The Pulse is back with THE GRENADE

(please note the failed attempt at creating a pun)



So I've taken a break to catch up on some summer rays and to refresh The Pulse's summer playlists, but today I thought I would bring you a little taste of what I call electronica bliss. The first time I saw Philippe Grenade-WIllis was at a show at Sonar in Baltimore. My best friend and I walked in and saw this crazy white guy running around in a purple I <3 NY t-shirt. Immediately, I wondered what I had gotten myself into. However, I quickly got into the groove and discovered that The Grenade was BUCK (aka awesomely crazy for those non Urban Dictionary savvy people).

This Brooklyn and Washington D.C. resident and member of the band The Drugstore Cowboys started his first solo project under the name The Grenade a few years back. If you are a fan of artists like Dan Deacon, DJ Tiesto, and Cut Copy, then you will definitely dig the "Night Terror" that The Grenade creates. His beats have been described by artists and fans as "screaming out of your Sega Genesis console" and "crashing your dad's 80's Porsche into your living room to stumble in and trip".  The Grenade released his first EP Dinobots which is now available for download FREE on his Myspace . Last of all, don't forget to check out his live set at the Jammin Java in Vienna, Virginia on July 10th with Static Brigade, Young Enough, PJ The Viking, DJ Long Jawns, and more. Check out more from The Grenade at www.myspace.com/thegrenademusic

Peace Out. Keep It Ultra Radical. 

-The Pulse

When Gotham Falls, A Hero Will Rise

It is true. Baltimore heavy rock band When Gotham Falls released their debut album Volume I: A Hero Will Rise this past September. The band rocks out to melodic piano lines and heavy guitar riffs. The band's song selection reaches new heights within this album. The album features a piano ballad “Caroline”, the emotional "Give Up The Ghost", and the so called radio favorite “Rewind”. It is the band's first step towards taking over Baltimore's rock scene. My personal favorite is California because of it's contrasting riffs and it's dark ad heavy guitar riffs. If you are fans of Atreyu, 30 Seconds to Mars, and bands alike, I know you'll want to add When Gotham Falls to your next playlist.


When Gotham Falls Is:
Josh (Vocals/Guitar)
Christian (Backup Vocals/Guitar)
Matt (Drums)
Mike (Bass)

Check them out at: www.myspace.com/whengothamfalls


Keep it cool, keep it rocking
-The Pulse

PopRockSkaHipHop. They call themselves The Echo Boom

A wise man once said that we are shaped by the people who surround us. Who wouldn't agree that this applies to music. So what would you expect from a band whose lead vocalist is a rapper influenced as much by the Beatles, Bob Dylan and Kanye West, and the band's singer/guitar player was influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin? The Echo Boom brings it all together - mixing mainstream sounds with old school jazz rock guitar, modern beats, girly acoustic guitar licks, brass melodies and so much more. The Echo Boom is from Takoma Park, Maryland (PG REPRESENT). Their album No Morning In Mind is now available on Itunes for download.

The Echo Boom's music is perfectly fit for that cool night on the town filled with good food, good friends, good dancing, and GREAT drinks. So as your driving through Baltimore, Washington DC, Annapolis, or just down Greenbelt Road, remember to bring their album as you cruise through the night.

The Echo Boom is:
en Martinez—Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Morisey—Vocals, Guitar
Ryan Martinez—Bass, Vocals
Will Whitney—Drums

Check them out on:

ReverbNation
Myspace
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube

*I would like to than Eric Bowers for introducing me to The Echo Boom. I greatly appreciate it.

The time has come for Generation Plushgun

I have probably contemplated writing this article at least a thousand times. Many moons ago I took a trip to New York University. During my official campus tour, I asked the tour guide (whose name I cannot remember) what his favorite band was that came from NYU. He said it was Plushgun. Following the tour, I immediately rushed to my laptop and hit up there myspace. I was surrounded by these sounds that were in explainable. As I began to listen to the first track 14 Candles I fell into a trance as their sound flowed and filled the room. Their music is an infectious sound of electronic beats and pop synths, like the perfect new wave indie rock dance lullaby. Plushgun released their first major EP in August of 2008 featuring their hit single "Just Impolite". The music video for the song even featured the popular Hairspray star Brittany Snow. They have released their first full length album this past February called Pins and Panzers, which can be ordered online, purchased at some record stores, or downloaded from Itunes.

Plushgun was founded by Dan Ingala of Brooklyn, New York. The current lineup of the band is Ingala on lead vocals and synths, Taylor Armstrong on guitar and Matt Bogdanow on drums. The band gained a large online audience when their music was featured in episodes of the web series We Need Girlfriends. They were featured in October of 2008 on NPR (click here for the article ). They have also been featured on Nylon magazine's website, MTV's The City, and MTV's The Real World: Brooklyn. Lucky for me, I've even made it into Plushgun's Myspace top friends!

Plushgun is on their first national tour this year so make sure you don't miss out on a chance to see this sensation live. Check them out on their Myspace at http://www.myspace.com/plushgun, and don't forget to buy their album. As for my relationship with the band, I'm not obsessed, JUST IMPOLITE!

The Pulse Reccomends: Give It All You've Got Festival

BAND EXTRAVAGANZA (and The Pulse will be there too!)


Bands Playing:

Mercy Mercedes
Hotspur
Dropout Year
Go Crash Audio
From Coast to Skyline
Centuries
Belson
Holiday Parade
The Scenic
Mansions
Sent By Ravens
Love & Reverie
Patent Pending
The Hint
The Cardboard Cutouts
Crash Boom Band
Go Radio
Matthew McGinn

AND MORE.

Details:

May, 30 2009 11:00 AM (ends at 10:30 p.m.)
Warrenton Community Center
430 East Shirley Ave., Warrenton, Virginia 20186 - $10 (adv) $12 (door)
Sponsored by AbsolutePunk.net, Applicant Apparel, Infinite, and StuffSceneKidsLike.com

Concert Calendar 5/10 to 5/17

5/10/09: Mice Parade/Tom Brosseau/Gregory and The Hawk @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
5/10/09: Animal Collective/Grouper @ Ottobar
5/11/09: Animal Collective/Grouper @ 9:30 Club
5/11/09: Leonard Cohen @ Merriweather
5/11/09: Wye Oak/Pomegranates @ Black Cat
5/11/09: Club Scout/Winter Gloves/A Born Idler @ DC9
5/12/09: The Features/Dexateens/Those Darlins @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
5/13/09: The B-52s/The 88 @ Rams Head Live
5/13/09: The Thermals/The Shaky Hands/Point Juncture WA @ Black Cat
5/13/09: Rodriguez/The War on Drugs/Donny Hue and The Colors @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
5/13/09: Impossible Hair/The Great Nostalgic @ Metro Gallery
5/13/09: Azita @ DC9
5/13/09: Eli "Paperboy" Reed @ Jammin' Java
5/14/09: The Shins/Delta Spirit @ 9:30 Club
5/14/09: Joe Pug/Horse Feathers @ Black Cat
5/14/09: We Were Pirates/The April Skies/Crimes of Paris @ Solly's
5/15/09: The Dig @ The Windup Space
5/15/09: Parachute Musical/Hammer No More The Fingers/Pico Vs Island Tree @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
5/15/09: The Shins/Delta Spirit @ Rams Head Live
5/16/09: Von Iva/Semi Precious Weapons @ The Red and The Black
5/16/09: Big In Japan/We Read Minds/To The Moon @ Fletchers
5/16/09: Atmosphere @ 9:30 Club
5/16/09: Impossible Hair/The Great Nostalgic @ Velvet Lounge
5/16/09: Middle Distance Runner/Pretty & Nice/Loose Lips/Drink Up Buttercup @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
5/16/09: Scott Miller/Paleface @ IOTA
5/16/09: J-Roddy Walston & The Business @ DC9
5/17/09: Dan Deacon/Future Islands/Teeth Mountain @ 9:30 Club
5/17/09: English Beat @ Rams Head Tavern
5/17/09: The Ting Tings @ Sonar

The Pulse's very own DC/MD/VA Concert Calendar

So here at The Pulse, we like to be trend setters. So we have decided to present our very own concert calendar. We will be listing the local shows in the DC/MD/Va area so YOU can check some hot bands out. We will post the upcoming concerts for every two weeks so you know when the hottest shows are coming your way. Since there are so many shows that come around the area, we have picked the MUST SEE shows. Be sure to check out each venue's site to get an updated list filled with ticket info, times, etc.

Concerts from 4/20 - 5/3

4/20/09: Acid Mothers Temple/Sonic Suicide Squad @ Ottobar
4/23/09: Travis/The Republic Tigers @ 9:30 Club
4/23/09: Jeremy Jay/The Art Department/Snowmen @ Talking Head
4/23/09: Modern Skirts @ Black Cat
4/23/09: Jeremy Jay @ Sonar
4/24/09: Kings of Leon/The Walkmen @ Patriot Center
4/24/09: My Favorite Highway @ Sonar
4/24/09: Streeligh Manifesto @ The Recher
4/24/09: Copeland/This Providence/Paper Route/Brooke Waggoner @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
4/24/09: Action Painters @ Metro Gallery
4/24/09: Spectrum/Pontiak @ Sonar
4/25/09: Bowerbirds/Bell/Birdlips @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
4/25/09: Simian Mobile Disco @ Sonar
4/25/09: Manchester Orchestra/Fun/The Audrye Sessions/Winston Audio @ Ottobar
4/26/09: The Water/Screen Vinyl Image/Ceremony @ Metro Gallery
4/26/09: Julie Doiron @ DC9
4/26/09: Oppenheimer/The Presidents of The United States of America @ 9:30 Club
4/28/09: Chain and The Gang/Hive Dwellers/Mahjongg @ Talking Head
4/28/09: Katie Stelmanis @ The Red and The Black
4/28/09: Paleo/Fearsome Creatures/Old Thunder Heart @ Golden West Cafe
4/28/09: Hoots and Hellmouth @ Rams Head Tavern
4/28/09: We The Kings, FTSK, The Cab @ The Recher
4/29/09: Electric Six/Living Things @ Black Cat
4/30/09: The Kills/The Horrors/Magic Wands @ 9:30 Club

May
5/01/09: Freeland/Alex Metric @ Rock 'N Roll Hotel
5/01/09: Sum 41 @ Sonar
5/01/09: Death By Sexy/The Whore Moans @ The Red and The Black
5/01/09: The Shackeltons/FFHH/Caestles/Fourth Grade Security Risk @ Sidebar
5/02/09: Peter Bjorn and John/Chairlift @ 9:30 Club
5/02/09: Silverstein w/ Norma Jean, Blessthefall @ Rams Head Live
5/02/09: Dinosaur Jr/Mike Watt @ Ottobar
5/02/09: Noah and The Whale/Ferraby Lionheart/Anni Rossi @ Black Cat
5/02/09: Crack The Sky @ The Recher
5/03/09: Cursive/Man Man @ Black Cat
5/03/09: The Lovetones/The Laughing Man/Embarrasing Fruits @ Velvet Lounge

A wave of new music, that's Storm The Beaches

Arising from two Baltimore area bands, Storm the Beaches is electrifying venues throughout eastern Maryland. Mark Mikina, formerly of The Autumn Sun, sings, writes and plays guitar and the rhythm section is comprised of bassist Danny Reedy, also from The Autumn Sun, and drummer Josh Yeager from Chasing Honesty. With the addition of Mark's long-time friend Wills Mayo, a bluegrass aficionado, the band began rehearsing and, soon after, recording their unique brand of music. These guys are no doubt one of Baltimore's premier musical acts. Storm The Beaches' sound is as full and rich as any world-touring band. Mark's vocals are undoubtedly strong, as well as the band's overall sound. Check them out on their Myspace by clicking on the banner below.

They aren't your normal family, they're The Baker Family

During a visit to Asheville, North Carolina, I met up with music producer David Barret, who also happened to be the drummer of The Baker Family Band. During a long chat at the recording studio in University of North Carolina Asheville, Barret described the band as a "a creative, original, listenable, and danceable indie rock band". He gave me a preview of their EP that was just released this past thursday (April 9th) at the Grey Eagle* and it introduced my ears to a new sound. The best way to describe the The Baker Family (TBF) would be a folk rock band full of excitement, loneliness, judgment, and hope. Their songs range from folky country to unconventional indie rock. The Bakers have performed all around Asheville, North Carolina, Atlanta, and NYC. Now, check them out at www.myspace.com/thebakersnc and at www.sonicbids.com/ where you can even download some of their songs for FREE!

Watch the music video for their single "Bakers Can't Be Choosers"


*A small club in the town of Asheville

Someone Call The Cops, These Guys Are ON FIRE!

A few months ago, a friend of mine reccomended me to listen to this power pop/alternative/electronic band called, Call the Cops. They had not released their debut EP yet so I asked my friend for a copy of the songs she had and I thought I'd give it a listen. When I put the cd into my car stereo, I IMMEDIATELY started moving to the beat. I put my sunglasses on, rolled the windows down, and cranked the volume to their song "Motion Sickness". I couldn't believe it! These guys were the new Metro Station (but better). I expected them to be just another "scene" band. but Call the Cops brought way more to the table. Their catchy songs like "Get Close" and "Love Like Novicaine" will get you off your feet and onto the dance floor. I've already claimed the "I knew them before they were famous" bragging rights, and now so can you! Last of all, don't forget to get their FREE DOWNLOAD of their hit song "Get Close" on Purevolume NOW! CLICK HERE


Unfortunately, we won't be seeing much of these Califronia natives around the East Coast right now, but click here for Ernie's Battle of the Bands and vote for these guys to be signed for the 2009 Vans Warped Tour!

Call the Cops has now released their debut EP "Motion Sickness", and it can be purchased on Smartpunk or on Itunes for only $4.99. I HIGHLY reccomend purchasing it (Hey at this rate Metro Station is never going to release another album, and Call the Cops just might take their spot in line).