The Sound of The District
BY KELSIE EHALT// Twenty-four years after the release of their last studio album Dear You, the pioneers of pop-punk, Jawbreaker, are thrilling audiences once again on their reunion tour. Not shying away from their hiatus, the band posted on Facebook “Remember when Jawbreaker was last in DC and Bill Clinton was in the White House”?
BY VISHAL NYAYAPATHI// On Thursday, February 21st, James Blake performed at The Anthem on the North American leg of his Assume Form tour.
Following the dreamy, monotone opening set by Khushie, Blake arrived on stage just after 9 o’clock. Accompanied by two additional band members (one of whom operated a stunning modular synth rack) and the familiar fluttering piano riffs of the title track from his latest album Assume Form, Blake began what would be a mind-blowing, genre-defying performance. As a panel of white, orange and red lights danced behind him, Blake seamlessly flowed between sonic motifs of trap, soul, and bass music.
Continue reading “James Blake Gives a Dynamic Performance at The Anthem”
BY JULIA SMITH// I heard James Bay’s music for the first time four years ago at a quintessentially SoCal music festival called Weenie Roast, hosted by KROQ at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre (may she rest in peace). During a festival that was part indie/alternative/flower crown girl haven, and debatably part Cinco de Mayo celebration, Angelinos and Orange County natives baked under the sun in enthusiastic throngs to hear radio’s most-played alternative artists. James Bay, a fresh new face on the scene, played early in the day at the smaller stage – the perfect venue for this singer/songwriter. Recalling that performance, the first word that comes to mind is honest.
Continue reading “James Bay at The Anthem, 3/8”
BY VICTORIA MIDDLETON// San Francisco indie rock band Deerhoof says they have been “simultaneously living in two worlds“; and you are too.
Deerhoof has been releasing music since the 90s, back when indie rock was ~indie rock~. Beginning within the realm of noise punk, Deerhoof evolved to be known for a sweet, poppier sound throughout the early 2000s, although the group’s experimental spirit never faltered. Their most recent album drew it’s inspirational from the massive rip in the space-time continuum commonly known as the Trump era. Deerhoof has described the uncanny events of this age as the result of living in two worlds
BY VISHAL NYAYAPATHI// This past January, English electronic R&B musician and producer James Blake released his most recent full-length project entitled Assume Form. At 12 tracks long, Assume Form delivers a dynamic discussion of ontology, love, and age. Matching the intensity of his poetic lyrics, fluttering piano melodies (“Assume Form), processed vocal riffs (“Barefoot in the Park), and complex trap beats (“Tell Them”) create a unique aural palette with which Blake explores the complexities of life in Los Angeles. While opening up a door for collaboration, Blake has maintained his intense, often melancholic sentiment by drawing vulnerability from features such as Travis Scott, ROSALÍA and André 3000.