New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Krewella (Jahan Yousaf and Yasmine Yousaf) has released a new single called "Broken Records". This is the latest single from the duos new EP, Ammunition, which is due out May 20th. The first single from the EP, "Beggars", now has a video below.
Krewella is launching a tour this fall called "Sweatbox" and will be performing at Lincoln Hall on October 8th.
For the last handful of years, Radiator Hospital, a.k.a. Sam Cook-Parrott, has been consistently rockin’ the Philly DIY scene’s socks. Cook-Parrott has struck a good musical balance between widely accessible power pop and raw DIY twee punk. His tone is breezy but serenely emotive, falling on the twee scale much closer to Teenage Fanclub’s broad, sweeping sound than the forceful, closed-chord tunes of Talulah Gosh. This evening at PhilaMOCA will be Radiator Hospital’s first performance in Philly since November so don’t miss out on his uniquely charming pop songs. He’ll also finally have in tow copies of his split LP with Great Thunder, titled The Great Thunder Radiator Hospital Wedding Album. You can catch him sharing the bill tonight with Scotland’s The Spook School, a band with the effervescent energy to match Go Sailor, Bent Shapes, the even janglier version of The Feelies, and Littler, the little twee band with big guitars and bigger feelings. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 7pm, $5-$7, All Ages – Bryce Woodcock
Courtney has has put together a "Prom Night" event which will take place on May 20th at Reed’s Local (3017 W. Belmont). The line-up will include Oshwa, Glamour Hotline, and of course Courtney themselves. You can find all of the details here.
Courtney released their self-titled debut EP back in 2015, and released a new video for the track "How Old Are We" this week.
By fusing math rock’s atypical rhythmic structures and angular melodies with psych rock’s dreamy, chromatic guitar drawls, Bat House has forged a sophisticated, personal sound. The Boston based quartet has been spending the past year or so working on their forthcoming self-titled album, set to be released late this summer, and they’ve been kind enough to let us at The Deli New England give you the first taste! “Patterns” (streaming below) is the aural equivalent of kaleidoscopic jigsaw pieces from various puzzles that somehow seamlessly fit together– a complex sonic patchwork of shifting rhythmic structures, metered grooves, and infectious guitar chords. The track takes you on a cosmic journey; by the time the band reaches the final shift, singing “colorblind but i still see the patterns in my head” – as the guitars chord spread out in an electric sprint – it really feels like free falling through a kodachrome sky. The band just kicked off their tour last night (full calendar here) and will be making their rounds across the country in the following month, but locals can catch them on June 19 when they play Middle East Upstairs. – Adriana S Ballester, photo by Kit Castange
Graveyard Lovers, a Brooklyn based three-piece that’s been around since 2010, blends the tension of post punk with the melodicism and distorted guitar aesthetics of grunge. Last week they started a May residency at Pianos, after releasing two new singles: ‘Partner‘ and ‘Told a Lie’ (streaming below). The former is a love song that strays from the band’s normally aggressive sound, while the latter offers classic ’90s loud/quite/loud production, striking a balance between the Flaming Lips’ visionary pop and Nirvana’s dynamic melodicism. Both tracks will be part of the band’s upcoming album ‘Past The Forest Of The Fruitless Thoughts,’ scheduled to be released in June. This will be their fourth release since the 2011 self titled debut – you can see them at Pianos tonight (May 12th). – Amanda McCall
In the final episode of Nothing‘s six-part documentary for the making of Tired of Tomorrow, we find the band hungover but in good spirits as the guys make their way to sign a new contract with Relapse Records. The feelings of joy and relief are short-lived as we learn about tragedy hitting home for frontman Domenic Palermo. In the world of Nothing and all our lives, light and darkness go hand in hand.
"Without sounding so terribly cliche, that’s what life is, especially to me… a whole lot of pain and punishment mixed with like times that you can – you know – inspire from that punishment and create something that matters to some people that might – you know – help somebody out that’s feeling that way down the line or have it mean absolutely nothing like most things do."
The LP Tired of Tomorrow will be officially out worldwide tomorrow via Relapse Records. Nothing will also be in the UK performing at Rough Trade East, but you can join them for their hometown record release show on Friday, July 8 at Union Transfer with Mary Lattimore & Jeff Zeigler, Citizen, and Culture Abuse.
We blogged about Tiny Deaths in this very blog earlier this year, they just released this video for single ‘The Gardener,’ check it out!
Here’s a quick look at some rad singles that were released in the past month or so by "not exactly emerging" NYC bands, enjoy! (In the picture: Dirty Fences).
Last night was a raucous good time at the Black Cat’s backstage. Kicking off the packed show was one of DC’s finest punk outfits, Priests. Composed entirely of masters of their respective musical outputs, this quartet blasts out a fiery, unapologetic rock set, lined with angst, political diatribe, and some seriously pent-up energy, but still distinctive with their stage presence and use of atmospheric guitar work in the latter half of their act. Of particular note was their drummer’s tireless performance, railing out sick playing without missing a beat, easily swinging multiple times per second. Make sure to catch them live when they return to DC after this tour ends.
Performing after Priests was Montreal-based Ought, a genre-defying fourpiece that pulls some its sensibilities from the likes of The Killers and The Strokes, but still rejects sounding like anyone else for more than a moment. Blending some angst-ridden lyrics, space rock guitar solos and keys, and slick basslines providing a solid backbeat. The frontman really captivated the audience’s attention with occasional and perfectly awkward dance moves and a voice that cuts right in between Julian Casablancas and Bono, delivered in a laconic, deadpan overture. -Jonathan Goodwin
Creative compatriots Michael Cammarata (Residuels) and Chris Radwanski (having worked together in Night Panther, White Birds and Suburban Living) continue their collaborative endeavors, forming a new record label Born Losers Records. Later this week, Residuels set out on a stretch of West Coast tour dates supporting The Buzzcocks. Meanwhile, the label’s inaugural release, a 7” of the band’s new single “Ordinary,” can be purchased HERE, and will be officially released on Friday, May 13. Listen to the single below, and catch Residuels as they cap off their tour with a dual release show with Louie Louie on Friday, June 3 at Boot & Saddle (which will also be opened by Weekender).
Heavily inspired by a life of vivid dreaming, Brooklyn’s Corbu take the concept of "Dream Pop" to the extreme, expressing through their music their interpreted realities of the ‘sleep-world’ . The band just released single ‘Polygon Forest’ (streaming) off of their soon to be released studio album, ‘Crayon Soul’. The track incorporates tribal beats, several layers of synths and the ethereal, psychedelic leaning vocals of lead singer Jonathan Graves. Intrigued by Corbu’s sound, we asked him to talk about the band’s synths and their set up in this Delicious Audio feature.
Spooky Cigarette straddle a fine line between frayed no wave and arty new wave. But it’s in that confusion that the San Diego band ultimately excels, where they push forth a pleasant melodic guise even when it sounds like it’s all about to crumble at any minute. One of the tracks off of their upcoming EP As Loud as I Can, "Days in Repetend", focuses on soft, lo-fi synth lines that are nestled in layers upon layers of reverb alongside sharply punctuated bass lines. This is all lead by singer Frank Mindingall, a compelling performer that knows how to transmit an anxious energy into his work with distinctive confidence. It doesn’t hurt that you can kind of dance to it, too!
As Loud as I Can is due out on May 20 via Bleeding Gold Records. – Juan Rodríguez
