This past Saturday and Sunday, those who heard through friends and chatter were able to attend one of the city's more intimate events, Soft Fest. This was the space's second annual Soft Fest, and it had a very similar feel and vibe to last years event.
There was a long list of artists participating, but highlights included sets from Zomes, Dustin Wong, Lands & Peoples, Run DMT + Tonnstartsbandht, video premieres by Mark Brown (for Ami Dang and Teengirl Fantasy), Avocado Happy Hour, Gem Vision, Lexie Mountain Boys, Ecstatic Sunshine, Bird Names, Eachothers, and a whole lot more.
Take a gander at an offering of fine photos from Soft Fest by Valerie below.
Microkingdom play this Friday night at the G Spot in Baltimore for our Hallowen show along with Celebration, Sri Aurobindo, and Dustin Wong. Tickets can be found here.
If you've heard the phrases "no jazz" or "spazz jazz" or even the readily tossed around "avant jazz" somewhere in Baltimore over the past three years, chances are you've heard of Microkingdom. If not, say hello to Dr. Will Redman and Marc Miller of Oxes fame.
Above is "Peppermint Crab" which is off their forthcoming LP, Three Compositions of No Jazz. The record was recently mastered by the legendary Bob Weston, and has been three years in the making since the outfit's inception. "Peppermint Crab" is the first track on album, and only a taste of what the rest of the record will emanate to your head-space. This track serves as a warning, or a way to cleanse your brain before what comes next.
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Microkingdom's first album was a 12 inch record under the moniker, Microkingdom's Pro Hour. The record was self-released back in 2008, and contained two tracks dubbed "Wrenches: My Heart" and "Double Abacus". The record is now available digitally below, while only a handful of copies remain on mint green wax to be had right here.
When this record hit my turntable a few years ago, the only words that came out of mouth were probably "WOAH" or "what the fuck" or "hot damn". Other individuals had more intelligent thoughts to share about this spellbinding debut...
"A hyperactively burrowing noise excavation..." - The Wire "Schizophrenia defines both the unit and the individual." - Pitchfork "...focus you don’t often come by anymore in this realm." - Dusted
Microkingdom will debut this Friday night as five-piece. Prepare yourselves, folks.
Dustin Wong plays this Friday night at the G Spot in Baltimore for our Hallowen show along with Celebration, Sri Aurobindo, and Microkingdom. Tickets can be found here.
With much thanks to David Carter, I'm pleased to offer a recording of Dustin Wong's performance this past Saturday at the Metro Gallery as part of the Iraqui Student Project's benefit show. This was the first of two shows Dustin played that night, and provides excellent documentation of just how magical his performances can be. Stream the set in full below (available to stream for a limited time).
While I can't say I witnessed this set, I saw him close out Soft Fest later that evening. More on that amazing event to come, as we'll be featuring some coverage in the near future. The recording of his Metro Gallery set earlier that night finds Dustin in top notch form, blasting through a jam rich in familiar sounds from Infinite Love. It's been amazing to watch his live show grow and transform over the past year, transcending the mind-melting melodies and aura of past projects like Ecstatic Sunshine and Ponytail. One can only expect more great things to come from this guitar mastermind.
Our neighboring sound-seekers over at Wigflip Records continue their aural onslaught of gorgeous tunes with a fresh compilation to help commemorate the end of summer. In addition to some new jams from some local and familiar favorites, this compilation features some stellar new tunes from afar.
This is my first run-in with My Friend Wallis, which is the project of Crystal Dorval who resides in Vancouver, Canada. Above is "Be Free", a steady romp through the clouds that is chock full of ethereal pop bliss. Highly recommended for the Indian summer days of October, and another stellar addition to the Wigflip family.
Another radical new find is the work of Acid Flashback. A somewhat mysterious entity based out of both Atlanta and Toronto, their contribution to the compilation is certainly a highlight. "Big Dreams" recalls the head-bobbing 60s pop nostalgia found in Run DMT's "Spruce Bringsteen" (also on this comp), adding layers of even more dreamy vibes.
These new find are paired with some gems from some of our favorites including Dead Drums, Happy Family, Semya, Do While, Gem Vision, and more. Download the entire compilation for free right here, and check out the full track list after the jump.
This weekend there's a few solid options for musical endeavors to partake in here in Baltimore. Tonight you can head to the Golden West to hop on board the chill wave of Small Black, who just put out a full length on Jagjaguwar. Backing him will be Class Actress and the always awesome Talk To Animals.
Tomorrow night you've got more options starting with an excellent benefit at the Metro Gallery put on by Iraqi Student Project Baltimore. Headlining will be our friends INEVERYROOM, and also playing will be Romantic States, Dustin Wong, and Yeveto. Go support a good cause with some equally excellent tunes.
Also Saturday night, our favorite party rappers and our favorite punk rockers Rapdragons and Sick Weapons will be playing for the masses at Rams Head Live. They'll be opening for the pop-punk breakouts Matt & Kim.
Our friends Future Islands are about to finish up a massive European tour, and will turn right back around and embark on another tour here in the states throughout November.
Label mate and current Baltimore resident Jason Urick recently took a stab at remixing a couple of the tracks off of their latest LP, In Evening Air. Above is Urick's rendition of "Tin Man", a journey of sound that clocks in at over ten minutes long. The emotional synth pop track is turned into an ambient dance floor jam, complete with a killer beat and washes of noise. The original is hardly distinguishable, but its force is felt.
Thrill Jockey also passed along Jason Urick's reinterpretation of "In Evening Air", the LPs title track that sets the tone for the B-side of the disc. A similar approach is taken, but this one will send your mind much higher into the clouds. A careful dreamer, this one is best served late at night or when piloting an interplanetary space vessel.
Take a look at the rest of the Future Islands tour dates after the jump.
Tonight the Golden West sports a solid bill too with Tortoise's Doug McCombs and David Danielle. Opening the show will be the always excellent Eachothers and Jared Paolini. Take a listen above to a taste from Eachothers' Elopement which came out last year.
The good folks at Thrill Jockey recently passed along the forthcoming LP from the local trio Thank You. The new record is called Golden Worry, and is due out on January 25.
Above is "Pathetic Magic", which you'll find on the new LP, but was also on a sold out 12 inch that was released last year. "Pathetic Magic" leans towards the new direction of Golden Worry, but carries more of the same spontaneous rhythms and hypersonic melodies we're used to from Thank You. While the familiar characteristics we've come to know and love remain, the new record gains further advancement into more traditional song structures - creating what seems to the band's first rock record.
Golden Worry could be the band's pinnacle, successfully capturing the unassuming journeys of melody and fusion of industrial-tribal rhythms into a package accessible outside of their live performance. Vocals are now far more prominent, and are precisely interlaced to create and add new depths for the band.
The new LP was recorded by Chris Coady at DNA in New York and mixed by Chris Moore here in Baltimore. It is also the first full length with their new drummer Emmanuel Nicolaidis. In addition to the arrangement you may have witnessed for their live performance, the new records boasts sounds from ‘60s Vox organs, harmonica, mini-moog, jaw harp, sampler, and Fender Twin Reverb amps.
Check back for new sights and sounds from Thank You, Golden Worry drops January 25.
This is on Saturday, and it is going to be awesome. The winner of our contest is ZACH HOLMES, whose response was "I live in a van, DOWN BY THE RIVER".
On Saturday, October 16, John Sharkey III will perform as Puerto Rico Flowers here in Baltimore. The show will take place at the Talking Head, and is the only North American performance by the ex-Clockcleaner vocalist's new project to be played in 2010.
The current Australian resident relinquished his first EP under the new moniker early this year on Fan Death, which featured the unfuckwithable doom pop ballad "Let's Make Friends". Puerto Rico Flowers also dropped a new 7" single this summer that was backed with a gloriously tragic Neil Young cover. Fan Death recently let us know that a brand new full length called 7 will be released early next year.
I've got a pair of tickets to give away to this show. Send an email on over to bmoremusicallyinformed@gmail.com with your favorite Neil Young song, and we'll pick a winner a few days before the show. The evening also sports killer support from Pfisters and Screen Vinyl Image, both of which also have recordings with Baltimore's Fan Death.
This Sunday at The Annex, John of Environmental Aesthetics is throwing a show called Sunday Brunch. Taking place in 3E and 4W, 17 acts are slated to play from 2 PM 'til late.
With a wide variety sounds that are either based in the area or passing through Baltimore on their way up to CMJ, folks will have a plethora of vibes to take in with their eggs benedict and huevos rancheros. Be prepared for rock, warped R&B, psyched out electronics, Baltimore club, scuzzy post-folk, party rap, and plenty more.
The trio has released a 7 inch single with Impose Records, and a split cassette release on Breakfast of Champs with Weekends. The BOC tape featured a generous offering of Weekends live recordings, in addition to a handful of Total Slacker jams on the B-side.
"Stuck in 93" is short, sweet, and gets right the core of these folks. Sun-washed guitar squalls and simple floating melodies are at the forefront, while reverberated vocals are offered with reckless abandon. Not to say that there's no rhyme or reason to these sounds, as this band has developed a knack for lo-fi guitar fuzz with just the right amount of effort. These dudes are loafers to the fullest, and we approve.
Grab that tape here, and come out tomorrow night for a good time.
"A good reunion of old friends, and a new meeting. Ned brings the new 7" and welcomes a little help from old friends Dave Heumann, Walker Teret, and (drum roll, per favore) Anomoanon drummer Jack Carneal. Also, Ned lends some help to Television Hill--it's happened before and it's going to happen again. Windup Space, in the station north neighborhood of Baltimore, also welcomes Doug Paisley, who is touring in support of his fine new album, Constant Companion, release date October 12th on No Quarter Records, for which label Ned and Old Calf are in the studio October 11+, tracking their debut album, Borrow a Horse... it's a tangled web. The show is on Thursday, October 14. First set is Ned's; then Doug; then Television Hill. Please come!"
The show starts at 8:30 PM, also features Dark Dark Dark, and costs eight dollars.
The Ottobar has a trio of shows in October/November that each feature a different local headliner, and all of which have put out some of our favorite releases thus far this year.
Starting with next week, Lower Dens headlines the Ottobar on October 19 in what will be their last Baltimore show of 2010. They play with the much-hyped garage pop of Frankie Rose and the Outs and Woven Bones, and locals Junkers will be opening. Lower Dens just finished up a massive North American tour, complete with visits to NPR's Tiny Desk and Daytrotter, both of which are worth checking out.
On Friday, November 5th, Wye Oak headlines the venue. This one is supported by two other local bands that have always come recommended by us - Height with Friends and The Art Department. The local indie hip hop mainstay Height and the quirky and angsty poppers of the Art Department have both dropped excellent full lengths on vinyl this year.
And lastly, Future Islands will headline the Ottobar on Saturday, November 20th. This is the seven inch release party for a split they are putting out with Lonnie Walker, which contains the forthcoming Future Islands single "The Ink Well". The limited split is pressed to peach-colored vinyl and comes via Friends Records. Nov. 20 will be the last stop on a 17-date November tour that both bands are a part of. Opening the Baltimore release party will be Winks, a project that has a new full length coming soon.
Future Islands are currently finishing up in Europe, where they ran into Dan Deacon...
