New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Negative Scanner has released the first single and title track from their forthcoming sophomore LP, Nose Picker. The album is set to be released by Trouble In Mind Records on July 20th.
You can catch Negative Scanner at Empty Bottle on May 25th with The Spits and Gallery Night.
The Knees formed in late 2016 and released their second single, “Take Care” last month. They are planning for a debut EP this summer, and are about to depart for their first East Coast tour.
You can catch The Knees at Empty Bottle for a free show on May 21st with Fauvely, Corey Flood, & Desert Liminal.
Sultry and confident, in their latest video for single DDT, New York’s alt-rock trio Uni makes good use of a mix of vaguely S&M imagery, glam-rock sartorial choices and the fetishization of all the iconography it portrays. The song itself is lumbering and heavy, with swelling organs, crunchy guitar riffs and powerful lead vocals by Nico Fuzz. Glam Rock had roots in NYC with the New York Dolls and David Bowie’s formative years; times seems ripe for a revival in the city. – Ethan Ames
"Lydia" has a special significance for Massage. The snappy lead-off single off of their debut LP, Oh Boy, was first conceived almost four years ago when they still hadn’t officially solidified as a band. The song’s original output has the makings of a rock documentary montage, as they were all still figuring out their essence by simply experimenting and having fun. That finally brought upon the harmony-laden "Lydia," a subtle homage to writer Lydia Davis where their hooky songcraft amiably holds hands with their shabby pop charm.
Oh Boy is out on July 27. Listen to "Lydia" below.
Ahead of its release tomorrow via Father/Daughter Records, Remember Sports‘ new LP Slow Buzz is now available for streaming & purchase below. The group’s sound penetrates as personal narratives trigger an emotional response. Those matriculating melodies create a level of comfort; however, the band can dramatically shift gears, creating cathartic, catchy, raucous rockers that’ll stick in your head in the best way. Remember Sports will be holding their Philly record release celebration this evening at PhilaMOCA, where they’ll be joined by Shamir, Friendship, and Comfy.
Shawn Maxwell’s New Tomorrow is an innovative Jazz quintet consisting of Shawn Maxwell (alto sax/clarinet/flute), Chad McCullough (trumpet), Matt Nelson (piano/rhodes), Junius Paul (bass), and Phil Beale (drums). This week they released their sophomore album, Music in My Mind, via Origin Records. Below is the album’s lead track, “Our Princess Is In Another Castle”.
The record release event for the album will take place on May 31st at Constellation.
Beat Maker Radius (aka Radius Etc, Ramon Norwood) announced that the follow-up to 2013’s Infinite Roots Vol. 1 will be released this August but Diggers Factory and Juno Records. The preorders will be fund the production and distribution of the limited 300 physical copies, so it is important that you show you support upfront.
Below is a track that will appear on Infinite Roots Vol. 2, “Frigid In Pilsen (MC Instrumental)”.
Recorded and mixed at The Headroom by Kyle Pulley, “I Can’t Love Anyone” is the new single from the quartet of Secret Nudist Friends. Sitting in a warped, kaleidoscopic groove, casual honesty gradually morphs into the looming pain of loneliness. You can find this impassioned, garage-psych gem on the band’s upcoming split EP, So Cool, with Blushed, which is due out on June 22 via Good How Are You Records. You can catch Secret Nudist Friends at Undergrounds Arts on Sunday, June 10, supporting La Luz and Timothy Eerie.
The delicacy of Oakland-based Al Harper’s jangly, soft rock solo project is reminiscent of dreamy vocals of the indie pop duo Tennis, but with her own added edge. Her breezy falsetto carries the listeners through angsty lyrics with ease, like the school-girl sounding “The New You” (streaming below) where she sings about a person that’s changed but “it’s cool, I still want the new you.” There’s an empowerment behind her effortless sound as she embraces femininity in a way that brings her up to the ranks of other beloved female artists like Snail Mail and Evil Seagull. She will be celebrating the release of her tape About Power and to play a few unreleased tracks on June 2 at Abbey’s Tavern. – Lilly Milman, photo by Kelsey McClellan
The new single, “Heartbreak In A Box” (streaming below), from Boston’s seven-piece group JUICE delivers the dose of sweet, upbeat neo-soul that—at this point—is to be expected from them. The septet met as freshmen at Boston College, and after winning a Battle of the Bands contest in 2014, have been bringing their funk-influenced play on pop to venues all over New England. Their sophomore LP Workin’ On Lovin’ will be released on June 15. They are currently on tour, with upcoming shows in Burlington, VT on June 9, Nantucket on June 12, and Boston on June 15. – Lilly Milman
Brooklyn by way of Tel Aviv artist O Mer employs DAW, synths and electric guitar to create minimalistic pop gems that are as catchy as they are arresting. Started as a one man band, the project has recently expanded to comprise a full band, which has brought the sound to new heights of sonic refinement. O Mer will be performing live at Berlin on May 25th, check out the video for single Icarus, streaming below.
Our friends at Delicious Audio asked O Mer a few questions about the creative process and his favorite gear, you can read the Q&A here. – Photo by Noel Woodford
He might be from Detroit, bit it is here in Austin that Mike Melinoe has decided to plant his creative seeds. Melinoe is a talented painter, but it is producing and performing music that proves his true passion. Mike Melinoe does not approach his craft from a traditional strategy, rather he blends different genres and soundscapes to give his def rhymes a unique canvas to be unleashed on. Chaotic beats blend seamlessly with psychedelic influences to guarantee a refreshing take on hip-hop that doesn’t fit in the mold of it’s predecessors. While Mike might not be producing traditional rap songs that would make fans in Detroit, he has pushed the envelope a bit further to a different aesthetic and methodology that is right at home in Austin.
