Here is our coverage of the Sunday’s events at Pitchfork Music Festival. Neph Basedow started the day by taking in two quality Chicago bands and ended up at Pavement with the masses. You can read her coverage here.
Philadelphia
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Interplanetary Sonic Surfing with Orbit to Leslie at Silk City July 21
Kids these days are doing nothing but chillin’ on their waves. It is good to see Philly’s own Orbit to Leslie bringing some surf back to the beaches of the Schuylkill. Tonight they will crash down at Silk City. I can only imagine the amount of daggering that will be going on at this concert. The lush guitars and their polyryhthmic beats are a nice match with the calming and inquisitive vocals of lead man Chris Wood. Orbit to Leslie groove, sway, pounce and resolve throughout their eclectic cannon of songs. I am especially taken by the contrast between Toadies-esque “Sugar and Salt” and the jubilant high-hat pop of “Javelin”. Silk City, 435 Spring Garden St., 9pm, $5, 21+ – Adam G.
NYC
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Best of NYC #17: Small Black
We continue our "Best of NYC Countdown", covering every day one of the artists that made our Year End Best of NYC list (a chart compiled by a jury comprised of local bloggers, music writers, promoters, record store personnel, DJs, and our writers and readers).
Brooklyn’s Small Black is a duo (live there are more players involved) that creates synth-y lo-fi love songs (it sounds like love, anyway — maybe they’re singing about hate, but I doubt it) using a couple of casios and some beat machines. The vocals are the kind that, again, sounds like they’re sung from a Fisher-Price microphone. But here, that sound definitely works (sometimes that sound is definitely annoying, as I’m sure you know).
Small Black works better than a lot of the other people rocking the "hot new old sound" of lo-fi because their melodies are just so damn pretty. Sure, there’s some roughness and scratchiness with the way it’s recorded (an aesthetic choice), but really when we talk about Small Black we’re talking about beauty.
So just saying "lo-fi" doesn’t give these guys a whole lot of credit. Gosh, I love pretty songs. Seriously, is there anything better in this life? Pizza is pretty good, but not as good as a pretty song. – www.ohmyrockness.com
NYC
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Open Blog gems: El Jefe vs. Demons catapulted into…
Those who work in fields related to music reviewing are familiar with (and often allergic to) the celebratory phrases used by PR people to describe the artists they are trying to pitch for coverage. PR guys of course are doing their job by trying to make you believe that their artists are absolutely outstanding, often using ready made sentences that are supposed to have a certain effect: "catapulted the band into [something awesome here]" is one of the most abused. This is why we couldn’t help but laugh out loud when our Open Blog users El Jefe vs. Demons introduced this fun/creepy video (that would benefit from a chorus by the way) with this blurb:
"This is the new El Jefe vs. Demons video for "Meant to be Creepy" which will be on the new album, which is yet to be titled. The video was shot & edited by none other than infamous filmmaker Joey Angerone, who has done many short films, music videos & documentaries. This album will be the follow-up to the debut album "Death, Blood & the Guts" which catapulted the band into obscurity. Enjoy the video & be creeped out!" – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).
L.A.
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Faded Paper Figures’ Summer Tour
Sometimes I get a bit jealous when my friends find great music before I do. Today I received an innocent looking email linking to Faded Paper Figures‘ album New Medium. If I had any doubt in my friend’s taste in music, lets just say they were put to rest and I owe them a beer.
Faded Paper Figures fits nicely into downtempo pop with a bit of electronica. Pitter-pattering drum machines and synths sweetly fill in the gaps between the trio’s guitars and vocals. R. John Williams and Kael Alden bring the musical muscle, but the real secret weapon is vocalist Heather Alden — her demure voice rounds the act out. There is a subtle dissonance and melancholy feeling to each song, but that should be plain to see when the band names influences like Morrissey, Radiohead, and Jon Brion (… speaking of Jon, he still regularly plays at the Largo here in LA).
The band is embarking on a small summer tour but still has a few local shows lined up. 7/28 @ Spaceland, 7/29 @ The Continental Room, and 7/30 @ The Glasshouse. I wouldn’t pass them up.
Philadelphia
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Bandcamp Changing Its Business Model in Early August
I know a lot of indie artists out there use Bandcamp. Well, I just wanted to give you a heads up to upcoming changes to their business model. Like what happens to all cool free shit, it’s time for Bandcamp to figure out how to make money off this idea to remain “sustainable long-term”. These changes won’t be starting until early August. The basic service will remain free. However, Bandcamp will begin taking 15% of every transaction. Their rate will drop to 10% when your all-time sales exceed $5,000. Your initial rate (based on sales to your PayPal email address, not your Bandcamp account) will be determined by all your sales to date. (If you’re a label and have multiple artists all using the same PayPal account, your rate will be calculated by looking at the combined sales of your artists.) For a truly independent artist, it still beats most record deals. – Q.D. Tran
Philadelphia
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Mose Giganticus Drop Latest Album on Relapse Records in North America
Mose Giganticus’ latest album Gift Horse is available in North America today on Relapse Records. The follow-up to the band’s 2008 EP Commander! was recorded at Skylight Studios (Circa Survive, None More Black, Turmoil) with engineer Vince Ratti. Being one of the casualties from The Khyber’s recent fallout/summer break(?), Mose Giganticus will be celebrating their record release at The Fire on August 13 with Monolith, City of Ships and Constant. – H.M. Kauffman
Nashville
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Max and the Wild Things CD Release, 7/30/10
On Friday July 30th, Max and the Wild Things will celebrate the release of their self-titled debut album at The End with The Roses, The Grayces, and The Pipeline.
The album features members of Space Capone, The Protomen, Darla Farmer, Kat Smo, and The Coolin’ System. Be sure to check it out, and also go to the showwwww!–Deli Editor
NYC
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Atlantic/Pacific readies new album
New Jersey’s Atlantic/Pacific formed in the summer of 2008 when long time friends Garrett Klahn (from Texas is the Reason)and John Herguth (from House & Parish) began kicking around a few songs in Garrett’s Brooklyn apartment. Soon after, Atlantic/Pacific started performing in NY and Europe with projections of 70s skateboarders and surfers playing behind them – will those ever be passe`? The band did shows with Mercury Rev, Neil Halstead, Chamberlain, and Walter Schreifels. Recently joined by Ian Love (Rival Schools), the trio will release in October Meet Your New Love, their debut full length album, under No Sleep Records
Philadelphia
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New Major Lazer EP Available for Streaming
Major Lazer’s latest release Lazers Never Die EP is available for streaming here. It features an appearance by M.I.A. on opening track “Sound of Siren” and a Thom Yorke remix. – H.M. Kauffman
San Francisco
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The Deli SF’s Weekend Highlights For 7/21-7/24
Of course your Friday should already be planed, what with the exciting line-up The Deli will be presenting at the Hemlock, but if your still undecided, or looking for another show or two to attend this weekend, here are a few selections from the calendar.
This Wednesday Studio SQ, who proudly sponsor our band of the month poll, well be presenting a show at Milk featuring Le Vice, Tim Car, George Cochrane, and Dude House, 8pm.
The following night, again at Milk, local blog Epic Sauce will once again flex it’s nearly invincible booking muscles and provide us with another amazing line-up. Headlined by Maus Haus (whose inclusion in this year’s Treasure Island Music Festival, incidentally, is righteously exciting) and featuring support by Skeletal System, Psychic Handbook and Rangers, this show is one of many this week not to be missed, 8pm.
Offering some stiff friendly competition, The Bay Bridged on Friday night will be presenting their now yearly Regional Bias show and fundraiser, at the Verdi Club, featuring Thao Nguyen, Man/Miracle, Exray’s, and John Vaderslice, 8pm.
Finally, on Saturday Little Teeth will be opening up for Sleepytime Gorilla Museum at the Great American, 8pm.
That about rounds out this week. Hope to see many of your shining faces at the Hemlock this Friday.
–Ada Lann
San Francisco
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This Week! The Deli SF Presents White Cloud, The Paranoids, and Red Blue Yellow at the Hemlock
This Friday The Deli SF proudly presents White Cloud, The Paranoids, and Red Blue Yellow at the Hemlock. Surely there is no better way to end you week than having portions of clothing (perhaps socks?) rocked off. Friday July 23rd at 9pm. No excuses.