NYC

The Revolution celebrates 2nd year with Dot Cromwell, Elle Winston, MAE.SUN, beccs + more

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Williamsburg venue National Sawdust is showcasing five emerging NYC based artists in the 25th monthly installment of "THE REVOLUTION," which coincides with the serie’s second anniversary. This is a local musical movement that empowers community, change, and activism through performance and unity amongst the arts.

The acts featured this time around are Manhattan via Philly rapper Dot Cromwell, singer songwriter with operatic influences beccs, soul pop acts Elle Winston and Meridian Lights, and contemporary jazz ensemble MAE.SUN – you can listen to all of them in the embedded playlist.

National Sawdust touts these artists as being at the center of innovation within their genres, and seeks to highlight them as such with this event scheduled for Saturday, March 24th. – Alexander Beebe

Philadelphia

New Music Video: “Window” – Tigers Jaw

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Below is the new video from Tiger Jaws for their single "Window". Directed by Kris Merc, you find the band lamenting about a lost love, unable to crack a smile, while surrounded by the flickering lights of video games and a roller rink. The track can be found on the band’s 2017 major label debut spin, which is the first release on producer Will Yip’s new Atlantic imprint Black Cement. Tigers Jaw is currently on a lengthy U.S./European tour, and will be making a stop in Philly in support of The Wonder Years on Friday, June 8 & Saturday, June 9 at The Fillmore. (Photo by Sam DeSantis)

NYC

Melkbelly talk about gear and inspiration on Delicious Audio

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The music of Chicago’s noise-rock band Melkbelly incorporates elements of industrial sludge, shoegaze and math-rock to create a burst of deftly controlled chaos. Their 2017 LP “Nothing Valley” features delicious references to the unforgettable Bostonian bands signed by 4AD in the late 80’s/early ‘90s (read Pixies, Throwing Muses, and The Breeders). Our sister blog Delicious Audio asked them a few questions about their creative process and pedals in this interview. 

Streaming below, their video for "Kid Creative," from 2017’s LP "Nothing Valley." 

NYC

Dirty Bird releases beautifully arranged new single “Fever Dreams”

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Dirty Bird is back at it again – the folk-rock band has released a new song called "Fever Dreams" with a bubbly lyric video to match, curated by Stella Rosen. Complete with haunting three-part harmonies, gorgeous violin and horn arrangements, and thoughtful, evocative lyrics, Dirty Bird’s new song captures the chaos of everyday life, though with intermittent sunshine. Dissonant chords build into a sweet section that puts the whole song (and life) into perspective, singing: "Don’t worry for me / I’m alright." – Geena Kloeppel 

Chicago

Our Voltage from Girlsville

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Chicago’s Girlsville Records released a compilation album last week called Our Voltage. The proceeds from the album will benefit legal aid for anti-racist activists and a new community self-defense gym in Chicago called Haymaker. The collection itself features contributions from bands across the country including a great cover of The Violators’ “Summer of ’81” by the local trio Beastii.

You can catch Beastii at Emporium Chicago for a FREE show on March 26th with Axons, Pat Chow, and The By Gods.

Philadelphia

New Track: “Gone” (Feat. Open Mike Eagle) – The Skull Eclipses

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Philly’s own Lushlife (a.k.a. Raj Haldar) and Austin’s Botany (a.k.a. Spencer Stephenson) are releasing a joint venture as The Skull Eclipses. The dynamic duo’s self-titled LP is due out on March 9 via Western Vinyl, and you can now check out the album’s second offering, "Gone". The single gradually intensifies with effortless bars laid down by Haldar, before Open Mike Eagle tags in with his casual deliver that still manages to tackle some seriously heavy social topics. You can catch The Skull Eclipses at Johnny Brenda’s this week on the night of their release, where they’ll be joined by Dälek and Hprizm (High Priest of Antipop Consortium).

NYC

A Deli premiere: Michael Rocketship’s video for “Smith, St. John and Pierre”

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Michael Rocketship’s debut LP is an adventure in tension. The Meaning of Love juggles playful synths and vocals with an intimate exploration of alienation, a theme grounded in the artist’s return to Brooklyn from the West Coast. The album’s premiere video for “Smith, St. John and Pierre” is a great example of Michael Rocketship’s aesthetic given its jaunty synth-driven melody alongside a cardboard puppet that travels through a collage of history. Enjoy this taste of The Meaning of Love now and catch the release show on 04.06 at The Nest. – Amanda Ogea

Chicago

White Mystery Hellion Blender

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White Mystery have announced that their 10th anniversary album, Hellion Blender, will be released on April 20th. This is the duo’s 9th studio album and completes their mission to release a new album every year on April 20th. The first single from the album is Psych-rocker called “Paint Yo’Nails”, and be streamed below.

The duo will also be celebrating their 1,000th show this Spring while on the tour, highlighted in the video below, featuring several shows at SXSW. The video also features part of the new song “Unlucky XIII” from the Hellion Blender.

White Mystery will be on Free Radio SAIC on March 31st at 4pm performing tracks from the new album.

NYC

Singer-songwriter and film artist Courtney Farren heading to SXSW

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SXSW gains another up-and-coming singer-songwriter — as well as another filmmaker — in Courtney Farren. The Bay Area-based artist, who now lives in Brooklyn, will play CU29 on March 14th at midnight. That performance will add another to the string of incredible experiences Farren has chalked up over the past year, including a European mini-tour, a six-track album called "Nothing Like It", a write-up and interview by Kodak about her love of Super 8mm film, and a handful of new films, some of which act as music videos for her songs.

To sum up Farren’s sound: The subtle indie-romance flicks shown at short film festivals — perhaps at SXSW — could gain from a soundtrack of her soothing vocals and swirling arrangements. You can stream her music film for one of her latest tracks, called "Go Easy", below. – Will Sisskind

NYC

Pleasing rhymes from Xavier Ingram

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Even, fluid rhymes over a chill beat give Xavier Ingram’s song “Crash Freestyle” a sense of stature. While hitting on tropes about smoking trees to cope and police violence, Ingram steers clear of the tasteless, gaudy production values that doom other projects to total obscurity. The music is not an assault on the ears but rather a pleasing recitation of the litany of issues faced by the lyricist.

Decent/10

-Mike Dranove

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, March 2 – 4

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Since last September, Andy Moholt has been playing guitar with Speedy Ortiz, and he has also released not one but two collaborative LPs with Ava Luna’s Julian Fader, under the moniker Coffee. And before he heads out to SXSW and a tour in May/June with Speedy Ortiz, Molholt will be squeezing in a live performance of his Laser Background catalogue at Space 1026 this Saturday evening. With a new EP in the works, you may get to hear some recently fleshed out pieces of what he’s been up to in the lab with Carlos Hernandez (Ava Luna) and bandmate Michael Chadwick. On the bill, you’ll also find the melodic contemplations of Dweller, medieval folk-pop of Sandcastle, and indie-popsters Rabbits to Riches. So get there early, go grab a tasty bite in Chinatown, and come hang at the rad Center City DIY art space! – H.M. Kauffman

Other places to see something creative…

Space 1026 (1026 Arch St.) SAT Laser Background, Dweller, Sandcastle, Rabbits To Riches

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Rockers Galore, DJ Rahsaan, SAT Vessna Scheff, SUN Control Top

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI The Ghost In You, SAT Young Statues, Brackish

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) SAT Young Pilgrims, The Stammer, Hidden Lights/Witching/A Black Celebration: DJ Baby Berlin, Jem, SUN The Company Corvette/Heatmap

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) FRI Jo Nelson, Tact, Cult Objects, Allison Durham

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Modern Titan, Illusions Of Grandeur/1FM

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Conjunto/(Downstairs) John Byrne Band, No Irish Need Apply, SAT (Downstairs) Start Making Sense, School of Rock (Downingtown)

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Gibbous Moon, Mirrorsigns, Almost Isles, Instant Smile, SAT Chalk & The Beige, Kenny Price

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Mason, Megan Knight, SAT My Funky Brethren, Shacara Diane, DJ Meech

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Thee Idea Men/DJ Argo, Brownske, SUN Matt Kelly, Body Spray

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Elissa Janelle Velveteen, Femme. Collective/Aphra, Cheeky, Femme Collective, SAT Trap Rabbit

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) SAT Bazmati Vice

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI DJ Dav, Reed Streets, SAT DJ Deejay

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Matt Grosso, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Nakama, Lapses, Alec Stewart

Century (1350 S. 29th St.) FRI The Stone Eye, Downtrodder

The Tusk (430 South St.) FRI Suicide Conspiracy

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Chris Urban, SAT Ed Christof

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Apple Juice Jones, SAT Brendan Johnson, Ryan Corcoran, Minerva

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SUN Definitely Leppard

Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Beat Jams, False Tracks, Magic Deal

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Cave Women, SAT Violet Waves, Matt Burridge / Heavensake, Trash Boy, Honetiger, This Kills Me, Sun Breaklite, Autumn Passing

Planet Phitness (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Teen Spaceship, Corey Flood, Veev

West Kensington Ministry (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Pet, Husky Bundles, Burnt

The Buffalo (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Nightfall, Trash Knife, Interloper, Los Gueys