With a laid-back, bare-bones folk feel, Yankee Bluff’s debut EP, simply titled I, invites with its jangly tones and introspective lyricism. Emerging from the conclusion of Dogs On Acid and featuring Pete Helmis and Nate Dionne, Yankee Bluff is an engaging low-key take that sways you into submission. Catch them at Boot & Saddle on Monday, August 22 with Callowhill and Milemarker!
NYC
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Steady Holiday performs at Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Concerts
After many years of collaboration, Dre Babinski shines steadily in her own light as Steady Holiday, starting her dream pop foray with debut album Under the Influence. Poignant, personal and touching, Babinski’s lyrics are buried under infectious melodies, but become uncovered after a few listens. Words like, “it’s a lonely world, I don’t want to be hurt” ("Under the Influence") and “We’re not alone/ You and I have our demons we can’t control” ("Overcast Waltz") resonate with a solo artist’s apprehension. Having performed at the prominent Coachella Festival, Steady Holiday performs again for all, free on September 1 at Santa Monica Pier’s Twilight Concert Series with Unknown Mortal Orchestra. – Kaitlyn Tang
Austin
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Exclusive Deli Austin Premiere: Mamahawk’s ‘Reset’ Music Video
Mamahawk is one of the Austin music scene’s emerging gems, a deeply soulful band that meshes bright electronics with warm, thoughtful vocals and acoustic elements to create some of the prettiest and more relaxing indie music to come out of the city in a long time. Today, we’re beyond excited to be premiering this up-and-coming act’s new video for the gorgeous ‘Reset,’ a melancholic video for a track from last year’s self-titled album, and, according to the band, the video ‘explores the push and pull relationship between our animalistic, primal urges and our societal conditioning.’ As Mamahawk says, ‘It is a call to simply be still and feel the life inside and around us, if only for a moment. Embracing that raw, instinctual side of ourselves may be the only way to truly be free in this world.’
It’s a video that puts its own intriguing spin on the trope of the man stuck in a cubicle who yearns for the freedom of wilderness, and locals will note a good amount of Austin-area locations, such as Plaza Saltillo and a particularly striking shot at the border of the forest still devastated by the Bastrop forest fires of the last few years.
The video is immensely relatable for anyone living the modern grind, tenderly channeling the ideas of being a wild being trapped in a static, constricting contemporary world into the symbol of a literal hawkperson (more specifically, a business hawk/person), and the thoroughly gorgeous music is a nice counterpoint to the initial bleakness of the video. As the narrative unfolds, the idyllic sound accompanies the rising action fittingly, and the emotional payoff here is solid.
This video should do a lot to bring Mamahawk’s glimmer to a larger audience, and in fact, you can see the whole thing live as part of one of Mamahawk’s sets tomorrow July 28 at their Mohawk show, which also includes such great local talent as Yuma, Shapescenes, The Khost and Chill Russell. Give the video a listen below, and if you like what you hear and see, find your way to Mohawk tomorrow for what promises to be an excellent night of music, or check out the full album at their Bandcamp here.
San Francisco
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The Bribes Play Hyde Street Studios Eclectic Tuesday – 8/2
The Bribes are to play Hyde Street Studios‘ Eclectic Tuesday on August 2nd from 7pm – 11pm!
The Bribes is the project of Chicago-born, San Francisco-based musician Philip Toscano. Toscano has relocated The Bribes to the Bay after releasing three records and headlining nearly every mid-sized and DIY venue on the northwest side. He is currently performing solo under the name The Bribes and collaborating with Jameson Irish Whisky as a part of the "Spirit of the Neighborhood" campaign.
The band’s latest recording, "Dust Tapes," released in May 2016, is an ambitious bite-sized rock opera intended to portray a series of dreams about mortality through a melodically accessible sonic landscape. The result is a cohesive, dark-but-danceable record infused with pop rock hooks and 1950s/60s rock and roll sensibilities.
NYC
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Bodies Be Rivers, Lacrymosa release collaborative 7” split + play release show on 8/29
Sometimes a collaboration is all a band needs to to reach the next level, and a prime example of this phenomenon is "Making Plans," Bodies Be Rivers‘ collaboration with mysterious pianist/singer Lacrymosa. On their past work, Bodies Be Rivers mostly relied on their guitar parts to hold down the song’s structure, anchoring their ethereal vocals from floating off into space. With the addition of Lacrymosa’s piano, however, the load is lightened, allowing the guitar to contribute to the song’s overall atmosphere. The result is something far dreamier and uplifting than anything they’ve done in the past. "Making Plans" is the lead single off of a collaborative 7” split between the two artists, and you can check out their release show on 8/29 at Manhattan Inn. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber
NYC
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Power to the ladies: Jessy of NYC Hardcore band Outskirts
Outskirts is a new hardcore band featuring members of Brain Slug, Fatal Erection (best band name ever?), Death First, and Zombie Dogs. The band is keeping the aggressive and intense nature of the New York Hardcore spirit alive with their six track demo released in March. Tracks like “You Assholes” and “Imposter” put frontwoman Jessy’s passionately hostile vocals on display, while the track “Drown Out” highlights the band’s groovier punk sound. The hardcore scene has been viewed as a boys club for quite some time, but bands like Outskirts, Firewalker, G.L.O.S.S, and Leather Daddy are proving that the female voice can be powerful in this genre, and just as pissed off as its male counterparts. And this is certainly a good day to celebrate powerful ladies! – John Honan
Chicago
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The Curls @ Tonic Room
The Curls have released their Daytrotter Session for free for their fans to download. The session was recorded back in May.
You can catch The Curls on July 29th at Tonic Room with Mr. Constant, Them Dead Poets, and Paul Moody.
Chicago
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Kate Fagan
Manufactured Recordings is reissuing the 1980’s classic single from Kate Fagan, "I Don’t Wanna Be Too Cool" on August 8th. The new release will include two previously unreleased tracks, "Master of Passion" and "Come Over".
Below is a video from 1982 of Kate performing "I Don’t Wanna Be Too Cool".
NYC
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Mammal Dap kicks off New England tour tonight (07.27) in Burlington
North Hampton psych-fusion experts Mammal Dap will be making a triumphant return to the road tonight (July 27) at the Radio Bean in Burlington, VT, followed by a small set of dates around New England and New York in July and August. If you like the ‘80s, synthesizers, lush chords, thinking about outer space, good vibes, the ‘90s, and seriously nice dudes, this band is for you. Each show they’ve played has delighted the crowd with upbeat grooves, positive vibes, danceable jams, lightly psychedelic melodies, and a sound so tight you may as well assume it’s vinyl. It’s been a while since we’ve seen the Dap come this far north, and it should be a real treat to get a FREE concert at the Radio Bean on Wednesday, July 27 at 11:30, as well as in Portsmouth NH at the Birdseye Lounge on July 28. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear what’s been cooking in Western Mass. More tour-dates can be found here. – Dan Rome
NYC
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Glass Gang releases video and single + announces London live debut
We somehow missed this video for single "Outside Your Love," released in June by NYC dark wave (or electro-shoegazer) trio Glass Gang, a band we often covered in the past and also booked at CMJ in 2014. The group today is releasing another single entitled "Wild Light," also streaming, and while they make no mention of an upcoming album that will gather the two songs, the news of the day is about their debut UK show, set to take place at The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington, London on Tuesday 8th November.
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Holly” – Mercury Girls
Below is a new tune from Mercury Girls called "Holly". It will be released on Continental Drift (Slumberland/Fortuna Pop), a four-way split that will also include material from Baltimore’s Wildhoney as well as the UK’s The Spook School and Tigercats. Mercury Girls are heading out on tour this fall with Balance and Composure and Foxing. They will be making a stop home on Friday, November 18 at Union Transfer.
NYC
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Big Thief unveils Luke Temple produced new song ‘Mother’ through Shaking Through series
Shaking Through is a Philly based documentary series about the process of recording music as seen through the eyes of today’s most promising independent musicians. Their latest episode features two of our favorite NYC artists, both of whom were rewarded with our NYC Record of the Month, although about ten years apart. Luke Temple of Here We Go Magic produced the Big Thief yet unreleased track ‘Mother’ (streaming below) and… magic was delivered again.
Read our Record of the Month review of Big Thief’s debut LP "Masterpiece."