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. The album kicks......

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......

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......

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......

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,......

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......

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,......