Monthly Archives: July 2010

Review: Admiral Radley, I Heart California

Posted by on July 20th 2010 0

I Heart California

Admiral Radley
I Heart California
B

Admiral Radley is a union of four long-time friends and indie musicians – Jason Lytle and Aaron Burtch of Granddaddy with Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray of Earlimart. They initially tried to express this collaborative effort in the band’s name, wavering between Grandimart and Earlidaddy, but realized that these were not very good names for a rock band. Inspiration struck when the band mates had a chance encounter with a mysterious seaman, who called himself Admiral Radley and suggested they name their band after him and “go forth and play shows and spread [their] loose and enjoyable message.” They took his advice. This proved to be a much more fitting name for the Golden State musicians, who make music intimately tied to their coastal roots with an understated coolness.

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Review: Fol Chen, Part II: The New December

Posted by on July 18th 2010 0

fol-chen-new-december-cover-art
Fol Chen really wants to be weird. In 2009, the Los Angeles based indie sextet shrouded the release of their first album in secrecy, concealing the group members’ names and identities and issuing a press release in which they described themselves as sounding like “that mysterious black object that the creepy family is staring at on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s Presence album.” I mean, come on. Even after listening to their sophomore album, Part II: The New December—which admittedly does sound like that mysterious object (think enigmatic, wonky, a little bizarre)—I think that giving yourself description is a little on the pretentious side.

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Review: Stars, The Five Ghosts

Posted by on July 17th 2010 0

StarsThe Five Ghosts6/10
For anyone who has listened to Stars’ previous records, their latest album The Five Ghosts, is a comfort. Easygoing melodies lain over catchy keyboards and guitars are welcome touches to the Canadian duo’s indie pop repertoire.
Despite attempts to update their sound with electro eighties’ style beats and punchy drums, Stars cannot evade their signature smooth effervescence. Normally a continuation of such a successful style would be happily received; however, with all members belonging to another popular band, Broken Social Scene, is it unfair to consider this consistency a bit…redundant?
Strangely enough, I must also add that the Stars format of duet is not as successful in The Five Ghosts as it has been in previous albums. In their earlier work, the combination of male and female voices felt natural and sincere. The dialogue gave depth to themes that are often overused in recorded music. However, in the recent songs, the male vocals of Torquil Campbell feel cliché, insincere, and trite. His vocals resonate with too much effort and at first listen, make the likable album sound like the a combination of Michael Bublé mixed over the soundtrack to West Side Story—the musical! And with all the death imagery, this comparison feels even more appropriate.

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Did The Intern Show Up? Vol. 3: They Like Me, They Really Like Me!

Posted by on July 8th 2010 0

Yo man, I’m stoked to tell you about this jawn I’ve been thinking about all week for the column. It’ll be so punk that nothing will be able to bum you out for the rest of the day. Did you understand that? Yes? Good. That means you’ve been paying attention. If you haven’t, first know that I’m glaring at you right now. Then click on my name at the bottom of this entry and go educate yourself. This is invaluable knowledge I’m providing right here. Take advantage of it, love it, learn it. Say “thank you” in the comment section to stroke my ego.
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Concert Review: Quadron at Liv Nightclub (DC)

Posted by on July 7th 2010 0

Quadron @ Liv Nightclub
23 June, 2010

Quadron! Where do I begin? There are very few musicians that have surprised me in such a pleasant way. This past Wednesday I had the opportunity to head out to U Street’s Liv Night Club to see Quadron in concert. This was a pretty random event given that I hadn’t heard of Quadron until the day before. Because of work, I didn’t have much time to check out their music in the twenty-four hours before the concert. Pretty much all I knew was that they are a pop duo from Denmark. I also hadn’t heard of Liv beforehand so I was going into this whole excursion completely blind. I persuaded a friend to come along and when we arrived at the venue both of us where pretty shocked by the scene. I for one was expecting to see a bunch of high school students with dyed hair. I don’t know what made me anticipate this particular scene but this is a clear example as to why you shouldn’t, and actually can’t, judge a band by its genre. When we arrived, Quadron had already started their set and the audience actually consisted of jazzed-up adults. The atmosphere of the venue was very relaxed: the dance floor was not overly packed and Coco, Quadron’s sole lady and lead vocalist, was talking directly to people in the audience.

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District Dialect: Duke Ellington School of the Arts

Posted by on July 7th 2010 0



Graham Wolf explores the Duke Ellington School of the Arts just north of Georgetown University.  He profiles the school, covers their dual arts-academics curriculum and asks what makes Ellington students so successful in a public school system with many historic challenges.  Finally, he touches on the sensitive subject of location change.

Duke Ellington School of the Arts by igorgerman

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Take Cover: Andre 3000 is The 5th Beatle

Posted by on July 6th 2010 0


Andre 3000, “All Together Now” (The Beatles)

Andre 3000 is genre-defying, another thing just makes him cooler than you, along with his super style and well-established hip-hop empire. His songs are expansive and experimental, he chooses great samples and he’s a hometown hero for Atlanta. All of which makes him qualified to cover the Beatles – a significant feat given how easy it would be to potentially ruin a great pop song. But Andre knows pop, and he makes “All Together Now” raucous, wild, and plucky. Take a listen below:

01 All Together Now by a1589758

– Caroline Klibanoff

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Play What? Play This Playlist: O Beautiful For Spacious Skies

Posted by on July 4th 2010 0

Who doesn’t like the Fourth of July? It’s a middle-of-the-summer marker, right smack dab in the middle of hot and hotter weather, an easygoing, laid-back holiday all about relaxing with friends and family and celebrating the nation’s history. Fireworks, cookouts, red-white-and-blue decor, patriotic songs that would be cheesy on any other day (unless you’re me, and dig that shit all the time.) Plus, it’s a long weekend!

Oh, America. The land of hope and dreams, the home of the brave, a place of golden opportunity, the subject of thousands of songs and books and essays and fairweather fans’ attentions during this summer of American sport domination – it is only fitting that on this Independence Day weekend we honor you with a playlist, including The Hold Steady’s take on Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Check it out below, loyal WGTB readers, along with possibly my favorite rendition of a national song, and enjoy the holiday weekend!

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