NYC

Motive plays Glasslands and Mercury with NO on 08.23-24

Posted on:

With their gritty guitars and airy melodies, Motive marries the NYC scene poppiness and darkness in one sound. Often compared to The Strokes and Interpol, this band’s strength is in their personal songwriting, with the lyrics taking the forefront in a lot of their music. Their new EP “It’s Illicit” -released in January – has really solid title track, but “Lay Some Light” (streaming below) shows this band’s real potential . Motive will play two shows in NYC with LA band NO (clever, ungoogable name!) on August 23rdat Glasslands Gallery and the day agter at The Mercury Lounge. – Paul Jordan Talbot, photo by Merri Cyr

New England

Moe Pope Snags Best of Boston Title

Posted on:

 Though Moe Pope may not be classic fare for The Deli, we’d be remiss to leave the great work he’s doing unacknowledged. 2013 has provided the indie rap artist with the bump he needs to graduate to the big leagues– his latest album Let the Right Ones In dropped this past January and led to his selection as the Best in Boston according to the notorious Improper Bostonian, in addition to a string of gigs in the area that have continued to build his buzz. Let the Right Ones In demonstrates Pope as an expert when in comes to pulling other genres to match the expertise of his own lyrics with traces of electronic, indie rock, and big-name locals like Lady Lamb the Beekeeper and Brookynite Julia Easterlin. He’s sort of a Quentin Tarantino of the indie music scene– he knows his stuff from his foundation in rap to references and homage to old-school punk, new wave, and beyond. He’s heard everything, and isn’t afraid to incorporate all this knowledge into his own work.

Moe Pope is a gamechanger in the New England scene because he realizes that the local scenes, from indie rock to rap to electronic and beyond, can be fused together to make something amazing, and he’s riding that theory all the way to the top.

 

NYC

D.C. Music Download Presents A Night of Synths Aug 2 @ Rock & Roll Hotel

Posted on:

 

This Friday, DC Music Download presents a night of synths and pop rock at Rock & Roll Hotel (celebrating their 7th anniversary this month!) Taking to the stage are some of DC’s finest including 80’s tinged lush tones from the electronic-pop Brett, future house awesomeness from Ra Ra Rasputin (check out their latest track "Living Room" below,) MTV pop-rock soundtrack gurus The Silver Liners (pictured above,) and the dark and nostalgic driven duo Honest Haloway.

It all happens Friday Aug 2 @ Rock & Roll Hotel. 8 PM $12 DOS

Portland

AgesandAges at Rontoms 8.4

Posted on:

Agesandages is a relentlessly harmonic band that has somehow managed to make 7 people singing at the same time sound like something effortless and joyful. With the heart of a choir and the instrumentation of a rock band they breath some new life into an americana sound with complicated and competing layered vocals that manage to work together to tell a beautiful story. The true allure of Alright You Restless, Agesandages debut album, is that while the songs offer a musical and lyrical range, they all share an undeniable movement that keeps the crowd swaying. On August 4th Rontoms Sunday Sessons will be hosting Agesandages as well as Blue Cranes, an experimental jazz band that is amazingly talented and has a unique voice that always lands on something completely it’s own. No cover, doors open at 8. – Joy Pearson

Philadelphia

Spacin’ Accidentally Unreleased CD-R Release Party at Ortlieb’s Aug. 1

Posted on:

Freewheelin’ psych rockers Spacin’ are back from their jaunt through Europe, and you can welcome them home tonight at Ortlieb’s. It will also double as their Accidentally Unreleased CD-R Release Party for a three-song EP that the group put together for their Portugal/Spain/France tour. They will also be joined by pals Watery Love who will be opening the celebration. It’s an impromptu night of music, and good reason why living in Philly has its perks. Ortlieb’s Lounge, 847 N. 3rd St., 9pm, $5, 21+ – Alexis V. 

Philadelphia

The Homophones & Needle Points Opening for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at the TLA Aug. 1

Posted on:

The TLA is serving up a bit of home cooking tonight with The Homophones and Needle Points warming things up for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. The Homophones are anchored by Jason Ferraro’s deep baritone vocals and captivating yet slightly dark storytelling technique with a musical backdrop that shares elements of indie rock/pop/folk dropping in a well-placed groove and ripping guitar so that everything remains in constant motion. Newcomers Needle Points appear intent on creating a warped psych-rock atmosphere that makes you want to commune with nature and stare at lava lamps for way too long. Then, there is CYHSY, whose new EP Little Moments wets one’s appetite for their next full-length scheduled for release early next year. TLA, 334 South St., 8pm, $19, All Ages (The Homophones Photo by David Turcotte) – Michael Colavita

New England

Conjjjecture Make Presence Known with Living for Dead Labor

Posted on:

Put simply, Living for Dead Labor, the newest release by Portland, Maine’s Conjjjecture has everything you could ever want in a great album from local talent. The band manage to perfectly combine electro grooves with excellent guitar work. The incorporation of a trumpet on the tracks makes these songs really stand out. It adds an extra layer of aural joy to the mix, filling-out the tracks to their maximum potential.

I knew this was a good record right from the start when I heard the opening track, “Phobophobic,” and simultaneously wanted to go out and rage and chill out on my porch with a beer. It’s quite an unusual–but freakin’ awesome–feeling. The rest of the album does not disappoint, holding that same unique energetic and laid-back feel through all ten tracks. Be sure and check out the band’s Facebook page for updates about when they will be passing through a city near you!

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)  

 

NYC

NYC bands on the rise: TKTTSM, live at Glasslands on 08.13

Posted on:

There is a distinctly appealing quirkiness to the mysteriously named TKTTSM (say “ticketism”)and their self-titled debut album. Meticulously produced tracks emphasize detailed vocal placement over any kind of blurred mix. The cadence and phrasing of singer Johanna Stahley is frequently found residing somewhere between Florence’s Machine and Gwen Stefani’s more angular moments with No Doubt. An off-kilter bar is immediately set with opening song “Calisthenics,” whose lyrics juxtapose recreational chemical consumption alongside the benefits of physical exercise. “Plastic Fantastic” (streaming) playfully updates the style Dale Bozzio pioneered with 80’s MTV darlings Missing Persons, merging rock instrumentation with a dance singer persona. The acoustic guitar driven “I Wanted To” quickly progresses into heart-tugging dreampop, while the lyrically dense “Edumication” bounces between stream of conscience streetwise rhymes. Deeper track “Porcupine” ambitiously blends elements that at times reflect bits of The Cure, Grimes and even Paramore, making a single genre classification more difficult. They will be performing live on August 13 at Glasslands and September 4 at Cameo. – Dave Cromwell

NYC

From The Deli NYC’s online music submissions: Hillary Barleaux

Posted on:

Hillary Barleaux takes a childhood of playing ditties on her grandfather’s upright piano, and translates this passion into finely wrought pop anthems. Latest track ‘You Don’t Know Me’ displays the folk singer-songwriter as an emotional torrent that’s come a long way from these roots. With a knack for dark and haunting melodies that stick around long after the last hammer has struck the piano string, her latest EP ‘Live at Dirty Water’ takes the journey one step further as it charts a confident course between love of all things vintage, coupled with an ability to tread new waters. – Mike Levine