Outcalls

No King (self-released)

One of the things we love most about the Baltimore music scene is its continuous ability to surprise us. Outcalls sure did. This female-fronted sextet is not your average indie act featuring shimmering synth and shoegaze guitar. Instead, classically trained opera singers Britt Olsen-Ecker and Melissa Wimbish combine ethereal vocals with robust electronic rhythms to create their own genre: a sort of baroque indie-pop. Their masterful sopranos fuse into lush harmonies that lilt about energetic beats and linger in your ears long after they’re gone. On this debut EP, featuring four tracks and two remixes, each new verse reminds you that the human voice—in all its hypnotic glory—is the ultimate instrument. 

Us and Us Only

Full Flower (Topshelf Records)

The songs on this debut album are like sifting through a dream. Dewy and listless, they conjure up nostalgic, slow-reel images of the sludgy days of summers past—of those fleeting romances that never quite left your memory; of another, younger you. They kind of break your heart, in a good way. With warm guitar, punchy drums, and pure vocals, this indie-rock quintet spins beautifully melancholy melodies, made grand and lush with the help of ace production by Mobtown Studios. They’re also bittersweet, as the Charles Village studio announced its fall closure at the time of the release. We’re sorry to see it go, but there’s always a silver lining in change. After eight years and a few earlier EPs, we’re sure this is just the beginning for Us and Us Only. Listen to “Kno” and you’ll hear why.

Five things to eat, drink, see, hear, and do with your Charm City weekend.

 EAT

Aug. 13: WYPR + Salt

Salt Tavern, 2127 E. Pratt St. 4-6:15 p.m. $5-10.

As we reach the middle of August, it sadly means that our city’s beloved outdoor concert series will slowly start coming to a close. This Sunday, before you make your way to Patterson Park for its last live music of the season, swing by Salt Tavern in nearby Butchers Hill to pregame the show with our local NPR affiliate (and concert co-host) WYPR. At this 11-year-old Best Restaurant, fill your belly with a smattering of small bites by renowned chef Jason Ambrose—hopefully including the stalwart’s trademark Wagyu foie gras slider and tempting truffle fries—then scramble down Pratt Street to hear local 1960s soul collective, The Bellevederes.

 DRINK

Aug. 13: Charm City 5K Trail Run

Boordy Vineyards, 12820 Long Green Pike, Hydes. 6-11 p.m. $45.

What better form of encouragement for an evening run than endless amounts of wine? This Sunday, lace up for a 5K race through the picturesque Boordy Vineyards in Baltimore County, all the while reminding yourself of the finish-line reward: fine wine and cheese. Bring your friends and family to sample the winery’s roses, reds, and whites, with live music and a continued run of unseasonably cool weather—we hope.

 SEE

Aug. 11-13: BronyCon

Baltimore Convention Center, 1 W. Pratt St. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. $70-2,000. 

For one weekend a year, the streets of Baltimore transform into a colorful, cartoon paradise as fans of My Little Pony convene for the annual BronyCon festival. With a cult following of “bronies,” this cosplay convention features three days of autographs, costume contests, gaming, and one giant BronyPalooza concert. Whether you’re ogling as an onlooker or joining in the equine fun, head to the Inner Harbor to bear witness to this once-a-year affair.

 HEAR

Aug. 13: Us And Us Only

The Crown, N. Charles St. 8 p.m. $7. 

Last month, we were wowed by the new album of Baltimore indie-rocker Us And Us Only. The quintet’s second full-length release, Full Flower, is a feat of lush guitars, punching drums, and earnest vocals, created in part by the soon-to-be-closing Mobtown Studios. Each song fills the room with a nostalgic summer sound, like on “Kno” and “sun4u,” and solidifies their status as a Baltimore Band To Watch. Catch them live this weekend at The Crown, with Baltimore’s own psych-pop group Raindeer and folk singer Nina Gala, plus Brooklyn-based shoegaze trio with possibly the best band name ever: Really Big Pinecone.

 DO

Aug. 12: Baltimore AFRAM Festival

Druid Hill Park, 3001 East Dr. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Free.

For the past 40 years, the AFRAM festival, formerly known as the African American Heritage Festival, has kicked off in the high heat of Baltimore summer with thousands of festivalgoers at Camden Yards. This year, however, a few big changes are taking place, with a shorter timeslot, new venue, and more local than national focus. Though the revisions have incited some backlash, this celebration of African-American culture is still sure to be a jam-packed day full of art, music, community outreach, and family fun in its first-ever location—the verdant landscape of Druid Hill Park. 

In this second iteration of The Big Baltimore Playlist, we found five local songs we can’t get enough of, ranging from indie afropop to rabble-rousing rock-and-roll to soulful R&B. Check back each month for new top songs of the moment, and follow our Spotify playlist as we continue to build a soundtrack for our city. 

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“Nowhere” by Djembe Jones

We just discovered this Takoma Park quartet and let’s just say we can’t stop listening. Their listless summer sound is a feel-good fusion, intermingling Afro-pop (the band is named after a ubiquitous West African drum and one of its bandmates hails from the east side of the continent) with hints of indie, hip-hop, and R&B. We dig the warm harmonies, pitter-patter drums, and groovy rhythms of this sweet little love song.

“Hot Shot” by Joseph & The Beasts

Transport to the stars in this celestial song from local indie-pop-rock group Joseph & The Beasts, on which frontman Joseph Mulhollen’s operatic vocals sail to epic heights—his notes riding higher and higher with dips and diversions as if flying over and through the clouds. It’s a mighty anthem and its ambitious spirit is infectious; it makes you want to seize the day.

“Consciousness” by Joy Postell

This track isn’t new, but with our “Best of Baltimore” issue on stands next week, we can’t stop listening to the song behind this year’s “Best Music Video” for Postell’s fall 2016 flick, shot partially inside the Peale Museum during The Contemporary’s Only When It’s Dark Enough Can You See The Stars exhibit. The soulful singer-songwriter uses unruly, jazz-like rhythms, fiercely sharp lyrics, and emotive energy to address issues faced by the African-American community. Her accomplished sound—and message—couldn’t be timelier. 

“The Wanting” by J. Roddy Walston & The Business

J. Roddy is back, y’all. The once-Baltimore-based rock band (now residing in Richmond, Virginia) has released a new song for the first time in four years. It might be a little more clean-cut than The Business’s rabblerousing Bmore days, but it’s big and buoyant, with soaring guitar and a catchy, crescendo chorus worth adding to your next road trip.

“Kno” by Us and Us Only

The sad news that Mobtown Studios will be closing its doors this fall makes this melancholy melody all the more bittersweet. It was produced there—its lush guitars, punching drums, and cooing vocals made bigger and bolder in the Charles Village space. This song sort of breaks our hearts in a good way, nostalgically conjuring up the sludgy days of Julys past and those even longer romances you can never quite get out of your head. Be sure to watch the mesmerizing music video, too.