Photo Source: Ryan Douglas Ohlemeier

Winnebago are headlining at the High Dive on the last day of the month, Sunday, September 30th. On board the bill are Animal Eyes, Fanno Creek, and Xylophones.

Their first EP Early Morning, released in July of this year, eagerly occupies a vanishing space inbetween the vacancy of night and dawn. The songs are melodic and nuanced, turning rock music into an enigmatic entity.

"What Have You," flows along effortlessly, aided by the drummer’s rhythms which accentuate the guitar lines time and again. Imagine a brainchild of American Football and Broken Social Scene, thematically moving from nostalgia to wonder and mystery.

On the second track "Health Club," a simple but effective tom groove guides the ship while accompanying guitar and vocals come in splashes. "Figure It," is perhaps the catchiest and most uptempo song on the EP. It is the subtle points of emphasis the singer achieves with his voice that makes the track increasingly memorable.

For intelligent and varied indie rock, check out Winnebago on record and live at the High Dive on the 30th of September. Doors are at 8pm; tickets cost $6. Stream "Health Club" below and visit their bandcamp page to hear the whole EP – as well as an even newer song called "Young Hunger."

– Cameron LaFlam

Something about Slothrust suggests a taste for destruction, starting with their record’s desolated cover art and ending in the systematic perversion of anything comforting. The most linear of their tracks are likely to collapse into noise, as well as any pattern is to break down. Tied together by dragged-out blues and a refined taste for gravelly guitar and bass, this female-led three piece based in Brooklyn benifits from a jazz/blues formation, and masters with amazing ease the art of keeping the audience hanging to a chord. Most obvious when they prolong instrumental sections, or casually pull in and out of a frenzy as they’ll do on the folk-coated ‘7:30′, they’ve got a clear sense of their instruments’ strengths, and how to make the best use of their textures. Surely one the most creative & refreshing acts to take a stab at grunge over here. – Tracy Mamoun

Two months from now, two of Brooklyn’s marginal punk-driven acts will be setting off for a joint series of 24 shows from NY to the West Coast, concluding in Pennsylvania right before Christmas. O’Death, who recently released a new album ‘Outside’ (Ernest Jenning Records), is an alt-country seven piece, which for a fresh take on bluegrass/folk sounds, sends fusing through its circuits the respective momentums of punk and metal.

The World/Inferno Friendship Society, i.e one of those bands whose name it may take a while to remember, work the other way round. Essentially a punk outfit, they tie into their music elements of klezmer (Eastern European Jewish folk), adding a festive touch to their indignated tales of women and politics. Whilst on the roads, they’ll be promoting the upcoming release (announced for this winter) of their new single, which comes with its own Turnstile Comix edition. Kicking off on November 23rd at Amityville’s Ollie’s Point, the tour will end on December 22nd at Lancaster, PA’s Chameleon. Streaming below, O’Death’s latest music video for their song ‘Black Dress‘.

Freelance Whales could be described as one of the more "easy listening" bands produced by the NYC scene in the new millennium. Still, their complex and inventive sound is a perfect example of what makes the NYC scene so special, i.e. a concentration of musicians who are here to push the creative envelope.

After a first album that gave them international fame in 2008, the Whales are announcing a new full length for the fall, entitled "Diluvia". The band is also going on a US tour in October, and will return to NYC on November 1st for a show at Webster Hall.

Fans can download a free song from the upcoming album here, and stream 2 of them here.

Brooklyn band Zula takes indie electronic pop to new eerie directions with ‘Make Contact’, a single they recently released, which serves as a preview for a full length scheduled for the end of 2012. A loop of voices in the background, reminiscent of the ending one on The Beatles’ "A Day In The Life," pulls the listener into a trance-like state as the beat falls into place, and other subdued textures and melodies slowly move in. Delving into underlying feelings and suggestions, and toying with unusual musical ideas, Zula updates the existential art rock of Radiohead’s "Kid A" era for the DIY generation. See them live at Delinquency on September 28 with Tony Castles, Backwards, and Ancient Sky. – Christine Cauthen

Brooklyn, NY sextet Azi Nizi Maza rolls out a diverse swirl of R&B, indie rock, and new wave on their six-track excursion THANK YOU FOR COMING. Consisting of bass, drums, keys, trumpet, guitar and female vocals, this eclectic unit creates a smorgasbord of sound channeling classic soul, swinging funk, surf rock frivolity, and catchy grooves led by a captivating chanteuse-like figure bedazzling ears with daring post-punk energy. Showcasing a forward-thinking musical acumen that allows the band to make seamless dynamic shifts and atmospheric switches while top-notch songwriting reveals an advanced comprehension of psychedelic hard rock and free-form jazz, Azi Nizi Maza has created a blend of unique and intriguing tunes perfect for adventurous ears to fawn over. – MikeSOS