Curly Castro just premiered a smooth, new 420-friendly track called "My Beloved" (featuring Open Mike Eagle and produced by Ricky Radio) via Passion of the Weiss. It’s the first single from his forthcoming album Fidel, which will be released by Man Bites Dog Records on February 19. Well, look it what time it is – enjoy!
NYC
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On The Beat with Josh Enyart
(Photo by Jorge Arana)
Josh Enyart has played with some of the most eclectic bands in Kansas City, and isn’t afraid to tackle any genre of music. From his work as a former member of chaotic dance rock outfit Pixel Panda to the heavy rock styles of Maps for Travelers, to his current work in the jazzy and heavy rock bands Jorge Arana Trio and Various Blonde, Enyart is an unstoppable rhythmic force in this city. Find out more about him and catch the beat right here!
–Michelle Bacon
On The Beat is an exclusive feature from The Deli Magazine-Kansas City that showcases many of the talented drummers in the Kansas City area.
NYC
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Indie Electro-Pop: Loveskills
It was just a matter of time before one of these indie-electro bands out of Brooklyn tackled old school Italo-Disco. What never ceases to amaze, however, is the way these throwaway ‘80s genres, with their mildly sexy undertones, get recycled into explicitly tripped-out underground anthems in the hands of bands like Loveskills. Their latest single, “Cover Me,” manages to be both melodically loose and dreamy, whilst highly danceable and tighter than a gnat’s ass, production-wise. All of which makes for an exhilarating track invisible to its source material. Never mind its epicurean video, which feels almost like Daft Punk decided to take off their helmets and start hanging around at beer gardens and local house parties. Viva! – Brian Chidester
Philadelphia
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Free Download: “Keep It to Yourself” (Feat. Christina Shore) – Resistor
Resistor, the synth-pop project from Steve Goldberg, just shared his first single of 2013 called “Keep It to Yourself” (featuring Christina Shore – formerly of Work Drugs) that you can download for free. It’s a humorously cynical track dissuading someone – “perhaps himself – from sharing a sad song with the world, arguing that the world has already had its fill of sad songs.” True dat!
Portland
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Mufassa Play Kelly’s Olympian 1.31
Aside from having a clever name, Mufassa knows how to make some throw-back thrashing rock and roll. Their raw sound is developed by influences in the garage rock revival as well waves of early psychedelic tones that trap the listener into their songs. There is a Zeppelin-esque driving force behind the rhythms they produce that crash into the chorus filled with spacey and dreamy vocals. Mufassa also has the ability to slow things down and harmonize the singing and echoing guitar without losing their stone cold classic rock sound. If you were one to believe you belonged in the 70s, then you should join them tonight at Kelly’s Olympian. – Colin Hudson
Chicago
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From Our Open Blog: Magicks “Solstice”
New video from Magicks for the single Solstice! Lost in a dazed whirlwind of projected visuals and an all-consuming darkness and filmed during the witching hour, Magicks gives us a glimpse into the world of bedroom art. Catch him live at Record Breakers (2/1) for the new upcoming live video series by Breaker Records! You can also see him DJ/cast magick spells every Friday at Ultra Lounge for "RITUAL" in the basement.
Chicago
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Perfect Families
Perfect Families began as Micah Smith and Joel Smith and now that they have released their debut single they looking to grow into a full blown band. Their single, "Lost It", was released last month and the band hopes to release an ep this spring and perform around the city through out 2013.
Philadelphia
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Modern Baseball Sign to Run For Cover Records
Congrats to Modern Baseball who recently announced that they have signed to Run For Cover Records! The Boston label will be reissuing the band’s full-length album Sports, which was originally released via local indie label Lame-O Records.
Philadelphia
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The Stray Birds – Old Souls Inspiring a New Generation at WCL Jan. 31
Lancaster’s The Stray Birds expand on the rich tradition of folk keeping the beloved genre alive and well. Maya de Vitry cut her teeth as a street performer while traveling across North America and Europe refining her songwriting skills. Classically-trained players Oliver Craven and Charles Joseph Muench assist in providing a sparkling web of instrumentation as a backdrop for Vitry’s charming vocals. The trio of multi-instrumentalists also has the ability to ignite the stage with down-home, Appalachian-style jams – old souls ready to influence and inspire a new generation. They’ll be headlining tonight upstairs at World Café Live with support from local Americana father-son duo Beaucoup Blue. World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 8pm, $8, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman
Austin
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Review – “Deathlike” by Ancient VVisdom
The nexus of all great releases occurs next Tuesday, 2/5/13. Not only does the latest from Candi & The Strangers hit, but Ancient VVisdom‘s excellent "Deathlike" gets revealed.
Sure, this pic implies riotious screeching cacophonies, but now’s the time to practice that "don’t judge a book" adage and spin this sucker out – Mesmerizing textures, spun on unlikely instruments into metallic-flavored numbers that lock you in without bludgeoning you into submission. Sharp, not blunt, with acoustic and synth treatments of darker themes, with vox seeping, not screeching; it’s still not without the occasional dip into the pool of thrashing axe. Positively unique in a positive way, these guys may very well be the second coming of metal.
Did we say we recommend it? Two thumbs up. Come Tuesday, favor yourself and your kin with some Ancient VVisdom.
–Scott Osborn
Philadelphia
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New Music Video: “Coke Beat” – The National Rifle
Here’s a visually arresting new music video from The National Rifle for their track "Coke Beat" off the band’s latest album Almost Endless, which premiered yesterday via The Key. It was inspired by the use of found footage in past productions and lead singer/songwriter Hugh Moretta’s fascination with macro photography. The video was edited by filmmaker Brian Carroll.
NYC
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Album review: The Dead Girls – Fade In/Fade Out
(Photo by Rachel Meyers)
It doesn’t seem too premature to consider The Dead Girls’ latest effort Fade In/Fade Out a strong contender for best local pop album of the year.
The four-piece power pop group, who also cites classic, heavy guitar rockers like KISS and Thin Lizzy as influences, is releasing its first full-length album since 2010’s Out of Earshot. Though they also released a 7” single in 2012 (She Laughed A Little), the new LP has been highly anticipated by fans and the band itself.
“We started recording FIFO in 2009,” said guitarist and vocalist Cameron Hawk. “We were putting the finishing touches on Out of Earshot, and then went in to track drums for a few new tunes. We were thinking like, ‘Man, we’re gonna be done recording this new album even before Out of Earshot comes out!’ Now, here we are, three-and-a-half years later. It’s the story of our lives, really.”
That said, this album is well worth the wait. FIFO was produced by Chris Cosgrove, who has been an integral part of The Dead Girls’ recorded sound since producing Out of Earshot and their previous EPs Te Quiero and Hair Trigger. According to Hawk, Cosgrove helped push this recording in a stronger direction. “He was very set on having really different guitar sounds for every song; some of this extra layering resulted in more than 70 tracks on a few songs. Virtually every guitar track features a different amp, guitar, setting, or all of the above. Also, Chris had this wall of amps for us to choose from, so it was pretty much a guitar player’s heaven.”
Layered guitar sounds are evident throughout the album, weaving masterfully between a big entrance in lead-off track “Never Erased” to a soft, crisp acoustic guitar progression in the sincere track “Sing It Soft.” In the same vein, the songs gracefully transition from energetic to heartfelt. The contrast between Hawk’s and co-writer/vocalist/guitarist JoJo Longbottom’s songs is enough to create variety on each track, but the sense of what makes a Dead Girls’ song remains intact.
According to Hawk, all of the songs on this album are written separately by him or Longbottom. “JoJo and I will write songs on our own and bring them to the table through demos we record at home,” noting that each composition undergoes an intense collaborative scrunity by the band. “We’ve found a system that really works for us, and we’re getting better at it all the time.”
On songs like “The Beast Inside,” you hear the punk vocal stylings of Longbottom, which also maintain a smooth, accessible higher range. On the other hand, Hawk’s voice leans toward a purer pop tone like Alex Chilton with a slightly gritty rock ‘n roll edge. With their songwriting and Thin Lizzy-style dueling guitar attacks, Hawk and Longbottom construct nearly flawless pop songs with the help of a booming rhythm section from Eric Melin and Nick Colby. Some of album’s songs are structured like standard, quality pop songs; yet there’s a secret touch that comes from each member contributing his own part. Colby throws in gripping bass lines in addition to establishing a sturdy foundation to propel each track. Melin complements Colby (they’ve been together since the days of Ultimate Fakebook), punctuating each chug with a solid beat. He precisely attacks the skins on each track, and initiates crucial breaks that give songs an extra bite.
Flaming Lips’ drummer Kliph Scurlock, a friend of the band’s (he recently filled in at a gig for a sick Melin), mastered FIFO. The element of adding another ear to the recording process—especially from someone familiar with the group’s sound—also shaped the overall sound of the album. “’I Feel You’ (a nearly seven-and-a-half-minute song) was actually split into two tracks originally, but Kliph helped us understand that it should be a single song.Sometimes, one person will see something not even five other people can see,” said Hawk. With all of these elements, Fade In/Fade Out demonstrates a work of pop mastery from a group of true musicians.
Fade In/Fade Out will be released for digital download tomorrow, Friday, February 1, on The Dead Girls’ Bandcamp page. The group will be celebrating the release with a show that evening at Replay Lounge with The Depth and The Whisper. On Saturday, February 2, the boys will celebrate on the other side of the state line at recordBar with Gentleman Savage and The Casket Lottery.The Dead Girls were also one of over 40 KC artists selected to play the 2013 MidCoast Takeover showcase at SXSW from March 13-16 at Shangri-La in Austin, Texas.
–Michelle Bacon