Blogs

Somehow, spring was sidestepped in favor of a potentially sweltering summer. But a scorching summer means lazing around under the shade of a wide tree, ice tea in hand, with a cheerful yet calming soundtrack in the background. It means pretty sundresses and bright...

Justin Timberlake‰'s The 20/20 Experience features many long songs. So what? Reviews of Timberlake‰'s third solo album, his first in seven years, have focused on Timberlake‰'s stubborn disregard for songs that neatly fit into single-length slots on the radio or boast...

19 years ago we lost a father, hero and certified punk rocker. Kurt Cobain transformed the very face of rock and roll and although the man may be dead, the spirit continues to thrive. Nirvana‰'s grunge and “don‰'t give a fuck‰” attitude helped change music as an art...

For the sake of journalistic integrity, I need to make a quick overture to this week‰'s column: I am not what most would describe as “cool.‰” If any of you are casting bets on the odds of me becoming a forecaster of the up-and-coming, I‰'d say you could put your...

First of all, I would like to thank Club Fonograma for allowing me to find unexpected yet amazing musical discoveries on their website. This Ibero-American music blog used to make the best mixtapes ever, and in one of them I came across a Nerves cover of “Hanging on...

On the cusp of releasing their 13th studio album (with scores of other releases under their belt), there‰'s no question that the Flaming Lips are music royalty. They have achieved this by decades of being prolific, eccentric, exciting, challenging, controversial and,...

With spring just barely fighting its way past the lingering winter, students are breaking out their sunglasses and shorts, sunning themselves out on the quad and the steps of MGC. Mixed with that impatient longing for summer and the almost-there end of the semester,...

The Decemberists, The Mars Volta and Mastodon constitute just the new bands falling in love with the concept album; the old progressive rock movement of the ’70s that produced more concept albums than standard ones. Yet musicians don‰'t seem to have such a time with...

I use April Fools‰' to tell people how I really feel. Monday: The Idle Gossip, El Quatro, DJs Mikhail Z. and Teddy “Dos Dedos” Garcia DC9, 8:30 p.m., $10 While this may seem like a random assortment of bands, it‰'s actually a fundraiser for scooter enthusiasts! If you...

All I’ve ever heard related with that infamous acronym SxSW, better known as South by South West were mixed reviews that ranged from “marketing over-saturation” to “famous indie bands playing at garages.” This year the powers of the cosmos aligned my last spring break...

One of the most overlooked albums of 2012 was King Animal. Soundgarden has returned to show that it still has what it takes to be a forefront band in today‰'s highly competitive rock industry. The evolution and professionalism of the band is showcased in their solid...

Excitement and despair are familiar emotions in the heart of a music lover. Bands can often be unstable and difficult and sometimes they break up. But for every breakup, there is a light that shines from bands who are either new or still going strong and producing...

Need a soundtrack for a classy night in? Look no further than this selection of European jazz and soul, handpicked for your listening pleasure. Just slip on that little black dress or suit and tie, a good bottle of aged wine to go with that delectable homemade dinner,...

Contrary to some movies, spring break doesn’t last forever, but we can still pretend it does. If you’re not ready to let go of the too-short mid-semester break, we suggest that you keep the party going wherever you are with our Spring Break ’13 playlist. We would like...

When I heard Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver) and Colin Stetson, a multi instrumentalist who has worked with Bon Iver, Arcade Fire and many others in addition to his solo work, had collaborated on a cover of Fink‰'s “Warm Shadow,‰” I knew that a storm was brewing. Within...

Justin Timberlake should be annoying. He‰'s been everywhere lately, posting a portentous video announcing his return to music, charming audiences with his slick new single “Suit and Tie,‰” hosting and performing on Saturday Night Live, hamming it up for a week on Late...

  I have always considered YouTube one of the best search engines ever. It has allowed me to find hidden musical gems and beautiful videos. On one of my quests, I found one of the most stunning musical videos I‰'ve ever seen; It consisted of a stop-motion with...

Having Pile play in-studio at WVAU was incredible, but their level of skill and musical precision came as no surprise to any of us. The real treat came when Pile asked if they could split the set time with their tour mates, Fax Holiday. There was no problem with each...

When I was still living in Louisville, KY, there was a record store called “Ear-X-Tacy.‰” Ear-X-Tacy was a landmark not only of independent music, but also of Louisville culture, and it‰'s a shame that it no longer exists. This piece isn‰'t about that, though. About...

How do I introduce Pile? They‰'ve made their way into my heart quicker than any band in recent memory. They‰'re essentially the cult band of WVAU and it feels like their popularity is only growing. It only makes sense that Pile would be the first band to play in the...

In contrast with last week‰'s pick, Radiohead‰'s dark and abstract Amnesiac, Bright Eyes‰'åÊ2005 statement I‰'m Wide Awake, It‰'s Morning is strong in its emotional directness and lyrical brilliance. It embraces a warm folk rock sound with lush arrangements that...

  WVAU, in collaboration with American University’s Student Union Board, Sixth & I Historic Synagouge, WGRW and WMUC, is proud to announce the first-ever D.C. College Radio concert featuring Deerhunter. Opener(s) TBA. — April 22 at 8 p.m. —   100 FREE...

We‰'ve all been suffering from midterm madness, but finally everyone is starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel! What better way to celebrate the end of midterm and the approach of spring break than some super sweet concerts? It‰'s time to break out of the...

    WVAU presents Steve Lambert of Hood Booking for the second talk of the semester to discuss concert booking and the business of live music.   — Sunday March 3 at 7 p.m. in Ward 101 —   Steve Lambert is a promoter and venue owner — he’s...

It‰'s that time of year again. The approaching comfort of spring teases and hints at winter‰'s cold. Each night, the sun sets a bit later and each day, the world seems a bit brighter, greener and more welcoming. Hyperbolic fairy tale introduction? Yep. Fitting? Still...

A couple of years ago, during my high school days, I came across a random concert by accident. I was relatively new to my country‰'s music scene, and I had no idea of what to except every time I went to a show. My principal motive of going to this concert was because...

Big news has been developing over the course of the few months in the emo music community. It has been officially confirmed that in 2013, we will be hearing some tunes from Their/They‰'re/There, a collaborative group project among Matthew Frank of Loose Lips Sink...

For unsigned acts, it‰'s important to do whatever you can to stand out. Nowhere is this more important than on sites like Bandcamp, where unsigned acts compete for the attention of browsing listeners. Sometimes a great name is all that stands between a band and the...

Feeling that mid-semester slump? All you need is a good pump-up playlist so that you can tackle that midterm paper or get through those all-night study sessions. As the Queen of Procrastination, here are some tried-and-true tracks that‰'ll get you moving and excited...

“Track By Track‰” is a biweekly feature that picks a great album every two weeks and briefly gushes about each song on it in order. Dedicated to the experience of listening to and loving an entire album rather than a few standout tracks, because when a band has...