The brass funk veterans in No BS Brass Band don’t mess around. Their sets are fast, loud, and irresistibly funky. Hailing from the Oregon Hill neighborhood of Richmond, close to Virginia Commonwealth University, No BS’ music comes across as a musical fusion of college pep bands and high level brass funk a la Budos Band and Young Blood Brass.

If you’re in Virginia on March 3rd, or just want to make the drive, go see No BS Brass Band with SOJA at The National.

-Written by Michael Dranove

The cover art has vaporwave aesthetics and the music is full of 80s timbres and nearly incomprehensible vocals; Furniteur’s new single “Swimming” is synthwave coming straight outta DC. The airy sounds and reverb soaked electronic drum hits recall the classic 80s dystopian pop sounds of artists like Depeche Mode and Gary Numan, but do so with a decidedly modern take on the vocal melodies. It’s good to see DC getting in on this national trend.

Here’s Furniteur’s “Swimming”, recorded in Petworth.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Hauntingly lonely, Caroline Spence’s voice rambles on through the verses of “Hotel Amarillo” like a lost soul whose all but given up looking for comfort. “Pull on into the Hotel Amarillo with a bottle of wine” she sings, lamenting the lack of a lover to wake up next to; the whole song delivered as if from someone to whom drinking is their only refuge from anxiety.

The despair of the Charlottesville, VA singer-songwriter exudes pure Americana; a sultry but sad voice paired with a stripped-down rhythm section complete with slide guitar and a modestly snarling electric.

After raising eyebrows with her previous releases Trains Cry and Slow Dancer, Spence’s new album Spades and Roses delivers on the high expectations for this young and promising artist. Here’s the music video for “Hotel Amarillo” from Spades and Roses, set to be released on March 3rd.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Former Strathmore artist-in-residence Elijah Balbed will bring his all-star lineup of go-go players to the North Capitol neighborhood this Saturday for the 7DrumCity opening festival. The Jo-go Project‘s barn-burning solos and tight go-go beats are guaranteed to make the reopening of the community focused drum studio and rehearsal space into a real party. 

Don’t miss The Jo-go Project at the 7DrumCity opening festival, 2-10pm, with DC bands Color Palette, Shining Blade Theory, and many more!

-Written by Michael Dranove

The two teaser tracks from the forthcoming Hand Grenade Job album highlight the band’s minimalist punk sound. Eerie, mystical, and somewhat mournful, the tracks feature the unusual instrumentation and solemn vocals that defined earlier HGJ releases. Often vocally monotone, but always harmonically tonal, the music is evocative, and pleasing for the ear.

Here’s “July” from the album Devotionals, set to be released February 22nd.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Hard beats, hard lyrics, hard flow; Noochie’s raw, minimalist sound reflects the rapper’s street tough charisma. With songs focusing on his DC heritage, Noochie hopes to be the next DC rap sensation. After grabbing some national exposure with the music video for the song “Gutta”, Noochie is optimistic, telling an interviewer in XXL, “I’m going to be the next one. When he walk into the room that’s him right there, he got it. Like Neo in The Matrix, un-$#%&-witable.”

Here’s the music video for Noochie’s “Gutta”.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Making engaging music from nothing but vocals, guitar, and piano is not easy. It requires skill to be able to give a convincing performance despite the absence of a real rhythm section. To this end, Charlottesville, Virginia brother/sister duo Lowland Hum succeeds wonderfully. Lovely vocals, good arranging, and excellent production values help carry their sound over the hurdles on their new album, Thin.

Here’s “In Flight” from Lowland Hum’s new album, Thin, which drops today.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Ethereal indie pop group Queue will take the stage at U Street’s Velvet Lounge this Friday in what promises to be a night of dreamy, soul soothing music. Coming off of the success of their EP release last year, the DC/Philly group continue to build their fan base with their combination of mellow instrumental sounds and soulful, earthy vocals.

Catch Queue this Friday night at Velvet Lounge, with William Forest and Domino.

-Written by Michael Dranove

A project of Richmond, Virginia based singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalists Kelli Strawbridge (KSTRAW) and DJ Harrison, KINGS is high-tier funk made by experienced musicians. KSTRAW, who has shared the stage with Grammy award winning musicians Snarky Puppy and Terrance Simean, brings a sense of urgent eroticism to the vocals while DJ Harrison keeps the effects heavy sound crunchy but cohesive.

Don’t miss KINGS with New York’s Escaper February 17th at The Camel in Richmond, Virginia.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Cornel West Theory’s “MR COLVIN (sir)” starts out with an attention grabbingly raw, expletive heavy introduction, segueing into a truly funky beat, just begging to have rhymes dropped over it. To this end, the group does not disappoint, delivering some hard and fast poetry over the beautiful instrumental track. In short, the first two minutes of the track are a slam dunk, truly cutting edge material; a great intro, an irresistibly funky beat, and smooth, hard flow.

Check out “Mr Colvin (sir)” by Cornel West Theory, from their album The T.A.B.L.E. TOO.

-Written by Michael Dranove

After making a name for themselves with their 2015 debut LP “Heck No, Nancy”, DC two-piece The Obsessives are back with a music video for the song “Surfer Rosa” from their forthcoming self-titled second album.

True to the emo spirit, “Surfer Rosa” focuses on the cathartic expression of disappointments and shortcomings, opening up with the line, “Baby I can’t remember, the last time I pleased you”. But don’t get the wrong impression; far from being focused on doom and gloom, The Obsessives tackle their subject matter playfully.

Here’s “Surfer Rosa” from The Obsessives’ upcoming self-titled album.

-Written by Michael Dranove

Describing themselves as “fiddle-infused pop/rock”, Richmond, VA band Griff’s Room Band has a tight and well thought out sound.  The songs are constructed with some care; with a solid rhythm section, good singing, and nice solos from the fiddle and guitar.  This is a band that sounds like it would be fun to see live.

Here’s Griff’s Room Band with the song “Tie Me Down”.

-Michael Dranove