Singer/songwriter Ben Chase might be the Devendra Banhart of Brooklyn fried soul. Like Banhart, his folk revival group Bird Dog expresses the undercurrents of Americana soul told through an urbanite’s eyes and unique experiences.

While his gritty voice has the ability to chop up lines like a rusty nail, Chase’s matter-of-fact storytelling on songs like ‘Lost Teeth’ (streaming) and ‘Hard Luck Kids,’ belies the Brooklyn singer’s imaginative imagery and warm spirit. With lyrics like ‘I fell into a feeling I can’t explain’ from his just-released ‘River’ EP, it’s hard to think he’s quite as rugged as his last (and louder) release ‘Cabin’ conveyed. But their mix of salt-of-the-earth truth and idealistic romance will make Brooklyners feel at home on the range.

See the band perform when they play Spike Hill on Sun, July 15th with Lynette Williams. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets) – This artist submitted their CD for review here.

Ever want to make chicken schnitzel, but you’re having trouble finding the right music to accompany the recipe? Well… look no further. The Sanctuaries have the perfect blend of indie songwriting charm and culinary know-how to ensure the perfect meal every time.

For the band’s latest EP ‘Not Guilty,’ they’ve included two instructional videos to accompany singles ‘Judgin’ You Is Easy’ and the title track ‘Not Guilty’ (video below). The tracks show off an odd juxtaposition between boyish charm and schoolyard taunts, especially when set to meal preparation visuals.

“Judgin’ you is easy because you’re easy, you were put here just to please me… ” Not the kind of lyrics you usually expect from someone with as sweet a voice as David Stern, but it only helps season the meal to the right temperature. The band’s new EP also includes some fantastically unexpected remixes by Bedouin Tea City Center and Erik Gundel.

Check out their videos below and see the band when when they at Big Snow Buffalo Lodge on August 1st. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Not Guilty Pt. II from The Sanctuaries on Vimeo.

Admittedly, these four Long Island lads got a little more mature in their approach over the years. They gained confidence, their sound became clearer, more complex, stepping away from the jam-like confusion of their first two records, but still…there’s a certain irony to the name For Serious This Time. Sure, the structures are more elaborate, but serious? They don’t really do serious. No more random ‘stop&starts’ though: now the drums are beating continuously, instead throwing in casual breakdowns, syncopation and rhythmic shifts; the guitar is drifting around carelessly, tickling the tracks with a free-flowing melody, only sketching hints of a hook here and there; at times two voices clash, interrupt one another. That’s ‘Weird Life’ for you, their latest EP to date (released in 2011), a skippy indie-rock six-track record, less erratic than the last, with still something of a punk attitude. Only just getting off the roads, the band ended their summer tour at a fun friendly BYOB bash in East Northport last night- now that’s over, time for some new sounds. For serious this time, yeah? – Tracy Mamoun

Black Marble have taken us into some intensely abstract places in the past (especially in their previous incarnation as Team Robespierre), but with latest single ‘A Great Divide,’ they’ve decided to ratchet things down a notch. Perhaps it’s just the heat talking, but the band has seemed to relax a bit. This is a good thing, because they otherwise have a knack for keeping the tension tight. The drums and bass have decided to lay back… giving duo Chris Stewart and Ty Kube a chance to pour their guts out all over their washy sea of nord and korgs without interruption. Don’t worry though, if anything the dance party has exploded even more sharply over the material.

Their debut LP ‘A Different Arrangement’ (to be released October 9) is expected to continue this trend away from doom and gloom. We shall see. Check Black Marble out this Saturday at Big Snow with Honeydrum and Black Jeans. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)