About a week ago today, the delicate Canadian indie-pop group TOPS came to D.C. to shred the stage at DC9. Didn't get to see them? Rough. Never heard of them before? Well lucky for you, that's why I'm here. The night before the group trekked on down to the...
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Leading Ladies: Samsaya’s Multicultural Pop Experience
Samsaya with her signature red heart painted over her left eye which serves as a reminder to approach life with an open mind. Courtesy of Audiofemme . Indian-Norwegian singer, Sampda Sharma – known by her stage name Samsaya – prepares for the release of...
The Looking Glass: Trust’s "Joyland"
The recent release of Joyland marks a certain revival of Robert Alfons's creative project Trust; in Joyland we are thrust into a movement forward, an unfolding from an establishing parameter ÛÒ one sketched out in his first album TRST ÛÒ to a joyful and affirming...
Cake: Tracy Chapman
March 30 2014 was all American singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman's 50th birthday. Tracy Chapman's bold voice is known to be one of the most gender-ambiguously beautiful voices the industry has ever encountered. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, she learned to play...
The Tough Crowd: Girl Power
This weekly column of mine hasn't been very tough. I promise to increase my coverage of heavy music for the next few weeks starting now. I love anything angry and loud and borderline scary, especially if you can describe it as tough, hence the name. Growing up I was...
Rainy Day Music #7: High Violet
Last week, I featured an album (Is This It by the Strokes) that was a great antidote for rain, a listen so enjoyable that it could banish the blues from any gray day. This week's pick is the opposite, an album for wallowing in those puddles. Thanks to Music Director...
Shaken Not Stirred: Three Songs to Know by Sam Smith
As the popularity of British soul continues to rise the music charts, as seen by the success of artists like Adele, Amy Winehouse, and electro-soul singer James Blake, a new wave of artists with the same classic, yet individually unique style seems to be taking over...
Under the Tide: Spring Song Starter
Winter was recently officially and very belatedly declared over, so it probably is appropriate to shelve away all morose and depressing music to welcome the warm sun rays and exposed skin in dire need of some good ol' Vitamin D. To kickstart us off and bid farewell...
Future Islands – Singles (4AD)
LET’S DANCE Samuel T. Herring is a bit of strange dude. He's a pioneer of NORMCORE, dances like you do in your underwear with a blowdryer as a microphone, has the least “frontman” look in the world, and sounds like an overdramatic musical actor in his...
Perfect Pussy – Say Yes To Love (Captured Tracks)
The only thing louder than the buzz is the band. The aforementioned buzz around Perfect Pussy’s debut “Say Yes To Love” is well deserved given their rare and powerful energy. Their combination of hardcore and noise rock isn’t entirely new, but...