New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Time Thieves is a new DIY super group consisting of Annie Saunders of This Is My Fist, Jonathan Pool of Brickfight, Mike Oberlin of Sass Dragons, and Tim Reynolds of Horrible Things.
They release their first single this week called “Night” from their debut EP, “EP NO. 1 2018”. The band also performed their first live show at Burlington Bar earlier this week.
Americana artist Mick Fury hails from Syracuse, and although he’s based squarely in Nashville now, he’s split time between Music City and Salt City performing dozens of shows over the past several months, making a few stops in between. He’s racked up even more miles — 8,500, to be exact — filming his latest music and video project "Front Porch of America", in which the Fury crew seeks to explore the causes of the ongoing polarization of people around the nation. While it seems like a tall order to travel over 600 miles a day, Fury has not only done that, but he’s also filmed four music videos, one for each of the tracks on his Front Porch of America EP. You can watch all of them — as well as the episodes they accompany — below. – Will Sisskind
Delicate, heartfelt R&B-soul-folk is dispensed by The No. 1 Lovers on their new EP Lonesome Light. Cole Berggren (The Vernes) is aided by Reid Saw a Ghost bandmates Alexsander Lefkort & Reid Riegelsberger, as well as Matty Terrones (Neutral Shirt) and Alyssa Milman (Blushed) among others. There’s a sweet sincerity in the vocals, which is fed into by a calm, composed matriculation of the instrumentation. A laidback, purposeful ambiance, peppered with poignant exclamations of keys, horns, percussion, etc., cultivates a tight-knit, inviting sound.
Dream Cache released the debut single, “Feel Better”, from their forthcoming album, Becoming-Other (due out October 8th), this week. This is the dream pop project of DJ Johnson with the help of Jacob Schweitzer, Evan Pinter (Guitar), Julian Szuscik (Bass, Synth).
The track is a great introduction and lands somewhere on the Death Cab For Cutie, Owl City spectrum with out being overly produced or saccharine.
After the release of full-length debut LP Seen A Change (2017), Brooklyn-based group High Pony speedily returned to the studio to produce a follow-up record, Nothing Here Is Mine, released June 8. Merging the intensity and speed of punk with their core slacker rock style, this band’s gritty sound expresses their refusal to be bound by classic pop structures. Both the title and substance of songs such as “Off to Kill Myself” and “Drooling with Rage” illustrate these guys’ commitment to the rebellious, unrestrained nature of their genres of choice. Funneling rampant vocals and distorted guitar noise into each of their tracks, High Pony welcomes the world’s heaviness, channeling classic punk constructs of loneliness and delirium into their gnarled screams and introverted lyrics. Catch them shredding live at NYC’s Alphaville on October 15.
Foul, the sophomore LP from power trio Don Babylon, is out now via Medical Records. The record rocks & rolls through life’s everyday obstacles. Whether barreling through with a boozy, raw, rumbling tone, laying back and seeing things with a humorous spin, or coasting on a stoned-out groove, the band demonstrates an enthusiastic flexibility to go where the music takes them. It’s a release that addresses the daily grind and tears it up in the process.
Lava Mentality recently announced their debut LP, Cure The Common Cold, will be released on October 27th and will feature new versions of their first two single “Coffee Queen” and "Cleopatra".
The Art Rock trio also released a third single called “Orange Purple Skies” that can be streamed below.
John Isaac Watters keeps his eccentricities at a grounded state in "If I Were the Smoke." An introspective look into a debilitated relationship, Watters – who goes by Rainstorm Brother with producer Tyler Chester – explores the reasons why Watters keeps himself at arm’s length from someone he loves. The balladeer’s gruff, yet dextrous vocal delivery, which reminds me of a younger Tim Buckley, usurps his poetic sensibilities while a murky undercurrent of modular electronics and discordant chamber arrangements spread a tenebrous ambiance. Stepping away from his former solo project, his more experimental leanings once again exalt the vast possibilities of folk music.
"If I Were the Smoke" is featured of Rainstorm Brothers’ forthcoming EP, Pt. 1, which is out on November 9. Catch them perform at The Hotel Café on October 9. Juan Rodríguez
Given that it’s officially October, I think it’s safe to declare that it is now Halloween season. As such, you may find yourself in search of some good tunes to fit your ghostly mood. Look no further than Soft Butch. The band is, without a doubt, spooky. The synth is otherworldly, playing over the subdued purring of the electric guitar. The band’s lyrics are satirical and derisive, sometimes blasphemous. At the core of Soft Butch’s appeal is the glittery, infectious pop playing underneath the gothic overtones. Too many bands avoid using any sort of early-2000’s pop style in their music, and thus miss out on the delightful buoyancy it can inspire in the audience. “She’s Electric” especially stands out in regards to this. The ravenous growl of the song plays over a decidedly upbeat rhythm. T.S. (lead vocals) speaks in an exaggerated, at times near slurring, Valley Girl accent. Make sure you play it at your next Halloween party.
By Avril Carrillo
Dreampop is never out of fashion it seems, with selected members of each new generation embracing that classic 1990’s sound. NYC trio Isla Invisible have accurately captured the mood of this era on their recently released debut EP1 via Velvet Blue Music. With their obvious (and admitted) influences such as Slowdive, Cocteau Twins and next decade practioners The xx on display, the group delivers in single Pillow (streaming) a waltz with the pace of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You,” a song that lulls you into a hypnagogic state where melody ultimately merges with an overwhelming cathedral of organs and guitars. It’s a potent formula, eliciting waves of emotional responses and feelings while immersed in this ethereal world. Second track “Outward” impeccably captures the male-female tandem vocals of Slowdive’s Neil and Rachel, emphasizing similarly styled minor key harmonies. Those harmonies go even further on third song “Frail Device” where soft female voices swirl around in the background and complement the centrally placed male vocal line. The 7” vinyl is now available for order, and accompanying download card comes with 2 bonus tracks. –Dave Cromwell
Storm Jameson is the Americana duo of Matt Gold (of Sun Speak) and Jim Tashjian (of Hood Smoke, District 97, & Miss Remember). They are preparing to release their latest album, The Year of Orbison, via Flood Music on October 19th.
Below is the video for album’s lead single “Green Boots”.
You can help Storm Jameson celebrate the release on Oct 17th at The Whistler.
“Dag’ron” is featured on Great Time‘s Great Album. Its video is a trippy, headspace-wandering simulation. As the lyrics are displayed as a place marker, the setting continuously evolves. Performing on a store shelf, rocketing off into space, exploring a lack of gravity, and as the undercurrent of the song suggests, always dancing, it locks you into that strange, hypnotic get down. Supported by Lauren Scott and Saajtak, Great Time will be performing next in Philly on Saturday, October 27 at Bourbon & Branch.
