Almost ten years after its formation, LA-based folk-pop quartet Lavender Diamond is sharing a new dose of its heartfelt romanticism so volatile and stripped-down it misses tacky-candy by a mile, carried by the lovely Becky Stark and her caresse of a soothing voice that’ll take you right into a colourful field of dreams. With this new album Incorruptible Heart (an excerpt from which is available to stream below) about to be released (announced for September 25th), before heading to NYC for a Mercury Lounge show, the band will be playing a few gigs on the LA circuit, including a residency at one of its most famous venues. During the month of September, Lavender Diamond serves its sweet lullabies drenched in dark folky undertones to The Echo‘s audience, every Monday starting on the 10th.
Freeway Signs to Babygrande Records
Congrats to local rhymesayer and bearded wonder Freeway who recently signed with Babygrande Records! His long-awaited album Diamond In The Ruff will be released on November 13, and will feature production work by Jake One, Needlez and Bink! as well as guest appearances from Wale, Styles P, Marsha Ambrosius, Musiq Soulchild, and more. Cheers!
Get More: RapFix Live, Full Episodes
A Deli Premiere: Bird Call – “Miracle Man”
An artist usually known for Bossanova influenced piano-based tunes, Bird Call has now cast her spirit in an entirely new direction. Returning after a year spent exploring how artists on other planets approach music making, singer Chiara Angelicola is returning this fall with a new full-length to match this new orientation, in ‘Will we Get to Mars?”
Apparently this record was titled before Mars Curiosity touched down on the red planet earlier this week. But no matter, according to Chiara, the new record is “not about the landscape, it’s about the emotion you’re trying to get across in the song.” Nevertheless, the new landscape couldn’t be more exciting. The video from the first single ‘Miracle Man’ (streaming below) finds the singer cast as the shamanic vision of exotic dancers and cosmic hallucinations, backed by hand percussion and droning synths courtesy of producer Bryan Senti. The new direction might take you away from the world, but the emotion will pull you inwards. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)
Jaggery Announce New EP
Some things in this world are simply too beautiful and unique to invite comparison. You may be thinking of your first love, the passing of a comet, deep-fried Oreos or Britney Spears, but let me point you in the direction of Jaggery, a Boston-based musical ensemble that blurs the boundaries between genres and takes its audience on a happily delirious, and wholly unpredictable, jaunt through them all.
On November 13th Jaggery will release their latest EP “Private Violence” which was inspired by Truman Capote’s profile of notorious murderer Perry Smith in his book "In Cold Blood." Vocalist and songwriter Singer Mali puts herself in the bloody shoes of “someone who did something terrible,” weaving together songs of abuse, confusion and hopelessness in a world that doesn’t forgive mistakes. These feelings are fleshed out with art rock’s most innovative and riveting instrumentation, augmenting Mali’s soaring voice and haunting piano with delicate harp, polyrhythmic West African-inspired percussion, prepared upright bass and a viola’s rich tenor and glissando. Together they redefine modern art-rock music, shifting effortlessly from hard-boiled jazz ballads to old-world folk refrains and tortured chamber music propelled by driving drum rhythms.
Check out teaser track “No Sympathy” streaming below for a deliciously greasy preview of the killer tunes (pun definitely intended) to come! A CD release party is in the works for Boston, and a miniature tour of the Northeast will follow, so stay tuned to their website for details. If there is one show to see this year, my money is on this one. Don’t miss out! – Dean Shakked
Mirror Travel Epitomize the Austin Music Scene
Bands often reflect their environment. So far, Austin has been defined very heavily by its Psychedelic garage rock scene, but this has never completely captured the Texan Capitol. Austin’s old college-town feel still lingers here, despite the immensely huge and annoying immigration of people from L.A., NYC, and, well, everywhere (except Baltimore. Those guys are staying put it seems. What’s Baltimore doing right I wonder?), and no band seems to be filling that void.
Mirror Travel (formerly Follow That Bird) is coming straight out of that old Austin ethos. The music is simultaneously relaxing and powerful, giving us an intelligent spin on indie rock. Lauren Green’s ethereal vocal melodies are matched perfectly with the solid rhythm section. Mirror Travel seems to always know where a song should go. So, if you want to know what Austin sounds like, don’t move here, just listen to Mirror Travel. Seriously, don’t move here. There are cancer bats. – Taylor Browne
Alameda Celebrate the Release of their Second Album at Someday Lounge 9.1
If Alameda hasn’t already won you over with their soft-spoken singing and moving crescendos, then now could not be a better time to check them out. Their second album, Procession, is set to be released on September 15th and with it the band is revealing the next step in their musical progression. The album overflows with emotion, which is expressed as much by the moments of minimal guitar melodies, as it by the cascades of strings and brass that add the power of an orchestra to Alameda’s folk ballads. The delicate balance between these two sides of Alameda is what makes the album so effective in its presentation and so moving. Alameda is celebrating the release of Procession at Someday Lounge on Saturday, September 1st with Ezza Rose and Hip Hatchet. You don’t want to miss this one. –Benjamin Toledo
Algernon Cadwallader Is “Officially Laid to Rest”
Treasure Fleet “Nitsa”
Treasure Fleet have released the first single, "Nitsa", from their forthcoming full-length, Future Ways through Recess Records. The near supergroup features members from The Arrivals, Smoking Popes, The Lawrence Arms and more. This is will be the band’s second album this year, but Future Ways was original planned to be debut.
You can catch Treasure Fleet at Township on October 5th.
SF’s Weekend moves to Brooklyn, plays Cameo on 09.25
Oakland-based doom rockers Weekend have decided to become…. no longer Oakland based. The trio will be abandoning their hipster wasteland satellite metropolis for the mothership. That’s right, Weekend are moving to Brooklyn!! Washing up on a wave of reverb and distortion, Weekend will take a break from craigslist furniture searchings to make their East Coast Society debut at Cameo Gallery on Tuesday, September 25th. Also taking the stage will be Woodsman (see post below) and Eraas (currently on our Artist of the Month Poll).
Woodsman releases casset single in October + plays Cake Shop on 09.14
Brooklyn transplants from the mile high city, Woodsman, are releasing new cassingle (that’s right … a cassette single) "All Tangled Up" on October 9th. Recorded during sessions for their upcoming 3rd LP, "All Tangled Up" is a droney instrumental with oriental sounding guitar ornaments. Denver roots shine through the twinkly waves, grounding the title track with some earthiness. Don’t miss the spacey, floaty, ambient goodness of the cassingle’s A-side, streaming below. Can’t get enough Woodsman? You’re in luck; the four-piece will be embarking on a September tour in support of the release, including 2 NYC dates – the first one is at Cake Shop on September 14. – Corinne Bagish
Deli sponsored Hip Hop show at Paper Box on 09.07 with Metermaids, Deathrow Tull, PremRock and Willie Green
The independent Hip Hop scene in New York City is a dynamic and competitive array of artists striving to establish themselves as your new favorite headphone haven. The best way to experience these acts, however, is of course to see them on stage in full swagger and bravado. On Friday September 7th, the Tiger Stylez Party at Paper Box in Bushwick will deliver some of the best and the brightest emerging local hip hoppers The Deli has encountered in the past few years. As if the aural excitement weren’t enough, there will be a smattering of world-class street artists adding color to canvas while the rap groups bring the house down. From Strange Famous Records’ Metermaids (pictured + streaming) to Brooklyn Sweat-fest Deathrow Tull to the Lyrical Boom-baptivism of PremRock and Willie Green, this show is perfect for seasoned indie rap aficionados as well as the curious and uninitiated.
Artists on Trial: The Quivers
(Photo by Todd Zimmer)
The Quivers are one of the hardest working bands in Kansas City. Having only been together for over a year, they’ve released 2 EPs with plans for a full-length next year. They bring high energy to their live shows and a Motown flavor that most original bands in Kansas City lack. Our editor Michelle got to sit down with The Quivers while they were getting ready to release their latest EP Gots To Have It! and got to listen to their answers to Zach’s questions in this week’s Artists on Trial. Find out what secrets we were able to uncover below.
The Deli: Gun to your head, 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?
The Quivers: Take my wallet, take my watch…please don’t kill me.
The Deli: Tell us about your latest release or upcoming shows. What can we expect?
The Quivers: We have just released out second EP, Gots To Have It!. (See our review of the album here!) We’ll also be headlining Greaserama on Sunday, September 2. There is this show that we are excited to go see, The Deli’s Music Showcase on November 9. We aren’t playing, but we’ll be there.
The Deli: What does "supporting local music" mean to you?
The Quivers: We live it. We love it. We love all our friends’ bands.
The Deli: Who are your favorite "local" musicians right now?
The Quivers: We love all our friends’ bands and Big Joe Turner.
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?
The Quivers: Thee Oh Sees, Tom Jones, Public Enemy, My Life With the Thrill Kill Cult.
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
The Quivers: Yes.
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?
The Quivers: Abe Haddad, Terra Peal, Bernie Dugan, and Todd Grantham. Because we are THE FUCKING QUIVERS!
The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?
The Quivers: www.facebook.com/thequiversband
www.reverbnation.com/thequiverskc
www.cdbaby.com/Artist/TheQuivers1
itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-quivers/id338441795
The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for The Deli audience?
The Quivers: When eating onion rings, don’t settle for something that came off the back of a Sysco truck.
If they’re not too busy eating onion rings, The Quivers will be headlining Greaserama on Sunday, September 2 at 7:00 pm at Boulevard Drive-in Theatre. They’ll also be playing at Davey’s Uptown on Friday, September 14 with Deco Auto and Urges from Elsewhere (Minneapolis).
–Zach Hodson
| Zach is a lifetime Kansas City resident who plays multiple instruments and sings in Dolls on Fire and Drew Black and Dirty Electric, as well as contributing to many other Kansas City music, art, and comedy projects. He is very fond of edamame, treats his cat Wiley better than he treats himself, and doesn’t want to see pictures of your newborn child (seriously, it looks like a potato). |