Daytrotter just posted their session with grungy Philly psych rockers Creepoid. You can listen to and download the recording HERE (w/membership). They are also performing tonight at Union Transfer opening for The Kills. (Illustration by Johnnie Cluney)
Philadelphia
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Downtown Club Opening for The Mynabirds at Boot & Saddle Sept. 23
April Harkanson’s vocals exhibit an enthralling hold, as if she’s communicating with every listener individually, in a leveled yet personally penetrating manner. Those bewitching lyrics are accentuated by a stabilizing rhythmic backend that steadily pushes a danceable high-voltage pace, while maintaining an underlying control. While segments of jagged guitar and shadowy synths stir this perilous place, you can’t help following that sound. Tonight, post-punk trio Downtown Club draws you into South Philly’s Boot & Saddle. After releasing their new album Lovers Know earlier this summer, the magnetizing 80s-nodding synth-pop sound of Laura Burhenn-led The Mynabirds headline, while organicly catchy Minneapolis trio Bad Bat Hats offers a relaxed rock vibe that dabbles across the sonic board, hitting on folk, noise, etc. Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., 8:30pm, $12, 21+ – Michael Colavita
NYC
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The Tye Trybe bring rock and roll (and afros) back to New York City
Do you yearn for the days when rock n’ roll ruled the airwaves? When riffs were as big as the hair on the heads that wrote them? If so, then New York’s The Tye Trybe might be just what you’re looking for. Born out of the South Bronx and Spanish Harlem, this self-described rock and soul trio brings a raw power that harkens back to the blues-steeped music of artists like Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix. The group’s debut EP, "Word is Born," was released just over a year ago, and, while it runs a bit on the short side as far as EPs are concerned (its 4 tracks go just over the 10 minute mark), it packs a big punch. The opening track, "Shine Them Shoes" (streaming below), kicks off the record with an intense and distorted blues riff that leads into the head-banging attack of the drums and Joseph Hernandez’s gritty vocals. The energy of the group never relents over the course of the next three songs, and their rock and roll spirit is both infectious and fun to listen to. The Tye Trybe currently has no scheduled shows, but they’re definitely a band to keep your ear on. – Patrick Wolff
San Francisco
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Starlight Kid Survival Guide and GABI play DNA Lounge – 9/25
The San Francisco based electro pop band, Starlight Kid will be performing Friday night at DNA Lounge, along with the local Emily Whitehurst fronted band, Survival Guide. Make sure you head out and support local artists!
Both ensembles will be supporting the Brooklyn based experimental songstress, GABI:
"Gabrielle Herbst’s experiences writing for chamber orchestra and experiments in mixed instrumentation inspired her to develop a repertoire of short-form, vocal-centric compositions under the name Gabi. These solitary explorations in early 2013 with dual-track loop pedals led to the nine songs which composed the album, "Sympathy". Embracing the vast potential of the human voice as instrument, story and landscape, these open-ended sessions yielded a suite of compositions that captured Herbst’s personal metamorphosis into Gabi. Which rendered past influences and new collaborations into a personal statement on the desire for human connectivity and emotional catharsis via an intimate exploration along the edges of common songwriting."
This is going to be a great show. If you’re into highly experimental, female vocal based electro art rock, you should definitely do your best to make this show on September 25th at DNA Lounge!
Philadelphia
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New Music Video: “Rock Bottom” – Modern Baseball
"You guys are that sad, awkward boy band that people relate to. So sell that." In Modern Baseball‘s latest music video for "Rock Bottom," which premiered yesterday at Pitchfork, frontman Brendan Lukens tries to perform after receiving those unnerving words of encouragement as nightmarish scenes from high school play out as his backdrop. Lukens eventually escapes the overwhelming video set that was directed by Kyle Thrash. Hopefully he’ll make it back in time for the band’s extensive upcoming tour with PUP, Jeff Rosenstock, and Tiny Moving Parts, which will close out in Philly on Saturday, December 12 at Union Transfer.
NYC
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Dreamgaze-y Crescendo gets loud at Lot 1 tonight, Harvard & Stone tomorrow
For guitarist/vocalist Gregory Cole of Crescendo, summer’s been a windfall of great opportunities — his band went through a lineup change that has positively impacted their live sound, slayed the second night of Echo Park Rising, and threw down the third iteration of the DreamGaze Festival, playing out to Los Angeles and San Francisco crowds.
2015 is drawing to a close, and it’s still uncertain if we’ll see Crescendo’s sophomore album release this year. But for those of you who missed out this summer, you’re in luck: hear the five piece’s brand of cerulean dreamgaze at two back-to-back shows for free! Crescendo are up tonight at the local pub Lot 1 with Littlest Sister (acoustic instrumental), The Bees and Bones (garage blues), Wild Year (synthpop), and touring Seattle band Pitschouse (dreampop). They’ll also perform at Harvard & Stone’s on Wednesday with new talent Glasz and Nashville-blooded headliner Reno Bo. Get tight and dance with them: listen to "Gatsby" from Crescendo’s debut album Lost Thoughts. – Ryan Mo
Nashville
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Me and Molly Doing Americana Right
Over the past week, Nashville has been whipped into an Americana frenzy. Boots and hats galore, the four-night Americana Fest was packed with huge, rootsy talent. But just down the street (at fooBAR, of all places,) a Southern folk duo was making magic on stage at a Palaver Thursday. And we found ’em for ya.
Hailing from the Great White North and the Deep South, Me and Molly joined forces earlier this year, and they are bursting onto the Nashville scene with guns blazing.
Declan McGarry, of Winnipeg, Canada, and Molly Stevens of Macon, GA, had been making great music separately for years until a local producer brought the two together. With a range of influences from John Denver and Neil Young to down-home gospel music, Stevens and McGarry create soulful, heartfelt tunes that reflect their individual skills and undeniable musical chemistry. On stage, their strong yet tender voices entwine over the strumming of road-worn guitars, entrancing their boot-stomping, hand-clapping audience.
The duo is currently recording their first release, but their live recordings are more than enough to tide us over. Give "Stay Baby Stay" a listen below. -Caroline Bowman
Chicago
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PHOTOGRAPH.
The trio PHOTOGRAPH. released their latest album Beg & Prove back in August. The trio plays vintage alternative rock.
You can catch PHOTOGRAPH. at Schubas with Raven Eye on October 5th.
Nashville
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Twiggs, “Twiggs II”
Clear your schedule, stock the fridge and turn on the lava lamps, because Nashville’s dual-fronted Twiggs are taking us all on a neo-psychedelic trip through time and space with their sophomore release Twiggs II.
After catching the TN-via-OK 4-piece in the back room of Crying Wolf last spring, even after putting a dent in my second flask, I knew to keep an eye on them. Wearing their 60s and 70s influences on their sleeves, swirling in droney grooves and gritty riffs while maintaining a freewheeling punk disposition, Twiggs have incorporated the past and present into a 11-track album that is nothing short of hallucinogenic.
Reminiscent of experimental guitar rockers like The Velvet Underground and Jefferson Airplane, "One is for the Gun" and "Touching You" are instantly classic, while "Crazy Nights" adds modern percussion and cadence to the mix. The band gets a little Pink Floyd-y with the melancholy "I Love You So Love Me," and the echoing chant at the end of "Lonely Coyote" will rip your heart right out. Staff pick "Are You High" will burrow itself into your brain and stay there. Forever.
Give Twiggs II a listen here, download it on iTunes and catch Twiggs 10.10 at The Five Spot with Buffalo Rodeo, Santah and Seratonins, put on by Palaver Records. -Caroline Bowman
San Francisco
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Album Premiere: Nelsen & Farney – One For Many Roads
Nelsen & Farney consists of San Francisco based singer/songwriters, Devin Farney and Mark Nelsen. You may know Mark from the heavy psych rock band, Electric Shepherd and Devin as the keyboardist of the 60s revivalist band, The Love Dimension.
We’re always excited to share new music and Nelsen & Farney have given us the honor of premiering their latest musical effort entitled, One For Many Roads. If you like Simon and Garfunkel-esque folk music, you’ll be into this record.
"We’re a songwriting project and live acoustic band that began in 2013, peripherally to our respective solo work. We have since played a handful of local shows while working on our debut LP, "One for Many Roads" – produced by Devin at his home studio. This collection of songs contains melodically rich vocal harmonies and heavy Americana/folk + British/indie-psych-pop influence. Some key inspirations for Nelsen & Farney include CSNY, Lennon/McCartney, Simon & Garfunkel, Dirty Projectors, Everly Brothers, and Kings of Convenience. The songs on "One for Many Roads" were individually written by me and Devin, but shaped together as a band." – Mark Nelsen
"… It’s good to have finally found a home for these songs, some of which have been lying around dormant for the better part of a decade. It took a while to finish, but it happened very organically, which is how it had to be." – Devin Farney
Take a listen to the album in its entirety and don’t miss the duo’s album release show at The Lost Church in San Francisco on September 30th!