Today’s New Releases (with locally-penned reviews)
• Blur: Blur 21. Reviewed by Lindsay Zoladz [Pitchfork]. (Hint: it’s called “21″ because it’s been 21 years since the band’s first release, and there are 21 discs– 18 CDs, 3 DVDs– in this set.)
• Gloriana: A Thousand Miles Left Behind. Reviewed by the Washington Times. (Typically the WashTimes’s CD reviews are written by Andrew Leahey, but these reviews are uncredited).
• Michael Kiwanuka: Home Again. Reviewed by Elizabeth Nelson [Washington Post].
• Joss Stone: the Soul Sessions Vol. 2. Reviewed by the Washington Times. (Typically the WashTimes’s CD reviews are written by Andrew Leahey, but these reviews are uncredited).
• Various Artist / Whitney Houston: Sparkle: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Reviewed by Allison Stewart [Washington Post].
Today’s Washington Post also has a review by David Malitz of Rick Ross‘s God Forgives, I Don’t, but that doesn’t appear to be online yet.
Articles
• Planning Guides: DC Music Download’s Weekday Hits and roundup of free things to do in DC music this week. Washington Post Going Out Guide’s Nightlife Agenda.
• What to do when it’s too hot to play in your kickball league: competitive karaoke! [Washington Post].
• Interview: Brian Ossip talks to the Lostprophets about their experience on the Vans Warped Tour [DC Music Live]. The interview covers such topics as picking setlists and taking dumps. Slow news day, apparently.
Listening
• Hometown Sounds DC’s local music video of the day is Kokayi, “Know Us Mayne”.
• DCist’s song of the day is the Big Pink, “Hit the Ground (Superman)”.
• Listen: Baltimore indie-rock band Mr. Moccasin, “Black On Black” [Baltimore CityPaper].
• Listen: NPR’s feature on Wale, “Ambassador of Rap for the Capital”.
Live Reviews
• Dave McKenna on Jennifer Lopez at the Verizon Center [Washington Post].
• Patrick Rucker on the Capitol Hill Chamber Music Festival at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 7/29/12 [Washington Post].
• David Hintz on John Wesley Harding at Jammin’ Java, 7/29/12 [DC Rock Live].
• Stephen Bradley on Best Coast at the 9:30 Club [Washington Times].
• Stephen Bradley on Refused at the Fillmore Silver Spring [Washington Times].
• Alan J. Duckworth on the National Symphony Orchestra and the Emerald City Choir performing the music from Zelda at Wolf Trap, 7/26/12 [the Rogers Revue]. Full disclosure: I sang in this choir!
Giveaways
• DCHeavyMetal.com is giving away a pair of tickets to Static-X, Prong, Davey Suicide, and 9Electric at the Fillmore on 9/1 (contest ends today at 5 PM).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Ed Sheeran‘s + (Plus) on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Wednesday 8/1).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of the Features‘ Still Lost, Volume One on vinyl. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 8/2).
• The Vinyl District is giving away a copy of Leland Sundries‘ Roller Derby Queen 7″. Winner must have a North American mailing address (contest ends Thursday 8/2).
• WMAL is giving away tickets to Ted Nugent at the Fillmore on 8/3 (no indication of when this contest ends).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to see Linkin Park and Mutemath at Jiffy Lube Live on 8/11 (contest ends 8/5).
• DC101 is giving away a pair of tickets to see Gotye at Merriweather Post Pavilion on 9/30 (no indication of when this contest ends).