Monthly Archives: June 2011

Black Lips have always been on my radar, but I never really got into them before seriously sitting down and listening to their new album beginning to end a few days ago. I guess I thought that they sounded too similar to the other garage punk bands I already liked. But I’m glad that I forced myself to listen to their new album Arabia Mountain because my patience paid off.

Arabia Mountain is a surprisingly polished album coming from a band known more for their grittier, lo-fi sounds. It’s cleaner and more accessible, yet at the same time presents a plethora of different musical styles all woven together by their quirky psychedelic poppy theme. Read More »

A little while ago we had our annual Open Mic night (if you missed last year’s, you can catch up here) in Bulldog Alley. As always it was a really enjoyable evening of music, slam poetry, and a whole lot of acoustic guitars, and the house was packed. We recorded all of it and have posted it here for you.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is a video? I don’t do math, as a policy, but it seems like that would be a ton of words, so here, then, are a lot of words. Never mind that these are a bit belated; memories fade but videos are forever! Enjoy this footage of our variously talented student body and let us know what you enjoyed best in the comments. Read More »

DC-based painter Dana Ellyn definitely isn’t afraid to express herself…verbally and artistically. From her G Street studio, Ellyn discussed the public figures depicted in her collection, as well as the annual project she and her painter husband, Matt Sesow, take on every year: “31 Days in July”

Listen to the interview HERE

Tonight Lauren Hodges, host of Public Interview, is headed to the downtown studio of artist Dana Ellyn to tour her collection and talk about her project “31 Days in July”, now in it’s 8th year.

Afterwards, Lauren will broadcast the interview on WGTB at 9 pm, so tune in to catch it. In case you miss it tonight, you can hear the chat tomorrow posted on this website. Read More »

The giant green Adriondack chair on the lawn of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts has provided endless hours of amusement and climbing activity for Georgetown students late at night, but this is probably the first time a full-fledged band has graced its wooden slats. Jeremy Messersmith, a Minneapolis-based indie-folk singer with an enthusiastic and gregarious band, stopped by The Big Chair last Sunday before the group’s show at DC9 that night (playing with Keegan DeWitt.) Despite the rain and bugs, the band played a few songs on the chair, including a lovely Magnetic Fields cover that fits perfectly with Messersmith’s golden-warm yet slightly haunting aesthetic. Check them out after the jump. Read More »

I’ve been a neglectful Facebook parent about marketing the page…so I’m a little behind! Show the show some love by “liking” it HERE.

Thanks to all who have been listening and following PI on Twitter! I’ll be posting individual links to the interviews with Jim Lehrer, Mike Madden and Svetlana Legetic soon, but for now, here’s a link to the PI Blog, where the interviews all currently live. Tune in next week for guest Dana Ellyn, a DC-based painter who is starting the eighth year of her “31 Days of July” project.

– Lauren Hodges

With a name like Cults, it is puzzling that listening to their debut self-titled album reminded me of experiences purchasing the entire …Baby One More Time record just to hear the Britney Spears single by the same name. In 1999 I was surprised to enjoy Spears’s other recordings on the album when it was unimaginable that she could top the single “Baby One More Time,” or produce similarly catchy songs at the least. As I learned, Cults has more striking material to offer than their Pitchfork hits, “Go Outside” and “Most Wanted.” Read More »

If, like me, you had a friend that was all over the indie scene in the 2000s and are sick to death of hearing Ben Gibbard’s voice: Rejoice! The new album barely sounds like him!

If you were that friend: Don’t worry, the new album still has something to offer to old fans. Besides, Death Cab’s back!

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you may actually be the most likely to enjoy this album. Read More »