This from an article about the Brooklyn music scene in the Guardian today:

The Maryland city of Baltimore plays a big role in Brooklyn’s musical renaissance. Sitek lived there, and is an old friend of Celebration’s singer, Katrina Ford, still a resident. Brian DeRan, the manager of Gang Gang Dance and Animal Collective, is a Baltimorean. So is Jason Foster, who now runs Yeasayer’s label, We Are Free (he and DeRan used to run another label, Monitor, together).

What is it about Baltimore, of all places, that inspires such curveball creativity? “There’s nothing there,” says Foster. “Absolutely nothing. So you can do what the fuck you want.”

New Baltimore slogans? Baltimore: Brooklyn’s Farm System. Baltimore: Making Music Too Cool For Itself. Baltimore: Helping Brooklyn Think It’s Better Than You.