We’ve been fans of ascetic drone’n’noise masters YVETTE for a long time – they were our NYC Record of the Month back in May 2011, and played our Best of NYC Fest that same year at Glasslands, so seeing Pitchfork deliver an 8.1 review for their debut album ‘Process’ totally made our day. Sure, the band will still be ignored by the pop obsessed masses, but this review will definitely be very effective in hitting that niche of noise cravers (mostly based in central Europe) who will keep the band going. Check out their video for Radiation, and… if you don’t get the genre, just think that this is pretty much how Chuck Berry sounded to our great-grandfathers’ ears!

We’ve been taking note of the new wave of psychedelic-baroque pop, headed by artists including Foxygen and Jacco Gardner. New Jersey’s The Black Hollies have been playing a similar genre since the MySpace era (mid 00’s), which earns them the ‘precursor’ tag.  Their October LP release ‘Somewhere Between Here And Nowhere,’ will get the vintage pop fans bobbing their heads back and forth – it’s safe to say that the guys are fans of the 13th Floor Elevators and know the entire ‘Nuggets’ compilation by heart. The title track single channels the late Velvet Underground and procedes suavely towards a 60’s inspired call-and-response sing along. The rest of the record slowly becomes a medley of 60’s underground psychedelia, with bits of late 70’s and early 80’s new wave thrown in the mix. What possibly stands out most, is the ending trilogy of "Lunatic Influenza" parts 1, 2, and 3. Lie down on your parents shag carpet, put on your headphones and get ready for a trip. – Sam Kogon @samkogon

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

Ricky Lewis is not one to mince words. The ex-bandmate from The Wools, a high energy rock band, has now opted instead for a reflective record of gently strummed indie dream folk for his new ‘Serious Mistress’ EP. The album is a history of cherished memories (‘Clay Baby’), and completely made-up memories (‘Cold War Dreams’) all set over an unassuming guitar, and a couple of unexpected layers of slide guitar and piano where you’ll least expect to hear them.

The EP may be tough at times to take, but there’s a kind of justice to it all. Like the way Neil Young’s honesty makes us all feel when we’re having a rough day. Check out opening track ‘Stop The Devil-Winged From Flight’ below. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Susy Sun is a classically-trained pianist and​ singer/songwriter from the Pacific Northwest. She performs piano compositions with a sweet voice which contradicts her e​dgy, honest lyrics. Often accompanied by a full band, the result is a strong, sultry ​sound that​ demands your attention and makes for playful live shows that mesmerize audiences everywhere.

Her childhood was filled with music lessons. By her teens she was already an accomplished classical pianist, writing her own lyrics to accompany her original compositions. Infused with honest accounts of her personal experiences, the combination of her piano sounds and lyrics demonstrate a deep connection to the earth, and a playful, free spirit that loves to roam it.

Aside from exploring her own N​ative A​merican and Swedish culture, Susy Sun has taught music in London, worked at a farm in Greece, and studied Spanish in Spain. Her travels confirmed that she would never be content brushing off her musical dreams, and after a few years of cubicle life, she dropped the corporate world to pursue her biggest passion.

Since Railbird had been named as one of the best emerging indie rock bands for a few years by various sources, it’s interesting that they’ve decided to change their name to Lip Talk. According to an official release from the Brooklyn based group,"this change is for many reasons and the band “…won’t bore you with them all now. […] Most importantly, it’s about representing the current state of the music and vision behind the band members. One thing that we would like to share, relating to the process of changing the name, is that it feels great to have finally arrived at a name for this musical beast of ours.”

As Railbird, Sarah Pedinotti and crew has given us thoughtful, soulful and charismatic soundtracks to their seemingly endless creativity. Lip Talk, with their recent debut EP "Lucky" (titletrack streaming below) continues to bring us a fresh take on the rock – pop exploration. “It’s a happy, moody, experimental pop beast, and it’s definitely steering the ship, not us…” NYC fans will have an opportunity to see this new incarnation live on Friday December 13, when the band will perform at The Deli’s Brooklyn Bazaar electro-pop show with Small Black, Brothertiger and Papertwin. – Joey Fish

Folk music for people who get the Blues, Bird Dog (our Artist of the Month winner last week) sees the stories that fall through the cracks and brings them roaring to life… and ready to drink to.

Exploiting a missing link between Americana and Irish folk, the threesome takes a close look around their urban environment, bringing us colorful characters who would be alright… if only they could get some sleep tonight (streaming below, from ‘Lost Teeth’ off the band’s ‘River EP’ released last year). Another track we enjoyed is latest bandcamp upload ‘Old Dog: Slopped and Chewed,’ which takes a meandering older song and turns it on its head, adding bizarre conversations about dogs to a song written for a canine companion. See Bird Dog live at the Holiday Spectacular at Frank’s Cocktail Lounge in Ft. Greene, BK on Thursday December 12th from 8-11. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

With performances by: Nada Surf, Shirin Neshat, Hamish Kilgour (of The Clean), Kyp Malone (TVOTR), Luke Temple (Here We Go Magic), Habibi, James Chance (The Contortions), Sal P & 178 Improvisation Product, Helado Negro, Dirty Fences, Johnny Azari, Mitra Sumara, Exclusive DJ Sets from: Paul Banks aka DJ Fancypants (Interpol), Vito & Druzzi (The Rapture DJ’s), DS (Midnight Juggernauts/Siberia Records), DJ Jonathan Toubin, Nick Offer (of !!!), Sinkane, The Men, Dinowalrus, Hypernova, Jukebox Frooz. More info here. Listen to The Yellow Dogs here. Read about what happened last week here.

We got rather excited when we discovered Brooklyn duo Magmana in May of 2012, instantly falling in love with a single called "Watch the Ball". But Magmana’s first release is actually dated 2008 (originally under the "Treasure" moniker), and it sounds like intimate and rather traditional electric folk. A lot of time – and life – has elapsed since then and we kinda lost hope, so we were happy to find out that the band is about to release a full length. The sound has evolved in a more psychedelic direction, with singer-songwriter Joan Tick’s deep alto (often reminiscent of Nico) gaining in confidence and charisma, and Caleb Lindskoog’s production getting more expansive and articulated. Check out opening track ‘Face of Flames’ and see them at Glasslands on November 24 with Deli favorite Glass Ghost (who were on the cover of our mag back in 2011).

There is an appealing retro quality to “Jackets,” the latest single from NYC croon pop sextet Fishdoctor. With its warm reverberated vocal wash enveloping a moderately quick paced intro, space soon emerges for clear lyrical imagery. Hearkening back to early 80’s MTV hitmakers like Spandau Ballet, The The and Haircut 100, an unencumbered verse sets up the progression to follow. When the change comes, its grandiose swirl would make the aforementioned bands proud. “In the hour where we all come to life,” emerges as the dominant vocal hook, extolling a fascination with the possibilities that await us, where the garment mentioned in the song title also becomes the symbol of the psychological shields we often wear in public. See Fishdoctor live at Pianos on 11.30. – Dave Cromwell

Argentinian, Brooklyn based band El Rio just unveiled this DIY video for their new, super-poppy single "Found," which is a refreshingly unpretentious take on summer in Williamsburg. The simple idea was to film various friends and bystanders dancing to the tune while listening to it in the headphones. The trendy NYC neighborhood comes across as some kind of beach destination, almost transformed through the filter of the band’s party and sun loving South American-ness (although Argentina admittedly is not hot everywhere… but we like to generalize, I guess!). People were captured while doing many things average Williamsburgers aren’t particularly famous for, like dancing bare chested and making silly faces/moves on camera. Released right when the freezing winter menace is on NYC’s horizon, the video can’t help but generate some nostalgia for the hot season. To cure the blues that might generate, it may be beneficial to remember how horribly hot and sticky the NYC summer really is, a sensation the camera can’t reproduce (yet).

Wilsen, with an “e,” (a combination of Wilson’s family names, but a band moniker she regrets) specializes in building emotion, using Wilson’s wandering, hypnotic soprano and restrained but intricate layers of guitar, bass and drums. Their hybrid folk melds the dynamic shifts of classical music with modern reverb and vivid lyrics that appeal to the senses as much as they tell stories. It’s a dark-wave-like, deep melancholy, built mostly from acoustic instruments, with a ghost-like effect matching the name of their album, “Sirens.”

See Wilsen play Bowery Ballroom on November 23. Wilsen was on the cover of The Deli NYC’s Fall 2013 issue. Listen to her cover of Grime’s "Oblivion" belos. Read Bianca Seidman’s cover feature on Wilsen here.

Rocket and the Ghost are building up steam and ready to lift off. They just released their self-titled debut EP, which reveals a noteworthy melodic talent. Dig a little deeper into their live performances, and they reveal a complex sound incorporating country, disco, afro-pop, and rock. Lead singer Kiyoshi Matsuyama has some impressive pipes on him. He can pull off a masculine rock sound or switch to gentle falsetto crooning at will. Check out opening track "Daylight" below. If you live around Williamsburg, don’t miss their upcoming show at Pete’s Candy’s Store on November 30, or if you are based in Manhattan, see them at Tammany Hall on December 7.

LINKS: Paul Jordan Talbot’s interview with Rocket and the Ghost.

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