 55 Pictures – The Damnwells

Guster Two-Night Stand @ 9:30 Club

One of my favorite bands, Guster, will be doing a two-night stand at the 9:30 Club beginning tonight as part of their Lost & Gone Forever Ten Year Anniversary Tour. No opening act, and they'll be playing their Lost & Gone Forever album in its entirety. And I'm pretty certain they might include songs from their other albums, like "Demons" (acoustic version above) in the set, too. Catchy songs with beautiful harmonies, acoustic guitars and percussive hand percussion - what more can I ask for? I'll be heading over there tonight to check it out.

Four-Banger

GLAMBERT: Adam Lambert revealed the cover of his upcoming album (above), and oh my, it’s glammy.

TRANSLATED: In case you were wondering how to say, “Oh my god, there’s an axe in my head!” in pretty much any language, this website can assist you. Really.

HEARTBURN: The ultra-cool slo-mo footage of these fire breathers coupled with the serene new-age music is utterly hypnotizing. I literally could watch it for minutes on end. Which is a long time for me.

VANITY: Carly Simon goes acoustic in a Daytrotter session. Wait, what?

New Matthew Ryan CD - Dear Lover

One of my favorite singer/songwriters, the gravelly-voiced Matthew Ryan, is releasing his new album, Dear Lover, today - digitally, at least. You can listen to "We Are Snowmen" from Dear Lover above, and you can listen to another track ("The Wilderness") from the new album over here.

New Marah - "Put 'em in the Graveyard"

Yeah, I've been curious what Marah has been up to recording-wise, since hints have been dropped involving farmhouses in the country, Nashville sessions and the like. But no finished product had been revealed. They just, however, released a new single of "Put 'em in the Graveyard" over at their website here. You can stream a bit of it, and pay what you like for the download. I haven't downloaded it, but from what I can hear, it's got a ramshackly-folk kind of vibe going. I do miss Serge and the rock n roll.

A Case of the Fridays - Monday Edition

We kick off things with “Sweet Girl” by Ringo Deathstarr. I’ve been intrigued by their band name for so long, and I finally listened to them. Not quite as good as a mating of The Beatles and Star Wars, unfortunately. Anyway, “Sweet Girl” comes to you with a lot of sonic wash, ambient sounds, reverbed guitars and vocals full of 80s ennui. Love the name, not quite as much the track. Like what you hear? Ringo Deathstarr (above) will be at the Black Cat in Washington, DC tonight, Monday, October 26th.

MP3: Sweet Girl – Ringo Deathstarr

And now we close things out with “The Speed Is Deceiving,” the first track off of the new CD Nature Is A Taker from Uninhabitable Mansions. It’s got a bit of a mellow 80s flavor mixed with a dose of 90s sophistication. This band/“art collective” features includes members of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Au Revoir Simone and Dirty on Purpose. If you like what you hear, they’ll be at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, DC this Thursday October 29th.

MP3: The Speed Is Deceiving – Uninhabitable Mansions

Honeychuck @ Jammin Java Friday 10/23

Local alt-rockers Honeychuck have their CD release party this Friday, October 23rd over at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA. Lead singer Debra Guy’s Ethridgesque vocals bear the weight of the world and mesh well with the searing guitar tones of T. Wesley, especially on the title track. Plus, their blend of acoustic/electric guitars keeps things from getting overly heavy. Pick up a free copy of their new album Life As You Know It with admission, and check out the title track below.

MP3: Life As You Know It – Honeychuck

Photo by Rachel Buchholz

Adam Lambert - "Time For Miracles"

Looks like Adam Lambert’s “Time For Miracles” has leaked in its entirety - not just the little clip that was in the 2012 trailer. So here’s the whole thing – take a listen.

Enter....Kramer

Every Kramer entrance in the history of Seinfeld. I think that describes it nicely.

Hotspur's "Chandelier" on mtvU

"Chandelier"

Hotspur (on mtvU this Monday!) | MySpace Music Videos

Today DC-area power-poppers Hotspur will be debuting the video for their first single (“Chandelier”) off of their new album You Should Know Better By Now on mtvU’s show “The Freshman.” Their video will be competing against videos from four other artists. Online voting, which begins today, will determine the winning video, which then gets added to the mtvU rotation.

"Dead Man"

The Jim Jarmusch film "Dead Man" (starring Johnny Depp) came up today. It's a trippy little western. I love this scene.

New Adam Lambert - "Time For Miracles"

In case you've been wondering what the new Adam Lambert album might sound like, this trailer for the upcoming disaster flick 2012 features Lambert's new Rob Cavallo-produced track "Time For Miracles" - and even shows him in the studio recording the vocals for it. Screamo-licious? Well, at least it moved Queen guitarist Brian May to jelly...

The B-Film Extras @ Jammin Java 10/18

Self-described “explosionists” The B-Film Extras will be at Jammin Java this Sunday, October 18th. Sonically, they’re powerful and sweeping with a sharp melodic edge. And they can bring it live, having put on a fine rock show their last time out at Jammin Java. Definitely a band to keep an eye on. Check out the pulsing urgency of "Sad World" below.

MP3: Sad World – The B-Film Extras

Angie's Back In Town

One of my favorite singer/songwriters is back in town (finally!) this Sunday, 10/11. Angie Aparo will be playing at IOTA w/ local singer/songwriter Shane Hines - who bears a slight resemblance to Aparo, since they both wear their heads clean-shaven. Anyway, Aparo's got an amazing voice, even if he most likely won't be playing with a full band. And Shane Hines can bring it, too. Check him out performing "Way Up" at the 9:30 Club here.

Hungry for Grunge?

Pearl Jam called an created an impromptu Temple of the Dog reunion at their October 6th show, when Eddie Vedder brought Chris Cornell up on stage for “Hunger Strike.” Is grunge back?

Wax Tailor @ DC9 Thursday 10/8

French electronic/trip-hop producer Wax Tailor will be performing live tomorrow, Thursday, October 8th at DC9. He’s touring in support of his new album, In the Mood For Life. He keeps things interesting and catchy on the new CD with samples and guest performers, mixing flavors and genres, in a similar vein as RJD2 or Moby.

Wondering what Wax Tailor sounds like live? Check him out performing live at Nouveau Casino earlier this year w/ Mattic on "House of Wax" above. And I’m definitely digging the funky old-school flavor of “B-Boy on Wax.”

MP3: B-Boy on Wax (f/ Speech Defect) – Wax Tailor

How You Rollin' At Work? LIKE A BOSS!

Seth Rogan asks, and Andy Samberg tells him how it's done. Probably not quite suitable for work.

Radiohead/Jay-Z Mash-up

It's been out for awhile, but I'm really digging this Max Tannone mash-up of Jay-Z and Radiohead ("High & Dry"). He fits them together perfectly. You can download it here.