TVD First Date with | Casper Bangs

I naively thought at this blog’s inception that 100% of the bands that’d be featured would be bands that I love. No waffling – just the stuff I adore.

But that didn’t play out as I’d hoped. I mean, would you want to read about the same seven or eight bands over and over? Probably not. Hell, I don’t want to.

I sucked it up and in the name of diversity and ‘expanding one’s horizons’ I opened the flood gates. Not wide, mind you, but enough to allow for some acts who aren’t particularly up my alley. Oh, they might be hip and all that and you might have dug some of their Mp3s that went along with the features, but mentally I was sitting a few of ‘em out.

So, I realize that as a result, at times you may not know where I stand on this or that band.

Casper Bangs is 100%.

(Got it?)

We chatted with CB’s Rob Pierangeli a little while back about stuff near and dear to both of us:

What record stores do you frequent within the DC/Baltimore area?
I dig Crooked Beat, Som Records, Red Onion and Smash.

What was your first memory of listening to vinyl or buying a record? What artist was it?
I had a record player when I was a kid, but those memories are not vivid. I had Thiller by Michael Jackson and this Kids Incorporate record, both of which I loved. That TV show was my jam when I was five.

I didn't really start collecting records until around 21, when I inherited some of my Mom's Beatles records. The first records I ever bought were Jazz Impressions of Black Orpheus by Vince Guaraldi and Thelonious Monk live at the Black Hawk. I bought them both from Smash Records when it was still in Georgetown. I was taking jazz guitar lessons at the time, and listening to EL-P’s jazz-influenced hip-hop production on Cannibal Ox’s The Cold Vein. The beats on that record are so ill. And speaking of, I need to get that on vinyl.


Why did you decide to put out a 7" for 'Whitespace?'
I simply love vinyl, and wanted to document the beginning of Casper Bangs with a vinyl release.

Please divulge some information regarding its artwork if you would...
I'm into the concept of whitespace in art and the space between notes in music. I wanted a minimalist approach to the artwork that conveyed this concept. Charlie Flexon (the designer) and I bounced a bunch of ideas around, until he came up with idea of using braille on the front cover. From there we decided to use no printing and single-level emboss all type and art. I'm really happy with the packaging on this release. It's gorgeous! And who doesn’t love white vinyl?

Do your friends still buy music?
Yes, most of my friends buy records. I think a lot of my friends (myself included) also download music too, but it's not the same as owning the vinyl. Vinyl is tangible and more of a commitment. You can browse through my iTunes to see what I dig, but if you really want to know what I love check out my record collection. These are the albums I could not live without.



If you could own the entire vinyl anthology for any band, who would it be?
Easy: The Kinks.

Would you ever issue a single only on a 7"?
Maybe. I think you have to consider your audience. If I wrote punk rock, hardcore, or garage then I'd be more inclined to do so because kids tend to collect seven inches in those genres. Truth is, I was hesitant on doing a 7" because I write pop songs. That being said, I think releasing vinyl only does make it special. Perhaps down the road I’ll do a vinyl only release.

Casper Bangs - Skylark (Mp3)
Casper Bangs - The Other Half (Mp3)
Casper Bangs - Queen Of Hearts (Mp3)

TVD Fresh Pick | New from Laura Burhenn: The Mynabirds

TVD Two Word Review: Absolutely fantastic.

Official site right here.

The Mynabirds - Numbers Don't Lie (Mp3)

TVD Presents a Sockets Records Showcase Week!

We've been excited to do this Sockets Records blog takeover week, but, um...how do I say this? Big Gold Belt's walking us down some dark, dark record cover alleys. (Where's my mace?)

Here is an album cover we came across that made us feel happy. It is from Rare Silk’s 1986 record “New Weave.”

Reasons this cover is good:


1. The South Floridian mom color palette.

2. The geometric composition typical of paintings selected by shrinks in the Rockland County, NY area. They hang these in their waiting rooms.

3. The splatter texture and shadow relief adds cheesy depth.

4. The font the name 'Rare Silk' is written in what looks like it was derived from the slashes of some soft-rock pirate's cutlass.

5. Corny cleverness: "New Weave" (as in “new wave.”)

We cannot say we love the music that Rare Silk produces—a bizarre combination of the Andrew Sisters, soft jazz and funk guitar. We do however thank them for their stylish design sense!

Big Gold Belt - Ice Cream (Mp3)

TVD Fresh Pick | New Fyfe Dangerfield

Oh, we love press releases. And that's all you're gonna get with these 'Fresh Picks' to speed these along and to ...uh, to keep 'em fresh.

"Following Guillemots 2008 album Red, mercurial singer-songwriter Fyfe Dangerfield used the window of time created to spread his wings and lovingly record his beautiful debut solo album 'Fly Yellow Moon.'

Fyfe recorded the album in five days in what he describes as ‘the best ever little studio’, which ended up being the happiest days he has ever spent in studio land. The songs were written over a 12-month period in snatched moments after soundchecks, before nights out, and after moments of unmitigated lovestruck bliss.

He met up with Bernard Butler to mix a couple of songs ("She Needs Me," "Faster Than The Setting Sun") on a 1960s-mixing desk to color the record in a different shade. The rest of the tracks remained just as they were from their first recording session. “It often sounded best this way, says Fyfe. “Capturing the moment they were recorded and not being painted over too much.” "

Fyfe Dangerfield - When You Walk In The Room (Mp3)

We post - you decide! (Although we think this is great.)

It's a TVD Ticket Giveaway | Langhorne Slim, Friday, January 22 at Ottobar

I know this blog's read from Athens to Zurich (really, I check the stats) but do we have any readers in, uh...Baltimore? Well, we're about to find out because we have a pair of tickets to check out Langhorne Slim along with April Smith, this Friday night at Ottobar in our sister city to the north.

Raise your hand in the comments to this post, jump up and down, do what you need to grab our attention if you're in Baltimore (or willing to hit the road) for what's certain to be a fine night of music. Leave us some contact info too. We'll choose a winner Friday morning. Now, get going, hon.



Langhorne Slim - Say Yes (Mp3)
April Smith and the Great Picture Show - Colors (Mp3)

TVD Presents a Sockets Records Showcase Week!

It's Day #2 of Sockets Records' blog takeover in advance of Friday's label showcase show at The Black Cat, and we're joined by the super succinct Imperial China.


One of the cooler LP covers I've seen in recent years is the cover to Thee Oh Sees' 'Help.' Any and all Oh Sees albums/releases belong on vinyl, both in terms of artwork and music, but both for different reasons. Their music is so raw that nothing captures it better than vinyl, and their artwork is so weird and intricate that it would get lost on CD.

Imperial China - Go Where Airplanes Go (Mp3)

TVD Presents a Sockets Records Showcase Week!

Sockets Records only came onto my radar about 2 years ago as they quietly—or at least as it seemed to me—amassed a local roster of diverse and eclectic talent. But hell, they're five years old and in celebration of this auspicious birth date, the label is hosting a showcase this Friday that label founder Sean Peoples elaborates upon below. Afterward, we're talking to all five bands this week about one of my favorite topics—album covers.

Sockets Records is marking its 5 year anniversary with a huge showcase blowout at the Black Cat this Friday (January 22, 2010) and The Vinyl District graciously asked us to take over the blog for the week and feature the 5 bands playing the showcase. Needless to say, we couldn't be more excited to oblige.

Sockets started off of as a small label at the end of 2004/beginning of 2005, issuing limited quantities of sound experiments by friends. Over the years, the label grew to accommodate an increase in output and creativity of said friends. Now the label maintains 10 active bands and aims to highlight a music scene once again thriving in our nation's capital.

The bands playing Friday's Black Cat showcase are an eclectic bunch - a reflection of the myriad sounds emanating from Washington, DC. From the conscious hip-hop of The Cornel West Theory to the experimental post-punk of Imperial China, you can get a good sense of the unique styles one can find on Sockets Records this Friday night.


Whether I'm traveling through the mystical unworldly environments of Roger Dean (yes!) or getting caught deep within the simple surrealistic concepts of Storm Thorgerson (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin) album covers have always held a magnetic force for my album gripping.

Not only are they usually my initial introduction to the musical world I'm about to dive into, they also create there own realities where the music can take me. Ultimately though nothing speaks louder then the stoic portrait of a single artist on the cover of an album. It's almost as if your looking into a morphed mirror of who will embody you as the record spins.


Though usually this approach is mostly associated with the jazz world – i.e. Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Pharaoh Sanders, etc – it was also wildly popular within the folk world as well – i.e. Blonde on Blonde or First Songs by Mike Hurley. For me, there's no bolder introduction then the silence of a single face staring unknowingly towards oblivion.
—Britton Powell (HUME)

HUME - Grip (Mp3)

TVD Live Tease & Ticket Giveaway! | Alex Gruenburg & Lightfoot TONIGHT, 1/18 at DC9!

Our pal Jess and her BFF Alex Gruenburg take the stage over at DC9 tonight as openers for Young Buffalo...and, uh... is it just me or are they looking forward to it?

Ladies,
Where have all our rock & roll idols gone? Have they gone the way of tape cassettes, record players, and beta tapes? I think not. Like any good man, the best of them are always hardest to find. You see girls, cute boys are one thing, but cute boys who write and sing rock & roll songs that you can’t stop dancing to to...? *swoon* Um, have I introduced you to Alex Gruenburg? Little did you know Washington, DC has it’s very own personal rock star and after you see him play, you’re probably going to want his poster on your wall. Apparently, The Beatles’ songwriting had a baby with Elvis Presley’s swagger and someone left it on James Brown’s doorstep and named it Alex Gruenburg. Girls, I encourage all you to put on your shortest skirt and your sexiest pair of dancing shoes and come out to see DC’s finest at DC9 on Monday, January 18th because Alex and I are having a good ol’ fashioned Boy/Girl Party. *wink, wink* Come out early and get ready to bat some lashes because I’m pretty sure that a few introductions are in order...)
Love,
Jess

Gentlemen,
Do you remember your first crush? You know, that girl that kept you up at night because you just couldn’t stop thinking about the way she had looked at you that day. She tosses her hair back, smiles at you and all of the sudden you’re butter on toast. Yea.. we’ve all been through those times and honestly I thought I was over it. I thought that. And then I met Jessica Louise Dye. Not just any girl, she’s the singer and sexy frontman for Lightfoot. And let me tell you, Zooey Deschanel ain’t got nothing on this. Lightfoot sounds like your first date played back through a 45’ as you wake up on Sunday morning to breakfast in bed. Is it going to rock your face off? No. Is Jessica going to have to get a restraining order against you after you see her in concert? Probably. Washington DC must have asked for a indie boy’s wet dream for Christmas because that’s what it got. I’d advise you to put on your skinniest pair of jeans and skinniest tie you can find and head out to DC9 on Monday, January 18th. Lightfoot and me are putting on a sexy, sexy Boy/Girl party and she’ll be opening up the night. So make sure you get there early! How are you supposed to hit on her if you didn’t even see her set?
Love,
Alex

Ladies & Gentlemen,
Pen your love letter to our cute couple in the comments to this post by 5PM today and the one that has us swooning the most will win a pair of tickets for tonight's Boy/Girl party. Remember to leave us some contact info!
Love,
The Vinyl District

Photo: Joel Didriksen for kingpinphoto.com

TVD | The Submarines' Parting Shots

In addition to The Subs swag left behind by Blake and John for you guys, they've aslo assembled your Parting Shots for the week. Because they're givers.

John's five:
Johnny Osbourne - Love Makes the World Go Round (Mp3)
The Clash - Safe European Home (Mp3)
Aphex Twin - Girl/Boy (Mp3)
The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever [Take 25, Instrumental] (Mp3)
Love - Everybody's Gotta Live (Mp3)



Blake's five:
Noah and the Whale - Blue Skies (Mp3)
Feist and Grizzly Bear - Service Bell (Mp3)
Nico - These Days (Mp3)
El Perro del Mar - Somebody's Baby (Mp3)
Elvis Perkins - Hey (Mp3)

It's a TVD/Submarines Giveaway!

I admit I was a little late getting into TVD HQ this morning. We were up late last night hammering together details for the DC Record Fair and reviewing the final poster art, so I was unable to see The Submarines, Blake and John, off as we wind down their big blog takeover week.

They had tidied up the office quite nicely and tossed out all the pizza boxes and empty bottles which is always appreciated. And they’ve left a little something behind for TVD readers and Subs fans.

We’ve got a great litho, a portion of which is shown below, and a rare, unreleased remix CD of their second record ‘Honeysuckle Weeks’ for three of you who pipe up to claim the set in the comments to this post. We’ll give ya a week and leave us some contact info too, ok?

Track listing for the remix CD: 1940 (AmpLive Remix), You, Me & The Bourgeoisie (Tonetiger Remix), Brightest Hour (Morgan Page Remix), Submarines Symphonika (Ra Ra Riot Remix), You, Me & the Bourgeoisie (Alaska In Winter Remix), Submarine Symphonika (Wallpaper Remix), Brightest Hour (Free the Robots Remix), Xavia (Stryofoam Remix), 1940 (Sub's Section Quartet Mix)

It's a TVD/Bluebrain Interactive Contest!

Ryan from Bluebrain kicks it off:

"In the run-up to our free show at The Fridge this Saturday (1/16) and to our first album release, 'Soft Power' next month, The Vinyl District has asked us to do something a little different.

Some of you may have taken part in our boombox performance in October...in short, we wrote a piece of music called 'Cakeblood' and bounced each track onto a different cassette tape, over 30 in all. Each of those were placed in one of the provided boomboxes.

We did a countdown, pressed play at the same time, and walked around the city as the piece played in (relative) synchronicity. The Vinyl District has requested that we do something similar that readers could try at home or in their office. So we've put together a short piece called 'The Last Place You Look'.

It's a little over 4 minutes long and only contains 4 distinct parts. All you need is a few computers with internet connection and the ability to download and play sound from each of them. So when your boss is out to lunch, you and three coworkers in neighboring cubicles can fill the office with an unexpected musical interlude.

It's very easy. Each person should download one of the 4 links below, load in iTunes, and press pause when it's at the beginning. Designate a member of your group to do a countdown and, on 'Go', everyone clicks play. Remember, if your computer is not playing music right away, fret not. Not every track starts right out of the gate.

Thank you and enjoy!"

Bluebrain - The Last Place You Look [Track 1] (Mp3)
Bluebrain - The Last Place You Look [Track 2] (Mp3)
Bluebrain - The Last Place You Look [Track 3] (Mp3)
Bluebrain - The Last Place You Look [Track 4] (Mp3)

Oh, riiight. The contest.

Any one of you who can prove you pulled this off—at work, or at home, or at Tryst, even - YouTube video or what have you—will get an autographed copy of the debut CD and a shit ton of bragging rights. (The show is free, after all.)

You have 'til Friday and we needn't say it but, ...'em—make it great.


...and we have a winner!

It's The Submarines' Vinyl District!

The Submarines Blog Takeover, Day 4! Blake's back and she's got plenty to cover:

As you likely know, Haiti was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake Tuesday, devastating much of the country. Donations can be made to help with the relief effort through a number of organizations, including Wyclef Jean's, Yéle Haiti. The Yéle Haiti site has been temporarily overwhelmed, but you can donate $5 by texting YELE to 501501.

This year, restored audio recordings and a number of short films made by Alan Lomax in Haiti in 1936 have been made available in the amazing box set, "Alan Lomax in Haiti." Here is a beautiful sacred song, called 'Gede Nibo, yo fè rayi mwen' from Volume 7, sung by Francilia, who worked for Lomax, and whom he recorded singing many traditional tunes.

Francilia - Gede Nibo, yo fè rayi mwen (Mp3)

While I'd love to devote this post to the music of Haiti and the Caribbean (including more contemporary artists) in tribute to those effected by this tragic event, I'm no expert and would be making a pretty amateur attempt. Thus...I'll now return to Subs-love-records blogging...

We, The Submarines, reside in a sleepy pocket of Northeast Los Angeles, in close proximity to many fine independently owned record-selling establishments, including these two lovely ones: Origami Vinyl is a shop and label in the heart of Echo Park, near our beloved venue, The Echo.

Territory Barbeque and Records is a hybrid BBQ restaurant and vinyl shop in Virgil Village in Silverlake, and has one of the grooviest looking bright-green storefronts around.

Another great vinyl-oriented establishment in the Echo Park area is the revamped former Ranchero bar, El Prado, which boasts 'beer, snacks and records' and is very pretty, indeed, with albums stacked up above the mirrored bar:


To close this post, I'd like to mention an album which came out the other day called 1%: the Music, Volume 1, which includes a Submarines song called, 'The Tide.' 1% is a non-profit which works to support environmental programs. We're really happy for them that this compilation has reached the iTunes alternative top ten this week.

And finally, here are a few things I'm rocking out to this week whilst running (training for the Boston Marathon in April):

Major Lazer - Pon de Floor (Mp3)
David Byrne and Dirty Projectors - Knotty Pine (Mp3)
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - 40 Day Dream (Mp3)

TVD Fresh Pick | New Brian Jonestown Massacre

Press Release!

The Brian Jonestown Massacre is back and set to release their tenth studio album, Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? on February 23rd. The 13-track album was recorded throughout 2009 in Iceland and Berlin and features Spaceman 3 legend Will Carruthers on bass, vocalist Unnur Andrea Einarsdottir and a variety of international musicians contributing textures not previously heard on a BJM album. It is to be released on bandleader Anton Newcombe’s own label, “a recordings LTD”, distributed though Red Eye.

The album marks the return of guitarist/vocalist Matt Hollywood, an original member/co-founder of the band who helped write some of the BJM’s classic material from their early albums (Strung Out In Heaven, Their Satanic Majesties Second Request, Take It From The Man, Spacegirl & Other Oddities, Give It Back) as well as penning the infamous dig at the Dandy Warhols, “Not If You Were The Last Dandy on Earth”.

The Brian Jonestown Massacre - Let’s Go Fucking Mental (Mp3)

TVD Sunday Hangover | Mr. Casablancas Visits the 9:30 Club

If you want to go to a rock show and be home in time to watch Leno (wait… what time is Leno on?!) Julian Casablancas is your man.

The Strokes frontman, 31 year-old Julian Casablancas, dropped by the 9:30 club last night (Tues) to play his entire first first solo LP, ‘Phrazes for the Young’ to a sold-out show consisting mainly of mid-twenties Baltimorians. The entire LP (including the bonus track) is a only 43 minutes long and even by throwing in a new song and a Strokes cover (I’ll Try Anything Once) the show was over by 10:30pm.

Despite the brevity, however, Casablancas was able to bring his cigarette-raspy, super-sexy and unmistakable Strokes voice to the legendary club along with his new-found 70’s analog synth sound. When writing for The Strokes, Casablancas has mentioned that he’s always written songs first on the keyboard then translated these into guitar tunes whereas with ‘Phrazes’, it seems he never made it to the guitar (which, by no means, is a bad thing).


Julian was quite the funny-man, cracking jokes and singing improvised DC jingles while his drummers kick-drum was fixed. Mr. C even jumped into the crowd several times to the delight of many a young professional who got to touch the legendary icon. The show, although super short, was fantastic indeed.

As you probably know, the Strokes album “Is This It” was named the number one album of the entire decade by NME magazine! Quite the achievement. Although the band has not officially broken up they have been ‘on-hiatus’ since their third album, ‘First Impressions of Earth’ in 2006. Based on several interviews it seems the possibility of a fourth album remains…

Apparently Julian was rockin a way-cool 80’s-esque leather jacket too… but unfortunately I was too fricken short to see!

Julian Casablancas – Out of the Blue (Mp3)
Julian Casablancas – 30 Minute Boyfriend (Bonus Track) (Mp3)
Dangermouse and Sparklehorse (feat. J. Casablancas) – Little Girl (Mp3)
Courtney Love – But Julian, I’m a Little Older Than You (Mp3)

Record Store Day and The Vinyl District extend exclusive partnership into 2010

The Vinyl District is excited to announce that for the second year running, we've been named the Official Blog for Record Store Day 2010. We'll be the first to break news as the bands and labels line up unique releases for RSD2010 and we'll have the inside line on the day's events happening around the country (and around the globe) which we'll bring to you.

"Record Store Day is happy to be working with The Vinyl District again this year. Last year we released almost 100 unique vinyl releases just for Record Store Day and look forward to making some exciting announcements with The Vinyl District in the coming weeks and months. Look for the debut vinyl release from Broken Bells (featuring Brian Burton – aka Danger Mouse and the Shins’ James Mercer) in your local record store in the next couple of weeks," Michael Kurtz, the co-founder of Record Store Day wrote to us last week.

In addition to being the breaking RSD2010 news source as we were last year, The Vinyl District will once more be counting down to the event on April 17, 2010 with TEN straight weeks of vinyl giveaways, so keep checking back each week for a chance to take some vinyl home.

In the planning stage at the moment is something pretty huge for the evening of Record Store Day here in DC that we're not at liberty discuss at the moment. (Big benefit concert. *cough* Big venue. *cough* DC's best bands. *cough*) But you heard nuthin'.

All of us here TVD HQ are thrilled to be working with the Record Store Day team for another year. Be certain to check out the official site and to pop back our way for all of the the up to the minute RSD2010 info as we march toward the event on April 17, 2010—the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music.