NYCMUSICSHOW is a new TV show airing on NYClife (channel 25) on Sundays at 10pm. This is currently the only show on TV dedicated to the independent New York music scene (New York Noise, that was mostly but not entirely focused on local artists, hasn’t been airing in the last few months). NYCMUSICSHOW is currently scheduled to deliver a total of five episodes. After that, the editors will need to get funding from sponsors to continue producing future episodes (to this point, this has been a self financed project). The second episode, airing on Sunday May 23 at 10 pm, will feature local funk masters Soulive, veteran rockers The Giraffes, and dancey combo Navegante. Check it out!

We’ve been following indie poppers My Other Friend for quite some time and it’s good to know they are finally about to release their debut album – a digital release out towards the end of July. In the past few years the band has collected a series of rather prestigious supporting slots, sharing stages with the likes of Titus Andronicus, Bear Hands, The Beets, and Drink Up Buttercup. The full-length, entitled "Burning Bright Tonight" was produced by Kevin McMahon (The Walkmen, The French Kicks).

We continue our "Best of NYC Countdown", covering every day one of the artists that made our Year End Best of NYC list (a chart compiled by a jury comprised of local bloggers, music writers, promoters, record sotre personnel and DJs). Many of the bands in this list will play The Deli’s Best of NYC Fest in Williamsburg in May (6 shows in 3 different venues between the 13 and the 15).

Unapologetically mainstream, Double Wonderful creates in-your-face, energetic pop melodies, often accompanied by 80’s snyths and even that nifty T-Pain vocal effect. It’s pop-geek-dance-rock, and I can’t imagine these guys take themselves too seriously…which isn’t necessarily a bad thing here; if nothing else, this music is fun. The snobbier listener may immediately dismiss this, but I don’t give a shit who you are, it’ll be hard not to smile and move to these sounds. Double Wonderful seem to exist on the border of obnoxiously generic and pop genius. They don’t care – they’re having a blast. – Paul Dunn

NYC bands and artists,

Make Music New York  is a unique festival of free concerts in public spaces throughout the five boroughs of New York City, all on Monday, June 21st, the first day of summer. MMNY takes place simultaneously with similar festivities in more than 327 cities around the world — a global celebration of music making.

Spike Hill – the bar / music venue in the middle of Williamsburg’s busy Bedford Ave – will have an outdoor concert starting at 2pm and is looking for NYC bands to headline the festival from 8pm till close. Other bands will also play inside Spike Hill, with the venue’s doors open to the street to pipe live music straight to the street crowds.

If you are interested in submitting your band for this event please sign up here. – artists will be selected by the Spike Hill promoters, not by Deli staff.

P.S. As this is a free event, there isn’t a budget for performing bands, but a tip jar will be passed around the crowd after each performance to gather some money for the artists performing.

The Deli’s Staff
www.thedelimagazine.com

When you think of the city of Singapore you’re not likely to conjure up thoughts of early 90’s shoegaze/stoner/noise/dream-pop. Yet that is in fact where the band Stellarium hails from. Their debut album combines shoegaze textures (and attitude) with shredding, bombastic, noise assault guitars. Opening track "Any Day Is Fine," immediately hit our eardrums with a barrage of guitars that shriek, wail and churn with controlled chaos. Multiple layers swirl and feedback, melding together in a beautiful synchronicity of hazy sonics. "Chocolate & Strawberry" is a driving piece that redefines the "fuzz bass" sound. A Place To Bury Strangers’ Jono Mofo would be proud. “Harbinger” sets a deep reverb echo to its cautionary tale about war. Exploding into a gorgeous wash of sound, straddling the lines between heaven and hell. “Fader” employs a rising sonic effect giving the sensation of your head “lifting off.” Stellarium show musical sophistication with their tempo changes within songs. The over 8 minute “final” track on the album – “Dead Nebula culminates in a shredding dual guitar attack. For the final 4 minutes it’s nothing but this – what’s not to love? – Dave Cromwell

El Jezel sparked when George and Dan randomly met at house parties in Massachusetts years back and discovered that they actually only lived a town away from each other. Both eventually linked up with Jessica about ten years ago, which led to playing open mic sessions in downtown Manhattan and ultimately the three formed a band. Recently performing along the East Coast, El Jezel brews bigger plans for its new EP due to release this Spring and desires more extensive tours, although they always value the importance of intimate settings for live shows. – Read Gina Alioto interview with the band here.

Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears are frightening only in their unmatched energy and dynamics, both live and on record. The quintet’s recently debuted “Mad Valentines EP” showcases mastermind songwriting by Bryan Scary (Lead vocals, Keyboard) and his shredding tears, Mike Acreman (Vocals, Keyboard), David Ostrem (Vocals, Bass), Graham Norwood (Vocals, Guitar), and Paul Amorese (Drums). In six outstanding tracks, these Brooklynites pack in operatic vocals and dramatic delivery, and mix theatrical enthusiasm with glam and power-pop, creating a whimsical sound that is elaborate, entertaining, and borderline frantic. After fully sampling what the “Mad Valentines EP” accomplishes, it is hard to imagine the songs’ complexity recreated on stage, but Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears erase any doubt and even outperform expectations. Choice tracks, “Andromeda’s Eyes,” “(It’s a) Gambler’s Wind,” and “Bye Bye Babylon” take listeners on a ride through “Scaryville” and showcase BSST’s top-notch compositions. – Read Meijin Bruttomesso’s interview with Bryan here.

Now in its fourth year, New York City Popfest has highlighted numerous indie-pop bands from around the world and more importantly local. Since its inception it’s produced bands such as The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and The Drums who have now gone to international stardom. This year, the fest will highlight long time veterans and fresh new acts, including Deli’s recent CD of the month The Secret History. The 4 day fest will start on Thursday May 20 with a show at Cake Shop involving two NYC acts that deserve attention, catchy The World Atlas (in the picture), that could be appropriately called NYC’s own Belle and Sebastian, and Dream Diary, operating on similar acoustic and dreamy musical coordinates.

This is one of those bands that make boys and girls fall in love (with each other and with their music, of course). The Naked Hearts are a not-entirely-bass-less rock duo (live, the bass exists as if by magic even if nobody is playing it, as we have personally witnessed!) which offer some extremely well crafted, melancholic, guitar indie-pop.
Amy Cooper (guitar and vocals) and Noah Wheeler (drums and vocals) are obvious musical soul mates – their voices perfectly complement each other, their songwriting is well integrated, and their performances are flawlessly tight. The simplicity of their guitar pop formula and the clean rock production may be reminiscent of The Strokes, but the main ingredients of their music (songwriting and overall mood in particular) make this debut a completely different beast.
"Mass Hysteria" exists in a musical limbo floating between Belly’s hyper-melancholic psych pop ("Way I See You", "Dark Shade"), the more straightforward and up-beat guitar pop of Juliana Hatfield and PJ Harvey circa 1992 ("Boyfriend"), and the obvious Nirvana influences ("Call Me", "Mass Hysteria").
Of course, The Naked Hearts don’t have the angst that characterized all grunge bands – but it’s their generation that seems to lack that trait. Almost surprisingly, instead, the band uses that genre’s musical signature and fills it with some sort of innocence that instills a refreshing quality. Maybe this is the way the unavoidable, almost due by now grunge revival will sneak back to our ears? The record has at least two singles with noteworthy potential: "Like I Do" and "Mass Hysteria" – true pop gems that build up and open up with harmonized choruses exactly the way we like it – this is stuff that could also work on the dance floor. Is there anything better than dancing intensely to an emotional rocking song, after all?
Don’t miss their free live show at 3rd ward on May 22.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. When he heard Homeboy Sandman’s album he realized he’d had it too easy. About three years ago, Homeboy Sand stormed the NYC underground scene attending pretty much every open mic in the city—sometimes two or three a night. His hypnotic, tongue-twisting rhymes and unorthodox beat selection earned him an immediate distinction among his peers. With his third release “The Good Sun” (HighWaterMusic), Homeboy Sand shines with a warm, earnest delivery that reflects his ferocious drive and contemplative nature. His energy pulses through the tracks as he stretches and bends his words around every snap and pop. It’s the type of album that you listen to and wish he was there listening with you so you could high-five him after each track. He’ll be celebrating the release on June 1st at SOBs. Be prepared to spend most of the night frantically hopping around with your hands in the air. – BrokeMC

Eytan and the Embassy play that kind of pop music that throws you back to the 50s – something Elvis Costello was very good at, although these guys’ opreation is more literal, almost revivalist. It’s music that wears its light and fun emotions on its sleeve. Their CD release party at Mercury Lounge on 05.29 should be fun.

Hurricane Bells is a new indie rock project from Longwave’s Steve Schiltz. Vagrant Records released their debut album Tonight Is The Ghost digitally towards the end of 2009. Since then the band has gained momentum. The show at Mercury Lounge on May 22nd will be the last one of their East West Coast, that kept them busy for the last two weeks – recommended show.