One after another, amazing artists played at main stage, ensuring that no one would give up their seats along the pavilion – that is, until it started pouring. Though I have never previously listened to music by Solange, Beyonce’s little sister, she certainly impressed me with her vocal skills. At the same time, I kept comparing her to Beyonce, which may not have been fair on my part. Regardless, and to be quite frank, I was there for the acts that followed her: Gary Clark Jr., Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kendrick Lamar, Passion Pit, and Phoenix.

Having seen Gary Clark Jr. previously, I had high expectations for his set and sadly, I was a bit disappointed – but not because of him. Listening to him on the main stage was part of the problem. Seeing Gary Clark Jr. should be a more ‘intimate’ experience in my opinion. While it is great for him that he has made it this far, I very much preferred listening to his music in the tiny venue in Houston, TX. Though this may also be due to the fact that everyone in Houston had come to listen to Clark, while most at Sweetlife were probably there for later acts. From his side, however, Clark did a great job putting on a showcase performance.

Following Clark were the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, whom I was not extensively familiar with but had heard every now and then. From the get go, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs made sure the crowd participated in the experience with them. Karen O performed spectacularly and showcased her screams during various songs.

Kendrick Lamar followed the amazing performance by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and admittedly left me disappointed. Now, before a Kendrick Lamar or rap concert aficionado jumps on my throat, I want to preface by saying I have never seen a rap concert before – which is probably why I was caught off guard by how different Kendrick Lamar sounded from his tracks. I understand the need for auto tune in certain circumstances, but the extent to which this happens with rap artists is something I guess I ignored. Even with the difference in sound, however, Kendrick Lamar impressed me with his insane ability to freestyle toward the end of the set.

The clear favorites of the night though, were both Passion Pit and Phoenix, judging from the crowd’s responses to both. Passion Pit and Phoenix are both bands that I have listened to for years (in fact I’m listening to Phoenix as I write this). Needless to say, they were both amazing live. I have been to many concerts and rarely have I seen bands manage to get everyone involved with the sets as both Passion Pit and Phoenix were able to do. And I don’t I have ever danced or sang so much in my life, even with the mud and rain. Passion Pit and Phoenix put on some of the best performances I have ever seen from bands and I do not think I have anything negative to say about either of their sets. But again, I am extremely biased given how long I have listened to each band’s music.

As a whole, the Sweetlife Festival was definitely one of the best concert/festival experiences I have had. So for those of you who were on the fence about attending this year’s Sweetlife Festival and ended up not going, I definitely suggest you attend next year (provided of course the line-up is as good). With the exception of the RIDICULOUS number of high schoolers there, the festival was great.

-Umar Khan

All photos courtesy of the Sweetlife Festival.

Formed in 2009, Kids These Days won first place at Congress Theater’s Next Big Thing Competition. Two years later, the group played gigs at  Lollapalooza, Summerfest, The R00ts Picnic, and SXSW. Kids These Days’ latest album, Traphouse Rock, was produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and mixed by Mario C.

Their album is available to download, for FREE, here. Grab your copy and come see them LIVE ON SATURDAY, APRIL 27 at 8 PM IN BULLDOG ALLEY. Tickets are $5 beforehand and $7 at the door for Georgetown Students. For other DC area students, tickets are $7 beforehand and $10 at the door. Reserve your ticket(s) here.

-Umar Khan, Music Director

Now, you might ask why we were discussing the meaning of life. Well…I’m not too sure how we ended up on that subject, either. But, the red thread in this song refers to the red string of destiny that, according to East Asian belief, is tied around the one’s ankle by the gods. It is used to guide people through life and leads them to people they are supposed to meet or will help them in their journey. In the song, Israel, the lead singer, tells us to go live our lives and forget the red thread. In the end, we’ll end up where we are supposed to. I don’t think I believe in destiny, but I love Blind Pilot and the song fits with last night’s discussion of the meaning of life. So, here’s “One Red Thread” by Blind Pilot.

-Umar Khan, host of Hardly Strictly Folk, Sundays 4-5 PM

Easter Mix from HardlyStrictlyFolk on 8tracks Radio.

Track listing: 1. Oh my God- A Tribe Called Quest 2. Only God Can Judge Me- 2pac 3. Jesus Walks- Kanye West 4. God Made Man- Young the Giant 5. Left for Dead- Citizen Cope 6. Jesus, Etc. – Wilco 7. Mother Earth, Father God- TORRES 8. Personal Jesus- Johnny Cash 9. Jesus- The Velvet Underground 10. Jesus of Suburbia- Green Day

-Umar Khan, host of Hardly Strictly Folk, Sundays 4-5 PM

For those -like me- who have never previously heard of her, Garcia has performed throughout the US, and is currently on a tour playing at colleges throughout the lower 48. Her songwriting is influenced by her background in classical music and Filipino folk. She grew up in New York City and attended NYU, after which she initially began working as a journalist. In 2011, however, she moved to Los Angeles and started her career as a musician.

World Go Blue‘s opener, “War!”, a track I initially thought would be something straight out of one of Bob Dylan’s anti-war ballads, left me impressed but hoping for just a bit more. Though Garcia showcased her amazing voice in the piece, the song came off reminding me of “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton and “Love Song” by Sara Bereillis. While I might be okay hearing those songs belted out on a Friday or Saturday night, its certainly not something I want to hear while I am relaxing or studying. Through the whole song, for some strange reason I kept waiting for a ukulele -that never ended up showing- to start playing.

As if she had granted my exact wish, Garcia’s next song “Blue” implemented just what I had been hoping for: a ukulele. While listening to “Blue” I kept trying to put my finger on which artist the song reminded me of. And that is when it struck me that Garcia sounded very similar to Ingrid Michaelson. Both have similar voices and approaches to their songwriting. In fact, Garcia’s lyrics could easily be written by Michaelson or vice-versa, as displayed in the next few songs following “Blue”.

Right when I thought I had pinpointed Garcia’s style, however, I was delivered “Replaced”, a song whose opening sounds slightly similar to “(Ghost) Riders In The Sky” by Johnny Cash. It is a haunting but beautiful ballad whose lyrics almost anyone can relate to. The song represents Garcia’s potential as a singer and songwriter, should she choose to move away from the Taylor Swift-esque lyrics and Michaelson sound displayed in some of the album’s earlier songs.

In the end, World Go Blue certainly impressed me, but also left me confused as to which direction Garcia should go to best showcase her talent as a singer and songwriter. Garcia definitely has a beautiful voice that has incredible potential. The only thing left to do is continue working on her style and ensure it has a definitive direction.

Ratings:

• Voice: 10/10
• Album: 6.5/10

“Illmerica” is a electro house/progressive house mix by Wolfgang Gartner and I thought it fitting to post as Song of the Day given that today is the start of Spring Break. Enjoy

-Umar Khan, host of Hardly Strictly Folk, Sundays 4-5 PM.

Valentine’s Mix from HardlyStrictlyFolk on 8tracks Radio.

Track listing: 1. Love They Say- Tegan & Sara 2. Holy Roller- Thao with the Get Down Stay Down 3. The Dead Sea- The Lumineers 4. Two Crooked Hearts- Langhorne Slim & The Law 5. A New Life- Jim James 6. Elsewhere- Heyrocoo 7. Dancing On My Own- Robyn 8. Weight of Love- Gliss 9. I Knew You Were Trouble- Taylor Swift

-Umar Khan, host of Hardly Strictly Folk, Sundays 4-5 PM

Important Notice: All downloadable MP3 files are for evaluation and sampling purposes only. WGTB Georgetown Radio believes in buying music and encourages its readers to show support for any artists they like by buying albums and/or attending shows. 

The first several releases are from unsigned artists. Short descriptions are provided.

Our first song comes from Wooden Wand, the stage name for singer-songwriter James Jackson Troth. Troth draws influences from a variety of experimental folk and rock genres to create his music. His latest album, Blood Oath of the New Blues was released on January 8th. Check out, “Southern Colorado Song,” below and follow the link to Soundcloud to download your copy of the MP3.

This next release is from 20-year old Colin Davis, an unsigned artist from Ithaca, New York. His debut EP, The Restless and the Wicked was released on the 1st of January. Davis’ music is a mix of soulful folk and indie pop. Musical influences include Wilco, AA Bondy, Father John Misty, and Otis Redding. Check out this song, “Unsustained,” below.

Moving right along, we’ve new music from unsigned group, The Agreeables. The group is an indie-rock duo from Santa Barbara, California that just released their debut EP, Bonus Tracks. Top influences include The Beatles, Elton John, Cat Stevens, and Wilco. Check out “I’d Fly Away,” below.

This next song comes from a band that has gained a large following internationally, but up until now has had limited success in garnering support in the States. We’re No Heroes is a UK trio that released a single off their upcoming album. Though the album is scheduled for the summer, we can catch a preview of what to expect with “Distort the Air,” featured below.

Continuing with our fascination with UK bands, London unsigned band, Youthband released their debut single “The Future Is Not What It Used to Be,” earlier in January. Check it out below.

Check out this new release from Austin trio, Dead Recipe. The group has come together to mix folk, rock, blues, and pop in their music. Check out ”Flowers,” from their self-titled album Dead Recipe below. Free downloads here.

Charleston, South Carolina band, Brave Baby released their debut LP, Forty Bells, in January. Check out their track “Magic & Fire” below.

The next releases in this column need no introductions, so we’ll list them out for you. Friendly reminder: If you like an artist’s music, support them by buying the album or seeing them live. These downloads are meant merely to be samplers of the artists’ works.

To play, click on the link. To download, simply right click and save as.

“Ohm”- Yo La Tengo from Fade (look out for a review from WGTB)

“Josh-McBride”- The Head and the Heart from Josh McBride/Honey Come Home 78 rpm

“Here We Go”- Christopher Owens from Lysandre (check out Sam’s review here)

“I Wear Black”- Ty Segal and Mikal Cronin from Reverse Shark Attack

“Say That”- Toro Y Moi from Anything In Return (look out for a review from WGTB)

“Lady Luck (feat. Sharon Van Etten)”- Pickwick from Covers EP

“Girls Want Rock”- Free Energy from Love Sign (70s Pop Rock)

“Try (feat. Toro Y Moi)”- Nosaj Thing from Home (look out for a review from WGTB)

“Use Me for Your Eggs”- The Growlers from Hung at Heart (look out for a review from WGTB)

“This Ladder Is Ours”- The Joy Formidable from Wolf’s Law (look out for a review from WGTB)

“Beta Love”- Ra Ra Riot from Beta Love  (check out Hopey Fink’s review here)

“Cheap Beer”- FIDLAR from FIDLAR (look out for a review from WGTB)

“I Used to Think”- Pillowfight from Pillowfight (look out for a review from WGTB)

“Shuggie”- Foxygen from We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic (look out for a review from WGTB)

“Breakers”- Local Natives from Hummingbirds (check out Hopey Fink’s review here)

“Closer”- Tegan and Sara from Heartthrob (check out Sarah Butler’s  review here)

Monster Misdemeanors- Yellow Red Sparks from Yellow Red Sparks

“Oh February” Y La Bamba from Yeah Right

Think I missed a release? Let me know at rotation@georgetownradio.com

-Umar Khan, host of Hardly Strictly Folk, Sundays from 4-5 PM

1st Edition from TheRotation on 8tracks Radio.

Track listing: 1. Used to Think- Pillowfight 2. Line of Bones- Hemmingbirds 3. The Future is Not What It Used to Be- Youthband 4. Magic & Fire- Brave Baby 5. I’m Goin’ Down- Eric Howl 6. Beta Love- Ra Ra Riot 7. Fuckin’ Problems- A$AP Rocky 8. Closer- Tegan and Sara 9. Flying Mountain- Golden Bloom 10. Lady Luck (feat. Sharon Van Etten)- Pickwick 11. Monster Misdemeanors- Yellow Red Sparks

-Umar Khan, host of Hardly Strictly Folk, Sundays 4-5 PM

-Umar Khan, host of Hardly Strictly Folk, Thursdays from 4-5 PM