Giveaway: Celebration & TV on The Radio+ photos from Celebration's release show @ 2640

Photos of Celebration's recent album release show from our own Valerie Paulsgrove got lost in the SXSW shuffle last week, but today I've got those and more good stuff to share.



Celebration have just announced a string of new tour dates, as they'll be supporting their friends TV on The Radio in a few weeks. It's a weekend tour that hits Philadelphia, Charlottesville, and Baltimore. The Philly date is Friday, April 8 at the Electric Factory, the stop in Charlottesville is Saturday, April 9 at the Jefferson Theatre, and Sunday, April 10 Celebration play a hometown show at Rams Head with TV on The Radio.

I've got a pair of VIP passes to give away to someone for the Baltimore show. To enter, singer Katrina Ford has devised a contest. Email a photo you took of something you consider "MAGICAL" to bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com. It doesn't need to be fancy, a camera phone photo is preferred, and please keep the file sizes small.



A few weeks ago Friends Records hosted Celebration's release show at the 2640 Space with Future Islands and Arbouretum. The old church was transformed into our own Hello Paradise, and a cosmic evening of some of our favorite Baltimore bands ensued.

Show Review: TV on the Radio and The Dirty Projectors

Last night the force that is TV on the Radio began a 2 night sold out stint at the 930 Club. Always used to a warm reception in the area, Monday night wasn't any different.

Dave Longstreth's Dirty Projectors opened up the affair, a band I had caught a few days ago across from the Charles at Rufustival. Similar sets were played at both events, as their brand of infectious experimental pop proved worthy of recent attention. What I thought to be a handy editing job on the production of Bitte Orca, proved otherwise. The fast paced bursting vocal harmonies of Haley and Amber on several tracks reigned true live. Certainly a band worth checking out next go around.

TV on the Radio geared up last night for a big show this weekend, as they are slotted to play before David Byrne at Bonnaroo. A band that is able to acclimate to any type of venue, the big yet almost intimate feel of the 930 Club was yet another perfect compliment to their sound.

Tunde bounced around with great enthusiasm, while the rest of the crew hit every note with emphasis as each song boomed in grand fashion. The highlight had to be Celebration's Katrina Ford joining the band for an amped up version of "Staring at the Sun". I couldn't help hoping that they'd help her out with one of Celebration's fantastic new tracks. Maybe next time.

The Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca

It would be pretty tough to be in the Bmore/DC metro area this weekend and not hear someone mention the Dirty Projectors. Not only are they one of the many highlights of tomorrow's RUFUSTIVAL, the avant pop band opens for TV on the Radio Monday and Tuesday at the 930 Club.

Oh, and lets not forget their eagerly anticipated first release with Domino, which drops this Tuesday June 9th. Dave Longstreth is the mastermind behind the Dirty Projectors. Dude has already created an album full of re-hashed Black Flag covers written from memory, and a concept album focusing on Don Henley.

Bitte Orca leaves behind the concepts. Instead, it brings forth the band's knack for spanning a multitude of genres and styles with surprisingly little confusion. "Stillness is the Move" wouldn't be entirely out of place if heard on an R&B radio station, but still boasts experimental configurations not found on your old Boyz II Men tape. "Useful Chamber" is a standout that swanks pop melodies which effortlessly warp into infectiously spazzed out moments, all layered over hip hop beats.

This is by far the band's most accessible album, and almost makes you wonder why they conistently get dubbed an "acquired taste". Sure, there's plenty of avant garde notions. But Bitte Orca is simply a fantastic pop record at its core.

Celebration Tonight

Their first show in awhile, Celebration will be headlining The Windup Space tonight. The group's unique brand of tribal atmospheric rock will fail to disappoint, and Katrina Ford's ambitious pipes will surely bellow up and down North Ave. Lone Wolf and Ami Dang open up the affair, which kicks off at 9 pm.

David Sitek played a heavy part in creating both of Celebration's fantastic albums, as the local native produced both LPs. David Sitek's mega huge band, TV on the Radio, just announced an evening at the 930 Club on June 6th. Tickets go on sale here on Saturday at 10 am. Expect them to sell out, faster than Stringer Bell runs from Omar.

Updated Playlists For Your Ears

New and improved playlist action, bmoremusic now complete with playlists that vow to be aurally superior than this "david after dentist" remix. While not as amusing as a 7 year old hopped up on dental meds, take a listen and you mightt feel a bit like David.

There are two colored coded options for now. Yellow one features freshly updated and naturally diverse regional picks. Artists on here either reside in Baltimore or DC, or have members that originated in these parts. Example: TV on the Radio's cover of Daniel Johnston's "walking the cow" makes the cut because David Sitek is from Columbia. Not to mention, it's a sweet cover of an excellent original.

The green one has tracks spanning space and time, paired with new stuff influenced by such. Right now it ranges from Nigerian funk from after the country's civil war, to warped and obscure French disco from the late 70's, to even a band from New Jersey!

If you have suggestions for either playlist, or life in general, email:

bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com

TV on the Radio: Video Premiere

TV on the Radio's new album Dear, Science hits shelves next week. The video for "Golden Age" dropped yesterday, and hints that the new album might be a more dance-oriented affair than the atmospheric gems of their past. Either way, its probably going to rock.

Recent Informings

TV on the Radio announced the release of their 3rd LP earlier this week. Much to my pleasantry, it will be released September 23rd right after I go to this out west.

But for those that urn for more instant gratification, a whole lot has come out recently that's in need of your ears. Dr. Dog's newest release Fate is one of which described, and contains guitar pop keyboard goodness.

Menomena's Danny Seim released his 9th LP under the moniker Lackthereof this week. Most of his other releases, including numerous CDR's he passed out amongst friends, have been more sedated folksy endeavors.

Your Anchor displays loads of Menomena-infused jams that float along swimmingly. This is the first one that Barsuk has released of his, and certainly has my strong endorsed recommendation.

Thrill Jockey has dropped lots of love lately. Not only have they debuted the album from Baltimore's own Thank You, They also released Arbouretem and Pontiak's split vinyl action called Kale this week.

In addition to the previous two fine LP's, High Places' collection of singles 03/07 - 09/07 came out on the label Tuesday. This compilation includes experimental fuzz pop gems from 7" vinyls, and some other enjoyable tunes.

The Dutchess and the Duke's debut is also worth your short attention span. The album is full of tracks that sound like an infusion of Exile-era Stones and The White Stripes. Not too shabby.

Also, Bodies of Water's LP, A Certain Feeling, arrived this week. Think Fleet Foxes but infused with opera and soul, and somehow even better than I described. Check out their Daytrotter session right here.

4 Names, 1 Dude, & 1 Ridiculous Album

While picking up some other awesome records during my lunchbreak yesterday, I stumbled upon Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson's debut LP. The first track off this album has been on repeat for me over the past couple weeks, so naturally I grabbed it.

When you have Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor on production along with fellow bandmates Chris Bear and Daniel Rossen collaborating, chances are your going to produce an amazing album. Oh, and Kyp Malone of TV on the Radio also makes a few appearances. Wow.

The thing is, I'm pretty sure that even without all of the extra talent helping him out, this record would have been remarkable anyways. His songwriting style and lyrics are truly unique, which will certainly draw much attention to this new Brooklyn-based artist.

The album will be released on Say Hey Records July 1st, but Soundgarden has copies of it now. Check out a few of the tracks for free right here. "Burified" is the jam that has not left my head for the past month.