Releasing a few tracks here and there since founding, freshly graduated Teengirl Fantasy, students Logan Takahashi and Nick Weiss were suddenly shoved into the spotlight with the release of their debut album 7AM last September. Aptly titled, the record’s gentle brand of house music captures the hazy feel of a post-club comedown. With 2010 being a busy year in their fledgling music career, as well as their hefty study scheduled, it’s unsurprising that when I caught up with the duo my casually tossed out greeting is snatched upon as a chance to voice their exhaustion. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s interview with the band here.

Homeboy Sandman’s presence escalated over the past couple years through his indefatigable hustle and mystifying ability to be performing at every possible open mic in the city on any given night. Compounded with a refreshingly unique rhyme style and ferocious stage presence, it is no surprise that he is finally living his dream. Recent collaborations with Das Racist and KRS-1 plus an episode of MTV’s “MADE” have garnered him even more props. Homeboy Sandman is one of those rappers who loves hip hop with every fiber of his being. He has always been more concerned with building and supporting the scene than fattening his wallet. This positive energy is focused in and channeled through his music infusing it with vitality and charm. – Read BrokeMC interview with Homeboy here.

The Music Frees All Festival, which delivers some of the finest funk, afrobeat, soul, hip hop and reggae music acts from the five boroughs, began last night at Southpaw. Its founder, Miles Arntzen, created this three-day, three-venue festival not only to support a community of these musicians and celebrate their music, but also to encourage the famously "static" NYC audience to let go and dance! Expect to hear funkadelic tunes from Turkuaz and soulful spoken word/rap from NYC’s own Super Osei & Seattle based M$ney Jungle. The concerts at Southpaw (Night 1) and Public Assembly (Night 2) kick off at 8 PM and showcase four different bands and a DJ to continue the dance party. The Music Frees All Festival finally makes its way to Manhattan at Drom on its closing night. All the proceeds of this show will go towards the Scotty Hard Trust to help financially support the medical needs of Scotty Hard, an NYC-based music producer who became partially paralyzed after an automobile accident in 2008. While this show is a benefit, there will be no shortage of bootyshaking music from Nyle vs. Naysayers serving up clever rhymes and beats to Arntzen’s own band, EMEFE (in the picture), delivering dangerously danceable afrobeat. For more information go here. – Abigail P. Devora

Radical Dads don’t have the same issues as other bands you’ve been listening to. You’re not gonna hear singer Lindsay Baker, other singer Robbie Guertin or not-singer Chris Diken talk about posturing or clubbing. Get real. They’re having way too much fun to worry about all that nonsense.
This dismissive attitude comes from a group that doesn’t just sound like ’90s indie all stars Yo La Tengo or Chavez or… (insert favorite ’90s Matador Records band here), they characterize it like an unearthed time capsule from Portland. With an imagination that includes room for dinosaurs and apocalypse all within the scope of the same song (‘New Age Dinosaur’), Radical Dads have got your needs covered.
Their new record Mega Rama (Uninhabitable Mansions) is drenched in fuzzy guitars, fuzzy screaming and fuzzy fuzziness, and all of this is somehow far too much fun to be aggressive in any way. Loud abandon is just their calling card. Any other doubts? Watch the video below for ‘Recklessness‘ and I promise you’ll get over yourself. – Mike Levine

 

The market for joke Rap groups has run dry lately. Paul Barman did his thing, Northern State did theirs (wait, were they serious?), and some of us were lucky enough to bask in the hilarity of Party Fun Action Committee. However, if you’re thirsty from something new, brazen, and potentially drenched in Sake, you should check out the Notorious MSG. Their raps are completely irreverent, self-effacing, and rife with cliché (as most joke rap should be!). Imagine if the Beastie Boys had been raised on dim sum and Sonny Chiba flicks, then sprinkle in a little 80s R n’ B for effect and you’re ready to wok. Their debut album “Heavy Ghetto” was released on May 24th, don’t miss their CD release party at Brooklyn Bowl on June 10th. – BrokeMC

Hooray for summer! Time for bikinis, beers, bean…dips… and Battle of NYC Boroughs! On Friday the sixth, ten bands are participating in Manhattan’s Battle of Boroughs, the preliminary round for the Ultimate Battle, and a chance at the opening slot for this year’s SummerStage festival. The winner is determined by audience vote, so your attendance is necessary. Featured bands include West Side Five, Ethan Mann, Genghis Barbie (top picture), Lounis Ait Menguelet, Jay Stone, Snehasish Mozumder, Scrambler Seequill (see crazy/awesome video below), John Brodeur, Andy Suzuki & The Method, and Ben Tyree. The show will be at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC 44 Charlton Street. More event info here. – Caitlin Clive

Shilpa Ray And Her Happy Hookers are back home at Music Hall Of Williamsburg tonight (June 1st) . The band have been on the road for about 2 months straight now, and they’re bringing it each night.

Late Cambrian‘s debut full length comes out in late June but you can already hear many of the tracks over at Last.fm. Also, preview the album artwork and learn more about this Brooklyn, NY existential prog-pop-rock band. Late Cambrian is playing a FREE show at Spike Hill Saturday June 25th at 9:30 pm. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here). The Deli’s NYC Open Blog is powered by The Music Building.

Faithful to their name, Brooklyn based Spanish Prisoners in their sophomore, upcoming album "Gold Fools" play with the concepts of false identity and deception, guiding the listener through a trip between realism and surrealism, filled with evocative feelings of nostalgia and euphoria. The nine-track work, produced by the band’s guitarist Leo Maymind and multi-instrumentalist/drummer Michael DiSanto at their home in Bushwick, opens up with ethereal vocals and a steady drum beat in "Los Angeles Guitar Dream", and lingers throughout with a lazy and hazy attitude that already makes sense in this anticipated NYC summer. The band’s sound, flirting with ambient music and even lounge pop, synthesizes various influences in a rather unique psych pop package. – Madison Silvers

Erik Gundel, from recently dismembered Brooklyn band Motel Motel, has just released the debut EP for his new solo electronic project. Erik’s tracks aren’t in any way reminiscent of his previous band’s work, dwelling in a more electronic and experimental territory. The slow paced loops, mixed with abundant atmospheric noises and gentle sax stabs, bring back to mind a less funky version of… Funky Porcini, while the sophisticated vocal harmonies refer to more recent avant artists like Dirsty Projectors and Grizzly Bear. Overall a very interesting debut.