Tandem Shop is now streaming the debut album from The Island of Misfit Toys, "Bear Hair" for free until the album’s release date. The band will be celebrating the release on Monday June 27th at Panchos.
L.A.
Posted on:
The Lonely Wild Embarks on National Summer Tour
In the span of less than a year, The Lonely Wild has written, produced, designed, funded, and most impressively, profited from a debut record, as well as played a plethora of sold out shows in Los Angeles and San Francisco, in hopes of becoming the next big buzz band in the City of Angels. It looks like the hard work paid off for the L.A.-based Americana fivesome. The boys, and gal, will be packing up their guitars, basses, drums, tambourines, trumpets, and whathaveyous to embark on their next adventure—a self-booked and promoted nationwide tour that begins and ends at the beloved Silverlake club, The Satellite, on June 22nd and August 6th, respectively. – Katrina Nattress
New England
Posted on:
Boy Without God — “God Bless the Hunger” out today
God Bless The Hunger, the new release out today from NYC via Boston songwriter Gabriel Birnbaum under his Boy Without God alter-ego, combines forceful pop songwriting in the singer-songwriter tradition with extended forms, complex orchestration, and the wilder side of jazz and improvised music. The result is a major work: an album that fuses its own set of unusual influences into a powerful whole. It’s a record with musical depth and emotional impact, both relevant and timeless.
God Bless The Hunger was recorded to tape at The Soul Shop, an all-analog studio, in an old piano repair facility in Medford, Massachusetts, with the help of a dozen other musicians (including members of Boston luminaries Debo Band, Hallelujah the Hills, Sleepy Very Sleepy, and Faces On Film, a group of like-minded musicians who have clustered around the studio).
Boy Without God – Slow Life from Boy Without God on Vimeo.
–Chrissy Prisco
Chicago
Posted on:
CD Review: My My My
The new ep from a band I’ve been following for a while is perhaps their most delevloped and danceable product to date. Wishing You Whatever’s Best is a well produced five track gem from Russel Baylin, Sarah Snow, and My My My. The ep kicks off with "Hard Kisses" and firmly puts the listener in and world late of eighties pop glory. The ep is filled with snyths, effects, and tons of dance tracks. The second track, "24 Hour Love Affair" keeps pace and delivers a great sing-a-long chorus. I love the interplay between Baylin and Snow and the feeling that I should be hanging at a mall in line for Duran Duran tickets. My favorite track on the album is the most electronic and is called "Middle Age Hardware and Youthful Indiscretions". The track is alive with rock and technology. The ep is filled with dance floor ready tracks that are perfect for this summer heat.
The ep will be released on June 28th, and the band will be performing in July 1st at Beat Kitchen.
NYC
Posted on:
Best of NYC #21: Superhuman Happniess play Cameo on 06.23 + Celebrate Brooklyn on 06.25
If the band’s penchant for bright costumes doesn’t draw you in, Superhuman Happiness’s peculiar yet enchanting genre fusion will. The band’s mastermind Stuart Bogie’s roots in Antibalas are evident as he leads the group into a an ever-changing musical adventure through funk, afrobeat, pop, folk, jazz and rock. This dabbling in various genres may have to do with the impressive laundry list of artists Bogie has worked with including TV on the Radio and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The band, which has just released the embedded single "Needles and Pins", will be playing 2 shows this week, one at Cameo Gallery on June 23 and the other in Prospect Par on the 25th within the Celebrate Brooklyn fest. – Superhuman Happiness placed 21st in our 2010 year end Best of NYC Poll for emerging artists.
NYC
Posted on:
Metallic Sheets of Loveliness
The Broken Water LP Whet is available on Night People Records and it is fantastic! This three-piece from Olympia have honed a patient, swirling sound of distortion and reverb soaked beauty, creating a captivating sonic landscape.
Austin
Posted on:
New Centro-matic, Greencards In-store
Americana darlings and partial Austinites The Greencards unleash their new one The Brick Album today & celebrate by playing a Waterloo instore tomorrow (6/22). While you’re there you might want to pick up a copy of the new one from North Texas indie legends Centro-matic, Candidate Waltz. And really, at this point, why not make a day of it, and head over to Zilker for Blues on the Green (we’re still talking about Wednesday 6/22 here, please keep up) for Suzanna Choffel and The Bright Light Social Hour. That kicks off at 7:30. Wait, is that free? Why yes. Yes it is.
Philadelphia
Posted on:
Album Review: Faux Slang – Faux Slang
“Beer battered garage” outfit Faux Slang is comprised of Rick Hass, Adam Herndon (A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Pet Milk), Dan Verechia (all former members of This Radiant Boy), and Ian Nauroth. Their self-titled EP is infectious, upbeat, and fast. Recorded in South PHL and produced by Josh Meakim (A Sunny Day in Glasgow) and the band, Faux Slang, released by RIPE Records, fills the auditory gap between Goner Records rebels like Quintron and the polished poise of the Soft Pack (ex-the Muslims). Possibly more on the polished side, the EP oscillates between reckless abandon and concise psych pop.
With the shrieking chords of “Ha Ha Bang Bang,” Faux Slang’s organ intro accents the crash of cymbals and relentless guitar. Despite the psyched out vibe of their opening track, Faux Slang’s vocals come off crisp, with a slight disconnect from its instrumented counterpart, leaving the cohesion between its chords and vocal diction distanced. Thankfully, slight reverb licks via guitar cuddle close to layered vocals redeeming the easy to discern divide between the band’s nearly clean-cut diction and delectably retro riffs. Easing seamlessly into “Golden Throats,” the album’s first serves as a befitting prologue to it’s second. Coupling trebly organ with subtle tambourine, “Golden Throats” is melodically moody and mellow, fashioning itself as a subdued but heartfelt chant amidst relatively less pensive tracks. With hints of surfy undertones, the core of “Golden Throats” brings to mind the chilled out soundscapes of more pop-based acts like West Palm’s Surfer Blood or Beach Fossil’s pre-mastered EP cuts, yet with more texture, tension, and edge. “Curious Prudes” is an instant charmer with percussive warmth that permeates throughout the song’s advance. Jangly in all the right ways, “Curious Prudes” harbors feelings of longing, yet with a clear-headed energy often lacking in post-punk EPs. Here, Faux Slang is straightforward, yet with the finesse of a poet. It’s uncomplicated, but captivates. Equally jangly with a more fuzzed out feel, “Human Heroes” is a ready-made single, lacking the disconnect that impedes the potential of “Ha Ha Bang Bang.” “Human Heroes” flows without flaw and ends all too soon. The final track of Fang Slang flickers in like a flame from a lit match. With its staccato drumstick clicks and steady guitar strums, “Settin’ Fire” keeps the interest of its listener yet feels less full than its prior track (“Human Heroes”). Subtle distortion near the three-minute mark deepens the impact of its progression, leaving its latter half near-instrumental psych. Just shy of five minutes, “Settin’ Fire” is a charismatic closer to an all-together notable EP. You can purchase the self-titled EP digitally now HERE and/or pre-order the 12" vinyl, which will be available on July 5, via RIPE Records. – Dianca Potts
NYC
Posted on:
Tons of emerging NYC bands at Spike Hill for Make Music NYC: check out Slam Donahue and Magnetic Island
If emerging NYC bands are your passion, you shouldn’t miss the Make Music NY show at Spike Hill, featuring a smorgasbord of local up and coming acts, most of which were covered by The Deli at one point or another. Interesting to see that Mama Bear (whose debut record was our CD of the Month some time ago) changed name to "Weird Children." Amongst the artists we never covered, Slam Donahue (pictured) has the most intriguing sound, featuring lo-fi quirky electronic/distorted arrangements, super-catchy melodies and a soulful voice gifted with impressive range. Magnetic Island is as indie as indie gets – distorted guitars, tense atmopspheres, with a Sonic youth-like fascination for resolving dissonant chords – we recommend the track "Shake The Fog" (embedded here). The band just released a new EP that displays an evolution towards slower bpms and sparser psych roch atmospheres. Serica Ux sound like a mix of grunge guitars and dance rhythms.
1:45-Weird Children (ex Mama Bear) http://www.myspace.com/
2:30 PM-Serica Ux http://www.myspace.com/
3:15 PM-Quilty http://www.myspace.com/
4:00 PM-Clouder (featuring members of Quiet Loudly and Telltale)
4:45 PM-Miniboone http://www.myspace.com/
5:30 PM-Wild Yaks http://www.myspace.com/
6:15 PM-Quiet Loudly http://www.myspace.com/
7:00 PM-Gunfight! http://www.myspace.com/
7:45 PM-Luff http://www.myspace.com/luff
8:30 PM-Diehard http://www.myspace.com/
9:15 PM-Magnetic Island http://www.myspace.com/
10:00 PM-Slam Donahue http://www.myspace.com/
10:45 PM-EULA http://www.myspace.com/
11:30 PM-The Yes Way http://www.myspace.com/
Philadelphia
Posted on:
Free Download: “You Do You (Sun Airway Remix)” – Bear in Heaven
Sun Airway just posted a remix of Bear in Heaven’s “You Do You”. You can check out the track and download it below as well as what they had to say about the remix via their website. (Photo by Mike Fleming) – The Deli Staff
Last october, when we were gearing up for our tour with bear in heaven, I thought it would be cool to remix one of their tunes and use it to promote the tour. But as often happens, things got crazy, busy-ness took over and I never finished it. I opened it back up recently and it sounded pretty close to done, not sure why I didn’t just polish it off back then! Anyways, I finally got around to sending it over to them and they posted it on their soundcloud. Have a listen…gives me good 90s dance vibes.
NYC
Posted on:
Weird Owl releases “Build Your Beast a Fire” CD on July 26
Weird Owl is a band with its feet swamped in the days of yore. With an inspiration focused in revisiting the psychedelic trials of the past, they’ve now branched out to a heavy southern rock sound that weaves its way around 15 songs that lyrically work with anything and everything involving the outdoors, brotherhood and animals. Recorded upstate, the album reflects the environment surrounding it. Plodding, heavy guitars make their way into acoustic ballads, and together with stomping drums and pagan keyboards they get buried in a thick psychedelic fog that has the effect of eradicating the listener from their actual location. It’s a trip! See Weird Owl live at Union Pool on July 14. – Simon Heggie
NYC
Posted on:
Brief Reviews from CD submissions: Dolchnakov Brigade and Big Mosey
"There is a song my mother used to sing to me as a child," burbles character Yon Yonson in a fake Russian accent, "It is called the Pennsylvania Polka…." Dolchnakov Brigade is one of the most hilarious bands in Brooklyn, with songs that defy logic even in their titles, like "Dating in Space" and "Onion is Underdog". Their sound is mostly electronic, and their show is a full-on spectacle, inspired by anything bizarre from Dadaism to The Residents to Devo, complete with flying onions, S&M imagery, and – of course! – scantily clad masked dancers banging drums. Check them out live for some fun times.
Big Mosey perks ears with its bluesy alternative rock sound and front-man Matt Jacob’s peculiarly deep and gritty vocals. The band has a solid live show driven by a strong (and loud) rhythm section. You can see them live at at Arlene’s Grocery on July 17.
These bands submitted their music digitally here.