Currently on tour with fellow locals Latex, Blank Spell issued a new track “Malign Eye.” The song’s ominous anguish-laden instrumentation provides a serious, inescapable scenario – metallic guitar cutting through doomy backend as the vocals cry out for help. However, that instantaneous darkness hits like a passing storm, and is gone in a flash.
NYC
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NJ’s math poppers Owel play Highline Ballroom on 01/07
New Jersey’s math-pop outfit Owel will be playing Highline Ballroom this coming Wednesday (01/07) and even though their lyrics may remind you of an emo revival, their music makes us think of Sigur Ros meeting Snow Patrol at a NYC party and having a 3-way with Radiohead – which also happened to be there by lucky coincidence (what a party!). Their distinct, lush melodies can be found on the band’s self-titled LP released back in 2013. Their smorgasbord of instruments includes cello, violin, and guitars. The band’s soft classical sound recreates an ambiance and glow that follows the blueprint of ambient influenced music in the current post emo-rock soundscape. – Robert Frezza
Philadelphia
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New On the Water EP Available for Streaming & Download
West Philly oddball-folk troupe On the Water surprised us with a new four-song EP entitled Baptism right before the turn of the New Year. It was recorded at Sex Dungeon Studios by James Ryskalchick and Dan Angel, and will be released on cassette in February, but you can stream and download the record for free below. The band also plans to release a full-length album, Cordelia, on vinyl in May.
Nashville
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Show Alert: King Bitch, Daddy Issues and I’m an Island at The End 1.5
With all of the holidays finally behind us, we’re happy to be back to some semblance of sanity. We’re also stoked to see more unexpectedly awesome lineups on random Monday nights, like this one: Trunkweed, King Bitch, Daddy Issues and I’m an Island at The End this Monday night. We’ve had passing obsessions in 2014 with Daddy Issue’s pizza-and-Nirvana-driven garage rock and I’m and Island’s floaty, lost-summer vibe. King Bitch managed to release a debut full-length/greatest hits collection via Infinity Cat last fall; below is their video for their lo-fi/glam punk and all-too-brief track "Video Blackhole." These three acts provide a good local anchor for touring, Baltimore-based act Trunkweed, who’s bedroom pop bridges the gap between these sonic spectrums. In other words, it is a show worthy of your Monday night. The night starts at 8pm, and cover is $5. -Terra James-Jura
Austin
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Shmu
Shmu’s Bandcamp page (that you should go to, what for the good music listening) uses the following words to describe their music: “dream pop/shoegaze meets glitchy psych RN fusion sexy baseball loversauce.” That kind of trailing off into the descriptical nonsensical-lovely comes off more than a bit off-kilter, but for Shmu’s pop-gone-odd sound, it fits just right. For once, getting abstract in a band descrip actually feels straight-up honest and useful.
Trying to get at this solo project (that sounds like a whole band)’s sound without getting weird and lovely plain wouldn’t work. You might hear a bit of shoegaze in there, sure, and maybe Toro y Moi comes to mind in the synthy bits, but there’s more than a good many somethings in this music that belong entirely to itself. That, then, Shmu is also one half of an Austin staple band that actually does kinda does keep this city weird in Zorch is no surprise at all. Oh and apparently this guy will write a personalized song for you, if you but ask? It seems to me like it’s high time that we all know Shmu. And to know Shmu, is to have a serious, hard love for Shmu.
New England
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The Polarizing Poetry of Puppy Problems
To appreciate the brilliance of Beat Happening’s "The Fall" or "In My Memory," one must look past their trademark lo-fi production, off-key singing, and simple song structures. Puppy Problems will probably elicit the same confused judgments BH did at first, and that’s a real shame, because Sami Martasian’s lyrics often hit the listener in the gut halfway through a seemingly simple story about getting lost or celebrating Christmas.
Puppy Problems plays Tuesday at Midway Cafe with Sports Coach, Nathan Ventura, and ACLU Benefit.
New England
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Sports Coach releases 2nd EP, plays Tuesday in Boston
Just a few weeks after releasing his debut, Hit The Showers, Sports Coach is back with another EP, Grab Your Balls and Get On The Court. This time around the NFL sound bites are sent to the bench but coach’s lo-fi charm remains the same and even a little hazier. Several tracks suggest a poor performance on the field or court, but Sports Coach always tries to make it sound positive, as a good coach would. Coach sums it up quite well: “Poetry is dumb, no muscles needed."
-Hayden Karnitz, @hkarnutz
Philadelphia
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Good Times Provided by Bad Canoes at Central Plexus Jan. 4
If brief infectious outbursts of momentary absurdity and screaming vocals laid tight with slightly creepy instrumentations sound like a good time, Bad Canoes playing at Central Plexus tonight can be your outlet. The quartet, consisting of Marissa Paternoster (Screaming Females/Noun), Dawn Riddle (Cat Vet), Christina Centaur, and Kate Illes, dishes out twisted tales in snapshots of musicality. Centaur and Riddle’s persistent bass/drum combinations establish a fluidly haunting setting enhanced by Illes’ ever-lurking keys with Paternoster lyrically providing the details (in her signature tone) that are oddball/humorous and memorable in the best sense. On this night, Central Plexus also features the electronic augmentations of Precolumbian and Rhode Island duo Malportado Kids, whose tropicalia/electro/dance with an angry edge is an attention grabber. Central Plexus, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 9pm, All Ages – Michael Colavita
Austin
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Holiday Mountain Topping Lists Again, Album and RJD2 Show Upcoming
Holiday Mountain is a band that just wants you to have some damn fun. Watchin’ these cats live, you get the feeling that having fun is somethin’ they’re probably pretty good at themselves. If the last few years are any indication, though, there’s something else that Holiday Mountain is pretty darn good at, and that’s getting their music into ears and their name into minds all over the nation.
Just look at what they’ve been up to lately- hot off being The Deli’s 2013 winner of our Best of 2013 Poll for Emerging Austin Artists, Holiday Mountain just wrapped a tour with big-name act Ben Kweller and followed up that impressive feat with a residency at NYC locals-favorite venue Pianos. And, just this week, they nailed the #3 spot on Sonic Vault’s Top 25 Austin Bands of 2014 list, following a #1 showing last year.
Add to that a February 28 show at Empire Control Room & Garage with the inimitable electronic virtuoso RJD2 (one of the best live acts this writer has ever witnessed) and their album You Be You, set to drop soon, and 2015 looks to be only more of the same for Holiday Mountain. Get your ears on their new single below, look out for that album, and have some fun with Holiday Mountain dammit. — Trevor Talley @defenderdefends
Philadelphia
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Come Along for the Ride w/Sheer Mag at The Farm Jan. 3
“What do you want? What do you want me to do?” Christina Halladay (formerly of The Shakes) vociferates on the opening track of Sheer Mag’s debut EP 7”. And that’s not the only song where Halladay vents some frustration. On “Point Breeze,” she roars, “I want somebody to love,” and closes the track with barks of ““Aye-aye-aye-yeah!” With a rawness in her voice (probably due to all that whiskey drinking), Halladay helps create Sheer Mag’s distinctive sound: that kind of fast and loud garage rock with pop hooks. There’s much-appreciated tambourine throughout the LP and guitar riffs aplenty that are something to celebrate. While there are only four songs on 7”, that’s more than enough to get you hooked on Sheer Mag and pumped for some new material. They’ll be playing with one man punk Philly act The Holidays at The Farm on Saturday, along with Arm, Glue, Proxy, and Aseptic. It’s looking very promising for these Philly rockers, catch them at the beginning of their ride. The Farm, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 7pm, $7-$10, All Ages – Emily DiCicco
San Francisco
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Justine Lucas Celebrates Her Album Release at Viracocha TONIGHT
San Francisco based singer/songwriter, Justine Lucas will be celebrating the release of her new album tonight. Make your way to the tucked away acoustic venue, Viracocha in the Mission District to hear some super high quality bluegrass, post modern folk music. Lee White and Nelsen & Farney (members of Electric Shepherd and The Love Dimension) will support Lucus, whose voice is milky and flawless.
Justine Lucas is one of the original members of the gypsy folk rock band, The Jaunting Martyrs and released her debut solo album, Hologram Lagoon in December 2013. Now the follow up has finally been completed and we recommend you support this talented local artist and experience some really beautiful acoustic tunes.
Philadelphia
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Weekend Warrior, January 2 – 4
It’s going to get loud and heavy this Saturday night at Golden Tea House. Rifftastic locals Hound will be unleashing the rock, inducing plenty of headbanging from the rafters. The combination of Perry Shall on guitar and Chis Wilson on drums will be locked and loaded. Beavis and Butthead certainly wouldn’t think that they suck! With Marisa Dabice taking resident in the big old Creepoid/Brian McManus West Philly house, New York transplants Mannequin Pussy have been making their presence known around Philly. They’ll be playing host to Amherst, MA’s California X and Newton, CT’s Ovlov. Get there early because I expect this show to sell out! Golden Tea House, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 7:30pm, All Ages – Alexis V.
More places to hang this weekend…
The Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Philadelphia Slick, McRad, SAT (2pm) The Jazz June/(8pm) The Jazz June, Field Mouse, Joy Riding
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Bleu Velvet, Lapses, Skeleton Lipstick/Sic Bacchus, Natalie Portland, SAT (5pm) Repellers/Ashes of Our Sins, Rollin’ Loaded, Cause of Affliction, SUN Thief, Steal Me a Peach
Bourbon and Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Andalusia, The Sixties, Readership, Problem Solving
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI The Mellowells, Red Rising, Cold Roses, SUN (Balcony) The Phix, The Funky T, David Hoagie and His Heroes
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) SUN Grayscale, Fourth Line
Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.) FRI KISKA, Square Peg Round Hole
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Downstairs) Lost Haven, Furthermore, Hope For Heyden, SAT (Upstairs) Buzzchopper, Mike McMonagle, Ton Taun/(Downstairs) The Tinnitus Awareness/Benefit (TAB) Concert: Roland de Castro, SUN (Upstairs) Alyssa Joseph, Amy Faden/(Downstairs) Good Girl
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI (5pm) Entropy/(9pm) Brielle, Jacqueline Constance
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Kinyon Lanier, Sarah Kane, Dante Kennedy, Mare Floyd, SAT The Parameters, Missing Elements, The Subtractive
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Cocktail Party Phenomenon, BlendMode, SAT Dirt Dirt, Hearing Colors, The Plums, Risen Resilient
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI E-Hos/Maddie Hogan, Momma Hankston, Kill The Broadcast, SAT Little Heartbreakers, Sucker, Scars Like These, Pistol Monk/Seoul Delhi, Ol’Souls, Andrew Meoray, Supreem Da Rezarekta’, Dorkosaurus
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St) FRI The Racket Boys, Blakeslee, Mister K & The Mighty Horns, The Wondershop Showdown, Jason McCue, SAT The Spinning Leaves, The Discount Heroes, Dylan Jane, SUN Rev. TJ’s Blues Church
The Grape Room (105 Grape St) FRI The Late Greats, The Black Moons Band, Red Means Run, Heavy Harold, Germany Hill, SAT Andrew Milicia
Ardmore Music Hall SAT Highkick, The Griz Band, Droppin’ Deuce, Hunter’s Cannon, 40 Ounces
Pageant Soloveev Gallery (607 Bainbridge St.) FRI Dead Lion, Christian Mirande
Kat Frat (Please contact one of the acts ore venue for more information) FRI Pinkwash, Sunny Ali & The Kid
Golden Tea House (Please contact one of the acts ore venue for more information) FRI Clique, Legs Like Tree Trunks, Shelf Life, Goat Mumbles, SAT Hound, Mannequin Pussy
The Farm (Please contact one of the acts ore venue for more information) SAT Sheer Mag, The Holidays
Baker Bowl (Please contact one of the acts ore venue for more information) SAT The Basement Boys, Forever Lesbians, Krispy Kareem, The Danger O’s
Central Plexus (Please contact one of the acts ore venue for more information) SUN Precolumbian, Bad Canoes
The Petting Zoo (Please contact one of the acts ore venue for more information) SUN Hoser, Blue Smiley