Garage Land is a weekly series of local and international live rock ‘n ‘roll, garage, psyche and punk acts, curated and hosted by relatively new Greenpoint venue The Good Room, which was born on the ashes of Europa. The next showcase is this coming Wednesday (03.30), and features five noisy local bands, in the order listed below (from headliner to opener). In the picture, Dead Sexy Sheila.
Philadelphia
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Debut Straw Hats EP Available for Streaming & Purchase
Garage-punks Straw Hats just released their debut self-titled EP, which was recorded, mixed and mastered by Ryan Farber. The band features The Districts‘s frontman Rob Grote and drummer Braden Lawrence reversing rolls and letting go of some pent up aggression. The two are also joined by pal Breshon Martzell on bass and vocals, and the album is available on cassette via Gawk Records.
Philadelphia
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Explore Other Avenues w/The Goodbye Party at LAVA Space March 27
With the dissolution of his band The Ambulars, songwriter Michael Cantor has moved his attention to his blossoming solo project The Goodbye Party. This latest undertaking carries many themes over from his old group, including the jangly power-pop tonality evocative of Teenage Fanclub that makes songs into anthems. But going solo has also given Cantor room to explore other avenues of his musical inclination, giving rise to tunes that aren’t necessarily fashioned to be played onstage in a high energy environment. Some of the more sedate songs take an almost mournful tone, best described by the self-coined genre descriptor “heavenly blues.” This distinct flavor of jaded melancholy seems to permeate the majority of Cantor’s solo output and stands almost at odds with The Ambulars’s bubbly light-hearted tone. However, it puts on prominent display another side to the artist, while also carrying over enough artistic idiosyncrasy to be unmistakably, patently Michael Cantor. The Goodbye Party will be opening this evening’s Sunday billing at LAVA Space with Richmond, VA’s Atta Girl, Ohio transplant and Father/Daughter Records artist Addie Pray, and power-pop rock ‘n’ rollers Missing Earth. Lava Space, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 7:30pm, $5-$7, All Ages – Bryce Woodcock
Nashville
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Carey debuts self-titled EP
Sun’s out, major scale runs out, yeah? Carey’s self-titled debut EP is one to drown out the sound of the AC at home or in the car. Quality power pop is the name of the game here, but things get a little sludgier than expected at various points, like The Cars by way of Dinosaur Jr., with some real fuzzy guitars and heavy pacing giving it a heavier bottom than forward-driven numbers like these usually like to flaunt. –Austin Phy
Philadelphia
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Square Peg Round Hole Record Release Show at MilkBoy March 26
The atmospheric instrumental trio Square Peg Round Hole are celebrating the release of their new album Juniper with a show tonight at MilkBoy. The sound is built around tight, intricate percussion, be it the super technical drumming, dueling vibraphones, or other found sound. Reminiscent of The Album Leaf or Lymbyc System, the group’s latest effort succeeds with complex, driving undertones and dexterous melodies that carry the listener through. The songs are nimble and jazzy, calming while expressive. Slated for direct support is Philly’s own Moon Bounce, a funky Martian who makes R&B from the future, with his silky, theatric voice and sticky sweet synth lines. The energetic grooves fly in and out of frame, turning on a dime at any moment, making for a manic, but extremely fun experience. Also on the bill this evening will be the experimental pop of Son Step. MilkBoy, 1100 Chestnut St., 8:30pm, $10, 21+ – Adam G.
NYC
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DC-based pop punk Ménage À Garage release aptly named debut record, The Demo EP
Kicking down the door right away with heavy percussion and cascading guitar work, Ménage À Garage‘s debut EP is a treat, put simply. With vocals ringing like They Might Be Giants’s John Flansburgh and cutting lyrical content, some of the largest classic tropes of punk prevail throughout the record: some storytelling, some angst, and a critical eye for life. You’ll be tapping your foot to the beats before you know and then banging your head with the crescendos along with anyone else listening to this fine group. Ménage À Garage has been very busy, playing show after show at staple DC venues, so look out for announcements for spring and summer gigs! -Jonathan Goodwin
Austin
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Austin Deli Exclusive: Genuine Leather Premieres Rollicking EP “Blossom Child of the Southern Sun”
We’ve got somethin’ special for you Deli readers today! After a year of song writing and production, local indie act Genuine Leather is premiering their new EP “Blossom Child of the Southern Sun" with The Deli today.
Formed in 2011 by Chris Galis, Genuine Leather emerged on the Austin scene around that time with their song “The Viper,” and they’ve been planning the release of Brunch for some time now. “Blossom Child of the Southern Sun” is a rollicking fusion of influences that is equal parts Nada Surf and Band of Horses, with a healthy dose of garage-rock psychedelia thrown in to boot. Using distinctive guitar riffing as the back-bone of the EP, the record sways with a lackadaisical 90s alternative feel that effortlessly breaks into melodic choruses.
Genuine Leather is about to reintroduce themselves to Austin and elsewhere with this nostalgically familiar and deeply infectious sound, so be one of the early listeners by hitting that play button below.
—
Lee Ackerley
(catch more of Lee’s work atSlackerlee.com)
NYC
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HEEMS (of Das Racist) plays Baby’s All Right tonight! (03.25)
Williamsburg’s favorite iconoclast HEEMS is rocking a late night set tonight (3/25) at Baby’s All Right before doing “some rapping in Ramallah, Haifa, Jaffa-Tel Aviv and Tel Aviv before Beijing.” Whereas hip hop group Das Racist garnered fame through their irreverence for their genre and lot in life, HEEMS rocks harder and stronger through direct assault. Focusing his furor at the ills of a racist society, the dysfunctional government, and the irony inherent in most modern hip hop, HEEMS elevates his art from every angle, often with poppier results (as in the streaming video of 2015’s appropriately titled single ‘Pop Song’). – BrokeMc
NYC
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Leila Adu’s avant-pop at Cake Shop tonight (03.25) for “Scary Love Monsters” EP release
Here at The Deli we like to reward unconventinal artists – although unconventionality must be matched by talent – and New Zealand composer/musician/producer Leila Adu definitely belongs to this category. Her new EP "Scary Love Monsters" presents us with six unpredictable tracks (that’s a trendy adjective in these Trumpish days, isn’t it?), fluctuating between pop, weird jazz, dark lyrics and brainy experimentation at times reminiscent of Brian Eno’s early records. Not a music scene novice, Leila has been making records for over ten years now, and showed displayed a remarkably original sound since her 2003 debut full length ‘Dig A Hole.’ She’ll be celebrating the release of the EP tonight (03.25) at Cake Shop.
Toronto
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DIRTFIGHT – BLUEGRASS PUNK!
Bluegrass punk comin’ outta St.Catharines. Dirtfight is a 4 piece string band that’ll inspire you to drown your sorrows in a barrel whiskey. What happens after that is up to you…and the whiskey. That’s what the weekend is all about right? They have a few releases available on their bandcamp page. Including their latest single "Hitchhiking With A Bleedy Head". Its based on a true story so that fact along with the title of the song should entice you to listen to how the hell they ended up in that kind of situation. Dirtfight plays with Frankie & Jimmy and Stinkbox tomorrow (Saturday March 26th) at Homegrown Hamilton! – Kris Gies
Philadelphia
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Weekend Warrior, March 25 – 27
As promised, renowned Philly guitarist and composer Chris Forsyth is getting his Solar Motel Band together this Saturday night for a full-band performance of material from their new album The Rarity Of Experience, which came out early this month via No Quarter Records. The album is a rich continuation of the band’s now signature instrumental art-rock style that taps into the sound of New York’s 70’s CBGB scene, where proto-punk influences met 60’s psychedelia. The songs reach for the panoramic immensity of the “Marquee Moon”-style – epic in composition, concept, and scope. Though they are all instrumentals, the songs aren’t just extended jams; each song’s structure seems carefully calculated and punctuated with dynamic transitions and variations on themes that become increasingly familiar. Warming up the stage for Forsyth and the Solar Motel Band is 75 Dollar Bill, a band with a similar knack for the eternal composition. In contrast to Forsyth’s decidedly cosmic scope, 75 Dollar Bill’s style keeps it terrestrial and patently minimalist. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 8:30pm, $10-$12, All Ages – Bryce Woodcock
More places to jam out at this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Teen Men
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Grandchildren, Northern Liberties, Sleek Machine
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Prowler/Skydive Dubai, Tristan Kavanagh/Purling Hiss (EP Release), Spacin’ Chillinger, Kiel Everett. SAT Groovy Movies/Catching Wasps, Dead Robins/Elijvh Vrms, Jesse Tyler, SUN Crazy Bull, Traitor/Fell Into Yesterday, Line Leader, Slim Pickins
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI The ill Fated Natives, SAT Flightschool, Up The Chain, Boy Lawyer
TLA (334 South St.) SUN Oschino
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI ((Downstairs) Kuf Knotz, SAT (Upstairs) Andrea Nardello, Matt Duke
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Uncle Jake & the 18 Wheel Gang, The Fallen Troubadours, SAT RFA
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Our Fair City, SAT Square Peg Round Hole (Album Release), Moon Bounce, Son Step
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) SAT Queen of Jeans, The Morelings/Reward
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Guns Garcia & Francisco Collazo, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN DJ Mike Nyce, DJ Lil’ Dave
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI The South African All Stars & David Newman, SAT Kyle Swartzwelder, Julia Levitina
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Sparklefight, Slyphr, T.C. Cole Riot
SAT Foreign Hands/Slaughter Rico, Ill Squad, Biz Mighty, LTC
Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI Ben Aire
The Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal St.) SAT G. Love & Special Sauce
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Steve Oakley Band, SAT Burned Out Still Glowing, Cupid’s Victim
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Canyon Ride, Giada J, Ray Bradley, SAT Jason Magin & Craig James
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SAT Blendmode
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) SAT Koji (Record Release), Jacob Clarke, Steve Layman
4345 Baltimore Ave. SAT Sour Spirit, Janelle, JamForceF!ve, Guts
Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Alright Junior, Kelsey Cook
LAVA Space (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Missing Earth, Addie Pray, The Goodbye Party
Double H Ranch (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Doubles, Minka, Hello Shark, R.R. Perkins
All Night Diner (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Soul Glo, Humanshapes, Vertex Pro
San Francisco
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Unconditional Arms Releases New Single – Feud
Oakland’s quintet post-rock outfit, Unconditional Arms, have unveiled their brand new track, Feud. The single comes off of the group’s latest release, a split, with Los Angeles’ Minnow. The split between Unconditional Arms and Minnow is available now, via Anchor Eighty Four Records.
Make sure that you head on over to the website and snag one of two packages of the Unconditional Arms x Minnow Split today. With any of the packages, you will receive a download of the album and a bag of Stumptown’s ‘Hairbender’ blend of coffee.
It’s nice to hear this new release from Unconditional Arms. They’re new single borders on epic and the band has certainly honed in on their signature sound, become more confident and ambitious with their compositions. Good stuff.