Wham City has unquestionably changed the landscape of Baltimore music forever. So in anticipation of Whartscape 2008, we sat down with one of WC’s original members, Adam Endres (of Blood Baby & the Creepers) to get a little history lesson and peek into what exactly is driving the Wham City train, and where they are heading.

Aural States: I wasn’t quite sure if we should start with Whartscape history or Wham City history first.

Adam Endres: It probably makes sense if I do a modified, abbreviated history of Wham City. We all moved here in that first summer (2004) from Purchase College where we met.

AS: Who were the core members that formed Wham City at Purchase? You and Dan (Deacon)?

Read the rest…

Adventure plays the Talking Head Club July 5th, and somewhere during Whartscape weekend July 17th-20th (venue TBA).

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Adventure – Poison Diamonds

I’m fairly certain that if Benny Boeldt (aka Adventure) wanted to, he could pave a path as one of the most riveting and innovative video game soundtrackers in history, scoring a sweet deal at Square Enix for the next Final Fantasy or Microsoft for Gears of War or Halo and pumping out material to rival Nobuo Uematsu.

But I have a feeling he’s not really interested in that. Instead, he’s got a solid deal on DC’s Carpark Records, making his nest alongside numerous other Baltimore and Wham City related acts such as Beach House, Dan Deacon, Ecstatic Sunshine, and Lexie Mountain.  Now a true Baltimorean, Benny is an active member of Wham City and about to move in with Johnny Siera, and Adam Endres.

“Battle Cat” off his debut LP dropping in Septmber has been making the rounds and raising eyebrows at diverse outlets such as New York Magazine, Wired, Tiny Mix Tapes and Pitchfork. Before his career rollercoaster begins, gently with Whartscape next month followed by the first big drop with his own tour beginning around August, Benny took some time to sit down with us and chat about his path to Baltimore, his music, his costuming dilemmas and more…

Read the rest…

There is something about the combination of French, female scream-shout-sing vocals, crunchy punk guitars and screeching electro action that always has the ability to perk up my ears and my demeanor. This simply addictive (addictively simple?) track from Duchess Says lands in my Inbox, filling in all those bubbles and lands a high-scoring Scantron result.

Emerging in late 2003 when lead singer Annie-C Deschênes and collaborator Ismaël Tremblay (guitar, keys) moved from Québec City to Montreal, bringing Philippe Clément (bass, guitar) and Simon Besre (drums n beats) into the fold. After recording only a short 4-track EP and a few years of live performance honing, they are set to re-release their first LP Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs (Anthology of 3 Perches) with Alien8 Recordings on Sept 2, 2008 (initial US release May 13 2008).

I have no idea whether their entire album is more than just a flash-in-the-pan…whether it has legs to keep up with rockers of a similar vein like the Noisettes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs or even Sleater-Kinney. But I do know their performing experiences are nothing to be scoffed at. Having played alongside heavy-hitters like Depeche Mode, Sonic Youth, The Juan MacLean, and Dinosaur Jr., it seems they have their live approach down pat.

So in the meantime, while you wait for September, proceed to carefree rocking out and enjoyment.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Duchess Says – Ccut Up from the forthcoming LP Anthologie des 3 Perchoirs

So MMJ’s spectacular Bonnaroo set really triggered a sense of aural nostalgia/recall, as they played Kool and the Gang’s funk anthem “Get Down On It,” the first song I bonded with my mother over (and actually the first hint that her musical palette might extend beyond Kenny G and smooth jazz).

So I thought I’d share some choice cuts of funk from some of the masters. And please, dear reader. Share with us in the comments. What really gets you funky?

Here are a few hall-of-famers in my eyes:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Chuck Brown – Bustin’ Loose

Chuck Brown, DC’s own godfather of go-go, is one of the select few go-go artists to attain notoriety outside of the DC metro area. Let’s just forgive the fact that the masterfully groovy jazz-funk cut “Bustin Loose” is now the Nationals’ home-run song.

Read the rest…

As I meandered over to the Which Stage to wait for Sharon Jones, I heard strains of brass-driven jazz.  Soul Rebels Brass Band weren’t in the booklet schedule, but they more than satisfied my desire for groovy funk.  They combine a hip-hop approach to performance with jazz, funk and reggae.  Obviously really talented instrumentalists and veteran jamsters, they formed some tight, impromptu sounding grooves that really energized the crowd.

Read the rest…

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

MP3: Girl Talk – No Pause

I guess I’m going to music industry hell.

Last Thursday morning, Girl Talk’s fourth official release, “Feed the Animals” was made public by Illegal Art, posted for download on the record company’s website, using the illustrious “pick your own” pricing schematic.

And…. I didn’t pay a single cent for it.

The peeps at illegal art made a few changes to the “Radiohead Model” of online aural distribution– After paying $0.0– the website asked me why. Great idea. Why not gain some insight into the demented brains of cheapskates, hobos, and assholes like me!

Read the rest…

Though I’ve seen the Fiery Furnaces (Wiki) twice before, I decided to go after their set at the That Tent since the two previous shows had been like night and day, presenting some of the most musically stimulating and challenging live experiences I’ve ever had.

Their Roo performance proved no different. Read the rest…

All photos: the esteemed Josh Sisk

“FUCK YEA!”–both the name of the tour, and my general impression of the night.

Though The Death Set were the only band actually hailing from Baltimore, I felt the rest of the groups (excluding one) were honorary Baltimoreans for the night. Monotonix have played here often, and recently. They share the intensity, and the weirdo aesthetic of our town. Kim Schifino, of Matt and Kim, said the city was beginning to feel like home.

“Honestly, for a second, I thought we were in Brooklyn. You just keep seeing people at every show. It’s like ‘Oh, yea, it’s that person,’” Kim said (Aural States then explained the Smalltimore effect to her). Read the rest…

Setting the atmosphere and general attitude of the festival, the first set I saw was Brooklyn’s the Big Sleep in the table-filled Troo Music Lounge. There was a huge turn-out for the low-marquee band and they delivered on the promise of their expansive, brooding, garage-y fuzz rock. Though a bit hesitant at first, they locked into solid grooves that by the end of their set had a sizeable dance pit going, a few tables askew, and the tent bursting with people.

Superdrag (Wiki) was up next at the That Tent, where I spent the remainder of the evening.  I must say they underwhelmed.  To be generous.  Read the rest…