The lovely ladies of Danger Cakes have branded their style as “punk- infused R&B,” which is true but their music also includes all the major highlights of classic Rockabilly. From their sexy wardrobe and bouffant hairdos to their horn heavy, upright bass slapping sound, Danger Cakes combines the vintage style of Stray Cats with the feminine appeal and raw edge of Amy Winehouse. They’ll be kickin’ it on Route 66 in Tucumcari, NM on June 7th-9th. Then they’ll come back home and play at The Palmer Events Center, July 28th. To help this local band land a spot on the Vans Warped Tour, vote here. –Written by Jodi Lang
Nashville
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Anna Haas’ Women Who Rock Nashville Showcase Debuts Friday At 12th & Porter
This Friday at 12th & Porter, Anna Haas will debut her monthly Women Who Rock showcase series. Highlighting four female-fronted bands (three local, one touring), Haas is creating a new platform for female musicians in the Nashville music circuit. "Upon moving back to Nashville from New York, I noticed that there were a lot of showcases around town primarily focusing on roots and Americana– which is great! And the couple of chick singer nights that I hopped onto tended to be primarily country. I wanted to provide a showcase for female-centric bands who are trying something a little more progressive, and may feel frustrated at times that what they’re going isn’t ‘very Nashville,’" says the singer-songwriter and Nashville native.
With writer’s nights filled to the brim with sad girls with guitars singing songs about ex-boyfriends, Haas saw a space to create something different for female songwriters in Music City. "It’s been a journey, trying to figure out where my sound fits in this scene. I get a lot of people trying to fit my band in a box, and it’s difficult. I figure, instead of resisting that, I’m excited about being a part of this cultural and artistic shift that’s beginning to take over the city." So she contacted some of her favorite local female musicians and started to put together the lineup for her first Women Who Rock showcase.
In addition to featuring female voices that are confident and unique, Anna Haas wants to create an environment where women don’t feel the need to compete against one another to get ahead in an industry already known for being typically cutthroat. "I was talking to Caitlin from The Broadcast about how discouraging it can be when other bands or women put off this competitive energy. It’s important to be strong women, but we don’t need to be competing. There’s plenty of room for all of us, and I want this showcase to help bring women in the industry together to help, support, and encourage each other."
Though the showcase debuts on Friday, Haas has some bad ass lineups in store. This Friday, 12th & Porter’s stage will feature Frances & the Foundation, Hot Mess Loves You, Asheville’s The Broadcast, and Anna Haas, along with her band, the Effect. "I’ll go out and see a bill and a rock venue typically, and if there’s a female-fronted band in the mix, a lot of the time there’s this feeling of ‘Whoa! A chick singer! Yes!’ I just want a whole night of that. I think it will be really exciting."
The night kicks off at 12th & Porter @ 8 pm on May 24th. For tickets and more information, click here. –Brianne Turner
Philadelphia
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Photo Recap: Spaceship Aloha & Tim Fite at JB’s
On Saturday night, Man Man’s Christopher “Pow Pow” Powell performed as his intergalactic side project Spaceship Aloha at Johnny Brenda’s. Sporting a tropical vibe with his Hawaiian shirt and tall plants set up on stage while techno-colorful palm trees were projected on the stage screen. He was also joined by Brooklyn artist, comedian, singer and rapper Tim Fite, who opened for Spaceship Aloha with a video backdrop of himself (and then some) playing in the background and singing his songs while he performed them live. Unfortunately, Powell only got to spin about a 20-minute set before the audience was asked to evacuate the venue due to a water pipe breakage (which also caused Surgeon’s release show to be moved to Kung Fu Necktie the next evening). However, we still managed to snap some photos for you from Spaceship Aloha’s abridged performance as well as the multiple looks of Tim Fite HERE.
San Francisco
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Congratulations to Scissors for Lefty for Winning The Deli Magazine SF’s Artist of the Month Poll
Congratulations to the acclaimed San Francisco based indie rock band, Scissors for Lefty for winning The Deli Magazine San Francisco’s artist of the month poll for the month of May! This band exudes enthusiasm in regards to their pop sensibilities, and the poll shows that Scissors For Lefty is a local favorite by The Deli readers! This band obviously has a great number of loyal fans! We wish them the best and are pleased to be able to share their music and local talent!
You can see Scissors for Lefty live in San Francisco on June 15th at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco with Happy Fangs, The Trims and The Hundred Days. Go out and support these great local bands and have a blast!
NYC
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Mree plays The Deli’s NYC B.E.A.F. on June 6 at Spike Hill
Mree‘s delicate voice and intimate songs have a resonating power that caught the attention of none other than mister Bon Iver. The "king of mellowness" recently shared Mree’s music with his fans, creating quite a bit of buzz around this young artist. Quite impressively, this talented nineteen year old songstress and full-time NYU music student not only records and produces her own music, but also films and edits her videos (see them here). She plans to release her sophomore album, "Winterwell," on August 6. The album’s first single, “Into the Well” (streaming below) features a long ethereal intro reminiscent of Enya’s seas of sound, and then develops into a mid tempo electro-pop lullaby. It works. Once a cover-artist, recreating versions of tracks from Bon Iver and The Middle East, Mree seems to have found her own sound along the way. – Kristyn Potter
Mree won The Deli’s Artist of the Month Poll in May and will be performing at The Deli’s Best of NYC Fest for Emerging NYC Artists on Thursday June 6 at 9pm at Spike Hill in Williamsburg. We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best Mellow songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!
Philadelphia
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New Track: “You Don’t Fade” – Daughn Gibson
Check out the new track "You Don’t Fade" from sample-heavy crooner Daughn Gibson! It’s the latest single from his forthcoming album Me Moan due out July 9 via Sub Pop.
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Walking Advertisement” – Static Mountain
As we inch closer to summer, here’s a new jam that you can add to your mix from fledgling Philly four-piece Static Mountain called "Walking Advertisement," which reminds us of something that might have come from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-era Wilco. It’s off their debut self-titled album, and you can catch them live this Sunday at Kung Fu Necktie.
NYC
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Brooklyn Indie Pop for the Summer: Costgaard plays Pianos on 05.23
It’s always refreshing to hear some clean, well-written Indie that isn’t pretentious and is catchy enough to keep you coming back for more. BK’s contemporary Indie surf-Rock quartet known as Coastgaard gives you just that. Their summer music sound arrived just in time and compares with Smith Westerns in a lot of ways. They seem to be a mix of their biggest influences, the Beach Boys and Neutral Milk Hotel. Coastgaard is set to play Pianos on 5.23 with Ski Lodge, LazyEyes and PacificUV – sweet lineup! Check them out via bandcamp below, video here. – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)
NYC
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Ethnic EDM from NYC: Trabajo plays The Knit on 05.26
In the basement of the lit lounge last Thursday, a Brooklyn duo with a Spanish name played samples and sounds from around the world. Leaning over a card table with a platter of synths and samplers, electronica wizardry was showcased.
Trabajo’s brand of ethnic EDM is like Massive Attack meets bhangra, with the edgy end of Aphex Twin. A constantly shifting, but never chaotic mix of ethnic instruments, wood flutes, crackling vinyl, cats (!) and more, cover hard beats and spaced-out synths.
Though Trabajo’s recorded material has squealing noise and other dissonance, the short live set was smooth enough for a lounge. TJ Richards and Yuchen Lin had an unspoken synergy, swapping button pushing and adjusting foot pedals by hand. The tamer sound fit well for a small venue, inviting casual bar-goers to follow the sitars down the stairs. Trabajo ended the set on a dime when one of Lin’s pedals didn’t cooperate, hopefully it will be fixed by their next gig at The Knitting Factory on May 26. – Bianca Seidman
NYC
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Album review: Pale Hearts – Hollowtown
A shift has taken place. Balance granted once again to the world. Emotionally thought-out sleaze has reared its head on the Kansas prairie. Pale Hearts are alive.
Like frontman Rob Gilaspie’s former band—the sadly departed wonder that was The Spook Lights—Pale Hearts channel The Cramps in disturbing and distinctive ways on their debut Hollowtown. The band masterfully blends elements of surf, punk, rockabilly, Latin, new wave, and even grunge to make a sound that is fully formed, complete, and unique. Always a twisted, off-kilter force of nature, Gilaspie’s vocals are more Richard Hell than Lux Interior this time around. The tone and body of his lyrics has changed as well, and for the better.
While still certainly offbeat (he sings about fucking a hole in a phone book on the record’s title track. Ahhh, classic Rob) the last year has been one filled with tragic loss, financial setbacks, and the collapse of a long-term relationship has caused a shift. Now, Gilaspie seems to be a changed man, unafraid to stand out front and exorcise his pain through rockabilly-fueled yelps, screeches, and screams; to say what he is thinking without coating it in layer upon layer of camp. The honest excitement and joy that he conveys during his live performances translates perfectly to tape on Hollowtown, while the band makes fantastic, strangely serene surf-influenced rock ‘n roll to feed the schizophrenic fire of the album.
Where The Spook Lights, while great at times, could be limited in scope, Pale Hearts are a band more than capable of reining it in or filling the horizon with sound, and it shows on Hollowtown. Rob Kemp’s guitar on “Breakheart Mambo” sounds as though it came straight from a David Lynch film; sauntering around the room with Mike Young’s drumming filling the song with restrained power as Gilaspie takes shots at a presumed former lover. “You made the scene on your back / you’ll go out the same way.”
“Motorsports” is the song that feels most likely to make it to the radio. Melinda Robinson’s bass work is of a quality that would make Joy Division’s Peter Hook proud, razor sharp and ominous, while her background vocals bring a soft, otherworldly touch to Gilaspie’s wounded words. An amazing sonic feat considering the entire album was recorded and mixed in drummer Mike Young’s bedroom.
Hollowtown takes many paths; there is lamenting the loss of love (“Moon in the Gutter”), straight up weirdo surf interplanetary sleaze (They Pass for Human, High Plains Disko) and beauty (Motorsports). Hollowtown has powerful touches and velvet gloves, gnashed teeth and sincere smiles.
It is a weird record, not in a contrived way but genuine. This is who they are; forceful, delicate, talented and astonishing. Gilapsie has finally found the right band to help him make the record that has always been there, lurking just below the slime. Hollowtown left me off balance, not knowing where to go, which was up; all of these things are meant in a good way. It has been said that everyone has one good book in them. Hollowtown is The Pale Hearts epic novel. Dashell Hammett would be pleased.
The release party for Hollowtown is this Friday, May 24 at Frank’s North Star Tavern in Lawrence. Fake Surfers (Detroit) and Jocks will also be playing. Facebook event page. If you can’t make it out there, they’ll be at Black and Gold Tavern on Wednesday, June 5 with Deco Auto. Facebook event page.
–Danny R. Phillips
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Danny R. Phillips has been reporting on music of all types and covering the St. Joseph, MO music scene for well over a decade. He is a regular contributor to the nationally circulated BLURT Magazine and his work has appeared in The Pitch, The Omaha Reader, Missouri Life, The Regular Joe, Skyscraper Magazine, Popshifter, Hybrid Magazine, the websites Vocals on Top and Tuning Fork TV, Perfect Sound Forever, The Fader and many others. |
NYC
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The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?
The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?
May Artist of the Month: The Ned Ludd Band
The Ned Ludd Band is The Deli KC’s May artist of the month! The band has gained momentum since its inception, releasing its first album Spacebar back in late 2012 (check out our review). We talked with Ned Ludd himself (Aaron Fuhr) to find out more about the band and what else they have coming up.
The Deli: Down and dirty: 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?
The Ned Ludd Band: I’ll say by influences. If Bob Dylan covered Radiohead after they discovered their love child was by Tom Waits. It’s personal and ridiculous and genuine with hope and shame combined.
The Deli: What’s the story behind the name?
TNLB: Ned Ludd was the folkloric leader of the Luddites, a revolutionary group in turn-of-the-century England. They destroyed looms and other devices and machines that were believed could replace the jobs of men and women. Captain Ludd was believed to lead the sabotage of several factories. This served for us as an initial theme for the band.
The Deli: Tell us how you guys got together.
TNLB: Clint Hoffmeier: I met Aaron at Coda’s Open Mic Night over 3 years ago. He came in with his harmonica holder and perfectly pressed tight vintage suit and some of the most wonderfully creative songs, with a intense look on his face. After hearing him a few weeks in a row I asked him if he ever thought his songs could be performed with a band, and that’s where is started. I grabbed Jordan [Carver], whom I’ve known since 6th grade, and he was my roommate at the time. I met Brent [Jamison] through Coda with his band The Sour Babies and he produced our first album Spacebar. When our drummer left the band, Brent quickly stepped up to fill the slot. He knew the songs better than anyone.
The Deli: Let’s talk about something you have coming up this year. What can we expect?
TNLB: New album due out by the end of the year. New sound, more grit, and hollow sounds. We took away a lot of acoustic guitar (I love Judas). Look forward to a Christmastime release.
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you?
TNLB: Almost everything. I budget for seeing bands I don’t know nor like. It’s better than my Netflix or Doggie. Coda has done a stellar job with my local aptitude.
The Deli: Who are your favorite local musicians right now?
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?
TNLB: I would rather play music and wear and eat sausages.
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why?
TNLB: Mount Rushmore is a bad idea.
The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?
The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?
TNLB: If you can’t be good, be sanitary. If you can’t be sanitary, play very quietly.
The Ned Ludd Band is:
Aaron Fuhr – vocals/songwriter/guitar
Jordan Carver – bass/vocals
Brent Jamison – rums
Clint Hoffmeier – guitar/vocals
Jordan Carver – bass/vocals
Brent Jamison – rums
Clint Hoffmeier – guitar/vocals
Your next chance to see The Ned Ludd Band will be on June 28 at Mike’s Tavern. The band will also be performing on the roof of Phosphor Studios for First Friday with Dream Wolf on July 5. Finally, on July 26, the group will perform at Coda with Dream Wolf.
–Michelle Bacon
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Michelle is editor of The Deli Magazine – Kansas City, and also holds down half the rhythm section in Drew Black & Dirty Electric and Dolls on Fire. In precisely one week from today, she will be enjoying the new episodes of Arrested Development. This is currently the highlight of her entire life. Do these effectively hide my thunder? |
Philadelphia
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A Stick and A Stone Stepping Into the Light at Great Indoors May 19
A Stick and A Stone, a.k.a. Elliot Harvey, pushes a vocally dominant approach that feeds off a classical church-echoing vibe that depending on tone and the harmonic layering of voices can vary in the types of light it reflects. Some generate profound illuminating warmth that lifts the spirit, while others focus in cavernous shadows. However, the constant throughout the process are the stalwart vocals punctuated with minimal instrumentation. Great Thunder, the lo-fi, psych outfit that teams Swearin’s Keith Spencer and Waxahatchee’s Kate Crutchfield, who released an excellent EP Strange Kicks, also share the bill at the Great Indoors tonight. Great Indoors, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), $5 – $7, 7pm, All Ages (Photo from Too Much Rock) – Michael Colavita