Sultry R&B singer Amber Mimz tapped promiment online music publication Earmilk to premiere her new music video “Take Off Your Kool”. The video was shot in the gorgeous rural setting of New Windsor MD, and on this first day of spring I couldn’t be more excited for weather like this to arrive. Amber’s production chops are just as impressive as her sweet crooning, imploring us to relax and feel good about ourselves. Pick up Amber’s debut album The Life Of Riley, featuring this single, on her Bandcamp.
Hometown Sounds
Showing The World How DC Rocks
Johnny Fantastic – In The Summertime video
Our buds at DC Music Download premiered the debut music video from Johnny Fantastic today. Former Paperhaus bassist John Di Lascio went solo and released the demented funhouse indie rock album Bluebirds, Bluebirds, Bluebirds under the moniker last summer. The new video, constructed around the idea of a twisted tea party with raw meat cake, was shot and edited by Pree’s Ben Usie. Check out DCMD’s post to learn more from Mr. Fantastic himself.
Ex Hex – Hot and Cold video
Since wrapping up the brief but insanely catchy project Wild Flag with Carrie Brownstein, Mary Timony assembled a new band with drummer Laura Harris of The Aquarium and Besty Wright called Ex Hex, after the title of Timony’s third solo album in 2005. Ex Hex has generated a lot of excitement in the music scene recently, signing to Merge Records and blowing lids at SXSW last week. The 7″ single for “Hot and Cold” is out today, as is a brand new music video directed by Lara Gallagher, featuring Chain & The Gang’s Ian Svenonious and his luxurious mop-top in a dinner date ruined by the precocious band.
Podcast for March 18th, 2014
Tracklisting:
Louis Weeks – Alvar Aalto
Tommy Sherrod – Shooting Blind
Wise Eyes – The Mist
Eastern Standard Time – The Dragon
The Shifters – She’s So Fine
Wild Luck – Making Waves
Exit Vehicles – Unplugged
The Beanstalk Library – Whiskey Mountain
Young Summer – Don’t You Want Me
((S*5)) – 9-5 3
Or listen in SoundCloud:
Subscribe to the Hometown Sounds podcast (& rate it 5 stars!) in the iTunes Store or your favorite podcasting app.
Funk Parade Kickoff Party
The Funk Parade, a musical celebration of the awesomeness of the U Street Corridor, is coming on Saturday May 3rd, but the preliminary warm-up events are already here! To help kick off their new Indiegogo campaign, head to Liv Nightclub (above Bohemian Caverns) tonight to check out the Funk Parade All-Star Band (aka Ninja Bunny), including members of Elikeh, Lucky Dub, and Eme & Heteru, as well as Michael Saretsky (TNT) and DJ Nitekrawler (Moneytown), and more! Watch the promo video below and head to funkparade.eventbrite.com to snag advance tix!
The Urban Cartel – What She Wants video
The Urban Cartel are another signpost on the trend of DC bands blending hip-hop and rock influences together to create a fresh sound, comparable to RDGLDGRN and The Cornel West Theory. “What She Wants”, a soulful song from their FREE 2011 collection Cassette Music, gets the music video treatment from footage of their recent show at the Fillmore Silver Spring. The UC is generous with the Bandcamp, so grab their newest release The N.I.T.E. as well!
The Caribbean – Imitation Air video
DC’s music scene is often dominated by young acts frantically chasing the buzz of popularity. The Caribbean, 15 year veterans of making breezy, laid back and lyrically-focused indie rock in DC, stand in stark contrast to that accepted wisdom. They seem in no hurry to get where they’re going, content to experiment with synth sounds and Michael Kentoff’s falsetto vocal delivery. “Imitation Air” is the first single from their 6th full length album Moon Sickness, released last month on Portland’s Hometapes label. Longtime producer Chad Clark, also of the band Beauty Pill, described the music video for Imitation Air:
“There’s a door. We don’t know what’s beyond the door. We don’t know whether it leads outside. The door is a Schrödinger’s cat. We don’t know whether the door represents decimation or liberation. The door glows with promise or menace; we don’t know. You begin to argue amongst yourselves in slow motion about what to do about the door. With a lot of debate, one by one, the trio members open the door and exit to … we never find out what it is.”
Mark your calendars for Saturday March 29th when The Caribbean supports the CD release show for Hometown Sounds faves The Jet Age at Comet Ping Pong.
Under The Counter – The Ides of March
The monthly comedy + jazz + indie rock night Under The Counter returns to The Dunes in Columbia Heights this Friday night!
Jokes from Nate Johnson, Tom Sherman, Michael J. Foody & Erica Johnson, hosted by Ruth Rasby
Power pop from Black Checker
As always with Jonathan Parker‘s Too Big To Fail Octet, this week featuring Linsay Deming!
Have you wondered what Hometown Sounds podcast co-host Tony Porreco looks like in person? Or in the bath? Wonder no longer, thanks to the new video flyer!
(The show’s organizers live in the DIY music space The Bathtub Republic, FYI)
RSVP on the Facebook event
Thomas Blondet feat. Leyla Chatti – Tu Va Partir
DJ and producer Thomas Blondet‘s resume includes many keywords of DC’s nightlife history: Buzz, Pollen, Fever, Club Red. The record label he founded with ESL’s Farid Nouri, Rhythm & Culture, has a well-respected catalog of lounge, house and world-influenced cuts, including Blondet’s just released full length album Futureworld. The newest single from that album, the sexy “Tu Va Partir” with French vocals from local Leyla Chatti, features remixes from Zeb and Double A and a music video shot by Mauro Demony of Dub Africa at Local 16. Catch Blondet’s regular Rhythm & Culture DJ night every Sunday at 18th Street Lounge.
PHZ-Sicks – Black Women video
Presenting a welcome contrast from the usual treatment of women in rap videos, Woodbridge’s PHZ-Sicks steps aside to let the beautiful black women in director John Ledbetter‘s music video for “Black Women” take the spotlight and sing the positive messages in the lyrics. Grab the single from iTunes or cop the whole full length album The Moment from Bandcamp.
Hometown Sounds 