Nashville

The 1-10’s “Fighting for a Golden Age” Review

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Whenever a local band comes out with an EP there is always an unspoken fear that it will not translate into a kick-ass album. On the other hand, sometimes a band sounds too clean as they get lost in an Auto- Tune garden. Nashville natives The 1-10’s new EP Fighting for the Golden Age walks the tightrope of sounding authentic to their heavy, impromptu live sound, while not sounding sloppy.

The opening track, “Run From Your Master,” sets the tone for the heavy rock sound that is evident throughout the entire album. As the lead vocalist sings in an almost scream, “That’s looks good,” there is a lighthearted feel to the music, the kind found front row at a crowed live show complete with sweaty punk rock kids and a Parliament Light smoke cloud.

Heavy electric guitars and funky beats make this album one to be played loudly, or not at all. The real narrative is in the music, not the words. Lyrically there is a surrealist bluesy quality, but the music itself achieves a constant rhythm of near perfect electric guitar riffs and heavy drums beats. This is especially evident in “Liars and Thieves” where there is a guitar solo that would impress Slash. The lead singer has the quirky, almost conversationalist lilt of Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), while at times seeming like a less pretentious Caleb Followill (Kings of Leon), with a splash of grunge rock irreverence thrown into the mix.
 

“Dying Blues” starts off with a beat that sounds like the opening sequence of “Seinfeld.”Then it unleashes a mash of heavy bass and electric guitars that seem to almost be fighting with the lead vocalist for command of the song, but it’s a nice fight, as the song works in its high intensity.

On “Eye for an Eye” the lead vocalist and backup vocalist volley of each other to produce a sound reminiscent of an angrier Mumford and Sons, as they aim for a slower, more harmonic sound. This track has some pretty memorable lyrics: “This morning I cried and I cried out to my God and he didn’t reply/I’m willing to try anything but love.”

Fighting for the Golden Age is a musical Molotov cocktail of dirty, off-the-cuff rock that isn’t for those who prefer their music polite and controlled. There’s always Ryan Cabrera for that. – Krystal Wallace

L.A.

Greenhorse tonight at the Silverlake Lounge

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If you’re still looking for that new band to crank up and show off at your kick off party to the new year, search no further. Shawn Day and Chris Hackman of Greenhorse deliver nothing but audacious electronic coated pop ear candy that’ll get your guests bopping. The duo’s kaleidoscope effect, reminiscent of M83’s smooth vocals and MGMTs playful psychedelic pop, is fresh and enchanting.

Greenhorse are currently writing their second EP at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, MN with Brent Sigmeth (Nirvana, Wilco, Polyphonic Spree). You can catch a ride on the magical stallion at the Silverlake Lounge tonight before they gallop off to finish their record.

-Margarita Castellanos

Philadelphia

The Deli’s Featured Artist(s) of the Month: Your Children is Beautiful

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Your Children is Beautiful (great fuckin’ band name) may look like a scraggly bunch of hipsters that make the dirtiest lo-fi garage rock, but you know what they say about books and covers. Instead, you’ll find the sweetest indie pop tunes that wrap you in a surprisingly delicate blanket of sensitivity and song craftsmanship goodness. But don’t worry – it’s not that bland overly sensitive singer-songwriter crap that makes you want to cut yourself to feel something more than absolute boredom. Simply stated (and grammatically incorrect): Your Children is Beautiful’s songs is beautiful. Check out our interview with them below and discover a band that is a good argument for why Northeast Philly might not be that cultural wasteland that you know and dislike.
 
The Deli: How did the band start? 
 
Your Children is Beautiful: Well, we have all been playing music together in various bands (i.e. 100 ACRES, Seven Twins, Friends and Family) for about 7 or 8 years.  
 
TD: Where did the band name Your Children is Beautiful come from?
 
YCiB: It is hard to explain. We couldn’t decide on a name for a while, and we played one show under the name GNARNIA which no one was really into… So, we were driving down to our friends’ warehouse to record the song Lightning Bug, and we saw a seemingly sweet lady walking across the Roosevelt Boulevard with a bunch of kids. We were really hyped in the car, probably listening to today’s hip-hop and R&B, and we yelled out to her…Your Children Is Beautiful! Then we just decided that the whole moment and feeling of what had just happened was a suitable name for our music. We also enjoy grammatical errors. 
 
TD: What are your biggest musical influences?
 
YCiB: We all listen to a ton of different music. We’ll just name drop a bunch of stuff. Caboder, Space Needle, Blink 182, pretty much any 90s garage rock sounding stuff, Stevie Ray Vaughan, MGMT, Black Flag, Broken Social Scene, The Beach Boys, Ariel Pink, Katy Perry, I don’t know. We listen to Hardcore too… It’s more about the feelings that we get from music than the actual music itself.
 
TD: What artists (local, national and/or international) are you currently listening to?
 
YCiB: Caboder, Kanye West, Mew, Agitator, Saves the Day, Buddy Holly, Broken Social Scene, The Cure, Ugh God.
 
TD: What’s the first concert that you ever attended and first album that you ever bought?
 
YCiB: Albums: Blink 182 – Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, Outkast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below; Concerts: Creed (with my Dad *no shame*), One:21
 
TD: What do you love about Philly?
 
YCiB: We love Northeast Philly, WAWA, $4.63 PALL MALLS, awesome friends, the fact that we have lived here forever, the Phillies, $5 movies on weekdays at Franklin Mills Mall, Steve’s  Prince of Steaks, Five Guys, basement shows are fun, graffiti, the 76ers when they had Iverson and they were good, and bands that are amazing but never get any recognition.
 
TD: What do you hate about Philly?
 
YCiB: We hate the accent (even though we kind of have it), aggressive drivers, the 58 and the 22 bus, The Greater Northeast, middle-aged men, Mayfair, getting robbed/mugged, cops, and bands that are amazing but never get any recognition.
 
TD: What are your plans for 2011?
 
YCiB: We’re touring East Coast-ish starting january 2nd. Releasing a full-length, hopefully.
 
TD: What was your most memorable live show?
 
YCiB: The show was at "Castle Gay" with Mega Bog, Christmas, and one of Hermit Thrushes projects I don’t know what they called it… It was really fun and it was one of our first shows.  
 
TD: What’s your favorite thing to get at the deli?
 
YCiB: Tuna hoagie with mad stuff on it.
 
– The Deli Staff
 
NYC

Adam Shenk brings back the soul of the 90s – Live at Bitter End on 01.18

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Camp is back. 2 weeks ago I saw Adam Shenk light up the bored, mid-week, after-hours crowd at The Bitter End. A silky crooner best described as a broadway-modeled singer-songwriter for whom no time has passed since the ’90s, Adam Shenk is a singular man somehow possessing the courage to perform (and grind successfully to) Mariah Carey’s "All I want for Christmas".
Complete with suit and skinny tie, Adam Shenk would have looked at home sipping cosmos on a yacht with Peter Cetera and Kenny Loggins. There are a million reasons I could use to try and convince you that this shouldn’t work, but with Adam Shenk it most definitely does.
Brooklyn is full of musicians convincing audiences of the newly found fun of forgotten pop music trends. While this spirit certainly animates the anachronistic R&B and neo-soul sound of songs Suitcases and Taste, the sincerity of Adam’s incredibly enthusiastic delivery will make you think he came up with these styles himself…and through his own unique reinventions, he has. Check him out live when he plays The Bitter End again January 18 at 8:30pm. – Mike Levine

NYC

Rattler’s NYE Show at Rock N Roll Hotel

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It’s once again that time of year to get awesome with DC’s glorious icons of rock, Rattler. Prepare for the greatest New Years of your life this Friday at the Rock N Roll hotel as Rick Rattler (Vocals), Scott Rattler (Back up Vocals), Mickey "Hollywood" Fangs (Lead Guitar), Rattlesnake (Drums), Frank "The Deuce" Williams (Bass), and Bobby "Coils" Williams (Rhythm Guitar) descend upon the stage and rock your earballs ’til you blackout while they soak you with beer, if you’re lucky. Do yourself a favor and check out their release Incoming (available on iTunes) and let classic tracks such as "Getting Awesome", "Blood Sweat and Beers", and "Cocaine Migraine" sink into your brain so you can chant along. It’ll most likely be one of the greatest nights of your life.

A whole bunch of awesomeness will take place all over RnR Hotel, so for more details check out their site. –Dawn

Philadelphia

Album Review: Wooly Mammoth – Prowler

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Party starters Prowler are on the move recently unleashing their third LP. Rhythmic, gritty, with a provocative twist, Wooly Mammoth aims to draw sweat from its listeners by way of the dance floor. Guest appearances by Reef the Lost Cauze and Plastic Little, keep already hot tracks like “Nighty Nightlife” and “More Spooky Pussy” ultra-fresh. In the face of a chilly winter, Prowler aims to keep you warm.

Starting off with thick vibrations compliments of  “Alligator”, Wooly Mammoth’s first shreds hard with tight percussion and enigmatic vocals à la Keith Greiman. In a less abrasive take in the spirit of acts like The Blood Brothers (i.e. “Cecilia and the Silhouette Saloon” – nix all the screaming), the intro to “Alligator” builds piece by piece, each component easing flawlessly into the other throughout the song’s progression. “Automagically” is lyrically advantageous beside electro chords and funky riffs. Lines like “I do what I want to, I’m out to get you” casts Prowler as audible predators, ready to strike track after track. “Doo Doo Get Down” sizzles with handclaps while “Nighty Nightlife” plays out as a clever snapshot of Philly’s local nightlife through the eyes of the lurking band members and hip hop heavy-hitter Reef the Lost Cauze. Needless to say, sick beats ensue. “Saturnalian” is fabulously spacey with synth and staccato shakes, allowing the musical outfit to make the most of a nearly instrumental track amped up via vocals mid-song. “Kiss My Face” and “Shatter the Moon” make comparable quirk smiths like Rafter seem lacking due to Prowler’s knack for crafting aural treats. “More Spooky Pussy” feels like a club jam. The meshing of Plastic Little’s verses and Greiman’s vocals with fantabulous beats makes this electro hip hop track a standout on the album. “Sweet Tooth” is sparse in terms of instrumentation, yet eerily moves. Topping off Wooly Mammoth with OdinSmith’s remix of the album’s opener “Alligator”, the album ties up loose ends and leaves all with a sense of Prowler’s potential to create tunes that can simultaneously assault and seduce its listeners. – Dianca Potts

 
L.A.

Olin and The Moon with The Diamond Light at The Echo!!!

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January is a great month…a time where everyone snaps out of their lazy holiday mindsets and gets into the idea of starting off the year with fresh and exciting new creations. Olin and The Moon have some new music to play at their upcoming album release residency at The Echo, for their new record, "Footsteps". It all kicks off a week from tomorrow on Tuesday, January 4th. Last week, they announced "Rehearsal tonight and BIG rehearsal tomorrow with the violinists and pianist for the kickoff album release residency show…just you wait, these shows are going to be the best shows we have ever done!" OATM will be playing with The Diamond Light, who has also been working on some new tunes. The lineups for the rest of the Tuesday night shows are pretty impressive. There’s nothing better than real bands playing pure, raw music…so if you’re into the new age synths and all that, I suggest you stay home and tinker with your garageband.

–Jenna Putnam

 

 

 

New England

The Lights Out release new album “Primetime” New Year’s Eve @ Church!

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primetime

One of the most hardest working Boston bands, The Lights Out, are releasing Primetime (produced by Benny Grotto Boston Music Awarded best producer in 2010), their self proclaimed “best album of their lives” on New Year’s Eve (album to be officially released at midnight) at Church on 69 Kilmarnock Street in Boston. The release party is sure to be one of the best nights in Boston music the end of 2010 will see. Primetime is a concept album that speaks to many about what the reality is of being in a band. It also touches upon what their motivations are for doing what they do, and how it affects the people around them. In addition to a great show, the guys in The Lights Out also have their tricked-out 2000 Dodge Ram “///PRIMETIME///” van for sale here. If interested please send an email with what you’d like your dream tour van to come equipped with to tim@thelightsout.com. The music starts at 9pm with the female punk trio Apple Betty, and white wigged Boston rock veterans The Upper Crust close out the night and help bring in the New Year at 11:30pm.

Facebook Event

— Matt Lambert

NYC

Weekly Special #231a: Frankie Rose & The Outs

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Since she’s been moonlighting in a lot of garage bands around Brooklyn like Crystal Stilts and Vivian Girls, it was only a matter of time before Frankie Rose dropped her own album on pop label Slumberland Records which came out this fall. Having the label help pick up the production values and Kickstarter to fund a tour van, Frankie Rose and the Outs were busy touring around the US and Europe this past fall delighting their fans with three part female harmonies backed by plenty of reverb and distortion. Now taking a little winter break from touring, Frankie sat down to answer some questions about her past and future. – Read Simon Heggie’s Q&A with Frankie here.

Philadelphia

Cookie Rabinowitz’s Animated Series and Live Performance!

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Being snowed in had its fun moments for us once our crazy relatives left and we made it past those Shining thoughts. It gave us an excuse to be lazy and get a chance to check out artists that have been popping up on our DIY Calendar that we’re not familiar with. Cookie Rabinowitz was certainly a sweet surprise! It’s a new music project/animated series from Schoolly D, Kevin Hanson and Julius Curso. Combining sexified jams with outlandish can’t-help-but-make-you-grin lyrics, it’s like watching a sci-fi mash-up of South Park and Flight of the Conchords with a cartoon Dwight Shrute as the star. Come on Adult Swim – pick this shit up already! They’ll be playing the final show of their December residency at the Grape Room tomorrow night. Hopefully there will be enough cash in Philly’s government budget to clear the roads by then. Check out one of their hilarious videos below. You can also view the rest of the series here. Enjoy! – The Deli Staff