New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Ido, a film maker finishing his debut road trip feature film shot in Israel film ‘Never Too Late’ and Estelle, who works at an easy-to-use website-builder start up called Wix.com formed – in Brooklyn in 2007. The duo operates in charming and delicate lo-fi indie pop territory, and aspires to create, “Memorable, melodic tunes that will last forever. And a substantial audience who love and understand what we do.” – Read Gina Alioto’s interview with the band here.
Understated and yet extremely powerful, Callers‘ sophomore album “Life of Love” plays at times like a stripped down, subdued version of your favorite ‘90s indie rock band, consisting of serious guitar and percussion mastery while channeling the voice of a new Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries. In other corcumstances the band sounds like pure and simple "avant-blues", mixing Portishead’s simplicty, Nick Cave’s powerful darkness, and Sonic Youth’s resolving dissonances. With a diverse background and a passion to challenge their musical creativity, the Callers are sure to bring inventive music and dazzling vocal command to wherever their travels take them. Don’t miss these guys’ show at Bowery Bowl on 04.14. – Read Christina Morelli’s interview with the band here.
Brooklyn singer/songwriter and composer Ben Lear recently released his debut album, "Lillian: A Folk Opera" on March 1st, through his own record label, Underwater Sounds. Lear is also a spokesman for plastic pollution and ocean conservation, themes that weave themselves in and out of his songs. These are tied together by a strongly optimistic feel, with tracks like “It’s A War” containing lyrics like “Still, my heart flew out to her/Like a bird in a glass cage.” Lear’s music, also thanks to the occasional contribution of gentle female voices, is an appropriate match for this season – it’s like flowers blooming and a fragrant breeze wafting over you. Getting yourself a copy of "Lillian: A Folk Opera" is a choice you certainly won’t regret. – Leah Tribett
Grungy and unpredictable outfit Creepoid preps to set the mood for Brooklyn tweesters the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and stylish new waver Twin Shadow tonight at First Unitarian. Moody vocals by front man Sean Miller casts Horse Heaven tracks like “Grave Blanket” and “Enabler” melodic and empathetic beside buzzing riffs and aggressive outros that feel surreal and precisely psyched out. Between the lush lo-fi of their debut demos to their recent LP, Creepoid’s aesthetic ranges from endearing to haunting, coupling unpredictable progression with the intentional cultivation of dreamy dissonance followed by harmony. Possibly the perfect compliment to the melancholy charms of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Twin Shadow, Creepoid’s decibels of composition will in no way disappoint as part of this big bill full of “buzz bands”. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 8pm, $12, All Ages – Dianca Potts
While my truest love may be flogging a dead horse—particularly in the metaphorical sense, even more so when it involves taking pot-shots at the elderly—I am doing my damnedest to refrain for the sake of Grandparents. They’re a class act and they deserve all the respect and attentiveness of an older family member who’s hard of hearing and thinks your tattoos are whorish—ha cha! Oh, that made me feel hollow inside. Luckily, Grandparent’s music is very unlike my hollow, shambling existence—listening to it feels like driving through the desert in cheap sunglasses while your ass-sweat makes your skin stick to the seat. If you’re all as sickened on the cold, damp (but slowly fleeting!) Portland winter as I am, you’ll know what a hearty compliment that is.
Grandparents are playing at a collective art show called Fools, this Friday, April 1st, at the Baboo Grove Salon’s Gallery. They’ll be letting loose their sweet, solid, psychedelic grooves around 11 PM, but do yourself a favor and wrap the toilet seat in plastic before 8 PM, when the gallery opens, so you can get there early and get cultured. There is more to life than Korean bootlegged television, you inebriants! Besides, Early Bird is playing, yes, you guessed it, before ol’ Grandparents, so fill your pockets with Werther’s Originals (stop me!), hop in your Chrystler Town and Country (forgive me!) and shuffle on down this April Fools for good times and good tunes. – Jenn Fritschy
The time has come for Philadelphia bedroom composer Moon Bounce. He has been slowly leaking material over the past few months and is readying the release of his debut LP, Dam Your Best Frock. Below you can check out the newly released song “Whipped” which is also accompanied by a seizure-inducing video. The latest track, like the rest of his material, is built upon glitchy, dub-esque beats that wax and wane with the songs intensity. Moon Bounce meticulously weaves warping samples, acoustic instruments, found sound percussions, and a dramatic baritone that is beautiful and possibly the most important aspect of all despite its relative burying in the mix. His vocals can float like a cloud before sharply turning into a brooding, subhuman drawl. The songs at times recall artists like The Books and Baths, especially on standout “Sleeper’s Quarrel” while songs like “Soda Pop” reveal a frantic, grimy energy that is more restrained in other tracks. You can download his songs for free HERE. – Adam G.
Charles Latham (formerly Death Panel) will be opening for critically-acclaimed Goldenboy tonight at Millcreek Tavern. Latham’s witty, self-deprecating material has been enjoying increased notoriety in the UK’s underground music scene with the help of his track “Hard On”, which has been covered and recorded by Scottish indie-folk bands Withered Hand (for the band’s album Good News) and Mersault, and in the US by Samantha Crain and many others. Latham has been steadily releasing a series of singles available exclusively in digital format. His most recent single is "Everybody Else Likes Me (Why Don’t You)", which you can check out and download for free below. It’s a tale of “a roguishly-handsome man-about-town whose looks and charm can’t seem to help him win the heart of ‘that special someone.’” (Ha…I can certainly relate to that.) Also joining the bill this evening are locals Early Ape and Big Terrible. Millcreek Tavern, 4200 Chester Ave., 8:30pm, $10, 21+ (Photo by Lippe) – H.M. Kauffman
Although the members of Diet Kong removed themselves from the concrete jungle by shacking up in a winery in the Catskill Mountains, the results of the recording session on "Beautiful Blackout" still exude the frenetic, vibrant energy of the city – possibly even more so than the trio’s previous set of songs. The slicker production and addition of live drumming on this release contribute to the band’s growing sound. Diet Kong’s brand of dance rock is a mixture of LCD Soundsystem’s sophistication, The Cars’ pop sensibility and The Ting Ting’s spunk. When singer Jenn Penn and singer/guitarist Keith Gladsyz weren’t raising livestock, enjoying the bucolic lifestyle and meeting the band’s soon-to-be drummer, Jeff Harrigfeld, they were honing their songwriting skills. The proof is in the pudding; just take a listen to any of the five tracks on “Beautiful Blackout.” By the time the chorus kicks in the second time, you’ll be singing along and wondering why this band has been running under the radar the past few years. Diet Kong will play live at The Studio at Webster Hall on April 6. – Nancy Chow
I just wanted to remind you that Nick Millevoi will be having a CD release party tonight at The Marvelous for his magnificent solo effort Black Figure of a Bird, which is being released collaboratively on New Atlantis Records and Sunmagi Records. You’ll be able to see his 12-string compositions unfold before your eyes this evening as they did when he went into the studio with his guitar and Eric Carbonara. He will not have any tricks up his sleeves (or possibly sleeves), but his nimble fingers will perform magic that will have you simply captivated. (You should also definitely check out our recent interview with Millevoi for our Where Is My Mind? section HERE.) Learned maestros Colin Fisher and Josh Carrigan will also be warming up the crowd. The Marvelous, 208 S. 40th St., 8:30pm, $5, All Ages – Alexis V.
Project Film is continuing to build on the success of their debut album which was recently released by Tandem Shop. They recently opened for Island of The Misfit Toys at Schubas, see video above, and they will be performing on March 31st at Beat Kitchen with The Window Theatre, JT Royster, and Minnesota’s The ACB’s.
If you are looking for some hard funk and big soul look no further then the Septet Lubriphonic. The band released their latest album, The Gig Is On back in December, but just released a live album for free through bandcamp. The album was record in New Orleans at Tipitina’s during Mardi Gras.
Lubriphonic will be performing at Double Door on April 1st.
The Loneliest Monk appeared over at Daytrotter over the weekend. The band performed four tracks from their self-titled debut album.
The band will be performing at Schubas on April 30th with Scattered Trees and Chaperone.