De Novo, the second LP from San Francisco based production duo Ill Mondo, dropped August 30th. De Novo is a more authentic representation of Johnny Igaz and Jeff Smothers raw musical talents, with a more organic feel, using recorded jam sessions, original horn sections, and overdubbed instrumental parts. Ill Mondo collaborated with over 25 artists for the album, offering a different vocalist on every track. Songs like Viscera Capere, with catchy horns and break beats are reminiscent of a 1970s soul and funk sensibility, personified by synth-xylophone parts and fuzzy minor chord jams. “De Novo is an innovative throwback to old soul records,” and they still maintain that down-home familiar feel to their music that hooks you in and keeps you listening for more. You can check out the new album on their website. – Ed Guardaro
Interview with the deli’s Band of the Month: Lowman
deli NE: How did the band start?
Lowman: I (Greg Loughman; vocals, upright and electric bass), have been playing with John Funkhouser (keyboards), Phil Sargent (guitar), and Mike Conners (drums) in various combinations for years, mostly instrumental music with a heavy improvisational bent. I only recently started singing and writing music with lyrics, and as we got these songs together, we realized a new sound was coming together. And so, voila, a new band was formed.
Click here to read the rest of the interview with Lowman.
–Chrissy Prisco
Soundtrack to Something New: Annie Automatic’s Debut Album: Don’t Look Down
You can always tell when a group of musicians have fun when making an album. Hoping to create a “soundtrack to something new,” the LA-based alternative rock band, Annie Automatic, did just that when creating their debut full-length, Don’t Look Down. The album exhibits just how adventuresome the brazen quartet can be in standout tracks such as “Don’t Look Down,” “Dear, Charlie,” “Kings and Queens,” and "Miss McKenzie". Annie Automatic has also released a comic book , “Killer in Disguise,” about a ravishing high heeled rebel hell-bent on fulfilling her revenge. “Killer in Disguise,” which was a hit at San Diego Comic Con, expands on the concept of the band’s songs and provides a different forum for them to release music. – Nicole Dawley
White House Band unanimously dope
Guitarist / MC David E. Beats is the Commander in Chief of the White House Band. Claiming rock, rap, and blues as genre convergence, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see a guitar smashed during one of his sets—in fact they are coming to expect it. Political though not didactic, fresh but not pompous, the arsenal of tunes generated by WHB are devastatingly addictive and certain to please a bipartisan audience. If good rap is something you wish to hear more of, place your vote by coming to the Knitting Factory Thursday September 9th. Free entry with RSVP on the band’s site. – BrokeMC
North Highlands announces debut album “Wild One”, play Cameo on 09.29
Lovely and slightly weird, North Highlands’ pop is the perfect soundtrack for the music connoisseurs in need of a break from the aural challenges of more experimental or lo-fi bands. Our writer Nancy Chow fell in love with these guys while covering CMJ 2009, and since then The Deli always kept an ear on them. So it’s great to hear they’ll finally release their debut LP "Wild One" in October. You may want to see them live at your earliest convenience – i.e. 09.29 at Cameo – because this is a band that has the potential to make waves. Check out the single "Benefits" from the upcoming album streaming below, and if you want more head here and here.
NYC supergroup Ill Fits plays Glasslands on Saturday 09.10
Featuring members of MGMT, Amazing Baby, Historics, and a fronted by solo artist Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Brooklyn Ill Fits, after forming earlier this year, could only hit the ground landing. From what we can tell from their only track released so far (streaming below) the group plays a pleasant pop-rock with psych elements, slightly reminiscent of David Bowie’s output from somewhere around the "Let’s Dance" period. Ill Fits is playing Glasslands on September 10.
New Live Performance Video: “Kiss Like A Statue” (Nervous Energies Session) – Catnaps
Catnaps (formerly When I Was 12) recently returned from an extensive summer tour funded by fans and friends through Kickstarter. While on the road, they had a chance to do a Nervous Energies Session. You can check out a performance of the adorable “Kiss Like Statue” below as well as the rest of the session HERE. They’ll be performing this Friday at PhilaMOCA with Netherfriends and Burberry Possums. (Photo by Melissa Cell)
Experimental NYC: Loop B
Loop B recently relocated from Brazil. For some weird reason, for 3 weeks in June I ran into him everywhere; The Super Coda, Ze Couch, various functions presented by PAS. If you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Loop you’ll understand what I mean when I say that his presence marked those weeks with the discrete sensation of stumbling into one of Pynchon’s novels.
So I book him. Here’s the skinny. Proceed with caution.
A cache of objects transforms the stage; a broken PC keyboard, mixing bowl, plastic sword. Loop announces he’s “using small things. No washing machine tonight.”
Loop embarks to accompany, on things, various recordings of slightly damaged Brazilian dance tunes, rapidly sheathing/unsheathing his sword, bouncing a marble (that proves uncooperative) in his bowl, consistently dancing in place. And all throughout the tension builds to outgrow itself, palpable in a way that’s abominably rare in this life, the realization of pure, unadulterated disbelief, extended all the way down to the bottom of the abyss, wherein lies a –
Strangely shaped hub cap?
Part of a kiln?
A Bundt pan?
Whatever it is, Loop places it on his head and bangs away on both sides with chopsticks, a stereophonic grin peeling off his face and flapping through the audience (which has tripled over the course of his performance). And that’s how it is, until the backing track sambas it’s final samba, absurdly departing this world as one might imagine a drunk nun.
QED. WTF. That’s all, folks. – Valerie Kuehne
Interview with Kelsey Kopecky
Nashville’s favorite family band is off to the west coast with Gomez this coming month, so The Deli caught up with leading lady Kelsey Kopecky for a brief chat. Interview by Katherine Heriges.
The Oh Sees announce “Carrion Crawler/The Dream” LP + play Treasure Island Fest
The Oh Sees come out swinging with their second LP, Carrion Crawler/The Dream due out November 15th off In The Red Records. John Dwyer’s esoteric use of the guitar provide unforeseen melodies, atop nostalgic 1960s drum grooves. The title track “Carrion Crawler” sucks you into a daze thanks to drummer Mike Shoun’s classy ride cymbal usage and the album is a great adventure through and through. The band has come a long way, emanating from John Dwyer’s solo break, to a now solid-gold five piece. Check out their website for some far-out artwork and tunes and catch them at The Treasure Island Music Festival on October 16th. – Ed Guardaro
She Came Crashing to the Stage at North Star Aug. 31
New wave/synthpop duo She Came Crashing is made up of sister-brother combination Amanda Rose and Ray Tadeo. Their arrangements keep things rather dark and bleak with hints of hope but certainly danceable. However, it is Amanda’s vocals that float above the murky synth driving their tracks toward the light. They’ll be taking the stage tonight at the North Star alongside Jerzey indie rockers Brick + Mortar, local area pop rockers Rivers Munroe, and fledgling acoustic pop duo Hot Brush. North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St., 9pm, $8, 21+ – Alexis V.