Soulful singer/songwriter Garrett Roy Jones, backed by a group called the Recipe, has released the strong live EP Live in the Kitchen, the band’s debut release. Jones, a talented character in Boston’s music scene, shows a brassy vocal ability similar to Melbourne’s Angus Leslie (of Sex on Toast), with a clear John Mayer influence in both composition and guitar performance. Fans of Destroyer’s lesser-avant material (Kaputt, Destroyer’s Rubies) will be sure to spot some familiar idiosyncrasies. Live in the Kitchen, accompanied by a stylish twenty-seven minute single shot video from Felipe Maldonado, is available on Youtube, Spotify, and Bandcamp. -Charley Ruddell
Portland
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Stream Marmoset’s ‘Transference’ compilation LP, out today
Local record label and boutique music agency Marmoset specializes in seeking out some of the most talented acts and songs ranging from the timeless and rare to the emerging and engaging. Their latest endeavor, the Transference compilation LP, focuses particularly on songs lesser unknown and possibly forgotten.
In making Transference, Marmoset’s producers combined through the public domain for songs 100 years old and up. As they developed their extensive collection, they invited a series of artists join in on reimagining and rerecording some of these tracks. Marmoset’s team worked closely with the participating artists in evolving each track from its original beauty to a newly fashioned merit.
Some of the artists featured on Transference include Ural Thomas and the Pain doing a soulfully rhythmic rendition of "Hot Time in the Old Town," originally recorded in 1896, The Helio Sequence‘s vision of the Bing Crosby-recorded standard "Down Among the Sheltering Palms" as "Out Among the Sheltering Pines," and an electronic interpretation of Eugene Lockhart and Ernest Seitz 1919 classic "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise" done by Distance and Frankie Simone.
What Marmoset has managed to create is an anthology of imaginative appreciation, showcasing a history of imaginative talent and musicianship. Dive into the 10 tracks on Transference below.
NYC
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Pinc Louds hosts Christmas Tentacular at Bizarre Bushwick 12.08
Pinc Louds always seems to be doing something just a little different than what you’d expect. On paper it’s not that unusual: an acoustic guitar based indie rock group. But in practice it can be tough to describe: there’s a sudden burst of strumming, a feathery falsetto-type voice, psyched out doo-wop backing vocal loops. Performances are no exception, if you’re lucky, you may have even caught at least one member of Pinc Louds performing in a subway (they frequent the Delancey/Essex St station). Promising a night full of puppets, scavenger hunts, a “Santa Claus confession room,” and all sorts of other holiday cheer, Pinc Louds will perform full band at Bizarre Bushwick on December 8th for what the band has dubbed it’s Christmas Tentacular. – Cameron Carr
Philadelphia
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Weekend Warrior, December 1 – 3
There’s a dramatic depth filtered through a timeless, eclectic, musical framework when one steps into the sonic surroundings of Lizdelise. Refined melodic strokes of sound penetrate to the core, hovering the threshold between stripped-down elegant restraint and exploratory, instrumentally detailed landscapes. Then those precisely thought-out, innately controlled tones are triggered into time-traveling overdrive between classical and contemporary, taking magical form. Tonight at Ortlieb’s, the duo is coupled with the incisively adventurous dream-folk of Sea Offs and the blooming folk-inflected pop rock of Nick Pope. – Michael Colavita
Other places to enjoy this global warming…
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Lizdelise, Sea Offs, SAT The Age Of Truth, Moons
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Dominic, SAT Killiam Shakespeare
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI The White Cheddar Boys
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Andorra (Album Release), Alright Junior, Knightlife/The Deadeyes, Yeenar, The River Bones Band/DJ Deejay, SAT Body Spray, Rad Captive/A Black Celebration: DJ Baby Berlin, DJ Jem/Retro/Future: DJ Paul T, DJ Sean Hearn, SUN Dark Waters End, Conflict Theory
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) SUN Girls Rock Philly Fall LRC Showcase
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI FlexSquad, Rio Sound
Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St.) SAT Celeste Giuliano’s Pin-Up Peepshow
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Steal Your Face
TLA (334 South St.) SAT Beach Slang, Dave Hause
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Conjunto, SAT (Downstairs) Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties, Steady Hands, SUN (Upstairs) The Binary Sea, Tioga
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Boardwalk Kings, Mattress Food, Greedo’s Ghost, SAT Redhat vs Nobi, Malevil, SUN The Dividing Line
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Sheena & Tjhee Nosebleeds, Femme. Collective, George Engel Brooks, SAT S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D, SUN Pete Hill, Kirby & The Vibe Tribe
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT The Wayside Shakeup, SUN Rusty Cadillac
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) SUN Outside Eyes, No Sailor
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Siravo, Dead:Stop, SAT The Hook, Alec, Stewart, Ginny Mill, Brew
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Above the Mendoza, Egocentric Plastic Men
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI The Last Emperor & Haak Filmore, Death By Bong, Burndown Allstars, XPresidents, SAT Control for Smilers, Bluestime
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Splintered Sunlight, The Quixote Project (Plays Garcia & Grisman), SAT iNFiNiEN, Gnarbot, SUN The Sherwood Brothers, Stella Ruze
The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Downtrodder, Night Raids
Planet Phitness (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Marge, Clasp, Corey Flood
Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Canine 10, Plume, Erik Kramer
Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Yureka Cash
Philadelphia
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The Deli Philly’s December Record of the Month: Messy – Curtis Cooper
Equal parts confessional and self-veneration, Curtis Cooper’s latest offering begins without a shred of hesitation or apology. Starting off with the full throttle swell of “Freak Out,” Messy unfolds with a satisfying in-your-face bravado. As Cooper croons, “I dare to say that I’m not scared,” screeching riffs, hissing cymbals, and deliberately executed diction amplify the satisfying defiance of survival on your own terms and the intoxicating thrill of reveling in what other’s might consider flaws. A dance-worthy homage to vulnerability, “Freak Out” reminds listeners that it’s okay not to be okay and that sometimes the best way to save yourself is by embracing your inner chaos.
Throughout Messy’s second track, “Philly Jelly,” Cooper channels their inner Billy Corgan circa Machina of God, reviving the best of the grunge era’s zeitgeist. Passion laced with angst and yearning, the song captures the contradiction of being defined by external factors like lovers or hometowns. Through dissonance and sincerity, “Philly Jelly” proves itself to be a perfectly tempered exploration of how proximity can inform desire and a sense of belonging. Prefaced by a whispered countdown, “Crazy” shines a spotlight on Cooper’s softer side. With melodic licks of guitar and proclamations like “I heard your words and I fell for your lines,” the track is as much as it is a love song as it’s an anthem about hero worship. Disillusioned, yet nostalgic, it captures a far too often omitted perspective on romance and remembrance.
“Percs of Life,” prefaced by a calm yet evocative interlude, examines the highs and lows of life with initially sparse instrumentation that gradually blooms into gut-wrenching chords. When Cooper sings, “Time to feel alive again/time to be confined again,” the song, like an ouroboros, turns in on itself, resembling the cyclical nature of mortality implied by its lyricism. “Yeah, No,” a psych-infused melody, feels like a vivid fever dream, enveloping its listener in a brief yet lush soundscape reminiscent of a Devendra Banhart b-side or Brian Jonestown Massacre at their tamest.
With the similarly subtle yet instantaneously catchy “Jkayla,” they pick up the tempo. As the track progresses, it carves out an unpredictable topography of its own. By the time Cooper confesses, “I could have been you/I should have been you,” Messy’s listeners will believe them as if it each word was gospel truth. “Everyone Loves You” is a dark and brooding ballad about the thin line between love and objectification and the ever present promise of escape. Ending with “everyone loves/everyone loves you/everyone stays,” the tune sets the proverbial stage for the equally grim “Everybody’s Dying.” Whether the death in this song is literal or metaphorical, Cooper’s macabre lyrics and heavy riffs continue to echo in the minds of listeners as it eases into the LP’s second interlude.
The album’s closer, “Is It Real,” is a hushed yet existential meditation on love and the meaning of life. Here, Cooper’s fondness for the late great Elliott Smith shows, leaving their audience with a sense of melancholic nostalgia mixed with undertones of hope. Similar to 2016’s Laughing in a Line, Messy is required listening for any Philly native who considers themselves a music lover. Cooper’s anthems aren’t just timely; they’re necessary. (Photo by Abigail Townsend) – Dianca London
NYC
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No Vacation celebrates release of dreamy EP at Trans-Pecos 12.09
No Vacation appeared seemingly out of nowhere with viral success in the lo-fi community. And then the band disappeared. After some buzz, signing with Topshelf Records, and moving from San Francisco to Brooklyn group has finally returned with a new lineup and EP. Intermission refines the beachy indie rock of the band’s early releases into a hazy and cohesive dream pop statement, matching oozy synths and echoing guitars with sticky melodies and peppy drum beats. No Vacation will celebrate Intermission’s release with a debut New York show on December 9th at Trans-Pecos. – Cameron Carr
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Shrink House” – The Insides
From its start with a nightmarish recollection, “Shrink House,” the new single from indie-rock trio The Insides, grabs one’s attention. There’s a resigned-to-fate strategy at work and an even-keeled disposition, steeping in sorrow. But that changes, and a heavier instrumental foothold flashes towards the finish line. Flipping the switch away from passivity, a new beginning emerges as the flame of the past burns out.
Portland
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Visual Vices: Shenandoah Davis – “The Wings”
Like a beautiful instrument itself, Shenandoah Davis‘ classically trained voice is dynamic yet welcoming, making it an integral part of the orchestral pop she’s been making the last few years. Now on her third full-length album, the Plume Records released Souvenirs, Davis has taken her astute way with words and turned it even more inward with the at home recordings that make the album. The songs have lyrical themes rooted in past relationships and lessons learned through personal experiences; "The Wings" is one paired with a well-crafted video.
Other tracks on Souvenirs sonically hit elements of doo-wop and the instrumetnally experimental, but "The Wings" is a chamber-meets-indie pop track with the slightest bit of a rock influence that is a good peek at the others. Her acute lyrics and jaunty vocal tones are visually accompanied by a mixture of digital compositing and stop motion animation for "The Wings" video, making it not only pleasant to the ears but to the eyes as well.
Watch the video for "The Wings" below.
Chicago
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Tiny Fireflies “Nothing”
Tiny Fireflies has released a new 7” single called “Nothing”. This is the band’s first release since their 2015 debut album “The Space Between”.
You can catch Tiny Fireflies at Subterranean with Small Tines, and Slow Haste on December 10th.
Portland
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VCR are back for another season!
Not even two hours outside of Portland, Eugene is mainly known as a hippie haven or, on a more scholarly note, a college town. As with many college towns around there isn’t a lot that’s lively or thriving about them outside of academia, but Eugene’s a little different. They have the makings of a, albeit small, music scene, and at the forefront of it is one of the most enjoyable fuzzy garage rocks of late. They’re a little trio called VCR.
VCR debuted with Season One! last year. Doing what "pilots" are supposed to do, Season One! was the band’s introduction, developing each member and their instrumentation like characters in a show. With their latest release Season 2, these elements are further evolved, making for a more developed sound overall.
Season 2 starts with the mid paced lovey-ish ditty "A Walk to Remember" establishes the carefree air of the album, though following track "Next Day" blasts a beginning that jolts the system. Later in the album "Season of the Ball" trickles in as somewhat of a ballad, while "Halloween" is one of the most lively and memberable on the record.
As a sophomore effort, Season 2 attests to VCR’s (hopeful) residency in the Pacific Northwest scene.