Reviewed: Quasi's American Gong
Quasi considers aging gracefully, then proceeds to rock.
Music Review By Mike Kanin

One Track Mind: Frau Eva
This Week: Frau Eva's "Don't Wait for Me"
Music By Aaron Leitko

Reviewed: Jack Rose's Luck in the Valley
The first posthumous album from the American Primitive guitarist
Music Review By Brent Burton

Reviewed: Citizen Cope's The Rainwater LP
The anachronistic blues-rocker spurns major-label dollars for an independent release
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

Reviewed: Joe Pug's Messenger
The title isn't self-descriptive, and Joe Pug is no prophet—yet
Music Review By Steve Kolowich

Reviewed: Field Music's Measure
Field Music wields the Hammer of the Gods on a sprawling double album
Music Review By Aaron Leitko

One Track Mind: Daddy Lion
This week: "Just Die Young" by Daddy Lion
Music By Ben Westhoff

One Track Mind: Birds & Wires
This week: "The Sea and the Hills" by Birds & Wires
Music By Aaron Leitko

Reviewed: Title Tracks' It Was Easy
D.C. indie vet's latest is hooky, cathartic power-pop
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

Reviewed: New York Art Quartet's Old Stuff
Local label revives an outfit that made free jazz without noise
Music Review By Brent Burton

Reviewed: Citay's Dream Get Together
San Francisco band blends a little early '70s, a little late '80s, and whole lotta noise
Music Review By Aaron Leitko

One Track Mind: Oddisee
This Week: "Blizzard of 09" by Oddisee
Music By Jonathan L. Fischer

Reviewed: Spoon's Transference
Spiky indie outfit loses its step when it should be hitting its stride
Music Review By Marc Hirsh

Reviewed: Four Tet's There Is Love in You
Kieran Hebden doesn't need to prove dance music isn't dead. He does it anyway.
Music Review By Mike Kanin

One Track Mind: the beatin's
This Week: "Cold Clear Water" by the beatin's
Music By Aaron Leitko

One Track Mind: Imperial China
This Week: Imperial China's "Corrupting the Integrity of the Grid"
Music By Leor Galil

Reviewed: Major Stars' Return to Form
The Boston pyschedelic sextet packs three full-time guitarists. No kidding.
Music Review By Aaron Leitko

Reviewed: The Whole Tree Gone by Myra Melford's Be Bread
The latest from pianist Myra Melford's sextet is immediately pleasurable. And really boring.
Music Review By Michael J. West

One Track Mind: Felt Letters
This Week: Felt Letters' "600,000 Bands"
Music By Aaron Leitko

Reviewed: OK Go's Of the Blue Colour of the Sky
A band at a crossroads, OK Go has made a vast departure from its previous work.
Music Review By Marc Hirsh

Reviewed: X.O.'s One. One. Ten.
The D.C. rapper's new album is an assertive, identity-defining statement
Music Review By Andrew Noz

Reviewed: Hurricane Chris' Unleashed
The Shreveport, La., "ratchet" rapper is a lyrical giant-in-training
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

One Track Mind: Nu' the Mayor
This Week: Nu' the Mayor's "Whole Time"
Music By Sarah Godfrey

James Joyce for Rap Nerds
MC Paul Barman's new album requires some explanation
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

One Track Mind: Sketch's "Betta Watch Yo Self"
This Week: Sketch's "Betta Watch Yo Self"
Music By Sarah Godfrey

Writing Music for Monkeys
"I may be just a schmo to you, but, man, to monkeys I am Elvis."
Cover Story By Sadie Dingfelder

The Orange Line Revolution
Before the McMansions and the Cheesecake Factory, Arlington was home to some of the region's most storied punk residences.
Music By Aaron Leitko

Rank Bullshit
Pitchfork's list to end all lists should, in fact, end all lists.
Music By Matthew Siblo

How the Fest Was Won
Think you had a good time at the concert? These live DVDs will prove otherwise.
Music By Ted Scheinman

Greatest Pits
A concert photographer turns his camera away from the stage.
Music By Brandon Wu

Downloaded
An argument for equipping your computer with a Breathalyzer
Music By David Dunlap Jr.

Experience Music Project
With some Crown Royal, some Kools, and the right mindset, the blues become more than just music
Music By Jason Cherkis

Deficit Pending
So far, Wale's debut is a commercial dud. Is that bad for D.C. hip-hop?
Music By Andrew Noz

Stations of the Crossover
Jazz keeps looking for back channels to the mainstream.
Music By Michael J. West

Five Myths About the End of the Record Industry
Music By Brent Burton

Reviewed: Gucci Mane's The State vs. Radric Davis
While Northern rappers debate hip-hop’s death, Atlanta MC makes the year’s best rap record
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

Reviewed: Magma's Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré
Christian Vander visits the vaults
Music Review By Brandon Wu

One Track Mind: Macaw
This Week: Macaw's “Five Minutes at the Rainforest Cafe”
Music By Aaron Leitko

Reviewed: Annie's Don't Stop
Norweigan pop singer Annie refuses to pause or even slow down
Music Review By Jonathan L. Fischer

Reviewed: Blakroc's Blakroc
With help from the Black Keys, Damon Dash swaps Roc for rock
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

Reviewed: DJ/rupture and Matt Shadetek's Solar Life Raft
Dj/rupture reaffirms the importance of crate digging
Music Review By Mike Kanin

One Track Mind: Olivia Mancini and the Mates
This Week: Olivia Mancini and the Mates' "Graphology"
Music By Sadie Dingfelder

Reviewed: Rakim's The Seventh Seal
The God MC gets spiritual
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

One Track Mind: Spelling for Bees
This Week: Spelling for Bees' "Love at First Sight"
Music By Jonathan L. Fischer

Reviewed: Weezer's Raditude
Rivers Cuomo's youth movement
Music Review By Marc Hirsh

Reviewed: Supersilent's 9
The Norweigan struggles to make sense of its new configuration
Music Review By Brent Burton

Architect of the Capital: Wale's Attention Deficit
Wale helps put D.C. hip-hop on the map, but loses himself
Music Review By Ben Westhoff

Reviewed: Ariadne auf Naxos
At the Washington National Opera, a Strauss gem about the limits of tragedy.
Opera By Ted Scheinman

One Track Mind: Matthew Hemerlein
This Week: Matthew Hemerlein's "Silver
Music By Sadie Dingfelder

One Track Mind: Matta Gawa
This Week: Matta Gawa's "Home Soda Gifts!"
Music By Aaron Leitko

Reviewed: The Slits' Trapped Animal
The Slits fail to produce an instant hit
Music Review By Mike Kanin

Reviewed: The Swell Season's Strict Joy
The Swell Season delivers once more
Music Review By Marc Hirsh

Reviewed: Do Make Say Think's Other Truths
The awful truth about Other Truths
Music Review By Brandon Wu

One Track Mind: Tennis System
This Week: Tennis System's "Esoteric"
Music By Aaron Leitko

One Track Mind: Miss Jay
This Week: Miss Jay's "Sober"
Music By Sarah Godfrey

Wizz Kids: Pissed Jeans' King of Jeans
Pissed Jeans adds a sprinkling of swagger to its latest
Music Review By David Dunlap Jr.

2008 Music and Arts In Review