Photos by Jenni

The Temper Trap - Science of Fear

Delphic - Halcyon

The Hundred in the Hands - Pigeons

If anything can be said by live music, I think it can all be told with the performances put on by Delphic, the Temper Trap and, opening performance, the Hundred in the Hands at Terminal 5.

Rushing to get there, which for me included a bus, walking about 10 blocks and then seceding into taking a cab for a quick ride to the venue making sure not miss the start of the show, I was at first surprised there wasn’t more people who didn’t want to miss Delphic. However, I realized I forgot about the Hundred in the Hands as the first act, opening for the night. A wave of guitar, synthesizer, keyboard, psychedelic post-punk fused sound, the duo that is the Hundred in the Hands was ended up being a very appropriate introduction to Delphic.

Hailing from the  greater Manchester area in England, Delphic released their debut album, Acolyte, earlier this year. Hearing them for the first time around January, I definitely started feeling the mix of dance-guitar-drums-dream like songs Delphic offered. Acolyte quickly became a record stuck on repeat on my iTunes. Getting up on stage that night, Delphic brought on the neon lights in everyone’s heads literally and figuratively with  the perfect merge of the danceable and the esoteric.

After Delphic, I took a glance at the crowd behind me and there was significantly more people. Terminal 5 was full as the Temper Trap took the focus of the spotlight.

Most people cite Sweet Disposition is “that one song” from the Temper Trap that’s been heard. Being their most well-known single, the Temper Trap brings in a whole other dimension live. I was introduced to the Temper Trap’s music also earlier this year by a few friends, and catching their performance at 9:30 Club in DC cemented my belief in this band’s talent. The Temper Trap has grown a lot this year in both popularity and performance (though they were already good to begin with). The crowd just added to the flow of the band. The Temper Trap’s repertoire of songs are diverse, especially with the vocals of lead singer Dougy Mandagi the band on stage is able to transform the entire mood of the show from drum and guitar driven energy to slow and reflective- then back again. Given more time, these guys are bound for greatness. The show ended with a return to stage, a new song, and a stage dive by Dougy all upon a flood of white lights fading out.

Hot Hot Heat - Goddess on the Prairie

Hot Hot Heat’s a band that’s been around for a while. The Canadian alternative band had started out sometime in the late 90s and had their first single, Bandages, drop in ’03. Now almost a month ago, their fourth album Future Breeds was released to mostly decent reviews. Nothing outstanding or mind blowing apparently though they have always been described as catchy. And as of right now I just have a need to recommend their latest songs.

For a band that has been around for awhile, you would think I would get on their music a lot earlier, or at least hype it earlier like when their last album came out…. but I didn’t. Honestly, because I a few years ago I knew I didn’t really like them. I remember hearing some of Elevator and just I wasn’t feeling it. But taste changes with time, along with music. Which got me thinking – if I had listened to a musical artist I absolutely can’t stand as of today, at a different time, would I have ended up liking them? Regardless, this just happens to be the right time to turn up Hot Hot Heat, well at least for me, including some of their older stuff . I mean like I said, they have always been catchy. Taste,  musical or otherwise, is interesting that way.

Florence + the Machine – Dog Days Are Over

The Temper Trap – Science of Fear

The Temper Trap – Drum Song

Playing at a sold out show on Tuesday night at the 9:30 Club was the Australian alternative band, The Temper Trap, and the lovely redhead, Florence + the Machine (can’t forget the Machine!). Now I’m aware of the fans of Florence out there, but I was mainly out on Tuesday for Temper Trap, originally thinking Florence + the Machine was just a good add-on. Though these two acts both pulled off an incredible show. Starting off with the opening band, Kissaway Trail from Denmark, on a cherry blossom tree back drop, the stage was soon transformed into a floral fantasy setting that’s part of Florence’s smoky-carefree-dream vibe.

Though I’m accustomed to Florence’s almost soft sounds growing into louder expressions, I never expected the rockability she brought out on the stage. It probably had something to do with the lights, smoke and nearly all her fans singing along. And of course the best part was her getting the floor literally jumping on my personal favorite, Dog Days Are Over. The response was so huge, she thanked Washington, she said, never expecting the response everyone gave her.

After the newly enthused-about-DC Florence left the stage, we were in for another change in mood. The Temper Trap coming up definitely removed the flowers and dream with a harder flavor. Sounds like a big change but it was a perfect contrast. And the energy continued strong.  The scale of lead singer, Dougie Mandagi’s, voice and the variety of songs that The Temper Trap are capable of, with every jam, a new feeling followed up by so much more. Of course, they didn’t stop at the singing, demonstrated by the just plain crazy performance of Drum Song – putting the vocals aside for just the beating of the drum.

Overall, an unexpected lineup of talent became a real good time. Anyone who missed out, definitely check out both The Temper Trap and Florence + the Machine on stage next time they’re in town!

The Dance Party – Sasha Don’t Sleep

Originally based in Prince George’s County, the Dance Party, return to DC from their stay in LA. Just in time to rock out at the Rock and Roll Hotel’s NYE 2010 Robotica Party Thursday night, Dec 31st.

Known for their energetic shows, the band uses power pop, rock and good mix of that retro 80s vibe in their music to get people dancing (it’s in their name after all). They gained some decent noise from their first EP, Friction! Friction! Friction!, and then more buzz from their latest EP, Tigers. Fortunately their return to DC is said to bring brand new material, a record deal and, of course, great shows in 2010, which from the number of groups/artists/acts coming to DC already scheduled in the city’s venues, is shaping up to be a great year for performances in DC.

More info on the show at the Rock and Roll Hotel, check out their calendar

More info/music from The Dance Party – www.myspace.con/TheDanceParty

Rifle Recoil – “Prototype” (Originally by Outkast)

I first heard about this cover of Outkast’s “Prototype” by Jeff Kessel aka Rifle Recoil over at Imageyenation. It’s a beautiful guitar rendition of the funky electro sounding original, and Kessel’s voice gives it a sort of a naivete. It reminds me of puppy love.

Jamie Cullum “Frontin” (Originally by Pharrell)

Brit Jamie Cullum is well known for his cover songs. But possibly one of his best known covers is the one he did of Pharrell’s “Frontin’”. Cullum’s version is one I could probably play for Mama Glock and she’d enjoy it as a great jazz tune. It’s very Micheal Buble

The Fray “Heartless” (Originally by Kanye West)

The Fray, a band whose music may or may not have Christian overtones, did a cover of Kanye West’s song “Heartless”. They also released a really beautiful video for it, which, like the original video, included some really cool animation.

Dynamite Hack – “Boyz In The Hood” (Originally by Eazy E (N.W.A))

To the best of my knowledge, this was the only popular song Dynamite Hack ever put out. Their cover of Eazy E’s “Boyz In The Hood” was actually on an album called Take a Bite Outta Rhyme: A Rock Tribute to Rap. For me, this song is the only negative cover I’ve listed…the video, while trying to be ironic, isn’t that funny and the fact that they are white singing the all the lyrics to a well known gangsta rap song is also problematic (be warned, they don’t censor themselves). It sort of seems like an really big excuse to use the N-word. Which also might explain why they’ve only had one single.

I’m pretty sure there are more Hip Hop tracks sung by white boys, but this is all I’m posting for now…If I left any out, please, leave notes in the comments.

John Mayer – Who Says

I can’t tell if John Mayer is actually being sincere, but this is some of the best lyrics of 2009, hands down. The track, which begins with the lines “Who says I can’t get stoned,” is simplistic, yet poignant and will most certainly get the dude noticed again. Who Says is the first track off of Mayer’s latest album, Battle Studies, which drops in November.

On a side note, the nickname Stone has been with me since elementary school, and when I ran for SGA in high school my tagline was “Get Stoned in ’96″ Needless to say, I spent a whole afternoon taking down campaign flyers all over school.

Musically speaking, I am a sucker for a lot of things. Good lyrics, interesting samples and creative music videos are all things that will give me reason to like a musical act. London based band One EskimO fulfills all these needs.

On a sidenote, I also happen to be a sucker for Starbucks, which is actually where I first heard about One EskimO. It was on one of those cards they give out for free iTunes downloads that I saw a free download for the band’s single “Kandi.” The video it appeared was animated, which immediately peaked my interest (I’m a sucker for animation). So, I looked it up on YouTube and discovered that it was a little vignette of a video. In fact, it’s not even really a music video, but more a short film with One EskimO as it’s sound track. It played out a love story between two characters: One EskimO and Little Feather (Not exactly PC, but we can talk about it in the comments). The video was animated beautifully by Gravy Media, a British animation group who did a good job fitting the music and the story line together.

The other thing that got me about this track is the sample. The voice singing the line “He called me baby all night long” is actually from the song “He Called Me Baby” by gospel/R&B singer Candi Staton (Now it makes sense why the song is called “Kandi” right?). It’s a sample that also fits perfectly into the song, so much so that when I first heard it, I thought the band had a female vocalist.

Though, to my ears, One EskimO has that college jam band sound ala Guster or Dispatch (including bongo drums), what really gets me about this band is that they have a full concept for their album. After the success of their first video, “Hometime” which was also animated and featured the same characters, the group decided to create animations for all the songs which resulted in a “visual album”. Here’s the trailer.

I wish more musical artists were creative and conceptual with their albums like this.

One EskimO’s full length album came out in the UK on September 21st and in the US on September 22nd. Their self-titled EP is also available now on iTunes.

]]> http://www.thecouchsessions.com/2009/09/all-it-takes-is-one-eskimo/feed/ 3 http://www.thecouchsessions.com/2009/07/one-more-chance-to-fall-in-love-with-bloc-party/ http://www.thecouchsessions.com/2009/07/one-more-chance-to-fall-in-love-with-bloc-party/#comments Fri, 10 Jul 2009 19:01:50 +0000 Lady Glock http://www.thecouchsessions.com/?p=6016 So, I am a HUGE fan of Bloc Party. They have been one of my favorite bands for a while now and I’m always happy to see them putting out new music. Their latest single “One More Chance” has an August 10th release date and if they do anything like they did with their last album, Intimacy, there may be an album release three days later. (But DO NOT take my word on that….I’m just being hypothetical). They have released a new video for “One More Chance”, and it fits the track well. The song is surprisingly upbeat for Bloc Party, begging the question of whether they are changing their musical direction.

Either way, it’s definitely whetting my appetite to see what they’re going to come out with next.

Still no sign as to what the album is going to be called, so I guess we’ll all have to wait patiently.

So I was only recently schooled to the fact that model and famous daughter Zoe Kravitz (yes, that Kravitz)  is fronting a rock band. And yes, the Philly based group (which includes former Neaveu Riche bassist Khari Mateen is dropping some of the best rock I’ve heard in a while. It’s been a hot minute since female fronted rock and roll has had its time to shine, and Elevator Fight might be that band to bring it front and center.

The band, including Ms. Kravitz is going to be playing Liv this Thursday for only $5 ($10 at the door), which is definately a small price to pay for some cutting edge music on U Street.

Buy Tickets Here

Elevator Fight Profile from Two One Five Magazine

Liv
2001 11th St NW
Washington DC 20001
8pm
Tickets :: $5 in adv/ $10 at the door

Matt and Kim – Daylight (Stic Man Ra Remix)

I’m not the biggest fan of Brooklyn duo Matt and Kim (it falls a little too far under my term “hipster bulls%it” for my liking), but their song “Daylight” is downright infectious. I’ve been down with that song for a while, but I was sorta surprised to see that Stic Man of Dead Prez did a remix of the track for Mountain Dew’s Green Label Sound.

The thought of a member of the most prolific hip-hop groups ever existed doing a remix of a hipster duo or a unhealthy soda manufacturer might signal the end of the world, but the track is pretty dope, if not surprising. (via DVMilla)

So I know that half of y’all aren’t going to like this, and half of you will think I’m a God for posting this. It is what it is.

I’ve been a fan of the Boston-based band Passion Pit since I heard their first track “Sleepyhead” way back in November 2008. Since then, these dudes have been on everybody’s hot list, and even managed to sell out Black Cat in DC based on blog buzz alone. Even though their live show is sketch and I missed them at SXSW, this track, “The Reeling” has made me a fan. The 80′s new wave sound that these dudes were going for has been executed to perfection, and the laid back groove of their other tracks is definately evident as well with a falsetto that evokes the Bee Gees (yet not as annoying). The video is some of the most creative ish I’ve seen in a while.

I know I shouldn’t buy into the blog hype, but it’s too late. I’m done. The Reeling is my new official track of the summer. Thier LP, titled Manners drops May 19th.

I’ve been diggin’ Colin Munroe for a hot minute now, and I’m glad the dude is not only getting major promotion, but now has some heavy hitters behind him. “Piano Lessons,” is off of Colin’s Unsung Hero mixtape which dropped last month.