San Francisco

Mare Island Releases New Single – Unawake

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The San Francisco based band, Mare Island has released a new single, Unawake:

While the various members of Mare Island have known each other and toured together for years, Mare Island is a band over a decade in the making. Vocalist Josh Staples and bassist Sean Leary grew up childhood friends in Sonoma County. Staples first provided guest vocals on Loma Preita’s 2007 album Last City, which started regular contributions. Having left Loma Prieta at the start of this decade, guitarist Sean Chao had a happenstance run-in with Leary in 2015. The duo began writing and demoing songs, bringing Staples in to provide lyrics and vocals, with Chao’s roommate Evan Sarna joining on drums. Mare Island’s music makes clear nods toward the members’ other projects, but with outward experimental pushes through the use of pitch-shifted loops and samples. Working with producer/engineer Ian Pellicci (Deerhoof/The Dodos/Thao and the Get Down Stay Down), the group brought in San Francisco’s Magik*Magik Orchestra, imbuing the songs with a rich, ethereal quality.

Mare Island will release their debut, Eponymous EP on June 23rd.

NYC

Moon Room and Redacted present monthlong AAPI music showcase across the Southland

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May is apparently International Masturbation Month (even though July 21st is International Masturbation Day, according to Wikipedia). It’s also Asian Pacific American Heritage Month—a celebration worth having with friends beside (or along with) your JO buddy.

Asian American & Pacific Islander voices have historically been reduced and marginalized in Western-centric music culture, but this month the voices of AAPI artists coalesce in a resounding cheer of affirmation. Enter Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Showcase: a series of events spanning six dates, 24 artists, and several venues across Orange County, Long Beach, and Los Angeles as a collaboration between organizers [Redacted] and Moon Room, with support from KXLU, Allies in Arts, Center for Asian American Media, Color Study Zine, and more. Earnest in conception and DIY in approach, the showcase will feature AAPI solo artists and groups of the Southland breaking new ground with compelling sounds and shattering tired stereotypes as they face systemic issues of cultural (mis)representation head-on.

This Sunday, catch the first free 21+ showcase at Fullerton’s Continental Room featuring Polartropica, Lions!, PAST HYPE, and Phoebe’s Guitar. – Ryan Mo, flyer credit: Roger Hallaway

NYC

Dolly Spartans get covered by The Wild Honey Pie, play Shea on 06.01

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We heard talent when we heard Dolly Spartans‘ debut EP by Dolly Spartans in the spring of 2015 – and that’s why we named it our record of the month. We are glad to see other local blogs covering the young NYC quartet: The Wild Honey Pie just posted a very flattering review of their latest single "It’s not Easy" (streaming below). The group just released sophomore EP ‘Time Sides With No One‘ and it’s scheduled to perform at the new Shea Stadium location on June 1st, which we are not entirely sure is defined yet, although the venue recently more than succeeded in funding a Kickstarter campaign for its new spot.

Toronto

HOT GARBAGE – “HONEY/BABY” TAPE

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Hot Garbage has just released a new double sided single "Honey/Baby". Side 1 features the tune "Honey Tree". A dreamy garage pop tune that takes you floating on a cloud of gentle vocals. It slowly transforms into a new realm of noise with carnival-like synth noises as the whole tune picks up steam. Let Hot Garbage take you for a ride through their interesting tunes. They are having a release party for the "Honey/Baby" Tape on Thursday (May 11) at The Baby G! – Kris Gies

Portland

PREMIERE: Echo Pearl Varsity – “MmmHmm”

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Echo Pearl Varsity were our April artists of the month for a reason. Their jazz fusion meets post-rock compositions are radically fresh and inventive, standing out in a music scene where garage and indie typically reign. The band is back with a new single, a cover track actually, paying homage to one of their favorite new age electro-jazz musicians.

"MmmHmm" was originally done by Flying Lotus featuring Thundercat, coming from his highly touted 2010 album Cosmogramma. It’s the first single EPV will be releasing from an EP of cover tracks, due out in June before they out for their second west coast tour. A love and respect for FlyLo, the artists on his label Brainfeeder and a special adoration between EPV bassist Nolan Henderson and Thundercat were cited as reasons for choosing "MmmHmm" in particular, among other reasons.

"We chose this song to challenge ourselves, knowing it was a catchy track but surprisingly tricky to play," says saxophonist Levi Downey. "It took us about two months to get down, due to the deceptive melody super shredder bass-line. But, after some long arguments and rugged practice, it all came together."

Listen to "MmmHmm" below and be on the lookout for Echo Pearl Varsity’s next covers. You can see them live on May 19 at the Twilight Cafe with The Welkin Dim, Wake of Dark for the Hawking album release.

Philadelphia

New Music Video: “The Source” – Void Vision

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Smokey, shadowy synths come with a submissive wrapped in cellophane; the recently unearthed video for “The Source” by Void Vision visualizes the mysterious, edgy momentum that Shari Vari creates. Found on her latest LP Sub Rosa (Mannequin Records), the song’s alluring yet creepy vibe comes to life via haunting keys, generating a hyperactive tumultuous tale. Capturing a sinister, spiritual splitting, the video confounds with its perplexing optics. You can catch Void Vision tomorrow night at Johnny Brenda’s with ADULT and Ritual Howls.

Philadelphia

Debut Product Placement LP Available for Streaming & Purchase

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Rob Garcia (ex-Bleeding Rainbow, Telepathic) has released a new self-titled album under his solo moniker Product Placement. Navigating an acoustic, lo-fi spectrum, the album shifts between pleasant, jangly terrain and heavier psych exploits. Whether loosely exploring the wide-open or compacting the sound into combative grit, the songs are refreshingly unveiled. That balance of a focused, purposeful but relaxed jourey with continuous reevaluation hits the target.

NYC

Psych pop quartet Maybird releases new single, plays Union Pool on 06.03

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Maybird, a Brooklyn based four-piece band from Rochester NY, recently released their newest single, "Keep In Line" produced by Patrick Carney of The Black Keys. It’s a song that the band’s songwriter’s Josh Netsky wrote about that "feeling of restlessness [felt] when someone you’re used to having around is out being productive and you’re not, but wish you were." A paradoxical thought that ended up becoming a productive one, since it inspired this song. With its plodding tempo and lazy psych-pop melody, the single expresses Josh’s desire to travel and make music. That desire will be soon fulfilled through a short North East tour and a performance at Union Pool on June 3rd.

Philadelphia

New Track: “Best Parts” – Narra

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In the aftermath of Marietta, Narra has emerged. The quintet’s self-titled debut, which was recorded and mixed by The Superweaks‘ Evan Bernard and Chris Baglivo, will be released on June 2. Its new single “Best Parts” is inherently enthusiastic while consciously emotive. Rolling out from a smooth one-way dialogue, the song gathers instrumental steam amid melody, before accelerating into overdrive.

L.A.

Scott Ruth embraces roots rock on “Are You There”

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Former Future Leagues member Scott Ruth is trading in his bass guitar and going solo on his new single "Are You There", a slick roots rocker that marks a notieable departure from last year’s more introspective release, The Weight of it All. Whereas his previous release had a feeling of dry seclusion, his yearning new single holds a vibrant optimism that’s both unvarnished and wistfully nostalgic. 

With folk singer-songwriter Noah Gundersen under his guidance, the drifting "Are You There" suggests a compelling new direction from a beloved local artist who’s written the perfect soundtrack to take out on the open road.

 

NYC

An Ethereal Sound With A Dose Of Reality; Elisa Plays The Knitting Factory May 16th

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Elisa‘s sound may be light and twinkly, but her voice carries an unexpected weight and wiseness. Her latest release, "Morning Again" begins with a minimalistic, ethereal soundscape but bleeds into an upbeat drum kit infused with differently textured samples. And then there’s that guttural feeling you get when Elisa belts, as if every word were breaking out of her chest. Elisa plays The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn on May 16th.-Geena Kloeppel

 

Chicago

Jamilia Woods

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Jamilia Woods has signed Jagjaguwar and has released a video for track “Holy”. The song is taken from her 2016 LP Heavn, which will be rereleased by her new label. Jamilia will be touring this summer in support of Corinne Bailey Rae and including Pitchfork Music Festival.