It's hard being a band from the District in a post-Fugazi world, but the trio from Imperial China manage to take two steps forward on their full-length debut, How We Connect, while still making the occasional nod to the band that helped influence their blistering post-punk sound. more ›

Kingsley Flood has been playing shows with their newer sound for many months, and finally their recordings reflect this stylistic shift, with the release of their new EP Colder Still. more ›

A review of the debut album by the house music group House of Soul. more ›

Two years ago, Deleted Scenes released a diverse, irresistible and fun debut with Birdseed Shirt. Now the Brooklyn/D.C.-based quartet's latest offering Young People's Church of the Air finds the group expanding on its debut, while enduring a few growing pains along the way. more ›

While we appreciated Title Tracks' debut last year, it lacked the immediacy vital to fueling its anthemic power-pop. Their follow-up, In Blank, more than compensates with bounce to spare. more ›

Clearly, Laughing Man's The Lovings (63-69) was meant to be heard on vinyl. The hiss of the record player is almost audible as the first bluesy notes of swinging opener "Blueberry Bees" sputter. From there, time travel is easy. Everything from the lo-fi production to the chord progressions and even the title suggest that the debut release from the local trio is an homage to music of a long-gone era. more ›

7"s or EPs are usually the first recordings that a new band will release, thereby giving listeners a short but effective first listen to their sound. With this in mind, the new 7"s from Foul Swoops and America Hearts are a total success: both provide great introductions to the aesthetics to two emerging D.C. acts. In addition, both recordings give a great introduction to their start-up imprint Yeah Gates. While both bands favor short songs (none over three minutes on either 7") and a lo-fi aesthetic, these releases show that there can be breadth and depth without too many bells and whistles. more ›

When the quirky and criminally underrated Impossible Hair mentioned that they were writing a horse racing album, my initial thought was, "well, of course you are." In addition to being a move that fits in perfectly with the persona of a band that wears wigs and designs hilarious videos, it also seems like a logical sonic progression. Standout track "X-Ray Man" on their debut What Is the Secret of Impossible Hair sounds a lot like the beginning to a spaghetti western with its galloping drumbeats and guitar riff that seems written for a showdown. True to form, Impossible Hair have created an album filled with short jangly gems that stand as great songwriting nuggets with or without the concept. more ›

Blue Sausage Infant (née Chester Hawkins) has been releasing recordings for well over twenty years. But up until now, these recordings have been home-made, and therefore, of varying degrees of sound quality. His first mass-produced (and professionally mixed) album, Flight of the Solstice Queens, primarily focuses on creating a transcendental experience through the layering of ambient sounds and electronic fuzz. Many people may see such a description and the "experimental music" tag attached to it and run for the hills, but Flight of the Solstice Queens succeeds in inducing a trance-like sensation, even for those who may be less open to non-traditional sounds. more ›

Within the first 30 seconds of Imperial China's debut LP, Phosphenes, it's clear what sounds are going to dominate the record: dance-ready samples, squealing dissonant guitars and percussion. Their use of these elements make good on the promise of their first release, the Methods EP: that the trio can effectively combine the elements that defined Dischord's most prominent bands without sounding like they're stuck in a time warp. more ›

A friend recently bemoaned the fact that she didn't “have Ted Leo during high-school.” Anyone who’s seen Ted Leo and The Pharmacists live can attest that many of Leo’s fans are, indeed, adolescents who fervently connect with Leo’s analytical yet accessible style and aw-shucks-everyman persona. The rest of us, many of whom have been following Leo’s career in various incarnations for well over a decade, are drawn to each successive release at least partially because of the sentiment alluded to by my friend's comment. His songs brim with the hallmark contradictions of youth: optimistic but weary, angry yet sensitive. This dichotomy, nearly impossible to articulate during our teen years, helps explain why some of the most poignant representations of youth come from those now beyond it, requiring a wisdom (or speculation) that doesn't arrive until much later. Put more succinctly, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists make punk rock for grown-ups without preaching about what it means to be an adult. Candor and sincerity, as it turns out, are not just meant for kids. more ›

It Was Easy is probably the best title John Davis could have settled on for the debut recording from his newest project, Title Tracks. The album is a quick listen, full of breezy, light-hearted pop songs that recall the tempo, attitude and 1960s/70s influence of his most recent band, Georgie James. It also seems to describe the effortlessness with which these songs were written. Neither his skill in creating hooks nor his use of Ted Leo-esque guitar riffs (like the one that opens the album) come as much of a surprise to those who have been following his music for the past ten years. more ›

Let's cut to the chase. In a year that saw a good number of hip-hop releases from area artists, there was one that really jumped out and grabbed me. That album was Diamond District's In The Ruff. Why? The simple answer is when you manage to couple compelling production with smart lyricism, chances are you have a dope hip-hop product. And without a doubt, Diamond District accomplishes that feat. more ›

Last year we ran a Three Stars feature on Silver Spring-based Zo!, aka Lorenzo Ferguson, and by all accounts, he hasn't had a slow moment since then. Zo! played a role in The Foreign Exchange's acclaimed Leave It All Behind album and has toured with the group extensively. Not to mention, he's been working on his own LP, SunStorm, which will be released early next year. In the meantime, Zo!'s laced us with a pre-Thanksgiving morsel in ...just visiting too, a free EP that's out this month. more ›

On their first full length album, local troubadours and former Three Stars subjects, The Moderate do exactly what a band should when expanding their recorded catalog: add other dimensions to their sound. All of the songs from their AM/FM EP appear on The Rest Is Up to You, but where sadness seemed to be the predominant emotion on the EP, the eight new tracks show that The Moderate are capable of fleshing out their emotional and musical palette. Not all of the love here is lost and not all of the influences are located below the Mason/Dixon line, making this an album that should raise The Moderate's profile, at least within the metro area, if not also beyond it. more ›

Our occasional series "Secret History" features profiles of classic D.C. albums as a way of looking back at the District's contributions to music over time. In this installment, we revisit Velocity Girl's ¡Simpatico! (Sub Pop, 1994). more ›

Our occasional series "Secret History" features profiles of classic D.C. albums as a way of looking back at the District's contributions to music over time. In this installment, we take a look at Tsunami's Deep End (Simple Machines, 1993). more ›

Does every rock fan go through the kind of malaise I've been in lately? I'm talking about when your go-to sources for reviews and information lead you to bands that seem overly self-serious or leave you bored to tears. The kind of phase where the basic ingredients that drew you to boilerplate indie rock -- theoretically tuneful rock songs served a little rare -- just don't add up to anything worth savoring anymore. more ›

When experimental indie rock trio Animal Collective announced that the name of their forthcoming record would be Merriweather Post Pavilion, their fans responded with a variety of reactions. Some showed excitement that the band was paying homage to its Maryland roots, others questioned whether this title signaled a move toward a more amphitheater-accessible sound, and a few were just relieved that they didn't name their album after Nissan Pavilion (we kid, we kid.) In fact, Animal Collective has just announced that they will be opening their American tour this May with a show at the 9:30 Club, not the title's namesake. But if any album in their catalog could inspire a massive growth in their fan base, it would be Merriweather Post Pavilion. more ›

In a past Three Stars interview, DCist Music Editor Amanda Mattos called D.C./Brooklyn quartet Deleted Scenes "not a great local band, but a great band in general." Listening to their debut LP, Birdseed Shirt, it's difficult to challenge that assessment. Named after an invention dreamed up by Jonathan Safran Foer's protagonist in the novel Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Birdseed Shirt is brimming with ideas — much like Foer's book — and clearly the work of artists destined to exist outside of the "local" category. more ›

It's difficult to describe Edie Sedgwick without using the word "strange." No, we're not talking about the actress who starred in Andy Warhol's short films in the 1960s and died of ethanol intoxication. We're talking about Antelope vocalist Justin Moyer's gender-bending side project, which recently released its third full-length, Things Are Getting Sinister And Sinisterer, on Dischord Records. more ›

The first full length album and follow up to Wake Up, Wake Up from D.C. foursome Red Racer covers a wide spectrum of sounds from early '80s ballads and '90s tunes of Tom Petty to radio-friendly post-punk outfits like Interpol. Front man Tom Townshend is a dead ringer for Paul Banks, and his unique and unusual vocals contribute to making this self-titled disc a complete polished pop package with no skipping necessary. more ›

With June inevitably comes summer music. We're not just talking about the catchy pop singles you blast on your car radio with the windows rolled down, but also the songs that seem to drift from the speakers during those late-night talks with your friends on somebody's porch. Washington D.C.'s The Fairline Parkway exists in that dreamy space inhabited by bands such as Yo La Tengo and Grizzly Bear, where slide guitars mingle with the occasional horn section. If you know exactly what we're talking about, The Fairline Parkway's new album, A Memory of Open Spaces, should be your summer soundtrack. more ›

Let's not beat around the bush. Radio waves, video channels or whatever other medium we find ourselves receiving music through are cluttered with nonsense, more times than not. The effort required to wade through this audio morass can be daunting, but when that special "something" is found, it's rewarding. Much like her debut album, Moments of Clarity, Wayna's newest release, Higher Ground, displays a level of artistry that's rarely found among the plethora of singers presently occupying the musical landscape. more ›

One of the great things about living in a city as diverse as ours is the variety of ethnic music that one hears while just walking down the street, whether it be coming out of a club, a car rolling with its top down, or out of an open apartment window. Those looking to open their windows and contribute to the city's ambient soundtrack should give a listen to Made in Dakar, by celebrated Senegalese collective Orchestra Baobab. Released last week on World Circuit/Nonesuch Records, the recording provides the perfect aural complement to the sunshine filled (and often steamy) days that make up spring and summer in the District. more ›

Mid-Atlantic rockers My Friend Autumn began recording sessions for their first full length album back in 2004. Four years and a series of major life changes later, they have re-emerged this month with a collection of tracks exhibiting an eclectic mix of emotions and sounds. Summer Music for Winter People appropriately sums up the moodiness of these melodies, peppered with just the right amount of positive, upbeat moments to keep everything in balance. Jim Greif, Jon Heller, Chris Kudela, and Matt Cummins have put together a first album that tests the waters of their abilities and styles. more ›

If you’re just looking at the track lengths listed for Muhsinah’s day.break, it’d be hard to conceive how 10 songs squeezed into a little over 27 minutes could provide much in terms of listening. How much can really be done in about two-and-a-half minutes? It turns out, a lot. Muhsinah manages to pack a variety of sounds into every dense composition, causing even the most casual listener to key in on one aspect for the first spin and then something else for all the subsequent listens. Magically, though, the multiple layers manage to work harmoniously and create a sonically pleasing product. more ›

It's hard to believe it's been a year since Telograph's first EP, Little Bits of Plastic (review). Since the release of that recording, the band has gone on to build a name for themselves in the D.C. music scene and play shows with Gomez, Robbers on High Street and O.A.R. We gave them the *** treatment back in '06, so it warms our hearts to see them doing so well. Now with their second release, Telograph EP, we're predicting bigger and better things for the band. more ›