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Black Girls

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Hell Dragon

I love live music. There’s the feeling of community, the sensory overload, the expectation of the unexpected… And one of the greatest gifts a band can give is a recording that captures those feelings, so you can take the live experience with you throughout your day. On the way to work. Walking down the street. Raking leaves. Raking more leaves. If you have a pair of headphones, all of these moments are just crowded, sweaty dance parties in disguise, and Black Girls’ new album Hell Dragon is a 9-song invitation to say “Fuck it!” and make those dance parties a reality.

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Jonathan Vassar & The Speckled Bird

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So often in music, the string-snapping, cymbal-smashing and tonsil-tearing performances are the ones that are deemed “passionate.” However, there was a most intense stillness to the back room of Balliceaux this past Sunday evening as Jonathan Vassar & The Speckled Bird performed their brand of eclectic and, yes, passionate folk music for a raptly attentive audience that filled every available booth, chair and coach seat (as well as the spaces in between).

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Nelly Kate

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Ish Ish

On Tuesday, I praised 2011’s wave of remix EPs for two main reasons,  the first being that these companion albums provide a fresh perspective on familiar songs, which, for me, raises the value of the original compositions. But then again, I’m a sucker for intertextuality. The second reason I like these remix albums is that they put the artist in driver’s seat of something that is typically out of their hands — secondary consumption. Whether you’re dealing with remixes, live covers, or illegal downloads, songs take on a life of their own once they’ve been released, and their writers rarely benefit. Remix EPs provide a way for musicians to have some agency in a distribution paradigm that’s stacked against them. Lemons, meet lemonade. There’s another phenomenon happening right now that has that same lemonade-y feel to it, as Staunton-based musician Nelly Kate can attest: Kickstarter. Kickstarter is a service that lets you solicit funds online so you can turn your creative vision — be that a documentary, music recording, or modular and expandable crop production unit (I did not make, and could not have made, that last one up) — into a reality. After all, in the age of the interweb, why should anyone with a great idea sit around waiting for a big company to swoop in and save the day? As the not-so-great Bill O’Reilly once said, “Fuck it! We’ll do it live!” A few days ago, I found the Kickstarter page for Nelly Kate’s album Ish Ish as a result of an RVA Magazine article, and I quickly fell in love with her story. In the video on her page, Kate describes so eloquently her inspiration and goals for her album, which she recorded via reel-to-reel and will have pressed to vinyl to complete the analog process. As she mentions in the video “It takes a true sense of commitment to press a record onto vinyl,” and that’s the beauty of her project, and why it’s so perfect for Kickstarter — Kate’s passion shines through, making it impossible not to root for her. Listen below to the beautifully written and layered song from Ish Ish that she’s provided to whet our appetites, “Blue Badges,” and if you enjoy it, please head to her Kickstarter and contribute. Even though it appears that she’s reached her goal, you can still contribute at different levels and receive various gifts in return, from a digital download of the album, to a vinyl copy, to a limited edition 50-page book that features Kate’s line drawings, lyrics and inside secrets, complete with an autographed and a personal message.

Nelly Kate — “Blue Badges“

The Rosebuds

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Loud Planes Fly Low

If you’ve been to a fair number of concerts, you may know this feeling: You’re at a show, you’re having fun, the band is playing great, but you can’t escape the notion that you’re seeing the same performance that the Navy kids in Norfolk saw two nights earlier, which was the same show that plaid-clad Portlanders saw two weeks before that, the guests of Hotel Boulderado two months before that, and so on. Often there’s nothing deficient about these shows, but there’s still an unmistakable and indelible portability to them. If you know this feeling, then I bet you know its polar opposite: The notion that you’re seeing something that cannot be replicated, something that will inspire jealousy in the people who couldn’t make it out that night. Friday at the Camel was one of those nights for me. In fact, the Camel seems to be a magnet for these one-of-a-kind shows. One of the most memorable concerts I’ve ever seen happened there this past April, when Justin Townes Earle put on an emotionally-charged post-rehab performance that was equal parts frightening and brilliant. Though it wasn’t frightening (thankfully), Friday’s Rosebuds show was definitely brilliant, full of moments that stand out in their uniqueness, and I won’t soon forget it. Moments like…

…Landis Wine and Jay Ward of White Laces performing “Calcutta.” Wine and Ward kicked off the show with a special acoustic opening set, and I felt very lucky to be there to see it — not just because it’s fun to see talented musicians showcase their flexibility (Wine embraced the “VH1 Storytellers”-esque vibe, relaying stories about the songs they strummed, and Ward seemed perfectly at ease with a guitar in his normally bass-laden hands, even busting out a mandolin for one song) — but also because we were treated to a harmony-splashed rendition of  “Calcutta,” a track they covered for Love Me When I’m Gone: A Tribute to Ross Harman. It was a touching performance of a painfully beautiful song written by their late friend. You can listen to Harmon’s version here, and you can click here to contribute to a Kickstarter fund that’s raising money to have Harman’s music pressed to vinyl.

…Treesa Gold playing 1,243 notes in the span of 4 seconds (all numbers approximate). I liked Goldrush when I saw them at September’s RVA Music Fest, but I was standing too far away to fully appreciate some of the qualities I saw up close on Friday, like Matt Gold’s booming and brilliantly bowed double bass, Prabir Mehta’s swift guitar playing and pure frontman personality and Treesa Gold’s blindingly fast violin. I mean good lord, there were a lot of notes coming out of that violin. I’m pretty sure I looked like this for a while. The group offers songs that balance that type of complexity with fun and catchy melodies, many of which I could recognize right away from having heard them in September. I highly recommend a trip down YouTube lane to see and hear what I mean.

…someone in the crowd buying the Rosebuds shots. I didn’t know this until singer Ivan Howard mentioned it during their set, but Friday was the very last stop on the Rosebuds’ lengthy American tour. With a rear view mirror full of dates all over the country, some opening for Bon Iver, the Rosebuds seemed to be having a great time, and they sounded outstanding while they were doing it. The band paints such amazing pictures with their recorded music, and I’ve really enjoyed exploring their most recent record, Loud Planes Fly Low, so it was a thrill to see those pictures come to life in such vivid color and texture. There were so many moments to love — a captivating performance of “Cover Ears,” a Camel-wide singalong during “Nice Fox,” and, in what may have been my favorite episode of the evening, a good samaritan buying the band shots (I don’t know for sure what this person bought, but I heard someone say “Goldschläger,” which has to be the most hilarious shot to buy for a band), which they graciously knocked back and chased with a minute-long, improvised, bass-fueled jam. In those moments, the concert wasn’t just a concert — it also felt like the wrap party for a successful theater production, and I’m so glad to have made the trip to the Camel to help them celebrate. Check out the album version of “Cover Ears” below and click here to grab Loud Planes Fly Low on iTunes. Or, if you’re feeling frisky, head to your local record store, where you can buy the album from an actual, living, breathing human being who will be on your side of the Great Human-Robot War of 2034.

The Rosebuds — “Cover Ears“

The Trillions

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I have to begin this post by saying thank you to RVA Magazine, because the RVA Music Festival has proven to be the gift that keeps on giving. Not only did I have an incredible time on Sunday, September 11, walking between the two main stages, enjoying some of Richmond’s best home-grown music, I also walked away with a gluttonous haul of merch. If you’re a regular reader of You Hear That, you may already know about my raging merch addiction. True to form, I did my fair share of business at the merch tables at the RVA Music Fest, and even though I’m enjoying all of the spoils, I’m a bit concerned, because The Trillions are threatening to claim squatter’s rights to my car’s CD player. I’ve been listening to an advance copy of their new full-length album ever since I bought it at the festival. I can’t stop. The truth is that it’s not up to me any more, because some of the songs on the still-unnamed album are solidly stuck in my head, underpinning what might be the band’s greatest achievement: writing guitar lines, lyrics and melodies that your brain begs to hear again. From the sweeping chorus of “Win Some Lose Some” to the descending notes that open, and reappear in, “Calm Down” to the fact that saying the words “You Gotta Be Kidding Me” instantly makes the song start playing in my mind (I’m completely serious. It’s like saying “Beetlejuice” three times… Michael Keaton WILL show up), there are so many moments for which “catchy” is not a strong enough word. Add to these moments an abundance of driving rhythms, an almost supernatural aptitude for choosing guitar sounds that enhance the notes they’re expressing and an exceedingly beautiful song in “What, When, Where,” and you have a sophisticated and rewarding album that’s extremely hard to put down. Check out their performance of “Calm Down” from the RVA Music Fest below, and click here to grab your advance copy of their new album.

The Trillions — “Calm Down (live at the RVA Music Fest)“

White Laces

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The music gods giveth, and the music gods taketh away. I learned this lesson the hard way on May 11, 2008, when my friend Coyle and I, Radiohead tickets in hand, inched northward on I-95 towards Nissan Pavilion in a driving rain and an astounding amount of traffic, only to watch the entire duration of the show tick by on the cruel, green-blue-numbered digital clock that was built into the dash of Coyle’s Jeep Grand Cherokee by Satan himself. Turns out, the rain had washed away one of the venue’s main entrances, and along with it, my dreams of seeing Radiohead for the first time. I still haven’t seen them. Le sigh. I don’t know exactly why the music gods punished me that day (My closet top-40 habit? Accepting requests for “Freebird?” Downloading mp3s with Kazaa in college?), but I do know why they were pissed at me this past Sunday — waiting until the last minute to print my RVA Music Fest tickets. As I scrambled to find a working printer, I had flashbacks of that May evening, not just because I was running late, but because I was filled with excitement as I rushed to see another band for the first time: White Laces. Thankfully, there was no Radiohead repeat. The music gods were in a giving mood, and I made it in time to see the last three songs, which were worthy of every bit of the anticipation. Not only did I get to experience how sublimely weighty “Sick of Summer” feels in person (this song has a transfixing gravity to it — the drums and bass had me mesmerized all the way through to the final explosive moments), I also got to hear a really cool, winding, stopping, starting new tune that I learned will be included on a 7” single the band is recording this weekend at Mystic Fortress studio in Roanoke. I can’t wait to hear that one again, and I can’t wait for the 10” record coming out in mid-November that will feature one of my favorite White Laces tunes of all, “Hands In Mexico.” Check out the song’s delectably sinister video above, listen to “Sick of Summer” below, grab their self-titled EP here, and learn from my mistake — never wait until the last minute to print your tickets. The music gods don’t like it, and printers are pure, unadulterated evil.

White Laces — “Sick of Summer“

Black Girls

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Black Girls

Gregg Gillis said it best. Near the end of his set, the most high-profile performer of the night pointed out*, while standing atop his Panasonic Toughbook’s necessarily sturdy table, that he’s been to tons of festivals, but it was special to see so much of Richmond in the inaugural RVA Music Fest. RVA Magazine did a truly great job organizing, as Sunday was an outstanding snapshot of some of Richmond’s best musicians, and I felt really lucky to be there. One of the bands that reinforced that feeling most was Black Girls. I think everyone’s experienced this moment — you’re at a show, and a performance so totally and completely fills the space around you that the room/theater/amphitheater you’re in feels tiny in comparison to the size of the moment you’re in. Black Girls set up shop in exactly that type of moment on Sunday, giving an amazing show that preceded Stage Two’s headlining act, No BS! Brass Band. In a chaotic festival setting, where people had only moments ago been milling around, snagging (delicious) tacos from Nate’s Taco Truck, Black Girls seemed totally in control, belting out danceable, falsetto-fueled rock and soul songs with a captivating swagger that emanated from every corner of the band. Plus, I got my wish and members of No BS! joined them onstage for closing song “Broadway,” a tune that joyously melds the two bands’ upbeat personalities. Check out the studio version of their collaboration below, pick up Black Girls’ self-titled album here, and the vinyl-inclined can grab the two bands’ split 7″ here.

Black Girls — “Broadway“

*I’m paraphrasing here. By this point, dancing had supplanted any sort of note taking, mental or otherwise. Though no direct quotes are available, we can safely assume that I yelled “Oh shit!” when “Thriller” kicked in. UPDATE — Who needs a memory when you have YouTube? Here’s the clip.

RVA Music Fest!

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The inaugural RVA Music Fest is upon us, and I’m DEFCON 6 excited. Sure, the Girl Talk show will be a fun, sweaty mess, but the majority of my excitement stems from the fact that the festival promises to be a real celebration of the talented musicians that call Richmond home. I have to confess, when I started writing You Hear That in March, I didn’t realize how much I’d enjoy learning about Richmond’s home-grown bands. In the months since, my eyes have been opened by some amazing and creative groups, many of which are playing this weekend. Plans for Saturday have not crystallized yet, but here’s my Sunday game plan. Step 1: White Laces (Sunday @ 4:40 pm on Stage One). I loved their self-titled EP, and their new track “Hands In Mexico” totally blows my mind. Fingers crossed that they crank it up to Lynchburg volume. Step 2: Black Girls (Sunday @ 6:50 pm on Stage Two). I jumped on the Black Girls bandwagon when I heard their swinging tune “Broadway,” and fell for them even more when I found the live version of “South Carolina” that they recorded during hurricane Irene. Maybe if I’m good they’ll do a song with… Step 3: No BS! Brass Band (Sunday @ 7:40 pm on Stage Two). Unlike White Laces and Black Girls, I have seen No BS a few times, and each show has left me with a huge smile on my face. They’re a true Richmond treasure, so don’t miss this one (even if it means skipping out on some of Best Coast). Lastly… Step 4: Girl Talk (Sunday @ 8:45 pm on Stage One) — the aforementioned fun, sweaty mess. I can’t wait. Make your own game plan by checking out some sample songs below, getting your tickets here, and following this link for all the info you’ll need to attend. See you there!

No BS! Brass Band/Black Girls

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No BS! Brass Band VS Black Girls

No BS! Brass Band VS Black Girls

The Artists: No BS! Brass Band and Black Girls. The Album: No BS! Brass Band VS Black Girls. The Store: The Interweb. The Price: $6.

I have my friends Josh and Caitlin to thank for No BS! Brass Band. They’d seen No BS! perform a number of times, and it was clear when they talked about the group that something special was going on. Seeing that type of enthusiasm in friends is always a sign of good things to come, and when I finally got to see No BS! at the Camel this past winter, I had an incredible time. Their sound is big and inviting, and in between their powerful and intricately arranged original songs, they covered “Thriller” and “Take On Me,” both of which were ridiculously fun. Every time I’ve seen them since, I’ve felt that same sense of fun, so I was bummed that I couldn’t make it to either night of the two-part Balliceaux release party for the new split 7″ record they just released with fellow Richmond band Black Girls. When I found out about this limited-pressing record, entitled No BS! Brass Band VS Black Girls, I got really excited and bought a copy off the label’s website, thinking they might run out quickly, MAYBE EVEN DURING THE RELEASE PARTY (I do the same thing with movies I’m jazzed up about — I always think they’re going to be totally crowded, so I rush through the popcorn buying process to make sure I get connecting seats). My copy came in the mail this weekend, and I’d never heard Black Girls’ music, but their song “Broadway” gave an outstanding first impression, sounding sophisticated and full — the word “jaunty” also comes to mind, but do people really use that word? — with No BS! providing backup firepower. On the other side, No BS! contributes a fantastic new version of “Ain’t Even Gonna Call Ya,” one of my favorites to see live. Check out a live version of the song below, and if you’re vinyl-inclined, order your copy of the split 7” here.

White Laces

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White Laces

Important Vinyl Update … The Artist: White Laces. The Album: White Laces. The Store: Deep Groove. The Price: $9.99.

Discovering a new band is like moving to an unfamiliar city. Relocating means new street names, new restaurants and new experiences. Finding a new band brings you new sights, sounds and perspectives, along with the hope that they’ll book a concert nearby, so you can dig even deeper. Both make the world seem like a slightly bigger place than it was before. So when you find a band that kicks ass and hails from your beloved hometown, all that’s familiar is filled with renewed possibility. The feeling is electric, and hearing White Laces for the first time was like stepping on a live power line while walking through my living room. I found out about White Laces from Richmond Playlist, an awesome blog that covers both local bands and nationally touring acts who are stopping in town. Right away, I loved how complete they sounded. Complex musical ideas are executed thoughtfully, as chaos and calm work hand in hand to paint vivid and cohesive sonic pictures. I wanted to hear more, and when I saw their 12” EP at Deep Groove, I knew it was meant to be. Check out their song “Sick of Summer” and if you dig, head to their page on SoundCloud to hear more.