Portland

Blouse at Holocene 6.13

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Maybe you’re vibing off the sun right now. You could be the type to crave the cold and gloom, and I’m here to present a proper happy medium opportunity. Captured Tracks artist and Portland-based band, Blouse, will be performing at Holocene this Friday night. Their latest album, Imperium, has fulfilled many sonic desires; with the ease away from heavy electronic influence, Blouse has found a sound to carve out just for themselves. You could call out shoegaze, dreamwave, lo-fi and garage, but in the end you have a satisfying mold of music that would be a shame to miss. 

– Colette Pomerleau

NYC

Industrial lady from NYC: Pharmakon plays Baby’s All Right on 06.14

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While many musicians try really hard to write material that pleases the ears of the majority of people, some artists have the ability to "find" their audience by sticking to music that the masses would consider "weird" at best. NYC Margaret Chardiet  has been making power electronics/death industrial music under the name Pharmakon for five years, and – remarkably – she doesn’t seem too interested in compromising her artistic vision with anything even remotely "pleasing" to the ear. Check out her single "Crawling On Bruised Knees," which is approaching 200k plays on Soundcloud, and if you dig, don’t miss her upcoming Northside show at Baby’s All Right on 06.14. S&M attire preferred.

Philadelphia

New Music Video: “Cocoanut” – Needle Points

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The power of “Tiger” just delivered this tripped-out video-take of Needle Points‘ “Cocoanut,” which can be found on the group’s debut album Bom Tugangu. The song is an anticipatory mood-setter, etching the thick groove that quickly develops via the welding, percussive notes and a primal guitar lick. This weekend, the band will be part of The Barbary’s Breakout 2 in Milton, PA, alongside the likes of Far-Out Fangtooth, Fantasy Panther and Bonzai. Needle Points will also be making an appearance next weekend on Friday, June 20 at Dover, DE’s Firefly Festival.

Portland

Pal Around With a Blend of Experimental Sounds 6.13

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June 13 – This Friday, underground Portland’s favorite pshychedelic house of DIY, PALS Clubhouse, will host a night of experimental rock ‘n roll worthy of popping those last few mushroom caps you’ve been holding onto for the right time. Headlining the night, electronic math rock trio Bearcubbin’! are sure to leave you with visual trails and echoes of looping guitar. Another power-trio, all the way out from Austin, Megafauna are on tour in support of their new album, Maximalist, with a more straight forward rock yet at times trippy feel. The Tamed West open the night, and although they currently only have one recorded track available for listening, they are sure to become a new favorite in Portland and beyond sooner than one may think. You’ll be psyched you caught them for free when they were still opening shows. 

– Travis Leipzig

New England

The Rare Occasions bring the feels on “Feelers”

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Released in May, The Rare Occasions’ Feelers EP kicks off with “Dysphoric,” which is equal parts psychedelic and dark-tinted surf rock, its bridge erupting from a single repeated note into a well-calculated guitar solo. Next, “Fell Through” shows off the band’s knack for odd time signatures and sets the more cheerful tone that the band maintains throughout the rest of the five-song set. The glockenspiel-aided “La Mort” bridges the band’s softer and harder sides, starting off as a soft ballad but rounding out the EP’s final minute with sweeping guitars and pained vocals. Take a listen to “La Mort” below and download Feelers for $5 at the guys’ Bandcamp page. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

New England

Jake McKelvie & the Countertops unleash “Mini Monster” video

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If you liked Jake McKelvie & the Countertops, whom we featured on the site last month, check out the band’s newly released video for "Mini Monster." The sunny, carefree video matches the vibe of the Solid Chunks of Energy single perfectly, complete with costumed pizza shop stops and performances in a number of unlikely (and at times uncomfortable) spaces. You can watch the video below now. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)

NYC

NYC bands to check out at Northside: Sons of an Illustrious Father play Muchmore on 06.14

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Unless you’ve been paying close attention to the output of Brooklyn’s DIY recording studio Mama Coco’s Funky Kitchen, you’d be forgiven for sleeping on Sons of an Illustrious Father. The band, made up of multi-instrumentalists Josh Aubin, Lilah Larson, Ezra Miller, has been all but dormant, at least recording wise, since 2011’s “One Body,” and have only recently begun releasing a string of new singles. The latest two, “Very Few Dancers" and "Strange Home,” are raucous and soul-shaking, with influences as disparate as folk, psychedelic rock, and contemporary hip-hop. “Very Few Dancers” is built upon Miller’s percussive lilt, accompanied by Larson’s singular guitar licks and backing vocals. “Strange Home,” while subdued in comparison, has an underlying intensity to it, both restless and hopeful, which builds and blissfully boils over. All told, you couldn’t ask for a better introduction to Sons of an Illustrious Father, so consider this your wake up call. You can catch Sons at Muchmore’s Northside show with Napoleon and Happy Lives on June 14. – @emilioherce

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

Philadelphia

DRGN King Warm Up at KFN June 12

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DRGN King are getting ready to perform at Firefly Music Festival in Dover, DE next weekend. If you aren’t planning to make the fest, then you are in luck because they’ll be playing a warm-up show tonight when they headline Kung Fu Necktie. The band also recorded a BSide Session at Mobtown Studios during their last tour. You can check out the video below, which features performances of previously unreleased songs, "Saint Tom’s" and "Don’t Trust The Sad Boys," that will appear on the group’s upcoming album. DRGN King will be supported this evening by local pals Mumblr as well as Brooklyn’s Walking Shapes and Ancient River. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, $8, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

Philadelphia

New Track: “Are You?” – Napping

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We’re not really sure if this new tune will help to ease your into this morning or lull you back into a snoozy sleep. It’s called "Are You?", and is the first offering from Napping, the latest collaboration from Laser Background‘s Andy Molholt and Dr. Dog‘s Eric Slick. It was recorded at Slick’s new home in Ashville, NC when Molholt recently swung by to pick him up for an ill-fated road trip to perform with Norwegian Arms. (Photo by George Miller)

Portland

The Wishermen Debut Single “Song Song”

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I’ve just had the pleasure of listening to a new instrumental EP, Epoch, by The Wishermen. The trio is comprised of Grant Sayler on guitar, Chris Friesen on bass, and Barra Brown on drums. The songs offer a cool use of jazz arrangements, and feature an array of heavily effected guitars and a few other instruments (horns, keys, noises). Think John Scofield guitar chops, with a more adventurous sound. Some very tasteful shredding going on from all the musicians.

Epoch is the band’s first collaborative writing effort. Brown explains they start writing, “usually basing the songs off of a particular sound that we liked.” The EP was produced by local musician Adam Brock, though mostly tracked live. You can hear the benefits of recording everything together–really gives the album a tight-knit groove at the heart.

Their first single "Song Song" starts off with some assortment of metallic noises, maybe the clink of a spoon on glass and some jar tops. It sets a nice, mellow vibe with the breezy, delayed guitar line, and light drums and bass. While a release date isn’t set, expect the full EP out late summer. 

– Chander Strutz

NYC

Secret Someone is Bess Rogers and Leila Brussard’s’ new band – live at Brooklyn Bowl on 06.20

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Talented songwriters Bess Rogers (from NYC) and Lelia Broussard (from LA) have recently joined forces to form a new band called Secret Someones, also featuring Hannah Winkler & drummer/multi-instrumentalist Zach Jones. The band released a three song debut EP at the end of last year that blended pop and rock featuring the streaming sinlge ‘I Won’t Follow’, while the latest single "Never Stop Love" it’s a ballad with dreamy overtones reminiscent of the slower songs by The Bangles. They are currently on tour and will be at Brooklyn Bowl on June 20.

NYC

Acme’s new video “Girlfriend Tonight” & release show on June 21st

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Acme is a smorgasbord of psychedelic music. They taste of soul and funk and indie-pop. “Their entire sound is ancient and futuristic…they got that good energy, that raw talent, and that good music….Acme is the future.” I believe it. Acme’s new single, “Girlfriend Tonight” is tight 80’s-style funk played at slow-jam speed. It could have been reminiscent of heavier 90’s R&B, but the live rhythm section and guitars give the song a classic sound, dressed up in shiny modern synths and bling. It’s like a candy shop of psychedelia: slick and sticky molasses covered in sparkling rock-candy, and everywhere you turn there’s another sweet effect. I haven’t yet mentioned Che’s vocals, which are no less classic, and strong, making this song an instant earworm. Don’t miss Acme’s free, all-ages, single release show at new outdoor showspace The Lot @ Atlantic Plumbing on June 21st (presented by Union Kitchen, DCDIT, and DCist). –Natan Press