When they take the stage, it’s apparent that The Ambitions have their style component down pat. Gracefully walking that line between clever and costume, their 60s inspired threads give a naturally polished look. After a few songs it’s clear that the word “polished” extends to their sound, as well. It is impossible to listen to The Ambitions and stand still. This was the case at the band’s recent Black Cat show. An initially austere and…

By DCist Contributor Mehan Jayasuriya Much like the similarly canonized Robert Johnson, Brian Wilson is an American icon for whom mythology has contributed as much to his legend of being a “musical genius” as his accomplishments have. The five years spent in a bedroom, the lost (and eventually found) masterpiece Smile, the strange, drug-induced happenings at an L.A. mansion in the 1960s and a long history of mental illness add up to something that…

If your parents have a record collection, or you’ve ever read a countdown list, or if you’ve seen Almost Famous, or if you’ve generally got a sense of rock history, you know that The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds is one of the most important, critically acclaimed, and talked about albums in music history. The album’s landmark 40th anniversary recently rolled around. In commemoration, the album has been re-released, featuring original and remastered versions of the…