If you are like me, then you may balk for a moment when your friends suggest that you should check out their pal who is a singer-songwriter. The genre has certainly gotten a bad rep over the years with every fraternity bro picking up an acoustic guitar to increase his chances of gettin’ laid, or sorority gal deciding that it’s time to make her high school journal entries and poetry into a song. However, there is something to be admired when someone is brave enough take an instrument, their voice and thoughts, and successfully captivates an audience. Our Griffins a.k.a. DJ Brown is such a young artist with the ability to do just that. The nineteen-year-old multi-instrumentalist is wise beyond his years. Like many great artists and thinkers, he’s not signing up for a college introductory course to figure out what he’d like to be or do in the future. He’s simply just doing it. The unconventional Lehigh Valley recluse, who dropped out of high school after three days and opted for home schooling, discovered his passion for music at the age of ten on a vacation at Disneyland when he listened to a Beatles album that he bought for his sister’s boyfriend. “I fell in love with the music, the experience was so intense I can still recall the smell of the bed sheets in that hotel,” said Brown. From there, he went on to discover a variety of artists and genres through the internet, and seriously picked up the guitar at age fourteen. Inspired by a love for poetry and the words of Bob Dylan, Brown captures the attention of his listeners with earnest, sometimes abstract but universally relatable lyrics and astonishingly beautiful vocals that sound like a mixture of Nick Drake and David Bowie. Take a listen and purchase Our Griffins’ debut EP Conversations HERE, which was mixed by Grammy award winning producer/engineer Stuart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, Cat Power, The White Stripes, etc.). – Q.D. Tran
NYC
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Zula, St. Lucia, Starlight Girls and DEIDRE play first Prefix show for emerging NYC bands at Cameo on 12.02
Prefix Mag apparently is about to join The Deli in the effort to highlight emerging NYC artists through a series of free shows at Cameo co-presented by Golden Ratio Presents. The first show will be at Cameo on December 2, featuring 3 artists we are familiar with and a group we haven’t covered yet: St.Lucia is a one man band by the way of South Africa who offers dancey electro with world and chill components – yes, "chill" is officially a musical genre people, so was decided by us. You can definitely hear some Africa in these tracks, and some reggae as well. Also on the bill Zula, which we did blog about a couple of times and have a new EP of remixes which rings awesome to our ears. What’s this, a gentler version of Soul Coughing with Elvis Costello influences or something? Fun! Check out the song streaming below, it’s worth a listen. Also on the bill 60 pop revivalists and Deli ex Artist of the Month Starlight Girls (who have a new song for streaming here) and Savoire Adore femme fatale singer/keyboardist DEIDRE (who has a new video here).
L.A.
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Artist to Watch: The Beautiful View
The Beautiful View may look like sleek extras from the set of Miami Vice with their tailored suits and high-end shoes, but these San Diego natives are leaving the drama for the dieseled-up action stars and bringing the thrill to the local stages. The quartet’s newly released 10-track LP, “life is beautiful,” has hints of pop, punk, rock, and hardcore. With influences ranging from Blondie, Franz Ferdinand and Duran Duran they prove that they are not afraid to straddle that fine line between an indie and un-indie sound. – Nicole Dawley
NYC
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Steel Phantoms play Union Pool with Slowdance and Papertwin on 12.01
Along with childhood friend keyboardist/vocalist Yos Munro and guitarist Jesse Newkirk IV, drummer/vocalist Aaron Harris, formerly of the eccentric indie rock band Islands, craft sparse and magnetic rock songs with new wave and avant-indie flourishes under the Steel Phantoms moniker. The trio delivered a delightful second EP, "Forer," after fundraising it via Kickstarter. Evocative of The Magnetic Fields’ timeless melodies immersed in a more modern, electric and percussive musical context, the record is named after psychologist Bertram Forer, who developed a theory according to which "normal" people are more likely to believe positive things about themselves rather than negative ones (we couldn’t agree more, considering how stunning we are!) In an interview with BlackBook, Harris said that the songs that he wrote on “Forer” explored his fears and lack of confidence. Interestingly enough, a very confident record came out of this, and regardless of the EP’s introspective content, the band assuredly presents six diverse songs that stand on their own right but also maintain a cohesive balance. The "Forer" EP is available as a free download on Steel Phantoms’ site steelphantomsband.com. See the band play with two other Deli favorites Slowdance and Papertwin for a modest cover of $5 at Union Pool on Thursday, December 1. Coincidentially, Steel Phantoms and Papertwin are currently competing for our Artist of the Month poll. – Nancy Chow
NYC
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Ticket Giveaway: Jukebox the Ghost @ 9:30 Club
This Thursday 12/1 marks a hometown extravaganza as DC’s Jukebox the Ghost takes the stage at the 9:30 Club along with DC’s Deleted Scenes, and the Spinto Band. Did you dig their album "Everything Under the Sun"? Perhaps they’ll play your favorite song, so you better be sure you get there to hear it! And the 9:30 Club wants to make sure that happens, so we’ve got a couple passes to give away! Just email us here by 6 PM today 11/30 and let us know your fav song by Jukebox the Ghost or Deleted Scenes. (Please include your first and last name.) The winner will be chosen at random and emailed back today.
Philadelphia
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Gods and Queens Benefit Show This Sunday at Little Bar
Phonographic Arts will be presenting a hardcore/metal benefit show for Gods and Queens this Sunday, December 4 at Little Bar (738 S. 8th St.) to raise money to help them cover the medical expenses that they incurred from their recent van accident that happened this past weekend during the band’s European tour. Donating their time and talents will be Ladder Devils, Carved Up, SGNLS, Ominous Black, Exemption, Tile, and a special guest. There will also be a raffle for prizes from R5 Productions (3-day pass), Beautiful World Syndicate, Living Out Loud Tattoo, and more. The event starts at 6pm, will be 21+, and admission is $10, but you can also come early and enjoy a metal brunch with Arthur Rizk spinning tunes while you fill up on some tasty food. If you were looking to do something to help out Gods and Queens, this is a perfect opportunity for you to do so. Thanks in advance.
NYC
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James Levy is back with James Levy and The Blood Red Rose
NYC scenesters might recall James Levy’s band called just Levy, which created some serious buzz a few years ago with deliciously moody dream pop songs reminiscent of the "Madchester" sound of the early 90s. Well, the man is back with a new project featuring a more orchestral flavor, with the slightly Nick Cave-ish name of James Levy & the Blood Red Rose. Judging from the dark and troubled tone of first single (see video below, in tandem with Allison Pierce of The Pierces) quoting Nick Cave seems actually like an appropriate comparison. The band’s upcoming album, out on Heavenly, was produced by Coldplay’s bass player Guy Berryman. So it looks like big things are about to happen for these guys, looking forward to their first NYC live show.
New England
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28 Degrees Taurus Start 5-night East Coast Tour Tonight with Gospel Gossip (MN)
Tonight kicks off a 5-night east coast tour from local psych/shoegaze band 28 Degrees Taurus. Having recently come back from two midwestern tours (the last of which was with their Midwestern "sister band" Gospel Gossip) this marks the first area performance from 28DT in several months.
Minneapolis’ Gospel Gossip will be accompanying the band on this tour. Some folks might remember Gospel Gossip from their last New England appearance in August at Deep Heaven Now. Combining energy, intensity and raw, emotionally-charged vocals from Sarah Nienaber, this band’s shoegaze will leave you completely spellbound.
Do yourself a favor and make it to at least one, if not all, of these shows.
Wed, Nov. 30 — w/ MAAR, Secret Lover @ Ralph’s Diner, Worcester MA
Thurs, Dec. 1 — w/ Guillermo Sexo, Ghost Box Orchestra @ Great Scott, Allston MA
Fri, Dec. 2 — w/ The New Highway Hymnal, Friendship @ The Ant Cellar, Lowell MA
Sat, Dec. 3 — w/ Autochrome, Clouder @ The Charleston, Brooklyn NY
Sun, Dec. 4 — w/ The Josh Drews, Washerwoman @ The Velvet Lounge, Washington D.C.
–Chrissy Prisco
Chicago
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Owen “No Language” (Live in the Graham Elliot Kitchen)
You can grab the new album from Owen, Ghost Town, here. Owen is playing dates on both coasts in December but nothing schedule in Chicago at this time.
Chicago
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Santah on Audiotree
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Santah has been all over the place lately and I am sure it is due their signing to No Sleep Records and releasing their debut White Noise Bed back in June. They recorded a session for Daytrotter that came out last month, and now have released a tremendous session with Audiotree.
Santah is recording a live session for Epitonic at Saki on Dec. 4th at 5:30pm. The last Epitonic live session was last month with YAWN.
NYC
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Caithlin De Marrais plays Glasslands on 12.02
Former lead singer of now defunct indie rock band Reiner Maria, Caithlin De Marrais is a Brooklyn based singer songwriter who doesn’t always sound like a songwriter, which is a good thing. In her recent album "Red Coats" the best songs blend gentle, never banal ballads with percussive, electric and ambient elements, in ways reminiscent of early Lisa Germano or Suzanne Vega from the 99.9 F period. Enjoy this gem entitled "Belong" (streaming below), check out the video of "Birds" here and go see the lady and her band live at Glasslands on December 2.
New England
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The Prefab Messiahs — Peace Love & Alienation
When I first listened to Peace Love & Alienation, without knowing a thing about The Prefab Messiahs, I thought I had downloaded the wrong album by mistake. This was real garage-pop from the 80’s. After a brief peruse of the internet, I came to the conclusion that these guys are the longest-lived band to last only two years (1981-1983). Three ambitious Clark U. undergrads with barebones rigs, no money, and a lot to say combined punk, surf-rock, and garage-pop to create an unaccredited style of lo-fi pop-rock that is still relevant 30 years later,
Peace Love & Alienation brings together 8 newly remastered tracks, including both tracks produced by Bobb Trimble, that show the versatility Prefab Messiahs had in their heyday. With a strong influence from post-punk innovators “Swell Maps,” Prefab Messiahs coin a sound of their own. It’s as if the Ramones teamed up with Joy Division, took some LSD, listened to The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, and then decided to write an album. The Album starts off with two of my favorite songs Beyond All That and Cousin Artie. In each of these songs we hear everything from surf-rock guitar licks, analog synth, punk chord progressions, and psychedelic refrains and bridges.
Then comes Prefab Messiahs’ most “famous” song, Desperately Happy. Catchy and fun reverb-soaked vocals over a simple but grooving, slightly out of tune, guitar line make this song an instant classic for any and every Prefab fan. Their creativity is certainly showcased in the next 50-second track, Prefab Dub. What was an eclectic instrumental grooving heady dub song doing in the middle of a post-punk compilation album? I’m not sure, but I listened to this short track three times in a row as any doubts that I had about this band being way ahead of their time vanished.
I suggest all music fans buy or at least check out this album. Especially for all those lo-fi, modern garage-punkers out there (fans of Wavves, Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, etc.) who might find some satisfaction in listening to the roots, this is a must-have album.
–Michael Giordano