Meet The Dirty Lungs

Y'all know I have me a major weak spot for most things Alabama. So just imagine my surprise and delight when I opened my inbox to find an email from a killer little band...from Alabama. Friends, I'd like you to meet The Dirty Lungs. I think I might just have a little crush on them.

You see, The Dirty Lungs can make quite an unholy racket, a gritty blend of good old grimey garage, nouveau psych, and even some Stone Roses-esque, splendidly overindulgent instrumentation. It's sleazy, it's nasty, and mercy me it's fantastic. This is a band that abides by the "go big or go home" mentality, cranking out the walls of blistering, beautiful noise and swirling, hazy masses of sound like there's no tomorrow. And maybe there's not. So while there's still a today, might I suggest you spend some time making yourself acquainted with these fellows? You'll be ever so glad you did.

mp3: D.D. Reg Reg (The Dirty Lungs from Deregulate Your Heart)

mp3: Love is a Chore (The Dirty Lungs from The Robins EP)

Meet The State Department

Holy mid 1980s, y'all. The State Department, part of the cream of the current DC crop, sounds distinctly retro Brit at heart, and ain't that the way to this girl's heart? Well, that and a bottomless amaretto sour. But I digress. They don't forget their roots, either, adding in some spiky guitar and super loud drums to give sonic shout-outs to DC. All of which means, my little darlings, that The State Department is probably really a band you probably really should be listening to and loving.

Comprised of four local gentlemen and citing influences as varied as Neil Diamond, William Shatner, and the beloved Happy Mondays, The State Department is hereby decreed as one to keep one's eye on. I love them most of all for that sound thouroughly soaked in the magical Molotov cocktail of the British school: the threatening glowering jangle of A Certain Ratio and Gang of Four, the clever jauntiness of Orange Juice and Josef K, and lyrical witticisims not too far removed from first album Blur. Oh, and they cover "Waiting for My Man", and Velvet Underground covers are pretty much the bee's knees. Put it all together and you've got one heck of a dandy little sound. It's music geared towards having a good time, and who doesn't like having a good time?

In closing, well, just go forth and add a little State Department to your life. You'll be ever so glad you did.

mp3: Bon Vivant (The State Department from The State Department EP)

[photo by Sam Goldstein]

Meet The Get Down

Fletcher’s is dead. Long live The Get Down!

For those of you locals that remember, Fletcher’s in Baltimore was once a wonderful, grimy and gritty little dive where one could see any number of really, really loud bands play in one of those super small places that years later one could brag about when said band garnered themselves some fanfare. After many a golden year, regime change brought about unfortunate circumstances, and Fletcher’s was forced to close those hallowed doors for good. Until now.

A magic wand has been waved, and in place of that scuzzball of a beloved dive now sits a club you’d never imagine could exist in Baltimore. The Get Down is a den of gleaming, super shiny sleekness, utterly gorgeous and glamorous and the total opposite of what existed within those walls for years. The crowd at the club’s preview party seemed dazed by the gorgeous interiors, the abundance of super fancy lighting (seriously, find me another club within 100 miles that looks like this), and the overall VIP treatment by an awesome staff. The Get Down is the place to go to get your indulgence on. Hang out in the VIP balcony, lounging on one of those uber modern (and uber comfy) couches, sipping a cocktail while watching the DJ spin and the wall of lights undulate endlessly. Or grab a fancy booth on the ground floor, and watch the floor fill up with sassy dancers. The invited company was a great mix of clubgoers dressed to the 9s, neighborhood folks, and card carrying Baltimore hipsters, a conglomeration that promises widespread success for the club. For me, the reasons to drive up to Baltimore are few and far between, but with the birth of The Get Down, I might just be making a few more drives up 95.

Any and all traces of Fletcher’s have been surgically and thoroughly removed. Baltimore might have lost a concert space, but they gained one hell of a place to have a party. Fletcher’s is dead and buried, friends. Hold on to those memories. But get yourself good and ready to make some new memories at The Get Down. Get a head start on the good times with the added bonus of some Hot Chip. Yay!

mp3: Over & Over (Hot Chip from The Warning)

[Photo by Megan Petty]