NYC

New electro-pop from NYC: The Landing

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I have a feeling The Landing doesn’t quite walk on the Earth the same way the rest of us do. The band that bills themselves as Space-pop, instead orbits the Earth in a cloud of hazy synths and dense harmonic smoke. While their popular track ‘Anxieties’ wrestles with an unfortunate human need requiring most of us to go to sleep every once in awhile… something tells me this band is not quite as anxiety-ridden as their smooth pop posture would otherwise indicate. Check out one of the group’s first singles below, and stay tuned for more releases to follow soon. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best Electronic songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

NYC

Gina Cimmelli premieres video for single “Clementine”

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The new video for ‘Clementine’ from singer-songwriter Gina Cimmelli, taken from her EP ‘Summer Singles,’ offers a rare glimpse into the private world shared between herself and a traveling musician boyfriend who finds himself transplanted in NYC. It’s a touching ode to those quieter moments shared privately between two lovers, from an artist consistently surprising us with her honest lyrics and probing sentiment. Watch the video premiere below. – (Mike Levine @Goldnuggets)

Philadelphia

New Levee Drivers EP Available for Streaming & Purchase

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While the Levee Driver‘s new three-song EP Speakin’ Bourbon Coated Blues might not truly represent the furious country-blues-garage-rock outfit that they unleashed this past weekend at Kung Fu Necktie for their record release party, it does highlight the vocal prowess of frontman August John Lutz II. His voice is simply custom-fitted for the twang that can be found in the heart of rural America. They’ll be performing next this Friday, December 13 at The Ardmore Music Hall.

NYC

David George releases “Tonight’s Child” for the holidays

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David George has amassed an all-star team of Kansas City musicians to be a part of his Christmas single “Tonight’s Child,” which is released today.
 
The composition, originally written by George for his niece and nephew, also features Shay Estes on vocals, along with Johnny Hamil (upright bass), Giuliano Mingucci (drums), Mark Lowrey (piano), Betse Ellis (violin), Ben Byard (viola), and Christine Gross (cello). String arranged by Ellis. The song was recorded, mixed, and mastered by Duane Trower at Weights and Measures Soundlab.
 
The single is available for $1 through Bandcamp. All proceeds until Christmas will go to the Coats For Kids Foundation.

 

Next Sunday, December 15, George and friends will take over recordBar for a benefit show for Coats For Kids. The show will kick off at 7 p.m. with A Crooked Quartet (Gross, Ellis, Hamil, Byard) and vocalist Melissa Bollman. At 8:00, The Crooked Christmas Band will perform a few holiday songs. David George & A Crooked Mile will hit the stage at 9:00. Tickets are $10 adv/$15 day of, half-price with the donation of a new or used coat. Facebook event page. 

 
 

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NYC

Show recap: Murder Ballad Ball 5 – The Verdict

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(Photo by Sondra Freeman)
 
Another Murder Ballad Ball has come and gone, leaving a ghostly smile playing about the lips of those who attended that will be a source of puzzlement well in the coming week to those we come in contact who didn’t attend.
 
Saturday night, The Verdict, was seven hours of music by some of Kansas City’s best musicians performing at The Living Room Theater. The music got started at 6:00 with A.J. Gaither doing a one-man set playing his homemade cigar box guitars and a kick bass, doing mostly original material, except that gospel number he snuck in there because hey, the crucifixion is the most famous murder of ’em all, right?
 
Next up was perennial KC bluegrass favorite Loaded Goat, romping through a five-song set that had the crowd that was starting to trickle in and fill up the place on their feet and dancing from the first notes of “John Hardy” to the final notes of “Six Feet Down.”
 
Next up was David George and cellist Christine Gross doing a stripped-down six-song set of Crooked Mile tunes that had the crowd that was ready to ride off and rob the Glendale Train with Loaded Goat a few minutes before paying rapt attention so as not to miss any of his subtle turns of songwriting phrase.
 
The fourth act of the night was Damon Parker who did a solo-set—just him and his electric piano—reminiscent of Dr. John and New Orleans. His rendition of “Seven Spanish Angels” gave me goosebumps, and the strains of “Night Train” hung in the room long after he had left the stage and the next act was setting up.
 
Mikal Shapiro put together an all-star ensemble for her set, with the one-and-only Betse Ellis on bass, Amy Farrand on drums, and Chad Brothers on lead guitar. Her set opened with a version of “You Are My Sunshine” that my Nana never sang to me, moved into her original song “Technicolor,” followed by “Dublin Reds,”(her interpretation of Townes Van Zant’s “Dublin Blues”) and they finished their set with the timeless Leonard Cohen classic “The Future.” Here’s hoping we see more of this project in the new year—these musicians just jell when they come together. Each and every one of them is absolutely fabulous in their own right, but never has the phrase “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts” been more fitting.
 
 
Anthony Ladesich—Kansas City’s answer to Steve Earle—was up next, and he played seven original songs, each one a narrative, and each one a true murder ballad. His set started with “To Vanish and Fade,” a haunting tale of a man who kills the banker who comes to foreclose on his home, then segued into the even more haunting “Down Bellfontaine,” about a serial killer stalking and murdering his first victim. The tune that stuck in my head was “In the Cut”: “we’ll get in quick and get out quicker, we’ll get high when we get done” about two guys who rob a liquor store, but it’s a double cross, and one of them kills the other one—but he got high when he got done.
 
Kasey Rausch, who never disappoints, delivered a knock-out set with alternating supporting musicians. Her first song was “I Used to Love Her,” sang with her sister Kim Rausch McLaws; the sisters delivered some of the tightest harmonies you’ll ever hear this side of the Ryman. She finished her set with the Rural Grit All-Stars doing another superb rendition of “Seven Spanish Angels.”
 
The Rural Grit All-Stars have been holding the fans of roots music in thrall for years. I worked for Roger Naber at the Grand Emporium when the Rural Grit Happy Hour got started, and when the news spread through the music community that he had sold the bar, the most common question I got was, “What’s going to happen to Rural Grit?” (It has had a couple of homes since then, but it’s still going strong, Monday nights from 6:00-9:00 at The Brick, and the cover is still only three bucks.) The All Stars performed their own set, and its various members performed with other acts throughout the night, especially Betse Ellis. She was, without a doubt, on the stage more than anyone else. It seemed like she played with more acts than she didn’t; this is not a complaint, it is simply an observation, smug and self-satisfied in a my-town-is-better-than-your-town-for-live-music sort of way.
 
 
The Silver Maggies are always great, and always loud, and Saturday night was no exception. They brought their “A” game to the Ball and crushed it with a wall of sound.
 
 
The Philistines were the penultimate act, kicking their set off with the original number “Stygia,” then following it with a few covers, the first one ‘80s college-rock classic by Adam & The Ants, “Killer in the Home.” That was followed by Neil Young’s “Revolution Blues.” Cody Wyoming and Kimberly Queen, the couple that makes up the beating heart of The Philistines, are huge fans of ‘80s college rock, and they went back to that well for “Killing and Arab” by The Cure, and finished the set with “Para” by Calexico.
 
 
Since Murder Ballad Ball is the brainchild of Cadillac Flambe (pictured above) frontman Kristopher Bruders, they took the stage last and played until closing time, holding the rapt attention of the die-hards who were still hanging in there at 12:30. Once they got the technical issues with the piano resolved, they blew the roof off the joint. Havilah Bruders has a voice so powerful it can make the hair on the back of your neck stand up when she belts out a murder ballad, and no drummer has ever had more fun with a kit than Michael Payne, but bassist Dave Duly gives him a run for his money. For all intents and purposes, when they’re playing, the Cadillac Flambe rhythm section is like kids at recess.
  
Much appreciation to The Living Room Theater for the use of the space and to their staff for putting up with a bunch of rowdy music fans, to the tireless efforts of both Rhonda Lyne and Sondra Freeman who work non-stop to make sure every Midwest Music Foundation event comes together seamlessly, to all the vendors who donated items for the raffles and silent auction, and to the talent for showing up and entertaining us and bringing us together for such a good cause…the health and well being of Kansas City musicians. As I like to say, before the country had Obamacare, KC’s musicians had Abby Care.
 
–Tammy Booth
  
Tammy (AKA Blue Girl) also blogs for They Gave Us A Republic and Show Me Progress.
 

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NYC

Album review: The Noise FM – Attraction

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(Photo by Todd Zimmer)
 
Some music moves you and some gets you moving. Attraction by The Noise FM is definitely music to move to. I’ve been listening to this for the last few days while working and it’s impossible to not tap a foot or bob my head. 
 
The album opener, “Ghost in the Microphone,” is a great overview of what to expect for the rest of the album, starting with some ambient noise and moving to a jerky drum fill, then into a driving rock song. 
 
“Crooked Smile” augments the pop-rock feel with a mid-tempo groove pushed by a nicely syncopated muted bass and a punchy four-on-the-floor drum beat. 
 
The album continues with and alternation between poppy, sometimes airy, gentle sections followed by a guitar heavy movement. The arrangements are evocative of Jimmy Eat World or The Foo Fighters all sent through a dance rock filter. 
 
The genre-bending songs are given great treatment with the mindful production. The sounds feel carefully tailored to each section. The fast, harsh reverb on the drums in “The Attraction” aren’t used on “Scam Artist,” which benefits from the drier, closer sound. Densely layered vocals are the norm throughout the entire album—it’s a rare moment where a voice is presented alone. Many times the harmonies blend in to the keyboards and are only noticeable when they diverge into separate parts. 
 
The band’s tag line—“Chicago indie-rock by way of small town Kansas”—is fitting for anyone familiar with the music that comes from the Midwest: Hard, dissonant, poppy, and atmospheric all in one piece of music.  
 
–Justin Penney
 
Justin plays in Dollar Fox and is one of the founders of the KC label Money Wolf Music.
 
 
 
The Noise FM will be back in town on Saturday, December 21 at The Riot Room to host Noise For Toys: A Benefit for Kansas City Toys For Tots. We Are Voices, Shy Boys, and Rooms Without Windows will join them on the bill. 8 pm, 21+, admission is $8 or $4 with the donation of an unopened toy. Facebook event page.

And here’s the official video for "Every Other Word," off Attraction:
 
 
 

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Philadelphia

Cop Problem Opening for Old Lines & Heathen Reign at KFN Dec. 8

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Kung Fu Necktie hosts a raucous band-tasting tonight – think throbbing, saturated assaults of sound meets cutting political commentary. The Baltimore label, Reptilian Records, which put out The Dwarves, Pig Destroyer and a slew of other seminal punk and hardcore bands, celebrates the addition of d-beat crust punk outfit Old Lines to their catalog with the release of the band’s seven-inch If You See Something, Say Something, a jab at the U.S. government’s public safety campaign and policies. Philly’s Cop Problem, who digitally self-released their EP Buried Beneath White Noise this past October, will open up the evening. In their memorable track “American Spring”, the melodic punk band questions what we give up for our comfort and security provided by a “broken machine” and calls for a redefinition of the American dream. They’ll be joined by the noise rock grunge tumult of local talents Heathen Reign, featuring members of Creepoid and Transitor Transitor. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, $5, 21+ (Photo by Dante Torrieri) – Ali Carter

Philadelphia

A Tribute to Lou Reed at WCL Dec. 7

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There’s only one proper way to honor the passing of a musician like Lou Reed. There’s a reason that one of the most common words used to describe him was “fighter”; the man was a wounded, furious genius who swung the very concept of rock around like a cudgel. Words simply cannot hope to convey how deeply he and the Velvet Underground have shaped the face of American alternative music as we know it; they pioneered the very concept of experimentation, and broke the mold before we even knew there was one. No, it’s really the sort of thing you can only express with a show honoring the breadth of his work. Tri State Indie will be holding a tribute concert for the Godfather of Indie Rock tonight at World Café Live, where you’ll find local up-and-comers like Dominic Angellela (of DRGN KING), Levee Drivers, The Districts, Weekender, Divers, Keepers, Our Griffins, Black Stars, Nero Catalano (of Work Drugs) and many others who will be performing their favorites from Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground’s vast catalogue of songs. Come watch a range of underground and unorthodox artists pay homage to a man that made such a thing possible. Proceeds will go towards helping local hunger charities Philabundance and MANNA. World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 8pm, $8, All Ages – Daniel Ludwig
 
New England

The Sun Lions roar on “Adeleine”

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The Sun Lions’s latest EP, “Adeleine,” has a crisp and, well, sunny sound, thanks in part to being recorded on a Tascam 388 ¼” tape machine. The band sounds like a more melodic Wavves, but with the same crunchy guitars, vocal effects and fixation with drugs – “Adeleine, I think I’m wasted,” they sing on the set’s title track. If you’re itching for more Sun Lions, check out their “Be There” EP, released in June – Jake Reed

New England

I Kill Giants plots final shows

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Over the past two years, I Kill Giants has become one of the most successful math rock bands in Boston’s DIY music scene. Its self-titled full-length debut was released in April, following several EPs including the unorthodox “We Can Live In The Exact Same Place” – the collection’s eight songs span just six minutes. Now, the band is plotting its final shows before an indefinite hiatus, as guitarist and vocalist Dylan Hanwright heads to Washington to pursue what he called a “dream job” in an October announcement. Check them out at the Middle East in Cambridge on December 21; The Space in Hamden, CT, on January 17; or their final show on January 24 at the Democracy Center in Cambridge – Jake Reed

NYC

Electro NYC duo Color War announces debut album “It Could Only Be This Way”

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With the release of teutonically sober single "SOS" (streaming) Brooklyn electro duo Color War is announcing the release of their debut album "It Could Only Be This Way," scheduled for March 2014. There’s something reminiscent of (very) early Simple Minds in these guys’ compositions, in the melodies and sometimes even in the use of the electronic arpeggiators. Hopefully the band won’t hate us for saying this, since Jim Kerr’s band ended up becoming one of the symbols of cheesy late 80s arena rock. But their first 3-4 albums (unknown to the masses) kick asses and sound incredibly original. Besides, I’m sure they wouln’t mind a career as long and rewarding as theirs…

NYC

Weekly Feature: Walking Shapes unveil video for ‘Horse’

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Never straying too far into experimentation or playing it too safe with conventionality, Walking Shapes do a very good job of caring for the audience. Whether this is intentional or not, it doesn’t really matter because the Shapes accomplish the ever difficult task of creating their own musical world, a complex sonic universe that is far from predictable. With a lineup looking like you traditional rock band – two guitars, bass, drums- the quartet creates arrangements so layered that it’s hard to remember that. This band has unpredictability on their side, and a great vocalist – always good allies in pop music. Check out their new video for "Horse below. – LINK: Jack McGovern’s interview with Walking Shapes.