Compilation: Friends Records 2011

Friends Records has been collecting songs since the beginning of 2011, and the result is a 30 song compilation full of new and exclusive tracks from Baltimore, Maryland.


Friends Records 2011 is out tomorrow, a free digital and limited double-cassette release available Thanksgiving Day. Citypaper premiered the opening track, a new Celebration song called "Sure Shot" that was recorded in the band's own Night Worm Studios.



Mark at YVYNYL uncovered another preview last week, Weekends' "Basement Fuzz."



The compilation was mastered for cassette by Rob Giradi at Lord Baltimore, and the artwork for the double-tape packaging comes compliments of Will Pesta.



The track list of this annual affair boasts a hefty supply of Baltimore heroes, with an unreleased Future Islands song recorded for KEXP, a recently recorded Dan Deacon track, the debut of Jenn Wasner's (Wye Oak) Flock of Dimes, new explorations by Jason Urick, a stark reminder of the return of Oxes, a lost gem from Dustin Wong and Molly Siegel, a new-anything wonder from Matt Papich's Co La, and more.



It also sports an Arthur Russell cover by Soft Cat, fresh digs from Holy Ghost Party, a hearty dose of sugar by Will Pesta's Inflatable Mattress, a new live jam from Lands and Peoples, some exclusive hard-nosed tomfoolery from Witch Hat, another psychedelic gift from Secret Mountains, and a lot more. Check out the entire track list below.

Side A
Celebration - Sure Shot 4.37
Future Islands - Tomorrow (Live @ KEXP) 3:31
Weekends - Basement Fuzz 2:08
Microkingdom - God's Total Woman 5:28
Moss Of Aura - Post 4:22
Jason Urick - Woman (For Jah Shaka) 6:58

Side B
Oxes - Hiawatha (Live @ WNUR) 4:51
Witch Hat - Break Interstate Park 5:28
Violet Hour - Absence Of Limbs 5:47
Sri Aurobindo - No Coincidence 3:29
Lonnie Walker - Inside Factories 3:49
Height With Friends - Mustard Seed 2:08

Side C
Soft Cat - This Is How We Walk On The Moon 3:36
Lands and Peoples - Memo (Live) 3:35
Flock Of Dimes - Prison Bride 2:54
Beth Varden - I Can't Stand 5:59
Brian Adam Ant - Psychic Assassins 2:23
Secret Mountains - Weepy Little Fingers 6:18
Buhloones - Something Else Exchange 2:13
Holy Ghost Party - Breakfast 3:26
Beyond Say - Bowl Of Water Moccassins 3:37

Side D
Dan Deacon - The Token Circle High 1:23
Co La - Visions Of Excess (Wet Version) 6:26
Jake Lingan - Hair Trigger 3;42
Vlonde - Love Theme 4:55
Avocado Happy Hour - Tactic 4:19
Dustin Wong and Molly Siegel - Untitled 1:52
Chase O'Hara and Amy Reid - Love You In Summer 2:43
Inflatable Mattress - Fantasy Motorboat 2:22
Neal Reinalda - Sunset In Baltimore 5:10

Get the double-cassette or free digital download right here on Thanksgiving.

IRL: Secret Mountains, Soft Cat, Arches

Bmore Musically Informed is super excited to announce its first gallery exhibition, a photo show called IRL that kicks off this Friday night at the Metro Gallery.

Featuring shots that have only existed in the internet world until now, the exhibit aims to portray shows that took place in real life in Baltimore. The show will feature work by Valerie Paulsgrove, Chrissy Abbott, and Adam Lempel. It will also include live audio contributions by David Carter and live video contributions by Guy Werner.

Opening weekend for the exhibit starts September 9 with the following heart-melters:










You can RSVP to see Secret Mountains, Soft Cat, and Arches right here.

Show: Dope Body, Roomrunner, Hume, Secret Mountains

Reflection: SXSW 2011

I went down to SXSW for the first time this year. I've heard just about every angle and opinion on the sprawling Austin, TX music festival from friends and musicians, but this year I went and saw for myself. I attended the event as a music fan, blogger, record label co-owner, promoter, and even had a band proclaim me as their tour manager. I've heard folks boast of endless free beer and shows, tacos, and great weather, while others have scorned me on taxing schedules, greedy industry heads, and total chaos.

I did my best to experience and learn about SXSW from as many views as possible, but mostly just attempted to pack as much live music into a one week span that fit.


Secret Mountains played a house show for their first set in Austin, an intimate affair that featured some of the most amazing living room sound I've ever experienced. This party showed off some of Austin's admirable hospitality, including a team of local beer enthusiasts that offered up free kegs of awesome home-brewed IPA and stout.


Lands and Peoples and Secret Mountains toured to Austin from Baltimore. I spent most of my time hanging out with both bands, attending gatherings of all varieties. Some were showcases for other bloggers that I've come to know and love, like the one both bands played on Friday. Put together by our friends at IGIF with help from Lefse and Big Ugly Yellow Couch, Lands and Peoples are pictured above playing their daytime set. Gobble Gobble performed that night, unleashing the only live antics all week that had me feeling like I was home in Baltimore. Dudes had the whole room dancing and getting in on it.



Another aurally stimulating affair played by both bands was the Head Underwater and Kassette Klub showcase. Amongst many others, it featured a stripped-down set from Tooth Ache. Hailing from Vermont, Tooth Ache's blend of warped synths and heavy beats paired cosmically with her chamber-esque vocals that had me totally entranced.



The rest of the week was chock full of amazing sounds, including catching once-Baltimore resident Cass McCombs at the Gorilla Vs. Bear / Mexican Summer showcase.



Our friends at Impose hosted a killer party every night. The show that we attended included back-to-back sets from Woodsman, Sun Araw, and Moon Duo who all killed it.



Another one of my favorite sets came from a solo project dubbed Porcelain Raft at the Forest Family / Transparent showcase, who reminded me a bit of a more jaded version of Winks. Later on that night we went back for a bar-exploding set from the garage royalty known as King Tuff, who blazed through gem after gem of their catalog.



The biggest spectacle of the week was Odd Future, seen above jumping from the speakers into the crowd. Their leader, Tyler the Creator, jumped from ones twice as high earlier in the set at this show. No one was injured (that I know of), unlike at the Thrasher party earlier that day where someone in the crowd got their nose broken.

IS SXSW WORTH IT???

SXSW was every bit as draining as one can imagine, where taking a break to catch your breath could mean missing a once-in-a-lifetime performance. But, is it worth all the effort, dedication, and money? From a music fan's perspective, it was worth it. With a non-stop slew of free concerts at your immediate disposal, no other festival compares.

From a musician's standpoint, the pay-off seems a bit more unclear. Artists can spend lots of money and/or time touring or traveling to the festival, then bolt around like workhorses from one showcase to the next only to display all their hard work while banner ads for soda and beer hang behind their instruments on stage. It is extremely rare that musicians get paid for any of their performances, all while millions of dollars in sponsorships and advertisements gets tossed around from one big wig to another. Even the smaller showcases put together by folks who actually care (including most of the ones mentioned above) are forced to put all of their budget towards PA's and space rental, as sound guys and rooms seemingly become a lot more pricier during SXSW.

Bands are willing to play SXSW for free because they are promised great exposure and a chance to play in front of music industry execs. However, when was the last time you heard about a band getting "discovered" or "breaking out" just from SXSW? Seems to me, the bands that get the most press from the festival are the ones that are already the blogger and media darlings of that current moment (e.g., Odd Future, James Blake, etc).

This is not meant to be an attack on SXSW, but in a time where the music industry is scrambling to figure out "what's next" or "what works", this massive fest appears to just reinforce the industry's old indulgent and greedy ways instead of trying to progress.

Show: Secret Mountains, Brendan Sullivan, more

I'll be back in full force soon enough, but for now be sure and make plans to head to the Windup Space this Wednesday for Secret Mountains, Brendan Sullivan, and Outer Minds.



The show starts at 8 PM, costs six dollars, and you can RSVP here. I'll resume regular posting tomorrow, starting with a reflection on my week spent in Austin at SXSW...

SXSW

No posts this week while I'm off at SXW, but check our Twitter and Tumblr for updates.

Secret Mountains - "Weepy Little Fingers" + SXSW Tour & Interactive Ambient Site

Secret Mountains leave for tour tomorrow with their friends, Lands and Peoples. To SXSW and back, both bands have been hard at work on new music. Lands and Peoples have been busy working on their debut full length, while Secret Mountains just dropped Rejoice. Secret Mountains already have another new song, take a gander below.



"Weepy Little Fingers" is a live favorite, as the young six-piece generally blasts this one with pride. It is among the first batch of new songs recorded at Mobtown Studios. The song rings hard from the beginning, twisting and entrancing it's way to your heart via Kelly's mean vocals and the rest of the crew's knack for psych-coated folk pop. It was submitted for the forthcoming Friends Records compilation, more on which is TBA.


In celebration of their joint tour to SXSW, Lands and Peoples and Secret Mountains have created an interactive ambient collage of members performing live. Videos of these performances are arranged in a grid, allowing the user to create their own experience.

Don't sleep on the exhibit page or the new song, and peep all the tour dates below.

3/11 Charlottesville, VA The Tea Bazaar - DOM, Andrew Cedarmark (just SM)
3/11 Washington, DC The Black Cat Wye Oak, Lower Dens (just L&P)
3/12 Savannah, GA Savannah Stopover Festival Murder By Death, Birds of Avalon
3/13 Tallahasse, Fl The Farside Holiday Shores, Levek + More
3/14 New Orleans, LA The Saint We Are Country Mice + More
3/15 Houston, TX Super Happy Fun Land We Are Country Mice + More
3/16 Austin, TX Animal Style (House Show) Lots of fun bands!
3/17 Austin, TX Hot Mama's Kassette Klub + Head Underwater Showcase
3/17 Austin, TX Thunderbird Coffee Giant Step Productions Showcase
3/18 Austin, TX Lipstick 24 I Guess I'm Floating Showcase
3/21 Oxford, MS Cats Purring Dude Ranch Gobble Gobble + More
3/23 Baltimore, MD The Windup Space Brendan Sullivan, Outer Minds

Clusterfuck: Shark Tank, Weekends, Moss Of Aura, Winks, Arbouretum, Raindeer, Secret Mountains, Holy Ghost Party

 flyer by Patrick Byrd

I haven't done a Clusterfuck post in a while, but this weekend's abundance of shows is calling for it. I've already highlighted the majority of these shows, so we'll keep it short and sweet as a friendly reminder of what you can treat your ears to this weekend.



Tonight the Windup Space is where you should be, as Shark Tank will be rocking their record release show with Ed Schrader and Moss of Aura. More info right here.



Tomorrow night sports a bill curated in full by yours truly, as Weekends, Raindeer, Winks, and Holy Ghost Party take over the Golden West. These are some of my absolute favorite new bands from Baltimore, and I'm stoked to bring them all together for one bill. This one's just $5, more info on the affair can be found right here.





And last but not least, Sunday night's got a killer show as well, as everyone's favorite doom-folk outfit will be celebrating their new record upstairs at the Ottobar. For their record release show, Arbouretum will be joined by Secret Mountains, making this more than worth not paying for. Yup, this one's free, and it starts at 9 PM.

Show: Lower Dens, Secret Mountains, Weekends

 photo by Emily Wandres

We're pleased to help present a great show down in D.C. next month - as Lower Dens, Secret Mountains, and Weekends all bring Baltimore to it's neighboring beltway.







This offering of some of Baltimore's finest will take place at Subterranean A, a small and fantastic space that just got up and running last year. Weekends' drenching noise-pop sonics will blast your ears backwards while Secret Mountain's lush psychedelic swirls will capture your hearts as Lower Dens' undeniably amazing brand of rock will leave you breathless. Yeah, it'll be like that and you're not going to want to miss it.

This show takes place on February 23, which also happens to be my birthday. I would like to thank the bands in advance for the killer birthday present, and hope to see everyone down in D.C. in a month. The show costs $7 and will get going around 8 PM.

Click through below to after the jump for a couple videos from these folks.

My Peak Is Too High

Went to the post office today and saw the biggest widow's peak I've ever seen.
Naturally, I rocked Sri Aurobindo's "My Peak is Too High" as soon as possible.



Sri Aurobindo play their first NYC show in a good while this weekend with Secret Mountains, Psychic Reality (ex Pocahaunted) and Quilt on Saturday, December 11 at Glasslands Gallery. Their new LP Cave Painting came out on wax this year.

Video: Secret Mountains - Rejoice

Dark and bright colored leaves are on the ground, and for the past couple of Fall seasons here in Baltimore, Secret Mountains have provided a solid soundtrack to said imagery.



The Fall of 2010 brings us their Rejoice EP - three new hearty gems from this young collective of lushly psychedelic folk-pop minds. We now have the first proper video for the release, a short filmed by Ace Kieffer and edited by John Andrews of Wisdom Tooth.

The shots were taken from the band's summer tour this year, the poster for which you'll find after the jump. You can pre order the Rejoice EP on cassette right here, which ships in a couple of weeks and is backed with an unreleased song from a session at Mobtown Studios. The digital version can be found here, and is also after the jump.

Secret Mountains - "Rest Easy" / Rejoice

Baltimore's Secret Mountains have a new EP. Last year's Kaddish showed us what they had to offer, but Rejoice cements what this incredibly lush folk pop band is capable of.

While this release is deeply rooted in the luminescent and ever-growing folk outfits here in town, it's the pop sensibilities that stick out - carefully scattered about the songs like the bright Autumn leaves you'll step on next month. Rejoice is a three track EP the band currently has with them on tour, and a proper home for the release is in the works.



"Rest Easy" is the last track of the three, and just like the others it clocks in at well over five minutes. It starts out delicate, which feels ideal after the heavy salt of the "Dead Sea" is used to "wash away the things we've done" in the track prior. But in the end you wake up and are at ease, and "Rest Easy" allows you to do just that. The song eventually bursts like balloons filled with joy and reflection - at a party singing along and dancing with all of your friends.

In this case their friends were actually singing, as Caleb from Lands & Peoples and Sianna Plavin add their magnificent vocals to parts of "Rest Easy". This EP paints atmospheres that inspire every emotion imaginable, with waves of color and splashes of darkness. Whether the melodies are eerie or brighter than the clouds, they are carefully laced throughout the entire album.

Secret Mountains stop through their hometown on a tour tonight, and play the Hexagon with our friends INEVERYROOM. Openers Hop Along and Green Paper front tonight's bill.

Rapdragons - Featuring Baltimore

From the first time I met Nick Often and Greg Ward of Rapdragons last year, the two Baltimore rappers were enticing me with a local-oriented project they had in the works. The project is titled Featuring Baltimore, and it will be officially released for free tomorrow via their very own LTD Comp.

Featuring Baltimore is a full length mixtape, where in which each song samples from a different Baltimore artist. The result of Nick and Greg's superior taste in local music and knack for beat-cooking is 16 tracks of hip hop ready for any summer party. Hear a taste below.



"Dragon's Heart" samples "A Dog's Dick" by Lower Dens, one of the standout tracks on the new Lower Dens LP that drops later this summer. The Rapdragons take on the jam capitalizes on the killer bass line found in the original, and of course adds on top verses of Nick and Greg's party rap that Bmore has come to know and love.

The full release can be downloaded for free on LTD Comp tomorrow, and features samples deriving from The Agrarians, Beach House, Double Dagger, Future Islands, Ponytail, Weekends, Baby Venom, Dope Body, Arbouretum, Secret Mountains, Mr. Moccasin, The Art Department, Lo Moda, and more. Peep the full track listing below.


Rapdragons - Featuring Baltimore (LTD Comp.)

01 Early for Work (samples Late for School by Ponytail)

02 Come Harvest (samples Growing Season by Secret Mountains)

03 Plot Twist (samples Shakescene by The Agrarians)

04 Trivial Prey feat. Rebel Conscious (samples Grave Hunter by Mr. Moccasin)

05 Camp Everywhere (samples Camp Nowhere by Weekends)

06 Real Summer (samples False Spring by Arbouretum)

07 Memory (samples Vision by Dope Body)

08 Manifest (samples Camouflage by Double Dagger)

09 Bury (samples Dig by Blood Baby)

10 Rap'n'Roll feat. AK & Hanna Badalova (samples Rock'n'Roll by The Art Department)

11 Slick Rick (samples Eyepatch by Baby Venom)

12 I Went to Her feat. Seven (samples You Came to Me by Beach House)

13 Constant Metropolis (samples Istanbul by Lo Moda)

14 Dragon's Heart (samples A Dog's Dick by Lower Dens)

15 Big Dreamers (samples Little Dreamer by Future Islands)

16 Gotta Go feat. Hemlock Ernst (samples Cannot Move by Existencils)

Mobtown Microshows

Our neighbors, Mobtown Studios, are a friendly little recording studio headed by Matthew Leffler-Schulman. Most recently, they're responsible for the daunting task of recording the entire NOVO Festival (for your downloading pleasure over on Aural States), which included yet another breathtaking set by Dustin Wong.

However, in-house they've been running their Mobtown Microshow series that has been on fire as of late. The series consists of a private show inside their Charles Village studio, where the performance is taped and released via their site. Since January they've hosted Secret Mountains, Mr. Moccasin, and most recently Rapdragons.

The Rapdragons show was of particular note, as Nick Often and Greg Ward lined up quite the supporting cast to help out with songs off of their upcoming Featuring Baltimore release. The session included Dustin Wong lending his guitar chops to "Early For Work", Aran from AK Slaughter guest rapping on "Rap’n'Roll", Future Islands fronter Sam Herring throwing down his vocal flow on "Gotta Go", and a couple fellows from Secret Mountains helping out with "Come Harvest".

It looks like Mobtown's got a fine list of upcoming microshows, including one with Weekends May 13... right around when Strange Cultures should be dropping. Here's their schedule until October, all shows are free but RSVP is requested due to small seating capacity.

• June 10: The Manly Deeds
• July 8: Yukon
• August 12: Leisure Icons
• September 9: We Used To Be Family
• October 14: A Cat Called Cricket

Photos: Warpaint, Secret Mountains, & Lands and Peoples at the Ottobar

Better late than never, here is Valerie's photo set from last Tuesday night's Ottobar show. Warpaint, Lands and Peoples, and Secret Mountains all provided lush soundscapes for those who attended.

Warpaint were an extremely talented closer, a female foursome hailing from Los Angeles. These ladies have heralded a ton of praise as of late, and last week they showed Baltimore why. Their stage presence was endearing, and their pop touched with psych was hazily beautiful. I highly reccomend their debut EP, Exquisite Corpse.

Lands and Peoples were a band to keep an eye on last year, and have sure enough began to come into their own in 2010. Their sound has expanded, along with their lineup as they've added a bassist. Last Tuesday offered a taste of some of the new things they've been working on, as they recently spent a week in Chris Freeland's studio recording a new album. However, the highlight of the set had to be their closing cover of Zomes' "Sentient Beings", of which the original is streaming below.



Get the rest of last Tuesday's photo set after the click.

Warpaint






Lands and Peoples






Secret Mountains







Photos by Valerie

Tonight: Warpaint, Lands and Peoples, and Secret Mountains at the Ottobar

A perfect way to spend your Tuesday evening, video and songs after the click.

Photos: Vetiver, Avi Buffalo, Secret Mountains, Small Sur

This week Sonar hosted two local bands paired with two outfits on the Sub Pop roster. Vetiver, Avi Buffalo, Secret Mountains, and Small Sur were all on the Tuesday night bill.

Vetiver were just as solid as they were last Baltimore go 'round. Andy Cabic's crew dropped a set heaviest in Tight Knit material, but well balanced with good stuff from their other records. My only complaint was that "The Swimming Song" was promised later in the set after requested via William Cashion's shout, and was a promise not lived up to. Here you go dude:



Vetiver were preceded by Avi Buffalo, one of Sub Pop's newest acquisitions. This was Avi Buffalo's third ever East Coast show, as these youngsters hail from Long Beach, California. They appeared to be a form of teenage Shins, yet far more engaging live than their label-buddy elders.

Secret Mountains at times sported an eight person lineup, and pulled the big sound off rather well. They featured a few that weren't on their debut, but some familiar tracks too. Look for more warm and fuzzy pop to come from these folks. Bob Keal's Small Sur sported a strong supporting cast as always, with Andy Abelow, Austin Stahl, and Wye Oak's Andy Stack making up the stage. Just as I said when I shared their recent Daytrotter session, I'm excited for Small Sur's 2010 release.



Take a gander at Chrissy's full photo set of the show after the jump.

Small Sur




Secret Mountains




Avi Buffalo




Vetiver





Photos by Chrissy

Secret Mountains - Kaddish (+ ticket giveaway to show with Vetiver)

Here's the first post from our newest contributor, Allie. Allie is a Baltimore native, and is currently at NYU studying within the Clive Davis Department of Recorded Music. While studying sound, she is working with Underwater Peoples, a neighboring DC record label that's been responsible for some pretty great things as of late.

This is Allie's take on the debut EP from Secret Mountains, a local release that you can download for free right here. Get words, music, and a chance to win tickets to their upcoming show with Vetiver below.

Listening to Kaddish, the debut EP of Baltimore-based Secret Mountains, will cause you to breath a bit deeper, move a bit slower, listener a bit closer. The gradual crescendo of ocean waves and bird chirps in the title-track opener sets the mood for what’s to come—pensive nostalgia and a breath of fresh air.



The band seems to take elements from many disparate types of music, combining and layering them in a way that doesn’t sit within the confines of any one genre. One moment there are reverb-washed guitars and gentle croons, the next the voices have multiplied into a chorus and the guitars are squealing with distortion.

However, despite this seeming lack of conformity, the resulting sound is never out of place. The album as a whole flows seamlessly and intuitively from one track to the next, giving it the sort of cohesion not often found in a debut EP. And after listening to Kaddish, believe me, you’ll have to remind yourself that it’s their debut.

As a bonus, here is Rapdragons' version of "Growing Season", sampling the Secret Mountains track, and taken from our podcast session with them at the Copycat.



Secret Mountains, Small Sur, and Avi Buffalo all open for Vetiver January 19th at Sonar. Email bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com, and let us know you want a pair of free passes to this one. We'll email a winner the day before the show.

Small Sur - Daytrotter Session

The Midwest's most consistent outlet of cozy music session downloads, Daytrotter, dropped a late Christmas present for ears abound. Small Sur, one of Baltimore's finest folk projects, recently stopped by and played some tunes.

With four songs in total, the session consists of two unreleased tracks, and two off of We Live In Houses Made Of Wood. Both of the new songs will appear on Small Sur's next full length in 2010.

Hear one of the new songs and link to the full session download below.


One of the more familar tracks, "Sea Stones", is one of the session's many bright spots. With a two minute intro of soft and hypnotic hushed noise, this one entrances you rather quickly. When Bob Keal's voice soaks in, complete bliss ensues, and you are quickly reminded of the beauty of 2008's We Live In Houses Made Of Wood.

"Ohhhhh Pt. 1 & 2", lumps two consecutive album tracks into one MP3. Andy Abelow's sax work at the end of "Pt. 1" is incredibly enchanting, and provides the perfect segway to the latter half. These songs have aged well since their birth over a year or so ago, much like the rest. Their is a steady flow throughout the whole session, reminiscent to walking through a creek in late September.



Above is one of the new tracks, "My Elder Days". This song cements proof that Bob's 2010 release is something to be excited for, slowly crawling from a gently swaying melody to a bubbling sunny burst of folk pop perfection.

Austin Stahl's drumming in this performance is also worth noting, tastefully scattered in all the right places. Also, proving music of this variety sometimes does need elements of formal percussion. These four tracks are a fantastic representation of Small Sur, and downloading it here via Daytrotter of course comes highly recommended.

Small Sur croons the Sonar club stage January 19, opening for Vetiver. Recent Sub Pop acquisition Avi Buffalo, and locals Secret Mountains are also part of this stellar lineup.