New These United States single

Just a very quick update today: here's a frenzied fast country rock song to get you through your Tuesday. It's These United States' 2nd mp3 that they've given away from their new album, What Lasts.

Water & Wheat [mp3] - ( Amazon / iTunes )

CMJ - These United States @ Pianos

On Wednesday during CMJ I caught These United States at Pianos. The DC-based five-piece played a rockin' set that had the whole audience moving and grooving to their velvety, slide-guitar-laden Americana. Everyone seemed in good spirits, particularly lead singer Jesse Elliot, who was much more talkative between songs than the last few times I've seen them. It was a rather short set, but the show was a lot of fun. Jesse got down and danced in the audience for a minute or two toward the end. All in all, it was a jolly good time. A few more pictures:

I Want You to Keep Everything [mp3] - (iTunes)

These United States - Everything Touches Everything

I meant to post this forever ago... These United States came out with their third album in 18 months on September 2nd. Everything Touches Everything is another great bluesy, country rock album from the DC-based band. I feel like it's maybe a little bit more "chill" than some of their previous ruckus rock but the album maintains their casual, gritty tone and has some pretty catchy numbers, my favorites being "Conquest & Consequence" and the title track. Listen and enjoy. And check out the tour dates:

09/14/09 Santa Fe, NM Corazon
09/15/09 Tucson, AZ Plush
09/16/09 San Diego, CA Beauty Bar
09/18/09 Los Angeles, CA The Troubadour w/ Everest, Parson Red Heads
09/19/09 Davis, CA Sofia's
09/20/09 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
09/21/09 Ashland, OR Stillwater
09/22/09 Bend, OR Silver Moon
09/23/09 Boise, ID Downtown summer series
09/24/09 Portland, OR Mississippi Studios
09/25/09 Seattle, WA High Dive
09/25/09 Seattle, WA KEXP - Live Session
09/26/09 Yakima, WA Yakima Center
09/27/09 Moscow, ID John's Alley
09/29/09 Salt Lake, UT Urban Lounge w/ Slim Cessna's Auto Club
10/01/09 Omaha, NE Slowdown
10/02/09 Grinnell, IA Grinnell College
10/03/09 Madison, WI Der Rathskeller
10/04/09 Minneapolis, MN 7th St. Entry
10/06/09 Iowa City, IA The Mill
10/07/09 Chicago, IL Subterranean
10/09/09 Louisville, KY Skull Alley w/ Jessica Lea Mayfield
10/09/09 Louisville, KY WFPK - Live Lunch
10/11/09 Athens, OH NPR's Mountain Stage radio show at Ohio Univ. w/ Southern Culture On The Skids
10/21/09 New York, NY Pianos CMJ Showcase w/ Evan Dando

Everything Touches Everything [mp3] - (iTunes)

Dr. Dog & These United States @ Prospect Park

On June 27th I mosied on over to Prospect Park to Celebrate Brooklyn with These United States. It was great to see them in such a big venue, as the last time I saw them was in one of the smaller downstairs rooms at the Knitting Factory. These guys know how to rock ‘n’ roll and they did a great job of getting the audience pumped. People were dancing in the aisles or even in their seats. Although I have to say I wish some of the audience weren’t as pumped as they were – there was a small group of obnoxious men who thought it was witty and hilarious to yell “USA! USA! USA!” every 5 minutes for most of their set. Here's an mp3 from their upcoming album, due out in August/September.

I Want You To Keep Everything [mp3]

It was also unfortunate the they were followed by Phosphorescent, who I personally thought killed the energy from These United States’ set and left Dr. Dog with a lot more work to do to get the audience’s energy back up. Not to say that they were bad, it was much more of a programming error in my opinion - I didn’t think they fit in well with the rest of the line-up, which was mostly upbeat, while they're songs were slower than molasses and they couldn’t really hold my attention because I was so in the mood to rock out after These United States.

Cocaine Lights [mp3] - (iTunes)

Dr. Dog was a lot of fun. The stage was decorated quite nicely with flowers for them and they had a huge, devoted fan base turn out in droves. The Philly band is a bonafide indie sensation, and while I wasn’t all that familiar with them, I could see why at the show. Their music is really infectious and the whole audience was bopping and singing along. And any band that brings a dog on stage with them gets bonus points in my book (and that dog is so well-behaved, letting the tons of audience members crowding the stage pet him). All in all a fabulous night.

The Old Days [mp3] - (iTunes)

More photos here.

These United States on East Coast tour with some of our fave bands

These United States are launching on an East coast tour soon, and they're playing with some of GFP's favorite acts such as Jukebox the Ghost, Jenny Owen Youngs and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart. Dates below:

Thu, Apr. 23 - Scranton, PA -the Bog
Fri, Apr. 24 - Poughkeepsie, NY - Vassar College - w/ Horse Feathers, Small Sur + more!
Sat, Apr. 25 - Middletown, CT - Wesleyan Univ. - w/ Horse Feathers, Small Sur + more!
Sun, Apr. 26 - Waterbury, CT - Brooklyn Cafe
Mon, Apr. 27 - Rochester, NY - Bug Jar - w/ the Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Tue, Apr. 28 - Ithaca, NY - The 9's
Wed, Apr. 29 - Albany, NY - Valentine's
Thu, Apr. 30 - Burlington, VT - U. VT - college radio show
Burlington, VT - U. VT - early show
Burlington, VT - Monkey Bars - late - w/ Area C, Cannon Fodder + more
Fri, May 01 - Lewiston, ME - Guthrie's
Sat, May 02 - Providence, RI - Firehouse 13 - w/ the Cobra-Matics, Johnny Carlevale @ the Rolling Pins
Wed, May 06 - Allston, MA - Harper's Ferry - w/ Vetiver, PapercutsThu,
May 07 - Brooklyn, NY - Bell House - w/ Vetiver, Papercuts
Fri, May 08 - Washington, DC - Black Cat - w/ the Spinto Band
Tue, May 26 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenda's - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Wed, May 27 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Thu, May 28 - Boston, MA - Café 939: Berklee School of Music - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Fri, May 29 - Portland, ME - ME Empire Dine & Dance - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost
Sat, May 30 - Westport, CT - Toquet Hall - w/ Jenny Owen Youngs, Jukebox The Ghost

Honor Amongst Thieves [mp3] - (iTunes)

These United States @ The Knitting Factory

Last night I headed over the The Knitting Factory for one last show before I head to Minneapolis for Thanksgiving week. I managed to catch the end of Mean Creek, who I enjoyed for their two last songs but I don't feel I can really write about them based on that. It was fitting that they were playing with These United States, though. They had a very similar style.

These United States were quite good. They made me feel as if I knew what it must be like to live in a small town in the south and go to the same local bar every weekend where my favorite local band (composed of all my friends) plays all the time. It was an intimate performance in a lot of ways. They even opened up the floor for a Q&A at one point. There were also times when I was watching them and thinking "these songs are the perfect soundtrack for a movie taking place in the south." It's amazing that they've perfected the country rock sound so well that it evokes the south for me when they're originally from Washington DC. Overall, I really enjoyed the show and I thought they had a good energy. They owned the stage without being imposing. And their music is really easy to get into - people in the audience were tapping their toes and bopping their heads, if not full out dancing.

Get Yourself Home (In Search of the Mistress Whose Kisses Are Famous) [mp3]
Purchase "Crimes" on iTunes

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These United States

A fitting band name for the current outpouring of patriotism that many Americans are participating in right now, These United States seem to me to fall in between two of my favorite country-ish bands: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and A Night In the Box - upbeat country, bluesy rock music, with a equal hint of pop and grit. They're currently in the midst of a post-election tour. Here are the remaining dates:

Nov 13 Detroit, MI @ PJ's Lager House w/ The Javelins and Lightning Love
Nov 14 Fort Wayne, IN @ the Brass Rail w/ the Orange Opera and Prabir & the Substitutes
Nov 15 Lexington, KY @ Al's Bar, w/ Crown Electric
Nov 16 Louisville, KY @ The Rudyard Kipling
Nov 17 Cincinnati, OH @ Southgate House
Nov 18 Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox w/ Jeremy Messersmith
Nov 19 New York, NY @ Knitting Factory w/ Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Nov 20 Waterbury, CT @ Brooklyn Cafe
Nov 21 Swarthmore, PA @ Swarthmore College w/ Bishop Allen
Nov 22 Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/ The Cassettes

Get Yourself Home (In Search of the Mistress Whose Kisses Are Famous) [mp3]
(iTunes)

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