Friday Playlist - 5/25 - Upcoming DC Area Shows

Due to the impending (and of course eagerly anticipated) birth of our son in June, I likely won't be attending them, but there are a number of really good shows coming to the DC area in the next couple of months.

I've compiled a list of some of them with dates for today's playlist. Follow the link below to listen.

DPDC - Friday Playlist - 5/25 - Upcoming DC Shows

Tracklist (Show Schedule):
Rocky Votolato - Red River (Tonight 5/25 @ Red Palace)

Great Lake Swimmers - Your Rocky Spine (5/27 @ Red Palace)

Dawes - Fire Away (6/1 @ Black Cat)

Cheap Girls - Ruby (6/7 @ Golden West, Baltimore)

The Bouncing Souls - Say Anything (6/12 @ Black Cat w/Menzingers)

The Menzingers - Lilith Avi (6/12 @ Black Cat opening for Bouncing Souls)

Langhorne Slim - Restless (6/13 @ Rock n Roll Hotel w/ Ha Ha Tonka)

Ha Ha Tonka - Up Nights (6/13 @ Rock n Roll Hotel w/ Langhorne Slim)

Cory Branan - Survivor Blues (6/19 @ Golden West, Baltimore)

Lydia Loveless - Can't Change Me (6/19 @ Black Cat opening for Scott H. Biram)

Lucero - Sixteen (6/22 @ Rams Head Live, Baltimore)

The District Attorneys - California Fire (6/29 @ Rock n Roll Hotel w/ Modern Skirts)

Futurebirds - Ski Chalet (6/30 @ Black Cat)

Tim Barry - Texas Cops (7/7 @ Red Palace)

These United States - Honor Amongst Thieves (7/7 @ Black Cat w/ The Henry Clay People)

The Henry Clay People - Working Part Time (7/7 @ Black Cat opening for These United States)

Alberta Cross - Lucy Rider (7/12 @ Rock n Roll Hotel)

Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On (7/17 @ Rams Head Live, Baltimore)

Gaslight Anthem - Orphans (7/20 @ U Street Music Hall w/ Dave Hause)

Dave Hause - Pray for Tuscon (7/20 @ U Street Music Hall opening for Gaslight Anthem)

Cory Branan - Mutt - Out Tomorrow Listen Today

Tomorrow Cory Branan will release "Mutt," his first full length album in 6 years, on Bloodshot Records (though he did put out a split/joint EP in 2009 with Jon Snodgrass of Drag the River).

You can stream it in advance here via AOL Spinner Listening Party.


Upon a single listen i can pretty much guarantee "Mutt" will end up near the top of my best of 2012 list, same great songwriting with expanded instrumentation and song arrangement from previous efforts.

Also if you haven't previously, check out his recent Nervous Energies session.

Friday Playlist - 5/18 - Sounds of the City

People love writing songs about 'the city,' gettin to it, getting out of it, love/hate/hope for it, its gravity, oh and definitely the lights of it.  Here are a few . ..

Follow link below to listen


DPDC Friday Playlist - 5/18 - Sounds of the City

Tracklist:

Centro-matic - Huge in Every City
Bruce Springsteen - Atlantic City
Drive By Truckers - Zip City
The Weakerthans - One Great City!
Banner Pilot - River City Blackout
The Evening Rig - City Lights
Arcade Fire - City with no Children
Glossary - These City Lights Shine
The National - City Middle
Jeffrey Foucault - City Flower
Spoon - All the Pretty Girls Go to the City
The Hold Steady - The Sweet Part of the City
Two Cow Garage - The City of Youngstown
American Aquarium - City Lights
The Lawrence Arms - Key to the City
Lucero - Sounds of the City
Frontier Folk Nebraska - City Lights
Deep Dark Woods - Big City Lights
The War On Drugs - Come to the City
Magnolia Electric Co. - Leave this City
Rocky Votolato - The City is Calling
Dawes - Take Me Out of the City

New to Me - Wess Floyd - 'Foxhole Confessions'

I was just introduced to the music of Wess Floyd this week, and have to say I'm a little disappointed in myself for not discovering him sooner.

Originally from Dothan (I believe) in south Alabama, Floyd has ended up in Nashville, by way of Auburn, and his most recent album "Foxhole Confessions," which came out late last year, is full of impressive rock n roll songs that unabashedly draw inspiration from, and pay homage to, his hometown(s).

There's clearly more than a hint of Replacements and Springsteen influence here and many of his songs have an anthemic quality, full of "whoa whoa" type choruses that evoke a more southern Craig Finn and Hold Steady.

Also, if you've heard The Evening Rig, there are definitely some parallels that could be drawn.

You can preview and pick up "Foxhole Confessions" and his earlier release "The Daisycutters EP" here, and I'd recommend you do so.

Advance Friday Playlist - Wed 5/9 - Coastlines

Headed out on a brief vacation tomorrow, so i'm posting this week's playlist in advance. Follow the link below to listen.

Advance Friday Playlist - 5/9 - Coastlines

Tracklist:
Nothington - The Ocean
Band of Horses - Islands on the Coast
Wavves - King of the Beach
Sun Kil Moon - Last Tide
Against Me! - The Ocean
Dear Landlord - Three to the Beach
Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines
Joey Kneiser - The Big Ocean
Richard Buckner - The Ocean Cliff Clearing
The Holy Mess - Sunset on the Coastline
Jets to Brazil - Sea Anenome
Have Gun, Will Travel - Ship to Shore
Damien Jurado - Never Ending Tide
Broken Social Scene - 7/4 (Shoreline)
The Draft - The Tide is Out

(Relatively) New & Recommended - Wrinkle Neck Mules - Apprentice to Ghosts

Unfortunately I didn't notice until last week, but Richmond's Wrinkle Neck Mules released their newest (and 5th full length) album, "Apprentice to Ghosts," in February on Lower 40 Records. It's yet another great effort from a consistently impressive band.

Head over to their site to check out (several songs streaming) and purchase the new album and the back catalog. I think "Wick's Have Met" is my favorite WRM album, but I'm a fan of 'em all. These guys really are what twangy country rock should be and are way too far under people's collective radar.

RIYL: Latter day Uncle Tupelo, SonVolt, Chris Knight, Hayes Carll, Ryan Bingham, Deadstring Bros.etc.

Also for any of you who are in Atlanta, they're coming to The Earl on Thursday May 24.

Friday Playlist - 5/4 - The Places I've Lived

Was born in the midwest, raised mostly in the south, consider Atlanta my home, but now working on just over a half decade in DC.

Follow the link below to listen . . .


DPDC Friday Playlist - 5/4/12 - The Places I've Lived



Tracklist:

Damien Jurado - Kansas City

Superchunk - Train From Kansas City (Shangri-La's cover, Neko Case has also covered this song)

Townes Van Zandt - Colorado Girl

Spraynard - The Denver Broncos vs. The Denver Broncos

Broadway Calls - Denver

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit - Alabama Pines

The Deep Dark Woods - Shores of Alabama

South San Gabriel - Alabama Crusade

Blacklist Royals - Tennessee Blues

American Aquarium - Tennessee

Rocky Votolato - Tennessee Train Tracks

New Found Glory - You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania

The Wonder Years - Keystone State Dude-Core

Centro-matic - Atlanta

The Only Sons - Slowdown Georgia

Ryan Bingham - Long Way from Georgia

Yuck - Georgia

Into It. Over It. - Washington, DC

The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

The Clash - Washington Bullets

Great Site for Show Audio (patchndent.com)

Today I discovered, via a post from This is American Music re: a newly added Glossary set, Matt Redmond's patchndent.com, which provides recorded audio for a ton of great shows (primarily in Athens).



Check out the Glossary show and a couple more recently posted sets and visit the site for more.

Glossary 4/21/2012 @ The Old 280 Boogie - Standard Deluxe - Waverly, AL

Centro-matic 4/9/2012 @ The Georgia Theatre –Athens,GA

Lee Bains III &The Glory Fires 4/5/2012 @ The Georgia Theatre –Athens,GA

Matt emphasizes on the site, and I agree wholeheartedly, that "the best way to keep sites like [his] going is to support your local music. Go to the shows,buy the [albums] and spread the word about your favorite bands!"

Friday Playlist - 4/27 - Bonnaroo 2012

While i'm not the biggest multi-day outdoor music festival fan, and certainly won't be attending myself, there are a decent number of good bands playin Bonnaroo this year, that i figured would make good fodder for a Friday playlist. Follow the link below to listen.

DPDC-Friday Playlist-4/27-Bonnaroo 2012 

Tracklist:
War on Drugs - Arms Like Boulders
Dawes - That Western Skyline
Phantogram - 16 Years
Shins - So Says I
Trampled by Turtles - Wait So Long
Hey Rosetta! - Another Pilot
Avett Brothers - Will You Return
Bad Brains - Sailin' On
Kurt Vile - Jesus Fever
Delta Spirit - Empty House
The Cave Singers - Falls
Alabama Shakes - I Found You
Black Lips - Veni Vidi Vici
Gary Clark Jr. - Don't Owe You a Thang
Flogging Molly - Swagger
Caitlin Rose - For the Rabbits
Glossary - Your Heart to Haunt
Bon Iver - For Emma
Deep Dark Woods - The Place I Left Behind
The Misfits - Astro Zombies
The Antlers - Sylvia

Alone at 3am - Midwest Mess - 5/8 Release

Suburban Home is at it again, adding another great band to its already stellar roster, with the upcoming release of Alone at 3am's "Midwest Mess."  The album is scheduled to come out on May 8, although it appears you can already download it at their bandcamp page here. 

I was pleasantly surprised when I came across this band's first two releases, "City out of Luck" (2008) and "Cut Your Gills" (2010), in September of last year,  and I've been anticipating this release since I read they'd joined Suburban Home and were in the studio.  This month I was fortunate to get an advance listen of "Midwest Mess" and it does not disappoint.

It's somewhat apropos that guitarist/vocalist Max Fender laments on their track Burn the Town, "all the good songs have been sung, all the youth has been wasted on the young," since while maybe Alone at 3am doesn't "sing" the most original songs, they do write damn good ones, that you should be listening to.

I still maintain, as I wrote in a previous post, that to me they sound like a cross between TMFW/Nobody's Darlings era Lucero and a rootsed-up (if that's a term) Hot Water Music (particularly in the rhythm section). I think I'd now say I also hear splashes of Glossary and Limbeck type sound in there. All of these are of course good things.

"Midwest Mess" definitely has my endorsement, and I'd recommend their other albums as well.

You can listen to "Weekends at the Cape" from the album below

New TIAM Releases from Only Sons & District Attorneys

Today is the digital release date for two solid new albums on This Is American Music, "When The New Wears Off" from The Only Sons and the debut full length album, "Slowburner" from The District Attorneys. Both available for $5 at http://thisisamericanmusic.com/.

While you're over there, I'd also recommend you pick up The Only Sons' 2011 release "American Stranger" and "Moving On" from Lauderdale, also only five bucks each. 

You can download free solo albums from Joey Kneiser (Glossary), Kelly Kneiser (Glossary), and Kent Goolsby (Only Sons) as well.

Friday Playlist - 4/20 - is back

Hoping to start posting these weekly again. Spared ya'll a theme this time, just some good stuff i've been listening to this week. Follow the link . .

DPDC - FRIDAY PLAYLST - 4/20

Tracklist:
Frank Turner - I am Disappeared
The Arrivals - Simple Pleasures in America
American Aquarium - Good Fight
Cory Branan - Prettiest Waitress in Memphis 
Joey Kneiser - Bruised Ribs
Arcade Fire - City with No Children
Cloud Nothings - Fall In
Alone at 3am - Mexico
Banner Pilot - Greenwood
Band of Horses - Weed Party
The Weight - Sanchez
Ben Nichols - The Kid
Smoke or Fire - Sleepwalking
Dr. Dog - Shadow People
Two Cow Garage (Micah Schabel) - Jackson, Don't You Worry 

The District Attorneys

Just stumbled across this Atlanta/Athens based band last week, who I'd generally describe as shoegazy country/southern rock. With vocals heavy on reverb and nice pedal steel touches, their sound is definitely akin to neighbors Futurbirds stuff. Take a listen below.

You can also head over to their bandcamp page here for free downloads of their EP's. Their full length, 'Slowburner' is scheduled to be released this month (I believe) on This Is American Music

5 "Desert Island" Albums

For the hell of it my brother and I are working on compiling lists of favorite albums released within our respective lifetimes. Basically those that were most important to us or that we just love the most. Plan to post them sometime mid-month.

Curiosity fueled by that super productive exercise, coupled with this post I noticed over on Ninebullets the other day, has me wondering which albums are most significant to those who might happen to visit the site.

So, if you can pin down the 5 albums you'd hang on to, if you had to forego all others, let us know what they are. Maybe limit to one per artist for the sake of variety.

Opening Day Playlist

Personally thrilled baseball season is here again, so I decided to put together a "little" playlist to honor Opening Day. If you're not a fan (of the game) might still be worth a listen. Runs the gamut artist wise (sorry no clash). Follow the link below to hear it.

Opening Day

DPDC Quarterly Report 1Q2012

In what I hope to make a consistent feature on the site, I've compiled a list of some recommended full-length albums released during the first three months of the year. Plan to do the same in June/July and in Sept/Oct and will have the year end "Best of" list in Dec/Jan.

Lucero - Woman & Work: You can read my brief thoughts from earlier this month, but W & W continues on the road paved by Overton Park, maybe a bit less successfully in my opinion, but still has some standout tracks.

The Menzingers - On the Impossible Past: Another set of lyrically strong melodic rock/punk songs from these guys. Kinda invokes older Alkaline Trio, American Steel and even Gaslight Anthem to me.

Todd Snider - Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables: Snider is back with more perfectly sloppy guitars and witty/biting lyrics.

The Shins - Port of Morrow: Some tracks are more reminiscent of Shins of old while others seem to cover a wide spectrum of influences. Big nod to alot of psych-pop stuff.

Damien Jurado - Maraqopa: As with 'Saint Bartlett' Richard Swift's touches are all over this record. A continued departure from the sparseness of his earliest albums, it's again full of classic rock influence with bursts of psychedelic guitar, organ, etc. that put you back several decades. I'd of course endorse everything he's done over the past 15-ish years from earlier stripped down folk through his continued evolution.

First Aid Kit - The Lion's Roar: These swedish sisters put out fantastic songs inspired by classic american folk and country. Unafraid to wear their influences on their sleeves, they pull it off nicely.

Cheap Girls - Giant Orange: Another solid album from Cheap Girls featuring hook-laden songs with loud guitars. I guess you'd call it power pop. These songs would be right at home in the 90's, along side acts from Superchunk to Superdrag. Vocals actually really remind me of Damien Jurado's on his more raucous, "I Break Chairs."

The White Buffalo - Once Upon a Time in the West: Think country rock springsteen meets eddie vedder. Sorry, that's the best i've got.

Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball: Speaking of . . .

Craig Finn - Clear Heart Full Eyes: While i'm not totally enamored with this thing, it's certainly good and a nice hold over til the next Hold Steady Album.

To listen to a couple of tracks from each album, follow the link below

DPDC 1Q2012 Quarterly Report

and if there have been other highly worthwhile releases this year that i'm neglecting, let me know.

Rocky Votolato - New Album Stream

Rocky Votolato's new album "Television of Saints" is set for release on April 3rd, but you can listen to it now courtesy of paste magazine. He hasn't fallen off a bit.

Album Stream: Rocky Votolato - Television of Saints - Paste Magazine

Return to Playlists - Tonight It's Whiskey

It's been awhile since I've posted one of those themed playlists i'm so fond of. So, while I'm layin off this evening, for someone, somewhere . . .

Tonight It's Whiskey

Tracklist:
Lucero - Last Night in Town
Glossary - At Midnight
Alone at 3am - Whiskey and Gin
Drive By Truckers - Women Without Whiskey
Red City Radio - Too Much Whiskey Not Enough Blankets
Hold Steady - Massive Nights
Hayes Carll - Knockin' over Whiskeys
Lucero - California
The Evening Rig - Goddamn, I could use a Drink
Wrinkle Neck Mules - Whiskey Jars
Drive By Truckers - Fourth Night of my Drinking
Dillinger Four - Doublewhiskeycokenoice
Banner Pilot - Empty your Bottles
Todd Snider - Alcohol & Pills
Sons of Bill - Broken Bottles
Lucero - I'll Just Fall
Rocky Votolato - Whiskey Straight
Drag the River - Get Drunk
American Gun - Drunk Girls
Uncle Tupelo - Whiskey Bottle
Richard Buckner - Lucky Buzz
Dear Landlord - Whiskey and Records
Lucero - Drink til We're Gone
500 Miles to Memphis - Shots
The Menzingers - They Speak of my Drinking, but Never of My Thirst
Kasey Anderson - All Lit Up
Alkaline Trio - Cooking Wine
Rocky Votolato - Makers
Sons of Bill - Charleston
Hold Steady - Citrus

Follow the link above to listen. I'd recommend on random.

Glossary Bandcamp page

I apparently missed it but Glossary launched their new Bandcamp page last month.

You should head over to sample and download their albums (all $5 or free). My personal favorites are probably "For What I don't Become," "Better Angels . . .," and/or "Feral Fire," but it's hard to say (and you'll notice "Long Live all of Us" easily made my "Best of 2011" list).

Everything Glossary puts out is well worth your time, support and money. Don't understand how anyone can not love this band.

New Lucero - Women & Work

As you may have gathered, Lucero has long held 'favorite band' status for me. So, it feels a bit odd to be critical of anything they release. That said, upon initial listens, the new album out this week, Woman & Work, is kinda hit & miss for me. It certainly continues along the path they started down with Overton Park (and exhibits an even happier/cheerier/poppier disposition), and it's hard to knock them for any direction they choose, but it does make me a bit nostalgic for what i'll selfishly deem classic Lucero. Anyway, I'll let you judge for yourself. There are certainly still some new Lucero classics on it.

You can listen to a stream of the new album here.

Also, in my fit of nostalgia i've compiled a best of Lucero spotify playlist of sorts, with a collection of my favorites, though i found it hard not to add nearly everything in the back catalog. If you have an account just follow the link.

"Best of" Lucero Playlist

Still super excited as always about seeing them at 9:30 club in April.

Signs of Life & Best of 2011

So . . . after causing a prolonged hiatus I think life has settled down enough that I can start to consistently post again. No better way to reinstate the blog than with a belated Best of 2011 list.

The following are my favorite albums of 2011

1. Rural Alberta Advantage - Departing
2. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Here We Rest
3. Banner Pilot - Heart Beats Pacific
4. Glossary - Long Live All of Us
5. Middle Brother - S/T
6. Laura Stevenson & The Cans - Sit Resist
7. Living Daylights - What Keeps You Breathing
8. Horrible Crowes - Elsie
9. Have Gun Will Travel - Mergers & Acquistions
10. Red City Radio - The Dangers of Standing Still
11. Dawes - Nothing is Wrong
12. Elway - Delusions
13. Richard Buckner - Our Blood
14. Austin Lucas - A New Home in the Old World
15. Lauderdale - Moving On
16. Kite Party - Baseball Season
17. Deep Dark Woods - The Place I Left Behind
18. Restorations - S/T
19. Okkervil River - I Am Very Far
20. Title Fight - Shed
21. William Elliot Whitmore - Field Songs
22. Dead to Me - Moscow Penny Ante
23. War on Drugs - Slave Ambient
24. Polar Bear Club - Clash Battle Guilt Pride
25. Kasey Anderson & The Honkies - Heart of a Dog

If you have a Spotify account (which is free and easy to set up) follow the link below to listen to a playlist featuring a couple of tracks from each album.

Dixie Punk DC Best of 2011

I had to cut off the list somewhere, but Deer Tick, Frank Turner, Chuck Ragan, Joyce Manor, The Head & The Heart, Woods, My Morning Jacket, Prison Book Club and more also put out great albums last year.

Sorry again for the absence, expect more soon.

I plan to add a collaborator, so hopefully that will allow for more routine (and dynamic) content.

To those who do, thanks for following.

Spinner Listening Party

AOL Spinner offers an on-going feature where they stream a selection of newly released albums for a limited period of time. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how long they are available.

Currently they've got two good ones.

Gaslight Anthem - iTunes Sessions, which came out today, features one new Gaslight song, a reworked version of "Boxer", and covers of "Baba O'Riley" (The Who),"Refugee" (Petty), "State of Love and Trust" (Pearl Jam), and "House of the Rising Sun" (The Animals). Click Here to Listen.

Deep Dark Woods - The Place I Left Behind - Which I mentioned back in July. Click Here to Listen.

Glossary - Long Live All of Us

Glossary's new album, Long Live All of Us, is out today. Buy it (and listen to it) here for only $5.

Yet Another Band New to Me - Prison Book Club

I've stumbled across alot of pretty good new music lately, or at least stuff that's new to me, and these guys may be the best of the recent bunch.

Prison Book Club includes members of The Fox Hunt and The Demon Beat (both of which you should check out if you aren't already familiar). In terms of their sound I'll spare you my attempt at a description because you can listen to both of their albums below, but if you're a fan of early Lucero and grittier DBT (think Cooley songs) you're likely a fan of Prison Book Club.

Prison Book Club released August 2011:



Required Reading released September 2009:

New Band - Alabama Shakes

Just recently discovered The Alabama Shakes from Athens, AL. Nice southern rock with a nostalgic nod to classic soul and vintage blues. Check out their recently released debut EP below courtesy of bandcamp, where you can buy it for $4.