Photo Source: Naomi Punk

Naomi Punk are joining several bands at the Cairo Gallery this Friday, August 17th before blasting off on their first full U.S. tour. On the bill with them are M. Women and Black Hat.

The three piece dwell in a sonic realm of jarring, angular rhythms, thick punkish riffs, and well-timed, mantra-like vocal melodies. With members hailing from Olympia and Seattle, Naomi Punk has played countless shows across the northwest over the last several years, including a recent showcase at the local radio station KEXP. Their most recent release The Feeling came out this past April; their other album is the eponymous Naomi Punk which debuted in 2009.

The Feeling is a storybook example of an album that is greater than the sum of its parts. Over the course of its approximate thirty five minute lifespan, it creates a feeling of suspense and mystery for the listener; song to song they connect like an elliptical orbit, passing through familiar grounds and picking up the essential nodes, then moving forth to forge new images and memories. 

Their mixture of punk and grunge is unique in its stalwart decision to shy away from break-neck speeds. Every note and beat are in tremendous sync; you feel the weight of each syllable and riff as if every second prior to that contributes to the present impact.

These songs are interupted – or rather, conjoined by – shorter instrumental pieces which convey more of this feeling, whatever ineffable feeling that may be. Tracks like "CLS + Death Junket" and "Eon of Love" feel evocative and pure alongside their noisy counterparts, which are no less emotional. This album is anything but cold, anything but sterile or vacant.

Naomi Punk play at Cairo on the 17th of August with an 8pm start time. All-Ages. Listen to the record’s closing track "The Buzz" below and make sure to stream the entire thing at their bandcamp. It is available for purchase through Couple Skate Records on vinyl.

– Cameron LaFlam

Darlings have been entertaining Brooklyn crowds for quite a few years now with their musical philosophy asserting that the best ingredients for fun are uptempo drums, plain distorted guitar chords, and most importantly simple, catchy melodies. The band remains faithful to its credo in the new 7" of "Pet the Ghost" (streaming below) which will be released today (August 10) with a show at Glasslands with like-minded lo-fi local heroes The Sundelles.

A long time ago, the founding members of Motive were shredding through jazzlead sheets and getting carted across the U.S. and Europe to showcase their young talent. Nowadays, Motive populates a different scene. Erupting from a Clinton Hill practice space onto stages and club circuits around the city, the band is taking NYC – and the internet – by storm. In the dawn of a quintessential political election, their song “Nobody Eats Dinner” was synced to clips of Mitt Romney at his worst. This video went viral and with it, Motive. Their music is masterfully layered and meticulously produced. With a new age, larger than life sound that slowly seeps into your brain, it’s hard not to hum the enchanting hook of “What’s So Bad” (streaming below) right before drifting into a rock and roll daydream. See the band at Pianos on August 18. – Read Ed Guardaro interview with the band here.

Avan Lava, as a whole, is a mind-blowing spectacle that takes time to behold. The band is a mix of seasoned pros and otherwise unknown underground talent. Ian Pai and Le Chev of Fischerspooner theorized this upbeat hard hitting disco-rock side project while on tour in Brazil four years ago. Since then the band has grown, but Avan Lava is really a troupe. Their live shows feature fantastic displays of laser lights, dance numbers and costumes unparalleled in an other wise too-cool-for-school indie music scene. They sought to remove themselves from the chilled out ambient norm, and erupt onto the indie music circuit with high-energy tracks that get people off the wall and back onto the dance floor. Avan Lava does not create generic four-on-the-floor dance tracks, their music is intricate and intense, but easy to listen to, and most of all fun. Their ear-tickling EP “Flex Fantasy” is available for free online. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s interview with the band here.