Hop Along‘s Frances Quinlan was featured today over at Noisey. In the video below, you’ll find her talking about her earlier days working as a housepainter, and she also treats us with a stripped-down, acoustic rendition of "Buddy in the Parade," off the band’s latest LP Painted Shut. The performance was recorded in the backroom of mural company Colossal Media in Brooklyn.
Philadelphia
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Everyone Everywhere Comes Together Once Again at Everybody Hits Aug. 19
A Wednesday dose of music can be an ideal mechanism to breakup the mid-week monotony. That scenario is elevated by the rare opportunity to catch Everyone Everywhere at Everybody Hits. (That’s quite the tongue twister.) The band is known for dishing out crisp, spiraling rock that tugs with an emotional integrity. The balance of loose instrumental precision with open-book lyricism develops outward momentum while staying close to a personal core. The delicate blend of melodic, emotive-churning songs by Three Man Cannon and like-minded four-piece Clique help to establish an atmosphere for head-clearing release. New Jersey’s Prawn round out a bill, which is already sold out. Everybody Hits 529 West Girard Ave., 8:30pm, $8 (Sold Out), All Ages – Michael Colavita
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Nangs” (Lushlife Remix) – Tampe Impala
Philly Renaissance man, Lushlife, a.k.a. Raj Haldar, premiered a new track on Mary Anne Hobbs’s BBC6 Weekend Music Show. It’s a reimagined take of Tame Impala’s "Nangs." The original can be found on the psych outfit’s latest album Currents. You can also download a high-quality version of the single for free HERE.
NYC
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Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear celebrate a homecoming
(Photo by Todd Zimmer)
The last time Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear took the main stage at The Midland, they were opening up for B.B. King in one of his final performances. At this point, last October, the mother/son duo was just being introduced to listeners not just around the country, but in their hometown as well. They had recently been signed to Glassnote Records after wowing a roomful of record executives in Muscle Shoals and playing a secret showcase at Third Man Records in Nashville during the Americana Music Festival.
Not long before that, Ruth and Madisen Ward were playing to small but enthusiastic audiences in and around their hometown of Independence. Ruth has been a musician for most of her life, playing the Midwestern circuit as a folk songwriter in the early ‘70s. She returned to music after her three children had grown, and her youngest son Madisen began accompanying her to coffeehouse gigs, sometimes joining her for a few songs. Like his mother, Madisen began writing songs as a teenager, finding his footing as a musician while accompanying Ruth on these shows. “The style we play is different than what my mom was playing in the ‘70s, and I came to music later, so I see it differently,” says Madisen, who has since fallen into the role of chief songwriter. “Eventually, my mom gave me the reins and told me to write.” While Madisen constructs a song’s general melody and lyrics, his mom helps with song development, bridges, and harmonies. The two have found major success with this formula, creating a unique, moving brand of Americana music.
All of this is why their performance this Thursday is a bit of a homecoming. This will be Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear’s first major headlining show in Kansas City, after a slew of achievements that include appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman and Later… With Jools Holland; opening slots for a broad scope of acts like The Pixies, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and The Tallest Man on Earth; and prestigious spots at events like Bonnaroo and Newport Folk Fest. They’ll also be bringing a full band with them this time, with Kansas City musicians Tom Hudson on drums and Brent Kastler on bass, as well as Larissa Maestro on cello.
But this sudden onslaught of triumphs—which also include a European tour (and another on the way, with Sufjan Stevens) and the acclaimed release of their debut LP Skeleton Crew in May—is not without its challenges. “Your creative routine has to be altered,” mentions Madisen. “We used to be able to sit in the dining room and bounce ideas off each other. I still write when we’re on the road, but it’s a different dynamic that you have to learn to juggle.”
On the flip side, the two have found that success has great rewards. “The whole thing is the people,” says Madisen. “It’s a very personable career that really revolves around human interaction, and the energy of a room. All of these different people we get to meet have different stories.” Stories, perhaps, that will find their way into the duo’s music one day.
Madisen Ward & the Mama Bear will be playing at Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland with special guests Luluc, an Australian folk duo, on Thursday night. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here.
–Michelle Bacon
Michelle is the editor of The Deli KC and plays in bands.
NYC
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Alt-rock Grave School releases debut EP, first burial seminar 9.17
Surf pop sinew meets Dinosaur Jr. soul in San Fernando Valley’s newest alt-rock incarnation Grave School. Despite making a quiet entrance into the scene, this band has been in the works for a long time: singer/guitarist Gina Almaguer (Sheer) met drummer Aldo Felix (ACxDC, Human Garbage) online through mutual friends about two years ago.
"Grave School has technically been in the making since late 2013, when me and Aldo first started jamming — just the two of us."
Their busy schedules gave the project slow momentum, but patience has its virtues — Aldo and Gina also found able bodies from their circles: Daniel Castro (guitar/vox), Marisa Shirar (bass/vox), and Gilbert "Guzie" Guzman (Nomads, Sleepwalkers). Self-described as a pop-oriented, even cheesy, fun band, the vocals of Marisa, Daniel, and Gina (yes, they all sing) lifts listeners with ’60s guitar jangle before burying them in six feet of dirtbox distortion.
Grave School released their debut EP via Bandcamp earlier this month, and will play their first show at the Ventura Music Factory on September 17th, supporting Choir Vandals (St. Louis) with Papertowns. (Phoenix) and Living Ghosts (Oxnard). Take note, and check out the first song "Clutch" to their EP below. – Ryan Mo
NYC
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NC/NY-based band Ladyfriend coming to Knitting Factory September 22
Splitting their time between North Carolina and New York, Ladyfriend are keeping it local come September. Their self-titled EP from last year (streaming below) consists of one buzzy indie-pop hit after another, with enough electronic influences to definitely keep you dancing. Their lyrics are playful, their beats are bouncy, and each track exudes how much fun the band is having performing them. Don’t miss them in Brooklyn, opening for Los Colognes on September 22nd at Knitting Factory. – Sam O’Hara
NYC
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Alex Vans & The Hide Away release “Somebody To Lose”
Last April, Alex Vans released the double A 45 "Velocirapture" to much fanfare. Fans had waited a long time for a follow up to Alex’s debut album DJ Booth. Luckily for us all, this time we didn’t have to wait long for yet another single. "Somebody To Lose" is a favorite at live shows already, but this record cranks up the tempo and intensity. It starts like a power-pop party-rocker and dives right into it’s infectious expanding groove. The best part, of course, is the chorus. Sweet and melodic, a contrast to the hard bass-driven verses. The entire record sounds beautiful. Punchy and bright guitars swirl around Alex’s smooth vocals. Snappy drums are joined by percussive punctuations and bits of studio laughter, adding a layer of sonic intrigue.
Together with the two tracks on Velocirapture, we have the beginnings of a very ambitious album. None of the three tracks are much alike, tied together only by Alex’s voice and skillfull melodic rock. Hopefully we wont have to wait too long for a full length, or at least another single. Check it out on Spotify! And don’t miss Alex Vans & The Hide Away playing for The Circus Life Two Year Anniversary Concert at the 9:30 Club on Friday, August 28th –Natan Press
NYC
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Baltimore pop-folk septet Haint Blue releases new EP, plays Baltimore Folk Fest, 10/24
Baltimore’s own Haint Blue is back with a beautifully crafted self-titled EP out earlier this month. The seven-strong group artfully amalgamates poppy beats with Americana roots and instruments, producing a sound akin to Shovels & Rope or Avett Brothers, but still apart in its context and tonal shifts. Haint Blue has layers of pain and living in its lyrics, wrapped carefully in cheery beats and twangy harmonics. Grab a copy today and check them out at the Baltimore Folk Fest on 10/24. -Jonathan Goodwin
Portland
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Tiny Little Empire working on sophomore EP
Apparently "lured into existence from the depths of a Portland basement," Tiny Little Empire is a young indie-rock quartet with a refreshing sound. The group released their freshman, four-track EP, "Above Ruins," back in May, and the debut single, "It’s Working Now" (streaming below), serves as a powerful introduction to their sound. The track opens with intensity (a wistful guitar and keys melody layed over a driving percussion section), rising and falling from there between valleys of hushed verses and mountains of passionate and hauntingly melodic choruses. The rest of the EP ("All That I Want," "Make Me Stay," and "Weather the Storm") carries on in a similar tone, with the bass and the drums driving spirited-yet-somber melodies and vocals. Overall, "Above Ruins" is 21-minutes of polished indie-rock tracks that make quite the first impression. While Tiny Little Empire currently has no scheduled shows, their sophomore EP is reportedly in the works, so be sure to keep an eye out. – Patrick Wolff
NYC
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NOVA-based indie folk group Wylder releases new single, plays in Jammin’ Java BOTB finals, 8/21
They’re from Fredericksburg and they sure know how to compile a track. Wylder takes all that is good about indie pop and folk and fuses it into a beautiful, symphonic melody. Their brand new single, Sunstroke, would fit perfectly as part of a movie soundtrack where everything turns out all right in the end. Emulating the sound of greats like The Polyphonic Spree, Wylder’s quality stands out as they’ll compete in the Jammin’ Java battle of the bands finals in Vienna on 8/21. Give them a listen and your support when they take the stage at 8pm! -Jonathan Goodwin
San Francisco
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Shannon and the Clams Release New Single – It’s Too Late
Oakland based surf rock royalty, Shannon and the Clams released a new single this morning! The new song is entitled, It’s Too Late and while the track doesn’t stray far away from Shannon and the Clams’ signiture lofi-esque, surf pop sound, this new single is exciting and refreshing to listen to. The band is gearing up to release a new full length album called Gone by the Dawn on September 11th, so make sure you don’t miss their upcoming show on September 9th at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco with Silver Shadows to celebrate the release of the new album!
Listen to the new single, It’s Too Late via Soundcloud
Gone by the Dawn Track List
01. I Will Miss the Jasmine
02. My Man
03. Point of Being Right [vid]
04. How Long?
05. Baby Blue
06. It’s Too Late [mp3]
07. Gone by the Dawn
08. Corvette [vid] [mp3]
09. Telling Myself
10. The Bog
11. Knock ’em Dead
12. The Burl
13. You Let Me Rust
NYC
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The “warm neo-folk” of Morningsiders
Like Vampire Weekend before them, New York, self-described “warm neo-folk” quartet Morningsiders has made simultaneously regal and moving music following its birth at Columbia University. Their 2014 piano-dallied track “Empress” recently became number one on Spotify’s “United States Viral 50” chart but the early-twenties guys’ February-released debut EP ‘unfocus’ is the real striker. In the past, bands like Dirty Projectors have previously used centuries-old instruments such as the violin to majestically evoke the ageless feelings of longing and uncertainty. But, as heard on EP opener “Dots” (streaming below), Morningsiders’ ability to mix masterful musicianship (Reid Jenkins’ chimerical violin playing is especially good) and sensitively honest lyrics (“I’m telling lies to get out of socializing,” rasps frontman Magnus Ferguson) into a folk/pop/jazz/even hip-hop stew is majestic. Morningsiders play at the David Rubenstein Atrium, Lincoln Center on 8.27 and at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 on 8.28.– Zach Weg