The Oranges Band

Baltimore's The Oranges Band has always held a special place in my heart. Maybe it's the fact that they are from Charm City or that they seem like four totally normal guys who just like to rock out. But what I think it really comes down to is taking everything that's great about garage rock and making it their own without creating some sort of awful bastardization of it. Smart lyrics, simple melodies and driving beats without any sense of pretension. If you like what you hear, be sure and vote for them for Spin's Band of the Year contest and check out their site on Myspace.com.

Ride the Nuclear Wave (mp3)
White Ride (mp3)
My Street (mp3)
OK Apartment (mp3)

New Mates of State Single

The former teacher and cancer researcher/indie rock husband & wife supercouple have done it again with their new single Fraud in the 80's. Ever since catching them at the Black Cat in DC a few years back opening for Rainer Maria I have been enamored with their quirky vocals and dynamic song structures. Check out their new album Bring it Back set for release in March on Barsuk Records or on the road in March and April.

Mates of State "Fraud in the 80's" (mp3)

Gern Blandsten Records

I have always had a sweet spot for this label since my friend Mike turned me onto Chisel in the mid 1990's. Home to defunct DC bands like the aforementioned Chisel (Ted Leo's old band), The Impossible Five and Canyon - Gern Blansten Records, based in Jersey continues to put out great music from the Mid-Atlantic. Former Canyon frontman, Brandon Butler, put out Killer on the Road last year to great reviews. And the label's active roster includes some of Boston (like Victory At Sea and The Movies), New Jersey (Rye Coalition) and New York's best new bands. The New York contingent includes the post-punk a la Jawbox sounds of Pilot to Gunner, as well as the retro new wave stylings of The Flesh and Watchers.

Chisel "8 AM All Day" (mp3)
Canyon "Ten Good Eyes" (mp3)
Watchers "To The Rooftops" (mp3)
The Flesh "Sweet Defeat" (mp3)
The Impossible Five "Zero Zero" (mp3)
Pilot to Gunner "Zero Return" (mp3)
Brandon Butler "Next Time" (mp3)

The Visitations

The Visitations aka Davey Wrathgeber aka David Rathgeber, Jr is probably the most creative person I've ever met in my life. In the 20 + years that we've been friends, he has never ceased to amaze me with his musical abilities - sometimes strange, sometimes funny, sometimes mindblowing, and always unique. You will never confuse Davey's voice or songwriting skills with anyone else. After leaving the DC suburbs for the University of Georgia in 1990 - Davey's freshmen year roommate was Andrew Reiger of Elf Power - he started the folk/rock/alt-country freakshow FableFactory and toured the country playing with his brenthren in the Elephant 6 collective. On a roadtrip to Athens to visit Davey in January of '98 with my friend, Mike, we had coffee with members of Of Montreal and Neutral Milk Hotel before visiting Olivia Tremor Control in the studio. It was quite an absurb amount of musical talent all hanging out together in one place.


In the wake of FableFactory's demise a few years back, Davey formed The Visitations and released the album Propaganda in 2004 with help from Jason Nesmith and Derek Almstead of Of Montreal. Davey sticks to his strengths on the album melding folk music with current events and humor. It is the most literal critique of the current administration ever put to music.

Osama And Your SUV (mp3)
Questionable Intelligence (mp3)
Talkin Hate Radio Blues (mp3)
Television (mp3)
Burn a Flag (4 July) (mp3)
Florida (mp3)