D.C. has a rich musical history, but there’s still a chapter being written: what’s happening now. Indeed, there are tons of bands dominating the local music scene and DCist has only scratched the surface in our coverage. Welcome to Listen To This, a new semi-regular feature wherein DCist’s music staff shares new(ish) and/or noteworthy music from local artists that they’ve come across
Anthony Pirog. Photo by Intangible Arts
Anthony Pirog, “Palo Colorado Dream”
Single. Cuneiform Records.
Most serious D.C. music heads weren’t surprised when brilliant local guitarist Anthony Pirog was recently featured in the New York Times for their fall shows preview. Pirog is known around the area—and elsewhere—as one-half of the experimental ambient duo Janel & Anthony, his aggressive work with rock bands Wanted Man and Laughing Man, and the occasional outburst of soulful shredding that define his dynamic live solo sets. Thus, it’s no surprise that this new track from his upcoming trio album on local experimental label Cuneiform Records is nothing short of a revelation.
“Palo Colorado Dream” features Pirog leading a trio, which features Baltimore-based bassist Michael Formaneck and drummer Ches Smith. Together, they showcase all of Pirog’s best elements, which is anchored by surprisingly catchy and melodic guitar lines. This initial section builds and leads into a quick sound-focused ambient section, before erupting into fuzzed-out guitar bliss. Meanwhile, the rhythm section pushes the momentum and energy of Pirog’s tasteful leads into a full-on emotional reality.
The careful and minimal attitude behind the song are even more impressive considering how skillful these musicians are; it takes a tremendous amount of maturity, thoughtfulness, and self-awareness to make music this restrained. If the album as a whole is anywhere near this good, you might see it on several year-end lists. — Alex Tebeleff
Tigers Are Bad For Horses, “Recovery”
Single. Self-Released.
It’s hard to ignore the goofy name of Mary Ellen Funke (of Mellen fame) and Lyell Roeder’s new electro-pop project, Tigers Are Bad For Horses, but it’s the professional-level production and compelling vocals that’ll leave the longer lasting impression. The duo originally started collaborating in May after meeting at Georgetown University, and they’re releasing their first single, “Recovery,” this month.
The track is reminiscent of London Grammar’s earlier work; it’s an R&B/pop blend featuring Funke’s crooning lyrics and a piano-intensive beat that bleeds melancholy. But where “Recovery” really separates itself is in the breakdown: a low-tempo trip-hop collapse that splits the song into two distinct sections. It’s this interesting contrast between reluctance vs. resilience that gives the track its identity and continues to resonate long after the song has ended. — Dalton Vogler
Condemn the Infected, “Deny Existence
LP. Self-released.
Who says you need a Red Bull or a trip to the local coffee shop to wake you up and get your blood flowing? Here’s a better suggestion: play Condemn the Infected’s “Deny Existence” at a deafening volume.
This College Park, Md. quartet has laid down a debut album of brilliantly brutal, technical death metal, and it’s relentless from the very first notes. By the second song, your face will have melted like Major Toht in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Led by the demonic bellowing of vocalist/bassist Jeremy Harmon, there are no weak links in this chain. The twin-guitar onslaught of Jeff Parcher and Chris Keller are akin to an auditory aerial attack, and the machine-gun drumming of Henry Everitt will have blast beats ringing in your ears for days. The first single from the album, “Behold the Singularity,” kicks off with tight, staccato riffs and rhythms, only to open up and spread its wings, peppering you with warp-speed drumming interlaced with byzantine guitar lines. With a debut this strong, Condemn the Infected have only just begun to make their mark. — Jon Pacella
BRNDA, “Apple King”
Single. Self-released.
BRNDA’s self-titled LP, released earlier this year, listens like a constellation of colorful narratives sprung from the rollicking mind of frontman and guitarist, Dave Lesser. Energetic guitar riffs and steady yet surprising drum beats frame Lesser’s conversational vocal style. BRNDA eschews the trappings of middle class comfort. Using imaginative characters like Mr. Fish, Airwolf, and Jim, BRNDA tells the truth but tells it with a guillotine’s biting slant. Heads roll across the album; five year plans, corporate jobs, the dating game all fall down as Lesser and company whip song after song into a playfully irreverent frenzy.
“Apple King,” BRNDA’s newest single, retains their rebellious spirit but presents a slightly cleaner, slightly more refined front. At the king’s court, guitars don’t drive as much as dance in a dreamy, layered autumnal fantasy. A curious record scratching effect marks the chorus, but “Apple King” doesn’t reign in the populist feel that fans of BRNDA value. The song’s exuberance is still rough around the edges with a reverberating guitar solo to close the track amid distant shouts and hollers. And Lesser himself is just as accessible as before; an everyman stepping on the royalty’s toes. Listen below to make merry with BRNDA’s latest, and catch Lesser, Alex Kozen, Johnee Whitefoot, and Leah Gage on October 6 at the Rocketship. They’ll be playing with Spoonboy, Joyride, and Radiator Hospital. — Lang Kanai
