Image via the artist.
Rather than burden you with three separate posts about new music by local (and, OK, one formally local) musicians, I figured it easier and more digestible to just put it all in one Monday Afternoon Music Dump. Let’s begin.
Sunwolf’s new single, “Push It”
In D.C.’s burgeoning down-and-dirty garage-rock scene, Sunwolf are the sensitive nice guys of the group. And that’s not a bad thing.
With lyrics that mourn failed relationships and sweetly simple melodies that share more in common with 90’s underground alt-rock and power-pop (think The Lemonheads) than, say, Iggy and the Stooges, Sunwolf have carved out a neat little niche for themselves in the local music scene. Their bouncy new track, “Push It,” further solidifies this sound. Bookended by “oooohhhh’s” and “lalalala’s,” the chanting lyrics in “Push It’s” sickeningly sweet chorus rattles around in your skull like a bad habit you don’t want to ever shake: “You got it baby / You got it good / You got it baby / Push it like you really should.”
The track is from their forthcoming E.P., Angels Eyes, produced by D.C. punk icon Jerry Busher. If bands like Fugazi, Q and Not U, and, yes, The Dismemberment Plan are usually turn-offs for you, fear not, Sunwolf’s simple-yet-perfectly executed brand of garage rock might be your cup of tea.
Outputmessage’s new music video, “Heisenberg (Magic Power Mix)”
This dance-heavy, debut track and music video from Outputmessage (Bernard Farley) mixes the Southwest D.C. business attire setting of Washington with the groovy underground EDM scene of D.C. The results are mesmerizing. VirginMobile should have booked him for FreeFest.
The Julie Ruin’s new album, Run Fast
I know, I know, The Julie Ruin aren’t a local band, but the years that frontwoman Kathleen Hanna’s first band, Bikini Kill, spent in D.C. in the 90s has since turned her into something of a local icon. Plus they’re playing The Black Cat in a few weeks. Thus, I feel it’s appropriate to post a link to a stream of their new album over at NPR Music.
Like Bikini Kill, The Julie Ruin’s debut album is fierce and relentless, with some fist-pumping jams that harkens back to Hanna’s—and bassist Kathi Wilcox’s—Bikini Kill days. But it’s also super poppy, and keyboardist Kenny Mellman’s infectious melodies are reminiscent of Hanna’s post-Bikini Kill band Le Tigre. In short, it’s really great.
