San Francisco

Weekend Preview: Odd Owl @ The Make-Out Room This Saturday

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Anyone who’s ever lived in San Francisco knows or has heard of the trauma of finding housing on Craigslist. I once read that someone would rather have had an ambiguous liquid drip out of their bellybutton every time they got an email than look for housing on Craigslist.

While I’m not sure the San Francisco band Odd Owl, who met via Craigslist, would opt for the leaky liquids, they do have the classified site to thank for getting them together. That was back in 2010 in the Sunset district, when the group was a duo. Now they’re a quartet, they’ve toured the west coast twice and have two EPs to their name.

Odd Owl’s brand of indie pop is centered around Carmen Caruso’s pristine female-fronting and cushioned by keyboard coos, funk hooks and buoyant drumming. You can stream their newest EP It’s The World I Love below or download their track "Radioheart."

Odd Owl are playing at the Make-Out Room this Saturday, February 25th, so be there.

-Justine Fields

Chicago

Sonoi “Cotton”

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The trio Sonoi have completed their sophomore album, Tropics of Holland and will be releasing it on March 13th via Meno Mosso. The band has always leaned towards the experimental, but this release they blend those adventuresome tendencies nicely with aurally pleasing pop. Below is the album’s first single "Cotton"

Sonoi will be celebrating the album’s release with a show at The Hideout on March 15th with Deep Sleep and Chandeliers.

NYC

Brooklyn Artists on the Rise: Cult of Youth

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Cult of Youth is a post-industrial folk outfit whose grizzly vocals and complex instrumentation sets them apart from a lot of bands right now. The group consists of Sean Ragon, on lead vocals and multi-instruments, drummer Glenn Maryanski, bassist Micki Pellerano, and violinist Christiana Key. The combination of these multi-talented artists is a successful one, their overall sound showing underlying tones of western folk music, with their east-coast roots (the band originates in Brooklyn) still shining through. Because of their unique sound, Cult of Youth was recognized as a ‘Band to Watch’ by Stereogum in 2011. – Christine Cauthen

NYC

Il Abanico, Clouder, y/y + Spanish Prisoners play Knit on 02.24

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Brooklyn band Clouder (christened by our own Dave Cromwell as “bad boys of NYC indie rock”) will be performing a show at Knitting Factory in Brooklyn with Il Abanico, y/y and Spanish Prisoners.  Originally from Columbia, five piece band Il Abanico (pictured) recently moved to Brooklyn after residing in LA for the past year. They released first EP “Crossing Colors” in February 2011, a colorful example of multifaceted and unusual indie pop – stream the single "Keep Calling" below". y/y has been playing their brand of ambient psychedelia throughout Brooklyn and will be touring down to Austin during SXSW. Their first album “Peel and Shudder” was released in December. – Amanda Dissinger

Philadelphia

What’s Droppin’ Today?

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There is a lot of great new local music droppin’ today! Off the top of our heads, grab Power Animal’s Exorcism HERE, and you’ll not only get some rad experimental pop tunes, but you’ll also be making the world a better place. Why? “For every $2 that you pay for this album, $1.50 will provide 3 meals for those in need through Philabundance while the other 50 cents will go toward funding future charitable projects with Human Kindness Overflowing.” That’s good stuff! Chiddy Bang’s long-awaited full-length album Breakfast is available a week early today via iTunes, which also is accompanied by a free new tune "Handclaps & Guitars" HERE. The Menzingers released their LP On The Impossible Past via big deal “indie” label Epitaph. Toy Soldiers also surprised their fans with a new self-released 3-song EP Tell the Teller HERE, a taste of what they’ve been working on with producer/engineer Bill Moriarty. Feel free to leave a comment about any other local albums coming out today that our readers should check out. Cheers!
 
 
 
 
Philadelphia

Shaking Through w/Strand of Oaks

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Check out below the February Episode of Weathervane Music & WXPN’s Shaking Through and its behind-the-scenes tech talk footage featuring gifted local singer-songwriter Strand of Oaks (a.k.a. Tim Showalter). The project was curated by Chris Ward (Pattern Is Movement, Johnny Brenda’s), who also joined Oaks along with Buried Beds‘ Eliza Jones for the recording of the track “Spacestations,” which you’ll find a sonic change in direction from Showalter’s past works with synths brought in to replace the usual strums of his guitar. The song was produced by Brian McTear and engineered by John Low at Miner Street Recordings. The video was produced by Peter English and edited by J. DeVirgilis. You can also take a listen to and download “Spacestations” for free HERE. Enjoy!

Shaking Through: Strand of Oaks from Weathervane Music

 

Shaking Through: Recording Strand of Oaks from Weathervane Music

Philadelphia

Dewey Decibel’s #BOOMBOXBOOKWORM Release Party at Silk City Feb. 21

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Dewey Decibel (a.k.a. Dewey Saunders) is a South Florida transplant who was “raised on surf and skateboard culture, inundated with hip hop and art throughout his younger years.” He recently released a dope ass mixtape #BOOMBOXBOOKWORM via Bold New Breed Records (which you can download for free HERE, and you really should) providing witty, laidback flow combined with hypnotic psychedelic production work from Eligh Gandalf of The Living Legends. Dewey Decibel will be celebrating his latest party-starter tonight at Silk City, and he has also assembled a fine lineup of rising hip hop artists in Wrecking Crew’s Has-Lo, Curly Castro, and Zilla Rocca. Add in the contributions of DJ PHSH, and you have a real throwdown for Fat Tuesday in Philly. Do this! Silk City, 435 Spring Garden St., 9pm, $5, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman
 

Chicago

Rites

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Rites is an electro-pop four piece band that recently announced their new line-up (see below). The band is working on the follow-up to last year’s debut ep, and planning to head to SXSW next month.

Their next local show will be on March 29th at Empty Bottle with Housse de Racket.

L.A.

FIDLAR is The Deli LA’s Best Emerging Artist of the Year

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Deli LA Readers, Our Best of LA 2011 Poll for Emerging Artists got dragged for way too long this year, but we finally got to the end of it. Here are the results of the overall chart, which gathers all the points assigned through local jury, writers, readers and open submissions. Thanks to all those who voted, we hope that you’ll find a couple of new all-time favorite artists in this list.

1. FIDLAR

They say that punk bands are in their prime when they’re still young, crass, and defiantly apathetic. So it makes sense that  FIDLAR isn’t really preoccupied at the moment with tax deductions or even college for that matter – their vicious garage anthems are all about existing in the now, being politically incorrect with a purpose and, you know, having some unabashed fun on a Friday night. (photo credit Alice Baxley)

2. ALLAH-LAS

Smoky garage rock is usually associated with San Francisco, greatly due to the communal kinship and prolific work ethic of bands such as the Fresh & Onlys, Sick Alps, and Thee Oh Sees. But go a little further south and you’ll discover the skuzzy, sun dappled sounds of Allah Las. Sculpted and retro-fitted from the perennial Nuggets compilation, the quartet does occasionally touch base with their sixties forbearers, but their delectable fuzzy nuggets invoke a cool, phlegmatic vibe that’s very much attuned with their home city.

3. VANAPRATSA

Vanaprasta knows exactly how to channel Los Angeles’ buzz into their music, which is as surprising as a walk in the city itself. Combining psychedelia and rock n’ roll, all five of the band members craft pieces of an intricate puzzle for the listener to put together.

 
Artist
J

W

F

OS

TOTAL
 
1
Fidlar
4
 
0.012
3
7.012
2
Allah-Las
6
 
0.006
 
6.006
icon
3
Vanaprasta
3
1
0.024
1
5.024
icon
4
Grouplove
3
2
0.006
 
5.006
icon
5
Sue Scrofa
1
 
3
1
5
icon
6
NO
3
1
0.01
 
4.01
icon
8
Stab City
2
 
2
 
4
icon
7
The King’s English
 
 
3
1
4
icon
9
Ross Sea Party
2
 
0.5
1
3.5
icon
10
Incan Abraham
3
 
0.055
 
3.055
icon
11
Hands
2
1
0.051
 
3.051
icon
12
The Present Moment
3
 
0.032
 
3.032
icon
13
J Irvin Dally
3
 
0.012
 
3.012
icon
14
Superhumanoids
3
 
0.011
 
3.011
icon
15
Belle Brigade
2
1
0.007
 
3.007
icon
 
Hanni El Khatib
2
1
0.007
 
3.007
icon
17
Manhattan Murder Mystery
3
 
0.007
 
3.007
icon
18
Dante vs. Zombies
3
 
0.004
 
3.004
icon
19
Makepeace Brothers
3
 
0.001
 
3.001
icon
20
Shining Twins
3
 
0
 
3
icon
21
The Dead Ships
 
1
1
1
3
icon
22
Yellow Red Sparks
 
 
1.5
1
2.5
icon
23
Death to Anders
2
 
0.05
 
2.05
icon
 
Sister Ruby Band
 
 
0.05
2
2.05
icon
25
Sabrosa Purr
2
 
0.037
 
2.037
icon
26
Octavius
2
 
0.016
 
2.016
icon
27
LA Font
 
 
0.007
2
2.007
icon
 
2 Hearts & Chemicals
2
 
0.006
 
2.006
icon
29
Chelsea Wolfe
 
2
0.005
 
2.005
icon
30
Saint Motel
1
1
0.005
 
2.005
icon
 
Evan Voyas
2
 
0.003
 
2.003
icon
32
Nite Jewel
2
 
0.003
 
2.003
icon
 
PAPA
2
 
0.002
 
2.002
icon
34
The White Buffalo
2
 
0.002
 
2.002
icon
35
Princeton
1
1
0.001
 
2.001
icon
36
Hi Ho Silver Ho
 
 
0.004
1.5
1.504
icon
 
Of Verona
 
 
0.002
1.25
1.252
icon
 
Toy Bombs
1
 
0.076
 
1.076
icon
 
Tennis System
1
 
0.051
 
1.051
icon
40
Bixby Knolls
1
 
0.046
 
1.046
icon
41
Chasing Kings
1
 
0.031
 
1.031
icon
42
The Californian
1
 
0.031
 
1.031
icon
43
Electric Flower
1
 
0.03
 
1.03