Mikal Amin may have retired his previous moniker “Hired Gun,” but his revolutionary spirit remains aflame in his latest solo release #NICEGUYSFINISH. Mikal has been pummeling the NYC Hip Hop scene with his staccato bravado for years. This album is a look back on the battles this hip hop educator has waged both onstage and behind closed doors. Complemented by ZQ’a buttery production and embellished with standout collaborations with Breeze Evahflowin, Y?, Duv, and a reunion of his rap cabal Third Party, it’s a reflection on transformation and the inevitable changes which only fools struggle against. – BrokeMC

This past August, Connecticut fuzz-pop quartet Furnsss shared ‘New Moves,’ its bruised yet romantic latest effort. Comprised of such guitar-grained songs as "Jansport" and "Slow Dark Water" (streaming below), the brisk release radiates with longing for love and inner peace while admirably accepting current duress and frustration. Angst does seem to be a preoccupation of Furnsss (who previously released their full-length, ‘Silent Gold,’ last year) but, with their welcoming aura, a sense of ease prevails. While the band doesn’t currently have forthcoming shows listed, keep posted on their Facebook page. –  Zach Weg

Elk City was one of the (many) NYC bands that deserved more attention in the aughts, and also one of the (not so many) to be rewarded with a Deli NYC Record of the Month around 2007, when their album "New Believers" dropped. We are therefore thrilled to hear that two fourths of the original group, including backing vocalist Barbara Endes and guitarist Sean Eden, are back in action with a new group called Girls on Grass. They just released a self titled LP full of electric folk songs with a slight psychedelic accent, sounding as if 10,000 Maniacs were part of the late ’80s Paysley Underground movement. They’ll be performing next on Friday, Jan 8 at the Rent Party benefit in Maplewood, NJ. Check out album opener "Father Says Why," streaming below.

If the likes of REM or Counting Crows spent some time in the Appalachians, you’d end up with The Sometimes. This band has a sound built from their Virginian roots, incorporating Americana and bluesy undertones into an alternative framework. Hailing from Fairfax, the quartet put out a new EP, Standoff, that inspires nostalgic introspection and features eloquent repetition. Energetic power chords and moderately raspy vocals produce a standout vibe, so don’t miss The Sometimes play Battle of the Bands, 1/5, at Jammin’ Java in Vienna. -Jonathan Goodwin

We were an hour overdue and loudness was all we could hear. Black metal and small talk warmed the atmosphere as the trio Exray’s lined the stage — well it wasn’t really a stage, but the gap made it seem otherwise. The intimacy of Trust a Robot and Jon Bernson’s continued beckoning tightened spaces between the crowd and them, if only for the last two songs. And the crowd only got tighter as Naytronix followed, with an efficacious live set of Mister Divine — a medley of tambourines, cowbells, Costa Rican-inspired drumming, and Nate Brenner’s resonant basslines.

Headliner Deb DeMure came forth with a bust of Apollo to bless the set, wearing a pink changshan to juxtapose. Drab Majesty showered the Non Plus with piercing guitar tones redolent of ’80s wave, and we stood transfixiated in darkness. Up last, Creepers thanked those who stayed for the end — it was just us, friends, and the Non Plus residents. Their hard-hitting lysergic psych filled the near-empty space and burrowed deep into our ears. Shiv Mehra’s SG came untuned, but even the discordant yaws felt at home as the last of the audience nodded on to synthetic screams and cacophonous overlays of Lush — loudness was all we could hear. And it was glorious. Check our Instagram @TheDeliLA for more pictures of the night. – Ryan Mo, photos by Michelle K. McCausland