"I look back, I look back", goes the chorus to Uh Hu Her’s latest electro-pop romp "Innocence", a sentiment that suitably connects with their current status as an established act. How do you evolve? It’s a thought that went through the minds of Camilia Grey and Leisha Hailey while making their third full-length release, titled Future Souls, and the answer couldn’t be any clearer: go back to writing the kind of alluring anthems that seduce the crowds to step into the dancefloor. The track transmits an electric charge with its driving hook and infectious bass groove, though its murky ambiance gives it an air of mystery and depth. Future Souls will be released via Plaid Records on March 25th.
San Francisco
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Rykarda Parasol Performs Solo – Opens for Asaf Avidan at Bimbos – 3/7
Sultry, raspy voiced singer/songwriter Rykarda Parasol has returned to her native city of San Francisco from a long sabbatical of sorts, in Europe. Her grizzly vocal range is oddly beautiful and appropriate as she sings bravely honest lyrics, and carries a tune perfectly over acoustic folk pop music. Parasol sounds like a Bob Dylan and Lou Reed’s lovechild. Her style is a bit perplexing and will be cool to experience live.
She’s opening for uber famous Tele Aviv based Asaf Avidan who is a massive and breath taking talent. If you want to hear something different next month, and don’t mind being moved to the core, arrive at Bimbos at 9 o’clock to see and hear a great show. –je
San Francisco
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The Electric Magpie Plays Milk Bar with Cigarette Bums Sad Tires Criminal Hygiene TONIGHT
San Francisco band, The Electric Magpie is headlining tonight at Milk Bar. They’ll be serving up a blend of ‘60s psych rock and mod, while Los Angeles-based, the Cigarette Bums deliver a blend of blues-infused budget rock with a slight surf influence. Also keeping it slightly bluesy is Sad Tires. Listing themselves as blues punk, their talent lies within their artfully crafted guitar riffs. And opening all the festivities is LA based garage rock band Criminal Hygiene. With an ever-so-slight The Replacements-esque influence is awesome. They recently released an EP called “Withdrawn” on Cultist Records earlier this month.
Be sure to see “Friday Night Fuzz Disco” at Milk Bar in San Francisco tonight! – Erin Dage
Philadelphia
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Weekend Warrior, February 7 – 9
Union Transfer hosts a huge all locals only lineup this Saturday as Pissed Jeans and Purling Hiss join forces for a three-day run with a stop at Union Transfer alongside Trophy Wife, who will joining in for an evening of chaos. Ever since signing to Sub Pop and putting out Hope for Men, Pissed Jeans have found themselves being regarded as one of the best hardcore noise-rock bands of the current generation. And their work with Grammy-nominated Alex Newport on King of Jeans and last year’s Honeys has elevated their sound to a whole new level. What started out as a solo side project by then Birds of Maya guitarist Mike Polizze has evolved into another heavy rockin’ power trio in Purling Hiss. And ever since signing to Drag City and releasing their first record as a trio, Water on Mars, Polizze and friends have gotten bigger than ever. Though Trophy Wife aren’t yet as well-known as their other bill mates, all that could change with the third album that the ladies are shooting to release in late spring, so tonight could be an opportune moment to sample a couple new tunes among the old. It’s your chance to rage this weekend before the snow forces you to hibernate in your home once again. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 8pm, $15, All Ages – Bill McThrill
Other places to go this weekend before more snow comes…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Norwegian Arms, Dream Safari
The Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Wild North, SAT Restorations, The Holy Mess, Dogs On Acid
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) SAT Dangerous Creatures, Vita and the Woolf
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI (Upstairs) Tinmouth, The Valhallas, Tiny Cities, (Downstairs) VoirVoir, (Late) Lantern, SAT (Upstairs) Prosper Or Perish, SoluM MortuM, (Downstairs) Goddamnit, Quiet Arcs, Passenger Train Proposal, Pulling Punches, (Late) Easy Creatures, SUN Psychic Teens, The Pretty Greens
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI Bad Side, The Whips
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SUN Retake the Video, Nobody Yet, Sacagawea and The Hunters
TLA (334 South St.) FRI BK Friendly, Stolen Rhodes
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SUN Ben Kessler, Brethren, Wilbur, Hayley Jordanna, Memphis Hat
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Philly Kid Graffix Showcase, SAT Carl Crossfade, Traverse, Rhythm HB, H.I.M. Lee, Rachel Tension, TroiLauren, Spenser Michaels, SUN Marietta, Secret Plot to Destroy the Entire Universe
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI The Royal Noise, Kings & Comrades
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Tom Brosseau, Joey Sweeney, Mitch Esparza, SUN A Night at the Opry w/Red Skiles and His Country Ramblers
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI The Better Half, Overcoming Gravity, 91s
M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Risen Resilient, Blackrue, Theone 2S, Shots Called
JR’S (2327 S. Croskey St.) FRI Fisthammer, Coffin Dust, SAT 2blk2wht
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) SAT Kwesi K, SUN Jennifer Logue, Katie Barbato, Alec Stewart, Carmen Magro, Echo Victory
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI John Train, SUN Rusty Cadillac
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI (Early) The Phoenix Bridge, Layers And Frames, SAT Smacking Madison, Smarty Pants
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Daniel Collins, Pete Jive, Katie Barbato, Leo Minor, Railroad Fever
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI The Terribles, SUN Spoken Life
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Little Bird, Underwater Country Club, The Rivals, Bird Watcher, The Fitch Bros., SAT Dr. Beardface & The Spacemen, Janine Toner, John
Yell Gallery (2111 E.Susquehanna Ave.) FRI 185668232, Nocht the Only Ghouls, Falcony
Golden Tea House (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI The Weaks EP Release Show w/Thin Lips, Kite Party
NYC
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Sam Kogon (of The Vanderbuilts) plays Silent Barn on 02.09
For Sam Kogon‘s latest 2-track EP the dream pop crooner, and lead singer for The Vanderbilts, paints a lush soundscape that negotiates some of the benefits and consequences of sleeping too much. Opener ‘Wake Up Your Kids’ pleads for you to spend as much time with your children as possible (even if that means they get no sleep), while ‘Sleeping Beauty’ is a wandering ode to the possibilities of love spent unconsciously. Check it out below and see him when he plays with a full band this Sunday at Silent Barn with Montreal pop band Sheer Agony (Feb 9). – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)
Nashville
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Weekend Itinerary
Here’s a brief round-up of the recommended goings-on in Nashville this weekend:
Friday: Josh Farrow The Deslondes, Banditos and Margo & the Price Tags take over The Basement for a night of western-tinged Americana. The show starts at 8 and costs $5.
Things will get loud and louder at The High Watt with That’s My Kid, Friendship Commanders, and Best Friend. The show starts at 9pm, and cover is $5.
Saturday: Starting at 10am until 6pm at Marathon Music Works is Cabin Fever Heyday, an indie-bazaar allowing the browsing of arts, crafts and vintage goods and the consumption of truck-food.
The Mascot Theory, IIIrd Class, Wheathouse and Marylanders (sp?) Pompeii Graffiti will tear you up fooBar for 5 bucks.
Artist of the Month winners The Dirty Things and Road to Bonnaroo crowd favorites Them Vibes play at Mad Donna’s. Show is at 9, and the show is free.
Sunday: Southern rockers The Vegabonds and sharp popsters Dinner & a Suit will open for Fort Worth’s The Unlikely Candidates at Exit/In. Show starts at 9, and tickets are $8 in advance and $10 day of show.
Anchor Thieves, Weston & Friends, Mark Minelli and Valley Roots have you covered if most of your cash found its way into g-strings this weekend by playing at the Basement for free at 8. Anchor Thieves were voted onto our Year End Poll for 2013, and the amusiement of decoding their website is enough to earn them a slot on 2014’s list.
NYC
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Mittenfields and Positive No at Galaxy Hut on 2/16.
DC’s Mittenfields and Richmond’s Positive No will play Arlington’s Galaxy Hut on Sunday, February 16th. Mittenfields’ sound is incredibly comforting for those feeling lost in an indie world increasingly full of solo or dueling synths/computers. Their three guitars are the focal points of a kind of sound-craft almost forgotten since its heyday with 90’s indie-rock. Positive No doesn’t shy away from noisy guitars either, and being composed of members who’ve been rocking Virginia since the 90’s, they carry that legacy incredibly well. The combination of fuzzy guitars, pounding drums and melodic but casual female vocals recall the best of the 90’s indie/alternative I grew up with in Boston, like Throwing Muses, Helium, The Blake Babies and The Breeders. This will be a great show for those of us who love the electric guitar, and Galaxy Hut will provide the sort of intimate setting you may not be able to see these band in again. –Natan Press
Philadelphia
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Congrats to Alex G – The Deli Philly’s Readers’/Fans’ Best Emerging Artist of 2013!
Philly Deli Readers,
The Deli Philly’s Best Emerging Artists of 2013 Readers’/Fans’ Poll is over, thanks to all who cast their vote in support of the emerging local acts in our list of nominees.
Congrats to prolific lo-fi indie popster Alex G (pictured and streaming) for being The Deli Philly’s Readers’/Fans’ Best Emerging Philly Artist of 2013!
Kudos also to multi-instrumentalist and looping one-man show Brian Fitzy and indie-folk quartet Rosu Lup who placed second and third.
We’d also like to give an honorable mention shoutout to Pine Barons, Red Martina, and Banned Books.
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MOST IMPORTANTLY THOUGH! Stay tuned for the composite chart, to be released next week, that will include the point nominees accumulated from the jurors’, Deli writers’ and readers’/fans’ votes, which will crown The Deli Philly’s Best Emerging Artist of 2013.
The Deli’s Staff
NYC
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Album review: Steady States – EEEPEETOO (EP)
(Photo by Paul Garcellano)
Apparently, I am now old enough for the sludge, stomp and insanity of my youth to come back around. Are The Melvins, Jesus Lizard, Shellac, Helmet and Young Marble Giants my classic rock? Are young bands claiming my freak-out heroes for their own now? Judging from what I hear on Steady States’ new EP, the answer is clear: the bands that I discovered as rebellion to the bullshit of ‘80s and ‘90s radio are now the template of rock ‘n roll. And I’m fine with it. The band (Joel Shields, Mark Lewis, Bob Comire, Kyle Anthony) flies in the face of what’s expected in “alternative rock” and spits into the wind with no regard of who will get hit in the back splash. I appreciate that approach.
From the opening chords of “Muzzle & Fitness,” the leadoff track, I hear the space between Scratch Acid and Jesus Lizard-era David Yow. Abrasive, chaotic, insane rapid-fire rock that, I suspect, was made for the sole purpose of pissing off those that are not already unacquainted with the asylum that is Steady States. I appreciate this approach; I myself occasionally start fires (figurative ones of course) just to see what burns.
Therein lies the beauty and the rub of Steady States: it is a band that clearly pushes what convention accepts as rock ‘n roll, and history has shown us that pushing boundaries doesn’t equal mass appeal. However, EEEPEETOO has no hopes of mainstream success; it will not get anywhere near the gated neighborhood that the mainstream comfortably occupies but they will find an audience, and I suspect, a rabid one at that.
“Happiness” comes on like a Helmet track, if guitarist Page Hamilton was blasted out of his gourd; it’s ominous, slightly off-kilter, mostly instrumental, the kind of tune a serial killer would love. The track “Mound City” is every bit as sludgy as Gluey Porch Treatments-era Melvins, but strangely has the most potential of all the songs to see even a second of radio time.
“White Caps” is almost bluesy, departing from the form of the previous tracks. The guitars of Shields and Lewis work perfectly within the bass and drums in a way that gets under your skin, stuck in like a splinter or a leech that refuses to let go.
I hate to use the word “refreshing” in any of my reviews but EEEPEETOO is refreshing, in that it ignores what many in music hold dear: mass appeal, widespread acceptance, and fame. Steady States is making the music it wants to make and throwing caution to the wind. The group strives, it seems, to not be like the rest and in that will be the weird, wild, and noisy beast.
EEEPEETOO was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Weights & Measures Soundlab by Duane Trower.
Catch Steady States as they celebrate the release of EEEPEETOO Saturday night, February 8, at Davey’s Uptown. Red Kate, Loose Park, and The Brannock Device will also play. Show starts at 9:00 pm, $8. Facebook event page.
–Danny R. Phillips
Danny R. Phillips has been reporting on music of all types and covering the St. Joseph music scene for well over a decade. He is a regular contributor to the nationally circulated BLURT Magazine and his work has appeared in The Pitch, The Omaha Reader, Missouri Life, The Regular Joe, Skyscraper Magazine, Popshifter, Hybrid Magazine, the websites Vocals on Top and Tuning Fork TV, Perfect Sound Forever, The Fader, and many others.
NYC
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Singing the Blues-Rock: Blue & Gold play Brooklyn Bazaar on 02.14
Look no further than Blue & Gold to find your weekly fix of raunchy, lowdown rock n’ roll attitude. The band has the stuff in their blood, and they’re taking no prisoners for their bluesy new self-titled EP, taking trademark riffs and remaking them for loud rock fans like us in tracks like ‘Anything For Love’ and ‘It’s Only You.’ See the group when they play at Brooklyn Night Bazaar on Friday, Feb 14th with Team Spirit, and see why the Blues is still an essential ingredient to any well-cooked music scene. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)
Philadelphia
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The Weaks EP Release Party at Golden Tea House Feb. 7
Tonight, Golden Tea House welcomes Evan Bernard and Chris Baglivo, combining forces as The Weaks. Celebrating the release of their debut EP, The World Is a Terrible Place & I Hate Myself and I Want to Die, available via Lame-O Records on February 11, this duo, formerly of Dangerous Ponies, perform ironed-out power pop fusing it with punk influences. The results are catchy songs with clear guitar lines and an energetic nature, that new yet-familiar vibe, which places songs in frequent rotation. Thin Lips, a new venture that finds another pair of Dangerous Ponies Chrissy Tashijan and Kyle Pulley with Tigers Jaw/Three Man Cannon drummer Pat Brier, will also be there sharing in the joyous occasion. The trio is geared in a punk-oriented direction, coupling heavier riff-churning guitar and tumbling percussion with Tashijan’s commanding vocals. Rounding out the bill will be indie-rockers Kite Party, who find a balance between Russell Edling’s emotive vocals with steady yet bubbling under the surface instrumentation that breaks at opportune moments, and Tacoma, Washington hardcore foursome Cowardice. Golden Tea House, (Please email goldenteahouse42069@gmail.com for more info.), 7:30, All Ages – Michael Colavita
Philadelphia
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Dream Safari Opening for Norwegian Arms & Snowmine at JB’s Feb. 7
Philly’s own Dream Safari plays an expansive sound that seems to reach to the corners of the earth. The stage name of Chris Coulton, the project specializes in a danceable electro world beat that pulls inspiration from multiple genres. In the past few months, Coulton has called upon various deejays in the area to release a remixed version of his EP, Night Howl, helping to demonstrate the flexibility in his sound. It doesn’t feel calculated, but rather the various disco, jungle-pop layers flow easily into one another, making for a versatility that allowed the “remixes” album to hold up against the original. They’ll be opening for Philly/Brooklyn trio Norwegian Arms, who will be headlining this evening at Johnny Brenda’s. The weirdo-folk outfit allows its surroundings to seep into the music, taking their listeners on a journey with them, from the woods of Siberia to the streets of New York City. Also performing on the bill is Brooklyn-based Snowmine. The group toes the line between dance-worthy and extremely chill ambiance, depending on the listener’s mood. The night promises to be full of spacious and layered sounds, ones that invoke music from various world corners, and will be sure to expand to every corner of the venue. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Shaylin O’Connell