San Francisco

Exhausted Pipes and Everyone is Dirty Performs at Hotel Utah – 3/28

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For those who love free events and live local music, this event just may be the thing for you. For this installment of The City: SF Sounds, presented by Jack Daniels and NBC Bay Area, bands Exhausted Pipes and Everyone is Dirty will be performing for FREE at Hotel Utah in San Francisco on March 28th.

Exhausted Pipes is an East Bay band that seeks to combine elements of folk, indie, blues and post-punk in their music. Their downhome uptempo cowboy-western style will make you twist and shout on the dance floor! Everyone is Dirty is an Oakland-based band that has a unique art-rock sound. Combining an impossible pairing of grunge music and contemporary classical music, the band makes them both work together flawlessly. Be on the lookout for their debut album on Breakup Records in May.

Make sure you make it out on Saturday to Hotel Utah to support local bands! –Erin Dage

San Francisco

Clumsy Concentration JAM Talk of Shamans and The Electric Magpie Play SUB/Mission TONIGHT

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Did you ever find yourself pondering why there weren’t enough psych bands in San Francisco? Of course you didn’t, because the Bay Area is home to many psych bands, such as The Electric Magpie, who will be playing a show tonight. Playing at SUB/Mission, they will be bringing along fellow Bay Area bands, Talk of Shamans, JAM and Clumsy Concentration.

Playing first is Clumsy Concentration, a self-proclaimed "bedroom psych" project from Oakland. As what seems to be an acoustic act, they play hazy-sounding psych rock. JAM picks up the pace a bit. This San francisco-based psych band, composes instrumentals reminiscent of James Brown, and vocals that are pure, unadulterated psych rock. Performing after is Talk of Shamans, a San Francisco band hellbent on combining popgaze, psych and indie. Be sure to check out their track "Starecase", an up-tempo diddy with intricate guitar riffs that border on math rock.

And closing the night is Bay Area based band, The Electric Magpie. This band offers a blend of ’60s psych rock and mod. Be sure to keep an eye out for their debut LP, Begins which will be released on Lollipop Records on April 15th. In the meantime, you can listen to a single they debuted last month called "Mourning Gloria." –Erin Dage

NYC

Luke Elliot releases ‘Virginia’ from upcoming release + plays Bowery Electric on 03.28

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I’ve never liked the word "Adult" referred to music genres, although I’m a big fan of some artists (mostly songwriters) who are often labelled that way. I’ve always though: "who the heck wants to be described as somebody writing songs for adults?" The concept certainly isn’t very popular among the "young" Brooklyn bands, since pretty much all of them seem focused on making music for crowds ranging from the very young to (quoting Leonard Cohen) the "almost young." Sadly though, a lot of young musicians aren’t musicians anymore past their 30s, and a fair amount of the best popular music so far has been created by fully grown adults, who reached their artistic maturity after just OK early albums.
We should then pay more attention to artists like New Jersey pianist Luke Elliot, who isn’t old at all, but whose music references the work of powerful, "adult" artists like Nick Cave, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. His raw, bluesy influenced compositions have the thoughtfulness of an old soul, the stubborn energy of those who never give up, and the character of somebody who’s learned a lot of lessons in life. 

Luke’s upcoming EP "Provisions" is due out on 5/6/14, stream preview single "Virginia below, and see him live on March 28 at the Bowery Electric and on April 19th at Rockwood Music Hall.

NYC

From The Deli NYC’s submissions: Mr Badger

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if any of you miss the computer cowboy days of Grandaddy like I do, Mr. Badger has stepped in with some synth-steeped electro-pop-tastic gems to help you out, turning up the energy dial up in songs like ‘Far Hills Cider’ while keeping a roots feel for more intimate songs like ‘Mother’s Day.’ His latest self-titled EP has placed the LES-based songwriter, James Bohannon, as New York’s answer to Passion Pit’s ecstatic, high-energy party jams. Listen to popular track ‘Far Hills Cider’ below and learn to love sensitive computer cowboys again. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for coverage here.

NYC

The Mast unveils video for ‘Nuclear Dragon’ from album “Pleasure Island”

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We booked The Mast for one of our CMJ shows a few Music Marathons ago (probably in 2011?), and since then, this electro/tribal/dream pop duo kept at it relentlessly, mostly in a DIY fashion, with quality releases and new videos delivered on a regular basis – always a good sign. They just unveiled this simple video for single ‘Nuclear Dragon’ from their sophomore, new full length "Pleasure Island," that highlights the band’s modus operandi, based on interaction between sequencers, effects and percussions, skillfully played and programmed by Matt Kilmer. Haleh Gafori’s sensual alto, paradoxically, delivers almost ascetic-sounding melodies, contriguting to a final musical product that’s as complex as it is suggestive. The band recently opened for Foster The People at Music Hall of W’burg. Check out another more produced video from The Mast that went viral in 2012 here.

Philadelphia

New Video: I Lay Where I Fall (Official Trailer) – Juston Stens

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Here’s the official trailer for I Lay Where I Fall, which documents former Dr. Dog drummer Juston Sten‘s time just after he left the band "to travel America on a 1972 Triumph motorcycle with a laptop full of demos to collaborate with musician friends across the country." It features appearances by members of Wilco, Spoon, Generationals, Floating Action, Brass Bed, Apollo Sunshine, and solo artists such as David Vandervelde and Jessica Lea Mayfield. The documentary was directed by Drew Stubbs, and will make its premiere on April 18 at the Nashville Film Festival. There will also be an album of collaborative recordings to accompany the movie entitled Share the Road, scheduled for release in June.

Philadelphia

These Polar Opposites Come Together at KFN March 27

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Tonight, These Polar Opposites, the brainchild of Lucas Fendlay, make their way to Kung Fu Necktie before embarking on tour. The group performs songs marinated in emotion. Fendlay’s unfiltered vocal delivery provides an air of authenticity that elevates the stirring lyrics, creating an immediate feeling of intimacy that can only be gained through revealing one’s inner workings. The energy emanating from within carries over instrumentally as well, finding a balance between aggressively raw sonic outpourings and periods of somber reflection. Robins, who transform sadness into force via scream, share the bill, as do Brazilians Lisabi, whose clean spacious progressive sound captures a peaceful intensity. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, $5, 21+ – Michael Colavita

Philadelphia

New Track: “When I Was Losing It” – Roof Doctor

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Roof Doctor released a new full-length album yesterday entitled Mobile Freedom Home, which was produce by Kyle Pulley (Thin Lips, ex-Dangerous Ponies) at The Headroom. It’s hard to ignore the earnest revealing of emotions from frontman Mark Harper on each of its tracks. Below is our favorite from the LP, "When I Was Losing It." We can relate! (Cover art by Harry Winkler)

NYC

Artists on Trial: Middle Twin

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We will be highlighting some of the artists playing The Deli KC’s showcase for Middle of the Map Fest next Thursday, April 3 on the Seen Merch Stage at The Riot Room patio. Today’s Artist on Trial is Lawrence’s own Middle Twin.
 
If you haven’t heard of Middle Twin yet, no doubt you will. The five-piece collective stemmed from the electronic DJ duo Brain Food, and is quickly gaining traction in the area with its dancey grooves and frontwoman Demi Renault’s striking vocals. We talked with keyboardist Joel Martin and guitarist Eric Davis to find out a little more about the group.
 
The Deli: Down and dirty: 1 sentence to describe your music. What is it?
 
Middle Twin: I think Ink called us “peculiar art rock.” We liked that. We have a lot of pop influence though, so we are peculiar art pop.
 
The Deli: Give us some background on the band.
 
Middle Twin: Joel started this project a couple years ago as a kind of a DJ-electronic thingy called Brain Food. Demi and Eric joined in November of 2012 and it became more of a band thingy. We then added Jonny [Fitzgerald] and Isaac [Flynn] and eventually decided to change our name to Middle Twin. We’ve been playing as Middle Twin for about 6 months now.
 
 
The Deli: What have been your biggest accomplishments as a band?
 
 
 
Middle Twin: Probably the time we drove all night from Austin to Lawrence and made it back in time to catch the India Palace lunch buffet.
 
 
 
 
The Deli: You are releasing your EP City of Gold this weekend. What can we expect?
 
Middle Twin: Seven unique, well-crafted songs with very high production quality. We had a lot of fun making it, so hopefully it’ll be a lot of fun to listen to.
 
 
 
The Deli: Who are you most looking forward to seeing at Middle of the Map this year?
 
 
 
Middle Twin: We’ll go with Gary Numan. I’ve heard his live show is crazy.
 
The Deli: What does supporting local music mean to you?
 
 
 
Middle Twin: Towns that have great local music scenes must first have great local bands. Bands need to prove themselves to get support, not the other way around. The best thing you can do is be aware of what’s happening in local music. If you think something’s good, for the love of God, tell people! High-quality local music is an amazing phenomenon. There are local bands making great music and they are doing it on practically no budget. Those musicians who achieve that deserve all the support possible.
 
 
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite local musicians right now?
 
 
 
Middle Twin: I’d like to give some love to two Lawrence bands that’ll be playing Middle of the Map and who a lot Kansas City folk might not know yet. Forrester and Psychic Heat are both incredible bands that put on amazing live shows and write really cool, interesting music.
 
 
 
The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?
 
 
 
Middle Twin: We’re all pretty into James Blake and Toro y Moi right now. A really sweet band from Montreal called TOPS came through Lawrence recently and we caught their show at Replay. We’ve been bumping their tracks for the past couple days.
 
 
 
The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?
 
 
 
Middle Twin: Hmm… Let’s go with a bill with us, LCD Soundsystem, and Radiohead.
 
 
 
The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting up there and why? 
 
 
 
Middle Twin: Eric: Brian Wilson, George Martin, Thom Yorke, and Quincy Jones. I’m not sure if any musician can say they’ve never been heavily influenced (knowingly or unknowingly) by at least one of those men at some point in their lives.
 
 
 
Joel: James Blake, Damon Albarn, Steven Ellison, St. Vincent. For their beautiful music.
 
The Deli: Where can we find you on the web?
 
 
 
Twitter: @middle_twin
Instagram: middle_twin
 
 
 
The Deli: What other goals does Middle Twin have for 2014?
 
 
 
Middle Twin: I think our main goal is to keep improving as musicians and as artists. We’re constantly trying to improve our live show. I think the best thing we can do for 2014 is get back in the studio and get better and better at writing and recording music.
 
 
 
The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for the Deli audience?
 
 
 
 
 
 
Middle Twin is:
Demi Renault – vocals
Eric Davis – guitar
Isaac Flynn – drums
Joel Martin – keys
Jon Fitzgerald – bass
 
 
 
Tonight, Middle Twin and Forrester will both be celebrating the release of their EPs at The Bottleneck, with a free show. The Phantastics, and Narkalark also play. Facebook event page.
 
 
 
 
If you want to catch them in KC, come by The Riot Room on Friday, where they will celebrate the KC release of the album with Antennas Up and Rev Gusto. Facebook event page.
 
 
Middle Twin will also be at The Deli KC’s showcase at Middle of the Map Fest next Thursday, April 3. They will take the Seen Merch stage on The Riot Room patio at 9:00 p.m.
 
 
Middle Twin recently released the video for “Savoir Faire,” from the City of Gold EP. It is directed by Weston Getto Allen (Getto Art). Watch it below.
 
 
–Michelle Bacon
 
Michelle Bacon is editor of The Deli KC and plays bass in The Philistines and Dolls on Fire, and drums in Drew Black & Dirty Electric.

  

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Portland

Help Talkative Help You

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After four years of fine tuning and three self released EPs, Portland psych rippers Talkative have been busy hammering out their first full length album, Hot Fruit Barbeque, to will be released June 29th. The album is written, recorded and ready to go, but, they need help getting their masterpiece cut to wax. If you thought that recording a studio album might be expensive, you don’t want to look at the costs of pressing an album to vinyl–it’s an archaic technology that costs an arm and a leg… litteraly, Chad is giving a leg and Casun will be drumming like the guy from Def Lepard… that is if they don’t get enough fiscal support from good folks like you.

The boys set up an Indigogo fun-raiser where you can donate whatever funds you can afford to the cause in exchange for some real good stuff. For a donation of $7, you can get a digital download of the album. For $15, you can get a physical copy of the record on vinyl delivered to you in person within the Portland area, or for $20 they’ll mail you the record outside of Portland. $35 gets you the grand prize that includes the physical record, digital download, a band T-shirt, and a surprise bonus. Click here to support Talkative!  

Check out their video for ‘Hava Nagila’ off Hot Fruit Barbeque. – Travis Leipzig

Talkative // Hava Nagila from TALKATIVE SOUND on Vimeo.

Nashville

Spoken Nerd Album Release Party 3.28

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Spoken Nerd (aka Nathan Conrad) will be taking over the East room this Friday, March 28th, for the release party of his sixth album, “We Are Probably Going to Make It In This World After All.” It’s 12 tracks of hip hop that teeter on the brink of Weird Al satire before being pulled back by the integrity of their construction. Conrad can craft a really tight, interesting beat, and even the song titles (“My Comic Book Collection is My Best Friend,” “I Wish Those Jerks Never Killed JFK”) belie the off-center wit brimming in this album.  Case in point: the single “Being a Big Guy Isn’t All That Bad” was released on March 4th for Fat Tuesday. Quiet Entertainer, brainDEAD and Sunset Maintenance join the show on Friday. Doors are at 7, and $5 gets you in. The album is available for pre-order here. –Terra James-Jura

Portland

Emancipator at Crystal Ballroom 3.28.14

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It could be justifiably argued that Emancipator is the most influential musician to come out of Portland in the past decade. The calm, balanced approach to his electronic productions served as a precursor to the chill wave sound. But that’s not what’s important, what is important is that this Friday he brings the Emancipator Ensemble together for a homecoming show at the Crystal Ballroom. And regardless of importance, his music is as symbolic to Portland as apple pie is to America.

The base of Emancipator’s songs is an addictive and steady drum beat that makes a sturdy, yet tasty crust. The filling is an abundance of real, acoustic instruments looped into danceable melodies that are delivered hot on a cold plate. Before serving, he spreads a top layer of Ilya Goldberg’s smooth violin (cool whip if you’re into that) to make for the perfect late night snack. – Colin Hudson