Music - Washington, D.C.

All Samuels Public Library cardholders are eligible for three free downloads a week from Freegal, a massive online database containing over 500,000 songs.  Sifting through such an enormous selection of music can be a daunting task, so we here at Samuels have decided to offer a few suggestions for the overwhelmed (or new) Freegal user.  This week we recommend three artists from the nation's capital:
 

Chuck Brown and the Soul Searchers

“We Need Money”

From the Good to Go soundtrack

Chuck Brown, “The Godfather of Go-go,” earned his nickname for his contributions to go-go, a style of funk music made popular in D.C.  A mainstay in the District’s music scene for decades, Brown had a big hit in the 1980s with “We Need Money.”  Over a loose groove he wryly chants the memorable lines, “Mastercard, Visa, American Express/I ain’t got nothing against no credit cards, but the cash is the best.”

Thievery Corporation

“Lebanese Blonde”

From The Chillout Album 1

The duo of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton formed Thievery Corporation at Washington, D.C.’s Eighteenth Street Lounge in 1995.  Together they craft smooth dance music perfect for nights of chilling at the club.  The seductive “Lebanese Blonde” incorporates world music sounds—bongos, a sitar, a reggae horn section—with house beats and a sultry vocal performance from D.C. singer Pam Bricker.      

Black Tambourine

“Throw Aggi Off The Bridge”

From Black Tambourine

They may not have been the most famous band to emerge from the Washington, D.C. music scene, but short-lived indie rockers Black Tambourine have amassed a large cult following over the years despite never releasing a proper album.  “Throw Aggi Off the Bridge” is representative of the fuzzy, feedback-drenched style of a band who created a lasting legacy in D.C. with a mere 10 songs.