Washington DC based folk/rock band, These United States, has a new album that just released entitled, Crimes. This comes after their debut release earlier this year, A Picture of the Three of Us at The Gate to the Garden of Eden. At this rate of producing albums (and with their fitting band name), perhaps they should be doing Sufjan Stevens’ 50 albums for 50 states gig.

While I’m a bigger fan of A Picture of the Three of Us at The Gate to the Garden of Eden, Crimes is still an enjoyable album to listen to, and it’s comprised of some really fantastic songs (and has an equally badass album name). Among my favorite tracks are “West Won,” “Honor Amongst Thieves,” and “Heaven Can Wait.”

These United States have become a big staple in the DC music scene. They are closely linked to the musicians on Gypsy Eyes Records (though they aren’t on the label), and a few years ago helped create The Federal Reserve, a collective of like-minded musicians in DC who play together on the first Monday of every month at iota. These United States is currently on tour, check out their Myspace for dates.

Crimes (2008):

These United States - Honor Among Thieves

These United States - West Won

A Picture of the Three of Us at The Gate to the Garden of Eden (2008):

These United States - First Sight

These United States - The Business 

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For those who like Sufjan Stevens, The Shins, Rogue Wave, and Jeremy Messersmith I highly recommend checking out the band Aloha. Their albums have been in my iTunes for a while, but it’s not until the last week that I have given them the listen they deserve. Their 2007 release Light Works has a really nice sound.

The 7 track LP is a lot less experimental than the band’s other releases, which they’ve built their name off,  but I personally like it more. It is really mellow, and a perfect prescription for productivity. Truthfully, there are only a few times that you are going to ask “what song is that?” Light Works is not an album set out to impress, meaning you’ll want to listen to it in its entirety.  Like The Album Leaf, you probably won’t grow an attachment to any particular song. The most rememberable songs include “Body Buzz” “The End,”"Gold World” and “Passengers.”

Aloha has a really interesting background. They first began to form in 1997, and the four bandmates, Tony Cavallario, Matthew Gengler, Cale Parks, and T.J. Lipple  are scattered across the east coast, hailing from Cleveland, Brooklyn, Rochester, and Washington DC.  Even though they live in different places they manage to get together to make music.  I think that’s really cool. Some bands give off the impression that they formed because it was convenient. However, it can be restricting to allow location to be a collaboration barrier. If each of these guys wanted to make their lives easier, they could probably just start up their own bands in their selected cities. They don’t settle for that though, and are so passionate about what they do,  they will travel whenever and wherever to make music. People who know Aloha’s history like their music that much more.

Aloha is signed to Polyvinyl records.

Light Works (2007):

Aloha - Body Buzz

Aloha - The End

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Several months ago I featured These United States, and mentioned how much the DC scene is changing from the punk scene it used to be known for. The new alternative/folk scene emerging is really exciting to witness. Gypsy Eyes Records is among the  best independent labels in DC, and carries many of the artists that are changing the way DC, and the rest of the world, experiences music.

One of their signed musicians, Mark Charles Heidinger, a.k.a Vandaveer, is worth your attention. I’ve been listening to his 2007 release, Grace and Speed, pretty much non-stop recently. It’s great folk music for just sitting back and hanging out. When I’m looking for something a little lighter to listen to than Nick Drake, I put on Vandaveer. Mark has a gift for story telling, and really pleasant vocals. His new sound draws a nice distance from his former rock band, The Apparitions. Tracks like “However Many Times It Takes” are bound to bring Dylan to mind.

Every song on this album, besides “2nd best” which I don’t care for all that much,  is stellar. I can’t even give you a list of my favorites, they are all fantastic. Other album reviews bring to light how the first half of the album has much more solid lyrics than the second half, but I don’t necessarily think that has to be viewed as a flaw with the album. Heidinger shows a lot of song-writing talent, much more than the average musician. Though some songs are better written than others, it doesn’t make his songs bad in any sense, some are just less lyrically based.

Vandaveer is currently on tour with There United States (who he is involved with) in the UK. Go to their site to check out their tour dates.

Grace & Speed (2007)

Vandaveer - However Many Takes It Takes

Vandaveer - Grace & Speed

Live Performances:

Vandaveer - The Streets is Full of Creeps

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I wrote this after seeing the Federal Reserve, a collective of established, and like-minded alternative/folk musicians,  perform on June 2nd at Iota in Arlington, VA. They played acoustic sets, and used basic folk instruments (including the chair for percussion). Not gonna lie, I was a little  tipsy when I wrote this, and it’s advisable that you just skip down to the bottom. You’ve been forewarned!

Tonight, I saw the face of music. Music is when a group of friends decide to play together for no other reason then to play. Music is when there are no backstage’s or VIP’s. When there are no tickets or merchandise. Music is when there is no order. When there is no formula.  No sets. No expectations. Just music. Music doesn’t tolerate bureaucracy. It sure knows how to disguise itself, but it’s not music. Not fully.

Music allows for mistakes. It allows you to make a fool of yourself. If it doesn’t, then it’s worth asking why it’s being done. Is it for fame or fortune?

Music is entrapped. It’s asked to be freed. It wants to be listened to. Piracy concerns are concerns of fools.

In today’s world, it’s difficult for music to be music. The demand can’t be that pure. Musicians need to eat. Label execs need to buy luxury cars.  But that doesn’t mean all has been lost. Not after nights like tonight.

Thank you Federal Reserve for showing me the face of music.

 The Federal Reserve collective is made up of These United States, Vandaveer,  Kitty Hawk, Revival, Brandon Butler, Rose, Let’s French, and more. They play the first Monday of every month at Iota, and their tour schedules usually dictate who shows up. Mark Charles Heidinger, of Vandaveer, explains that the idea of a collective formed after “several of us relocated from parts all over and thought a collective of some sort might ground the group in the scene and serve as a mutual launching pad.” Several bands from the collective have been signed to DC’s Gypsy Eyes Records and a Federal Reserve compilation can be purchased from their store.

These United States -  First Sight | Site

Vandaveer - However Many Takes It Takes | Site

Kitty Hawk - Move Me | Myspace 

Brandon Butler - Sparks | Site

Revival - Hollywood | Myspace

The DC music scene used to be known mostly for its punk in the 90’s, and only those familiar with the city know just how much things have changed. Up and coming bands like These United States are proof to all those skeptics out there that the DC scene is in no way, shape or form like it used to be.

The band’s debut album, A Picture of the Three of Us at The Gate to the Garden of Eden (as used herein, “the album”), deserves your immediate attention. Their soulful alternative, folk album will bring to mind the likes of M. Ward, Devendra Banhart, and Okkervil River. I have listened through “the album” a few dozen times, and only love it more and more upon each spin.

I dig the short Preface at the beginning of “the album;” it starts out almost as spoken word and gets the listener ready to jump into the deep end, with “First Sight,” and “Kings and Acres,” among the most solid tracks on “the album.” I can’t stop listening to “Burn this Bridge.” The African influenced drumbeat is awesome, and the passion in Elliott’s voice makes it one of the most uplifting songs I have heard in a long time. I can listen to every track between “Diving Boards Pointed at the Sky” and “Slow Crows Over” over and over again. They are all fantastic. You really can’t go wrong with any song on “the album.” The instrumentals scattered across A Picture of…”the album” are sometimes so passive that each listen differs slightly from the previous one.

Jesse Elliott, the lead singer behind These United States is one of the coolest cats you’ll come across. I met up with him a month or two ago, and quickly got a feel for his diversified background. He is creative, funny, and genuinely interested in those around him. I could tell from my modest conversation with him that he knows lots of people in lots of places, which, of course, makes sense after hearing that over 30 musicians from Chicago and DC helped out with “the album.” Just check out the pics on the TUS blog; I feel like you can get a vibe for what kind of guy Elliott is.

David Strackany, aka Paleo, is part of These United States, and may be best known for his 365 songs in 365 days project. Another admirable thing TUS currently has going on is a 33 day US tour where they play with a different local band in every city they hit (a highlight for me is that they are playing with Bon Iver). That’s the creativeness I’m talking about— getting that schedule together couldn’t have been as easy task. These United States’ innovative music is that much more innovative after you check out their site, myspace, and blog; I haven’t found one band that has managed themselves this well.  Check to see if they are touring near you, I can’t wait for their return show at the Black Cat on April 13th.

These United States - First Sight

These United States - The Business

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