Portland

Wiggle Hard And I Can Promise You Mystical Sweat: E*Rock’s The Clock & The Mountain

Posted on:

PAY ATTENTION. E*Rock is back and he’s made you something beautiful. The Clock & The Mountain LP/CD, off his own Audio Dregs label, will take you on that quest you regret not taking – the one that was supposed to define the mastery inside of you. Your odyssey. That surreal teenage voyage, where body all hot and heavy, you were meant to drag your shaking ass through some crystal-studded battleground, through the bowels of your own reality, in tandem with the one we all share.

They say that youth is wasted on the young. Well, they didn’t have E*Rock.

The Clock & The Mountain is an intergalactic minefield, where young soldiers dressed in black leather do their formations in yellow sand, saluting the pyramids and demanding more for their platoon. These are hot blooded songs of fury, laced with a surreptitious battle cry for something better. These are the songs to dance one’s heart out; the songs of a generation. Wiggle hard and I can promise you mystical sweat.

I hate to get into particular tracks because this thing is such a vigorous, swelling procession, but know that "Hardcastle" is this trippy, zoned-out disco jam. It’s what you hear when it’s just the two of you, combing your fingers through each other’s hair, slow dancing. It’s the ultimate end of the night jam – the good taste left in your mouth. And "Carlisle" is this slippery, cloud-9 jazzy soiree – a slapdash makeout session in the rain. Prepare yourself for microchip locusts and robot percussion, hearty beats and so-deep funky bass lines. Even some inflamed Latin riffs.

Listening to this album straight through is like traveling all of the warm climates alone, by bicycle, having the best time of your life. But it’s not all fun and games – you’re also finding enlightenment in the muted zone, and you’re deep in it. Seriously, just pay attention. – Morgan Brothers

Catch E*Rock live with DJ Copy, DJ Zan Eno, and Strategy at Rotture this Friday for the record release party of The Clock & The Mountain

 

NYC

The Rassle, Living Days and Lavalier play Deli’s NYC B.E.A.F. at Brooklyn Bowl.

Posted on:

We are very excited about the Deli NYC B.E.A.F. (Best of Emerging Artists Fest) Indie Pop stage at Brooklyn Bowl, featuring "almost" Deli regulars The Rassle and Living Days – two bands that deserve a bright and rocking future – and awesome orchestral collective Lavalier. Here’s a closer loos to the 3 bands on the bill:

10.00 – THE RASSLE

Positioned between the happier side of The Jesus and Mary Chain and Mick Jones’ Big Audio Dynamite, The Rassle have the ability to write uptempo psych pop gems delivered with bratty vocal style and great attitude. The band played several Deli shows, including one in Austin during SXSW.

9.00 – LIVING DAYS

Stephonik Young’s Living Days extract all the good bits from their new wave predecessors in their slick’n’rocking electro-pop embellished with sparkling synths and riddled with hooks. The band’s signature sound is Stephonik’s low register (female) voice, which darkens the mood of swirling electronic effects and effervescent keyboard lines that merge with dance-rock rhythms, fashioning music suitable for underground club dynamics. This girl is an amazing performer, with a stage presence reminiscent of Karen O – you don’t want to miss this show.

8.00 – LAVALIER


Lavalier offer dreamy, slightly melancholic, atmospheres and mid tempo, sparse tunes with orchestral arrangements left to a remarkably high revolving cast of musicians, including a choir. The result is surreal, almsot circusy music that can be placed somewhere between the Beatles’ "A Day in The Life" and Tom Waits’ darker and slower ballads. This is a sound that stands out from current NYC indie trends – which is something we always appreciate here at The Deli

Philadelphia

Weird Hot and Gemini Wolf Joint Record Release Party at JBs May 26

Posted on:

Record release poster

Shawn Kilroy’s Weird Hot and electro-experimental duo Gemini Wolf are combining forces tonight at Johnny Brenda’s for a joint revealing of their latest musical undertakings. Lifelong Philadelphian Shawn Kilroy will debut both his new full seven-piece outfit, and shiny new full-length album Casimir. His first release since 2009’s Hessian Love Songs, Casimir (released on Philly’s new Ghost Imprint) is a schizophrenic melding of disco-funk, moody ‘90s alternative, and dark folk. Suited for a coffee black held by a flannelled arm, new track “Mimeograph” is a grungy and melancholic piece that explodes into an unexpected breakdown of shredding electric, while the macabre “Girls Like The Waitress” exudes the gloomy sensitivity of Elliot Smith with the spine-chilling darkness of Nick Cave and holds a certain epic subtlety not often braved by the everyday indie folkster. Kilroy takes another turn with the jazzy psychedelia of “Jealous,” a multi-layered piece with the lightheartedness of the Shins and the transcendent oddness of Portishead. Weird Hot succeeds in taking a style being performed by the masses and adds unexpected elements that transform it into a style of its own. As for Gemini Wolf, Pandar and Mikronesia will showcase their fourth and newest album Infinite Sand Dunes (earSnake Records), a conceptual compilation birthed from the pair’s winter recording sessions in the largest east coast desert—Jockey’s Ridge State Park in North Carolina. The album’s first half is an editorial on the trouble with the modern human experience, delivered through songs like “Murderous” and “Doppleganger Walk,” energized electronica to the tune of Holy Fuck mixed with sweet but ghostly vocals akin to Warpaint. The second half is the cerebral underscore of the record, organic and airy Sigur Ros-esque instrumentals with a synthy buzz, channeling the bittersweet sensation of a desert in winter. Featuring Warm Ghost as a special guest, this vinyl record release double-header should get your dark-folk hearts beating ast. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave, 8pm, $10, 21+ – Jules Friedland

Philadelphia

The Jawns Take Over KFN May 26

Posted on:

Jawn, the iconic Philly slang descriptor for anything and everything (thanks, Urban Dictionary), is the perfect word to summarize the tight musical mash-up that’s gonna happen once The Jawns (the band) takes the Kung Fu Necktie stage tonight. The group’s  snazzy jazzy cavalcade features members from the Extraordinaires, Arrah and the Ferns, the Armchairs, Nico’s Gun, and Virtual Virgin, who was last seen rocking Adobe Café into a fervor during the Aquarius Prom. And tonight’s show is going to be especially eclectic since they’ll be joined by the City Music Project, the Frank Cervantes musical hybrid blending tradition with electronic swing via DJ Golden Spiral. Toss in the pulse pounding electronica of Negative Department, and you’ll find yourself with plenty of reasons to wear your dancing shoes to this jawn. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., $5, 7:30pm, 21+ – Bill McThrill

The Jawns from Fractal Circus

NYC

Lineup change at Cameo Show: Invisible Days, Prospector, Dinowalrus, Translations + Night Manager

Posted on:

We woke up this morning to the news that both Dream Diary and Ravens & Chimes canceled our Cameo NYC B.E.A.F. Psych Pop show – we are borderline devastated! The show must go on though and the good news is that the other awesome bands on the bill will get a better time slot – the show will start at 8 instead of 7.30. Here what we have confirmed for now – we are trying to book aat least one band at the last minute to fill in for the sick.

11.00 – TRANSLATIONS

Honored with the Deli’ s CD of the month title in September 2010, this Translations know how to use reverb, clanging drum machines and lo-fi tricks in ways more interesting and sophisticated than your average Bushwick bedroom project. Most importantly, they can write good songs, and have found a strong signature sound in Andrew Fox’s dark and thoughtful vocals.

10.15 – DINOWALRUS

What would you expect from a band called Dinowalrus if not something really "out there"? The band in the last few years has slightly tamed their wild psych rock experimentalism in a more structured and pop direction, which ended up producing a sound that’s at times reminiscent of none other than The Psychedelic Furs! (I think that’s the first time I reference that band in my entire music-writing career, pretty excited about it). The band played one of our shows about two years ago, we are really looking forward to see how their live show has evolved since then.

9.30 – NIGHT MANAGER
See blog on top of the page

8.45 – PROSPECTOR
Hailing from the Lower East Side (not Brooklyn?!?) Prospector – with their riff driven, dark and tense songs – are probably the least psychedelic band on this bill, although shoegazer elements can be found in their droney guitars. The band’s main reference though is the energy of the punk/hardcore scene that they all grew up with. Tonight (and in their recently released debut EP) expect uptempo, moody and in your face indie rock that doesn’t shy away from minimalistic melodies.

8.00 – INVISIBLE DAYS

This is one of the few bands we’ve heard in recent times that’s creating quality shoegazey music that doesn’t sound formulaic.The single we are streaming below has cool sounds, a beautiful melody sung by a voice possessing a graceful and dreamy empathy that might have therapeutic and stress relieving powers – that’s what anybody into dream pop like us wants to hear. By the way, hopefully this little blurb is positive enough to get the band to quote us on their online press section!

Chicago

Pillars & Tongues “The Pass and Crossings”

Posted on:

The new album from the somber trio Pillars and Tongues may not be ground breaking, but it does further develop the beautiful meditative sound of the band. I would say the band’s sound most closely resembles that of Dance Can Dance. Soaring strings and the near chanting vocals allow the listener to float seemlessly through this album. However it is not filler or noise, but the music sucks you into the enchanted world of Pillars and Tounges.

The Pass and Crossings is out June 28. Pre-order here. You can see Pillars and Tongues live at Empty Bottle on May 30th.

Philadelphia

R.I.P. Mikey Wild

Posted on:

Renaissance man and legendary South Philly punk Mikey Wild (born Michael DeLuca) passed away yesterday morning after battling lung cancer for years. The former frontman of the Magic Lanterns and the Hard Ons spent his final days in hospice care at Penn Medicine fittingly on South Street, where he was anointed the “Mayor of” by Philly’s Alan Mann who presented him with a sash and crown back in the day at JC Dobbs. Mikey had opened for greats in the 70s like Lou Reed and GG Allin (who he shockingly upstaged by exposing himself while performing his punk classic "Chicks With Dicks"). In his later years, he became better known for his magic-marker artwork. He was obsessed with Vincent Price, and happily performed dual roles as Price and his twin brother Brandon in the short film Paying the Price. Mikey was also the subject of the documentary I Was Punk Rock Before You Were, which was filmed by Magic Lantern bandmates Ed Wilcox and Dave Kuffa and can be viewed HERE. There will be a celebration of his music and art held at Pageant: Soloveev Gallery (617 Bainbridge St.) on June 18 so come out and join in what we are sure to be unforgettable memories. Also please check out and share some of yours on Mikey Wild Mural on South Street Facebook page. We hope that it’ll bring a little warmth to your heart and a smile on your face. We know that he’s in heaven right now playing guitar and singing with his favorites “John Lennon, Allen, Jimi, Janis”. We sincerely wish Mikey’s family and friends all the best in this difficult time. – The Deli Staff  
 
L.A.

EC Twins release “Say Yes”

Posted on:

Coming from the treacherous streets of Manchester, the EC Twins sought after making the bustling city of Los Angeles their home. The duo’s lively electronic music reflects a contrast between past and present – they’re undertaking is definitely one of seizing the day and leaving any troubles at home. The duo, which consists of Marc and Allister Blackham, has been much beseeched in the LA club scene, largely due to their effervescent and eclectic tech house. For a pair who’s constantly hopping through the underground circuit and celebrity circuit, getting everyone “dirtied” up as they like to say, they remain earnest and grounded musicians who take their job of delivering a good time very seriously. On Monday, May 23, they celebrated the debut release of their remix of “Say Yes” featuring Shakeh at Playhouse in Hollywood. Tuesday, the single was released exclusively on www.beatport.com, and then on iTunes the week of June 6.

~Juan Rodriguez

Philadelphia

Old Spaghetti Warehouse To Become New Music Venue

Posted on:

BIG NEWS! Plans to turn the old Spaghetti Warehouse at 1026 Spring Garden St. into a new music venue are coming true. According to The Daily News, Bowery Presents, the New York-based club operator and concert promoter run by former Live Nation exec Jim Glancy, has signed a long-term lease on the building and, if they get the green-light on their Liquor Control Board application, the former restaurant will open as a new 800-person capacity venue, to be called Union Transfer, in the fall. Double plus on this news–R5 Productions’ Sean Agnew has been enlisted by Clancy to help with the venue’s launch and booking. Read more about it HERE. -The Deli Staff