Clarendon Day

It’s Clarendon Day this Saturday in downtown Arlington, and the weather is supposed to be beautiful – perfect for enjoying some good music, tasty food, and funky arts and crafts. There will be four stages of music, with bands such as the Brindley Brothers, The Speaks, and These United States will be performing, just to name a few.

A Case of the Fridays

Well, we’re pretty much through with September, though I really can’t remember where the month went. That being said, the music still remains, and we start things off with Dappled Cities’ “Vision Bell.” It’s an unconventional pop track, yet it remains interesting and catchy throughout, with clever instrumentation and wise alternating use of falsetto vocals. If you like what you hear, Dappled Cities will be at the Rock and Roll Hotel Friday, September 28th.

MP3: Vision Bell – Dappled Cities

And we close out this week with “Can You Let Me Know,”a new track from Lupe Fiasco. I love how Sarah Green’s sugary smooth R&B vocals and keyboard samples provide a nice old-school backing for Lupe Fiasco and Verbal to lay down their free-flowing rhymes. Give it a listen.

MP3: Can You Let Me Know - Lupe Fiasco f/ Verbal & Sarah Green

Dewey Beach Music Conference 2007

This weekend the Dewey Beach Music Conference will be in full swing, with a ton of performers (check out the full schedule here), panels, speakers, and parties from Thursday until Saturday.

A Case of the Fridays

I just got back from vacation, and now the weekend is starting. Perfect timing. Anyway, leading off this week we have Jesse Harris’ track, “Feel.” The writer of Norah Jones’ hit “Don’t Know Why” channels an earthy, acoustic vibe, and keeps things catchy and breezy throughout the track. If you like what you hear, Jesse Harris will be in town Tuesday, September 25th at IOTA.

MP3: Feel – Jesse Harris

And we close out the day with “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles. She's got an amazing voice with great range that slips effortlessly into a killer piano pop song. Definitely give it a listen.

MP3: Love Song – Sara Bareilles

Help These United States

DC's These United States need your help. They have made it to the final round of Amie Street's Sets The Stage contest and now they need some votes. They are getting killed by a Brooklyn band, so let's represent DC and help them win. Everyone knows that these guys deserve it and if they win, they get a CMJ showcase and $10,000. More money for them, means more great music for us to consume. To vote, you need to register, but it only takes a second. Use the promo code "instrumental" and you well get a bunch of free credits to use on the great indie music that Amie Street promotes. So please take a minute and help this great band out. If you aren't familiar with one of DC's finest, check out the great track below.


So High So Low So Wide So Long

The English are waiting and I don't know what to do - The National in concert

After missing out on their last, sold-out show at the 9:30 Club, I wasn't about to pass up a chance to catch The National again. Opening for them were Doveman and The Rosebuds. Doveman, a New York based quintet, showed potential with their densely layered instrumentation and Gibbard-esque lead vocals, but they could have desperately used the services of a good sound engineer. Their sound was often disjointed and confusing, the vocals lost in a sea of instruments that didn't always appear to be playing the same song. The Rosebuds, a duo from Raleigh, NC, delivered a spirited opening set, combining soaring 80s synth pop with a hip-hop influence lyrical sensibility. Although they didn't use samples, per se, they did weave lyrics from There is a Light That Never Goes Out and In the Air Tonight into their songs. Their catchy single Get Up Get Out oozes college radio playability, and the male/female vocal dynamic sounds like an updated version of Human League meets early New Order.

The headliner took the stage as scheduled and delivered a tight, workmanlike set. Putting aside the lush instrumental feel of Boxer, one can't watch The National perform without realizing that these guys know how to rock. They're an exceptionally tight band on stage, led by the lanky Matt Berninger and his sing-song baritone that's equal parts Johnny Cash and Mark Eitzel. Their music is thunderous and beautiful and plaintive at the same time, and their obtuse lyrics mirror a detached stage presence. Even after 8 years leading the band, Berninger doesn't appear to be completely comfortable on stage. He has a minimalist stage presence, rarely engaging the audience directly. His most powerful moments come in uptempo numbers, his microphone thrust heavenward as if he were cursing God and the darkness.

The set consisted largely of tracks from Boxer, but the band did manage to work a few older crowd favorites like Mr. November, Abel and About Today into the setlist. The National is a band fully realizing their considerable potential. They leave you with the impression that they're on the verge of mass market stardom, should they choose to embrace it.

Le Loup Contest

DC's recently-signed Le Loup is having their CD release party at Black Cat on 9/29 w/ These United States. And Instrumental Analysis is having a contest here in which you can win a free copy of the new CD and/or 2 tickets to the show. Check it out.