Curtis Eller has proclaimed he is "New York City’s angriest yodeling banjo player,” but if you saw the fella you might agree his black, converse high tops and Chaplin moustache are doing nothing for his surly reputation. He plucks his banjo like an old bluesman but sings with the voice of a good-ol-boy. Eller is angry like a gentleman who knows that a well sung song is the best solution for a difficult situation. He mirrors Woody Guthrie’s union ballads with a side show slant: spins tales about a man on death row and a pack of drunken nerdowells. His politics shine on songs like “Sweathop Fire” which gracefully weaves a dirge for the sweatshop workers, comparing the fire to Ulysess S. Grant and the 1929 stock market crash. Eller’s banjo drives his one-man outfit like a freight train and if this doesn’t win your heart, his Mic Jagger dance moves sure will. See him live at the Wonder Wheel Park in Coney Island on 09.04. – Jenny Luczak

The Gay Blades’ October 5 release, “Savages,” is as eccentric and memorable as their aliases, “Clark Westfield” (vocals/guitar) and “Puppy Mills” (drums). A cross-pollination of genres, this sophomore record begins with aggressive, distorted “Rock N’ Roll (Part I).” The mood lightens up with “Try to Understand,” available to download for free in exchange for a tweet, and bounces with quivering vocals and peppy horns. “Puppy Mills Presents’” cabaret cadence is intensified by crunching guitars and transitions into the sultry and infectious track, “Mick Jagger,” to which the man himself would surely strut along. The melancholy of “Why Winter in Detroit?” and folksy “November Fight Song” culminates in the yearning and heartfelt “Too Cool to Quit.” “Shadow’s Like A Ghost” and “Wasted on the Youth’s” howling leads and unusual melodic progressions create haunting tracks, contrasting with the frantic pace of the punky pop “Burns and Shakes.” Last but not least, “Every Night Is Like a Revival’s” lilt converts to a ballad with string embellishments, fading into a unexpectedly tranquil close. For maximum appreciation, these guys’ music must be experienced live, so don’t miss their show when you have the opportunity (they have no upcoming dates in NYC at this moment). -Meijin Bruttomesso

Here’s The Drums‘ new video (from Stereogum). The band’s album, currently available for digital download, will be released in CD on September 14.

The Walkmen‘s sixth studio album, entitled "Lisbon", is currently streaming on NPR and available for pre-order on iTunes. The record will be officially release on September 14 on Fat Possum Records. The band also announced a world tour starting in early September and ending in late November. As far as we can tell, there are no NYC dates in the list.

Folk music lovers, do yourself a favor and immediately go to iTunes to download The Whispering Tree’s latest album, "Go Call the Captain," and then spend the afternoon listening to all ten tracks start to finish. Rich in lyrics, music, and vocals each song outdoes the next, gorgeously drawing you and sweeping you off your feet like the first few months of a summer romance. Comprised of vocalist Eleanor Kleiner and bassist Ellie Brangbour, The Whispering Tree is easily one of the strongest bands to emerge from the New York indie music scene. “The Tallest,” a standout song on the album, literally breaks your heart and strings it back together again with hauntingly beautiful vocals backed by piano and drums that encourage you to close your eyes and get lost in the music. Exquisitely produced and powerfully delivered, The Whispering Tree has burst through the glass ceiling, demanding the respect they deserve as one of the most talented duos to take stage in NYC. – CM

Brooklyn trio Dead Stars, a constellation of J’s, Jeff (Guitar, Vocals), Jay (Drums), and John (Bass), introduce themselves to the music scene with their full-length release “Break the Tide.” Several tracks – “The Party’s Over,” “What It Is,” and “The Black Swan” – embody influences from noise pop (if that’s how you call Dinosaur Jr,) grunge, folk, and psychedelia, while the title track “Break the Tide” breaks into heavy chords before settling into smooth arpeggios relaxing into a familiar reflective rock cadence. – Meijin Bruttomesso

Defecting from Queens, the dynamic brother combo Unstoppable Death Machines have made the move over the Greenpoint Bridge official, becoming influential Brooklyn underground wheeler dealers in the process. This two-man tornado has released a spastic four-track EP that captures their raw intensity with a hearty slice of the untamed nature this tandem’s music delivers. Sculpting their noise rock meanderings from grunge skeletons with oodles of chances to groove out, this act specializes in servicing ears with dollops of heavily-effected guitars with off-kilter rhythms that sound like a cross between Jesus Lizard, Lightning Bolt, Hella, and Butthole Surfers, comfortably making uncomfortable and unconventional rock music. www.myspace.com/theunstoppabledeathmachines. – Mike SOS

Hey Nu Yorkers,

Together with Ascap, The Deli is sponsoring a rather mind blowing show at The Studio on 08.26, with Deli May 2010 CD of the Month Naked Hearts, Deli-Band-of-the-Year-Featuring-a-Harpist, Teletextile (in the picture, yes we made that up just now, but hey, how often do you see a harpist in a rock band?) and pop expert Jacob Vanags. It’s going to be a lot of fun, we hope to see you there!

Here’s the line-up:
8.30 Jacob Vanags
9.30 Teletextile
10.30 Naked Hearts

The Deli’s Staff

P.S. Living Days (originally scheduled as headliners of this show) had to cancel at the last minute because of a bike accident involving the singer. Nothing serious fortunately.

Tony Castles (with or without the The, your choice) hooked up at Skidmore College, Connecticut, before making the trek, like so many before them, to Brooklyn, just some two years after they graduated. It’s a familiar tale, but these guys aren’t just another artsy student band. Sure, their music has some world beat flavors that somewhat reflects the direction indie pop has taken towards (read: Vampire Weekend), but Tony Castles are anything but familiar. Just check out their track ‘Pirates’ that’s been circulating the web for some time now. It’s a delicious, six minute spaced out jam. Apparently it’s a demo, which suggests these guys could be scarily good, and hugely successful. According to drummer Gabriel Wurzel, this means plenty of red wine and Apple technology. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s Q& A with the band here.

As I listen to Chicago/NYC based Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, I can picture Mr Furman’s childhood as aspiring indie rocker, the colorful sounds of early Beatles and the nasal voice of Bob Dylan on a portable record player filling his bedroom. You can hear these influences in the band’s best songs such as “Take Off Your Sunglasses” with its harmonica reminiscent of “Love Me Do" or "From Me to You," and the expressive, pressing vocals, telling everyday stories with a two notes melody. Ezra’s charming naivete is evidenced most as he squeals lyrics such as “I dove into your heart like a pool…” (it goes on to rhyme with “fool”) in “The Stakes Are High.” As their music evolves, this band needs to raise the stakes, listen to early John Darnielle and focus their energy on what they do best–rollicking pop tunes. Ezra Furman and the Harpoons next show will be in Chicago at Belmont Harbor on September 3. – Whitney Phaneuf

We continue our "Best of NYC Countdown", covering every day one of the artists that made our Year End Best of NYC list for emerging artists (a chart compiled by a jury comprised of local bloggers, music writers, promoters, record store personnel, DJs, and our writers and readers).

A decade ago, Jon Philpot could have made any kind of record of he wanted. He started Bear in Heaven as a solo project back in Atlanta, and although he and Wills were friendly, the two never thought they’d wind up playing together. After moving to Brooklyn, Philpot continued doing the one-man bedroom-pop thing, recording songs piece by piece on his computer. Eventually, he started jamming with Adam and two other friends, and the four found themselves writing new material, rather than trying to recreate Philpot’s solo recordings. After a well received first record, the band gained a "Best New Music" tag from Pitchfork Media, which opened the doors to world touring and public recognition. Here’s an interview with Jon about Recording and Audio Equipment.