Notwithstanding the borough’s permanently rising rents and their dim earning prospects, psychedelic artists keep moving to Brooklyn at a record setting rate – even though pot isn’t legal over here just yet! Tacoma’s Watermelon Sugar belongs to this category, and The Deli is happy to welcome them to this land of musical dreams! The band plays a rocking brand of psych rock that references at once the "out there" pioneers of the late Sixties and the poppier British bands of the late Eighties, with an abrasive guitar based sound that’s reminiscent of the early Flaming Lips records. Their self titled debut EP doesn’t have one "meh" song in it. Go check them out at Glasslands when they headline the October 26 show.
Chicago
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Owen Cover Album
Polyvinyl announced this week that Owen aka Mike Kinsella will be releasing a new album on December 2nd. The album called Other People’s Songs will consist of 8 covers of songs by bands including Smoking Popes, Depeche Mode, The Promise Ring, and ALL. You can find the full tracklist and other details here.
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Tomorrow Always Knows” – Cheerleader
Indie-pop five-piece Cheerleader is getting ready to drop its new EP On Your Side next week. Today, we share with you their latest single from the album, entitled "Tomorrow Always Knows," which one can’t help but infer to be a nod to their love of popular music. While its verses may feel like a familiar, sped-up version of an old-timey classic like The Dixie Cups’ "Chapel of Love," you are instantly levitated and hooked once the song’s chorus kicks in – "There’s nothing to save you – a digital refugee…" Chearleader will be performing next in Philly on Wednesday, October 22 at MilkBoy Philly. (Photo by Carrie Davenport)
Chicago
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Chicago Farmer @ Tonic Room
Chicago Farmer aka Cody Diekhoff is releasing his album Beckenforth, IL on vinyl. The album is pure American and was originally released in early 2013.
You can pick up the album on October 3rd at Tonic Room.
Chicago
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Pandamonium
Zaena and Jason Maek of Maek Productions are teaming up to release an ambitious "Visual Album" this month. Pandamonium is a collection 12 track, which can all be all be downloaded for free here, but the full project will be released on October 6th.
Philadelphia
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New Music Video: “B&E” (Acoustic) – Nothing
As Nothing gets ready for their final show in Philly this year at Ortlieb’s this Sunday, they have a new music video to accompany the unplugged event. It’s fittingly for an acoustic version of "B&E" that originally appeared on their 2013 breakout album Guilty of Everything. This track along with other previously recorded acoustic takes will appear as bonuses on the band’s forthcoming re-issue of Downward Years to Come V2.0, which will be available via A389 Records. Tickets for this weekend are "nearly gone" so grab yours while you can.
Chicago
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Anna Soltys and the Familiar
Anna Soltys is a talented singer/songwriter with a uniquely charming voice. Earlier this year she released a video that doesn’t only highlight her song "Lone Blues" but also the city’s skyline.
You can catch Anna Soltys and The Familiar at The Hideout on October 10th with The Claudettes and Noah Harris & Band.
NYC
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Invisible Familiars unveil singles from upcoming LP + play Glasslands tomorrow (10.03)
God bless Other Music for keeping the "relevant Manhattan record store" chapter alive in the new millennium. For those unaware, Other Music apparently enjoys being invested in semi-extinct and incredibly-hard-to-keep-solvent businesses: i.e, they also have a record label. As you may expect from people who deal with records on a daily basis, they sign some interesting bands. The latest addition to their roster is called "Invisible Familiars," a New York based project led by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jared Samuel, who played with variety of NYC artists (most recently The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger and Cibo Matto). The band released two singles from the upcoming album, the intriguingly sparse, almost ballad ‘Clever Devil’ (streaming here) and a more electric blueasy number entitled ‘Digger’s Invitation.’ You can check out Invisible Familiars at Glasslands tomorrow (10.03, with Deli darlings People Get Ready) or at Union Pool during the CMJ Music Marathon on 10.23.
We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!
NYC
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Album review: Schwervon! – Broken Teeth
(Photo by Erica Peterson)
Full disclosure time: Schwervon! is far and away my favorite Kansas-by-way-of-New-York-originally-from-Kansas duo. I first became aware of their music when they returned to the Midwest and reentered the local music community at the 2012 Middle of the Map Fest. With Nan Turner on drums, Matthew Roth on guitar, and each of them sharing vocal duties, their songs proudly carry the flag of the lo-fi, DIY approach to songwriting and performance. One of my favorite tunes from Courage—Schwervon!’s previous album—is “Truth Teller,” a song that does a fantastic job of capturing the feel of early ‘80s Athens, GA, which was the breeding ground for early college rock faves R.E.M. and the B-52s, among others. For their new release, Broken Teeth, Schwervon! once again does a bit of back-to-the-future time travel, but in a much more direct and personal way.
As Roth shares on the band’s website, in early 2014 they were trying to create new music but having trouble getting around the obstacle of writer’s block, so they tried to kickstart the creative process by bringing out music from an album recorded eight years earlier (I Dream of Teeth) and playing some of those songs in a deconstructed manner. The results were so appealing and invigorating that the twosome decided to set aside the new music they were writing and rework six of the older tracks (along with cover versions of two others). At this point it would be fairly standard if I made comparisons between the two albums, but to make references to IDoT would not be giving Broken Teeth its full due. Both albums are available on the Schwervon! Bandcamp page, where you are free to contrast and compare at your leisure.
The one thing I will say about the difference between then and now is that the new album is an all-acoustic effort, and for a band that is known for music that is sometimes quirky and punchy and free-form, reducing it to a six-string and drums could be restricting part of their essence. But the years have been very good to the twosome in that their skills with their instruments, both musical and vocal, have grown and matured and seasoned with time. What you hear on this album is the product of two artists who not only refine their songs to their essential states, they also seem completely comfortable in doing so.
“Flaming Dragonfly” kicks off the record with a basic call-and-response series of “oh oh oh ohs” before settling in to a nice, tidy bit of pop sweetness. You instantly get the impression that powering down is not going to present any challenges in setting the tone that Schwervon! is so good at, which is a modern sound that still offers a tip of the cap to some of their early alt-rock predecessors. “Fuzzy Math” finds Turner laying into the kick drum with steady authority and solid groove, letting Roth’s guitar follow along to create some feel-good summery sound. “Blue Light” offers a nice little bluesy touch which serves as foundation for Turner’s torch song delivery – and am I the only one that thinks that this song would be a pretty ideal vehicle for a “special guest star” appearance from my favorite KC rock star, Amy Farrand? It’s a natural collaboration in the making.
“Natural” could also be used to describe the vocal harmonies between Turner and Roth, and while each takes turns with lead duties and handles them nicely, hearing them working together takes whatever song they happen to be singing into a different realm. There are instances when their interplay is reminiscent of early X; both have distinctive sounds that seemingly wouldn’t mesh with anyone else but their partner. This becomes more true with increased listening to the music of Schwervon!—they could sing with different musicians, and as time goes on I fully expect them to combine forces with a roster of talented co-conspirators, but their voices are much stronger and truer when paired with each other. Simple as that.
I’ve been saving what I consider the best for last: “Sidesaddle” was the first song from IDoT that they started fiddling with in order to find their creativity, and on Broken Teeth it serves as the centerpiece and magnum opus (six minutes isn’t that long for a magnum opus, but with none of the seven other tracks exceeding 3:15 in length it’s opus-sized, comparatively speaking). Both musicians show a deft touch throughout, with Roth’s mid-point song-whisper reminiscent of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt”—without all the dying things contained in the video, of course. The plaintive-yet-hopeful vocalization on top of gentle, reassuring music is a combination that makes “Sidesaddle” a knockout.
It’s always great to find a band that makes an impression; it’s better still to watch that band grow and evolve. Broken Teeth shows Schwervon! taking a major step forward with their craft. They have their own style, they have complete faith in one another, and their live performances are excellent—gigs that can now call upon a growing and substantial catalog of quality work. At these shows, it’s not uncommon for Roth to offer a poetry reading, Turner to present an improvisational dance… or, more likely, both to happen at the same time. I’m not going to subject you to my mad sick flow, and you do not want to see me busting any sort of move, so I’ll just offer a concise bit of advice to anyone wanting to hear the potential of two people:
Get your Schwervon!
—Michael Byars
Michael is sometimes known for busting a move. He also currently has a pink goatee for the month of October for breast cancer awareness!
Broken Teeth was released on Haymaker Records.
Schwervon! will be throwing a release party for Broken Teeth tomorrow, October 3 at FOKL. The Cave Girls and Wick & the Tricks will also be playing, and DJ Memo will spin before and after the bands play. Facebook event page. This will also kick off their two-month Fantastico tour across Europe and the States.
San Francisco
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Hibbity Dippity Mark Nelsen Band and Ivory Arrows Play Boom Boom Room TONIGHT
San Francisco based psychedelic rock band, Hibbity Dippity will be headlining a night of stellar music at the Boom Boom Room in San Francisco. Known for hosting blues, soul and more traditional American rock genres, Boom Boom Room has lately been opening their doors to different genres like psych and garage rock. Hibbity Dippity will be sharing the bill with ultra talented songwriter and guitartist, Mark Nelsen (who will be performing with his full band, Mark Nelsen Band) and the acoustic indie soul band, Ivory Arrows.
We’re into this bill and we like that it’s going down at the Boom Boom Room. Do you’re best to make it out.
Toronto
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Teen Tits Wild Wives – 10/4 @ Smiling Buddha
Teen Tits Wild Wives is as badass as their name! Catch them Saturday 10/4 @ the Smiling Buddha w/ Das Rad & Toronto Homicide Squad. Be there by 9pm! I was told about these guys in passing and did a double-take when I heard their name…I was like…What! Teen Tits Wild Wives is a genre all it’s own, calling themselves the "noise gang" these guys do it all from experimental noise punk rock to folk, incorporating everything, creating a very diverse sound. Take a Listen below to ‘B wing’ off their latest EP Street Hawkz. It’s a poppin track with rad guitar riffs that explode into digital punk that rocks out with grunge vocals.