L.A.

John War releases forward-thinking single “Corn Syrup” from debut LP

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John War is putting out his debut album Fantasy soon, and they’ve released the single "Corn Syrup" as a preview of what’s to come. "Corn Syrup" sounds the way War envisions indie rock evolving in the 2020s: Rich with sound both analog and synthesized; at once lo-fi and with high production values. The futuristic sound of "Corn Syrup" matches the lyrical content, which comes chock full of references to the apocalypse, dishonest culture, and the present and oncoming dystopia. "Corn Syrup" and its lyric video are out now; the rest of Fantasy will come soon, so stay tuned. Listen to "Corn Syrup" below. – Will Sisskind

 

Austin

My Empty Phantom Is Ready to Tour the World, Again

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My Empty Phantom is the solo project of Jesse Beaman, a multi-instrumentalist and composer who is based in Austin. After taking time off touring to finish his latest album, Beaman is embarking soon on a 12-city international tour, beginning with Mexico City on March 26th. 

 

Over the past few years, My Empty Phantom has toured the globe playing instrumental soundscapes while sharing the stage with acts such as Cocorosie, This Will Destroy You, Dosh and many others. Touring on his upcoming album, Beaman will be joined by Brandon Curtis ( Interpol, Secret Machines) who helped produce the album and will elevate the live show experience with his musicianship.

 

Beaman’s stage performance explores a combination of multiple instruments being looped live; often mixing piano, synthesizers and drums. The resulting sound is a wave of blissful effervescence with a swirling undercurrent of sonic chaos. Beaman’s unique style and performance has earned him a dedicated cult following worldwide and enthusiastic crowds manifest for his shows regularly, which feature intricate visual film and light design. Check out My Empty Phantom at any of these dates listed below (with more dates to be added):

 

 



3/26 Mexico City, Mexico 

@ Departamento 



4/2 Boston, MA

@ LilyPad



4/3 Portland, ME 

@ SunTiki 



4/4 Brooklyn, NY 

@ Littlefield



4/8 Burlington, VT 

@ Monkeyhouse



4/9 Montreal, Canada 

@ Le Ritz

  

4/11 Buffalo, NY

@ Revolution Gallery



4/13 Chicago, IL 

@ The Empty Bottle

 

5/1 Rotterdam, NL 

@ Hostel Room Rotterdam



5/7 Berlin, Germany

@ Loophole



5/8 Berlin, Germany

@ Loophole



5/11 Stockholm, Sweden

@ Larry’s Corner



5/12 Stockholm, Sweden

@ Larry’s Corner



5/15 Glasgow, Scotland 

@ M Gallery 



5/16 Glasgow, Scotland

@ M Gallery



7/7 Los Angeles, CA

@ Kinship Yoga Event Studio



7/9 Los Angeles, CA

@ The Satellite

New England

A Deli Premiere: “Radio” by Dr. Nocko and Mr. Nicholas

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Nico Renzulli is showing his teeth in the latest single to be spawned by his project Dr. Nocko and Mr. Nicholas. If the charming growls, and even more deadly guitar riffs, seem familiar, that may be because the song titled “Radio” is a cover of a track previously written during Renzulli’s days in Boston’s electro-rock group Jack Romanov. “Radio” lets loose, with gritty power chords and high-impact drums that speed toward tumultuous breakdowns; the slightly softer touch of Renzulli’s current project still lingers in the choruses where his vocals slip and expose a more refined appearance. Renzulli explains the inspiration for the track as follows: “Radio was inspired by Denmark’s National Treasure, Lars Ulrich. In a 2015 interview, Ulrich talked about how Metallica used to fill out their early live shows by playing covers of obscure songs from metal bands that no one had heard of. The crowds never questioned it, they had no reason to.” We can’t question the symbiotic relationship that exists between an artist’s past, present, and future: all is one, and one is all. We are thrilled to premiere this single for you below! – Rene Cobar

NYC

PREMIERE: Green and Glass’s debut is mystic chamber-pop, play Threes Brewing 3.4

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It’s rare that a record is able to capture a perfect balance of forward momentum and somber reflection, yet this is precisely what New York avant-pop ensemble Green and Glass have accomplished on their debut full length. Such conflicting feelings are likely a product of the band’s methodical instrumentation, the joining of parts from the old world (harps, horns, and drums) and the new (keys and electric bass), which as set pieces for bandleader Lucia Stavros’ show-stealing, often mysterious lyricism, creates an intergenerational atmosphere — chamber pop that feels as modern as it does baroque. This tone is set early in the record on “Green and Glass” and “14 Hours,” whose march-like tempos, somber brass lines and cool synths serve as distinctive introductory fanfares; while the song’s formats may seem familiar at first, the script is immediately upended by the band’s diverse instrumental offerings. This energy continues throughout standout track “Sand,” where the unison of harp and electric guitar against a stuttering percussive line paves the way for an ethereal overture that perfectly blends woodwind and midi leads. In all, Green and Glass delights and surprises at every turn, a lush, experimental yet accessible record that will feel immediately at home with fans of San Fermin or Hundred Waters — stream our premiere below, and catch the band at Threes Brewing on March 4th for their record release show. Photo by Maura McGee

Chicago

Doleful Lions

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Doleful Lions (aka Jonathan Scott) has released the next two singles, "True Blue" and "Carpenter Panaflex", from his forthcoming album True Believers. This is the first new music from Scott since the 2017 album I Wrote Fish Heads. The album is set to be released via In The Lake Records.

New England

Gam debuts butter-smooth record “Moments and Spirals”

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Boston’s Gam is a silky smooth group with a short and sweet EP we recommend highly. Moments and Spirals opens up with “Every Second Levitates,” a funky track that unravels elegantly: the guitars range from crisp-clean to wah-tinged and swirl around warm vocals, and snappy beats. “Wait a Little” leans on its slow rhythm and oozes jazziness steady while “Sunkissed Lovers” has a serene ambiance and an R&B groove perfect for a sweet wind-down. The band is just taking flight, but already its path looks promising, and its musical colors splendid. Stream “Every Second Levitates” below to join the journey. – Rene Cobar

Chicago

Cloud Cruiser @ Metal Monkey (3/21)

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Desert Rock Quartet Cloud Cruiser recently released their debut album, I: Capacity. They may be the first Chicago band to take on the Desert Rock label, since there are no Desert in Illinois, but their sound is harder and filled with more Fuzz than traditional Stoner Rock or Psych Rock.

Last month they were featured on Nap House Studio live sessions and you can see them performing "Glow" below.

You can catch Cloud Cruiser on March 21st at Metal Monkey Brewing in Romeoville with Huntsmen and Planetsexploder.

NYC

PREMIERE: Enter the dungeon on Castle Rat’s foreboding “It Isn’t Clean” (plays Baby’s 2.27)

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Describing the opening breakdown of “It Isn’t Clean” as earth-shattering is an understatement — in the context of the incubus imagery and foreboding, drop-tuning guitars that characterize this five minute night ride, it’s better described as a hell opening incantation. The debut single by occult-embracing, 70s metal-inspired quartet Castle Rat well demonstrates the bands proclivity towards the old masters, drawing equal parts from the black magic and lyrical subject matters of Sabbath with an eye for the performative panache of KISS. Frontwoman Riley “The Rat Queen” Pinkerton embeds a healthy level of glam into her mic-ripping performance, backed by instrumentation that remains consistently doom-y, yet progressive enough to never get bogged down in sludge. Recommended for fans of hair metal or Ari Aster’s Hereditary, stream our premiere of the track below, and see Castle Rat tonight at Baby’s All Right, supporting Stonefield. Photo by Jessica Gurewitz