This Friday and Saturday, the annual Capitol Hill Block Party gives music lovers something to look forward to between Sasquatch and Bumbershoot. While the lineup isn’t quite as large as the two massive festivals that begin and end summer in Seattle, it still has plenty of great acts. A few to keep your eye on:
Friday
This underground Seattle hip hop duo consisting of Ra Scion and Sabzi (Blue Scholars DJ) has quickly risen to local popularity. They recently released the “Black Patch War” EP, and are releasing the full length “Tobacco Road” album this fall. They are a personal favorite of mine, and put on a great show.
A stage name for Greg Gillis, Girl Talk is known for sample based songs. He samples a variety of artists, from the influential (and little known) Seattle grunge band Temple of the Dog, to Metallica, to contemporary hip hop acts. Girl Talk recently released the album “Feed the Animals” for free on his website.
If you missed them at the Sammamish Teen Fest, Talbot Tagora plays an indie style heavily influenced by Sonic Youth.
If you are at all interested in Indie music, you probably have heard the single “A-Punk”. The New England band exploded onto the scene earlier this year with their unique Afropop influences.
Saturday
This local band, on the Sub Pop label, has folk-country influences such as Crosby Stills and Nash and are contemporaries of Band of Horses and the Grand Archives. Their recent self-titled album received critical acclaim from Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. I strongly recommend checking them out.
A throwback from the shoegazer pop of the Nineties, Voyager One’s layered guitars and electronic influences don’t sound like they would come out of the Seattle indie scene. But, fortunately for us, they do. These guys would be fun to see live.
This band is going to be big. Dark, experimental indie over pounding drums would lead to an awesome show. “Feral Children are the next Modest Mouse…” according to “The Stranger”.
Comments
Fleetwood Mac is playing?
This “indie” music scene is nothing but a bunch of bottle-spinning bubble-gum poppers with too many Crunch bars and not enough rules. Children want limits! They crave them!
How dare you quote me without my permission!
AND! Adding insult to injury, you don’t even use the complete quote, changing the meaning entirely!
The complete quote read as follows:
“Feral Children are the next Modest Mouse…as in a bunch of creeps who wear animal costumes in their music videos in order to attract young children into a dark alley way and try to sell them subscriptions to Cat Fancy. Seriously these children need to be put down.”
You sir, are a hack!
Isn’t Alex great?
Except “The Stranger” wasn’t me. I wish I could take credit for that one.