2005: A DCist Mixtape
We wanted to recap some of our favorite things from the year in local music, but we didn't want to put together a best-of list, because it wouldn't hold all the great stuff we've found throughout the year, and it would, of necessity, exclude things that hadn't yet crossed our path, making it not-quite-a-best-of list. So, we've tried something else, getting a few of our writers to name the local songs they couldn't stop listening to this year, so that at the end of the day, you'd have a sort of DCist mix-tape. Nothing ranked, nothing fancy, just good songs that DCist thinks you ought to have in your car's cassette deck. So listen, enjoy, and tell us in the comment section which infectious tunes you couldn't turn off in 2005.
From Jim Smalley:
Medications, "Twine Time" http://www.myspace.com/medications
Medications released their EP All Your Favorite People In One Place in June, and solidified their place atop my favorites list after an unfortunately-sparsely-attended, jaw-dropping live show at the Black Cat on Halloween weekend. The Dischord band -- lead singer Devon Ocampo, backed up by the most talented rhythm section in D.C., nimble-fingered bassist Chad Molter and hyperactive drummer Andrew Becker -- are a study in just how much sound three people can get from their instruments. From the classic rock inspired opening and chorus, to the wiry lead lines, to the soaring bridge, the song -- like most of the others on People -- is loaded with plenty of anxious tension building to Ocampo’s explosive cathartic hooks. So talented are they, that I truly think Medications may soon exceed the 12 fundamental tones of music.
Ris-Paul-Ric, "Purple Blaze" http://www.myspace.com/rispaulric
Chris Richard's solo acoustic effort is a stark departure from his work in the now-defunct Q and not U. On the title track, Richards creates a beautiful and delicate atmosphere of observational vocals over bluesy acoustic lines backed only by the soft ring of chimes. The song is a sensorial overload as you can practically smell the wind blowing past you in the world Richards creates. I was sold on the album after an October show at the Black Cat, as Richards stood holy above the crowd atop his amp, eerily lit only by a single light cast down upon him. Like Richard’s previous work, Blaze has few contemporaries and takes you far, far away.
Monopoli, “Hit and Run”
http://www.myspace.com/monopoliband
Monopoli are masters of the soundscape, and “Hit and Run” is arguably their best work. The track opens with a haunting guitar line over a howling wind that makes you feel as though you are far from home, and then changes its mood several times, from the half-time chorus to a stand-off bridge when Alfonso demands to know if we’ve run, before closing with an explosive outro. I was able to see Monopoli twice this year, at DC-9 and at Black Cat, and am eagerly looking forward to more from these guys. Be sure to check out their self-titled EP, Monopoli.
From Chris Snyder:
Greenland - “Take Your Tiger For A Walk”
http://www.myspace.com/greenland
If you happened to stop in and catch D.C.’s quirky new trio Greenland (Tony Acampora, Jamie Green and Adam Kissick) perform a set off their 2005 self-titled EP at any of the D.C. area local venues this year, then at some point you’ve been exposed to this catchy and Indie/Brit-pop sounding track. Entranced by the simple yet hypnotically coordinated drum and bass, listeners await in hipster head nodding amusement as they decipher the strange lyrics to uncover just why this great orange and black striped beast needs to take a stroll. Soon, these three graduates from William and Mary will be taking a walk with their heads held high, as their fan base continues to grow in both the District and elsewhere in the upcoming year.
Medications – “Surprise!”
http://www.southern.com/southern/band/MEDIA/19649_audio.php
Your Favorite People All In One Place marked the debut full length album from Medications, introducing D.C. to the uniquely chaotic yet brilliantly orchestrated styling of guitarist/vocalist Devin Ocampo, drummer Andrew Becker, and bassist Chad Molter. And as the title of the intro track states, the listener will indeed be surprised as they're thrown into a growing storm of increasing intensity intermingled with peaceful melodic vocals of Pink Floyd-esque proportions. If this song wasn’t enough to suck you into subdued state of euphoria…might we prescribe a higher dose?
Welbilt- “December”
http://www.myspace.com/welbilt
http://cdpulse.com/artist/page/Welbilt/Due+To+The+Current+State+of+Things/1
It’s hard to believe that this locally "wel-known" and "wel-acclaimed" foursome has yet to be picked up by a major record label. Fairfax-based Welbilt lives up to its name with the September release of their latest EP, Due to the Current State of Things. The upbeat modern rock anthem, “December” once again demonstrates front man Nate Ihara’s powerful vocals and emotional energy. Dripping with impassioned lyrics and packed with hard hitting guitar riffs that you’d expect from bands like Nickleback or Switchfoot, “December” is the perfect soundtrack to your end-of-the year sentiment.
From yours truly:
The Bonapartes - "Concentric"
http://www.thebonapartes.com/Audio.html
Everyone who has the good fortune to see the Bonapartes, even for just one show, walks away from the performance with this song in their head. Seriously, ask folks after their next show. The track works in a lot of ways for the band; for one, The Bonapartes aren't a New Wave dance rock band, so when "Concentric" emerges from their set or from the center of their newly released EP, the impact is forceful and immediate. For another, the song is a complete band effort, from the masterful drumming to the soaring Bono-ballad vocals. But the heart and soul of the song is the guitar line, the harmonics riff that plays throughout the track and keeps you up nights, trying to reproduce it on your axe at home. The song is perfectly constructed, building to a full blast, bounce inducing climax that leaves you thinking, Killers who? Bloc Party what?
The Caribbean - "French Radio"
http://www.thecaribbeanisaband.com/downloads.html
It's difficult to choose a track from The Caribbean's latest, Plastic Explosives. The album works best taken all together; every song gains from being set along side the others. As a standalone track, however, "French Radio" works quite well. It's the group at its best, playing a quiet acoustic number complete with quixotic short-story lyrics, and the requisite Caribbean sonic playfulness. The short tune digresses into a separate theme in mid-track with synth lines, static pulses, and other measured discordance. The effect is that of a simple pencil sketch slightly smeared, more interesting for being unclear.
Mello-D and the Rados (featuring D'Mite) - "Cool Witchu"
http://www.thermiterecords.com/
There is a limit in hip-hop to just how positive a song can be. You can be uplifting, it's true, but even the warmest songs in hip-hop tend to be balanced by tales of personal struggle or concern for the state of any number of institutions. It's just dangerous to be perfectly, straightforwardly positive; a group risks coming off like MC Safety and the Caution Crew. Mello-D and the Rados pull it off, though, with a mix of intentional goofiness, jocularity, riffs on NFL rivalries, and a simple groove that will not leave one's head. It's infectious. And you watch the video with these guys dancing around on U Street with people they probably pulled out of the nearest donut shop, and you're like, this is fantastic. I'm going to play this track at every party I ever have.
Meredith Bragg and the Terminals - "I Won't Let You Down"
http://www.myspace.com/mbandtheterminals
David over at the GOG blog took 'Work and Winter" as MB&TT's best track off their album Vol. 1, but I think he's wrong. He chose the Elliot Smith track, the one that sounds like him anyway, and I have to say, while that's a very good song, it doesn't match up well with original Smith, god rest his soul. "I Won't Let You Down," on the other hand, kicks the ass of its sonic doppelganger, the already pretty good Death Cab For Cutie. If they keep playing like they do on that track, other bands will be lining up to imitate them.
The Hard Tomorrows - "Put Yourself Out"
http://www.thehardtomorrows.com/music.html
We're recent converts to the Hard Tomorrows, so it's hard for us to comment deeply and intelligently about their music. What can can say with absolute certainty, is that "Put Yourself Out" is a damn good song, matching up a rhythmic New York rock style beat with a well-crafted song structure, and unfairly hooky vocal melodies. Recorded exceptionally well, it just feels like something you'd find on your buddy the Brooklynite's iPod, the next next big thing. Come join us on the bandwagon.
Picture taken by Information Leafblower