The Builders And The Butchers - The Builders And The Butchers

The Builders and the Butchers captures the loose feeling of a bunch of guys getting together on a porch to drink, carouse and otherwise have a good time while playing shambling and rootsy acoustic indie rock. However, as fun as that sounds, these songs are dark and forboding, with lyrics full of broken hearts, death and dying. Like the Boggs, the percussion propels the songs forward, this time onward towards destruction. "Bottom At The Lake" describes a theif's "new home among the fish and grass and stones". Other songs, such as "Find Me In The Air" are peppered with call and response, playing with overlap of gothic and gospel. "The Coal Mine Fall" and "Black Dresses" are also worth checking out.

Fleet Foxes @ The Black Cat

A good friend and I are both leaving DC soon. This concert was kind of our farewell to one of our favorite venues - a band we liked, playing a sold out show - it was a perfect night. Unfortunately, like many of my friends, he's an idiot. Although he's 32, he let his drivers license expire two days ago, and when they checked IDs at the door they gave him two big black straight edge X's. Apparently, in his infinite wisdom, when he went to the bathroom he decided that it would be a good idea to wash them off and then go buy us beers before actually going upstairs into the show. And then of course, because he is not as clever as he was when he actually was underage, he got kicked out. At least he had time to buy me a beer.

Here's the review: They sound even better live - more impressive, immediate, and a lot louder. Seriously, go against your instinct and turn their album up loud. The songs sounded amazing. The Dutchess and the Duke were also great. The packed crowd was enthusiastic and I couldn't stop laughing to myself the entire show. NPR was taping it so you don't have to take my word for it.