Freshly released via Jade Tree, Mable, the new album from pop-punk outfit Spraynard is being celebrated with a Sunday performance presented by R5 Productions at PhilaMOCA. The band’s latest record rouses with a percussion-forward tone, establishing a controlled yet aggressive path. That running start adrenaline rush feeds into lyrics that ooze emotion as though pulled straight from the chest (in that universal latches into your lexicon kind of way). There’s a pulling in the same direction consciously clear and melodic aesthetic; the energy level is consistently high, while the collective appears efficient and purposeful. Mable grabs a hold and before long you’ll be raising the volume and singing along. With there self-titled debut LP due out August 28 via Jade Tree, the uninhibited sound of Dogs on Acid will get things moving with help from local pals, Year Of Glad, and Casual. PhilaMOCA 531 N. 12th St., 8pm, $12, All Ages – Michael Colavita
Ghostporn’s new single “Vivre Sa Vie”, performing for Dirt Dress’s last show
Based on the film by New Wave film maker Jean-Luc Godard, Tasia Trevino and Kenny Carranza’s newest single "Vivre Sa Vie" courses psych revivalist tones through lyrics that recount the life and spirit of Nana pushing against an unsympathetic world. This is the first release of new material Ghostporn have hinted on for their upcoming album, which will contain nods to Broadcast, Jeff Buckley, and Scott Walker (The Walker Brothers).
Ghostporn will open for post-punk trio Dirt Dress‘s last show along with Froth at tonight at the Non Plus Ultra. Listen to "Vivre Sa Vie" below, and find the lyrics to the song here. — Ryan Mo
RIchmond indie boys Black Water Gold have new release and will play The Camel, 7/25
In horror movies, you’re never supposed to go into the woods, but that’s exactly what Richmond-based Black Water Gold did to record their EP released early last month, "Round Up." Blending their Virginian country roots with a penchant for chill rock, this four-piece carefully weaves twang with acoustic repetition and tireless backbeat drumming. Their sound also caters to indie lovers with a lo-fi recording style and vocals like a younger, scratchier Van Morrison. If you’re looking for chill tunes with rock overtones, check out Black Water Gold at The Camel on 7/25. – Jonathan Goodwin
Goodnight Lights/Spelling Reform EP Release Show at JB’s July 18
A pair of local outfits celebrates their new EPs with performances this evening at Johnny Brenda’s. Goodnight Lights welcomes their latest release Say What You Want. The EP is pushed by the constant backend that steadily surges, paving the way to thick guitar lines that serve as punctuation marks as melodically layered, ironed-out vocals provide clear expanses. It’s decidedly clean, with accelerated rushes sprinkled in as pedal-to-the-floor showcases of strength. With their own freshly released EP Diving Bell, the power pop of Spelling Reform (which includes Dan Wisniewski and Mark Rybaltowski previously of The Quelle Source) build a feel-good vibe as Wisniewski’s contemplative narrative vocal style ties into strolling-through-the-neighborhood instrumentation, reflecting on a series of emotions in a purposely loose yet personal way. Openers Shark Tape will catch you on their robust blend of hook-filled rock. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Michael Colavita
VVV & Dylan C- Music for a Future You Are Keeping from Happening
Typically when we post somethin’ electronic-leanin’ up in this house, we’re hittin’ the poppier, psych-ier, beat music-ier or hip-hop-ier sides of the style. That’s simply what most of what comes outta Austin these days in the tech-end of the scene (that’s still about the music and not just the party) sounds like. However, there is of course another side, and that’s the structured stuff. We avoid the term “dance music” here because, while the track we’re about to getcha on is well that, the term has a lot of baggage these days. Even the musicians featured here might not like that reluctance to term, but hey. It is what it is to the larger audience.
What local producers VVV and Dylan C do, here heard on collab track “Ricochet Pendulum Scanner,” is just that other side- some pure-minded Electronic Structure music with a hell of a pressure beat, a crunchy 90s warehouse mood and creative chops that obviously have involved thinking out a track much deeper than just tryin’ to make somethin’ to pop a molly and sweat to. If you see a bro in a dayglo tank gettin’ down to this, we’ll be straight shitted; it’s more from the end of electronic music that brings us detalists and genre expanders like Efdemin or Gui Borratto than it is something like David Guetta or even locals Run DMT, though we aren’t trying to say there’s not a place for that Big Party music too in this particular area of music (might as well ask someone to define art; yer gonna get a lotta pissed off folks who ain’t dancin’, head bobbin’ or fuckin’, and we’d argue that ain’t what music is about).
What we do want to do is to put at least what small spotlight we at The Deli have at our disposal onto these two iconoclasts in an Austin scene whose flows generally push strong in very different directions than this, both at large and within the electronic scene itself.
Both VVV and Dylan C have been putting out steady, strong series’ of music releases lately, movin’ music to the online masses at a high clip and an even higher quality, and this collaboration is among the best, sounding like somethin’ Richard D. James and Boards of Canada might have dropped in the mid 90s if they’d fallen into a vat of green shit and fused together, button-pushin’ fingers intact. Those who immediately perked at those names have nothing to wait for, get to clickin’ Play, but also those more into the pop side of bleepy music should still find this highly palatable if you want some good thinky music, and especially if you dug Radiohead’s post-OK Computer weird shit (which, wow, is getting really old now and that’s a strange thing to reckon with).
It’s music for the dark nerds and the night people, and you should listen to just about everything they’ve each been releasing. Start with “Ricochet Pendulum Scanner” below (man, even the name sounds like an Aphex track in just the right way), and soak into The Network just like the 90s good and well meant us all to by this ungodly advanced year. It’s a damn sight more productive than runnin’ your desperate eyes over your Facebook feed one more time looking for something actually worth a shit and wondering what the fuck failed, futile and probably deserved future we’ve brought on ourselves, if nothing else. In that way, this track is kinda future music for a future we’re all refusing to let happen, but should have, and it feels real damn good to dive in and let it make you a believer in a badass new millennium again, if even for a a few minutes.
“Haven’t You Heard with Three Bones” July Residency Mondays at Scoot Inn
Now this is one we’ve posted before as part of a previous Artist of the Month Poll roundup, but now we’re givin’ local pychpoprock (mmmhmmm, smush them genres) act Three Bones its own damn post because they’ve got a neat lil July residency goin’ on at the Historic Scoot Inn that’s jammin’ along quite nicely. We’ve been quite into this pair (headed by Victoria de Benedicty and Dalt Jacob with Grant Johnson and Mike Stavitz as well) since they put what has been one of the year’s prime headspace occupyin’ tracks and eyeball a’pleasin’ vids out earlier this year with the strummmeriffic and oddly super satisfyin’ “Hold on to Ya” earlier this year. Goddamn psychedelic earworms y’all: in a genre that finds itself in the long-noodlin’ territory more often than not, it’s not somethin’ you really expect for a psych track to be a tight, clean piece of pop that gets right up between your brains and shakes its tail for a week or two, but damn if “Hold on to Ya” ain’t just that.
I think what really gets this track and vid movin’ is that it just feels legit as Texas barbeque; even when hammin’ it up all weird and creepylike for the camera (as Dalt does just freaky fuckin’ well), you get that unfakeable sense of authenticity that tells ya these are some good damn people just doin’ the damn thing thing in the way they damn well wanna do it, and they’re down if you’re down and cool if you ain’t. We think y’should be, and a trip out yonder to Scoot Inn will likely get you on the Three Bones wavelength quicker than a blonde dude in an all white get up can strum a guitar, which if you check the vid, is pretty fuckin’ fast.
Baltimore garage-pop project Surf Harp releases their first single since 2013 and will play at The Crown on 7/30
This June Surf Harp released a new single titled "Leather" on bandcamp – their first release since "Machete" back in 2013. Fellow Batltimore based musician and electro-pop indie celebrity Dan Deacon has already marked his stamp of approval. The track’s lyrics contain suggested hand amputation, sewing, pill popping, hair receding, leather purchasing, and a pair of lipstick stained boots all disguised in the fuzzy, summery glow of surf pop instrumentation. This 5-piece group recorded locally in Baltimore’s The Compost Loft and The Annex and will be playing a show in Baltimore at the end of the month at The Crown on 7/30.
– Leora Mandel
Mathrock from the Valley: The Unending Thread to tour and release debut album
If last night’s Steven Universe episode has reiterated anything that I already know, it’s that people can always appreciate heroes who struggle in the face of adversity. DIY kind of embodies that. We work our hardest to get to a point that could make or break our hobby.
Cesar Alas, Julian Tallman-Rogantini, and Kim Reyes have musicially worked together in different capacities: Rogantini and Alas meshed well in a previous band project, while Kim and Alas both sang in choir class. While Alas made the first move to induct Rogantini and Reyes to The Unending Thread, their present state was defined by the ambition and hard work of all three members. Hailing from the San Fernando Valley, the band’s history spans nearly five years, whittled down from an initial lineup of five. Warped Tours have come and gone, but their aim stays true. They still enjoy boba. I’m not sure if they popped their cosplay cherry yet. It could happen.
Big news though: after years of demos, singles, and acoustic covers (thumbs for Sinatra and Fitzgerald), The Unending Thread have finished their first album, <selftitled>
The Unending Thread will be doing a mid-summer tour through California with stops in Nevada and Arizona and ends with Silverlake’s DIY Fest. The tour kick-off starts next Monday at the White Oak Music Arts with Post Life, Celebrity Crush, and Coex. – Ryan Mo
Synth-pop duo My Body to play Shea Stadium 07.17
With just one EP ("Six Wives") under their belt, the Brooklyn duo, My Body, is making avant-synth-pop that stands out. The brain of My Body is Jordan Bagnall, who plays the roles of singer, songwriter, and producer. A classically trained singer, her dreamy vocals and range are impressive enough, but when laid over their resounding electronic beats in the opening track "All I Can" (video streaming below), it’s pretty much alt-pop magic. Catch them tonight, July 17th, and Shea Stadium. – Sam O’Hara
High Tides release debut album on 7.31, listen to new single “Coastal Cruise ’86”
High Tides is the synth duo of Warren Kroll and Steven Lutes. Based in Malibu, California, it’s apt that their latest single, "Coastal Cruise ’86", has an ambient, waterside feel. The dark delicate vibes of the album create an illuminating, nostalgic feeling reminiscent of the 80’s, a decade I wasn’t even alive for, yet the feeling thrives for it. Their newest album, self-titled and released on TOBACCO’s own label, Rad Cult, features six original songs that can be streamed now over at Noisey. Button up the Hawaiian shirts and suck down the piña coladas for this must have vacation-themed album. Sail along to the acid daydream collaboration of High Tides on July 31st. – Kayla Hay