Acoustic and electronic instruments are at the opposite sides of the sonic spectrum, but they are not incompatible, even though it’s rare to find a musical project that incorporates them both. Brooklyn based one man band Goste (an artist we booked at our latest CMJ Music Marathon) plays a kind of folk music where the acoustic guitar is only present as a series of intriguing, intricate, abstract, often reversed samples, blended with other gentle electronic elements. This unusual deconstruction of the folkiest of instruments doesn’t diminish the authenticity of Goste’s songs, but contributes to creating a very personal style, that still sounds as folk as a man with a real acoustic six string. – See Goste tonight at Cameo Gallery in Williamsburg.
New Track: “Ella” – Cayetana
Cayetana captivated the Philly music scene and beyond with their first official single "Hot Dad Calendar," which was released on 7" vinyl via Tiny Engines. Well, now its B-side, "Ella," is available for streaming and purchase too. Both tracks were recorded by Three Man Cannon‘s Matt Schimelfenig. Cayetana will be performing this Saturday, March 22 at The Boot & Saddle opening for Mary Timony’s Ex Hex and Lantern.
Stream: FLORALS “Others”
Electronic acts with a fondness for dreamy, ethereal soundscapes are a dime a dozen these days. So it’s refreshing to hear a trio like FLORALS inverting the expectation of such sounds with their own spin – their debut track "Others" incorporates a stark, downtempo beat set against the oddly bewitching vocals of singer Stephanie Marie Rick. There are layers upon layers to unfold in the track’s eerily spectral atmosphere, which opts to maintain a calm detachment instead of placing a reliance on a facile form of beauty.
Conway reinvents herself on “Hustler”
Conway is a force to be reckoned with this year (from being named "Artist of the Month" in our site to Rolling Stone’s Top 10 artists to Watch, Carson Daly, Life + Times, NYLON and so forth) catching everyone’s attention with no signs of stopping anytime soon. Her newest single, "Hustler," was directed by Zach Gold, who has shot videos for artists like 50 Cent, David Bowie and Drake. First off, this video is incredibly visualizing and embarks on a journey of a "hustler" – an aggressively enterprising person; a go getter. I decided to personally dissect this video into what I could make of it; Conway is a hustler herself. Cunning and smart, she personally edited and directed her video, "Big Talk", which now has over 400,00 views on You Tube.
In "Hustler", she takes on a few different personas and personalities on how to survive and achieve things in life. One was herself, the average girl who hustles her way through life being who she was born to be. The following shots include her sporting a suit with a type of nylon over her face acting as a mask, the next she’s smeared with black makeup all over her face to show the darker side of life, and then she’s dressed in Victorian-styled, white clothing like a queen. The queen, and the Egyptian style clothes she wears are symbols of power, a clear example of a hustler or someone who defines power. Feminism can be seen throughout this video as well – like I had said before, the queen will always hold power over most, along with the Egyptians, as they were the civilization that represented strength and influenced an entire global development. A softer side is also shown – she is holding a bunny stroking its fur and holding it close for safety and comfort. One thing to notice and pay close attention to is that while she is holding a bunny, she is dressed like the White Rabbit from the movie Alice in Wonderland. The White Rabbit is a stigma for youth: timid, feeling feeble or simply running out of time.
Taking an even closer look into the dynamics of the video, it’s like an acid trip scene from the film itself, and Conway is the main character. She embodies many characters from the film: she is the queen, the rabbit, Alice, the Cheshire Cat (from when she is in the classroom and hallways with a big black smile painted across her face), the mad hatter and the card soldiers. Take a look at the character list of the movie and compare it to the music video; they almost connect perfectly. If that is the case and I made the connection correctly, then that is one hell of a music video concept I tip my hat to Zach Gold.
Conway is a truly exceptional, charismatic, immense and impressive artist. Her newest EP, Big Talk, is currently streaming on her soundcloud page. Her tour with Ellie Goulding started March 12th at Madison Square Garden, and will end on the 25th of this month. Follow her, listen to her and become a fan, because she will only get more iconic from here. – Kayla Hay
Congratulations to The Greening for Winning The Deli Magazine San Francisco’s Artist of the Month Poll
Congratulations to San Francisco’s one and only "collage rock" band, The Greening, for winning The Deli Magazine San Francsico Artist of the Month Poll! The Greening persuaded readers to vote in their favor with their knack for combining elements of psych, progressive rock, and power pop in their music. Recently the band came out with a full-length album dubbed Eon V. Aeon. We’re happy about their success and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors!
Angelina Lucero
Rooftop Sessions Chicago released their "Ugly Lamp" session with the amazing singer/songwriter Angelina Lucero late last week. Below is Lucero performing her song "Toothbrush".
Lucero is half of the duo Idyll along with Jojo Yang, and less than a month ago the two dropped a mind blowing singled called "Trouble". The duo attended SXSW over the weekend and continued to impress.
Artist to Watch: Rachel Goodrich
Despite the dreamy air and lilting phrases, Rachel Goodrich’s "Baby, Now We’re Even" is textured with melancholia. Hers is music set to that scene on the beach, just as the sun sets and the tourists dissipate; alone with the sand sticking to your heels and cascades of pink and orange hanging low over the tide. Vintage vibes and lo-fi hiss are the vehicle for her beautifully heart-wrenching songwriting. It’s delicate pop executed with a nostalgic backwards glance. The 50’s style girl-group backing vocals are the icing on the cake to this blissfully charming tune. A full length is expected out on April Fool’s Day. Catch her live playing with her all-female trio, Rachel Goodrich & The GRRLS at Pehrspace on March 22. – Jacqueline Caruso
Weekly Feature: Oh Honey after SXSW tours with James Blunt
Oh Honey, a phenomenal, NYC based rootsy duo we booked at the latest CMJ Marathon, played the Ascap official SXSW show last week and is in the midst of a three leg spring tour that will see them open for American Authors and James Blunt, among others. They’ll be back in NYC on May 5 at Webster Hall.
LINKS: Sam Kogon’s interview with Oh Honey
Weekly Feature: Tei Shi had a busy SXSW
As you probably know, the number of SXSW shows played by a band is directly proportional to their "buzz." With six gigs (some for noteworthy publications and blogs like FILTER, Gorilla vs. Bear and The Wild Honey Pie), Brooklyn based mellowtronica trio Tei Shi definitely ranked among the most buzzed about emerging artists of this edition of the Austin live fest. We had the chance to interview them in our winter issue of The Deli NYC – see link below.
LINKS: Dean Van Nguyen’s interview with Tei Shi
New Track: “All Bets Are Off” (Feat. Zilla Rocca & Has-Lo) – Curly Castro
Man Bites Dog’s Curly Castro recently dropped a new EP entitled Brody, which was produced by Zilla Rocca and inspired by the Snatch soundtrack. Here’s a new track from the release called "All Bets Are Off." You’ll find the Wrecking Crew together on this one with Has-Lo joining in to complete the unit.
Blow Up Hollywood releases ‘blue sky blond’ + plays Rockwood on April 12
If you haven’t heard art-rock group blow up hollywood yet (a band/collective that was featured in the first print issue of The Deli, out in the Winter of 2004) then you’ve been missing out on some of the best of what art house New York has been up to in the past decade.
In that time frame the group has traversed the distant lands of hip-hop, jazz, ambient music and piano-based pop in equal measure, seasoning their work with more or less degrees of each genre. Latest record ‘blue sky blond’ takes their genre-hopping mission to the pianistic lullaby of ‘Where Does the Night Go’ and the warped ambience of ‘pilots of the canadian lights.’
Catch yourself up with where the group’s been heading lately with ‘Where Does the Night Go’ below, and see them when they return from their west coast tour next month, to play Rockwood Stage 3 on April 12th. – (Mike Levine @Goldnuggets)
The Southern Belles on non-stop Mid Atlantic Tour
Richmond’s The Southern Belles have been compared to Frank Zappa, The Grateful Dead, and even Phish due to their live jams which blend Roots Rock and Jazz in onslaughts of technical precision. But their solid, rocking songs, steeped in Americana and Soul, flavored with psychedelic sounds and funk (and that screaming organ) make me think The Band first and foremost. This isn’t just another jam band (but they’re sure touring like one). The Southern Belles have something for everyone, and you can catch them all over the area over the next three months (I count 25 shows, from PA to NC as of this posting). For starters, check them out at Cary St. Café in Richmond on 3/19, or Ned Devine’s in Herndon on 3/20. If you’re in DC and you don’t like to drive, you can see them at Bayou on 3/21. I could keep going. Just check the links for all the dates (and music), and listen to the new track Away We Go below. –Natan Press