New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Local musician Rebecca Kopycinski aka Nuda Veritas just dropped episode 6 of her rare TV show, Burly Song, which features a selected artist from the Burlington music scene for an interview and the playing of some tunes. The sixth edition of Burly Song features singer-songwrite Lady Lioness. You can check out individual songs and past episodes here.
–The Deli Staff
S U R V I V E, who do their thing on the Light Lodge label, and who like some space between their letters in order to truly stretch out, will be out at Hailey’s in Denton this Jan. 30th. Their track Holographic Landscapes was described by 20jazzfunkgreats as "a bit like an analogue incarnation of Rustie taking a couple of notes from Eduard Artemiev’s poetic account of a supernova imploding upon itself in a storm of strobe lights which are but morse signals from God’s ship as it sails across the empty black sludge of space" – which is pretty much exactly what we were going to say.
We’re super busy here at The Deli in January, but in a good way. We wanted to let you know about all the fun things that we’ve planned and put together for you. Of course, there is The Deli’s Best of Philly Emerging Artist(s) Poll going on until midnight Friday, January 15th. Vote!!! It’s your right! And to celebrate the end of this exhausting process, The Deli staff is ready to throw down hard this Friday night when we present (our January CD of the Month) Orbit to Leslie’s CD Release Party at Johnny Brenda’s with our favorite why-the-fuck-aren’t-they-signed-yet-band Aderbat (they’ll also have a surprise for you about a new project that they are working on), post rockers who have been turning into balls-to-the-wall rockers as of late Grimace Federation, and most excellent experimental popster Power Animal. If you’ve ever seen these bands live, then you know why we are all so excited about this show! We almost can’t believe that this sweet, sweet bill is really happening!
One of my favorite albums of 2009 will finally get its official vinyl release on February 1st via Metal Postcard Records. Yea Big and Kid Static’s The Future’s Looking Grim is the second album from the energetic hip hop duo, and features songs like “Bots” and “Stomp The Pedal” and so many more addictive tunes. Of course, the album features “Eatchyo Samwich”, the tale of the duo getting into a fight at a roadside bar over a sandwich. So, if you missed the CD or haven’t bought the download or if you just love to collective vinyl, check out this new release from Yea Big & Kid Static.
As we leave behind a decade that saw the decline (if not near extinction) of the indie record label, those few survivors it seems are faced with certain existential questions. When, for less than the price of Friday night’s bar tab, practically any band or single recording can find it’s way onto the downloadable markets of iTunes and it’s ilk, and any small time musical flunky with an email can spam out copies of their songs to try and get the attention of blogs and other media (and boy do they spam), what is the roll of the indie record label here now in the future?
I suppose that question can be pawned off to someone else but for our purposes now, Gold Robot Records (a local Bay Area indie record label responsible for releases by railcars, lady genius, and others), having recently released the compilation Designed Entropy, at least has found a way to stay relevant in spite of the push towards the superfluous. Here perhaps is a bit of saving grace for the small label; it can serve as a road sign to local acts. Releasing compilations can be a great way to pull together talent and focus attention (often spread thin in this musical landscape) in appropriate directions.
Designed Entropy brings together three San Francisco acts and one Portland band for a tight sample of some great (mostly) electronic music. Further, being released as a 7inch (a process a bit more involved than throwing your rubbish onto the internet) Gold Robot Records has provided tactility, a fading quality of the album experience, to the listener. Though enough for now of this mumbo-jumbo, on to the meat of the EP: the music.
Side A of Designed Entropy features two tracks, the first "Exchange Among Systems" by Bomarr and the second "Karate Eyes" by Copy (Portland’s single contribution to the album). Both tracks sound as though they originated in the electronic music era of Kraftwerk. There is a certain simplicity to the tracks, built as a series of minimal electronic loops that, while in actuality were probably fastidiously arranged, sound as though they could have been composed on a very basic 70s synthesizer.
Though not from San Francisco, Copy’s contribution to this album might be my favorite. There is a certain levity and cheerfulness to it that is so sincere it demands a smile in spite of any cynicism (a welcome difference in quality than what I normally am found listening to). All in all the elemental sound in these songs makes them stand out in a genre in which simplicity far to often falls rapidly into the mundane.
If side A recalls the sounds of Kraftwerk, side B resembles much more the electronic sounds of Joy Division and New Order. Meanest Man Contest’s track “Takitani Edit” pounds out a dark piano riff over a subtle electronic mix with the vocals sounding something of a cross between Ian Curtis and Nick Cave. It’s a nice dark turn from the levity of the previous side.
A soothing ethereal finale Roman Ruins’ “Plea for Performance” rounds out the EP in a graceful outro. Owing much of its sound to New Order, “Plea for Performance” sounds as though it was recorded at the heyday of New Wave.
Certainly this EP, compiled by Gold Robot Records, is a good sampling of Bay Area electronica. It gives a good taste of what these bands, which may not have come so quickly to my attention, have to offer. As a series too, Designed Entropy promises to continue providing us with samples of different local artists, and hopefully provide Gold Robot with the relevance in needs to stay around.
-Ada Lann
Look What I Did have released a new music video for the song "Fade to Daft" from the upcoming album, Atlas Drugged. Atlas is set to release 2/9/10 on Modernist Movement Recordings.
The video was directed by Nick "Dune" Baydoun from Cake or Death Productions. "Fade to Daft" and Atlas Drugged were produced by Brian Virtue (Jane’s Addiction, Chevelle, Horse the Band).
You can pre-order the record for $6.99 here.
Ready for a little taste of good old Americana pie? Patrons at the Housing Works Bookstore and Café in New York City were on Dec. 9, when Brooklyn collective Jones Street Station invaded the used book retailer for a festive performance of folk/country/indie music. The show was packed to the venue’s wooden corners with hipsters who couldn’t help but sway to the beat of the group’s rustic instruments and harmonious synchronized vocals. Fans, shows, unyielding instrumentals and charming songwriting. What more could a band ask for? – Read Cecilia Martinez interview with the band here.
Yes, the boys have done it again, and know for a fact we will say that again several times this year. For their new album, Ok Go will be making a video for each song. The latest video is for the song “This Too Shall Pass”, and features the Notre Dame marching band. It’s another classic in the Ok Go stable, but they are not allowing you to embed at this point so you will have to head over to youtube to be counted among the 20,000 plus people who have watched the video in the last four days.
There’s definitely an excess of lo-fi “bedroom pop” acts floating around the Brooklyn music scene lately, but Small Black stands out from the rest for their impeccable songwriting skills and attention to sonic detail. The band’s songs drip hazy, summertime warmth, wrapped up in delicate layers of tape-hiss, samples, drum machine plunks and sanguine synth, all accompanied by laid-back and infectious vocals. The band is Josh Kolenik and Ryan Heyner, and live it consists of Pitchfork.tv contributors Juan Pieczanski and Jeff Curtin, who have since joined the band. They released a self-titled EP in October–which was fittingly recorded in an uncle’s Long Island attic–and have since garnered a lot of critical praise. From the Jesus & Mary Chain-channeling “Despicable Dogs” to the watery depths of the washed-out “Bad Lover,” Small Black delivers perfect noise-pop to brighten the winter months or keep pace with the summer. – Read Bill Dvorak’s interview with the band here. (video by Yoonha Park)
Singer/songwriter Nik Freitas is a sponge. In one instance, his downtempo tracks seem honorably stolen from Mind Games-era Lennon and the next, contemporaries like M. Ward and an early Ben Kweller. The thing that sets Freitas apart from all the other sponges in town is that we actually believe him. Sincerity will always prevail. Freitas plays The Echo this Saturday night with AA Bondy.
The next-round’s-on-me sounds of Olin and the Moon will be claiming The Echo as their own every Tuesday this month. If the free cover isn’t enough to bring you in (it should — Olin and the Moon put together a great live set), then perhaps the pizza and beer specials alongside games of bingo might help if you’re into being ultimately distracted at a live show. Tonight: cabaret pop’s Eleni Mandell joins the bill, with Dusty Rhodes and the River Band on the 19th and The Henry Clay People on the 26th.
For those who consider buying CDs as some archaic pastime, reconsider: Silver Lake’s own Horse Stories are releasing an especially nifty and ultra limited edition of its latest LP November, November for the first 100 people to grab them. The homemade CDs boxes follow up in singer Toby Burke’s folksy aesthetic by providing original notebook lyrics, original photos from recording sessions and other mementos that paved the way to the creation of this record. Own a little piece of indie history for $15 here. Take that, iTunes.