The Golden Age

For W.B.


All I know is that
There were rumors he was into field hockey players
There were Rumours.

I guess they're more for Gold Dust Wom[e]n
they know how to pick up the pieces and go home
in time to see the Jigsaw Falling Into Place.

Oh, Stop Breaking Down -
Oh! You Pretty Thing!
Find The Book of Love and read it to me
I hear it's supposed to be long
and boring.

But I love it when you sing to me.
If You Want to Sing Out, sing out!
It's easy.
It's So Easy.
Please
          Please Me.

I know you're no good, Heartbreaker.
Dream maker, love taker.
You don't have to go away.
Baby Please Don't Go
(and I Feel Fine).

Well, tell your mom, "I'm stuck on this lovely girl".
And that Maybe I'm Amazed.
And that Possibly Maybe,
Probably maybe, I am Feeling Myself Disintegrate.
Because.
In The End,
the love you take is equal to the love you make.

Nurses and Dominant Legs

Every time I go to the Red Palace I am reminded why it is one of my favorite DC venues. It's a bitch to get to if you are carless (like yours truly), but so worth whatever effort you must make to get there. The beer is cheap, the selection is good, the bartenders are nice, and sometimes you get to see things like The Big Lebowski while hanging out between sets. 

And that's just the booze. 

In addition, the set up is perfect for either a low key night with a mild and unpacked house or a filled to the brim rager. The sound is high quality (not great, but usually very good), the stage is propped up high so you can see no matter where you stand (with the exception of tall people directly in front of you), and the bands they attract are always good, and sometimes great.  

Last night was no exception. While we sadly missed the opener Dinosaur Feathers, we got there just in time to settle in and watch Nurses set up. This little three-piece from Portland, OR is awesome. They have a blend of sound that rivals Animal Collective, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and maybe even a little Wolf Parade. Plus the lead singer looks like a Hipster version of Tim Roth.  

They played a nice full set, mostly complied of songs from their new record Dracula, which I didn't mind at all. They are great live, and seem to have a lot of potential to grow their sound into something truly new. I'm pretty judgy when it comes to bands that steal each others sound, but its getting harder and harder to sound like an original, and I have hope for these guys. They are really talented and catchy! The West Coast sound is starting to steal my jam sessions almost exclusively, with lead singer-drummers coming in a close second.

Dominant Legs was the headliner, though I must say I enjoyed Nurses more. DL originally began as a twosome, and has sense expanded into a foursome, which sadly still needs to grow some legs. Their sound is choppy, the drummer is too aggressive, and the new songs aren't all that new. Overall, I enjoyed watching them play (and my friend enjoyed the legs of the singer/keyboardist - dominant indeed), but I would have liked to close the night with Nurses. Maybe next time they will headline, I have a feeling it is in their future.

Things You Hear

I went to bed with this in my head.

And woke up with this in there instead.

Love is a Drug

This song makes me think of laying on my back in the grass with my eyes half closed to the afternoon sun on a warm August day. This in turn makes me think of the little park on the corner of Kimberly and Charlotte Street in Asheville, NC. 

Even though this memory is tainted with you and your stupid hair, it still makes me smile to think of it. 

Shelby Vs. the Greatest of All Time

Strangled by the Stereo Wire

1985

Fabricoh

Harnessed in Slums

Dead Red Eyes

Worst Defense

Greatest of All Time

Web in Front

(cannot remember the name of this fucking song)

Plumb Line

You & Me

Might

Smoking Pot in the Hot City

Scenic Pastures

Form and File

Web in Front

Wrong

Nostalgia

Audiowhore

Lowest Part is Free

Freezing Point

Revenge

All Hail the Black Market

Yeasayer (More Like Yeah!! Sayer)

Last night, I again found myself completely blown away by a show at the 9:30 Club. Seriously. While I missed the first of two opening bands - Hush-Hush - I hear it was not all that much to miss (unless you like a lone nerd standing at a computer making digital music about eating pussy).

That's not to say I don't enjoy a good friendly jab at the expense of the fairer sex, as proven by the second opening band, Smith Westerns. These Chicago natives came on right at 9pm, and played a full and fun set. The lead singer, Cullen Omori, looks like he could be Julian Casablancas' younger brother (or evil twin). Young and thin with long, black locks and a shit-kicker attitude, this kid can sing, and his band is obviously down to have a good time (though most of them are underage). They sound something like a mix between early David Bowie (without the flair) and some of the newer surfer rock bands we've been hearing lately (i.e. Cults, Best Coast, The Donkeys). They have a good following mostly due to opening for the likes of Passion Pit and MGMT, and will likely find themselves doing well if they can improve their flow and sing about something other than girls.

I will make note of this favorite moment of the set. Cullen leaned into the microphone and said, "Ok, this one goes out to all the sluts out there!" Too bad for him, marked nonchalance is a game killer for the girls of that ilk, and I doubt any of them got laid (the band or the sluts). Well, except maybe the girl who agreed to make out with her boyfriend at the bar even though he was so drunk he was actually making out with her chin. Get a room!

Anyway, moving on from the children, let's talk about Yeasayer. Holy shit this band is incredible.



The core band, as they are frequently called, consists of vocalist/pianist/music maker Chris Keating, bassist/vocalist Ira Wolf Tuton and guitarist/pianist/vocalist Anand Wilder. These Brooklyn folk are an unbelievably tight band, who can not only belt out tunes so heartfelt you could cry, but also so fun that you really want to dance. And I don't dance in public very often. Seeing this band perform reminded me of a line I read in a review on We Love DC regarding the Beirut show.

Columnist Brittany wrote,

"As much fun as it is to see a great band that just learned to play their instruments play like they are flinging every last bit of themselves out onto the floor, it is a pleasant contrast to see a band like Beirut who take a more elegant, measured approach while still seeming engaged and with great presence on stage."

The same can most definitely be said about Yeasayer. Their calculated approach to making amazing music is greatly appreciated and refreshing. So much in fact, that when I emerged form the show and found myself caught in a serious down pour, I hopped right on my bike and pedaled home in the rain laughing and smiling (I may or may not have hollered a bit too).

Yeasayer played everything I wanted to hear, and threw in some new tunes that seem to be a little less Electronica heavy, and a lot more Pop (in a good way). Hits off All Hour Cymbals like "2080" and "Sunrise" were absolute crowd-pleasers, though my favorite was the closer "Ambling Amps". Hearing the live versions of songs off Odd Blood such as "Madder Red" were well received and helped solidify the rather mixed audience of old and new fans. My friend R.J. took one look around from our perch on the top level of the 9:30 Club and determined that Yeasayer draws a hot crowd. It helps that Chris Keating is really cute too.

Now that I've seen them live, I must admit I can't stop listening to them today, and if given the chance, I would really like to see them again. Maybe next time I can catch them on their home turf of Brooklyn. I bet it brings out the best in them all.  

The Cults Sure Like Their Long Flowing Locks

Ever wary of a show at the Rock and Roll Hotel, I came into the Cults show with the sneaky suspicion that it would be packed with underage creeps. What I was not prepared for was the opening band's oozing concert fog filling the crowded space. It did not give me the ethereal feeling it was likely supposed to evoke, in fact it kind of pissed me off. That stuff burns your eyes, man! Especially if they are particularly dry from other activities of the evening (wink).

That aside, when Cults finally hit the stage, I was glad I made the trek over to H Street. This young duo (backed by several other youngsters) comprised of Brian Oblivion (great name!) and Madeline Follin are seriously talented. They sound like they just popped off an Austin Powers movie set, like we are supposed to believe we are in the 60's enjoying catchy dance party guitar riffs all the while knowing the lyrics suggest a more modern world view.

They played almost all of their recently released hit album "Cults", winning the young crowd over with their fun and laid back style. Brian Oblivion has a rare talent that allows him to both lead the band on guitar and vocals, yet manage to slip into the background and sing seamless duos with Follin. It probably helps that their obvious chemistry onstage is based on their real relationship off stage. I know, how annoying... actually, only because it trickles of stage and standing next to a ridiculously drunk couple who thought swing dancing in the middle of a sold out crowd would be cute.

P.S. It is not. Someone else's hair on me is gross. And not only does the band have a lot of hair (see below), but the drunk dancing chick's blonde locks whipped me more than I would like to admit.

 But other than a few elbows and a lot, and I mean a lot, of long flowing hair, Cults is a band I expect good things to come from in the future. For now, add them to your party mix and play when you have friends over, it'll make everybody happy.