I'm in a rush to pack and drive to Pennsylvania for a family reunion (groan, hiss), so I'll make this fast.

A couple of weeks ago, I caught the Ex-Members opening for Team Dresch at the Black Cat. They haven't released a full-length yet, but I picked up their self-released EP. Tracks below.

1. "Wishes" - Ex-Members (my favorite track)

2. "Into the Nite" - Ex-Members

3. "Big Black Goodbye" - Ex-Members 

Dance-tastic and pop-a-licious. Sort of like if you combined Le Tigre with The Sounds and added a dash of CSS. The best part of the performance was when the drummer left her drumkit and donned an electronic box (complete with guitar strap and handle). It was reminiscent of the talent show scene from Revenge of the Nerds. If only she had a yellow vinyl jumpsuit.

 When I first conceived of this post, I envisioned writing an extended entry on Team Dresch, Slant 6, Tribe 8, Mary Lou Lord, and all the other great acts of the riot grrl era. That didn't quite work out, but I'm still going to post one of my favorite dyke lowfi tunes from the Kill Rock Stars era. 

1. "Only Straight Girls Wear Dresses" - C.W.A.

This tune, by lesbian queercore group CWA, was on the KRS compilation "Stars Kill Rock." When I bought it at age 14, I was not yet out of the closet (to myself or anyone else). I stayed up late, listening to this song over and over and over again, turning it down whenever my mom passed by my bedroom door. Once you listen to the song, you'll see why.

Back in high school, when I was first getting into punk music, I bought a lot of compilation CDs. Afterall, how else could I survey the vast expanse of punk history on my paltry earnings as a part-time pizza maker?

I first encountered the Stranglers in 1997 on a punk comp dubiously titled "Anarchy From the UK." The compilation provided me with a sturdy education in the annals of punk history, but I always felt the Stranglers' "Hanging Around" seemed misplaced among the reckless, drunken riffs of Sham 69, The Business and the UK Subs.  The Stranglers were different. Elegant, even.

 "Hanging Around" - The Stranglers 

"Hanging Around" is a ghoulish, addictive pop song. And ten years after first discovering it, I still can't get enough of it. The Doors-inspired keyboards hail from that mythic proto-punk period, when bands like the New York Dolls and Television experimented with combining rock-and-roll with the musical equivalent of repulsion.

Flash forward to last week, when I was surfing Moistworks (my very favorite mp3 blog) for their latests postings. There, I discovered the Stranglers' hit "Golden Brown," and was immediately reminded of my affection for the band. And so began my hunt for a few choice songs to post here.

As far as I can tell, the Stranglers have three distinct eras:

1. Proto-punk (70s - 81')
2. Ghoulish New Wave (81'-89')
3. Crap (2006)

The tracks below represent their more stripped-down, synth-pop phase in the 1980s.

 "7" - The Stranglers

The track "7" is from The Gospel According to The Meninblack, an spatial concept album released by the group in 1981. As far as I can tell, the concept has something to do with alien invasions and Jesus' second coming. Picture Orwell's 1984 crossed with Sigourney Weaver and Steven King's love child. 

 "Strange Little Girl" - The Stranglers

"Midnight Summer Dream" - The Stranglers (will post shortly)

This weekend is the annual Capital Pride celebration in Washington, DC. A weekend when rainbow-colored clouds float over our fair city, tranny godmothers dust the streets in glitter, and 20-something straight couples decide to show just how cool they are by cheering on the shirtless line-dancers on the Remington's float.

Pride used to be political. And in some places, it still is. But DC Pride is more like an excuse for our uptight city to get drunk on margaritas at 10:30am and have sex with an exboyfriend/girlfriend, coworker, best friend of 10 years, neighborhood barista, that guy at the video store...you get the idea. So. Be proud. You are one of da' gayz.

1. Just Like We (Breakdown) (DFA Remix) - Hot Chip

2. Da Hype (Featuring Robert Smith) - Junior Jack

3.  Shine - Cyndi Lauper