The four-piece is fronted by lead singer, songwriter, former fashion designer and writer Daniel Blue along with collaborators Buddy Ross, Brantley Cady and Forrest Mauvais. Glitch-folkers Motopony have been selected to have their song "King of Diamonds" featured as the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week. Starting today, "King of Diamonds" will be offered as a free download at Starbucks locations in the United States. On July 29, the group kicks off their big summer tour sharing dates with Those Darlins and Daniel Johnston. The guys will also be performing at Bumbershoot Festival (9/5) and DeLuna Festival (10/16).
NYC
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Bird Call premieres Video for “Waltz in the Snow” + kicks off tour
Bird Call, the work of Brooklyn musician (but San Francisco native) Chiara Angelicola, landed number 75 on the Deli’s Best New Emerging Artists of 2010 poll (the full results can be seen here). She grew up listening to her mother play music, serenading people with a plastic microphone throughout her childhood. Before moving to New York in 2009, Angelicola rocked the Bay Area scene, winning honors and showcasing at the International Folk Alliance in Memphis, Tennessee. Bird Call’s new EP of cover songs, "Other Creatures", was released in the spring, marking the second time Angelicola has collaborated with Joel Hamilton, producer of music giants such as Elvis Costello and Tom Waits. Haunting and nostalgic, endearingly sincere and mindblowingly creative, her music ranges from a warbling pop sound to morose and elegant pieces. The Deli is premiering here Bird Call’s new video for "Waltz in the Snow", the song that won her the International Songwriters Competition award as judged by Tom Waits and Peter Gabriel among others. Bird Call will kick off her summer tour with Johanna & The Dusty Floor with a show at The Knit on August 2.
Portland
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PDX POP NOW!
Despite the glory of the non-sunshine outside that makes our lovely city exactly what it is, it really is summer. I promise. One good way to prove it is PDX Pop Now!And what a year. What’s on The Deli Portland’s plate for PPN!? A feast, I tell you! Make sure not to miss these lovelies (or any of the rest of them for that matter):
Radiation City – Sunday at 4:10
Brainstorm – Sunday at 9:40
Ezza Rose – Saturday at high noon
The Reservations – Friday at 8:45
Wild Ones – Saturday at 4:50
San Francisco
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Show Preview: Whirr at Slim’s
The name alone of the band Whirr (previously known as Whirl) evokes a swarming spin, the rush of sound passing you by. Densely awash in distortion, Whirr’s recently released EP Distressor (available on bandcamp here) reinvigorates the Bay Area shoegaze scene.
Tracks such as “Leave" kick off with an energetic riff and shimmer into a mess of noise. Dreamlike vocals rest atop the crest of a powerful and thunderous rhythm section; melodies are not buried or forgotten, but instead guide through raucous waves of feedback. Since the layers of gutsy guitars are so well executed, the listener remembers tremulous emotion and forgoes numbness. Whirr’s music certainly possesses an expansive quality, one best experienced through their live shows. Check out their upcoming dates :
- July 22 @ Slim’s with Earth and Angelo Spencer et Les Hauts Sommets
- August 3 @ Uptown Nightclub in Oakland for KALX’s Weekly Showcase with Swig, Children of Time, and Hole in the Sky
Whirr also just signed with Tee Pee Records and will begin recording their next LP soon, so keep an eye out for it!
–Julianne Wagner
Chicago
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Last Minute Plans: Magic Key @ Beauty Bar
If you are looking for something to do tonight to escape the heat and have some fun head over to Beauty Bar for a free show feature three new and fantastic band. Magic Key is the new project from Aleks Tomaszewska (Aleks and the Drummer), and she is making some creepy lo-fi pop heavy on the theatrics. Safeword is a stripped down version of Mahjongg featuring Main Mahj Hunter Husar. Rounding out the line-up is Architecture one of the hottest 60’s swooning bands in town. Cults, eat your heart out.
The Rumble kicks off at tonight, July 20th, at Beauty Bar at 9pm.
NYC
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NYC Shoegaze Label launch party on July 23rd at Bruars fall with Dream Diary, Telenovelas, Youth Castles + more
To celebrate the launch of the brand new Bleach Blonde Records, Richard San Luis and crew will be hosting a party on Saturday July 23rd at Bruar Falls in Brooklyn. Scheduled to appear will be Bleach Blonde recording artists Telenovelas, Blemishes and Youth Castles. Non-label mates Young Boys and Dream Diary will also be playing later in the evening, with DJ sets from members of Young Boys as well.
Blemishes debut single release "Keep It Quiet" does anything but that. Squalls of harsh feedback eventually give way to pitch-bended guitar chords and cathedral hall vocals. The percussion is forward forceful, allowing the bass to slither a groove while layers of guitars and vocals float you down alleyways of pleasurable dreams.
Youth Castles take the dream vibe in more romantic directions. There is a soft soulfulness to "Sight Seeing" which finds patterned percussion segments deeply embedded against the swirling, reverberated vibe. It’s lush and dramatic, and could be the soundtrack of your wonderful summer, if you would just let it.
Host band Telenovelas in the picture) have progressively evolved over the last year. Since the release of their 3 song EP a year ago, their steady gigging has seen them grow more confident and dynamic with each successive show. The band will soon release a brand new studio track – "Lost in the Sand" via a split 7” single with Australian solo artist Colours on the other side. Hop on over to Bleach Blonde and check out other up and coming artists and stay tuned for future BB releases/showcases. – Dave Cromwell
NYC
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Bear Hands debuts video + kicks off west coast tour
Deli cover band of our Summer 2010 issue, Bear Hands just debuted the music video for "High Society", which the band’s guitarist, Ted Feldman, had a "hand" in directing, together with Andrei Bowden-Schwartz. The video is like a moving mosaic – a myriad of tiny videos of the band playing form the bigger, moving picture. To realize this the band stood in front of the cameras performing "High Society" 78 times. The directors brought the overwhelming footage to New Orleans to be edited with the help of Bob Weisz, who directed Big Freedia’s video for "Y’all Get Back Now". This video comes on the heels of the vinyl release of Bear Hands’ debut album, "Burning Bush Supper Club". The Brooklyn four-piece started a new national tour yesterday in Washington, DC and will rock the stage of Webster Hall on October 30 with opening acts, We Were Promised Jetpacks and Royal Bangs. – Abigail P. Devora
Philadelphia
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Free Download: “Headlights (ft. Kuf Knotz) – The City Music Project
Below is a new track “Headlights (ft. Kuf Knotz)” from The City Music Project that is available for free download. It’s from their new RE-VISIONS EP, which also has remix contributions from Norwegian indie folk-pop duo Kings of Convenience and Philly electronica brethren City Rain. You can check out and download the rest of the album for free HERE. – The Deli Staff
Philadelphia
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Grubstake Roots Project & Crills Wilson at M Room July 20
When I first discovered Grubstake, they were simply a grunge-y blues rock duo driven by the raw guitar work and guttural vocals of PW McHugh, but have since evolved into a quintet from their experimental nights performing as the Grubstake Roots Project at Fergie’s. However, you’ll find another different variation of the band tonight at the M Room when they strip-down once again with simply a violin and two guitars. Luckily, they’ll be opening the evening instead of following the country punk sounds of Crills Wilson. Wilson has assembled a tight crew of players for his band, and they like to play loud. But that shouldn’t be a problem for the venue’s sound system with all its experience working with the metal acts that have come through. So kick back a few specials and prepare to get rowdy! M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 9pm, $8, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman
L.A.
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The Milk Carton Kids Write Their Opening Prologue
The set up for the Milk Carton Kids couldn’t be any simpler: two earnest musicians, two classic guitars, and dual vocal harmonies. The Los Angeles duo, comprised of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, emote an old timey feel that warmly invites some basking under a glowing afternoon sun. Behind the minimalist arrangements lies a distinctive spare sound that mercifully dodges the current barrage of rustic artists aspiring for Appalachian folk resonance. And with good reason – the plainness provides a wisdom that is wise beyond their years, which translates to songs that are sincere, relaxed, and altogether unassuming. They’ve just released their first studio album, Prologue, via their own Milk Carton Records. – Juan Edgardo Rodríguez
NYC
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Interview with Drop Electric: DC Deli’s Band of the Month (July)
Combining epic sound scores with equally epic visuals in their live sets, it’s no wonder DC’s Drop Electric topped the charts when it came to fan votes in our recent band of the month poll. In case you aren’t familiar with this troop, we’ve got the entire lineup together for a little Q&A, including Ramtin Arablouei (Drums), David Garber (Keys), Neel Singh (Guitar), Sho Fujiwara (Guitar), Kristina Reznikov (Guitar), and Patrick Ryan Morris (Visuals.) With an album under their belt, and a new EP this Fall, Drop Electric fills us in on a possible upcoming film project, growing up on Kris Kross cassettes, and the upsides of the DC music scene. Check out the interview here…
And get yourself acquainted with their sounds courtesy this free download of their album Finding Color In the Ashes! It’ll surely get you amped for their upcoming show at the Rock & Roll Hotel on August 5th with Constant Alarm and Oh So Peligroso. Want more? Check out their video for "Robot Funeral" that just debuted last week. Holler! (Photo by James Lawler Duggan)
NYC
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Blue Scholars stop into KEXP
Seattle legends Blue Scholars dropped by KEXP’s studios yesterday to record a few tracks from their new album Cinemetropolis. The duo, consisting of George Quibuyen and Saba Mohajerjasbi, have been a keystone of the local hip hop scene for over a decade, combining proficient, fresh beats with a deft lyrical style that is socioeconomically/politically hyper-conscious, and always infectious.