I don’t think any rock musician really likes to be referred to as a "veteran," but after four albums recorded in nine years of activity, all spent in that constant revolving door that’s New York City, The Shondes should hear that word as a title more than anything. In this time frame, through the violent ups and down only rock musicians can experience, the band has built a remarkable fan base without ever betraying its original sound, a melodic but direct indie rock at times reminiscent of a less angular version of criminally underrated Throwing Muses, with an added violin by Elijah Oberman, who founded the group with lead singer/bassist Louisa Rachel Solomon in 2006. The Shondes released their fourth album "The Garden" in 2014 and will be performing live at The Rock Shop on April 4th.

Those New Yorkers who find the typical indieshtik a little long in the tooth may want to look into a simple cure called Not Blood Paint. The Brooklyn quartet is not afraid to get their hands dirty with quirkiness of all kinds, alternatively flirting with epic excesses and theatrical set ups. You can find them at their best on a stage, where they integrate their dramatic music with crazy costumes and synchronized moves. You have the opportunity to see them live tonight (03.27) at Cameo.

The best artists are always those able to create quality music that can’t be easily associated with precise genres or musical eras. NYC songwriter Matteah Baim‘s third album "Falling Theater," released seven years after her sophomore LP "The Laughing Boy," is a peculiar folk record that at times matches – in sparseness and ghostliness – Nico’s solo releases, minus the gothic tendencies of the German singer-songwriter. Matteah will be appearing live at Baby’s All Right on Tuesday March 31.

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best mellow songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

East Village folk trio Del Water Gap plays a brand of folk that’s charming, melancholic and entertaining at once, often employing Hammond and horns to enrich their faster songs – such as streaming single "Sleeping." The band is about to enter a busy season, with four NYC shows scheduled in just over a month. The first one will be at Pianos tomorrow (March 27), and the most prestigious one at The Mercury Lounge on April 20 with Canon Logic. Full schedule here.

The Deli believes that if a band can rock properly, and does it for long enough, somebody important is going to take notice at some point. For NYC’s The Dough Rollers, that somebody was Jack White, who signed them to his label Third Man Records, under which they released single "Little Lily" in 2013 and – at the end of 2014 – EP "Gone Baby Gone." The band rocks so bad they recently toured with Bob Dylan, Billy Idol and then Queens of the Stone Age…

We had a chance to ask the guys in the band a few questions about recording and gear, you can read the Q&A on our sister blog Delicious Audio.

It’s nice to see two talented emerging NYC bands scheduled to headline a biggish venue like Rough Trade on a Saturday night (April 4th). Originally from Columbia, avant-pop duo Salt Cathedral has been on our radar for quite a while (we booked them a few CMJs ago when they went under the name of "Il Albanico"); they are one of those rare bands that seem able to keep improving year after year. Long Island’s Braeves (pictured) and their nostalgic, well crafted indie pop came to our attention more recently through our Best of NYC Poll for Emerging Artists (of which they won the readers’ poll in the pop category). The band has been building some buzz recently, in particular after selling out Pianos in January – FYI for the other bands out there: that’s how you get called by Bowery to play Rough Trade on a Saturday.

With their sound and attitude at times reminiscent of great ’90s UK band Tindersticks (whose music was too dark and decadent to make an impression in the US), and at others veering towards some kind of operatic math cabaret, Brooklyn and Sheffield, UK based band Frogbelly and Symphony just released their debut album "Blue Bright Ow Sleep," which was recorded in NYC by legendary producer Martin Bisi. Fronted by NYU-trained violinist & keyboardist Liz Hanley, the record emerged in its final form through a dense touring schedule mostly concentrated in northern Europe. That’s where the band will return in a few weeks, in occasion of their April tour of the UK and Ireland.

Shana Falana have been a part of the Brooklyn dream-pop fabric for a while now. Evolving and perfecting a uniquely nuanced sound through constant touring and single releases, the band is now ready to release their debut album “Set Your Lightning Fire Free” on April 7 via Team Love Records. Recording at Woodstock’s Isokon Studios with producer Dan Goodwin, core members Shana Falan (vox, gtrs, keys) and Mike Amari (drums) enhanced the group’s sound with Jane Scarpantoni on cellos and Matthew Cullen on sitar. Debut single “Heavenstay” (streaming) hit all the right sensory marks for a classic dreamy escape. In it, Shana’s vocals are more suggested than literal, as they soar over deep guitar notes and tom tom heavy drums. Brand new single "Go" (premiered today through the Village Voice) raises the energy level with a harder charging drum pattern, while chiming guitar textures evoke the original psychedelic sound of 60’s trailblazers The Byrds classic track “Eight Miles High.” The band will embark on a two month tour beginning next month, and play Brooklyn’s Shea Stadium on April 4. – Dave Cromwell

We added this song to The Deli’s playlist of Best psych songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

It’s getting there folks, our patience will soon be rewarded by a sun that’s actually warm and a breeze that’s actually enjoyable! OK, we aren’t there quite yet, but we’ll all have an opportunity to actually experience these summery feelings at Paperwhite‘s show tonight at Baby’s All Right. Sister and brother Katie and Ben Marshall (recently featured on Spin as one of the 22 bands to see at SXSW) create electronic pop that has the power to "emanate" summer (or something). Not the unbearably sticky NYC one by the way, but the sublime summers we remember as half dreams from our teen years. Play this, or single "Magic" (streaming below) and you’ll realize what we are talking about. Tonight they’ll be playing the Indie Shuffle showcase, sharing the stage with Maxo, Moon Bounce and Novelty Daughter.

Brooklyn electro pop muse Tei Shi released this new single just two hours ago, check it out!

From their recorded material you may think of Brooklyn’s Cultfever as an electronic project, but the duo’s live sound is a lot more electric and "indie" sounding. The group released single "Gloria" (streaming) at the end of 2014 and will be performing tonight at Baby’s All Right (after a show at Mercury Lounge last night) supporting newest Glassnote signing Mansionair.

If you feel like closing your eyes and escaping this never-ending cold, Brooklyn-via Colombia/Puerto Rico trio Balancer have got you covered, with their new single, titled “Waves Remain,” off their forthcoming EP. The track contains enough island dreaminess in the guitar reverb (and occasional tasteful tremolo) and moveable bop in the drums that it acts as a listening vacation. With its alternatively progressing and regressing rhythm, seamlessly flowing from a relatively weighty chorus into an upbeat pop-interlude, this track is not without its complexities, the vocal paving over the fluttering instrumentals with grounding power. While relatively somber in lyrics and how they are sung (with an opening line like “you know I cannot, cannot see the fun…”), however, the track is a beautifully fun getaway from, if anything, the norms of the Brooklyn indie scene. – JP Basileo