New England

Trabants at TT’s Sunday 7/31, Opening for Midnight Screening of “Pulp Fiction” 7/30

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After a brief hiatus, Boston’s instrumental surf-rock band Trabants will be playing this Sunday, July 31 at TT the Bear’s in Cambridge. Although the band has gone through several line-up changes, this show will feature Mikey Holland from Mean Creek on drums, Tony Leva from Jaggery on standup bass and Bryan Murphy from The Shills on Trumpet. Trabants are playing a short 15 minute set the night before, Sat. July 30, at the Somerville Theatre just before a midnight screening of Pulp Fiction.

Also playing is the "gypsy pirate polka" band Diego’s Umbrella, on tour from San Francisco, CA. Opening the night will be The Gobshites, who bring their own twist on Irish music.

Sunday’s show at TT’s is $8, doors at 8pm, 21+.

–Chrissy Prisco

NYC

Record review: Amen Dunes – live at Shea Stadium on August 11

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Apparently, a much different record is created in North Beijing than say, when you roam around the Catskills for awhile. When Amen Dunes’ first LP DIA surfaced two years back, it got a lot of attention… or as much attention as the blogsphere will allow any artist. Much was said of Damon McMahon’s freak folk trippiness and 180• departure from his former work as part of Inouk. By comparison, this new, made-in-china record makes his debut sound flatter and less ambitious than the dense, reverb-drenched soundscapes he’s putting together now.
For his sophomore effort, Through Donkey Jaw, (Sacred Bones Records) the results are more dreamy, insulated and paired down than I expected. But then… I’ve never been to Beijing. Gone are his once trademark monotone drawl, replaced with chant-like ups and downs from the crazy buildup in "Not a Slave" to the softly lilting ‘Swim Up Behind Me." Give McMahon floor toms, stratocaster and massive echo, and he’ll burrow his way into your sub-conscious like Syd Barrett or Beck circa One Foot in the Grave.
Well, now Amen Dunes is back in Brooklyn, so show our ex-pat some love. Grab the new record on iTunes Aug. 11, and see him live at Shea Stadium for psych folk night with 1129 and MV & EE. – Mike Levine

Philadelphia

New Track: “Horsey” – Diplo

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Mad Decent dropped their Mad Decent Compilation Vol. 1 today, which is exclusively available via Beatport. It features eighteen tracks from a plethora of artists from their roster just in time to get you ready for their upcoming block parties. You can take a listen to the opening track “Horsey” from master conspirator Diplo below while strangely watching a computer-generated manatee circling the Mad Decent logo (which is much more interesting with a little herbage in you, but aren’t most things?). – The Deli Staff

Philadelphia

Hustle Jawn Feat. Freeway at The Blockley July 29

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The Blockley is hosting Hustle Jawn tonight with Freeway alongside up and coming Philly emcee Ms. Jade. Freeway has been rockin the mic with his signature high-pitched delivery since his days alongside Jay-Z and Beanie Sigel on Roc-A-Fella Records back in the early ‘00s. More recently, Freeway signed to independent hip hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment and released the critically acclaimed The Stimulus Package with Jake One. Earlier this year, Freeway also recorded an EP in only 24 hours with Statik Selektah called The Statik–Free EP. The follow-up to The Stimulus Package is scheduled to be released on November 30, titled Diamond In the Ruff. The next album will feature production from longtime Freeway collaborators, Just Blaze and Jake One, as well as some verses from fellow Philly emcee Black Thought. So be sure to head out to The Blockley tonight for an early preview of Diamond In the Ruff along with the master spitter’s classics from the past. The Blockley, 3801 Chestnut St., $15, 9pm, 21+ – Dan Brightcliffe
 

Rock Star (Prod. by Jake One) by Freeway

Philadelphia

Trophy Wife Welcomes Queer Sounds from the New South & Other Parts at PhilaMOCA July 29

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The winning combination of Trophy Wife is a local socially/politically/personally-conscious post-hardcore two-piece consisting of D.C. transplants drummer Katy Otto (co-founder of Exotic Fever Records and formerly of Del Cielo) and guitarist Diane Foglizzo. Their lyrical themes surround the feminist and LGBT perspective and experience while still maintaining a more universal appeal for others. Tonight at PhilaMOCA, they’ll be opening the music portion of the evening when they welcome the queercore-friendly lineup of out-of-towners Hilly Eye, ZOO (ex-Little Teeth), Field Mouse, and Allison Weiss. But before the aural stimulation begins, there will be a 30-minute screening of filmmaker Meredith Heil’s Whistlin’ Dixie, an exploration of how the queer lo-fi DIY scene is “altering the political and social climate of the new South for generations to come.” You can check out a trailer for the movie HERE. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 7:30pm, Donation, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman

NYC

Weekly Feature: Widowspeak release CD at Glasslands on 08.02

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Up and coming Brooklyn trio Widowspeak has been catching some serious lo-fi waves since last fall if you haven’t noticed. Forming less than a year ago, the band hooked up with Captured Tracks and landed some pretty sweet bills (oh yeah, and a bunch of people fell in love with frontwoman Molly Hamilton’s vocals). We recently exchanged a few questions with the band about Widowspeak’s very promising past, present, and future, and they were more than happy to fill us in on all the great stuff they got going on. Read Popgun Booking’s interview with the band here.

NYC

Weekly Feature: Shake the Baron

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Brooklyn’s Shake the Baron , who played The Deli’s “Best of 2010 Festival,” touch on the ups and downs of song writing, combining light hearted melodies, peppy rhythms, and tender and smooth vocal harmonies with lyrics and inflection that express great yearning and melancholy on their self-titled album. Musically cheerful but lyrically lovesick “Treehouse” opens Shake The Baron’s debut album with effervescence that infiltrates the remainder of the record. “Zodiac Name” is simultaneously bubbly in beat and tranquil in multi-part vocals, and this smooth peacefulness pervades the glowing track, “Sinking Sailor.” Concluding tune, “Telekinetic At Home,” echoes with harp-like guitars and gentle vocals, fashioning a dreamy lullaby. Shake the Baron’s new album satisfies the appreciation for nuance, sentiment, and the serene. – Read Meijin Bruttomesso’s interview with Shake the Baron here.

Philadelphia

Get Schooled by Norwegian Arms at JB’s July 29

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If you are a fan of this site and local Philly music blogs, then you should already know the interesting back story of Fulbright scholar, songwriter, mandolin player, one of the founding members of the OX, and Norwegian Arms mastermind Brendan Mulvihill (a.k.a. Keith Birthday). What you don’t know from reading blogs are how impassioned the live performances can be from the minialist weirdo pop folkster, especially when joined by partner in crime Eric Slick from Dr. Dog on drums and buckets. Well, tonight is your chance when Norwegian Arms opens for Avi Buffalo and Nik Freitas at Johnny Brenda’s. So be in the know and get schooled this evening! (And while you are at it, you can get a head start on your education with Norwegian Arms’ EP Trimmings of Hides, which can download for free HERE.) Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Q.D. Tran

NYC

Austin Artist on the Rise: Fresh Millions, live at Lamberts on August 19

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In the summertime even indie rockers are ok with some 80s "cheesiness", as long as it’s done with class. Fresh Millions offer a mix of feel-good funk eg. Zapp, Midnight Star, Earth Wind and Fire with with Dancey electronics kinda like Justice and Octopus Project. And they do like their vocoder… See them live at Lamberts on August 19 or in September at the Austin City Limits Music Fest.