Honor By August Video - "Found"

In case you missed last weekend's Honor By August show, you can check out their new video for the title track from their new album, Found.

Honor By August @ 9:30 Club Saturday

Locals Honor By August have got a second album under their belts; they’ve got a big CD release party for Found this Saturday, March 28th at the 9:30 Club in DC. With their first single, “Stuck on Survival,” HBA stays in their melodic modern rock wheelhouse, relying on lead singer Michael Pearsall’s distinctive, inviting vocals and anthemic, reverb-drenched guitars.

MP3: Stuck on Survival – Honor By August

Photo by Rachel Buchholz

Feeling some island rhythms?

Then check out up & coming reggae band Claw at Club Heaven & Hell in Adams Morgan this Wednesday night at 9 p.m. I don't know much about this band, but I met Vince, one of the band members, on the bus on the way back from the Bloc Party/Longwave show. He gave me a CD containing two of their songs, Claw & Roots Rock Reggae, both of which are available for a listen on their MySpace page. The band's guitarist comes from a heavy metal background, which leads to a heavier, more rocksteady-style interpretations of their songs.

The Films

Butch Walker rocked the 9:30 Club last night, but as usual, he had brought along a strong opening act that I had never heard of. At previous BW shows I got to see bands such as The Honorary Title, The Academy Is and Hot Rod Circuit for the first time and came away impressed with their live acts. Anyway, I really dug last night’s opener, The Films - especially their track, “Belt Loops.” Love those jagged, pulsing guitar chords, twisty lyrics, and raucous vibe.

MP3: Belt Loops – The Films

PHOTO CREDIT: Gregory Nolan

Longwave - Secrets Are Sinister: First Listen

New York rockers Longwave are opening up the (sorry, sold out!) Bloc Party show at the 9:30 Club on Sunday, March 22, and were gracious enough to give me a preview of the recently released Secrets Are Sinister. The album, released on Original Signal Recordings, is their fourth studio album and their first since 2005.

Secrets Are Sinister is steeped in the sound of 90s shoegazers like Catherine Wheel and My Bloody Valentine, thanks in part to the twin guitars of vocalist Steve Schiltz and Shannon Ferguson, but offers a more contemporary and melodic take on the sound a la the Silversun Pickups. Tracks like Sirens in the Deep Sea and No Direction display the band's versatility, with soaring vocals and shrieking guitars strongly reminiscent of English prog rockers Muse. The band flexes its muscles and showcases the rhythm section of drummer Jason Molina and bassist Morgan King on Eyes Like Headlights and No I Don't Dare.

If you can manage to beg, borrow or steal a ticket to Sunday night's show, arrive early enough to check out what will undoubtedly be a strong opening set.

Photo courtesy of the band and Original Signal Recordings.

Butch Walker @ 9:30 Club Saturday

Butch Walker - "ATL" from Paste Magazine on Vimeo.

Here's Butch Walker performing a track ("ATL") from his new CD, Sycamore Meadows during an in-studio session for Paste. Just a songwriter and his keyboard. You can catch him at the 9:30 Club this Saturday, March 21st.

Looking for a Hump Day respite?

If you didn't manage to score tix to Neko Case's sold out 2-night stand at the 9:30 Club and you're not too hungover from the St. Patrick's Day festivities, fear not! You can check out New Pornographers' frontman Carl "A.C." Newman and the Broken West at the Black Cat this Wednesday, March 16. If you're a fan of the NPs, you'll enjoy Newman's brand of "Brian Wilson meets the Great North" guitar pop.

Shane Hines & The Trance CD Release Friday...

This Friday, March 6th, local modern rockers Shane Hines & the Trance have got their CD release party for The Glory Journal at Jammin Java. It’s been an interesting ride, as Shane and the boys decided to go the grass roots financing direction to fund their newest album, letting their fans (“team trancers”) contribute to the recording sessions with producer Chris Grainger (Switchfoot). And contribute the trancers did, shelling out over $34K, minus the big brother atmosphere of a record label. Pretty supportive fans, huh?

MP3: Way Up – Shane Hines & The Trance