NYC

Fresh buzz for Mutual Benefit

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A set of highly orchestrated folk music, constructed from a private playground of strange and wonderful sounds, star-gazing wonder, and tear-jerking harmonies, Mutual Benefit‘s debut LP ‘Love’s Crushing Diamond’ has been deservedly getting a great deal of attention from tastemakers everywhere. Taken from tales of life lived on the road from singer/songwriter Jordan Lee, the record is the first album to be named Best New Music by Pitchfork based on a Bandcamp release alone. Now the record’s appearing on everyone’s top ten lists, and now I’m hastily re-doing my own list to make way for this ambitious record. Listen below to fave track ‘Advanced Falconry,’ and see Jordan Lee and his collective of musicians gathered from all the places where he lived (Ohio, Boston, Austin) when they return from tour to play at Mercury Lounge on Feb 7. Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

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

Philadelphia

The Deli Philly’s Choice/Cuts: “Mountains” – Bad Braids

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As we inch closer to the end of 2013, we are happy to share our final episode of Choice/Cuts for the year with you featuring another lovely performance by Bad Braids, a.k.a. Megan Biscieglia, of a brand new/unreleased song, “Mountains,” which will appear on her upcoming album. We’d also like to thank all the artists who were nice enough to come record with us and of course, the HotBox Studios crew, especially Matt Smith and Ryan Farber, for being so passionate, talented and all-around good dudes. We look forward to more rad collaborations!

Philadelphia

Choice/Cuts: “Mountains” – Bad Braids

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As we inch closer to the end of 2013, we are happy to share our final episode of Choice/Cuts for the year with you featuring another lovely performance by Bad Braids, a.k.a. Megan Biscieglia, of a brand new/unreleased song, “Mountains,” which will appear on her upcoming album. We’d also like to thank all the artists who were nice enough to come record with us and of course, the HotBox Studios crew, especially Matt Smith and Ryan Farber, for being so passionate, talented and all-around good dudes. We look forward to more rad collaborations!

New England

The Novel Ideas come to House of Blues on January 9

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While its last record, "Home," was released in April of 2012, the Brighton-based Novel Ideas is preparing for what could be a big 2014. Recent photos posted to Facebook reveal that they’ve been recording a successor to “Home,” and they’ll follow two shows in Brooklyn at the top of the year with a set at the House of Blues’s Foundation Room on January 9 alongside the Long Lost and the Adventures Of. While it would be easy to write the Novel Ideas off as just another country band, they bring together twangy electric guitars, a beautiful backdrop of fingerpicked chords and singsong melodies by a trio of vocalists – with this band, there is something for every listener. – Jake Reed

NYC

YC the Cynic plays Gramercy with Homeboy Sandman and Tone Tank on 01.18

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Bills like this don’t come around too often. Curated by true hip hop heads, featuring some of the baddest talent pulsing through the veins of the underground, this event that could go down in history as the one you were lucky enough to be at – like when the Beasties toured with RUN-DMC or Wu-Tang with Rage Against the Machine. Homeboy Sandman, YC the Cynic (pictured), I Am Many, and Tone Tank round out the New York sets like a style sampler. Also featured is LA via Chicago’s Open Mike Eagle’s smoked-out psychedelia rap. Each performer is a genius in his own right; it would be stupid to miss this show. – BrokeMc

Philadelphia

Kat Kat Phest Day 3 w/Alex G, Pill Friends & More at KFN Dec. 30

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While some maybe resting up for their New Year’s Eve festivities tomorrow night or from last night’s victory celebration of the Eagles over the Cowboys to win the NFC East, Kat Kat Phest 2 parties on this evening at Kung Fu Necktie. Anchored by a new generation of lo-fi, home-recording acts rising up from the basements of Philly’s DIY scene, Alex G (a.k.a. Alex Giannascoli) and Pill Friends are proving that having an ear for melodies and off-kilter lyrics trumps the need for expensive equipment. They’ll be joined by like-minded musical brethren Elvis Depressedly (keeping my fingers crossed for a collaborative performance of “mickey yr a fuck up” with Pill Friends), Midwest emo/post-hardcore outfit Tiny Moving Parts, chiptune trio Crying, and more out-of-state imports. So what if it’s a Monday! Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7pm, $8, All Ages – Alexis V.
 
NYC

From The Deli NYC’s submissions: The Britanys

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The Britanys‘ anxious riffs in tracks like ‘Coming Home’ or ‘Ravens in the Night’ keep you thinking things are about to fall apart, but after listening to all of their debut EP ‘Hello Britany,’ I’m convinced there’s no stopping them. Their reinterprestation of the loud/quiet/loud dynamics that informed so much of the best indie guitar rock of the 90s is an irresistible invitation to the most epic of (and somewhat slo-mo) of mosh pit dancing, which is always a great way to burn holiday calories. Check out their EP opener "Mamma Says". – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for coverage here.

Chicago

MaoTzu

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Jamarcus Drake of Evasive Backflip has released a solo holiday/winter themed album under the name MaoTzu called Stripped Down and Out in The Cold. The album kicks off with a 35 second version of "Angels We Have Heard On High" and delves futher into the snow from there.

You can order physical copies with handmade and unique covers for just $5.

Chicago

Magicks “Solstice”

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Magicks has release a video for their track "Solstice". This was the first single from their forthcoming album Their Satanic Majesties Third Request which is due in March 2014.

You can catch Magicks at The Burlington on January 25th.

Philadelphia

The Deli & SonicScoop’s Pro Audio Giveaway: Win a Set of Shure Professional Headphones!

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How about a new set of headphones to start off the new year?! We are giving away a pair of Shure SRH940 Professional Reference Headphones (MSRP: $299) and the SRH840 Professional Monitoring Headphones (MSRP: $199) – and picking a winner for each! For more info and your chance to win The Deli & SonicScoop’s Pro Audio Giveaway prizes, go HERE by this Thursday, January 2. Good luck!
 
New England

Fax Holiday Record Release Show Set for January 4

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This coming Saturday, January 4, local rockers Fax Holiday will be showcasing some new material and releasing their latest EP, Big Fear, at Roggies in Brighton, MA. “Big Night”, the first single from the EP, is currently available for free streaming/download on their bandcamp page, and from the sounds of it, these guys have been putting in some serious work to revamp their sound. The production and recording quality on “Big Night” is so clear and crisp–it definitely makes for a great listen. I also dig the addition of a piano and strings on this track, giving the song a dreary, sleepy feel–perfect listening for a rainy day.

Head on over to the Facebook event page for more information about the record-release show. Big Fear will be available on 10-inch vinyl as well as digitally starting January 4th thanks to Boston-based art collective De-Efodiar. For those of you who are really impatient, fret not–you can pre-order the vinyl now through the band’s bandcamp page.
 

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)