Category Archives: video

Sara Curtin – So Sorry

WORLD PREMIERE!

Five years ago, Hometown Sounds was damn lucky to host gifted songwriter Sara Curtin and her all-star band on the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. In the intervening time, Curtin and her partner had twins (as did her longtime bandmate in The Sweater Set, Maureen Andary), the worldwide pandemic put our town’s live music scene on ice, and she responded with the #FromTheFamilyWall series, sharing a live song performance every day for 78 straight days. And then, emotionally battered by the world’s travails and her own postpartum depression, Curtin put down the guitar and didn’t pick it up for nearly a year.

March of 2022 saw the release of a new song of healing and rejuvination, Black and Blue, and even a self-shot music video back at the Family Wall. Now as 2023 dawns Curtin is back in our ears and our hearts with four songs on the ominiously-named EP Goodbye Forever, and we are honored to share with you the music video for its first single.

“So Sorry” is a feminist anthem for the daily struggle of communication and understanding and compassion, and it rocks hard thanks to her backing band of Ryan Walker from The Beanstalk Library and Brendan Polmer of Soft Punch. Polmer also filmed the music video, featuring Curtin’s aimless wandering in a wedding dress and singing in a house under construction and move in, wearing her signature black and white colors.

Curtin has a delightful history of hand-crafting unusual physical merch to support her digital music releases (organic shea butter lotion!), and this time is no exception. Head to Bandcamp now to grab the Music & Dish Towel Bundle, with towels for each song and a special edition “fuck it” towel, because who doesn’t need that. January 31st is your next chance to catch Curtin live in the songwriter-focused We Are The 9 group show at Pearl Street Warehouse.

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Astra Via – A Christmas Spirit

WORLD PREMIERE!

Who can help but admire the dedication of indie pop duo Astra Via to release a new holiday song every single year? We’ve featured “Merry Christmas, We Got This!” from 2020 and last year’s “It’s a Prepper Christmas” in our annual Holiday Spectacular podcast episodes, and now we get to delight in sharing with you the music video for their newest single “A Christmas Spirit”. Singer Olivia Mancini, also of Washington Social Club, and producer Jarrett Nicolay aka My New Mixtape deliver their own spin on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol with their usual wit and wisdom and a groovy doo-wop beat that deserves to dislodge Mariah Carey from your brain. And A+ on the costume department!

Hometown Sounds wishes you Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and lots more live music in 2023!

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Oh He Dead – The Foreigner (Tiny Desk Contest)

In February 2020, singer CJ Johnson told her Oh He Dead bandmates that she was pregnant. While they struggled to understand what this development meant for their big dreams as a powerhouse band, CJ penned this song about her life and the changes that were inevitable. Then the pandemic shut touring down for everyone, and Oh He Dead set out to connect to fans online instead of on stage. Their 2019 Tiny Desk entry “Lonely Sometimes” blew up big time, so we’re hoping “The Foreigner” catches fire with viewers and NPR Music in 2021.

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Micah Robinson – Waiting For You (Tiny Desk Contest)

Jazzy & soulful, singer Micah Robinson delivers the feelings on a new single “Waiting For You”, featuring a trio of talented musicians backing up Robinson’s powerful vox. We’d definitely love to see this classy gentlemen play a full set for the Tiny Desk!

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Justin Trawick – Starting Over (Tiny Desk Contest)

During the pandemic, musicians have had to get by without the large, attentive crowds they might have drawn previously. Some stream on social media platforms, while others perform on balconies or backyards. For the 2021 Tiny Desk Contest hosted by NPR Music, folk singer Justin Trawick decided to perform “Starting Over”, the title track from his 2009 solo EP, for a flock of sheep residing at Midnight Forest Farm in Lovettsville VA. How do the woolly farm animals take to his heartfelt songwriting? Watch the video to find out. 

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Griefcat – Revolution! (Tiny Desk Contest)

The always amusing folk duo Griefcat illustrate a facet of DC’s work from home culture during the pandemic that perhaps few had considered. We’ll leave the surprising topic for you to discover in “Revolution!”, the 2021 Tiny Desk Contest entry from Louisa Hall and Annie Nardolilli. You’re already curious about those pink fuzzy outfits, how can you not watch this video right this second?

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Near Northeast – Window (Tiny Desk Contest)

Honestly, seeing Tiny Desk Contest entries from DC bands popping up in my YouTube feed is giving me post-pandemic life. Indie folk band Near Northeast‘s annual submissions are always top notch videos thanks to long time video collaborator Kip Radt. This year he captures the zeitgeist with a guest appearance from Brood X on the song “Window” from Near Northeast’s forthcoming album. Great to see you again NNE, we hope the fine judges at NPR Music take note!

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The Hunted Hare – Lovely Secret

WORLD PREMIERE!

Since March of 2020, audio engineer and composer Dennis Kane’s solo moniker The Hunted Hare has uploaded no less than 5 albums of peaceful, dark and brooding music to his Bandcamp, with a sixth entitled Between Two Rivers dropping Friday June 4th. We spoke with Kane and his musical collaborator Amy Domingues earlier this year for the Luce Listening Party podcast, digging into his recording process and motivations for staying creative during lockdown.

Today we’re thrilled to get back into the music video game with a world premiere of the new single “Lovely Secret”. Kane’s layered instrumental guitar work lends itself well to soundtracks, and his music videos have demonstrated this well. The visuals of “Lovely Secret” fit the mood perfectly, with trippy red leaves floating behind a woman’s mysterious face. We love the commitment The Hunted Hare shows to the music video form, and are happy to cap off this string of excellent releases with this premiere.

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Kill Lincoln – Ignorance Is Bliss

Congrats and happy album release day to Can’t Complain, the first full length from ska legends Kill Lincoln in 7 years. “Ignorance Is Bliss” is the album’s first music video, and it accurately reflects the social distance we all must practice. The original idea for the video involved a “giant dance party with all our friends”, but KL still made a fantastic, energetic vid thanks to the high jumps of dedicated hypeman Drew Skibitsky. Tune in at 8 PM tonight for the live listening party!

BONUS! Kill Lincoln also recently posted two live videos from Tokyo and Fest 18, and now we miss live music more than ever.

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Model Home – REV

Experimental rapper NappyNappa’s collaboration with producer Pat Cain as Model Home has generated 17 self-released EPs and one full length album One Year, so you’ve got some catching up to do on their Bandcamp page. In advance of an album release on Max D’s Future Times label this fall, the advance single “REV” gets a digital single release with an exclusive b-side and this intense music video directed by Cain.

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