Nashville

Parachute Musical’s Josh Foster Goin’ Solo

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In his premiere post-Parachute Musical performance, Josh Foster took the stage as a solo artist last Tuesday at 3rd & Lindsley. After spending the past seven years as the lead songwriter and singer of Parachute Musical, the band’s recent breakup has left the artist with full creative control of his new venture. "I’ve always liked the fellowship of a band so that’s just how it’s always been. Nowadays, even though I’m playing with a band, I’m striking out on my own in the sense that the majority of the decision- making process lies on my shoulders. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s definitely different."

Fans of Parachute Musical will recognize the stripped and undiluted lyrical style of the singer’s new music, but songs like "Tired Of This Motel" are a departure from anything they’ve heard before. Foster has taken an obvious step away from writing songs based on his past and seems to be moving toward singing about his present, focusing less on regret and hindsight and more on things like love and burning motels to the ground.

Josh Foster’s career has closely documented his personal life, from addiction to disappointment to the birth of a child, but the musician seems to be taking his most recent transition in stride. "A lot of people would probably call me a hobbyist since I don’t make a solid living playing music, but I consider myself [a musician]. I’ve paid a lot of dues, toured everywhere, slept on floors forever, lived out of a shitty van that I miss terribly these days. I don’t know when you cross the threshold of hobbyist to musician, but it feels like I’m there… just still paying dues, I guess. I’m having fun, though." – Brianne Turner

NYC

Starlight Girls release EP and music video + play Cake Shop on 04.14

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Starlight Girls (Deli Band of the Month in early 2011 and #19 in our Best of NYC Emerging Artist 2011 poll) intrigued us last year with the beautifully retro-pop gem Gossip, but they managed to take things to a new, exciting level in this stunning video of "Flutterby", a chamber pop mid tempo tune echoing still those beloved retro-loungey atmospheres, but in classier and sexier ways. One of the best video/song combo we sa this year. The band just released their debut EP (download it for free on bandcamp), and see them at Cake Shop on April 14.

NYC

Food Will Win the War plays Mercury on 04.21

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Food Will Win the War’s music sounds like it was taken from frontman Rob Ward’s journal. The band’s album, "A False Sense of Warmth," showcases the band’s trademark Americana sound, a modern folk-laced (semi-colonial at times) bazaar celebrated in large, open fields, where thousands imaginary people sit at long wooden tables, eating corn, bread, and venison. Beer flows into enormous copper jars and glasses. You can see Food Will Win the War live on Saturday, April 21st at Mercury Lounge. by Matthew Donahue – – (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.

Philadelphia

New Video: “Teller the Teller” (Promo Video) – Toy Soldiers

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Toy Soldiers just posted a video with footage from their most recent tour where the band’s van died in New Orleans. The video features their new track “Tell the Teller,” and is a promo for their show on Saturday, June 16th at World Café Live, which will have “a bunch of special guest performers, an exclusive single to be released at the show, and they will be using the show proceeds to kickstart funding into a new touring vehicle and finishing their new full-length record they started working on earlier this year with Philly record-making mastermind, Bill Moriarty.” It was filmed and edited by Seth Klinger.

Philadelphia

New Music Video: “Watch Out” – City Rain

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Electro dance rock duo City Rain just premiered a new music video today via The Key for “Watch Out,” the title track from their forthcoming EP that will be released on April 17. The video was directed by Tom Quigley and filmed on location at Hong Kong Garden. They’ll be performing this evening at North Star Bar for an all ages show. You can view the video below.

NYC

Doveman plays Le Poison Rouge on 04.13 with guests

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It’ not easy to be a quiet guy in this age of white noise, in particular here in NYC. But when this guy (namely, Doveman‘s Thomas Bartlett) is able to transform into fine musical poetry even the original soundtrack of 80’s flick Footloose, it means that he’s up to the challenge (in 2008 – asked by childhood friend Gabriel Greenberg – Doveman released a cover album of the dancey blockbuster, listen to it streaming below and read about it here).

An artist of few notes (mostly piano ones), Doveman has numerous fans in the community of established NYC musicians, who gladly join Bartlett on stage as guests during the monthly "Burgundy Stain Sessions" residency at Le Poisson Rouge he started in 2011: on Friday April 13 these will include Aaron Dessner and Bryan Devendorf (of The National), Julia Stone (of Angus and Julia Stone), Chocolate Genius (Marc Anthony Thompson), and Trixie Whitley. Past guests include Norah Jones, Annie Clark, Beth Orton, Laurie Anderson among others.

NYC

The Click Clack Boom’s new video for Elle Deadsex

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The Click Clack Boom is one of those rare to find bands that – like good wine – slowly gets better with the years. These guys were already an Alt Rock NYC powerhouse back in 2009, when they played our Best of NYC Fest, but since then their music has veered in a wilder direction, which warms our punky hearts. Check out this lo budget video of their new single Elle Deadsex – but, mostly, focus on the song: a concise, tense and unforgiving punk-rock gem. This is how rockn’nroll is supposed to be. See them at The Mercury Lounge on May 2.

Philadelphia

Dangerous Ponies Homecoming at PhilaMOCA April 12

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The colorful crew of Dangerous Ponies has been on the road for their spring tour spreading some serious good vibes – I’m sure. Well, tonight will be their homecoming at what seems to be one of their favorite venues in Philly these days, PhilaMOCA. I’m expecting a tight, high-energy set with plenty of friends and fans ready to get loose and party down. DRGN King will certainly lend a helpful hand in getting the crowd pumped up. They will also be playing hosts to NYC’s Lara Stevenson & the Cans and Piscataway’s Green Paper. The old Mad Decent mausoleum is about to get pretty lively this evening! PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 7:30pm, $7 – $10, All Ages (Photo by Alex Cramer) – H.M. Kauffman

San Francisco

Free Music from Oakland Label West In Dust

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Oakland’s experimental electronic movement is gaining national attention, helped hugely by West in Dust founders Dave Reep (Elephant & Castle) and Glenn Jackson (James & Evander). Get a feel for the label’s futuristic underground sounds on its new compilation, available for free download or stream below, featuring both local and international artists. In the coming month, expect an EP of new material from Placeholder and a debut from Medla

Catch key members of this growing scene Yalls, Glenn Jackson and Some Ember at a free show tonight in Oakland at Era Art Bar Lounge.

Track list below with local artists in bold:

01 Ra Cailum “わかりません"
02 Hugo Frederick “Limber”
03 Placeholder “Pot Pan”
04 Gardland “Jaws”
05 Benefits “Souse”
06 Xavier León “Who Did I Break”
07 Medla “Ruhl”
08 Rekchampa and Morning High “Thoughts About the Inbox”
09 Different Sleep “Deep Inside Us”
10 Yalls “Outerbanks”
11 Rave Deep “Step Right”
12 Glenn Jackson “Fell”
13 Colo “You’re Mine”
14 Elephant & Castle and shortcircles “All I Can Say"

–Whitney Phaneuf

NYC

Rarechild releases 1 single per month + plays Fireproofs on April 14

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Rarechild, one of the most intriguing emerging NYC electronic bands, has been releasing a song a month since January, and will continue throughout the year. The most recent track, called "Salty" and streaming below, showcases a group that shies away from current trends and prefers to find inspiration in the brainy melodies and lyrics of early Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel, while re-elaborating them in a minimalistic, all-electronic way. See them live at Brooklyn Fireproof on Saturday April 14 ith Psychobuildings.