Photo by Mark Silva
Photo by Mark Silva
Photo by Mark SilvaThe group's most impassioned numbers are built on stuttering, swaggering loops. The incendiary "Durito's Revenge (Dirty Bombs)," for example, uses militant beats and a strangled vocal clip to drive a fantasy of violent insurrection. But much of the CD is less agitated, drawing on cool jazz, trip-hop and acid rock. The words also include West's rebuke to hip-hop misogyny and a dialogue with Hicks's 5-year-old daughter. At nearly 75 minutes, the CD sprawls a little broadly. But it rarely runs out of provocative things to say.Read the full review here.
Interview: Imperial China from All Our Noise on Vimeo.
AON Sessions: Buildings, "Tiny Mountains" from All Our Noise on Vimeo.
Each record, in it’s own fashion, takes you to its own strange and insular universe, from Hume’s classical-prog psych dungeon to Imperial China’s post-punk spy cafe. Socket bands come from the nooks and crannies of DC (and some other towns but mostly here) where strange has always lived behind the curtain of the political monoculture. It’s long past time to see them come to light.Read the rest of the profile by going over to the Brightest Young Things site.
The Washington Post Express just posted a great profile of The Cornel West Theory. If you want to see the band live, you're in luck - they are headlining the Sockets Records Black Cat showcase on Friday. Check out a little snippet from the Express:Since 2004, the six-person band named after Princeton professor Dr. Cornel West has created multi-layered music that draws from West's musings and incorporates rapping, spoken-word and storytelling elements. And with a show at the Black Cat Friday night, a mix tape coming out in February and a tour of the East Coast, the Cornel West Theory is ready to bring its sound to a larger stage.
Imperial China's new album Phosphenes is about to come out and plenty of folks are already singing its praises. The Washington, DC City Paper just reviewed "Corrupting the Integrity of the Grid" one of the tracks from the new record in its One Track Mind feature."Though worldless, the tune manages to speak volumes with a blistering pace and experimental tone that split the difference between Battles and Fugazi."
While most labels are known for a single musical aesthetic, local label Sockets Records looks for bands that share a penchant for experimentation. Tonight's five-band bill at the Black Cat showcases the diversity and left-field thinking that's helped make it one of the most exciting labels in the area. Headliner Cornel West Theory's (listen) hip-hop might not be as accessible or commercially focused as other hip-hop acts on the rise, but it's lyrically and musically forward-thinking. Imperial China (listen) plays sharp, percussive songs that demand your attention. The band certainly knows how to settle into a groove, but the next surge of noise is always right around the corner. Hume (listen) is the brainchild of Britton Powell, a dude with a very active brain. Powell changes the lineup of his band more often than some of us (okay, just David) might change jeans, and his similarly schizophrenic songs embrace everything from prog to Afro-pop. Instrumental rockers Buildings (listen) and stripped-down electro act Big Gold Belt (listen) round out the bill. This will be a good one.We're getting more and more excited. If you haven't already, buy your tickets here.
Photo by Jati LindsayWe celebrated Dr. King’s birthday today by listening to some of his thoughts as compared to those of Malcolm X and did so with in-studio guests members of The Cornel West Theory. Is Cornel West’s theory an extension of Dr. King and Malcolm X? Is hip-hop dead? Where is the rebel music of today? Is Obama an extension of Dr. King, Malcolm X and liberation struggles? What are the roles of artists? All these topics and more with DC’s finest listening audience on this edition of Jazz and Justice.Check out the audio at this link.
Today, check out Hume's Britton Powell discussing some of his favorite album art, including Blonde on Blonde.
On Tap Magazine just named Imperial China one of its bands to watch in 2010. Here's what they had to say:Mount Pleasant-based trio Imperial China combine the abstruse sounds of many a Dead City band past -- Girls Against Boys, Frodus and Q & Not U spring to mind – for a style of confrontational art rock that’s definitively DC. But expect the band to transcend mere comparisons to likeminded acts with the release of their new album, Phosphenes, this February. Having played practically every metro area venue available over the past two years, Imperial China are a stage presence to be reckoned with and, in support of their latest release, they’re planning on “playing out more than ever” in 2010. Check them out for yourself at genre-colliding DC label Sockets Records’ showcase at The Black Cat on January 22nd where they’ll share the stage with The Cornel West Theory, Hume, Buildings and Big Gold Belt.Read the rest of the list over at On Tap's website.
Photo taken in Washington, DC by Joshua Cogan
Photo taken in Bangkok by Joshua Cogan
Photo taken in Bangkok by Joshua Cogan
Photo taken in Jamaica by Joshua Cogan
Photo taken in Washington, DC by Joshua Cogan
The folks over at Aural States just wrote a review of the new Imperial China CD Phosphenes. Here's a nice little snippet:After listening to Phosphenes, it is clear this trio is not content with merely replicating their influences. They have produced a sound more evolved from them, rather than rooted and mired in them. This album is the perfect documentation of their growth as a band as their songwriting has matured leaps and bounds over the past year. Despite having significantly shorter average length, the songs on Phosphenes are all noticeably denser, and more fulfilling.Make sure to read the rest of the review here.
Image taken from Albus Cavus DC blogCome meet the amazing Albus Cavus artists and other supporters, listen to marvelous music from Aaron Thompson and donate what you can to educate DC’s young artists. While you’re here, check out The Fridge’s exciting new exhibit: Uncle Cory’s Art Show. Your participation is the key to success in creating a healthy community. Please RSVP: albuscavus@gmail.comTo learn more about the show and the organization, check out the Albus Cavus blog.
Hume was highlighted in the DC City Paper's arts blog. The authors picked 8 bands/musicians to watch in 2010, which ended up being a really good list of the groups I'm also feeling right now. Here's some of the kind words they said about Hume:Every band dreams big, but Hume dreams bigger. Each iteration of guitarist/bassist/composer Britton Powell’s constantly metamorphosing prog-punk band has been more spectacular than the last. Which is saying something—Hume used to play shows in a giant octopus sculpture, and last summer the touring lineup included two drummers and three saxophone players. This latest incarnation—a quartet that includes members of D.C.’s much-loved and sorely missed Mass Movement of the Moth—should be the finest yet. At the very least, it’ll be the best-rehearsed. The band has apparently been in seclusion for months now, woodshedding its harmonious Big Star/Afropop/spiritual jazz hybrid.Make sure to read the rest of the piece, which lists Medications, Outputmessage, and Oddissee.
The good folks over at Pasta Primavera just reviewed the new Imperial China album Phosphenes. They seem to be just as excited as us about the record:This isn’t an album to kick back to…drive to…or hum along to. This is an album to open up and create to. It literally makes me want to wildly draw or paint something as raw and beautiful as what I’m listening to – post-rock intesity mixed with experimental electronics washed away in psych.Make sure to read the rest of the review and download two tracks from the new album. Go snag'em quick.
There is a lot going on in the world of Sockets Records this week and next. If you haven’t already heard, there’s a huge blowout showcase at the Black Cat Mainstage with performances by the following bands on Friday, January 22nd beginning at 9pm SHARP: The Cornel West Theory
HUME
Imperial China
Buildings
Big Gold Belt
Get tickets for the show here!
There’s going to be some great websites covering the show including Brightest Young Things, The Vinyl District, ReadysetDC, and more. So look out for some ticket giveaways, free downloads, and an introduction to some bands you may not have heard before.
Oh, and if you didn’t get enough of the showcase, there’s going to be an afterparty for those who want to keep going. DJs and some surprises to be announced soon.
On top of all that, we’re gearing up to release Imperial China’s new album Phosphenes, Big Gold Belt’s new beat-tastic 12” EP, as well as a few other goodies.
And finally, make sure to familiarize yourself with a few of the releases we just put out, including Aaron Thompson’s Vals/Bethany Lane/Icarus digital EP as well as Layne Garrett’s Together/Apart duos CD.
The good folks over at Other Music named their top picks from 2009. Karen Soskin picked The Fly Girlz Da'Brats From Da'Ville as one of her top picks. That's pretty damn awesome. We love Other Music - I have an internal compass set to the store once I get off the Chinatown bus. Here are the rest of Karen's picks:Grass Widow "s/t" (Make a Mess)
Dirty Projectors "Bitte Orca" (Domino)
Telepathe "Dance Mother" (IAMSOUND)
Magik Markers "Balf Quarry" (Drag City)
Carsick Cars "You Can Listen You Can Talk" (Maybe Mars)
Zombie Dogs "Pug's Not Dead Cassette" (Self-Released)
Fly Girlz "Da Brats from Da Ville" (Sockets / True Panther)
St. Vincent "Actor" (4AD)
Nite Jewel "Want You Back" 12" (Italians Do It Better)
Deradoorian "Mind Raft" EP (Lovepump United)
Rainbow Arabia "Kabukimono" 12" (Manimal Vinyl)
Talk Normal "Sugarland" (Rare Book Room)
Noveller "Red Rainbows" (No Fun)
Death First "Demos" (Self-Released)
U.S. Girls "Bits and Pieces" CD-R (Self-Released)
Frankie Rose "Thee Only One" 7" (Slumberland)
Omar Souleyman "Dabke 2020" (Sublime Frequencies)
Screaming Females "Power Move" (Don Giovanni)
Micachu "Jewellery (Rough Trade)
TOP RE-ISSUES OF 2009:
The Raincoats "s/t" (Kill Rock Stars / We ThRee)
Take Me To The Water Various (Dust-to-Digital)
Barbara Lynn "Here Comes Barbara Lynn" (Water)
Finally Punk "Casual Goths" (Army Of Bad Luck)
Meredith Monk "Beginnings" (Tzadik)
Fly Girls Various (Soul Jazz)
Girls at Our Best "Pleasure" (Cherry Red)
Sugar Pie DeSanto "Go Go Power" (Kent)
The Vaselines "Enter the Vaselines" (Sub Pop)
Fire in My Bones Various (Tompkins Square)
The Cornel West Theory's album Second Rome was just reviewed at the Okayplayer website. Here's a little snippet:At one time, Public Enemy front man Chuck D, famously quipped that Hip Hop music is the “Black CNN.” Certainly in its infancy that rang true, but as Hip Hop’s popularity grew, its narrative expanded as well. Hip Hop isn’t directly focused on the trials of one people any longer nor has its sound remained static. It has at times become the vehicle of positive messages and a tool of those who have goals that are more trivial. The Cornel West Theory, a 6-member band, uses the name and theories of the lauded Princeton professor to great effect. Their new project, Second Rome, is a haunting yet necessary reminder that art needn’t be compromised for the greater good.Check the rest of the review out here. And if you haven't already, buy the album through iTunes or Morphius.
Just got this email from Cole about an upcoming show at the Cherch (1616 New Jersey Avenue NW) on January 16, 2010:After a lengthy hiatus, we've finally got some new shows scheduled here at the Cherch — mark yr calendars! Next Saturday, January 16th features Mad Mouth // Wisdom Tooth, Space Tigers, Prom Concussion, and Shy Violet. It will be righteous. Details below:
Mad Mouth // Wisdom Tooth (Yardville, NJ) - Junkyard jangle, woozy bluesALSO, Inspector 22 will be performing on February 6th with more acts TBA! Stay tuned...
Space Tigers (MD/NYC) - Submarine dreams, settling stars
Prom Concussion (Forest Glenn, MD) - Jigsaw pop, paisley echoes
Shy Violet (Savannah, GA) - AM serenades, truckstop cosmos
Saturday, January 16th
8PM | bands over by 11PM
$bring donations$ and BYOB
@ the Cherch
1616 New Jersey Ave NW
Our friends over at All Our Noise are throwing a party tonight (Wednesday January 6th) at Velvet Lounge. Here's the details. Come on out.
You may have read our previous entries about Aaron Thompson, who is releasing a digital EP today. The three tracks - inlcuding "Vals", "Bethany Lane", and "Icarus" - can be immediately downloaded from Aaron's Bandcamp website. Or, in two weeks, iTunes will be selling the EP and you can snag it there.The winter began creeping into our routines this month. In some ways, the season affords us a dormant period that only the cold can force. Personally, I'm looking forward to this winter because one of my favorite new artists, Aaron Thompson, will be releasing some of his music on Sockets. In many ways Aaron's music evokes the sound and feeling of winter. The atmosphere in his songs is thick, and the sound worlds he creates evoke something uniquely suited for these colder, dormant months. There are some musicians that understand the sound of summer and can evoke its sunny, lazy haze. But the music Aaron creates provides a glimpse into a different haze, which somehow provides its own warmth.As an extra added bonus, "Bethany Lane" is available for free when you download the EP from Bandcamp. Check out the track below:
Artists Edmond van der Bijl and Cory Osborn collaborated on a zine released at the end of 2009. It featured separate work from the two designers and one collaborative centerfold image pictured below. If you see a copy of it make sure to snag one (only available in the DC area). There will be an event with prints from the zine coming soon and we'll make sure to update you on the date once we get it. This project is one of my favorite things from the end of last year. It's sure to mature into something even more amazing in 2010.
