Comments for Aural States

Comment on Livewire: Small Sur @ the Windup Space (2010.03.01) by David Carter

David Carter — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:53:21 +0000

Whoops, I assumed Greg had something written up about this and just handed off the mp3s. Small Sur put on a brilliant show. See them if you can. And after catching so many unique and gratifying sets at The Windup Space, I must thank Russell de Ocampo for giving us the Windup, and for booking such diverse high quality talent there.

Comment on Album Review: Secret Mountains – Kaddish EP (Unsigned) by Secret Mountains, Hop Along @ Hexagon Tonight « The Baltimore Chop

Secret Mountains, Hop Along @ Hexagon Tonight « The Baltimore Chop — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:28:04 +0000

[...] Aural States says that SM’s Kaddish EP is “nothing short of breathtaking.” We say that quiet is the new hard, and these guys sound like Mazzy Star. Don’t get us wrong though: what we mean to say is that they are as good as Mazzy Star. In our book, that’s no faint praise. [...]

Comment on Live Review: Kenny Liner & Caleb Stine @ The 8×10 (2009.12.08) by Caleb Stine » Caleb Stine and Kenny Liner at The 8×10 on Saturday

Caleb Stine » Caleb Stine and Kenny Liner at The 8×10 on Saturday — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:42:54 +0000

[...] Opening up for The Bridge, Caleb and Kenny will play a duo set this Saturday, March 13, at 8pm. Here’s an Aural States review of the last time they played together. [...]

Comment on Sound Off!: American Folklore by Garrett

Garrett — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:42:28 +0000

Hey,
Firecrackerfirecracker is now called Large Father Limited, which hosts the backcatalogs of FCR as well as Defective Bat Records. Trapped In The Game is to be released in the coming months. Definitely some of the best work Lucas has done yet.

Comment on NoVo / Nouveau: Jason Urick, Microkingdom, noteNdo by sonicage

sonicage — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:05:59 +0000

Big Up Jason U!

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by Ben Averch

Ben Averch — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:09:02 +0000

This is frickin’ awesome!
Wow.

Comment on Album Review: Lizz King – All Songs Go To Heaven (Ehse Records) by Ehse Records » Blog Archive » Aural States says Lizz King album is “Absolutely Stunning”

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:17:45 +0000

[...] Check it out at http://auralstates.com/2010/02/album-review-lizz-king-all-songs-go-to-heaven-ehse-records.html#more-... [...]

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by McHank

McHank — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:53:47 +0000

I can’t thank you enough. This is incredible.

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by matt

matt — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:59:25 +0000

This is fantastic.

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by Lee

Lee — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 03:28:17 +0000

Awesome, J is truly an amazing artist.

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by nuerjerego

nuerjerego — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:37:40 +0000

Thank you very, very much.

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by machten

machten — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:05:44 +0000

This is amazingly wicked fantastic. Thanks for sharing/streaming/being plain-ole awesome!

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by Greg Szeto

Greg Szeto — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:13:54 +0000

sorry, as the last paragraph says, the full recording won’t be available for download until it is released by West Main Development later this year.

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by ApeMummy

ApeMummy — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:09:11 +0000

This is awesome. How about putting everything up as an MP3?

Comment on Livewire: J. Robbins and Gordon Withers @ Story/Stereo (2010.02.19) by J. Robbins and Gordon Withers Soundcheck @ Story/Stereo - Arts Desk - Washington City Paper

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:46:23 +0000

[...] Baltimore-based music blog Aural States has posted a recording of the full performance here. [...]

Comment on Sign On!: Human Conduct Records, Part 3: Interview (w/ Rick Weaver) by Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:20:21 +0000

classic weaver

Comment on Boogaloo Times: A Discourse on Funk and Soul – Lee Fields, and The Sound Stylistics by dave

dave — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:08:11 +0000

Production proper is surely to be distinguished from arrangement and engineering, as an intermediate stage between performance and reproduction: production thus defined constitutes a transformative intervention in the sound for creative rather than merely technical ends, usually by a third party. And most of it sucks. That’s not to say there aren’t “light-touch” producers who leave the raw material as undisturbed as possible while trying to give it the right “oomph”, but few get it right.

And thus defined, I’ve heard plenty of unproduced music and generally prefer it to the reworked final product. It’s very unusual for production to preserve the immediacy of the original, warts & all. The demo CD has shown us that we don’t need it anything like as much as we were told (most of all by producers, oddly).

Comment on Aural Slate Recordings: “Arctic Phantoms” from Caverns’ We Lied by David Carter

David Carter — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:43:39 +0000

This sounds tremendous, looking forward to buying this EP. Great music, and great production here!

Comment on Aural States Fest II: Schedule by GIMME TINNITUS» Blog Archive » q and also a :: True Womanhood

GIMME TINNITUS» Blog Archive » q and also a :: True Womanhood — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 14:54:11 +0000

[...] enough to see our friend J. Robbins’ (Jawbox) new band Office of Future Plans play live at Aural States festival in Baltimore just last night (where we also played after a 4 hour drive up through snow) and [...]

Comment on Live Review: Baltimore Rock Opera Society presents Gründlehämmer @ 2640 Space (2009.10.03) by Jack Wright

Jack Wright — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:37:26 +0000

Too true on both counts. Horrible is lacking in scope when compared to the other two, but is is very well done when you consider Whedon funded the project himself.

Another modern musical/TV masterpiece (in my mind, at least) is “Cop Rock.” Hardcore Hardcore Cop Drama meets quirky musical? It doesn’t get much better than that. Unfortunately this example lacks in the “cultural touchstone” department, as it only lasted about 10 episodes, and most people hated it.

Oh well. A man can dream…

Comment on Live Review: Baltimore Rock Opera Society presents Gründlehämmer @ 2640 Space (2009.10.03) by Greg Szeto

Greg Szeto — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:28:55 +0000

Funny you say that Jack, as I thought about the Scrubs musical briefly. Personally, I thought the Buffy musical had more impact (more subplots juggled more effectively, musical variety) and felt more aligned with Grundlehammer so I went with that one.

Dr Horrible has some great tunes/writing, but is missing the scope (performance-wise you don’t have any dance numbers, musical variety again) of any of the other musicals mentioned.

Comment on Live Review: Baltimore Rock Opera Society presents Gründlehämmer @ 2640 Space (2009.10.03) by Jack Wright

Jack Wright — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:04:29 +0000

Actually, a more recent “cultural touchstone” concerning musicals is the Scrubs episode “My Musical.” It is a really amazing episode with great tunes and performances. Even more recent is Whedon’s project “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”–another masterpiece.

Go Grundlehammer. I wish I could be there next week.

Comment on An Hour of Kindness: Episode 5 – In Every Room by Brian

Brian — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:12:53 +0000

good stuff, sounds like animal collective.

Comment on Album Review: Wye Oak – The Knot (Merge) by Don Demenace

Don Demenace — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:41:07 +0000

I love WYE OAK, heard them on Townson, their song Siamese, now I love the entire CD (minus one track I still can’t get into yet) Can’t wait to catch them live, I’ll have to watch all their youtube videos for now.

Comment on Album Review: Beach House – Teen Dream (Sub Pop) by Greg Szeto

Greg Szeto — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:55:34 +0000

I gotta say, I am enjoying their new material quite a bit. I think it stands well on its own, and in comparison to their previous stuff. Particularly live, I think the combination of old and new material makes for a more dynamic set.

Comment on Live Review: Baltimore Rock Opera Society presents Gründlehämmer @ 2640 Space (2009.10.03) by Susan Helldorfer

Susan Helldorfer — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:08:57 +0000

Am looling forward to seeing you Feb 19

Comment on Live Review: Leila Josefowicz Gives John Adams’ Violin Concerto Total Depth (2009.10.29) by Ed Mulvaney

Ed Mulvaney — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 01:48:54 +0000

I saw Leila Josefowicz play this on December 6, 2009 with John Adams conducting the L A Philharmonic. I completely agree with what Sam Buker has to say (above). I consider this the most marvelous musical performance I have ever attended. LA Times’ reviewer Mark Swed captures it well, too: “. . . played brilliantly, calling up the electric violin’s deep cello drones as if in a peyote ceremony rising to heights of rapture.” I was struck by the structure of the electric violin and I wonder why I can’t find out more about it. By its appearance and the “deep cello drones” I believe this has to have more than four strings — or at least one extra, and that is worth comment. It would need a heavier string to get that cello sound and the visible knobs suggest fine-tuning abilities where the standard violin sound box is. The growl she evoked had a jazz-reference such that John Adams may have had in mind for the jazz violinist who played the premier of this marvelous and now extended performance.

Comment on Album Review: Beach House – Teen Dream (Sub Pop) by Nolan Conaway

Nolan Conaway — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:04:42 +0000

“The addition of live percussion has tethered the 10 tracks on this release to a more traditional strong structure, reining in the beautiful meandering quality that characterized their first two albums. ”

couldn’t agree more. i really wish that Beach House would show up with an instrumental track or two–i think it could be profoundly beautiful.

Comment on Photos: Aural States Fest II (2010.01.30) by Nate

Nate — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:38:10 +0000

Cool photos. Still so bummed I missed Thrushes, but it took almost 2.5 hours to get up from DC, sigh. Lands and Peoples, Office of Future Plans, and True Womanhood were all great.

Comment on Thrushes CD Release Giveaway by Mee Panama

Mee Panama — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:49:38 +0000

I hope you would not mind if I posted a part of this on my univeristy blog?

Comment on Preview: Aural States Fest II @ Sonar Club Stage/the Talking Head (2010.01.30) by tom

tom — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:43:27 +0000

after moving here from Portland I’ve been musically bummed. I see a light, thanks for your site. diggin in.

Comment on Aural States Fest II: Schedule by noam

noam — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:32:42 +0000

congrats Greg! absolute catastrophic weather but you pulled this shit off like martha stewart after seeing dirty sheets on the bed. this was baller and absolutely worth the drive. hope you keep it up either in bmore or wherever you end up.

Comment on DJ Dog Dick-Live @ Floristree by this aggression will not stand » Blog Archive » :: 1.27.10 ∙•∙ 1.28.10 at death by audio ::

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:27:16 +0000

[...] check out a feature interview ►►► here download a live set ►►► here [...]

Comment on Aural States Fest II: Spotlights – Office of Future Plans, True Womanhood by True Womanhood’s Basement Membranes EP out now! | Environmental Aesthetics

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:44:29 +0000

[...] 01. True Womanhood – The Monk by Environmental Aesthetics Brightest Young Things interview Aural States interview All Our Noise [...]

Comment on Livewire: Caspian @ The Red & The Black (2010.01.08) by David Carter

David Carter — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:33:13 +0000

That Black Cat DC show is on the venue’s calendar now:

Tue Mar 9- CASPIAN, ARMS & SLEEPERS, TONE $10 Backstage 8:30

Comment on Album Review: Mopar Mountain Daredevils – Mopar Bloody Mopar (El Suprimo) by lonnie

lonnie — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:06:22 +0000

I guess we must have different version of this CD. They sound like Acid Mothers gone paint by numbers and when I saw them live in Baltimore, they were a joke.

Comment on Livewire: The Multiphonic Choir @ The Windup Space (2010.01.14) by David Carter

David Carter — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 17:02:43 +0000

City Paper has a little piece on this show:

http://www.citypaper.com/digest.asp?id=19625

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by Correction

Correction — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:01:50 +0000

you WILL die like dogs

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by For Really Realz

For Really Realz — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:58:25 +0000

Forgive me, Correction. I know that I, Really Realz, do not have your superior intellect and education. But could it be that once again, you are angry at something else, and are looking to take it out on me?

Comment on Livewire: The Multiphonic Choir @ The Windup Space (2010.01.14) by Nolan Conaway

Nolan Conaway — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:46:39 +0000

that kraftwerk piece is beautiful.

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by Correction

Correction — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 18:25:30 +0000

For Really Realz, I think you meant to say that they are sons of motherless goats.

Comment on Livewire: The Multiphonic Choir @ The Windup Space (2010.01.14) by TheExpandingMan

TheExpandingMan — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:32:51 +0000

This show was KILLER – thanks for cataloguing it David!

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by JimO

JimO — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:26:33 +0000

thanks for helping me discover this really interesting band.

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by For Really Realz

For Really Realz — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:03:51 +0000

Yeah, on top of that, one of them represented John Walker Lindh “The American Taliban” and another represents Balloon Boy’s parents. It just ain’t right. They are godless bastards.

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by For Real?

For Real? — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 21:54:35 +0000

These dudes are lawyers? Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew. Something about that just ain’t right.

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by matt

matt — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:40:28 +0000

pyscho killer: The album should be available in hard copy on January 22nd at Black cat and digitally in february. Feel free to write if you’d like a copy.

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by Father Hilton

Father Hilton — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 01:42:24 +0000

Imperial China absolutely rules. They are awesome. Can’t wait to get the album.

Comment on Live Review: All Mighty Senators @ The 8X10 (2009.12.26) by Newagehillbilly

Newagehillbilly — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 01:52:42 +0000

This is a great review. They are definitely a band that defines a certain time period in Baltimore Live Local Music. I had the pleasure of running sound, and hanging out with these guys for at least 15-20 Shows between 99′ and the early 2000s’. We are ALL Power Generators!!!

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by Tom Sellecks's Mustache

Tom Sellecks's Mustache — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:21:25 +0000

These guys rocks, def a must have album.

Comment on Album Review: Imperial China – Phosphenes (Sockets/Ruffian) by Tom Celica

Tom Celica — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:06:30 +0000

Imperial China has also gone out of its way to give other DC-area bands a boost in a way that few others do these days.