Wilco Wants You To Vote!

Wilco wants you to vote in the election – and they’re willing to give you some free music if you agree to. (But hey, you were going to vote anyway, right?) So go here and pledge to vote, and they’ll give you an mp3 of their live cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” performed with Fleet Foxes. Check out those beautiful harmonies.

Mugison/Bellman Barker @ DC9 Tuesday

Get a taste of something a little different tomorrow night as Mugison (above) howls in from Iceland to join your indie-pop friends Bellman Barker for a night of rock at DC9 Tuesday, 9/23. And check out this new demo from BB below…

MP3: Murr Murr - Mugison
MP3: Last Name (demo) – Bellman Barker

A Case of the Fridays

It’s a bit early in the season, but we kick things off this week with “Xmas Party,” by Jennifer O’Connor (above). It’s a nice little biting piece of indie folk-rock, along the lines of Kathleen Edwards. If you like what you hear, she’ll be at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA Sunday, September 21st.

MP3: Xmas Song – Jennifer O’Connor

And now we flip to something that sounds a bit different, with Takka Takka’s “Silence.” If quiet haunting electronica w/ hypnotic drum beats and hushed vocals is your thing, then give it a listen. Takka Takka will be playing at the Black Cat Thursday, September 25th.

MP3: Silence - Takka Takka

Photo by John Von Pamer

A Case of the Fridays

Is it getting darker out sooner or is it just me? Anyway, we kick off this week with “Wreck” by The Bittersweets (above). It’s catchy alt-country that’ll stick in your head, thanks to the sweet breathy rasp of lead vocalist Hannah Prater and some tight harmony accents by her male counterpart. If you like what you hear, they’ll be at IOTA in Arlington on Tuesday, September 16th.

MP3: Wreck – The Bittersweets

One of my favorite bands, James, is finally doing a US tour (in support of their new CD, Hey Ma), and they’re actually going to be playing a date in Washington DC at the 9:30 Club Thursday September 18th. And here’s their bouncy dance track “Afro Lover” off of Millionaires – Tim Booth’s familiar soaring vocals are their, but there’s a slight change of arrangement from the “Laid” guitar-based arrangements that most people are used to hearing.

MP3: Afro Lover - James

Jukebox The Ghost - Live Sessions

DC’s indie-piano-poppers Jukebox The Ghost were on tour in Chicago to play a gig at Schuba’s a few days ago, and they stopped off and recorded a HearYa Live Session afterwards. Check out the havoc they wrought - all 5 excellent-sounding tracks are over at HearYa here. And yeah, they even covered Ace of Base.

MP3: Hold It In (live from HearYa sessions) – Jukebox The Ghost

It’s Tricky…at the 9:30 Club

UK hip-hop artist Tricky will be doing a late show at the 9:30 Club this Saturday, September 6th. He’s got a diverse range of styles in his sound, from trip-hop and electronica to techno and pop. His new album, Knowle West Boy, is slated to be released in the US on September 9th. Check out the first single below…

MP3: Council Estate - Tricky

Photo Credit

Honor By August @ the 9:30 Club - 9/5

Local rockers Honor By August headline a voter registration show at the 9:30 Club this Friday, September 5th. Voter registration organization HeadCount will be on hand to register voters. Openers for HBA include Kill the Alarm, Zelos, and folk-core band the Dreamscapes Project.

My Dear Disco @ The Red & The Black 9/4

My Dear Disco from Ann Arbor will be rolling into town Thursday, September 4th to play a show at The Red & The Black. They combine high-energy disco-flavored dance beats that should get you out of your chair with vocals with lyrics that should make you listen. They sound a bit like Under the Influence of Giants fronted by an ethereal-voiced female. And it sounds pretty cool.

MP3: White Lies – My Dear Disco