San Francisco

Album Review – Grand Lake: Blood Sea Dream

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Grand Lake explore familiar waters on their latest release, Blood Sea Dream. Fuzzy guitars, clean melodies and vocal styling that sway between Win Butler, Thom York and on occasion, Jeff Buckley are featured throughout the debut LP from this Oakland foursome. Recorded and co-produced by Jason Kick (Maus Haus), Blood Sea Dream contains 10 new tracks along with 2 re-recorded tracks from their 2009 EP Nevermint [500 Records].

One of their signature songs, "Concrete Blond On Blond" gets slightly re-vamped recording and a new title that reflects a bit of their East Bay roots: "Concrete Blond On Blond (880 South)." It’s certainly one of their strongest tracks and without question the track that will have your roommate popping his head in your bedroom door to ask "hey dude, is that the new Arcade Fire?"

Highlights form the album include the thundering and emotive first single "Louise (I Live In A Fantasy)" and the bittersweet swaying lullaby, "Our Divorce." The somber subject matter of "Our Divorce" is lightened by the melodic and playful arpeggio exchange between the violin and guitar which feels almost deceptive when paired with lyrics like "may our divorce be trimmed and neat / limbs sawed off of family trees."

Grand Lake will be touring the Bay Area extensively in September starting with a show at Ghost Town Gallery in Oakland this Friday, September 3rd. More tour dates are available on their site. Check out "Oedipus Hex (Hwy. 1 North)" below.

 -Nicole Leigh

"Oedipus Hex (Hwy. 1 North)"

New England

The Honors EP Release, Friday at Great Scott

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The Honors release their debut EP, "xoxo," Friday at Great Scott.  The EP is riddled with hooks, often sounding like retro pop filtered through modern sensibilities:  the vocals in the opener, "New Girls," are a well-timed and thoughtfully catchy corner-of-the-eye glance at new romance, yet they’re soaked in reverb and play against short bursts of distorted guitar.  The songs are punchy and concise, with a solid, danceable rhythm section and some nicely playful guitar lines.  It’s the relationship between oldschool songwriting and newer sonic textures that seems to guarantee an electrifying live show.  The vocals often steal the limelight – there’s a serious ear for melody evidenced here – and it’s the verse of "Call Me From California" or the chorus of "Driven By Strangers" that will leave the club with you.

Their EP release show is part of a Pill event, so take your dancing shoes and expect there to be plenty else to stay on the floor for.

10pm / Great Scott

– The Deli Staff

L.A.

J Irvin Dally croons Sept. 7th at the Silverlake Lounge

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J. Irvin Dally by Anthony Giurlani

It was inevatable, LA is a musical magnet. J. Irvin Dally (Fun Fact: The J. stands for Jordan) made the choice to relocate from Spain to town a few months back and I don’t think there is cause for anyone to regret it. I was able to get a hold of his EP, Despistado, and it’s one of those collections of songs that make my ears smile. Dally’s haunting, soulful, howls ride on a the sea of folk guitar and percussion. Within seven songs you get the feeling he’s been lost, found, and reborn – a pretty spectacular feat for someone in their early 20s.

J. Irvin Dally is embarking on a little tour, with one of his first stops at the fantastic Silverlake Lounge for a 21+ show on Sept. 7th…. GO!

Nashville

Kyle Andrews EP Release Party @ Mercy Lounge, 9/3/10

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Go check out Nashville’s synth-pop kingpin, Kyle Andrews, at Mercy Lounge tomorrow night for his EP release party. "KANGAROO," which was released August 31st, has already received a recent abundance of interest, due to the opening track, "You Always Make Me Smile." Show openers will be Heypenny, Gold Motel, and Mother/Father. Talk about a good time! 

The show is FREE, 21+, Doors @ 9, Go here for additional information.–Deli Editor

Check out the music video for "You Always Make Me Smile," which supposedly sought to set the Guiness world-record for largest water balloon fight!

NYC

Backwords’ CD release party, 09.02 at Union Hall

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We like Backwords‘ chilled and poli-instrumental approach to psych-folk-pop, and we also appreciate their not too lo-fi recordings (we feel like this "ultra-lo-fi" thing is getting a little out of hand here in NYC… it’s time to make things sound decent!). The band will celebrate the release of ther debut full length album "Quilt" (which can be downloaded for free here) with a party at Union Hall on 09.02, and then embark on a East coast tour.

Austin

KUT Happy Hour @ Zona Rosa

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Coming up a little later today, the second installment of KUT’s Happy Hour series at La Zona Rosa…The Sour Notes (above) + The Happen-ins, doors at 5:30. And if you’re in the mood to extend the evening on into, you know, night, The Authors  – as noted by our friend Ms. Eavesdropper – are having their Get Haunted CD release with MoTel Aviv, Politics, and hey, wait a sec, the Happen-ins again on the decks, all at the Mohawk. Go on. 

San Francisco

TONIGHT: Epic Sause Presents – Reporter, Summer Blondes, Wampire and Party Effects Plus a DJ Set by Boyz IV Men

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Sure as you can shake a stick you can predicate on any given Thursday Epic Sauce will be putting on a good show, and tonight is no exception.  This time around locals Summer Blondes and Party Effects will team up with Portland’s Reporter and Wampire for a Thursday night dance-party extravaganza.  At Milk, and but a measly 6 bones, consider this your warm up for this Saturdays Deli Presents shenanigans.

NYC

Dysrhythmia’s Angular Prog-Metal: CD review

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Since 1998, avant-garde instrumental technical metal trio Dysrhythmia have been producing angular and dissonant forms of heavy music where jazz, metal and progressive tendencies collide. Now hailing from Brooklyn since 2005 by way of Philadelphia, this eclectic unit is currently out on the road touring in support of their latest album, the dizzying six-track release entitled PSYCHIC MAPS. Featuring the talents of Kevin Hufnagel on guitar, Colin Marston on bass and Jeff Eber on drums, this squad of seasoned veterans are no stranger to the rigors of the rock ‘n roll lifestyle, as they’ve been on countless tours sharing stages with the likes of Isis, Mastodon, and The Dillinger Escape Plan, all the while fulfilling their own solo efforts, such as Marston’s countless other musical endeavors (Behold the Arctopus and his recording studio in Queens, NY) as well as Marston’s and Hufnagel’s latest outside interest of backing up Canadian tech death metal pioneers Gorguts. Combining well-versed musicianship, a daring sense of adventure, and a love for left of center instrumental music, Dysrhythmia shred the blueprint and break the boundaries to create an organically-bred strand of menacing and malevolent metallic madness intertwining the precision of math metal and the limitless possibilities art metal possess. – Mike SOS

NYC

Amy Bezunartea’s dream folk – CD out on November 2

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Amy Bezunartea (the better half of Clint Mitchigan)  music belongs of that tradition of songwriters who make you feel like you’re dancing in a high school gym or – better yet – driving a group of friends through a Volkswagen commercial. The ten tracks on her upcoming album, “Restaurants and Bars,” are patient, waltzing tunes performed with Bezunartea on banjo, guitar and piano. Her songwriting on the record’s single, “Doubles,” is reminiscent of Mazzy Star, while Bezunartea’s graceful and dainty vocals sound like Sarah Martin of Belle and Sebastian. “Restaurants and Bars” is a cupcake pop album; like a kid’s birthday party, or the final moments of a network sitcom where everyone says they’re sorry even when they don’t mean it. Amy’s debut CD "Restaurants & Bars" will be released on November 2nd on Jennifer O’Connor’s Kiam Records! Download "Doubles" mp3 here.

Chicago

A Million Miles (From Where We Were Last)

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My Gold Mask announced details on their upcoming 4 song vinyl release, A Million Miles (From Where We Were Last), which is due out Nov. 13th. The first official single, "A Million Miles (From Where We Were Last)" will be released on Sept 10 and premiered during the band’s performance at the Phillip Lim store for Fashion’s Night Out in New York City. You can stream a track called "Bobbi" which will appear on this release. This is also the date when the album will be available for pre-order.

The record release for A Million Miles (From Where We Were Last) will take place at Schubas on Nov. 13th, but My Gold Mask will be performing at South Belmont Harbor w/ SSION on Sept. 5th as part of Festival J.O.E. presented by Redmoon Theater.