Below is the second single, "Here On My Street," off Dark Blue‘s forthcoming album Pure Reality. The record is scheduled for release on October 7 via Jade Tree. Pure Reality began when bandleader John Sharkey III was working as a nightwatchman on a desolate university campus in Canberra, Australia. "A good portion of these songs were written in this walking coma at 4 am under the cold ACT moon. Alone and to be quite honest, comfortably beleaguered." The album was eventually recorded and produced by Jeff Zeigler (The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, Nothing, etc.).
NYC
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Album review: Diverse – Our Journey
If you’re looking for a Thelonious Monk reincarnate jazz style, you’ve found it in Diverse’s Our Journey.
Hermon Mehari’s raw trumpet, Ryan Lee’s toe-tapping drums, and Ben Leifer’s soulful bass all create a groovy, vibrant experience. This album is a serene soundscape of honest-to-roots swing jazz, while incorporating a soulful Kansas City 18th and Vine roots heritage. It’s a technical collection and in some ways experimental. Also on the album are pianist Tony Tixier (from Paris) and alto saxophonist Logan Richardson. It was recorded by Andre Charlier in Paris, mixed by Brendan McReynolds, and mastered by Mike Nolte. Our Journey is a follow up to Diverse’s first self-titled album released in 2009.
Take a breath and listen to this wise and prophetic classical jazz journey. It’s like walking into true legendary jazz at The Blue Room or Green Lady Lounge, a more recently opened downtown hot spot. So while you’re at home cleaning the dishes, playing with the cat and relaxing, take the dazzling ride and listen to this album. Let it take you. It begs to be seen live. Before you know it, you’ll be sitting at the back of the Foundation catching a whiff of Kansas City tradition.
Because I wanted to get a sense of how the album was recorded, I asked McReynolds what direction Mehari gave him when mixing the album. According to McReynolds, his motivation was “to just mix it like it was a jazz club in Kansas City. Very intimate and very tight. It’s like walking into a place you have never been before and feeling comfortable.”
Whether it’s the time signature changes and beautiful technical work, or the sometimes wildly manic nature of jazz itself, each track is an imminent adventure. “Motherland” is a spirit awakening exploration. It’s a night dressed to the nines at a martini bar probably, having the time of my life, or maybe a night spent writing by the light of the moon. The final track on the album, “Rest in Peace,” offers a unique two-stick lassoing of the beat and melancholic trumpet. A funky groovy bass line bathes the soul with a warm dance to permeate the senses.
Our Journey is a testament to Kansas City’s rich jazz and blues culture and connects with a wide range of audiences. Choose your own journey with this album. It is a must listen.
—Chris Wenske
You can catch Diverse at The Riot Room on Thursday, September 4. Reach will be DJing the first set, followed by Diverse, and then New Orleans duo Hildegard, led by Cliff Hines. Doors open at 7:00.
Toronto
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Laura Cole- Dirty Cheat
Check out Laura Cole– Dirty Cheat!!! The CD release party was on Thursday 8/21 at Porcelain Records. What a badass display of raw rock n roll!!! The entire album is sexy, seductive and makes you jive. Laura’s vocals take complete control over you, almost like a magic spell. Every track tells a story with a band of modern day Funk Brothers . Let this Voodoo, 50’s inspired rock record seduce you. Listen to Dirty Cheat below! If you missed Laura Cole at the Harvest Picnic this weekend go to Laura Cole’s FB page to see when she is playing again.
Nashville
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Sweaters, “Beggars”
Let this track kick off your week. Sweaters was founded by brothers Adam Sweaters and Jason Lankford, who went on to add four more members, resulting in a big rich sound and small army of voices to harmonize with. “Beggars” has a meaty, 60’s pop slant to it. Its infectious creep in no way sets you up for “Good Ghost,” the b-side of their EP. It’s a soft, sighing riff on du-wop, with a chorus culminating with the line “I’m dead-“ that could be perfectly fitting on this Monday morning, especially if those fluorescent office lights are a little too bright for your hangover. Sweaters are having a tour kickoff show at The 5 Spot on September 3rd with The Sudonistas, Saturday Night Special, and David Ohney. –Terra James-Jura
Philadelphia
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Philadelphia Podcast Festival – Going to Hell w/Cookie Rabinowitz at Tattooed Mom Aug. 24
Deli contributor and all around rad gal Brandi Lukas will be bringing her show Going to Hell to Tattooed Mom today, from 6pm – 7pm, for a live recording as part of this year’s Philadelphia Podcast Festival. Come out and watch Brandi awkwardly interact with her guest-host Big Tom (of JamminOldiesRadio.com) and musical guest Cookie Rabinowitz (whom we invited to join her), tackling important topics like exes that write songs about you, bathroom rules when it comes to transgenders, a different take on the Ferguson riots, and much more! Admission is free, and there will be a half-off drafts special. Tattooed Mom, 530 South St., 6pm – 7pm, Free, 21+ – Q.D. Tran
San Francisco
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Noise Pop 20th Street Block Party Happens TODAY!
An awesome free event is going down TODAY in the Mission. The Noise Pop 20th Street Block Party will take place from noon to 6 pm. Located on 20th street between Bryant and Harrison, there’s going to be a number of cool things to check out. Bands like Melted Toys, The Mattson 2 featuring Tommy Guerrero, Myron & E and 8th Grader will be playing among others!
You can also hangout out at the Mutiny Radio Station for a fun time on Florida street, and The Box Factory will be hosting local music from Down Dirty Shake, Jordannah Elizabeth, a solo set from Luke Sweeney, Spider Heart and more.
Don’t miss this event!!! It is totally FREE and such a wonderful community based gathering!! We’ll see you there!
Philadelphia
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Myrrias Opening for Dead Gaze at The Boot & Saddle Aug. 23
The ladies of Myrrias have been steadily building noise ever since their live debut at Ortlieb’s at the tail end of 2013. Each of their members are part of well-respected Philly acts like Arc In Round, Lantern, Downtown Club, and Break It Up, so they’re no strangers to the local music scene. The four-piece is currently working on new material with Uniform Recording’s Jeff Zeigler. They’ll be making their Boot & Saddle debut tonight opening for North Mississippi’s Dead Gaze, and will be joined by garage-rock outfit Sheer Mag, who are getting ready to release their debut 7” next month. Half of Myrrias (Mikele Edwards and April Harkanson) just celebrated their birthdays last week so wish them well and buy them plenty of drinks! The Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., 6pm, $10, 21+ – Bill McThrill
L.A.
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Video: LA Font, “Onshore”
Slacker rock foursome LA Font continue their prolific streak with the video for the track "Onshore", a ramchackle lo-fi romp that finds them echoing the straightforward hooks of Robert Pollard. As for the visuals that accompany the track, well, imagine if the band takes the concept of "loose lips sink ships" into literal terms; the band members play guitar heroes as they fend off a flying army of vicious, computer animated lips causing havoc around Echo Park, Hitchock style. LA Font is currently touring the East Coast, but they’ll be back soon enough. I mean, seriously, haven’t you seen them yet?
NYC
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Bands’ Gear and Recordings: Lodro
Brooklyn trio Lodro sounds like a band with dangerous, dark intentions. On top of that, bassist and lead singer Lesley Hann (formerly of Friends) has the looks of one of those irresistible, Pulp Fiction-style, not to be trusted female characters, while Jeremy Cox’s guitar does whatever it takes to sound as sharp and out of control as a rusty knife in the hands of a psychopath. Since he recorded all the band’s material (so far) in total DIY fashion, our friends at Delicious Audio asked him to shed light on the band’s recording habits – see link below.
Portland
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Ghost Frog at Habesha Lounge 8.24
Very little information about local “space punk” outfit Ghost Frog has been documented on the internet since their initial descent from outer space, although one aspect of their mission seems clear: they came here to share their “space drugs” with Portland scenesters and relieve us of our intact eardrums. For all appearances, it seems they come in peace and the subsequent loss in hearing can be seen as a necessary oblation to the many-headed grungy space-psychgaze hybrid creatures that make up Ghost Frog. To describe “Made in Mars,” the band’s only song on bandcamp, imagine Tame Impala’s airy, other-worldly sound with the steady, driving rhythm cut out. Instead, the song seeps forward like liquid through fabric until it explodes into a fuzzy wall of feakout.
Come to Habesha Lounge (801 NE Broadway St, Portland, Oregon 97232) this Sunday, August 24 to point and stare at these plenipotentiaries from Pluto as they rock out alongside Dedere–whose genre tag “lit rock” and following Sylvia Plath reference in their album title should give you an idea of what they’re about–and Ghetto Hexes, whose loopy synth pop and dispassionate (yet garnished) boy-girl vocal stylings are evocative of The xx.
– Bryce Woodcock
Philadelphia
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Weekend Warrior, August 22 – 24
Tonight, fittingly The Bad Doctors kick off a run of tour dates at The Pharmacy. In support of their latest LP Burning City (FDH Records), The Bad Doctors perform dance-inspiring electro-synth foundational tunes, pulled from the poorly lit shadowy corners of the mind, giving the racing-through-the-side-streets vibe an added heart-thumping appeal to urgency. While you’re prone to cautiously look over your shoulder, post-punk trio Psychic Teens is hard at work on their next full-length LP, the follow-up to COME, and will be playing some new tunes this evening. Psychic Teens ooze an authoritative, agitated, buzz-saw sound that demands one’s full attention. The duo of Wes Russell and Shari Vari (Void Vision) team up as Hot Guts, comfortably fitting on this bill with their menacing brand of post industrial-wave and a new record Wilds set for release this fall via Avant! Records. The Pharmacy (1300/02 S. 18th St.), 7pm, $7, All Ages – Michael Colavita
Other places to escape the eventual end of summer this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Tinmouth
The Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI The Grand Nationals, SAT Myrrias, Sheer Mag
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI It’s A King Thing, Joy Riding, SAT Air is Human, Nick Millevoi & Brandon Lopez/Radiator Hospital, QUIT SUN Science Club. Corporate Hearts
Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St.) FRI Son Little
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT (Balcony) Native Frequencies
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Beta Hi-Fi Emerging Music Festival 2014:Problem Solving, RFA/ (Downstairs) Levee Drivers, SAT (Upstairs) Beta Hi-Fi Emerging Music Festival 2014: Allie Carroll, The Mellowells, Static Mountain, Crucial/The Better Half, Zymotic Flow, Red Rising, 46 Reasons
The Barbary (951 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT TWOB Fest: Marietta, Leaky Soups, Eureka Driver, SUN TWOB Fest: Kite Party, Broken Beak, Address, Carved Up
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Trevor Felix (Release Show), The Inconsiderate Bastards, Get ‘Em Wet, SAT Carl Kavorkian, ialive, Zah Garner, Cornelius the Third, SUN Tribute, Hyper Inc., The Basement Boys/(Late) Jonas Oesterle
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Screaming Rattler
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Commonwealth Choir
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI The Pretty Greens, The Silence Kit, Dressed LikeStolen Cars, SAT Wilbur, La Overtoner, Tiny Cities, SUN Major Van Winkle
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) Sun DEL, Lee Jones
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) Richard Bush & The Peace Creeps
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Ross Bellenoit, SAT Silvia Platypus, Upholstery, SUN (Early) Rustic Music Service, (Late) Rusty Cadillac
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI (Upstairs) The Wooden Hez, The Madeleine Haze, Andrew & The Rhythm Hounds/StarSkream, SAT Woofstock 2014: Sinners Saints, Syrrah, Robbing Noll, Scars of Bourbon/Aniqatia, Big Stall, Lightning Arms
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) SAT GASH, Sparklefight
Bourbon and Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Field Mouse
The Station (1550 McKean St.) SAT Line Leader, Time Hitler and the Assholes From Space
Greys Ferry Skatepark (3600 Greys Ferry Ave.) FRI Ma Jolie, Mumblr, Community Service, Ted Ngyuent, Sic Bacchus, Blankbook, Starving The Tsunami
City Tap House (3925 Walnut St.) SAT Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Illinois, Mo Lowda & The Humble
The Grape Room (105 Grape St) FRI Dry Reef, Matt Gauss, SAT The Aponic Blue, Charles Noo
Ardmore Music Hall SAT Pure Jerry, The Happy Dog
1427 Frankford Ave. SUN Up the Chain
Golden Tea House (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI John Galm, Good Crime, The City and I, SAT Kids
Moonbase Nix (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI TWOB Fest: Grower, Disinterest, Limits
Cha-Cha’Razzi (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Bad Braids, Kerosene, HELP, Raw kale
Rogue’s Tavern (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT The Stone Furs, Vita and the Woolf, The Yetis, Twosies
The Nest (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Andorra, Krispy Kareem, Forever Lesbians, Shrink
NYC
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Dannie’s “Girls Time”
Sultry singer-songwriter, Dannie has found her way into my Soundcloud playlist with her debut single. Smooth vocals coupled with a down tempo feel track prove that Girls Time is reminiscent of feel good R&B seemingly from an era past. The track features a strong Hip-Hop collaboration by D.u.b.b., and together Dannie and D.u.b.b. bring the art of story telling in music to the forefront. Vocal melodies similar to 702 and Aaliyah draw the listener in to experience a new brand of R&B that is unafraid to stay true to the roots of the genre. In a time where pure R&B (in my opinion) is virtually non-existent on the airwaves, this singer-songwriter delivers a fresh perspective. She gained a fan out of me, and I look forward to watching her evolve as an artist.
Want to hear more? On September 16, the singer-songwriter plans to drop a new single entitled "Wait 4 It."
Catch Dannie live on September 5th at 9:30pm at Box Seats Sports Bar & Grill in Fredericksburg, VA. –Opal Rose