To start ringing in the occasion, Marin Alsop (pictured left) led the BSO in a rousing take on Leonard Bernstein’s Jeremiah, Symphony No. 1. After that, she followed it up with Mahler’s first Symphony, affectionately named Titan. In case you think Bernstein was nothing but a show pony for Broadway, think again.

We got Prophecy, Profanation, and a Lamentation from the biblical seer: Jeremiah. – as sung by lovely mezzo-soprano Kelley O’Connor (pictured far right). First off, Marin cemented us in the context of the work with her “common man” charm; she likened the demise of Jerusalem at the hands of the Babylonians to our present day. The Profanation movement, she said — with the BSO backing her with fierce musical flourish — was like our “ bankers passing off those bad loans.”

Read the rest…

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MP3: The Kills – No Wow from No Wow (2005)

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MP3: The Kills – Fried My Little Brains fromKeep On Your Mean Side (2003)

The SWEET scoop:

Myspace Secret Shows Presents: The Kills

MONDAY
OCTOBER 6, 2008

FREE! ALL AGES!
Doors @ 8:00 PM

DETAILS BELOW

@ The Ottobar
2549 N Howard St
Baltimore, MD 21218

(410) 662-0069

PLEASE NOTE:

This show is first come and first served. So get there early and stay in line.

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MP3: The Mae Shi – Run To Your Grave

During my first year at college I stopped believing in reality. I was no longer convinced that the world I inhabited would continue spinning after I died. I lost faith that there was an absolute reality around me. Ever since, every action that I took had the bitter aftertaste of meaninglessness, with few exceptions. One such exception was the live show that the Mae Shi put on at the Velvet Lounge in DC this summer. From the minute they waded through the crowd shouting, “I want almost everything, and I get almost anything I want,” to the end of their seemingly timeless set, I believed in reality. It didn’t matter that the guitar was too loud, that you could hardly hear their highly caffeinated shouts, because by the end of the show nobody in the crowd wanted the Mae Shi to leave the stage. Really. We wouldn’t let them leave. Read the rest…

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MP3: The Secret Machines – Atomic Heels

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MP3: The Secret Machines – Dreaming of Dreaming

I was very lucky to get some time to chat with Brandon Curtis of the Secret Machines this week.  With 2, soon to be 3, stellar albums under their belt, they have proven they can create distinct, independent soundscapes from album to album while still retaining signature and identity as a band.  Though the departure of founding member and brother Benjamin Curtis (now in School of Seven Bells) was obviously disorienting, it appears the Machines have bounced back, remaining vital and true to form while still progressing their sound and artistry.

Aural States- So could you tell us what you guys have been up to since the last album and touch on Ben’s departure? Read the rest…

Robert Walter is touring with his trio (Johnny Vidacovich – Drums, James Singleton – Bass) to promote his latest release, Cure All (2008), and will be playing the 10:00 pm show on 10/2 at the 8X10 in Federal Hill. If Robert Walter has slipped under your radar, you’ve been missing out on one of the most tasteful, funky, Hammond B3 organ players of our day.

If you’re into The Meters, The Neville Brothers and Led Zeppelin, you owe it to yourself to have a listen. If that’s not necessarily up your alley, it’s worth going just to hear a Hammond B3 organ and a Leslie rotating speaker in an intimate club (with spring-loaded dance floor).

Read the rest…

Yes, my friends, a new single from Baltimore’s most beloved, hazy duo. Enjoy the following words from our hometown heroes’ DC label Carpark:

“Recorded over the summer of 2008 after many exhaustive months of touring, “Used To Be” contemplates the spiritual and physical effects of life on the everchanging road, love and getting older…”

This will soon be released on vinyl, with a special 4-track version of “Apple Orchard” on the b-side.  Stream the new digs @ Imeem now now now now!

So I just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone for getting us City Paper’s Best of Baltimore – Best Local Music Blog award in both the editor’s picks and the reader’s poll.  When I started this whole thing in the end of January, I would’ve never imagined that things would pick up so fast.  I am really happy with the way things are going and proud of our content and the staff I’ve accumulated.  The fact that we have covered nearly every genre imaginable (jazz, classical, R&B, Bmore club, electronic, dance, reggae, ska, punk, pop, rock, metal, indie, folk, country, bluegrass, musicals, soundtracks) is in itself, a miraculous feat.

Despite this wide coverage, we have always strived to bring quality over quantity.  We have never been content with spamming MP3s or regurgitating press releases like some silly PR mouthpiece as CP rightfully called out the infuriating majority of the indie blogosphere.  I firmly believe that the Hype Machine fueled, hits-driven culture is crippling and dangerous for music and artists in general, creating a vicious cycle of hype and backlash that is stifling for someone trying to do something grander than crank out a few populist, floor-filling bangers (but don’t think I don’t enjoy ‘em).  I liken it to the news media and their complicity in ruining politics and news coverage in general with reactionary pandering and the rise of pundit and talking head culture with firm opinions built upon shallow knowledge and ignorance.

Our goal has always been to provide accessible, intelligent writing to introduce readers to new music or recast old favorites in new and insightful light, while also offering more in-depth coverage like our rather exhaustive interviews, picking artists to wee bits for the obsessive/compulsive music geeks out there.  That’s always been how I’ve wanted to distinguish us.  And I’m glad it shows, at least to some extent.

Stay tuned as we’ve got a wealth of stuff planned going into the fall and winter, and we’re working hard to bring some special things to the table as we approach our 1 year web-birth day in the winter.

In the mean time, here’s a small offering of quality audio from some other winners of Best Of awards.  Congrats to every in the music scene who won this year, including but not limited to institutions like Jeff the Taper, the Ottobar and TaxLo.

Oh and one more thing.  To celebrate, we’re running a small giveaway for one copy of Ice Cream Spiritual, the latest release from Best of Baltimore 2008′s Best Band, Ponytail.  Just comment this post or email us for entry!

Thanks again, and keep reading!

Best Band – Ponytail

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MP3: Ponytail – Sky Drool

Best Upgrade – Wye Oak

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MP3: Wye Oak – If Children Were Wishes

Best Summer Jam – Mullyman “Party Walk”

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MP3: Mullyman – Party Walk

Best Song – DJ Excel feat. Pastor Manning “That’s What A Pimp Does”

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MP3: DJ Excel feat. Pastor Manning – “That’s What A Pimp Does”