Portland

The Sindicate release new album Sleepwalker

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What the world needs now is not love sweet love, what it needs is bands that can make dynamic music! It is not often I come across a band or album which I find myself, well, impressed with… The Sindicate impressed me. The band released their new album Sleepwalker Friday at the Star Theatre.

After having lived in California for a number of years and consequently having my ears flooded with every Sublime acolyte who could form a band I am always a bit leery of reggae bands. The first track on Sleepwalker dispelled any fears I may have had. I could immediately tell that this group of guys not only had a diverse range of influences but that they  were proficient at channeling them into their own music. The cherry on top was that they did it well. Each track has a really balanced blend on genres ranging from fairly straight forward reggae sounds to what I would say sounded like early Stones/ early punk stuff. As each track played I was quite pleased to hear very dynamic and diverse sounds in each individual song. Songs like Zombie evoke a sense of mystery and suspense almost like you’re tip toeing through some foggy graveyard at night while the very next song RB-HB feels more like a small Californian beach town on a sunny afternoon. Each song has its own vibe to the point it doesn’t feel like they took the same music and simply repackaged it with different lyrics. The work put into these songs shows. The band describes themselves as “reggae rock” and I would say that’s quite accurate. 

The overall dynamics of the album are similarly silky smooth. The placement of each track is very well done so that listening straight through the album feels like a musical journey. I was very impressed with how the album achieves a sort of roller coaster effect and does what a good album should do. It take you on a journey down through valleys and up through mountains.

The Sindicate and their team did a great job on this album on both a micro and macro level. The band shows excellent musicianship in a genre which is too often scabbed over with repetitive sounds. The band just embarked on a tour, but catch them when they return to Portland. In the meantime, listen to their new album here.

-Cory Huennekens

New England

Pale Hands, Skyes (NY) and Florio Play TT the Bear’s June 16

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TT the Bear’s days may be numbered, but the club certainly isn’t planning on quietly closing its doors. Tomorrow nigt, June 16, Skyes (NY) will be treated to a warm Boston welcome from Florio and Pale Hands. This bill is full of can’t-miss performances for fans of huge pop hooks and incredibly talented vocalists. I could go on and on about the bands’ respective pop sensibilities, but you’re probably better-off just going to the show. 8PM doors, $8 cover, 18+ (proper ID required).

For more info about the gig, presented by Lysten Boston, click here.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn) 

NYC

Seen live at Northside: The FLuids, Fort Lean, Camvean

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On Thursday night at Cameo Gallery, one of the few small Williamsburg venue still standing, three different-sounding bands played their own kinetic sets.

Brooklyn quintet The Fluids took the stage first (who also played our Northside show the following night – pictured), swiftly surging into a loud pop-punk track that was almost manic in its blistering guitars and strong vocals. Frontman Michael O’Donnell was a gripping performer, his hunched-over guitar-thrashing and sudden shouts into the microphone recalling Joe Strummer’s powerful presence as The Clash’s leader. The sheer passion of that iconic British group did find kinship with the members of The Fluids, even as they exuded an assured cool in a next song that channeled The Strokes’ early work with its rattling guitar lines. Continuing onto a playfully-menacing cover of “Pablo Picasso” by The Modern Lovers and ending with what sounded like their single “Just Like Me” (streaming below), which placed reflective spoken-word in upbeat punk, The Fluids made an undeniably gripping introduction into the next band,.

Walking onto the stage with a forest-green sleeveless tee and a snapback hat, Fort Lean‘s frontman Keenan Mitchell immediately displayed charm, smiling at and amiably talking to the audience. But then came his band’s delightfully-blaring songs and Smith got down to his first guitar solo, the hat flying off his head. It was a buoyant yet tight intro that soon led to a potentially hypnotic third song (seemingly “Cut To The Chase,” streaming below) that set Smith’s acrobatic voice to swirling synths. Fort Lean weren’t just merry dancers, though, as their last song had a subtle melancholy that reminded us of their eclecticism.

After a short break, the small space filling with people, headlining act Caveman (who graced the cover of The Deli NYC’s issue #27 back in 2011) took the stage. A few members wearing ties and enveloped in a purple light, the Brooklyn band segued into an almost seductive set of mostly new, as-yet-unreleased material. Synths soared and drums tumbled but the group’s poise remained, even as thunderous guitars washed over lead singer Matthew Iwanusa and his bandmates. Unlike the two singers before him, Iwanusa held a relatively calm presence. Not much bending, a little swaying. This very serenity, though, was rapturous, his stilled eyes closing the night with quiet power. – Zach Weg

NYC

Bloody Candy’s new album “Dead Moon”, plays Echo 6.15.15

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If you were taken by the earlier renditions of femme-fronted Blood Candy‘s "Dead Moon" and "Heart Attack" you’ll love what they did in their newest album. Released digitally on June 5th via Buddyhead Records, the album Dead Moon was recorded and mixed by Joe Cardamone (The Icarus Line) at Valley Record Company and includes studio reworks of songs only previously heard live such as "Starcrush" and "Honey". The album showcases Blood Candy’s blend of fuzz and reverb that mingles like lovers’ sweat and cigarette smoke — cinematic enough to be featured in a Lost In Translation montage, a Geek and Sundry show, or even your next mixtape/playlist. 

Bloody Candy is supporting Tennis System’s Echo residency with Seaweed Salad and ASS LIFE tomorrow; come through and see them live if you missed them this past weekend with the Warlocks! – Ryan Mo

Philadelphia

New Music Video: “Fur Lined Harvest” – E. Grizzly

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Alt hip-hop artist E. Grizzly has a new music video for the track "Fur Lined Harvest." It was directed, shot and edited by himself and photographer Alex Halpin, and is the 5th installment from his video series "Generation A." In his previous video for "Back Check," E. Grizzly was left to die, and the latest, which is a sequel, "symbolizes resurrecting, getting back on your feet, cleaning yourself up, and becoming even more determined than before." The single is off his upcoming release entitled How to Destroy Everything, which is composed of Trent Reznor samples.

Nashville

Aave, “Going Nowhere”

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On Friday, Aave released "Going Nowhere," which will be the fourth track of their first full-length album. This debut has been two years in the making, ever since their inceptionary songwriting sessions as a two-piece back in 2013. The single is a driven powerhouse of dreamwave, propelled by an unrelenting beat that cuts through guitar tone persisent as a sheet of rain (except when it suspends itself to let some spacey bleeps take over.) The steady drone riffs on the songs title, while in contrast, the vocal patterns are constantly changing. Aave’s album is due out later this summer via label Villain Place. For those who can’t wait until the album drops, Aave will be playing Mercy Lounge on June 27th with The Gills, That’s my Kid, and Luella & the Sun. -Terra James-Jura

 

Austin

Artist of the Month Nominee Highlight: Malik the Rapper, Producer and Video Game Creator

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We’ve been waitin’ to post this one y’all. Malik is a rising, top-quality Austin hip-hop artist that we brought you a bit about not too long back, and he’s also a nominee for our Artist of the Month, primarily because he’s on a goddamn high octane productive roll right now.

As part of said roll, Malik has been firing a veritable arsenal of creative endeavors out at the world, so far including the following:

A solid as hell single — “On My Own,” which we profiled in March
A mixtape — The Prerequisite, dropped last month and which has amassed over 6000 listens across its 8 solid tracks in that time on Soundcloud (that’s a big deal, most of the bands we post here barely get that in a year)
A fucking video game — The Chase, a pixelated chaser based on a dream by Malik and out for iOS and Android for absolute free
A soon-to-be dropped music video- “Breakaway,” from the new album and released July 5
An upcoming album — The Principium, primed and ready to be launched at the world on July 12

 

 

It’s rare for a local artist to drop even a couple things at once, much less content at this breakneck rate. I mean, who drops a damn video game as a musician? It’s a pretty simple runner game, but The Chase has a great style of pixelly desert goodness, and it also serves as a way to get an early listen to some of Malik’s music from the upcoming album. Produced with game creator and composer Emily Meo, The Chase is without a doubt one of the most creative and engaging ways to reach an audience that we’ve ever seen from any musician, much less a local one.

When it comes to the music, Malik is riding quite high at the top of the list of up-and-coming local hip-hop artists. His commanding baritone flow and deftness on the wordplay front ride over dynamic production (his own) that creates songs that mesh pop elements and true rap like it’s not a hard thing to do at all (it is). Malik uses his voice as more than just a word-purveyor, turning his bars into a percussive instrument like the best rappers do, but he never neglects the content. Malik also never slacks on making the beats something fun to listen to, as opposed to focusing too much on the words, and the result is track after track of unique sounds and perspectives on life that you just wanna keep listening to.

It’s frustratingly common for a young hip-hop artist’s early work to go too heavy on one single front while neglecting others; maybe the beats or the song structure are killer, but the rapping is weak. Maybe they’re too pop, or, on the other side, too heady or aggressive over a whole album. There can be too much focus on the rapper’s ego and not enough real, quality perspective, or there could be too much of the same sound from one track to the next. In these cases, there’s usually one good track and the rest is a bunch of fluff to fill out an album.

But not with Malik. Malik’s music makes no rookie mistakes. It’s damn enjoyable music from one track through to the rest of the entire mixtape, it’s good from beat to voice to structure, and it presents a picture of a young man who has worked to become an expert at every layer of hip-hop music, and whose shit you like and you want to hear more from. That is as rare as it gets for a young artist, and it’s why we’ve nominated Malik for Artist of the Month (that, and his insane productivity of late).

You can get a listen goin’ on The Prerequisite mixtape below, find his game in the Apple and Android stores, and you can get more Malik in yer ears on July 12 when The Principium drops. You can also vote to the right, if you think Malik deserves some e-recognition for his fine, hard work. Get listenin’ Austin music heads.

Toronto

NXNE: June 17-21 2015

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NXNE: Deli List, Here are our favorites!!

WED JUNE 17@The Painted Lady

Big Lonely

Teen Violence

WED JUNE 17@Coalition T.O.

Bike Thiefs

Catholic Girls

WED JUNE 17@Danforth Music Hall

Etiquette

WED JUNE 17@The Opera House

Anamai

WED JUNE 17@The Horseshoe

Blonde Elvis

For Esmé

 

WED JUNE 17@Lee’s Palace

Doomsquad

Programm

ROLEMODEL

 

WED JUNE 17@The Drake

Prince Innocence

Bernice

 

WED JUNE 17@Bovine Sex Club

Mad Ones

 

WED JUNE 17@Handlebar

Murder Murder

 

WED JUNE 17@The Garrison

TWIST

 

WED JUNE 17@The Silver Dollar

The Corsets

 

Thursday June 18@The Horseshoe

Fake Palms

Bad Channels

Whimm

 

Thursday June 18@Handlebar

Walrus

Thursday June 18@The Opera House

Odonis Odonis

 

Thursday June 18@Smiling Buddha

Zones

 

Thursday June 18@The Cavern

Seraphic Lights

 

Thursday June 18@Silver Dollar

Comet Control

Elsa

 

Thursday June 18@The Garrison

Wrong Hole

Soupcans

Crosss

 

Friday June 19@The Garrison

Votiiv

 

Friday June 19@Lee’s Palace

Fresh Snow

 

Friday June 19@Adelaide Hall

Zoo Owl

 

Friday June 19@Smiling Buddha

Foam

 

Friday June 19@The Silver Dollar

Dilly Dally

Pet Sun

 

Saturday June 20@The Bovine Sex Club

Terrorista

 

Saturday June 20@The Handlebar

Jaunt

 

Saturday June 20@Rivoli 

Sun K

 

Saturday June 20@The Silver Dollar

Mexican Slang

Beliefs

Dirty Frigs

 

Saturday June 20@Adelaide Hall

Greys

Das Rad

 

Saturday June 20@The Garrison

Darlene Shrugg

Michael Rault

Bile Sister

Philadelphia

Luther Opening for Timeshares at The Fire June 14

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Rambunctious melodic punk rockers Luther serve it up tonight at The Fire with that steep incline downhill musical momentum gathering speed from the collection of roll and tumble percussion and guitar that functionally bubbles in concise licks, choosing the opportune moment to raise the heat. That full-head-of-steam sound gets the blood flowing, giving rise to vocals that you’ll find caught in your head on Monday. Tonight, they’ll help celebrate Already Dead (SideOneDummy), the latest release from like-minded New York compatriots Timeshares (with whom Luther released a split 7’’ late last year). The stampeding rock of The Holy Mess infuse slices of melody, while still coming at you ever so hard and fast. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 8:30pm, $7, 21+ – Michael Colavita

Philadelphia

Josh Jones Opening for Warehouse & Scott Yoder at Eris Temple Arts June 13

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Performing at Eris Temple Arts this evening, former Univox frontman Josh Jones finds a manner to deliver serious yet danceable songs on his solo album It’s a Terrible World. Capturing a heart-beating sense of percussion and keys that absorbs listeners in a persistent sense of movement and balance with those moving parts and the darker undertones that the lyrics present, there’s an interesting dynamic at play – the outward flow of the instrumentation and the inward reflection that the lyrics suggest. Joining in on this Spazz Presents showcase are hosts Radio Eris. The noir folk of Seattle’s Scott Yoder (formerly of The Pharmacy), whom released an EP Sisters Under the Mink this past spring, and the odd yet measured art-punk of Atlanta’s Warehouse solidify a lineup that pulls you in multiple directions. Eris Temple Arts, 602 S. 52nd St., 8pm, $5-$10, All Ages – Michael Colavita

NYC

Anti-boredom power pop trio Heathers kicks off national tour at Pehrspace tonight

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Heathers‘ cardigan prince and Death Party label owner Michael Avishay celebrates his birthday in tandem with the band’s national tour, and you’re all invited to see them off and wax poetic about that late 20’s lifestyle. A blend of power pop and indie jangle with fuzz in all the right places, Heathers is an eminent force in Southern California, playing with fine fellas like Roses, Girlpool, and Kera and the Lesbians, making venues like Lot 1 and Los Globos sticky with feelings and sweat. With ludic songs suggesting sex-positivity ("Teenage Clothes"), catchy songs that are as sad as fuck ("Fear"), and covers of the integral C-86 band The Wedding Present (courtesy of Part Time Punks), Heathers’ musicality mashes heartfelt lyricism with propulsive rhythms. And that’s exactly what you need in your life.

Heathers released their newest single "Tanker" on June 3rd, and they’re probably most likely going to play it tonight. Catch them with Traps PS, White Bike, Uncrushworthy, and Media Jeweler at Pehrspace (event deets here) and get in on the Friday night feels. – Ryan Mo