Experimental instrumental rock duo Ecstatic Sunshine got their start in Baltimore three years ago when guitarists Matthew Papich and Dustin Wong met at the Maryland Institute College of Art. When they weren’t studying sculpture and conceptual art, they began creating compositions of battling guitar riffs while dabbling in many different types of rock such as math, prog, post, and surf. Their style consists of ironically fusing guitar riffs of different genres in a frenzy of hammer-ons and pull-offs and frenetic fretting over a cloud of distortion and reverb. After recording two self-released EPs, Dot and Swirl, they released Freckle Wars in 2006 with Carpark Records, as well as their most recent album, Living. Those who have seen them live, however, say the recordings don’t do justice to their electric live shows. (Appearing with White Williams, Cadence Weapon and Ohmega Watts as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows Festival at Schubas on Jan. 19) --text: Ariel Sundel--photo: Devon Diamond

Ohmega Watts is something of a musical visionary. Like many of hip-hop’s multi-taskers, he came up studying all the early classics like Run-DMC, Big Daddy Kane and Eric B & Rakim then moved on to Tribe, De La Soul and the like. Soon in him an emcee was born, then a producer, then a crate-digging DJ hell-bent on finding the most obscure jazz, soul or funk break. Cut to 2004 and Ohmega wows the eclectic cats at Ubiquity Records with his debut 12-inch on which he also features his Lightheaded crew. A couple of follow-up singles later Watts releases his debut full-length The Find then Watts Happening in 2007, both to massive critical acclaim. With this kind of resume, one can only expect a live performance just as riveting. (Appearing with White Williams, Cadence Weapon and Ecstatic Sunshine as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows Festival at Schubas on Jan. 19) --text: Mike Scales

The recent debut album from White Rabbits, Fort Nightly, evokes a laid-back, sun-soaked attitude reminiscent of movies from the ‘50s that pulls from a hodgepodge of styles and genres. The varying platter of percussion takes the band from swing to surf to salsa with the switch of a cadence, and no song is complete without a click of the castanets or the rattle of a maraca. Jazzy vocals and potent 3-part harmonies are reminiscent of Queen, but they remain distinctive in their heavy reliance on Latin aesthetics. The piano-drenched melodies and kitschy theatrics have been compared to Man Man, but their snazzy voices are less Klezmer and more cabaret. While there are one or two indistinguishable poppy dance tunes that will inevitably end up on a commercial for The CW (if they haven’t already), these are discounted as White Rabbits rarities which lack the je ne sais quoi that runs rampant throughout the rest of the album. (Appearing with The Walkmen and White Denim as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows Festival at Schubas on Jan. 20) --text: Amy Kaufman

He's like the addictive soundtrack to your favorite '80s movie: happy-go-lucky and heavy on the synthesizer. He's White Williams, a 23-year-old hardly old enough to recall those Brat Pack days, but talented enough to capture their essence in song. In "real life," he's Joe Williams from Cleveland. His recent release, Smoke, sees him emerging like the hero who snares the popular girl from the high school jock. Williams' new wave, post-punk sound doesn't come across as dated yet his smooth voice and enchanting instrumentation (synthesizer, drum machines, etc.) do allude to another decade. He's dubbed happy hardcore, which seems apt for his well-crafted, wispy creations. Although Smoke serves as his debut, Williams has been around the block, touring with Girl Talk, Hearts of Darkness and Drop the Lime. With tracks like "Route to Palm", with its dreamy tropical allusions, Williams should have no problem snaring followers ready to listen themselves into another time. (Appearing with Cadence Weapon, Ohmega Watts and Ecstatic Sunshine as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows Festival at Schubas on Jan. 19) --text: Jen Fischer

© 2008 Innerview Media, Inc.

:: developed by InfraStrategy