Hope you have a great weekend DC. Here’s a music video from rapper and recent DC-to-LA transplant Tabi Bonney. Instead of the usual high fashion and beautiful women shtick, Bonney lays his track Senior Year, from last year’s FREE album The Endless Summer, over memorable footage from the classic 1984 film Breakin’. Prepare yourself for extreme 80s fashion and hairstyles.
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Jonny Grave – Hill Country Blues
We’ve run quite a lot of traditional music videos on the Hometown Sounds site, and it’s nice every once in a while to show you something a little different. Today we’ve got a short musical introduction to Jonny Grave, preservationist of Hill Country Blues music. Directed by local filmmaker Hantz, the video mixes musical snippets of Grave performing and recording his original tunes with an interview detailing his approach to music. Grave’s new album The Hammer drops very soon, and tonight he plays a benefit show for One Fund Boston at Iota with a huge local lineup including The Highballers, Wes Tucker, South Rail, Rachel Levitin, Flo Anito and Matt Tarka. And you’ve got another chance to see him perform live next week with Alex Culbreth at the Wonderland Ballroom’s Outlaw Night on Thursday May 9th.
Uptown XO – Needs & Wants video
Hardworking hip hop label Mello Music Group rolls out another video in support of Uptown XO‘s latest commercial full length release Colour de Grey. This video deals directly with the difficulties of maintaining a committed relationship and the dangers of smartphones. XO’s group Secret Society Films turns in a quality video, the start of many for select DMV rappers.
New Releases from Vandaveer, Taylor Carson & Fort Knox Five
Today marks the release of hot new albums by three of Hometown Sounds’ favorite local musicians.
Oh, Willie, Please… by Vandaveer
The duo of Mark Charles Heidinger and Rose Guerin should be well known to everyone in DC. In addition to making award-winning videos, their clear and assured vocals quiet a chatty room more than anyone else. Their latest effort is a collection of old-time murder ballads, more bleak than previous efforts but still musically spot-on. Pick this release up on their webstore on FLAC for only $1 more!
With Innocence by Taylor Carson
Taylor Carson is a singer songwriter with a captivating voice and a low-key, honest style. He’s toured with Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers, Edwin McCain, and just the other night opened for Carly Rae Jepsen at a fundraiser hosted by President Bill Clinton. His new album With Innocence, the first in three years, fills out his sound with a full band and guests Marc Roberge, Andy Poliakoff and Stephen Kellogg. Come out to Iota Saturday night for the album release show!
10 Years by Fort Knox Five
Has it really been 10 years since I was buying early FK5 singles at DJ Hut? That midtempo funk groove was just what I needed as I learned how to spin vinyl just as that artform was overtaken by MP3s. Jon Hovarth is the head of both Fort Knox Five and their strong local label Fort Knox Recordings, putting out fantastic releases by See-I, Nappy Riddem, Empresarios, All Good Funk Alliance and more. Fort Knox Five’s DJ sets, regularly appearing at U Street’s Tropicalia, are a funky, feelgood breath of fresh air from the other nearby clubs that are still spinning Call Me Maybe and Gangnam Style. Their new retrospective collection 10 Years Of Fort Knox Five includes a tasty selection of hits from their 2009 debut album Radio Free DC and other assorted and remastered singles, including the brand new track Stand Up.
Wheelie – Right Before Your Eyes video
Tonight synthpop band Wheelie close out a series that I was previously unaware of, the Silver Spring Town Center‘s Twilight Tuesdays. The April series has featured bands of various genres in a locale not widely known for hosting live music, apart from the mighty Fillmore. Watch today’s video, Right Before Your Eyes, and you’ll understand Wheelie’s playful and inventive spirit.
RDGLDGRN – Million Fans video
Hope you had a beautiful and musical weekend DC. Here’s a hot video from Dave Grohl-approved hip-hop rockers RDGLDGRN to ease you into another work week. Million Fans comes from the EP Red Gold Green, definitely one of the most fun releases DC’s had so far this year. Be on the lookout for their first mixtape dropping very soon!
Stephen Redhead – DTAMMY video
Don’t check out for the weekend quite yet, DC. Here’s a new video from rapper Stephen Redhead, his freestyle Don’t Talk About My Moms Yo over an instantly recognizable MF DOOM instrumental. The opening text bits are a bit silly and indulgent, but the lyricism is always strong.
Drop Electric – Little Sister video
Drop Electric make music that works as both a film score and a loud and captivating live performance. They fully embrace the creation of music videos and perhaps tailor their sound to fit in a cinematic presentation. While we patiently await their second album Every Day Is Your Last to magically appear on their Bandcamp page, today they released a brand new music video for Little Sister, the first single from that upcoming album. Keep watching this melancholic and creepy video until the end! Don’t miss their next live show at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage on Sunday May 19th.
Paperhaus – Helicopters video
Indie rock stalwarts Paperhaus, deep into their Kickstarted tour, just released a brand new music video for Helicopters, the lead off track of their EP Lo Hi Lo that doesn’t come out for another agonizing month. Their close ties to the DC scene manifest in this charming video, from the extras in the party scene to the grand cameo by Andrew Grossman of The North Country to the Paperhaus DIY venue itself. Show your continued support of these house show hosting gents by picking up advance tickets to their hometown show at Rock & Roll Hotel on June 7th with hot hot openers Shark Week and Young Rapids.
The Incorrigibles – One Regret video
Here’s a new video from poppy rock band The Incorrigibles. One Regret comes from their recently released debut EP On My Own, and features a drive into DC from the VA burbs, a drive I have made probably millions of times. Well, it feels like millions anyway.
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