Baltimore’s Double Dagger will be playing an in-store at Crooked Beat today at 7 p.m. The show is free. Expect it to be loud as hell. Double Dagger recently released its stunning third LP, More, on Thrill Jockey. We hope the Adams Morgan record shop has insurance; the band’s sound is all sharp elbows, pointed politics, and brash playing that is sure to rattle CD racks and vinyl displays.

The trio’s fuzzed-bass-and-monster drumming m.o. is a nod to that thinning brotherhood of post-punk musicians who highlight basement shows and fanzines (what are fanzines?), who haven’t thought about wearing guyliner and going emo, who haven’t dabbled in concept albums or made records where you need a Ph.D in Steve Reich to get. It’s a throwback sound; the members modest well be wearing bootleg Fugazi T-shirts. (You definitely hear Fugazi in one of DD’s older songs, “The Psychic”; the Jane Jacobs politics behind “Luxury Condos For the Poor” updates “Cashout.”) All this means is that Double Dagger is the token rock band on just about any bill.

But don’t let my lame comparison to Fugazi fool you. The band’s sound is all it’s own, having come from years of playing together. Double Dagger formed in 2002: bass guitar (Bruce Willen), that monster drumming (Brian Dubin) and singer/songwriting (Nolen Strals). Strals and Willen met in art school. Later, Dubin was replaced with drummer Denny Bowen.

This week we fired off some questions to the band via e-mail. The Q and A after the jump.

Read More “Tonight: Double Dagger To Play Free In-Store @ Crooked Beat” »

Mary Timony, local guitar hero, has a new band—Soft Power. The band—originally called Pow Wow—will come as a blessing to Timony fans. The quartet’s sound hews toward the more angular rock of her Helium heyday with some well-studied kraut and psych flourishes thrown in. So far, Soft Power has posted two songs—”La La La” and “Izabella”—posted to its myspace page.

Timony is joined by band members Jonah Takagi, Winston Yu, and T.J. Lipple. It looks like the band will be playing Comet Ping Pong on June 20 and Fort Reno in July. [Timony's website puts the Comet show at June 19].

Read More “Mary Timony To Debut New Band—Soft Power” »

Crooked Beat sent along a list of the Adams Morgan stores top-ten sellers for May. I pass it along not so much for its tiny news value as merely a reminder. Maybe you’re like me and totally slept on the new Camera Obscura album (it’s….No. 1 at Crooked Beat). Or maybe you still do not own Neutral Milk Hotel’s classic (No. 9).

Read More “Crooked Beat’s Top Sellers For May” »

Som Records has got in some good LPs this week. Neal writes in an e-mail: “Besides loads of fresh used LP’s brought back from Florida and North Carolina (including Badger, Captain Beefheart, “Star Wars Dub”, Dead Kennedys, Francoise Hardy and more) and a whole bunch of soul 7″s here are some of the new vinyl LP’s…”

Among the new stuff: an awesome collection of early Monks rarities and demos, a classic Beck LP, Lady Gaga, and the new Sonic Youth.

Full list after the jump.

Read More “New Arrivals @ Som Records” »

Koko Taylor R.I.P.

Interesting how David Carradine’s people want you to know he died with a rope around his junk. From today’s follow-up in the Post:

“Carradine, 72, was found naked in a closet in an upscale Bangkok hotel on Thursday with cords around his neck and his genitals. The police are checking DNA found on the cords, but say they found no signs of a struggle, suggesting that Carradine might have either tied himself up or submitted voluntarily to his incapacitation.”

Read More “Lesson: Don’t Be A Jerk Off, Mind That Rope Around Your Junk” »

Crooked Beat just got in a huge shipment of reggae vinyl. I am told that the shipment includes over 100 LPs and about 80 CDs—a lot of King Tubby, Augustus Pablo, Scientist, Keith Hudson, Dillinger, and quite a few Prince Buster records.

“A lot of stuff that people have been asking for,” says Crooked Beat’s owner Bill Daly. “They look like they are coming right from Jamaica. They look close to the way [they did] when they first came out….It’s a lot of really good stuff. You are the fourth person already today asking. One of the guys who used to work at DJ Hut is coming down. I’m listing to Junior Murvin right now—’Police and Thieves.’”

The ridiculously named Major Lazer (Diplo’s collab with Switch) will be playing a free show at the Rock & Roll Hotel on June 20. Press folk have already started building up the legend that is Major Lazer:

“Major Lazer is a  collaboration between the two, as disciples of Jamaican born commando, Major Lazer (Who has lasers for arms!). They’ve combined forces to fight evil with their brand of hardcore dancehall grind. Although Diplo is one of the main co-conspirators here, this is NOT a Diplo solo show. There will be an MC, 77 Klash (Pronounced Two Sevens Clash), and zombie dancers.”

I expect a spectacle. Above video is not to be played loud in your cubicle.