Dion Paci and Bob Lovelace have bonded over music since the young age of 6. And throughout their childhood and adolescence, they have both studied under local guitar guru Bob Neuburger honing their skills in progressive rock/jazz and jam band/blues based music while sharing the bill with their different bands. After going their separate paths in college, both established their foothold on two different sides of the country – Paci in the East and Lovelace in the West. Now the duo has gotten together to form the collaboration that has been building for over two decades, and when they perform at The M Room tonight, they will have the serious players that you’d want for this momentous occasion. G. Calvin Weston earned his musical prowess by touring extensively in North America and Europe with Ornette Colemans Prime Time Band at just the ripe age of 17. Since then, the no nonsense drummer has extended his skills to projects with talented performer like Billy Martin (Medeski Martin and Wood), Tricky, and Vernon Reid. Tonight he’ll definitely be in his element, especially when legendary keyboardist Bernie Worrell, who is a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and former Talking Heads conspirator, takes the stage. Their collaboration is destined to take a funky ride through outer space. The M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 8pm, $15, 21+ – Bill McThrill
Catnaps Opening for Kathryn Calder at JB’s Dec. 7
Catnaps (formerly When I Was 12) make tunes about falling in and out of love that simply remind me of my first kiss over and over again. But like all first kisses, they eventually have to end, and I wish that I had their full-length album Why Don’t You Whisper? to help get me through that time period, well, when I was twelve. The local twee four-piece will get their chance to woo the audience at Johnny Brenda’s tonight when they open for the “bright and vivid” Kathryn Calder from The New Pornographers and Absolutely Kosher’s Himalayan Bear. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman
New Music: Shannon and the Clams + Hunx Goes Solo
December twenty-eleven rules!
First there was a Bay Area heatwave and I skipped around San Francisco in a tiny dress and sunglasses.
Second, local music heroes Shannon and the Clams released a new retro-flavored video for "Toxic Revenge" where Shannon gets eaten by a giant green monster man (watch it below).
Third, East Bayer Hunx, who used to perform with his punx (one of whom is Shannon of Shannon and the Clams), decided to go solo and release his first song "Always Forever" (download here) where he limits his nasal-toned voice. It’s fantastic! I can already feel Hunx climbing to the top of the college radio charts.
-Justine Fields
Toxic Revenge from Renny McCauley on Vimeo.
December Album of the Month: Is and of The “Heads Phased For Dreamless Sleep”
Is and of The is the DC-based project of Drew Bandos, a Philly native, who’s third installment of recordings/first official album, Heads Phased For Dreamless Sleep, soars to a new level of organic shoegaze blended with electronic bits and echoing whispers. Experimental may be an understatement as each of the 11 tracks have the ability to capture your subconscious attention and cause a drift into daydream world. Gorgeous.
"I Used to Swim in Seas Outside Of Me" is exactly how it sounds. An out of body experience in sound. "Interlude" blasts a deep drone over reversed strings, a sweet transition from one of the many standout’s on the record "Sleepless Dream" where warbling keys bloom before Bandos bursts into a melancholic chorus. And "Litost" sneaks in a bit of trip hop, adding a welcomed groove to a haunting melody. Love.
The album is available now via Mush Records/iTunes/Amazon. –Dawn
Jenny Dragon on Rooftop Sessions
The latest Rooftop Session featured the band Jenny Dragon. The band released their first ep called "The First Singles" back in May, and is fronted by Sarah Jane Goldstein and Jodi Jean Amble.
You can check out Jenny Dragon at Subt on December 6th with Logan Squares and Strychnine.
Dastardly on Small Chicago
With their next release just a little over a month away, Dastardly stopped by Small Chicago to record a set of three songs. Below is "Fever". Dastardly is celebrating the release of their new album on Jan. 19th at Lincoln Hall with Santah and Brighton MA.
However, you can catch them first at Double Door on December 10th with Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons.
Torch Singer @ Subt
Torch Singer is group of six talented local musicians and as a group they have just released their second ep called These Remote Places. The band has a full sound that includes cello, keyboards, two guitars, and an array of voices. You can check out the ep below and purchase it at the band’s bancamp page.
Torch Singer will be performing at Subt on December 7th.
R&B’s Redemption: Jhené Aiko
Even though Jhené Aiko’s mixtape, Sailing Soul(s), was released earlier this year, it’s still getting tons of great response from fans old and new as if it were released yesterday. Maybe it’s because the Los Angeles singer-songwriter is loyal to bringing back R&B (with a little taste of Hip-Hop) in all its 90s glory. Though the buzz is new, Aiko is actually a veteran in the music game. About 12 years ago, at 12 years old, she was signed to The Ultimate Group (T.U.G.)-Epic Records along with mega Pop-R&B group B2K, headed by Chris Stokes. After a few changes in management, the label could not find a place for her on their roster, so she decided to take a break and persue education instead. While on her very extended hiatus from music she found love and had a beautiful baby girl. Now she is back with Sailing Soul(s) and gearing up to release her new album, Souled Out. – Nicole Dawley
Submitted Digitally: Mahoney & The Moment
I guess today we are in the mood for melodic folk! 10-15 years ago we would have never guessed this development in our lives, when we (read: I) almost dispised anything lacking a distorted instrument of any kind… It must be said though that it seems like – for some obscure reason – your average roosty band is MUCH better than your average indie or modern rock band, and this is probably why we end up reviewing many folky album from the ones bands submit digitally here.
But we digress… Mahoney & The Moment is a boy girl duo that’s so friggin’ new they haven’t even been together for a year yet. Oh, and they are talented, young, and, from what we hear, in love. Yeah, sometimes you can hear "real" love in a song (not pretended love), and although many W’burg hipsters might find this entire concept supremely cheesy, it’s actually a truly beautiful and somehow contagious thing (and yes, my inner 18 years old can’t believe what I just said…) The band has already a full length out, played The National Underground a few days ago, and – according to their Facebook notes – are planning to tour the US and Europe in 2012!
Submitted Digitally: This Old Ghost – live at Pianos on 12.07
This Old Ghost, who submitted their music for consideration digitally here a few weeks ago, plays Americana tinged, pleasantly melodic folk-rock featuring harmonized boy/girl vocals and sudden heavy openings, like in their latest EP "Island of Violent lovers" first track "This Lifeboat", where the pretty atmosphere of the verse gets almost "violated" by a chorus that flirts with prog-rock. Being the indie maniacs we are, we prefer the less prog-rocky tracks like the traditional folk rock tune "Attack on the Settlers Cabin" (streaming below), which slowly builds in tension and brings back some good 90s rock vibes. This is a group of guys who can write good songs and, judging from their busy live schedule, also know how to entertain when on stage. Check them out at Pianos on 12.07 or at Rockwood on 12.16.
DC’s Beauty Pill @ the Artisphere January 2011
"Following the Washington, DC band Beauty Pill‘s summer 2011 open recording residency at Artisphere, the Immersive Ideal project returns with a multimedia installation designed by Kelley Bell and Stephan Moore. The installation will feature a user-interactive, monome-controlled array of photographs from the recording sessions by Nestor Diaz, Morgan Klein, Brian Libby, Jon Pack and PJ Sykes.
From January 7-22, you can listen to Beauty Pill’s new album – recorded at and presented exclusively at the Artisphere – while immersed in the photographs that document the band’s experiment in radical artistic transparency. The installation will run in the Black Box Theater itself, where the recording took place, furthering the intimacy between the viewer/listener and the work." –Courtesy Terrorbird Media
Saturday January 7-22 / Free / Black Box Theatre Free public opening reception Saturday January 7 – 7-10 pm.
Free Download: Daytrotter Session – White Birds
