New England

New England Record of the Month: I Was Awake – Facade

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With their new album, Facade, I Was Awake has released upon the world a substantial effort that shows the versatility and raw talent of the five-piece metal group.  Weaving together a dynamic web of prog, metal, and alt-rock that invokes the greatness of bands like The Deftones and Porcupine Tree, while maintaining an original and modern energy, the boys from Beverly, MA have created a deeply engaging sound that will keep this album on heavy rotation.  From beginning to end, each track shows a different facet of the band, starting with the title track, a one and a half minute crescendo, leading up to the hard-hitting "Erasing", filled with chunky guitars and mixed meter grooves.  Facade is a journey, maintaining those strong grooves, taking periodic stops for high-energy riffs ("Gravity") and softer dynamics ("As Within…", "…So Without").  If thought provoking lyricism and intelligent songwriting is your thing, then I Was Awake will likely become a new favorite.  Give Facade a listen (or twelve) and keep your eyes open for live performances in 2017. -Brian Varneke 

 

Portland

Mood Music: Maze Koroma – “Even Though I Can’t Keep Up With You”

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Maze Koroma has been on our radar for years. Assuming you haven’t been sleeping on the young rapper’s talents, he’s likely on all of your radars, too. The EYRST and Renaissance Coalition lyricist has recently translated what he’s seen in pop culture and the digital age into a triad of hip hop and electropop based projects that could soundtrack the movie on millennial life. 

He’ll be playing some of his conceptually appealing extended plays, including the recent TrackList EP, tonight during this month’s installation of Mic Check. St. Johns/Chi-town rap vet Vinnie Dewayne is also playing the monthly hip hop showcase thrown by McMenamins, StarChile, WE 96.3, Pabst Blue Ribbon & XRAY FM  at the White Eagle Saloon. 

Tickets are $7 and the show starts in just a few hours at 9pm, so come get your much needed monthly dose of hip hop.

San Francisco

The Spiral Electric Releases New Album + Plays Elbo Room – 1/19

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The San Francisco based neo psych band, The Spiral Electric has released their new album entitled, Ask the Sky this month. Make sure you take a listen and find yourself taking a trip down Ask the Sky’s psychedelic sonic rabbit hole.

You can catch The Spiral Electric live at The Elbo Room on January 19th with Hollow Sidewalks and New SUN Company!

L.A.

darkDARK release new single “Fake It”

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Heavy synth mash ups melt into the whitewashed drum machine to create the futuristic sound of darkDark. Genevieve Vincent and Chris James together create a visionary way to feel the music you listen to, casting a spell on your inner demons with every beat. I’m happy to announce that Netflix original series “Stranger Things” just found its season two song opener; at least my vote is cast. Kayla Hay

 

 

 

NYC

Check Best Behavior’s real behavior at Brooklyn Bazaar on 01.11

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Notwithstanding their name, the guys in Best Behavior don’t come across as exemplar human beings – not at all for that matter! First of all, they are said to partake in rambunctious parties during which they play electrical musical instrument, dance incontrollably, and sweat while wearing leather cloths – disgraceful behavior! Some decadent New Yorkers seem to enjoy that, may they find the Lord’s true path. Secondly, they use sexually disturbing images on the cover of their records… we are speechless!! As if that wasn’t enough, take their song ‘Bad Habits‘ for instance (streaming below); it’s a track inspired to sinful music of the ’50s that discusses how bad habits are impossible to destroy… how self indulgent!!! Their 2015 album “Good Luck Bad Karma” includes other hummable songs such as “Magic” and “Buried on the Mountain,” which would be our favorite if we weren’t so turned off by the band’s moral terribleness!

(We are flirting with the idea of catching them live on January, 11th at Brooklyn Bazaar.)

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best punk/garage songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out! (if you hear nothing, turn the widget’s volume up!)

Philadelphia

New Horsecops LP Available for Streaming & Download

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Philly four-piece Horsecops grabbed our attention with its heady four-song debut Dog, and before 2016 gets tossed in the can, the band has dropped its first full-length album, Annie, via Bald Spot Records. With most of the LP being recorded at Big Mama’s Warehouse by Evan Bernard (of The Superweaks, ex-Dangerous Ponies) and at the group’s home, Horsecops traverses between crunchy fuzz rock and lo-fi synth-noise on its latest offering, creating an oddly balanced, enjoyable collection of recordings. Take Annie for a spin below.

NYC

Artist on the rise: Raia Was plays LPR’s “On The Rise” on 02.01

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In recent years, West Village venue Le Poisson Rouge has been expanding their booking tentacles to many local venues, and also making an effort (very appreciated by The Deli) to support the most promising local artists with "On the Rise,’ a series of shows involving emerging locals. The series’ upcoming appointment is on February 1st, with a show involving two acts we’ve been following for a while in this very blog (Lip Talk and Dinowalrus), and also a very new singer songwriter that’s about to release her debut album: she goes under the moniker Raia Was, and she has recently performed at National Sawdust’s The Revolution (another series featuring mostly emerging local acts). Single ‘Grant it Cause’ (streaming below), showcases an intimate sound with ambient electronic elements, and an expressive and soulful voice that strives for sophisticated melodies. Looking forward to the record, expected to be out some time in early 2017. – Photo by Samson Debela.

Philadelphia

mewithoutYou’s Brother, Sister 10-year Anniversary Show at Boot & Saddle Dec. 29

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Last month, Philly post-hardcore outfit mewithoutYou shared a mysterious tweet about a show at Boot & Saddle for the 10-year reunion of a band called The Sun & The Moon Band. A group with no record beyond perhaps the late 80’s brit-pop album of the same name by Chameleons founder Mark Burgess, fans quickly discerned that the show is an intimate performance of mewithoutYou’s 2006 album Brother, Sister. The playful nature of the announcement carried through to the supporting act, dubbed “Rush 2.0”. Fellow Philadelphians Hurry announced the Rush 2.0 set via Twitter as well in tandem with mewithoutYou’s initial post, so it is speculated that they will be performing a Rush cover set. The show is currently sold out, but I’m always a firm believer in the idiom – “where there is a will, there is a way,” especially when it comes to getting into events. However, if that old adage doesn’t exactly work for you, mewithoutYou will be back in town on Friday, January 13, where they’ll be supporting Circa Survive on their On Letting Go anniversary tour. Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., 7:30pm, $30 (Sold Out), 21+ 

Chicago

Vices

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Vices are preparing to release their debut album, American Consciousness, next month. The trio releasing relocated to Chicago and have performing around town for the last few months. You can preorder the album here and stream three impressive tracks below.

Portland

A Jolly Good Time with Lola Buzzkill and Their Holiday Variety Show

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Many of us aren’t old enough to remember the variety hour TV shows of yesteryear. Back in the 70’s, the Bradys and the Partridges ruled the glowing tube with special celebrity guests, comedic fodder and of course, musical performances. For the sake of nostalgia and all out fun, soulfully funky Lola Buzzkill is bringing the variety show back, with a somewhat modern twist.

Lola Buzzkill will be one of two musical acts to take the stage, along with Melt, but the intrigue this show provides surpasses what it offers musically. A performance art rendition of the Nut Cracker is set to occur, with dancing from Amira Sereia and Briley & Matt, comedy from Wendy Weiss and DJ Tasty spinning.

Onstage quips are sure to include commentary on this tragedy of a year and the not-that-much-better holiday season, so be sure to come to the Liquor Store tomorrow and check it out. Proceeds from tickets, which run $8, go to benefiting the efforts of Standing Rock. Be there by 9pm to catch the night’s festivities as they start!

Austin

Honeyrude Teases Debut Ep with New Video for “Roger McClain”

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The genesis of Honeyrude can be traced back to 2013 when Ian Lund and Billy Kunath began playing music together in Austin, the lineup was finalized when Paul Goetz and Jess Ledbetter joined soon after to round out the dream-rock quartet. Preparing for their debut EP release in the Spring of 2017 via Shifting Sounds, Honeyrude released a music video for their first single, "Roger McClain", which oozes with 90’s alt-rock nostalgia. Citing Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, and Teenage Fanclub as influences, Honeyrude pulls off the 90’s slacker guitars and shoegaze melodies with deft precision. Frontwoman, Jess Ledbetter, is a perfect mix of Shirley Manson from Garabage and Bethany Constantino of Best Coast, combining her golden voice and looks with a badass attitude and deferential humor. At a time when female-fronted slacker rock groups are surging (i.e Bully, Dilly Dally, Slothrust), Honeyrude is representing Austin well. The band’s nostalgic, scuzzy, yet ethereal vibe ensures that an audience is waiting for Honeyrude to start sharing their dreams with us.

-Lee Ackerley

 

 

NYC

VBA and the sound of the upcoming (political) apocalypse

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If the election of Trump put you in an apocalyptic mood (anybody?), you owe it to yourself to check out NYC’s drone rock trio VBA and their debut EP ‘Will It Still Be There.’ Brooding tracks like Aisles (hear it below) are inspired by the early post-punk days, and provide the perfect amount of gloom and unresolved tension to inspire your next political (Facebook) fight – or maybe be its live soundtrack! The band toured with Kurt Vile & The Violators in 2013 and hasn’t been very active since the release of the EP in August 2016.