Sam Cohen successfully emerges from the unwieldy shadow of Apollo Sunshine, the psych-rock band on indefinite hiatus that he helmed, with an ambitious solo project christened Yellowbirds. True to his roots, Cohen writes psych-pop inflected with some country accents on Yellowbirds’ debut album, “The Color” – Deli CD of the Month in April 2011. The entrancing songs conjure up the warmest musical tones that recall the freewheeling spirit of the ‘60s. The complexities and layers of the songs make for an enjoyable, challenging listen, but the tracks are incredibly accessible pop songs. While there is almost chaos in some songs with the butting guitars and bristling autoharp, the stridency is counterbalanced with calming acoustic guitar strums and Cohen’s Roy Orbison-esque vocals. These songs are all set to striking stop-motion music videos made of Cohen’s own collages. – Read Nancy Chow’s interview with Sam Cohen here.
Weekly Feature: Escape Directors
Not too long ago, Steve Carter started his singer-songwriter career for what ended up a short-winded run. His solo act became a collaborative effort when his backups came frontward and started collaborating with him. A year later, Escape Directors was born: an alternative rock group that has gained a lot of momentum in their Northern Jersey scene. One of their newest singles, “The Distant Past”, gained a lot of publicity through youtube sharing more than 5 thousand views over the course of a few weeks. – Read Caitlin Clive’s interview with the band here.
Lantern Open for Woods at JB’s Aug. 12
Lantern is a mess. Led by Montreal native Zachary Fairbrother, the Philly three-piece is a kind of good, awful mess that breeds beautiful, insane chaos. Just listen to their last two EPs – Lantern Summer EP 2011 and Stranger I Come. Stranger I Leave. – and you’ll get what I mean. It’s a jagged fireworks show of fuzzbox guitars, pounding drums and snotty vocals that crash together to produce sparks of sped-up psych, sickening blues-garage, and vintage punk-rock. We’re not sure how Johnny Brenda’s stage will be able to contain Lantern’s exploding sound, but you can see first-hand tonight when they perform at the venue with Cali’s bluesy throwback White Fence and Brooklyn’s folk-jam hybrid Woods. While you’re at it, throw a few bucks Lantern’s way for their North American Tour Kickstarter campaign because, seriously, their music can’t–and shouldn’t–be confined. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 8PM, $12, 21+ – Annamarya Scaccia
PhilaMYTHOS Closing Reception w/Da Comrade! & Norwegian Arms at PhilaMOCA Aug. 12
Your 33 Black Angels play Mercury on 08.12
NYC scene Psych/Alt semi-veterans Your 33 Black Angels will return at Mercury Lounge on August 12th for a show with California droney band Six Organs of Admittance. The self-described "group of hobgoblins in drag" will play selections from its four albums, the latest of which, "SONGS FROM THE NEAR BLEAK FUTURE", was released in 2010 on Toronto’s Optical Sounds. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here). The Deli’s NYC Open Blog is powered by The Music Building.
Enter to Win Two Days of FREE Mixing/Recording Time w/Fancy Time Studio’s Kyle “Slick” Johnson!
Just a reminder that there is still time to enter our contest with producer Kyle “Slick” Johnson (Wavves, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Creepoid) of Fancy Time Studio. Details are below. You can also check out our recent interview with Slick HERE.
RSVP for WXPN Free at Noon w/The War on Drugs!
Don’t forget to RSVP HERE for tomorrow’s WXPN Free at Noon with The War on Drugs! They’ll also be performing on Thursday, August 18 at Johnny Brenda’s for their Record Release Party with Caveman and Tin Horses, but that one will cost you. Take s listen to their sweet upcoming release Slave Ambient which is streaming HERE and will be available for purchase on August 16 via Secretly Canadian.
Tetsuo, Seafood Hotline @ The Springwater, 8/13/11
Tetsuo is one of the best rock ‘n’ roll outfits to emerge from Murfreesboro in the past few years, but it’s hard to catch them out in Nashville proper in terms of venues. So make sure and catch them shredding at The Springwater this Saturday with Seafood Hotline, and give a listen to their shabby punkish record, These Crystals Don’t Burn. 9 p.m., $5.
Vote For Chamberlin’s Next EP
Chamberlin has teamed up with Paste Magazine and Stetson for a new promotion for their next EP. The band is asking fans to vote on the songs they will record for a covers EP – where they’ll take current tracks and "cabinize" them into stripped down acoustic versions in their Vermont cabin.
The list of possible tracks contain electronic or innovative production and include songs by Kanye West, Cults, Vampire Weekend, Foster The People, Beach House, Neon Indian and Cut Copy. Select the 4 songs you want to hear the band record and in return for voting, receive a free copy of the EP when it’s completed, a free track now from the band’s 2011 debut Bitter Blood and a chance to win the Grand Prize – boots, jeans and a button down shirt from Stetson (worth over $400).
Head over to the band’s website to vote throughout the month of August.
The band’s giving listeners an early taste of "cabinize" with their version of Passion Pit’s Little Secrets Check out the sparse, gently strummed video below.
–Chrissy Prisco
Mini Mansions Join The Kills for Upcoming Tour
Starting September, a glorious mish-mash of psychedelic punk, funk and rock will come head-to-head when Mini Mansions join The Kills and Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnaces), on their west coast tour. Oh, what a fine break it has been for Queen of the Stone Ages member, Micheal Shuman, who rallied up two of his equally talented LA-based comrades, Tyler Parkford and Zach Dawes, to create songs in a dusty makeshift studio, which resulted to a band, which resulted to a kickass album. From Canada to California, fans will get a chance to jam out to their Beatles-esque tunes from their self-titled album. – Nicole Dawley
JP Music Festival — Saturday, August 20
The first-ever JP Music Festival is Saturday, August 20 in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood. This afternoon and evening event will feature Jamaica Plain-based musicians from 1-7 PM at the Pinebank Baseball Field near Jamaica Pond, beside the intersection of Perkins Street and The Riverway.
The festival will host 20-25 musical artists and acts, all of who have at least one member as a resident of Jamaica Plain. Two stages will rotate 15-20 minute performances, giving a greater number of acts a chance to perform and gain new fans. Working with local sponsors and individual contributors, the event will be free for the general public to attend and welcomes all age groups.
An after party will be held at Midway Café, from 7 PM to 2 AM, located at 3496 Washington Street in Jamaica Plain, where additional musical acts will perform.
For more information, visit http://jpmusicfestival.com.
–Chrissy Prisco
Q&A with July’s Artist of the Month — SUNRAM
How did the band start?
Chris Johnson: Fourth of July-ish a few years ago, we started talking in lisps and we got stuck that way!
Jeremy Lassetter: ahh yesssth, brought together by ‘the America’.
Where did the band name SUNRAM come from?
C: No real defining moment, we liked the name. it was really just a combination of words that we thought looked strong together in print as well as represent the project well.
J: It’s a mutation of a couple different things and somehow it managed to be really concise. He’s being modest though, what really happened was about two weeks worth of dick jokes. Once we finally ran out, we picked this one.
Click here to read the rest of the Q&A with SUNRAM.
–Chrissy Prisco