L.A.

Introducing Viva Modula

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Combining rock ‘n’ roll, pop, and new wave, Viva Modula resonates a new age yet vintage vibe. Frontman Myles Hendrik and guitarist Justin Silva made a name for themselves in their previous band Bloodcat Love, dubbed by L.A. Weekly as one of the city’s "top indie bands", and sharing the stage with acts such as The Horrors, Airborne Toxic Event, Dead Meadow, and OK Go. They stumbled upon the need for change, and decided to ditch the garage rock sound for a more melodic and upbeat route, hence the birth of Viva Modula.

With influences like The Rolling Stones, The Velvet Underground, and The Stooges, it’s not surprising that VM doesn’t lack diversity. Soonafter Hendrik’s announcement of their 4 track EP Take This Time in March, Viva Modula won our ‘artist of the month’ poll. The sun-stained "Youth Contender" sets a perfect backdrop for summertime fun, with chiming guitars, twinkling keys, and a steady uptempo. The quirky sound of the horn in "Vagabond Heart Attack" was an interesting accent to the chorus and the end of the second track. "Ladders" is a bit darker, with a feel similar to bands like The Cure or New Order. 

"Brand new yet familiar, timeless yet irreverent, Viva Modula is creating a sound all of their own, bridging the past and the present. A veritable vagabond heart attack and they wouldn’t have it any other way…" 

Fresh as ever, drenched with sex, swagger, and style, Viva Modula has a bit of a mysterious veil in front of them. So stay tuned, and we’ll keep you in the know of any local shows and updates!

 

–Jenna Putnam

Philadelphia

Recap and Photos: Record Store Day w/Creepoid, Brown Recluse’s Tim Meskers, and Cabin Dog at Main Street Music!

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National Record Store day kicked off in style at Main Street Music in Manyunk with Cabin Dogs, Creepoid, and a solo set by Slumberland’s Brown Recluse singer Tim Meskers.
 
Despite being in the last throes of writing a graduate thesis, I braved the crappy weather and made it out to Manyunk’s Main Street Music to celebrate Record Store Day.  I arrived just in time to check out a few songs from bluegrass/Americana band Cabin Dogs (Woodstock Records), led by twin brothers Rich and Rob Kwatt. The normally four-piece band occasionally had a fifth member that day and played a short half hour set with songs from their latest album Midnight Trail, and couple of older tunes from their 2006 EP Electric Cabin. 
 
 
Following Cabin Dogs were much-buzzed-about psychedelic grunge-folk outfit Creepoid. The band had recently returned home to Philadelphia from a tour and hectic schedule at SXSW, where on the way back their van broke down in Alabama. The van was still under warrantee, but none of the dealerships in the “roll tide” state would honor it. So rather than wasting cash that the band didn’t have and losing their warrantee by having someone else fix it, Creepoid did what I think few would think of. The band rented a U-Haul truck, loaded their busted van in the back, and drove it home to the dealership from where they bought it in Philly. Needless to say, the dealership was very shocked when Creepoid dropped it off to be fixed, but the warrantee was honored by an impressed crew of mechanics. Kudos to the band for some really outside-of-the-box thinking! (And yes, they did take turns sitting in the back of the U-Haul in the van.) Meeting the group between sets, I had a chance to have an entertaining chat with Creepoid’s drummer Pat Troxell, discussing everything from lighting his equipment on fire to the bands early roots in hardcore and thrash music genres. I was secretly hoping that they would set fire to their equipment on this dreary day, but the band kept it pretty kosher. After all, lead male vocalist/guitarist Sean Miller just got a new guitar after shockingly freaking out and smashing both his guitars to close out their stellar set at Pilam’s Human BBQ. They performed favorites predominantly from Horse Heaven like set opener "Wishing Well", "Hollow Doubt", "Grave Blanket" and "Spirit Bird". And closed out their set with a new one called Old Tree.

Following Creepoid, was a lovely solo set from Brown Recluse’s lead singer Tim Meskers. He played a ten song set that included the darker, diminished versions of opener “Monday Moon” from Evening Tapestry, “Notorious” from Panoptic Mirror Maze, and my personal favorite of the afternoon was Slayer’s Raining Blood (!).  Although I was hoping to see the full band, Tim Meskers’ mellow and melodic solo engagement was rather fitting given the vibe of this sleepy rainy afternoon spent in the Manayunk record store. On a side note, congratulations to Tim and his fiance for their recent engagement!
 
 
Now, unfortunately, back to my graduate thesis, but you can check out the rest of my photos HERE. – David Turcotte
 
Chicago

Azita @ The Hideout

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It’s been awhile since Azita has played her hometown, but it has been even longer since she has released a new album. However, she a new album slated for release through her label Drag City this year in late summer/ early fall, and on April 22nd at The Hideout Azita will be performing some new material from that album. Her last release was the wonderful How Will You? which was released by Drag City back in 2009. The first track track from that release was the tune "I’m Happy".

Avita will be performing at The Hideout on April 22nd with The Judy Green and Relaxation Record.

New England

Album Review — The Bynars — S/T

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the bynars

The Bynars‘ latest self-titled release is really weird. However, if you are familiar with Matt Jatkola’s previous musical endeavours this is, perhaps, the norm. An infectious and fun blur of bright guitars, multi layered vocal harmonies, and synthesizers, it sounds like The Apples In Stereo listened to french electro pop for a year straight and made a record. Depending on your viewpoint, the album art is an excellent pastiche or homage to the modernist movement of the 60’s, either way, it is an enjoyable visual compliment.

While certainly suitable for any party setting (except for perhaps the slow song in the middle, Every Little Thing You Love), the most fun tracks to cut a rug to would be Asking Your Mom for Money (which you can download for free from their BandCamp page), Angeline, and Love Me. Oh, and if you have a thing for Gary Numan (don’t pretend you don’t remember him) be sure you check out track 8, This Is Our Song. 

The Bynars is out April 26, check out the band’s website for a list of upcoming shows. They’re playing throughout New England leading up to the May 4th CD Release at Great Scott in Allston.

–Charles Murphy

NYC

TONIGHT! Rubblebucket + Com Truise + Million Young play Deli-BMI show at Le Poisson Rouge

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Hey fellow NYCers,

We have a super fun Deli-BMI party happening on Wednesday April 20th at Le Poisson Rouge in the West Village.

Eclectic, dazzling and somewhat bizarre indie poppers Rubblebucket will be releasing their new album "Omega La La" and kick off their US tour. Full horn section is expected for this show.

Two brilliant synth fiddler arounders will be showcasing their dancey electronic compositions ranging from Com Truise‘s electronic experimental jams to the’80s infused pop songs of (Florida based) Million Young.

This is going to be a fun show, hope to see you there!

The Deli’s Staff

NYC

Phil & The Osophers release 7″ + play Bruar Falls on April 21

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Quirky and folky, "mid-fi" Brooklynites Phil and the Osophers will release a 7" single of two new song "Figures Of Speech" and "Ink On The Page" on May 21 by Brooklyn label Factual Fabrications. These two songs will be released later this year on a double album which the band is currently recording. These two songs will be accompanied by a double video to be released in mid-May. The songs find the band exploring a darker set of musical and lyrical timbres – their lyrics deal with themes from kidnapping to extortion. See them live at Bruar Falls on April 21.

Chicago

Paper Thick Walls “A Thousand Novels”

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Paper Thick Walls is releasing their debut album on May 3rd, and they have scheduled to play 150 shows this year in support of the album. The album is entitled "A Thousand Novels", and is one of the most mature debuts I’ve heard in awhile. The album was masterfully produced by Mike Hagler (Wilco, Neko Case). The harmonies of Kate Schell and Eric Michaels perfectly weave in and out of this band indie pop gems.

Paper Thick Walls will be performing at The Hideout on May 6th with Derek Nelson & The Musicians.

NYC

Best of NYC #95: Pablo Picasso

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Almost all the members of Pablo Picasso (who placed 95th in our Best of NYC Emerging Artists poll 2010) have their own visual art portfolio website. Why this came as a surprise to me, since they are named after a famous cubist painter, is perhaps more puzzling than one of Picasso’s works, but it says what needs to be said. Artists in a band – it’s almost its own genre. Musically, Pablo Picasso offers a relaxed if slightly morose atmosphere with smooth backing vocals contrasting heavily with the lead singer’s gritty, heartbroken howls, often reminiscent of post-Swordfishtrombone’s Tom Waits. – allison levin

Philadelphia

Album Review: Have You Seen Our New Fort? – Hezekiah Jones

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Have You Seen Our New Fort? is a perfectly befitting title for Hezekiah Jones’ latest full-length. It exudes with child-like enthusiasm and pride in what mastermind Raph Cutrufello had built in the studio with the help of his music community friends, especially producer Andrew Lipke. Well, that’s just my interpretation, but Cutrufello enjoys that about making his art. He wants people to have their own interpretations of what he created.
 
Opener “Airplane Window” gives us a view into how different this album might be from his past material. “Folk songs for the end of world” have found some upbeat pop full of horns and harmonies and quite possibly hope for living. It’s followed by the record’s first single “Mind Malaise” which is a journey into reggae grooves with jazz horn bursts. Its drops into the choruses from the verses are silky smooth transitions. “Some Things to Help You” is an extended jam from the outtro of “Mind Malaise” that gets more psychedelic than I’ve probably ever heard from Hezekiah Jones. It was most likely inspired by the numerous hours Cutrufello and Lipke spent experimenting and tweaking in the studio. Carried over from his last EP Bread of Teeth, “I Love My Family” is vintage Hezekiah Jones with its earnest vocals and beautiful, heartfelt lyrics. “Drawing Pictures” has an upbeat, pop bounce while Chris Bathgate’s “The Last Parade on Ann St.” is a soothing cover that pays homage to a songwriter Curtrufello so admires and respects. “Dean Healm” and “Cannonball (I’ve Got a Little Room)” feel like military waltzes before heading off to war. The latter also appears on his split EP The Ashville Squints with Chris Bathgate. You can find little production nuances and experimental touches in “Lift the Shadow From the Heart” where it might have been recorded simply with Cutrefullo’s vocals and guitar earlier on in his career. Album closer “Traffic to the Sea” is a pretty ending and has Beatles-esque influences all over it from its horn arrangements to McCartney-like piano and vocal melodies.
 
In Have You Seen Our New Fort?, the album finds a nice balance with Cutrufello’s sounds from the past and his need to evolve and change that is fostered by his years of collaborations with other artists. It has something to keep older fans content while forging forward in search of new ones. You can purchase your copy of Yer Bird Records’ first vinyl release (with MP3 insert) or digital version only HERE. – Q.D. Tran
 
Philadelphia

“LET’S EAT” w/Plastic Little’s Mr. Bombadillo!

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Ha…nothing surprises us anymore when it comes to the strange, creative things Philly artists get themselves into. Below is a foodie kids show from a brand new series on Activity TV that is also on Comcast OnDemand called “LET’S EAT” that features Chef Kurt, a.k.a. Kurt Hunte a.k.a. Mr. Bombadillo from Plastic Little, and you’ll also find buddies Spank Rock and Amanda Blank popping up at a serious dance party. (BTW: We hope to see Chang Chang on it someday.) Enjoy! – The Deli Staff