NYC

A Hip Hop Brass Band: The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble

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Hailing from the Chi, but now also calling Brooklyn home, The Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is an eight-piece (not counting drums and bass!) outfit that conjures mesmerizing jams channeling funk, afrobeat, and jazz. Their compositions boast virtuosic structure, texture, and groove where the elements weave in and out of each other in an engrossing maelstrom of sound. It’s the type of music that makes you forget your body. From the first stab, your arms, hips, and gluteus maximus cease contact with your brain only to propel you from the venue an hour later drenched in sweat with an indelible smile plastered to your face. They return from Europe on September 20th for a show at the Knit in Brooklyn. Wear your "trancing shoes." – BrokeMC

Philadelphia

Tuesday Tune-Out w/Radiator Hospital at PhilaMOCA Aug. 27

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Maggot House Records is wrapping up its month of curating August’s Tuesday Tune-Out at PhilaMOCA. And closing things out is one of our favorite transplants to Philly, Sam Cook-Parrot, a.k.a. Radiator Hospital. If you are a fan of our site, then you probably already know how we feel about his work. If you don’t, check out our recent review of Radiator Hospital’s latest record Something Wild (Salinas) HERE, and hopefully I’ll see you out this evening! PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 8pm, $5 Donation, All Ages – Q.D. Tran

Austin

Rebecca Butler and the Richards Music Video Release – Jett

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One of my favorite thrift stores is featured in this creative new "pop-up show" video by Rebecca Butler and the Richards. "Jett" has a catchy sing-a-long hook and enough eye candy to pique anyone’s interest, ranking high among the many videos this band has released. With humble acoustic singer/songwriter beginnings, Rebecca Butler’s sound has evolved into an upbeat indie pop rock groove that will get your head bopping and maybe even your hips swaying as her lilting voice serenades you. –Written by Charise Sowells

Philadelphia

New Japanese Breakfast Album Available for Streaming

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Little Big League‘s Michelle Zauner just shared a new solo record that she put together under the moniker Japanese Breakfast. She wrote and recorded a song everyday in the month of June [with the exception of two covers – PAWS’ "Sore Tummy" ("Day 15") & Liz Phair’s "Chopsticks" ("Day 23")], and will be releasing portions of it very soon on cassette via Ranch Jams (her favorites are "Day 5," "Day 6," "Day 10," "Day 22," "Day 28," & "Day 30"). You can listen to the 30-song project entitled June in its entirety below as well as read what Zauner had to say about it coming to fruition.

I had just finished writing and recording a record with my band Little Big League (littlebigleague.bandcamp.com) and was experiencing difficulty writing new material. The band wasn’t really doing anything because we were exhausted. We weren’t playing many shows to save up for touring a lot when the record came out.
 
On May 30th I had a dumpling party at my house where I invited all of my friends to come over and make dumplings. We set up Christmas lights in my backyard and all sat around a lawn table drinking beer and scooping small spoons from a big pot of stuffing and folding them into little dumpling wrappers. I invited Rachel Gagliardi from Slutever and we talked a lot about feeling stuck creatively. I suggested that we start a blog. The conceit was that we wrote, recorded and posted one song every day for the month of June. Two days later there was:
 
The most important part of the blog was learning how to practice forgiveness. This Isabel Allende quote I read on some blog– "show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too." that seemed relevant too. Instead of sitting down and creating a list of rules (I’ve written too many songs in the key of D, no more finger picking, no verse chorus structure, etc. etc.) that completely inhibited me from writing, I just had the pressure of needing to have a finished product by the end of the day to motivate me. Despite my busy work schedule, social obligations, even if I only had ten minutes of free time during the day, they would be spent making sure I got my post for the day.
 
While there are definitely songs I find completely unlistenable and all around awful, I was very happy with a lot of the material I produced. I plan on developing quite a few with LBL for our second LP. I highly recommend the project to anyone who is feeling creatively uninspired. Habituation is the key. 

NYC

NYC band on the rise: Bear Ceuse, live at Union Hall on 08.30

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NYC’s Bar Ceuse play feel-good indie rock that fits nicely into the tradition of everyday normal guy rockers like Superchunk and Husker Du. There’s an edge that’s just arty enough to make them sound interesting without sounding pretentious. You get the sense that they’re on your side. Check out “Entertain Me” (streaming, from the debut album "Don Domestique" released this past July), a track that sounds familiar in a nice way. See the band live at Union Hall on August 30.  – Jack McGovern

NYC

Jordannah Elizabeth plays Lit on 08.29

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In addition to being Deli Mag’s San Francisco editor and a founder of the Process Records Media Group, bicostal Jordannah Elizabeth is also a psychedelic poet/songwriter committed to making soul via a one-man band approach, utilizing whatever is available to make it happen. And whether the warm comfort of ‘(I Know) You Try Your Best,’ or the blurred poetry of ‘Holiday‘ (streaming) from upcoming album ‘Harvest Time,’ she brings it to the surface. Listening to Elizabeth’s music can be a bit disarming at first, but after spending some time with her music, I’m already hearing things a bit differently. A woman who’s always blazed her own trail, come out and support her when – accompanied by guitarist Jacob Hales – she plays Lit Lounge on August 29th with NJ quirky rockers Working Class Hussies. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Portland

Dresses Sign to SideOneDummy

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Dresses have spent the summer building momentum, spreading their indie-pop gems across the west coast and charming audiences with their bright compositions and heartwarming harmonies. Looks like all their work has paid off, as Dresses have just signed to SideOneDummy Records. The label will be releasing their new Sun Shy EP on CD and vinyl October 22nd and on Itunes September 3rd. This couldn’t have come to a more joyous, endearing and deserving duo; this will surely expand their audience exponentially and bring greater recognition to their upbeat anthems. Congratulations on the signing, Dresses, we can’t wait to see where your musical journey leads you next. – Benjamin Toledo

NYC

Friend Roulette, Xenia Rubinos, Blanche Blanche Blanche at Union Pool on 09.05

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Union Pool on September 5th will host a perfect show to indulge your musical ADHD. With tribal sounding percussion, reminiscent of earlier Local Natives or Wild Beasts, Friend Roulette (pictured) mixes a plethora of genres, from pop to psych to folk, without ever sounding like a forced fusion. The band just released a new single entitled ViVa ZyPreXa (streaming below), belonging to the sparser and more experimental side of their repertoir. They’re playing with Xenia Rubinos, an eccentric and sultry vocalist who crafts jagged jumpy rhythms into danceable avant-pop tracks. Obscure post punk group Blanche Blanche Blanche will be joining the set as well, adding a dark flavor to this eclectic show. All bands are based in Brooklyn! – Paul Jordan Talbot