Philadelphia

The Deli Philly’s Choice/Cuts: Lushlife – “Meridian Sounds (Part Three)”

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We’re back with the second half of July’s Choice/Cuts episode featuring South Philly emcee/producer extraordinaire Lushlife (a.k.a. Raj Haldar). This one is extra special because it is the first time he will be using a theremin that he received from the innovative and good folks at Moog. We are honored to be able to capture this moment and share it with you. Check out Lushlife performing “Meridian Sounds (Part III)” with his rad, brand new theremin! Special thanks again to the HotBox Studios crew.

You can catch him live this Thursday at MilkBoy Philly when he opens for R&B hip hop duo and Shabazz Palaces collaborators THEESatisfaction.

Philadelphia

Get Moved by On the Water at PhilaMOCA July 25

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As far as the folky side of the music spectrum goes, On the Water is easily one of my favorite bands in Philly. Their songs have that beautiful dichotomy and balance of shadow and light, sorrow and joy, which captivates minds and stirs emotions. Wanna be moved and excited about music again? Soak it all in at PhilaMOCA tonight before they hit the road for a month-long tour. On the Water will be opening for Boston’s Mornin’ Old Sport. You can thank me later. PhilaMOCA, 541 12th St., 8pm, $7 – $10, 21+ – Alexis V.

Portland

Wax Fingers release new EP ‘Tender’

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Much-anticipated follow-up to a 2010 critically acclaimed debut, Wax Fingers‘  first EP ‘Tender‘ (released yesterday) is a beautiful example of skillful orchestration. Adding new synthetic sounds to their guitar combinations, modulating textures into waves, skipping at ease from minimalistic segments to heavier freakouts, the band found a way to dissimulate the complexity of their compositions in an uncluttered, somewhat harmonious ensemble. Prog-rock with a pop edge. Deliciously surprising at every turn, each of the four tracks maintains a structural integrity that prevents the whole from ever being unhinging. As if perceived from the depths of a psychedelic venture, Pete Bosack’s voice echoes in the distance, inviting one into a playful field of instrumental experimentation where many parts can interact without turning into nonsense, or cacophony. Tracy Mamoun

NYC

On The Beat with Sergio Moreno

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This week, we turn the tables on the creator of On The Beat, Sergio Moreno. Find out about his various projects (including The Hillary Watts Riot and Alacartoona), as well as other things he’s involved with, and see how he feels being in the hot seat for once. Catch the beat at the link here!

On The Beat is typically brought to you by Sergio Moreno, but has been overtaken this week by drummer and The Deli – Kansas City editor-in-chief Michelle Bacon. This weekly interview features some of the many talented drummers in the area.

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Portland

Tuesday Night Pop Fun at Backspace with C.C. Swim 7.31

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C.C. Swim write infectious pop songs that could inspire a dance party in the middle of a DMV (music video idea; think about it guys…). Their latest release, Shapes Take Sizes, is an 8 track album of pure feel-good energy, complete with synthesizer tones straight out of the 1980’s. Songs on the release range from electro-pop anthems to indie pop gems that can generate smiles from indie kids across the board. The band is playing Portland’s best all ages venue, Backspace, on July 31st with Fringe Class and Fear of Lights. Dance party on a Tuesday night? Hell yeah. –Benjamin Toledo

Portland

Stay Calm play Holocene 8.2

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Emerging about year ago from the collaborative work of Claudia Meza, Zac Pennington and Joe Kelly, former members of very different Portland bands (follow the links!), Stay Calm drew from a variety of backgrounds a rich catchy cocktail of influences, resulting in a sound that is fairly hard to label.

Now featuring two new members alongside Meza, joined by Pennington and Seattle composer Jherek Bischoff on the synth (who also took charge of the mixing and recording tasks), the trio released on July 9th a new set of two 80s-infused tracks, ‘Fall In Love/Break Up‘, that effectively define the new width of their musical spectrum, but just as important, its coherence. Squeezing into those songs multiple layers and hooks, they juxtapose here a bit of ambient with distinct orchestral harmonies, there a roll of krautrock beats, in the back some dense waves of psychedelia, topped off by a voice insistantly reverberated and a certain punk nonchalance. And that’s only a start. Check them out at Holocene on August 2nd. –Tracy Mamoun

Austin

Austin natives Wild Child line up 3 Texas Shows for August

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 Rarely do you find two singers whose voices complement each other like those of Alexander Beggins and Kelsey Wilson. I could now write a rambling list of metaphors comparing their vocals in Wild Child to about 1500 other things that go well together, but I could also not do that. No metaphors needed, listen to one of their tracks and you will get exactly what I’m talking about. Voices like those backed by some of the folkiest indie rock or indiest folk rock (can’t quite figure it out) around are worth checking out on August 8th at Zilker Park (w/ The Eastern Sea), August 10th at The Black Heart (w/ Shakey Graves) or trucking it over to Houston on the 17th (w/ New York City Queens and Sour Notes) for.

Chicago

Cross Record “Be Good”

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Emily Cross may have relocated to Maine last year, but is still holding strong to her Chicago ties. As Cross Record, Emily creates music that complex, haunting, and so beautiful. She just released a video from the track "Cups in the Sink" which comes from her new album Be Good which will be released by Lay Flat next month.

Portland

The North Wind to release new EP ‘Mirror Lake’

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People often criticize the post-rock genre for being overly emotional and too simple compositionally; I would have these critics turn their ears to The North Wind. The instrumental quatuor creates energetic and musically complex songs that still maintain a certain pop appeal that many other bands in the genre lack. Rather than being moody or overdramatic their music is fun and will have you dancing at their show instead of swaying in place and zoning out. The North Wind will release their latest EP, Mirror Lake, on September 1st but you can preview it through five tracks available on Bandcamp right now. Stay tuned for info on a release show, which should be announced in the coming weeks. –Benjamin Toledo

Philadelphia

Free Download: “And The Birds” – Light Heat

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Before Philly became the thriving indie music scene that it is today, we still had artists treading their way through the rough seas of the music industry. One of those fine acts was Mazarin, the moniker used by Quentin Stolzfus. It’s certainly been a while since we’ve heard from him though he was still keeping himself busy behind the scenes. Well, Stolzfus recently shared a new track called “And The Birds” from his latest project Light Heat, which received help from some of The Walkmen at Alec Ounsworth’s studio in Conshohocken. You can check out the song, and download it for free below. There should be more material coming from Light Heat in the fall. Special thanks to Philebrity for bringing it to our attention. (Photo by Jen Knee)

L.A.

Mad Planet’s new album creates a hypnotizing future

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After four months of working with producer Ethan Allen, Mad Planet will release its sophomore album entitled "Ghost Notes" on August 28th. The nine-track album was recorded in three different studios, which include Royal Triton and Red Star Recording in Silver Lake and Hicksville Trailer Palace in Joshua Tree. The band has crafted an album that can be most easily described as a sonic boom. The first single, ‘Pieces of You,’ demonstrates a fine-tuned approach where songs start off low and soft and then burst with dark and heavy tones, while vocalist Cooper Gillespie keeps the sound elegant with her airy singing.

Other tracks like ‘Inside Outburst’ and ‘I Want You’ show the softer side of the band. Even though the overall tone is still a bit dark and cold, the emotions are rich and enchanting. Both songs incorporate catchy melodies and captivating beats. The ’80s influence is evident in the sharp and mystifying synth notes, but there is something very futuristic in the music of Mad Planet. Underneath a strong sense of control, lay jittery emotions that signal to some type of sea change. It is hard to tell what that change will be, but all the matters is the exploration through the sonic landscape. The band will be playing a show on Wednesday at the Writer’s Room in Hollywood and they will celebrate the release of the album on August 28th at the Satellite. – Karla Hernández

 

NYC

We Are The Woods announces new album

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NYC’s We Are The Woods (not to be confused with Brooklyn’s band Woods) will release a new album this October. Their previous release was a Deli Record of the Month in 2011. Entitled “Whales & Roses,” the new album features the band’s signature vocal harmonies courtesy of singers Jessie Murphy and Marcia Webb. The vocal duo is accompanied by the band’s ornate instrumentation, which includes, among others, acoustic guitars, strings, flutes and tubas. We Are The Woods will hit NYC this fall at the Rockwood Music Hall September 5th and at the Living Room September 30th. Check out the title track to the upcoming album streaming below. – Read a recent Deli interview with the band here.