Wednesday, April 1, 2009

TVD First Date with | Pree

I lugged my drum kit around DC for years. Playing here and there, trying out for this and that--until I was hit with an epiphany: futility. I just wasn’t going to make a career of it despite my blistered hands.

As such, I’ve often wondered how the karmic happenstance takes shape where unique talents gel into a cohesive whole. (Which eluded me, frankly.)

So, enough about vinyl just this once. This week we chat with Pree’s May Tabol about the long road taken — from being ON the road to developing a community of collaborators — that’s lead to the band’s brand new release ‘A Chopping Block’ out now on DC’s very own Kora Records.


"Pree started out as a collaboration between my friend John Thayer (from Exit Clov) and I after I had gotten back from touring with Le Loup last spring. I had written several songs in the back of the van during the long stretches across the states, and, being unemployed when I got back to DC, decided that that summer would be the perfect time to record. Exit Clov had set up a studio in the basement of their house in Arlington, and John and I decided to put together an EP there. We enlisted the help of Susan Hsu (also from Exit Clov) for violin, Tom Hnatow of These United States for bass and dobro, and Vanessa Degrassi of Frau Eva for flute, and by the end of August we had something we were quite happy with.

After John moved up to New York in September, I started playing with Chris Dewitt (Sweet Teeth/Fever/Wild Fictions), and then David Barker (Cobra Collective), and Vanessa joined up shortly thereafter. It's been great to be a part of such a close-knit music scene here in DC. It's certainly an interesting town to be making music in.. the Capitol casts tall shadow, but underneath there are a lot of creative people running around giving this city its own culture, something independent of the political climate everyone recognizes from the outside."


Pree - Heaven is a Drag (Mp3)
Pree - In the Parlor (Mp3)


AON Sessions: Pree, "In the Parlor" from All Our Noise on Vimeo.

TVD On The Radio...we take requests.

...a strong low pressure system over the Great Lakes drags a cold front across region today. Expect some light rain this morning with a better chance of showers through the afternoon. With gray skies, temperatures will be held in the mid 50s. Overnight scattered rain tapers with some patchy fog and lows in the 40s.

Heard from our pal Noah this morning on the request line. Seems he’s got a hankering for a little bit more of what we spun last week and we’re quite happy to oblige. So, got a request? Dial us up on the request line.

Right now it’s 10:02 and this is The Plimsouls:

The Plimsouls - Time Won't Let Me (Live) (Mp3)

Big Star - What's Going Ahn (Mp3)
David Vandervelde - Nothin' No (Mp3)
Nick Lowe - (I Love The Sound Of) Breaking Glass (Mp3)
Grant Lee Buffalo - Jupiter And Teardrop (Mp3)

TVD's Record Store Day 2009 Newswire | Exclusive Wilco free concert download



'Ashes Of American Flags'—the new concert DVD from Wilco will be available at participating Record Store Day retailers on April 18. And now there’s a special treat for those of you cool cats who pick it up on Record Store Day. You’ll be able to download ONE COMPLETE CONCERT, parts of which appear in the film. You’ll only get this special added feature if you pick up the DVD on Record Store Day. Yet one more reason to check out a real live record store on April 18!

FINE PRINT: Not all stores will have this DVD in stock on Record Store Day. Check the store nearest you and find out if they’ll have Ashes of American Flags in stock on Record Store Day.