Psychedelic surf-rock comes to Brooklyn and finds itself fitting right in with Bodega Bay, a band who made our recent list of Best Emerging NYC Artists at #88. With only a few singles recorded, the quartet already has a slew of shows under its belt, and looks forward to a potentially bright future as a standout lo-fi sound in this music Mecca. The recordings are raw and honest – we like that – barebones drum parts with clean and hazy guitar flowing over them and droning, with sometimes intensely monotone vocals cutting through it all. The band doesn’t seem to have mastered the art of posting songs on Bandcamp or Soundcloud (or maybe they are just not interested), but they do have a few songs streaming on Youtube, here’s a good one. – JP Basileo

P.S. By the way, FYI Youtube is owned by Google while Soundcloud and Bandcamp (as far as we know) are smaller independent entities, so… there’s no excuse not to use them. 

Call them buskers, subway musicians, platform performers or what have you, chances are you may have already heard Too Many Zooz, whether you have traveled through Union Square at the right time, or have stumbled upon their viral videos online (this one is approaching 1 million views, folks!!!). The trio comprises of trumpeter Matt Doe, Leo P. on Baritone Sax and David Parks on drums / various percussion. Taking to the streets with a 3 piece hybrid of dance, samba, big / marching band is never an easy feat. Typically you hustle by these performers during your commute, when  time is of the essence, and there is no reason to slow down, and rarely are drawn into the hypnotic soulfulness that is live music. However, Too Many Zooz gives us something tangible to hang our hat on, the hustle bustle sound of the city personified in every beat, breath and note. For that reason alone people stop in their tracks, take a minute to listen, groove, dance and yes drop a few bucks into their cases before calling it a day. One thing is certain, Subway performers good or bad are there for a reason. To bring art into our daily lives, and Too Many Zooz has struck a note in the New York bloodstream that simply can’t be ignored. – Joey Fish @Squidterm

My Darling Fury released a music video for their song, "Over, Under" (off of new LP Licking Wounds) on The Vinyl District. The catchingly simplistic video utilizes light and shadows to capture the eye as the music captures the listener’s mind. Todd Matthews did a wonderful job as audio engineer, producer and editor to help create an intoxicating mixture of visual and aural art.

It’s close to impossible to listen to the beginning of My Darling Fury’s song without thinking of Radiohead. Dreamy guitar and bass lines linger as trembling vocals slowly begin their ascent. As the song continues, it morphs to include synthesized patterns, heavier bass and percussion. Pedal effects aid in the transition from psychedelic-art rock opening to pop-rock ending. You can catch them next Wednesday, May 28th, at The Camel in Richmond, for the RVA Playlist Birthday Party, with The Trillions and Vexine. –Hannah Brady

Over, Under – My Darling Fury from Todd Matthews on Vimeo.

Featured on the cover of The Deli’s NYC issue #33 (winter 2013), People Get Ready is still one of the best kept secret of the NYC scene (their live shows are particularly entertaining). Hopefully the new album "Physiques," scheduled to be released on June 24 on The National’s label Brassland, will undisclose their edgy and theatrical art pop to the masses. The preview titletrack is an inventive mid tempo that showcases the band’s signature quirky but heartfelt melodies, and their penchant for angular arrangements that somehow sound extremely organic. Don’t miss their next live shows: River to River Fest on June 19 and Album Release Party at Rough Trade on June 24.

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

In the last couple of years we’ve been highlighting the resurgence of soul influences in the NYC scene, and we often used the term "Alt Soul" to describe artists who reinterpreted that musical tradition in a more modern and alternative way. But we never stumbled upon something quite as edgy as Pegasus Warning‘s new single "Change" (video streaming below) – a song that rather than "Alt" requires the prefix "Avant." Accompanied by a chilling, beautifully shot video, this track thrives on the tension between the warm vocal melodies and the glacial arrangement and effects. The result is a vaguely soul tune where the genre’s proverbial heartfelt-ness is almost entirely buried by a cold cerebral layer. Which is something rather unique. The video enhances the "anti-soul" elements by exploring the relationship between success and the feeling of emptiness that can come hand in hand. Pegasus Warning is the brainchild of frontman Guillermo E. Brown who has collaborated with like minded artists such as Twin Shadow, Das Racist, and Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear.