Below is a live performance of "Red Hawk Desert" from Far-Out Fangtooth‘s set for Record Store Day at Repo Records. The studio track can be found on 2011 LP Pure & Disinterested (Siltbreeze), and the footage was recorded by Kyle Garvey (The Interest Group). You can find Far-Out Fangtooth performing live again on Tuesday, May 13 at The Boot & Saddle in direct support of Amen Dunes and on Wednesday, May 14 at the Institute of Contemporary Art for Siltbreeze’s closing ceremony exhibition.
Nashville
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The Trinity Schill Kill “Would You Be My Lover?”
80’s babies ought to feel a wave of warm fuzzies listening to Trinity Schill Kill’s "Would You Be My Lover?" (the intro could be lifted right out of "Billie Jean.") The electronic duo combines bare-bones grooves with Reagan-era synthesizers to arrive at a song that’s a little throwback, a little hokey, and entirely danceable. The band just put up three tracks on Soundcloud, and have been playing a few shows around Nashville as of late, the next of which at The East Room May 20th with Brother Lover. -Terra James-Jura
Philadelphia
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Edison Back w/a New Lineup at KFN April 27
After a yearlong hiatus, Edison returns with a performance at Kung Fu Necktie. The Michael James Murray/Alexander Savoth pairing has expanded to include Neighborhood Choir’s Bennett Daniels on bass and seasoned vet Chris Giraldi behind the kit. The group is unveiling new material that, if shares the characteristics of previous works, will bring an air of peaceful catharsis enlisting a spacey lightness, allowing the mind to momentarily shed the stressors and enjoy an alternative daydreaming state. Marc Neibauer will also be headlining with a blend of casually melodic tunes that use jagged distorted guitar elements to expose a darker underlying reality. Kung Fu Necktie 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, $5, 21+ – Michael Colavita
Portland
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Souvenir Driver Release Living Water: Live Review + Photos
The night kicked off with a bang, as Bubble Cats put on a shred-fest of guitars and cool melodies. Next, Tender Age charmed the audience with their serene dream-pop, preparing the solid Wednesday night crowd at Mississippi Studios for their headliners.
Souvenir Driver are ahead of the curve, making each live show a production. Probably the best-dressed band in Portland, the three-piece suit-clad dudes looked and sounded polished for the release of their sophomore album, Living Water. SD made every effort to set the mood, layering the soft, reverby vocals of Nate Wey and heavily effected instruments, along with a mesmerizing visual effect reel projected over the band. The use of visuals transports the audience into a totally different space, adding an undefined excitement to their ominous bliss-pop songs. My favorite song from their set was “I Touch You Honey” off Living Water, with a catchy surf pop guitar riff, upbeat drums, and atmospheric backing vocals.
Attention to detail sets Souvenir Driver apart from other bands, right down to the hand-made posters and limited-edition cassettes at the merch table.
– Chandler Strutz
Photos by Todd Walberg
Portland
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Moon Duo at Mississippi Studios 4.28.14
Portland is thriving in its scene of all things psychedelic; which is part of the reason why guitarist Ripley Johnson (of Wooden Shjips) and Sanae Yamada call Portland their home. Their band, Moon Duo has made a giant splash in the psychedelic pool on a worldwide scale after releasing Circles towards the end of 2012. Sanae’s use of the electronic keyboards and drum machines adds elements to make their very own sound. At its base, it is dark, guitar driven rock and roll that is layered with the unique sounds you would hear in electronica and Ripley’s soft vocals. Each of these segments open up a lot of room for Johnson to slash through an amazing guitar solo. Moon Duo play Mississippi Studios this Monday with Eternal Tapestry and Tokyo based psych rippers Kikagaku Moyo; doors at 8pm, show at 9pm, $10 in advance and $12 day of. – Colin Hudson
Philadelphia
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The Return of Plastic Little at Underground Arts April 26
Funtimes, Philly hip-hop crew Plastic Little are re-emerging tonight at Underground Arts, turning the hands of time back for myspacing mid-aughts gallery dwellers. The group, originally consisting of Jayson Musson (Hennessy Youngman, PackofRats), Kurt Hunte (No Body’s Child), Si Young Lee (DJ Si Young), Michael Stern (SQUID), and Jon Folmar (Jon Thousand), last performed in 2010 at Kung Fu Necktie, and has most recently garnered public attention through controversy over an unauthorized sample from their track "Miller Time" (below) in Bauer’s 2012 viral sensation "Harlem Shake." All was eventually smoothed over after Diplo helped to resolve things for his Mad Decent artist, with an agreed upon compensation deal. Plastic Little will be headlining the Red Bull Sound Select event (which you can register to get a reduced $3 admission HERE), being curated by Jump Philly. They’ll also be joined by no strangers to the art gallery music scene Sweatheart and retro psych-pop purveyors Needle Points with Gun$ Garcia spinning throughout the evening. Undeground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 8pm, $10, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman
Philadelphia
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Nick Millevoi Record Release Show at Pageant Soloveev April 26
Numbers on the Side, the fourth solo release by guitar-extraordinaire Nick Millevoi will be celebrated this evening at Pageant Soloveev Gallery. Recorded last July at The Rotunda by Eric Carbonara (whom is also featured on the bill), the record pushes the traditional guitar-playing landscape, peering into the dimly-limit, semi-blocked corners as Millevoi’s guitar circumvents treacherous unchartered terrain – unaware of what lies ahead, while continuously willing to move forward. The adventurous possibilities are cautiously captivating. Pageant Soloveev Gallery, 607 Bainbridge St., 8pm, $7 – $10, All Ages – Michael Colavita
NYC
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Weekly Feature: Shilpa Ray
Shilpa Ray has one of those voices that is simultaneously haunting and beautiful, like Nick Cave (whose label she is signed to) or Tom Waits. Her music does not cower or sneer in the face of darkness, as some of my favorite contemporary musicians do: it is mature, valuing the truth over appearing hip, and jaded. And that complexity is equally striking in her lyrics. The music has some seriously hard-hitting lines of the kind that will make you re-evaluate your life (and what, if I can be so pretentious as to ask, is the point of creating and experiencing art if it is not to change ourselves?). On "I Is What I Is," she sings, "America’s got talent to seduce you to reduce yourself/America’s got talent to seduce you to reduce everybody else." It’s that ability to get to the heart of the matter – on a sonic and thematic level- that makes her music so effective.
LINK: John McGovern’s Interview with Shilpa Ray.
NYC
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Weekly Features: Baby Alpaca – back from Coachella
By design, Baby Alpaca is more than just a band name: it’s a whole aesthetic for the Brooklyn-based musician and fashion designer Chris Kittrell. His slow-burn ballads and simple pop songs have a romantic, airy feeling, but his bigger message is a striving adventure story. Softly-sung baritone vocals that sometimes channel James Blake, cover sparse guitars or keyboards, while he sings about believing in his own potential even if others don’t.
LINKS: Bianca Seidman’s Interview with Baby Alpaca
NYC
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Stargazy unveils new single from upcoming album + plays Baby’s All RIght on 04.30
New York City’s Stargazy will be releasing their second EP "The Fashion" on May 27, and currently previews two tracks from that record on Soundcloud. “Golden Hour” (streaming) soars with utopian nostalgia, creating a sonic dreamscape that deftly fuses 80’s era romanticism with the 90’s penchant for reverberated shimmer. A modernized hybrid sound that takes the drama of Tears For Fears and incorporates elements more associated with a band like Galaxie 500. “The Fashion” builds around quickly strummed acoustic guitar, adding layers of extended electric notes and soaring passionate vocals. Scathing lyrics accuse how “you got the soul to be what’s in fashion, but your soul’s for sale.” Their next show is April 30th at Baby’s All Right, followed by their EP Release show on May 16th at Rough Trade. – Dave Cromwell
Portland
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Thanks Release Video for Hollow, Head to Europe
Portland soul pop rockers Thanks just took off for a month long European tour, but they left us with this fun video for Hollow off their January release Blood Sounds.
Thanks’ European tour dates:
29.04. CAFE HENRICI | ZÜRICH
30.04. GALAO | STUTTGART
01.05. SAGE CLUB | BERLIN
03.05. BALLHAUS | KLAGENFURT
07.05. CAFE SMARAGD | LINZ
08.05. GRABENHALLE | ST.GALLEN
09.05. MUSIGBISTROT | BERN
11.05. YARD CLUB | KÖLN
13.05. GLOCKENBACHWERKSTATT | MÜNCHEN
14.05. CAFE VIDEO | GENT
15.05. PRINZENBAR | HAMBURG
16.05. CARINI SAAL | LUSTENAU
17.05. CLUB GLAM | FELDBACH
19.05. ROXY | PRAG
22.05. ROTER GUGL | HARTBERG
23.05. HAUS DER MUSIK | WIEN
24.05. SPINNEREI | TRAUN
26.05. WEEKENDER | INNSBRUCK
– Travis Leipzig
Philadelphia
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Weekend Warrior, April 25 – 27
Tonight, we’ll be presenting the final show of Night Panther’s residency at Bourbon & Branch, and we might have saved the best for last! If you caught any of the run so far, then you know that our favorite sex-pop group are at the top of their game so panties will be dropping. They’ll be bringing along West Philly’s favorite sons Grandchildren and Doylestown pals Commonwealth Choir for the ride. And if that wasn’t badass enough, experimental-pop duo Pattern is Movement has been announced as the very special guest for this evening. Yeah, there is a lot going on in Philly this evening, but trust me when I say, “Nothing else happening tonight matters.” BTW: If you don’t have your tix already, then you better get there early! Bourbon & Branch, 705 N. 2nd St., 8pm, $10, 21+ – Q.D. Tran
Other places to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Low Cut Connie, Shark Week, Satellite Hearts
The Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT Tin Horses, SUN You Do You
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Gliss, Taylor Dunn, Kylledge, SAT (Early) Clamfight, (Upstairs) Tungsten, Tea Club, SUN Marc Neibauer, Edison
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SAT Plastic Little, Swaetheart, Needle Points, SUN Red 40 and the last Groovement, Galvanize
The Barbary (951 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Man on a Mountain
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Memphis Hat, Jesus’ Older Brother, ialive, SAT Sunshine Riot, Soundwavves, The People, SUN The Wondershop Showdown, StoopSide
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) SUN Brotherly Arms: A Live Music Tribute to Todd Marrone w/Astronuats Really Fly, McRad, Bev Haven
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) SAT Southwork
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Desoto Jones
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) SUN Chase Allen, Pooda Dappa, STS
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI Paige Allbritton, SAT Paige Allbritton, SUN Lily Mae
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI John Train, Somewhere South, SAT Dr. Ketchup
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI Limecell, St. James & the Apostles
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) SAT Goddamnit
The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) FRI Village, Deathmonger A.D., House of Geary
JR’s (1554 McKean St.) FRI Reef’d, SAT Twin Pines
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Vibe Deta, Montoj, SAT Rowboat Casino, The Beta Phase, Caalypso
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SAT Up the Chain
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI +HIRS+, SUN Lattimore/Zeigler Duo
Pageant Soloveev Gallery (607 Bainbridge St.) SUN Kate Ferencz
Wolf Cycles (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI War Emblem
Safety Safety (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Zach Fay, Laura Szklarski