The historic Howard Theatre in Washington, DC is in trouble. Again. How did we get here and what the hell can anyone do about it?

Sturgill Simpson has followed up his breakout album Metamodern Sounds In Country Music, with the ambitious, genre hopping, expectation defying love letter to his son, A Sailor’s Guide To Earth. Is it another masterpiece or has the country “outlaw” bit off more than he can chew this time out? We aim to find out.

Merle Haggard is gone and that that f%&ing sucks. We listen to some country and shed a tear of the loss of this legendary songwriter.

Music has always been the lifeblood running through multi-instrumentalist Phil Cook's veins for as long as he can remember. In 2015 he fully dialed in to that guiding presence for the first time in his life, and the result was the magnificent Southland Mission. Mission mined a deep history of American gospel and blues to deliver songs of beauty, hope and rejuvenation, that didn't just honor what came before them, but weaved themselves into the very fabric of the rich tapestry of the culture that's at the root of our modern experience.

We (finally) caught up with Phil before his recent show here in Washington, DC to talk about his past, the music he loves, and how a goofy kid from Wisconsin found enlightenment at at an early age in the most unlikely of places.

This podcast can be the instrument to mend a broken heart or to straighten out your life through the sincere testimony of one righteous dude. A must!

Independently, Sam McCormally and William McKindley-Ward are longtime staples of the DC music scene. Together they are FELLOW CREATURES!

Following the demise of their previous band - the beloved Ugly Purple Sweater - both were looking for a different direction for their music. They found it in electronic experimentation coupled with masterful songwriting and the result is a mind-blowing, self-titled LP that defies categorization.

In advance of the release, Sam and Will stopped by the basement to chat with Kevin and special guest Paul Vodra (Hometown Sounds) about the making of Fellow Creatures, life in the DC music scene, and much, much more.

The roller coaster that is TIDAL keeps on keeping on as new reports claim that the troubled, Jay Z owned streaming service is making plans to sue original owners Aspiro for misreporting their subscriber numbers.

On his latest, self titled album, indie rock legend Eric Bachmann (Archers Of Loaf, Crooked Fingers) is shedding his past and delivering his most personal collection of songs to date.

Caetano Veloso and Gilberto Gil are lifelong friends and legends of Brazilian music. We’ve got a taste of their recently released live set, the joyous Dois Amigos, Um Século de Música.

For 30 years now, SXSW has brought the best and the brightest of the music industry to the music capital of the world for for a week of controlled chaos and musical overload. Music journalist Marcus J. Moore attended this summer camp for music nerds for the first time this year, and he’s hanging out with us to report back on what went down.

Laura Gibson has made a career of making sublimely beautiful folk music, but on Empire Builder she beat back adversity and ended up with her best album to date.

Oddisee is back with a free album Alwasta, and we’ve got a politically charged track off of it to rock your freaking dome.

Vinyl sales are UP over streaming revenue, but does it really matter?

Iggy Pop returns with the help of a few friends for one last hurrah. We dig into Post Pop Depression, his legacy and more.

You don't know country. Royal Forest know s country though so it's cool. they've got you covered with their totally free album Rural Forest.

The Kesha vs Dr. Luke case takes a couple of strange new twists on its way to (hopefully) resolution. Or does it?

If you don’t know Brotherman, than you don’t know much, mannnn. We’re turning our ears towards one of Numero Group’s finest reissues and unearthing a bit of musical history in the process.

Speaking of Numero Group…the Chicago based label has consistently slayed over the years and we’ve got a taste of catalog No. 37, otherwise known as Father’s Children’s Who’s Gonna Save The World, for you to feast on.

CAN. YOU. DIG IT? Yea…we think you can. 

We’re dipping our toes into a conversation about what it means to be a music journalist in 2016. What do we do? What is our place is in the “music industry”? How can we all, musicians and critics alike, do better. Everything is fair game as Marcus Dowling and Marcus J. Moore return to help us dig in and ask some serious questions about ourselves and the work we do. 

Anderson .Paak is on a hot streak that culminated at this year’s SXSW. His latest album Malibu is the spark that lit that fire and we’re here to talk about it.

KING’s debut album We Are King is a stellar exploration of R&B sounds both old and new. We’ve got a taste of their genius to make sure you know that.

If Pablo pops up and the album still isn’t finished, did it really happen?

Last week it was 311 day. If you don't know what that is you're lying. To yourself.*

Damien Jurado is back with an expansive, mind-bending, psycho-trip of a  new album, Visions of Us on the Land. We buy the ticket and take the ride.

Skylar Gudasz's exceptional debut album Oleander is out NOW. We've got a track to help convince you of said exceptionality.

*Now would be a good time to reiterate that we are not a facts based podcast.

The preservation and fostering of the arts should be a top priority for any civilized society, but New York City may be overcompensating with a relatively recent initiative involving affordable housing.

Prog-pop masters Field Music are back with their new album Commontime. It’s as nerdy and as great as you would expect.  Unless you’re Paul.

School of Seven Bells suffered tragedy when front man Benjamin Curtis succumbed to T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma in 2013. Three years later, band mate Alejandra Deheza has picked up the pieces for one last album and we’ve got a taste.

Bob Dylan hands over his archives  and one of our crew squeeeeeeeeeees with joy.

Thao Nguyen, her Get Down Stay Down, and Merrill Garbus have made a career defining, motherf@$%er of a record. That's pretty much it if you wanna cut to the chase.

You crave metal? We've GOT metal. From Finland. Put Oranssi Pazuzu in your putki and smoke it. 

RIP George Martin because GEORGE MARTIN. ;(

Music writer powerhouses Marcus Dowling and Marcus J. Moore are in the basement and offering up some last words on the troubled release of Kanye West's, The Life Of Pablo.

King Kendrick hit us with a surprise "project" on Friday. Is it a worthy follow up to To Pimp A Butterfly, or something...more.

Washington, DC's Stranger In the Alps is back with new music and a single release show at Songbird Music House on 3/9. We've got a taste of their new jams.

You say you've never heard of Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song? EDUCATE YOURSELF, SON!

Hurricane Kayne continues to batter the coast of our common sense. We set a course toward's the eye of the storm.

M. Ward is back and sounding as groovy as ever on his latest, More Rain.

Chicago's Moodymann has dropped DJ Kicks, and we've got a taste.

Uh oh...here come the SXSW emails.

TIDAL, the streaming service that is "for artists, by artists" may be up for sale...to Samsung. Who is not a DJ you haven't heard of. 

Lucy Dacus' subtly powerful debut, No Burden, is being hyped far and wide in the music press. For once the hype is real. Believe it.

No BS! Brass Band are a take-no-prisoners party machine carrying on a long tradition of Richmond, VA jazz musicians kicking ass and taking names. Prepare to shake it with their latest single.

Sometimes we have good ideas. Sometimes those ideas are a blaxploitation version of Little Shop of Horrors.

It's Kesha vs Dr. Luke in a battle for the very soul of the music industry...maybe.

Animal Collective is back with their latest consciousness expanding opus, Painting With. But is it a blissed out journey of enlightenment, or just a bad trip to bummerville.

Bill Frisell's latest, When You Wish Upon A Star, is a sonic ode to television and movie themes beloved by everyone.

Marcus Dowling is in the house. Like a BOSS. Accept. No. Substitutes. 

Everyone knows the state of concert ticketing is f#$#ed. Now there's a new study that kinda proves it.

Megadeth is back with their 15th album, Dystopia. MOAR metal is good metal. Maybe.

Chicago's Numero Group continues to solidify their status as the grooviest record label that ever was with their Project 12 series. We've got a taste for ya.

Still kinda waiting for our damn croissant. 

According to Rolling Stone, CD’s are making a comeback. Really real, or just a really slow news week?

Two Inch Astronaut are back with their latest LP Personal Life. Dig yer loud LOUD, and your 90’s inflected Pavement jams HUGE? Tune in and turn it up.

Alt-Country newcomer Marlon Williams is making the jump across the pond to try and hit it big in America. Get acquainted with this New Zealand crooner now because…well, just because dammit.

Nobody puts baby in a corner. And by "baby," we mean To Pimp A Butterfly.

Kanye West’s new album may be here, but should it be rated “M” for misogyny?

The Skiffle Players debut LP Skifflin’  is bringing together titans of “weird” Americana (Cass McCombs, Neal Casal, Dan Horne, Farmer Dave Scher, Aaron Sperske) to celebrate folk music from the past, present and future.

Night Beats are bringing some serious groove, straight from the garage. Dig it. Dig it the most, baby.

Where’s our damn croissant.

Above The Prairie, the latest release from Minneapolis folk auteurs The Pines, is a sonic tapestry rich with atmosphere that transports the listener to a land that is as recognizable as it is just down the road from nowhere. David Huckfelt and brothers Benson and Alex Ramsey just kicked off their tour for Above The Prairie, and stopped by the basement before a recent DC stop to talk about the inspirations for the album, working with Native American author, poet, and activist, John Trudell, and what it’s like to create worlds from nothing but heart and imagination.

DC’s Stronger Sex is back with a new track, an expanded lineup , and approximately 4.7 times the awesome.

If you need us, we'll be selling plasma and our first born to try and snag some Bey tickets.

You should treat antique instruments with respect and care...unless you're in a Tarantino film.

Florida hip hop wizard Chester Watson put all of his "greatest hits" into a blender and  hit "crush." The result is, Past Cloaks, one of the most exciting records of 2016 to date.

Typefigher/Joy Buttons/Polyon guru Ryan McLaughlin (along with DC music vets John Scoops and Erik Sleight) is back with yet another new band  - Jauze - and suddenly everything old is new again. You looking for jams? Jauze has got jams.

We've got hot sauce in our bag...and it's gotten all over everything. Help.