Los Amigos Invisibles at the Black Cat

It’s really no wonder Los Amigos Invisibles are among the biggest band in Venezuela, they mix poppy dance beats, funky latino drums and solid, fun guitar riffs.  Their front-man is almost irrelevant though, he was more of a hype-man, encouraging the fans to hop around.  You felt more like people were there for the dancing and grooving and the lyrics were inconsequential at times, especially since he was singing in Spanish.   

But that didn’t matter.  The Black Cat is a great music venue and I had wormed my way up nearly to the front of the stage.    Making great use of their DJ, the band had many bouncy efforts and even led to some “Rock Fist-Bumping” (note: this is when you have your hands in the “metal” pose with your pinky/1^st finger/thumb extended and then fist pump the hell out of the beat.)  My initial reaction was they were a mix between DeadMau5 and Maroon 5 but much more raw than either.

I was also semi-impressed by the opening band RubbleBucket whose stage was as crowded as it could stand to be with instruments of all assortments.  Through all the saxophone, trombone, trumpets the thing that stood out to me the most was their drum and bass guys.  They drove the show and without  laying down precision rhythm, the improv moments would have ceased to exist.  RubbleBucket earned negative points for a trombonist who was white and had dreadlocks.

My guess is that Los Amigos Invisibles sound better live than it ever could on CD/disk/mp3/whatever.  They were fun but they weren’t anything too special.  I highly recommend a live show.  Bring a date, especially if she is one of the many Latino women in D.C.  Either way, if you love dancing your ass off, go see Los Amigos Immortals.

Wavves at the 9:30 Club

Last week I went to the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. to see two bands play. Best Coast was the headliner. Best Coast is an indie darling from California, fronted by a female lead singer and had recently performed on Late Night with David Letterman. Best Coast plays solid indie-rock. They are rarely controversial and had me bobbing my head most of the night in appreciation of their laid back California style.

But I’m not here to talk about Best Coast. I’m here to talk about the band that opened for Best Coast, A band called Wavves. Wavves is a California punk/indie rock band founded by Nathan Williams, who sings and plays guitar and recorded the first album in his mom’s garage. Wavves found fame on the indie music scene in 2008, but almost threw it all away when a very inebriated Nathan got booed off-stage a music festival in Europe for berating fans, and generally being a giant prick. Many music insiders thought Wavves had thrown away their chances at becoming “big”.

Nathan responded by hiring a rhythm section who had formerly dealt with a troubled/unpredictable lead singer (Jay Reatard) and released the bands second full length album, “Wavvves” to smashing indie reviews. Because of this I had actually heard of Wavves before the show, but had never heard a Wavves song.

The very first thing I noticed about Wavves is that they were loud. I mean, really loud. Just a few songs into their set and my sternum was rumbling from the fuzzed out bass and heavy drums.

Despite being soaked in reverb, Nathans voice was still raw, and full of punk attitude. His snarl sounded almost like a young Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day fame. The harmonies of bass player Stephen Pope added extra layers to the sound, and the songs were undeniably catchy. I couldn't help but bob my head in appreciation for the tunes Wavves was sending my way. Wavves sounded about as poppy as a lo-fi band is allowed to sound.

Right after the show I Tweeted my first impression of Wavves: I thought their show seemed like how a very early Nirvana concert would have sounded. Distortion abound, a plucky lead singer who snarled and slashed his way through the show, fast guitar licks, bouncy bass lines and a drummer who could pound the kit with the best of them. They sure aren't Nirvana re-incarnated, but the attitude of the band and the punkish yet poppy tunes made me think immediately of Nirvana.

While Wavves probably won’t be burning up the music charts anytime soon, they are definitely worth a listen if you ever wondered what would happen if the Beach Boys somehow got mashed up with very early Nirvana. It sounds a bit odd, but its catchy as hell.

Download these: “King of the Beach” “Post Acid”

Dont Hate, Appreciate

When I got hooked on the band a few years back, Kings of Leon seemed destined to be a really huge, and guess what? They are now bona-fide rock superstars after last year’s Grammy winning effort Only By The Night. With massive fame came the inevitable backlash and “haters” soon emerged (somewhat rightfully after F.M. radio murdered the song “Use Somebody”) and the band got labeled as a “hipsters” worst nightmare.

The band has not let those haters keep them down. On their latest endeavor, Come Around Sundown the band continued to evolve on the catchy choruses, passionately pained vocals and clever guitar work that made them famous, as well as expanding on their Southern roots. Despite the fact that Come Around Sundown was recorded in New York City, the second half of the album takes on a decidedly country fried southern twang.

“Radioactive” was the first single but it probably isn't even the strongest song on the album. “The Immortals” sticks out as a song that is destined for major radio play, has lead singer Caleb prophesying to go “find out what you are, face-to-face.”

“Pryo” is a straight up King of Leon slow-burner as Caleb wails “I won’t ever be your cornerstone” into a tight, even funky beat from drummer Nathan. And really, if you needed more proof Kings of Leon have matured since their earliest, wildest days, “Mary” is a song about a band members marriage.

At times the second half of the album sputters, the Kings delve deep into their roots with and sometimes miss. However, they do come up with a bona- fide crossover-country hit with “Back Down South.”

Come Around Sundown is the album for the kids who liked the last album, but probably not for those who grew up on the first two albums. The Kings have gone from being labeled "The Southern Strokes" to being hailed as the "Next U2".

I can honestly say the first time I heard a Kings of Leon album I knew they would be huge, on this album they prove how far they have come, and show promise of future riches lying ahead. They may be a “haters” best friend, but this album is welcome in my ear buds every time.

Deer Tick-The Black Dirt Sessions

On Deer Tick’s latest endeavor they don't really deviate from their “normal” country-grunge-blues sound, although they do refine it a bit on The Black Dirt Sessions. They come with a slightly more mature resonance on this album. Lead singer Paul McCauley’s songwriting skills have always been top-notch; he simply has added more layers of sound on this album.

Some of the songs on The Black Dirt Sessions sound like they could have been former Beatles or Doors tunes until McCauley’s voice starts a-wailing. His voice is one of the best in the business; it reaches a deep baritone and happy highs but never ceases to ooze emotion at every turn. I’ve used this analogy before but its never been more true than with McCauley; it sounds like he’s been swiggin’ whisky and smoking Marlboro Reds since he was 12.

“Goodbye, Dear Friend” is a heart wrenching ballad about, well, losing a good friend, that will have cowboys crying into their beers all over America. On “Hand in Hand” McCauley hits his falsetto spots and when he wails “Everyone in this world is alone!” you believe him.

Two other stand out tracks are “Mange” and “Piece by Piece Frame by Frame” which are heavy, dirty country-blues songs which is what fans of Deer Tick have come to expect.

The Black Dirt Sessions definitely isn’t an album for the casual top-40 music listener. Fans of country music would probably find it too “rock heavy” but if you’re a fan of good ‘ol fashioned rock ‘n roll then this album will be right up your alley.

4/5 Throwing Stars

Download these: "Piece by Piece Frame by Frame" "Mange" "Hand in my Hand" "Goodbye Dear Friend"

Welcome to Wiz's World

Wiz Khalifa lets you know right off the bat what he’s about with his new massive hit mix-tape named “Kush and Orange Juice”. Wiz’s success is no real secret, this is his eighth independent mix-tape release. The Pittsburgh native was signed to Warner Brothers Record’s in 2007, but by 2009 he had parted ways with the record label and started heavily promoting his music through social network sites like Twitter and YouTube.

If you happen to be confused by the obvious weed reference in the title, the mix-tapes first song is titled “Waken Baken” which should let you know what kind of vibe “Kush and Orange Juice” has. Wiz is similar to Kid Cudi with his dreamy lyrics and heavy synth beats. Even though he is from Pittsburgh Wiz has a west coast, laidback vibe to him that permeates throughout the entire mix-tape. Wiz’s songs contain many references to smoking marijuana and he even boasts about his medical marijuana connect.

But the mix-tape isn’t all about smoking Kush and drinking O.J. Wiz has ample swagger and he uses it more like Drake than 50-Cent. He raps about what he knows, which is girls, good weed and hustling rather than killing or staying strapped.

One of the most impressive tracks is “That Kid Frankie” which opens with a groovy, late ‘70’s funk feel which makes it a perfect summer song. The most mainstream track undoubtedly is “We’re Over” which samples Disney star Demi Lovato’s vocals with Wiz unloading plenty of ammo about how his crew is taking over and chasing paper. Another stand-out track is “In Tha Cut” which has a faster dance beat to it and will probably be re-mixed several times and find its way onto dance floors across the country.

Wiz Khalifa might be a new name to most people and his success shouldn’t really be a surprise, however “Kush and Orange juice” might prove to be his breakthrough into mainstream. Like Drake and Kid Cudi before him, Wiz has become a smash sensation and built a steady fan base with the college age crowd and with heavy internet users regardless of their weed smoking preference. “Kush and Orange Juice” is proving to be the must have mix-tape for the summer season, whether you smoke Kush or not.


Check out "Kush and Orange Juice" as a free download right off Wiz's Myspace page
http://www.myspace.com/wizkhalifa