On May 20, the best thing next to hearing epic, jangly bands on a spring break road trip will be seeing them play live at Glasslands. Whether you come out to see Radical Dads, three veteran rockers from Gowanus who sing about subjects ranging from dinosaurs to the La Brea Tar Pits, or Cymbals Eat Guitars, a band so emotional that lead singer Joseph D’Agostino has literally no control over his facial expressions when soloing, you’ll get all the elements of any good road trip out of this show (minus the scenery and high gas prices of course). I miss seeing groups like this, who have a sound as large as the destinations they’re writing about, and the ability to actually pull it off. Rounding out the evening will be the TV on the Radio-inspired Mirror Mirror and Iranian rockers The Yellow Dogs. Tickets on sale here. – Mike Levine, photo by Kristin Roby for The L Magazine.

Delicate Steve is the pseudonym of Steve Marion. At least it is sometimes. Other times it can mean a number of different things, but more on that later. Hailing from New Jersey, Marion has emerged as one of the Garden State’s most exciting prospects. Blending trippy percussion loops with catchy avant-garde rhythms, he’s tearing up the pop rulebook, and creating a buzz that has been felt down the turnpike and throughout the five boroughs. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s feature on Delicate Steve here. – Delicate Steve will play The Deli’s NYC B.E.A.F. at Brooklyn Bowl on May 28 with Headless Horseman.

In a city the size of New York, it can be hard to keep up with the many scenes and genres of the moment. Chill-wave, lo-fi, weirdo-beard-core… But what about the straight up rock bands? How do they get the proper rock and roll recognition of a band like The Hold Steady or Obits without some bandwagon to give them a lift? When they have “nothing” but amazing talent and great songs and motivation to work with?
For Appomattox, the plan is to work hard, practice hard, and keep playing. – Read Liz Schroeter’s interview with the band here. Appomattox will play at Pianos on May 14.

For starting off so recently in the Brooklyn electronic rock scene, Body Language has made quite a name for themselves. They’ve appeared with established bands like Passion Pit and Zero 7, and they’re playing a small show tonight at Tammany Hall with another Brooklyn act with an interesting psych soul sound: Jessica 6. So throw out your other plans and enjoy an evening of chilled electro pop, smooth and groovy disco, graceful singing, and a heavy dance beat between breaks. Check out Body Language’s facebook page, and definitely don’t miss out on the download. – Caitlin Clive

DC’s Title Tracks latest release In Blank is full out fantabulous. John Davis (singer/guitar/writer) brought 10 new songs to the table and was joined in studio by Michael Cotterman (bass) and Andrew Black (drums), creating what will most likely be the soundtrack of DC’s summer. With a killer cover in the mix (a freakin’ cute summer love spin on Flamin’ Groovies "I Can’t Hide"), Davis has melded together a great run of rock grooves.

Drama sounds fun in "Turn Your Face", a pumped up shoulder swayer with drum and bass keeping up the pace as the guitar chords enhance Davis’ chorus "..turn your face into wounds that don’t define you. No one’s chasing you when they walk behind you." Moving in every possible way.

"Forget the Ghost" is accompanied by a boardwalk friendly organ, acoustic guitar, and harmonic vocals that soar on about something deeper than a ghost story. It’s what I’d imagine a Brian Wilson take on power-pop to sound like. Gorgeous.

Title Tracks will be at the Golden West Cafe in Baltimore 6/17. 10 PM $5.  –Dawn