DC’s pop rock songstress Carol Bui has a new single out "Mira: You’re Free With Me", and thusly a homecoming celebration to promote it on the backstage of the Black Cat on Dec. 8. It’s off her upcoming third album Red Ship (release date 3/8/11) which we’ll be out on Bui’s own label, Ex Oh Records. ‘The single brims with the musicality that caused Pitchfork to call Bui’s previous album “…a punk-bred record where the guitar is loud but the tunes prevail” and My Old Kentucky Blog to proclaim it the completion of the rock trifecta that also includes Liz Phair’s Exile In Guyille and PJ Harvey’s Rid of Me.’"

Also joining in on the stage action are Kristeen Young, and Lucia, Lucia. (Doors @9 $10)

Jessica Dye and her band, Lightfoot, have recently released an aurally stunning EP titled, “People (Who Throw Kisses) Are Hopelessly Lazy.”  The title alone should be sufficient to let you know that this is an album of heartbreak; each nostalgically tinted track wavering between sadness and resentment.  Still, there’s a quality to Dye’s singing (her voice a very moving middle ground between Stevie Nicks and Jenny Lewis) that leaves you feeling just a tiny bit empowered in spite of the obvious emotional scars that are recounted within the lyrics.

Lucky for you, Lightfoot is staying busy this week!  Catch them on December 2nd at The Velvet Lounge in D.C. (DOORS 7:30PM/SHOW 9PM/21+/$8) or on December 4^th at The Point in Fells in Baltimore (9:00PM). – Jarrett

Lightfoot- Will Uncoil When from Brett Vaughn on Vimeo.

Holy wow, DC’s True Womanhood have done it again. They’ve just unveiled their latest single, "The Grey Man", an experimental journey of a track morphed through complex and intricate instrumentation. Singer/guitarist Thomas Redmond describes the creation process: "This time we ran the vocals through the malfunctioning tape delay and replaced the guitars with melotron strings and samples from an old tack piano." Mind blown.

And expect even more brilliant compositions in the near future as TW has announced a new series of music they are working on titled REEL TOO REAL. They’ve gotten their hands on a vintage reel to reel machine, and of course they will continue to blow minds with what’ll come out of that. Super excited to hear what they’ve got coming, and we’ll of course keep you posted here. –Dawn

The Grey Man by truewomanhood

This Saturday (12/2), DC’s alt. rockers Oh So Peligroso take the Red Palace stage for their S/T CD release party. Formed back in 2009 by a group of UMW college friends, Oh So Peligroso mix uber-chant vocals and harmonic driven guitars with rocked and rugged bass lines, very apparent in the track "Suitcase" featured below. Also on the bill is the Laughing Man– so get there early (doors at 8:30) to be amazed. Lifted from the OSP invite: "You better put your 3-D glasses on ’cause we got some holiday shit comin’ straight at ya." Word.

Oh So Peligroso – Suitcase by user4670251

Baltimore’s brilliant club rapstress Rye Rye, recently back from a tour with Die Antwoord, released a remix EP of her smash track "Sunshine" featuring guest vocals from M.I.A. The EP features remixes from MSTRKRFT, 12th Planet, LA Riots, and Cataracts, and after her LP Go!Pop!Bang! was unleashed, music mags were hitting the floor.

Some of what they had to say:

"Rye Rye is the sort of vivacious dancer that kinda makes you feel like a klutz just being in the same city with her" — XLR8R

"…the hip-hop album most likely to set the club on fire." — Rolling Stone

"….Baltimore grime at its best" — Bust

Sunshine feat. M.I.A – 12th Planet Remix by z11221133

 DC’s poetic noise lords the Chance are taking their epic alt. rock wall of sound to the Brooklyn stage this weekend (Bar Matchless on 11/19), further representing our town as one of the loudest scenes in the U.S. Like a rock melting pot, singer/guitarist Joshua Padgett is the Peruvian Thurston Moore, drummer Viraj DeSilva the Sri Lankan Dave Grohl, and bassist Finley Martin the Canadian Jah Wobble. Rock insanity will undoubtedly ensue when this trio plugs in.

After the show, the Chance will remain in NYC to finish mixing their upcoming album Oblivion with the awesome mix master Chuck Brody (who recently toured with Hesta Prynn.) If you’ve made it out to any of the Chance’s shows this year, you’ve probably heard some of what Oblivion will feature, including my personal favorite "Lapdance in Heaven," a dark and depressing ambient journey with enigmatic lyrics about a man trapped in purgatory with only a bare memory of a stripper. Can’t wait to hear this. In the meantime, they’ve leaked a raw and unmixed track "Slipstream" below. -Dawn

Thank You is a trio from Baltimore whose urgent collision of rhythm, melody, and noise has placed them at the creative center of today’s Baltimore renaissance. With their new album Golden Worry, Thank You has carved out a new sound drawing inspiration from the innovative post-punk of This Heat and Swell Maps and the polyrhythmic attack of The Ex and Dog Faced Hermans.

Golden Worry was recorded by Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House, Gang Gang Dance, TV on the Radio), and will be coming out January 25. In the meantime, check out their video featuring B-more dance troupe, Bobby.

Thank You – Birth Reunion from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

Up and coming singer / songwriter, Danni Rosner will be returning to IOTA after playing several shows in New York City and London to promote her new EP, “On My Way.”  Her song, “In the City” was recently featured on the A&E series, “Teach,” starring Tony Danza which may come as a surprise to many of you – not that a local artist has been featured on cable television – but that Tony Danza is still making television shows.

Rosner’s songs are a mix of soulful blues and jazz ballads processed through catchy pop melodies and cautiously optimistic lyrics about struggling to keep your head above water in the not always friendly pond of modern life.

Catch her with Philadelphia’s Jason Ager on 11/23.  Show starts at 8:30, $10 at the door. –Jarrett B.

When I arrived at Black Cat, I immediately realized I had made a huge mistake.  My earplugs had been left uselessly in the console of my car.  However, I am never one to back down from a good rock show merely to save the waning remnants of my own hearing, and I’m glad I stuck around for this one.  The show started off on a great note when I got my first exposure to The Laughing Man, a band that does for 60’s soul and blues what Vampire Weekend did for world music.  I definitely expect to see more from these guys soon.  Arc in Round from Philly was up next; aptly setting the tone for the very loud session of shoegaze-pocalypse that was to follow. 

When Tennis System started into their first song, they were surrounded on stage by spinning green lasers that they swore were unintentional.  However, once their own array of strobe lights began assaulting the crowd, I think they should have embraced the mistake and left the green lasers on.  No mercy. 

Just about any review you can find of this band will let you know that they are not quiet.  Between the volume and the lights, this set was a full force assault on the sensory systems of the crowd.  But, what I really enjoyed about Tennis System was that underneath all the (admittedly cool) drones and screaming guitars were catchy songs full of energy; urgent melodies that you couldn’t help but sing along with.  When you hear this band is loud, believe it, but don’t mistake “loud” for “noise.”

Tennis System plays again at The Red Palace on November 30. –Jarrett B.

This Saturday, DC’s experimental indie rockers, the Vita Ruins, return to their hometown (at the Red Palace,) after a couple months of shows up and down the east coast.  Their first LP, A Day Without A Name, (released in March), is hands down one of the best albums of the year, so expect to be shaken to your knees with gorgeous tracks like "Coffin Dodgers" and "I Was Hoping That Our Stardust Was In Someway Connected." Recently, they’ve let loose a demo of a new tune to be featured on their upcoming EP to be released in early 2011.  Super excited over here! (photo credit Colleen Vivori)

  The Vita Ruins – The Towns (Demo) by thevitaruins

‘Washington D.C.’s very own Alvin Risk takes the stage Saturday, November 13th, at U Street Music Hall, for the release of his debut EP The Making Of. Part glow-fi dance party, part electronic opera, The Making Of is a sketchbook into the promising future of the next transformative figure in post-rock music.’ Also on the bill is the gorgeous lush electro artist Painted Face, and Brian Billion, U Street’s resident DJ. It’s gonna be epic. Preview Risk’s EP on Soundcloud.

Baltimore’s psych-folk rockers Arbouretum have set the date on their 4th release, The Gathering (out 2/22/11.) It is to a large extent inspired by The Red Book by Carl Jung, or more specifically, Jung’s pursuit of the inner images that led to the book’s writing.  Dave Heumann, the singer, guitarist and main lyricist of Arbouretum, has long been a fan of experiences that surpass comprehension and describe the numinous. The narrative of “losing one’s way and finding it again” resonated deeply and it was in this context that the songs that comprise The Gathering came to be.

Check out his acoustic performance of the featured track "When Delivery Comes" below.

Arbouretum – When Delivery Comes (solo acoustic) from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.