New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Rock Island just got a little weirder today – Philly styley. Daytrotter just shared their session with local art-pop/rock "power trio turned super duo" Banned Books. You can take a listen to and download it for free (w/membership) HERE. (Illustration by Johnnie Cluney)
Below is the first taste of a collaborative concept LP from Detroit rapper Guilty Simpson and Philly’s own Small Professor called "On The Run" featuring turntable shredder DJ Revolution. It’s off their forthcoming album Highway Robbery, which will be released on September 24 via Coalmine Records. Special thanks to Okayplayer for bringing it to our attention.
The Great Unknown possesses an understated beauty. After being together over half a decade with four EPs and two full-length albums under their belts, the group continues to be one of the most well-respected acts in the local folk/Americana music community, helping to carry on its rich tradition. Tonight they’ll be opening for Dead Oceans’ Night Beds, a.k.a. Winston Yellen, once again at Johnny Brenda’s. Though The Great Unknown was already a band before the Nashville artist even started singer, it’s easy to hear why the blogosphere has so quickly embraced Yellen’s heartfelt, angelic voice. I think that JB’s upstairs will be turning into an intimate listening room this evening. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman
It’s always rewarding to find new promising artists, even in a city ripe with talent like NYC. Jesse & Forever is a project lead by saxophonist/singer Jesse Scheinin. At its best (as in the single "Memories," streaming below) the band plays a mellow brand of art pop with orchestral inclinations, in the vein of Grizzly Bear but with a loungier, gentler approach. The rest of the material in the band’s self titled debut album reveals a strong jazz component, cristalized in smooth ballads that – if they didn’t get hijacked by unexpectedly loud orchestral dissertions – would work perfectly as soundtracks of a melodramatic Broadway play.
The band will play Dingus‘ two year anniversary party at Free Candy on September 7 with Happy Lives, Napoleon and Just Kids.
When it comes to PDX rap group TxE, I would hesitate to classify their tunes as rap due to its clear influence from old school hip hop. Samples from Biggie are no surprise in their music because it is focused on poignant lyrics with solid delivery. The grooves are mellow with traces of soul and are mixed together to uplift the beat into a danceable track. Most people do not correlate hip hop with Portland, but TxE (consisting of members Calvin, Epp, and Tope) can hold their own with some of the best in the country. By sharing stages with the likes of Lil Wayne and Macklemore they have proven that good verses can travel far and wide, especially if you know how to throw them down. TxE are taking part in MFNW at the Hawthorne Theater for a rappers showcase tonight. – Colin Hudson
Smoker is the Pilsen band that formed around the solo work of Stephen Paul Smoker. Their new album, Strange Ways, is a showcase of psychedelic dream-pop and will be released tomorrow, September 5th.
You can catch Smoker at Empty Bottle on September 6th with The Kuhls and Wild Jesus & the Devil’s Lettuce.
As if Labor Day weekend didn’t already signal the end of summer, Cough Cool, a.k.a. Dan Svizeny, just droped a new track called "Good Nothings" that also sounds like the end of a summer romance. The tune is a B-side to the collection of songs that he just released on the LP 29 via Bathetic. Please feel free to lament with us.
Tall Walker released the first single, "Clouds", from their debut EP back in April. The ep should be available soon, but in the meantime they are opening up for Minor Characters on Friday, Sept. 6th, at Schubas.
One of NYC’s new avant-rock quartets, named No Shoes, just put out a fresh, ubiquitous new single called "Party Poetry (Billy Milktruck Drops the Meth Bomb)" that has caught our attention. The band claims they offer post-apocalyptic pop, but their dissonant prog rock vibes, heavy use of track panning, and lack of open melodies place their music in the calderon of genres we call avant-indie – with an extra dose of math influences. The nature of their instrumentation, paired with distortion, odd time signatures and vocals sung by what sounds like a somewhat numb crowd, makes for a fun listen – including its puzzling finale. Check it out below! – Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor) – Photo by Rose Lou
Lulu Mae has been toiling away at their 2014 release. Listening to their infectious, family-style folk rock, I’d imagine this process to be much like a very spirited Amish barn-raising. Those that preorder the album will be able to download unreleased single “Memphis Woman.” They will be opening for Local Natives and Leagues this Thursday (tomorrow) at Live on the Green. Brighten your post-holiday funk this Wednesday with the upbeat “Mockingbird and the Dogwood Tree.”
Hey! Did you take a rain check for Live on the Green the past four Thursdays? Or spend them all in a drunken haze and can’t remember the show or how you got home? We will have a recap of the entire series, so you can relive your memories or piece together your chemically-inconvenienced mistakes. -Terra James-Jura
If you haven’t had a chance to catch any of the shows at The Cage, one of Nashville’s newest houses doubling as a venue, your next chance is September 14th. PUJOL, Deluxin’, Waxed, and OGG will be providing music backed by Dig Deep Light Show setting the scene on a screen, but this time around there’s an extra reason to celebrate. Outside The Circle Records, co-founded by Mac Joseph and Marshall Homra (members of local punk outfit Dirty Dreams) is celebrating its first release, a 7” single by OGG. $5 gets you in as well as a copy of the single (attendance is limited to 200). -Michael Perry
