Chicago

The Blacks “In Sickness and Health”

Posted on:

After a ten year absence from the Chicago music scene The Blacks returned last fall to play a reunion show of sort at Bloodshot Records 15thAnniversary Hideout Block Party. It was clear that they still had that spark that generated to albums in the late nineties. True they’ve lost a decade, but as I listened through their new ep In Sickness and Health it is clear they haven’t lost the passion or chemistry. The album is filled with introspection, but at its height it is simple and pure rock with country undertones.

In Sickness and Health is a digital-only EP that will be available on March 6th. The first 300 downloads (preorder now) come with a limited-edition poster designed by Danny Black and silk screened by Crosshair Silkscreen. All downloads of the EP include an enhanced package of lyrics, original artwork, photos and the documentary on the Blacks rise and fall, "Bring It Back From The Dead" by John Boston and Glorious Noise Productions.

The Blacks will be celebrating the release of the ep on March 9th at Schubas.

Chicago

Better Side of Paradise

Posted on:

I just received a new single of the trio Kid Savant. “Better Side of Paradise” is track that begins like a standard Coldplay ballad, but subtly morphs into somewhat of a club track. This track just adds to the mystery and hopeful anticipation lead up to what stands to be a wonderful debut album. Hopefully we will be getting news to that effect soon. Until then we will just have to continue to enjoy these mp3’s they throw our way.

Philadelphia

Jotto Releases New Single “Lost Man”

Posted on:

It’s been a while since we’ve heard from the Jotto camp with guitarist Dan Soloway returning to his homeland and discovering the plethora of lovely Israeli ladies roaming its streets. However, today marks the release of Jotto’s new single “Lost Man” from their upcoming EP New Century Courting, scheduled for release on March 30th. Check out the new video above! Could Soloway be their “lost man”? It appears like it in the video, but you can still hear his guitar riffs resonating from across the way. myspace.com/jottomusic – H.M. Kauffman

Austin

Live Review: T Bird & the Breaks + Brownout, Antone’s 2/19

Posted on:

With lights low and stage bursting at the seams, T-Bird and the Breaks delivered a night full of deep funk and heavy soul, lighting up Antone’s dark stage and letting the old walls breathe a breath from its younger days. It’s hard not to think of the glory days of the “big band” when T-Bird and The Breaks hit the stage, T-Bird himself a talented, magnetic and charismatic song leader with a nine-person, symmetrically mirrored scale of soul machine occupying those forty square feet of plywood around him. T-Bird himself isn’t the only talented one, however, as the entire band was a cohesive group – horn section challenging the backup singers who are firing back like sexy, black-dressed sirens, horribly well choreographed in their dancing; drums and bass creating a smooth groove line while T-Bird and guitar hit a funky back-and-forth rapport. T-Bird and the Breaks are a fast, high energy engine that got the crowd moving around and got them there fast. The sound was contemporary rock and roll’s answer to the glory days of jazz and funk and soul —  a revamped, remodelled classic car that takes the best of yesterday and today to make something brilliant and beautiful. The set was strong, the band was tight and in synch, and it was evident early on that the night wasn’t about an opening band and a closing band, but about talented musicians coming together and putting on a great show.

 

After T-Bird and the Breaks knocked the crowd down, the rock-tejano-conjunto hybridization of a jam band, Brownout, took the stage to pick everyone back up. Trumping T-Bird’s band in numbers by one, Brownout, with their menagerie of horns and various drums and guitars mixing up across the stage took the strong-silent approach in their set, rarely busting out the lyrical guns, and when voices were heard they were rarely in english. Not that I’m complaining. The best thing about Brownout, I think, is that I can’t place them. By that I mean I’ve never heard anything like the tight, talented, towering, trembling sound quaking out of their amplifiers. The band left me torn on whether to call is Psychedelic Conjunto, or Funk-Rock Tejano or some other juxtaposed genre I can’t even think of. What was certain, however, is that the crowd was moving from the very first guitar licks and didn’t stop for a moment. 

Both T-Bird and the Breaks and Brownout have that sweet taste of Austin in their music, that kind of thing that doesn’t necessarily make sense on paper but sounds great in your heart.  Strong sets from a couple of genre-bending big bands. Couldn’t ask for a better night out in Austin.

–Mitchell Mazurek

 

L.A.

Best of LA 2009 #25, KillKillKill

Posted on:

I would be lying if I said that KillKillKill wasn’t aptly named.  This band plays aggressively metal music, with a hint of hardcore influence.  "Nothing Left" opens with a particularly unsettling movie quote, threatening the life of a man’s girlfriend.  The song that follows is fast and would benefit from being played as loud as possible.  Members Mike Smith, Shawn Bruce, and Wayne Martin make music that sounds like a cross between Mastodon and Terror.  KillKillKill is slated to play a couple of shows in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina but should be back in Los Angeles in April. 

L.A.

Best of LA 2009 #26, Active Child to play Echoplex on February 27th

Posted on:

Pat Grossi, of Active Child, has serious credentials.  A former member of the Philadelphia Boys Choir, Grossi’s high tenor is the star of his one man show.  Grossi’s voice coupled with a chorus of keyboards is quite the winning combination.  The layered vocals are clearing influenced by Grossi’s days in the choir, but are completely transformed by the electronic, synthesizer laden instrumentals.  "Body Heat (So Far Away)" is one of those songs that could make you cry, if you were in a particularly fragile state.  These are songs that evoke feelings.  If you enjoy feeling feelings, maybe you should start listening to Active Child. 

L.A.

Best of LA 2009 #27 Dirt Dress to play Spaceland on February 27th

Posted on:

I have a feeling that if Iggy Pop came of age in the 1950s, his band would sound something like Dirt Dress.  It’s as if early punk rock had a one night stand with a bebop band, and Dirt Dress was the bastard love child.  Noah, who is responsible for vocals and lead guitar, has a voice that is reminiscent of the Pixies’ Black Francis, which couldn’t be more complimentary.  The other two-thirds of Dirt Dress are Jose and Raymond, playing bass/rhythm guitar and drums respectively.  With songs such as "Junk", "Stray Cats" and "Sonic Death", they manage to sound as though they were plucked out of the mid eighties.  They inject enough modernity into the equation to keep their sound fresh and original while remaining familiar.  Their music is well suited to semi dangerous skateboarding excursions, impromptu late night dinners at the local Mexican place and skinny dipping anywhere you shouldn’t be swimming.  If these activities excite you, check them out. 

L.A.

Best of LA 2009- #28 Dawes live at the Troubadour, March 11

Posted on:

I would hang out with Dawes.  What’s not to like?  They make great, straight forward music that is free of pretention and full of soul.  The four gentlemen involved in Dawes are as follows:  Taylor Goldsmith, Griffin Goldsmith (fraternal duo, not a romantic couple), Wylie Gelber, and Alex Casnoff.  To be quite frank, the name Griffin was to get me on board, but if you’re not as easily persuaded, let me do more to convince you.  Dawes sounds distinctly American, perhaps due to their heavy soul influence.  They also have made it their modus operandi to capture the inherent nature of their instruments.  The guitars sound like guitars, and the organs sound like organs.  No distortion, no synthesizers, and no auto-tune.  The vocals are pure and devoid and resonate perfectly with the musical backdrop.  All in all, this band is well worth your time. 

Chicago

From Our Open Blog: Derek Porter

Posted on:

Derek Porter is an Illinois-bred, Chicago based songwriter, musician and producer following in the footsteps of his father, Bruce, a pianist and songwriter of 30+ years. Derek’s songs are his craft – he writes for all the groups in the Piercing Music collective. These songs span genres, including folk, rockabilly and pop. His upcoming solo album, Strangers, Vol. 1, makes the softer sounds of his past work its focus. The album is a quick, satisfying listen, which will segue into Vol. 2, to be released in the near future.

NYC

Extra Life first video – not as noisy as expected, but good!

Posted on:

Extra Life is one of those bands noisy engough to scandalize our friend and ex reader April (see her comment about Talk Normal here). But surprisingly enough, the video they recently premiered on stereogum.com is pretty much the exact opposit of noisy (are the dudes getting older? That’s what happens to musicians when they get older, they play less noisy, more structured stuff – the only exception is a Canadian band called Anvil). Anyway, whatever the reason behind this welcome surprise, the important thing is that the dudes haven’t lost their interest in experimenting, creating here a track that sounds like some sort of avant-pastoral music with disturbing imagery, very well transposed to video by director Peking. The Deli likes it!

NYC

French Horn Rebellion are back! EP out on March 1

Posted on:

French Horn Rebellion entertained us last year with their electronic dancey songs and a goofy video that recreated Saturday Night Fever style wooing in hypster Williamsburg, 2009 circa. The duo is back with a new EP entitled Beaches and Friends that will be released on March 1st. This Spring they’ll join Little Boots and Dragonette on their US tour. FHR will also be making appearances at this years SXSW, Bestival, and Oxygen Festival. These guys are entertaining, don’t miss their live performances.

Philadelphia

FYI on DIYs in PHL: The Ox

Posted on:

 
Since its inception, the City of Brotherly Love has been known for its independence. Keeping the spirit alive, Philly’s latest DIY art space The Ox is circulating buzz amongst show goers and bands alike. Co-founder Daniel Hughes was nice enough to take a little time and spill some deets about the venue, the Philly scene, and of course, roast beef.
 
The Deli: How did The Ox start? Who runs it?
Daniel Hughes: Living in a warehouse was always something I’d wanted to do, but wasn’t realistic because of school obligations. After I graduated, I was approached by my friend Brendan about the idea of making it a reality. A couple of us got together and assembled a rag tag group of individuals who were willing to give it a shot. I see this as my chance to give back to a scene that did so much for me. We are attempting to run the space democratically which can be a huge headache. Bernie and myself book most of the shows, but everyone is involved and has the ability to do what they want.
 
TD: Aside from manning The Ox, what else are you into? Day jobs, involvement in the art/music scene, etc.?
DH: 4 bands (Shitty Knees, The Armchairs, Norwegian Arms and Kim Jong Bill), artists, printmakers, filmmakers, a sound guy, an art teacher, a writer, a hairdresser, a political scientist, a dude in Russia, a dog and a cat.
 
TD: What are your highlights/fave moments at The Ox?
 
DH: Currently, building an igloo on the roof. We just hosted an event our friends have every year called “Mightyfest”. Lots of delicious food and games (feats of strength). We had a pretty wild Halloween party featuring all cover bands. Our friend Dom’s band Dragonzord played In The Aeroplane Over The Sea from start to finish. People were REALLY into it. But I’d have to say my absolute favorite moment had to be our New Years Eve party/show. Our good friend from high school, Tuan Le, was in town from LA and documented it for us. Aside from having around 11 bands playing, all the music during the party was from the last ten years and Dragonzord played a cover set of hits from the decade at midnight (from the Dirty Projectors to Miley Cyrus). 
 
TD: What are some of the pros and cons of running a DIY venue?
 
DH: Pros: Hosting fun things, meeting cool people, introducing cool people to other cool people, learning life skills (like compromising), space/freedom. Cons: Cleaning up, having to work when your friends are having fun, putting up with bands/events you don’t personally enjoy, long/painful but often necessary deliberation in email and in person, and occasionally having to deal with people who disrespect the space.
TD: Where did you grow up? Did you go to local shows? If so, what shows or venues were most memorable?
DH: All over PA, NJ, Chicago, Wisconsin. Brendan and I lived in the same town, but only recently met within the last year. He was pretty active in the Lansdale scene and booking shows and we knew a lot of the same people, so I wouldn’t be surprised if our paths crossed and we never even realized it. My friend’s were in bands in high school so I would go out and support them when they had a gig. My absolute favorite "local" show was seeing Good Clean Fun play at the Trappe YMCA after “Hellfest” got cancelled. Greg and I used to take the R5 in to the city when we were in high school to see R5 shows (go figure). I used to and still do love seeing shows at the First Unitarian Church. My first one was seeing Ted Leo (with Greg). That was definitely memorable for me. 
TD: What are some upcoming events at The Ox that you’re excited about/looking forward to?
 
DH: We’ve got some shows coming up that still need to be confirmed, but I’m potentially really excited about those. We’re trying to do more art/non music shows with the New Year. Our next is April second and it should be good. Marvin Gaye birthday party to follow. I’m usually excited/looking forward to all of the shows we have, otherwise why do them? Shameless plug time: March 6–Ape School, The Armchairs (roommates!), Grandchildren, Lonnie Walker, Dinosaur Feathers. March 9–Folklore, Sea of Dogs, Quiet Hooves, Bubbly Mommy Gun. April 1–The Pharmacy, Dangerous Ponies, The Spooks, Kingdome, Bellys and April 14–1994!, Grown Ups, Netherfriends.
 
TD: Finish the following sentence. The Ox is __________.
DH: The Ox is a unique and dynamic space that has many surprises in store for 2010 and beyond.
TD: What is your favorite thing about Philly’s music scene?
 
DH: It’s diverse and interesting. Lots of good people doing what they love and are willing to help each other out. The fact that places like ours can exist.
 
TD: Which local artists are you currently into?
DH: Most of my favorite bands right now are ones that have played here. Shameless plug time again. I’ve been really into Dragonzord and Hop Along recently. Dom and Eric Slick have a new project called Lithuania, The Homophones, Chang Chang (best dude ever), Plastic Little, Teeth of Mammals (local enough). The Divine Lorraine, Power Animal, and so on, and so on, and so on.

TD: What do you like to get at the deli?

 
DH: I’m a Roast Beef man, but nothing beats a good Italian hoagie!