Pop

Certainly a first for PEV, Chatmonchy boasts an all-girl rock outfit, fresh from the mainstream of Japan (and for those of you as ignorant as me – Chatmonchy actually doesn’t mean a damn thing). Mainstream isn’t exactly the best word to describe the success of Eriko, Akiko and Kumiko – just read this insane timeline. They hit the scene in 2004, and by 2005 Sony Music Japan had gotten a hold of them, releasing their debut EP, “Chatmonchy has Come” through Sony's Ki/oon Records.

Trust me – I know we make “kind of” a big deal when we feature bands and artists from the PEV backyard of Baltimore-Washington. We’re not playing favorites – we just really like it here! And while we’ve had our fair share of home-grown talent, our latest installment of XXQ’s comes from a band that’s REALLY native to the PEV home base; DC-minded rock outfit Hotspur.

I have these two good friends across the pond – Lance and Mark – they live in London, you see. Sometimes… I tell ya, I wish I had joined them over there (and there’s more to it than the obvious party we’d constantly be having). Seems like the United Kingdom has a music landscape to drool all over, and it’s no secret that PEV would relish the opportunity to the take the scene on a test drive.

The Alumni are as good as the story of how the two met – they’ve been called “musical geniuses” in their work together, and that’s not a self title.

One of PEV’s favorite labels has done it again with gritty singer/songwriter Ike Reilly – Rock Ridge Music just seems to pull some of the most interesting talent on the indy scene. Well, interesting doesn’t really begin to describe Mr. Reilly. We most enjoyed his answer when we asked about his creative environment: “A chaotic, low paying, drunken, loveless environment.” Sounds like our kind of party!

Seattle-based Curtains For You is kinda like an All-Star team for musicians – full of guys who excel at so many things in the industry – on the stage and behind it. They have audio engineers working with U2 and Nas, songwriters that appear on NPR’s “All Song’s Considered” and the swagger to record their latest EP live at London Bridge Studios, home to past records from bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.

As I write this, the PEV team is already figuring out a way to grab passes to one of the tours we’re most looking forward to – the “Get U Home” tour – featuring not only one of our favorite alums, Schwayze, but our latest feature, the Paradiso Girls. And sweet lord… who wouldn’t want to see the Paradiso Girls?

When Rachel Taylor Brown gets into a song – she owns it absolutely – she knows where it’s going, where it’s been and where it was at 7pm last Tuesday night.

Us DC natives love artists like Kim Cameron – the kind of musician working her ass off not only to get her music out there… but to maybe help bring the DC scene into a little light. She’s come a long way; from a backup singer in a cover band to now working for her own label. It’s the kind of attitude we at PensEyeView.com aspire to – work on your passion and forget the naysayers.

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