Deli Readers,
The Deli’s Best of 2012 Poll for Emerging NYC Artists is finally over and we are currently in data-churning mode. Thanks to all the bands and the fans who voted for them! Stay tuned for the results.
The Deli’s Staff
NYC
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Artists on Trial: Drew Black and Dirty Electric
(Photo by Randy Pace)
For the next few weeks, we’ll be featuring artists playing the MidCoast Takeover fundraiser shows, sponsored by Midwest Music Foundation.
Starting as a solo project with the early 2012 release Wanderlust, Drew Black (formerly of The Belated) soon enlisted frontmen from two other powerful KC bands (Terra Peal of The Quivers and Zach Hodson of Dolls on Fire) and multi-band drummer Michelle Bacon. The result is Drew Black and Dirty Electric, a dark glam sound with a rhythmic powerhouse. We sit down with a few members of the band and discuss what they have going on.
The Deli: Gun to your head: 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?
Terra Peal: Dark Sexy Glam with a fist full of rock-n-roll.
Drew Black: I’d like to think that it’s modern glam with elements taken from T.Rex, Bowie, Ladytron, and Queens of the Stone Age.
The Deli: Let’s talk about your upcoming EP. What can we expect?
Terra: BOOM!
Drew: It’s beat-heavy and guitar-driven. When I wrote this group of songs I wanted to write with tempos that would make the ladies shimmy and shake. The lyrics tend to be dark, but border on playful and sexy too.
Michelle: Our EP, Dead Kings and Queens, was mixed and mastered by the great Duane Trower at Weights & Measures Soundlab. We’re hoping to release it digitally this week and plan to have albums pressed by March.
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you?
Terra: Contributing, viewing, and heckling as much as possible.
Drew: Being in a band, I feel like that means we have to foster a community. For me, it’s not enough to just go to other people’s shows. If I am in the position to recommend a band to a venue then I will. To me it’s more than: go to a show, buy a CD… I feel like you’ve got to go and have a conversation with the artist and let them know you appreciate what they’re doing. Many times, as a local artist, we don’t get kudos. We leave a gig feeling like it went well, but everyone kind of shies away and doesn’t say anything to you. A simple “I really enjoyed your set,” goes a long way.
The Deli: Who are your favorite "local" musicians right now?
Terra: Schwervon!, In Back of a Black Car, Soft Reeds… so many great artists out there right now! Way too tough to name em all!
Drew: I really love Victor and Penny, The Latenight Callers, and of course Radkey is making a wave lately. I also love The Quivers. I feel blessed to live in a city where the music scene is so vibrant.
The Deli: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at the upcoming MidCoast Takeover fundraisers?
Terra: Antennas Up, The Latenight Callers, Molly Picture Club.
Drew: We’re playing with She’s A Keeper, Molly Picture Club, and Antennas Up. I know that’s going to be such a good night of music. I think I’m, selfishly, just really looking forward to being a part of that night and supporting such a great cause.
Michelle: Tiny Horse, The Latenight Callers, Six Percent, Rev Gusto, Cherokee Rock Rifle, and everyone we’re playing with this Saturday.
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?
Terra: Thee Oh Sees, Queens of the Stone Age, Peaches, Nikki & The Corvettes, Prince, and anything else with Soul and Balls.
Drew: Oh, I’ll get into trouble for this! Somewhere along the line I started listening to music all the cool kids scoff at. I have been pretty obsessed with Lana Del Rey since the past summer. She sounds like a damsel in distress, but I just KNOW she’s hiding a knife behind her back! I also spend a lot of time listening to Ladytron, Queens of the Stone Age, and recently, Black Joe Lewis.
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?
Terra: T.Rex, Sparklehorse, Queens of the Stone Age, and Stephen Malkmus.
Drew: That’s a tough one. I’d like to rewind time and open for Bowie during the Ziggy Stardust era. But heck, is it too much to ask to open for Lady Gaga? I’d also like to be the fifth Beatle while we’re at it.
The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?
Terra: Stage is where I come alive.
Drew: I feel the most elated after playing live. I love the studio too, but I feel like if you only record music and don’t play it live, then the songs kind of die. They will always remain the same. Playing live gives me the opportunity to breathe new life into the music. So, my vote goes to playing live.
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?
Terra: Otis Redding, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Keith Moon, Marc Bolan. None of these should need an explanation.
Drew: I’ll put PJ Harvey, Nick Cave, Kurt Cobain, and Bowie up there because those artists have been pivotal in shaping my sound. They retaught me how to listen to music and they gave me the inspiration to start writing songs.
The Deli: Okay. Where on this crazy web can you be found?
Twitter @dirtyelectrickc
Soon, we hope to have a Bandcamp to let you download our new EP!
The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?
Terra: Tacos will save you when you least expect it!
Drew: We all have delusions of grandeur, but the point is to create. Start where you are. Be confident and get out there. Don’t wait for anything to come to you. Go get it!
Michelle: Trust me; I’m Asian.
Drew Black and Dirty Electric is:
Drew Black – vocals, guitar
Terra Peal – bass
Zach Hodson – lead guitar
Michelle Bacon – drums
You can catch Drew Black & Dirty Electric this Saturday, January 26 at the first MidCoast Takeover fundraiser show. The group will be playing at 10:30 pm, after She’s A Keeper, and will be followed by Molly Picture Club and Antennas Up. The band was also one of over 40 KC bands selected to play the MidCoast Takeover showcase at SXSW from March 13-16 at Shangri-La in Austin, Texas.
NYC
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Tempers play Death By Auduio tonight (01.23)
With electronic beats, noisy guitars, distorted synths, and indistinguishable vocals, Tempers is all of NYC’s favorite indie sounds in one band. The duo comprised of Jasmine Golestaneh (ex Seasick) and Eddie Cooper have yet to release a full length, but the tracks they have online hold a lot of promise. Their electro shoegaze track "Eyes Wide Wider" (streaming below) keeps noisy guitars on a steady beat, and the video for it, produced by Damien Taylor, will be released this February 14. Tempers is playing tonight (01.23) in Williamsburg at Death by Audio. – Lucy Sherman
Philadelphia
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Free Download: “Song Twenty-Four” – Streetwalkers
Streetwalkers recently announced that they have started to work on a new album. The band also shared a new track available for free download called "Song Twenty-Four," which will not be on the upcoming record.
Philadelphia
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New Video: “Pleasant” – Cousin Brian
We are certainly fans of skateboarding. Here’s some sweet footage that was taken at Lake Fairfax, which is also accompanied by the track "Pleasant" from Cousin Brian‘s sleeper debut LP First. Enjoy!
NYC
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NYC Artists on the rise: Leverage Models play Cameo on 01.31
Leverage Models are mixing business with pleasure. Pulling from the colorful bullsh*t of popular industry, they’ve given new meaning to the bland business of deliverables and accounting in ready-made dance classics like the undeniable ‘Sweep’ (streaming below) off latest EP ‘Cooperative Extensions.’ This is world beats turned into booty-shaking dirtiness, topped off with Shannon Fields’ roof-shaking falsetto. It’s the kind of band worth doing business with. See them when they play Cameo Gallery Jan 31. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)
Philadelphia
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TJ Kong Presents An Evening with Tom Waits at Jose Pistola’s Jan. 23
You love Tom Waits, right? Well, TJ Kong sure does. That is why he’ll be kicking off his first installment of TJ Kong Presents An Evening with Tom Waits tonight upstairs at Jose Pistola’s. The hard-livin’ Hominoidea will be performing two hours of his favorite works by the legendary hard-livin’ songwriter. Kong will also be backed by three of his favorite Philly musicians – Joshua Machiz on bass, Rosie Langabeer on accordian, banjo and keys, and Chris Aschman on trumpet and percussion. “Expect a lounge lizard, broken sentence, dream in the straw kind of evening.” Jose Pistola’s, 263 S. 15th St., 10pm, Free, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman
Portland
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The Parson Red Heads Release Deluxe Version of ‘Yearling’ at Mississippi Studios 1.24
If Portland’s music city is known for taking vintage sounds and making them contemporary, then the Parson Red Heads should be crowned as royalty. Rarely do you see songs executed based purely on phenomenal songwriting through the traditional sounds of folk, country, and pop. But the result from what the Parson Red Heads bring to the music world is a timeless quality with the ability to rock out like there’s no tomorrow. The Parson Red Heads will be releasing a deluxe version of 2011’s Yearling at Mississippi Studios on Thursday. This is an album that brings together the very best elements within a spectrum of genres. The slide guitar makes it country, the vocal harmonies make it pop the way it was meant to, and their easy going chord progressions are the essence of folk. Top this off with lyrics that represent that the message that the band wants to bring; to grow old and have fun doing so, and you’ve got the All-American band. – Colin Hudson
Philadelphia
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Lockets Opening for Widowspeak at KFN Jan. 23
A percussive beat embeds itself alongside steadily pumping keys/synths establishing the ethereal playground in which Dani Mari’s formidable vocals are set free. Lockets‘ musical landscape is widespread erecting mood-driven sonic settings that are set off by the haunting use of keys or Todd Mendelsohn’s menacing guitar that lurks in the background emerging at opportune times to flex its muscle. Throughout this fluid saga, Mari’s ever-alluring siren-like vocals stand front and center. Lockets will be opening for Brooklyn-based rock duo Molly Hamilton and Robert Earl Thomas, otherwise known as Widowspeak, whose sophomore album Almanac was just released yesterday. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8:30pm, $10, 21+ – Michael Colavita
NYC
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The Deli Readers’ Kansas City Artist of 2012: #1 – Dollar Fox
(Photo by Todd Zimmer)
Congratulations to Dollar Fox, The Deli Readers’ Best Kansas City Artist of 2012!
Dollar Fox is a five-piece Americana collective that bursts with talent, energy, and depth. Made up of Tommy Donoho, Justin Penney, Ryan Watkins, Nick Dothage, and Ethan Taylor, the group was featured as The Deli KC’s first Artist of the Month. This multi-instrumental band has found success across the KC region and beyond, with engaging live shows that can range from a folky, stripped-down string set to a bombastic rock show.
Dollar Fox has released two LPs: Close To Home and its most recent effort Little Mother’s Things I Am Keeping, released in October 2012 (see our review of the album). The band also released a split 7”, Big Rock Candy Mountain, with labelmates The Peculiar Pretzelmen. As the flagship band on Money Wolf Music, Dollar Fox has amassed a loyal following, which makes it easy to figure out why readers have chosen this talented band as their #1 artist of the year. Congrats, guys!
–Michelle Bacon
NYC
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The Deli Readers’ Kansas City Artists of 2012: #2 – Gentleman Savage
(Photo by Jason Comotto)
Gentleman Savage has only recently been making waves in the Kansas City music scene, but has already made an indelible impression. The second place group’s psych-pop sensibility appeals to wide audiences with its tightly composed hooks while channeling pop greats like The Beach Boys, The Zombies, and Big Star. The group, made up of Holden Simpson, Kyle Anthony, and Nick Talley, released its debut EP Open Eyes in October 2012 (see our review of the album). They are currently in the studio working on new material, which promises to be another solid release and expand its audience.
Note: Gentleman Savage placed third in Open Submissions poll for emerging Kansas City band.
Gentleman Savage will be performing at recordBar next Saturday, February 2, with The Casket Lottery and The Dead Girls.
Today I Realized from Gentleman Savage on Vimeo.
–Michelle Bacon
NYC
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The Deli Readers’ Kansas City Artists of 2012: #3 – We Are Voices
(Photo by Sandy Rushing)
Rounding out The Deli readers’ top 3 is We Are Voices, an atmospheric indie rock quartet whose songwriting continues to grow with each release. The band’s debut release, What Makes Us So Alive?, peaked the interest of indie lovers across the area, while its second album Fighting Fires established its reputation as a polished Kansas City mainstay. Its anticipated third album Tread Lightly (here’s our review), which was released last month, garnered rave reviews inside and outside of Kansas City. The group includes Lucas Larson, Eric Baldwin, Joshua Greenlee, and Carson Land.
Today it was announced that We Are Voices will be among over 40 KC-area bands featured at MidCoast Takeover at SXSW this year. This will be the band’s third showcase at MidCoast.
Note: We Are Voices placed second in the Open Submissions poll for emerging Kansas City band.
We Are Voices – Fine (Official Video) from w e . a r e . v o i c e s on Vimeo.
–Michelle Bacon