At this point in time we rarely get excited when we stumble upon a new band that borrows sonic elements from the alternative rock of ’90s – Brooklyn is brimming with them! But… influences are never more relevant than actual talent, and trio Bethlehem Steel isn’t lacking in that department. The brainchild of songwriter Rebecca Ryskalczyk, the project has been around since 2013, slowly transitioning from folky beginnings to the full, grungy sound of latest EP ‘Docking,’ which pretty much represents Ryskalczyk’s debut as a pop-rock singer/guitarist. Her airy, unpredictable melodies represent a clear shift from her previous, more traditional style, and find a peak in single ’87s,’ with its loud/quiet/loud production, evolving melodies and tortured lyrics – check it out below. The band will be playing at Palisades on May 2nd and at Shea Stadium on May 11th.

The impressionistic musical project of Seattle songwriter Erin Birgy – who recently moved to NYC – Mega Bog has been releasing intimate records flirting with folk, lo-fi and ambient since 2008. Her latest, entitled ‘Gone Banana,’ is a sleepy yet provocative LP that blends Joni Mitchell’s delicately jazzy inclinations with Syd Barrett’s dreamy, child-like preference for the unfinished draft. Check out our favorite song ‘Gone Banana’ below, and don’t miss her upcoming live shows at Shea Stadium (04.30) and Rough Trade (05.05), after which she will leave for a US tour.

A little too often, the musical ingredient of what we highlight in this blog are very limited – ranging from traditional roots music to the more contemporary genres of rock and pop derivatives. That’s why it’s refreshing to stumble, every now and then, upon a band like NYC’s Butcher Knives. Inspired to multi-cultural European acts like Mano Negra and Les Negresses Vertes, this collective uses a mix of ska and rockabilly as a frame for their world music influences, which are heavy on the Gypsy side of things – hence the adoption of the "Gyspybilly" label. Colombian vocalists Nacho Segura and Nikko Matiz also confer a certain Goth element to their songs. The group will be performing at Pianos on April 29th, taking the opportunity to unveil their new video for single ‘American Dream,’ streaming below, from their latest album ‘Misery‘.

Power girl band (or girl power band?) The Beaches made quite a splash last year in Toronto, they are scheduled to play Bovine Sex Club on May 6th withint CMW. In honor of our upcoming, first Toronto Stompbox Exhibit, we asked guitarist Kylie Miller to tell us about her favorite guitar pedals… here’s what she had to say!

The words "twangy" and "punk" rarely appear together in the same sentence, but Brooklyn band Cheena is here to dispel of that prejudice. With spiteful vocals reminiscent of Johnny Rotten and a slide guitar a la’ Ry Cooder drawing curvy lines under the band’s wall of distorted sound, the quintet blends two elements at the antipodes of the musical culture, with intriguing results. They have a (just released) self-titled three song EP under their belt and will be performing at Baby'[s All Right on June 05.

A band with a name like The Boobies either have your strict attention or your quick dismissal. Either way their hashtag game has them poised for imminent internet fame. A fourtet transplanted to Brooklyn by way of several points south, they conjure an engaging mix of southern soul with surf rock elements, equal parts Talking Heads and Everclear. They’ll be rocking Bushwick venue House of Yes on May 4th for the Gathering of the Elements with other locals Hey Anna., Pool Cosby and Bandits on the Run. – BrokeMc

New Jersey’s avant-folk-poppers Stolen Jars must have put a spell on us last fall, when we decided to put them on the cover of the CMJ 2015 issue of The Deli, since, judging from this adorable video of their single ‘Kept,’ they have friends in the magic business. Don’t miss the band at Mercury Lounge on April 30th.

Brooklyn-based musician/producer Rena, set to release her debut EP ‘Rude Chick’ on May 6th, is not somebody you want to mess with: "Rock and roll was always what spoke to me the most,” she explains. "That’s what this record is for me- POWER!, I love the raw energy of the riot grrrl movement and female rock in general." The recently released title track showcases a sound that’s part hip hop and part industrial (the arrangement reminds us of the pervasive ditortion of NIN’s ‘Broken’ EP), whie first single ‘Symptom of Youth’ (streaming below) is a spoken word celebration of partying soon exploding into a chorus that blends shoegazer with noise rock – in the most pop way possible.

‘My Art of Almost’ is a soon to be released record about Ben Talmi‘s personal failures and hopes – told through electrifying beats and dancing synths. Musically ubiquitous, Talmi has engaged in multiple genres, including impressionistic rock through his previous band Art Decade, alternative folk in the solo album named ‘For The Dreamers,’ and a number of string quartets and orchestral arrangements. He will be showcasing his enthralling melodic compositions tonight (April 25th) at The Bowery Electric and on April 27th at Pianos. – Amanda McCall

Good luck keeping up with Arlene Gould. The Brooklyn artist balances her creative energies between the worlds of Israeli pop (with Afro Hebrew band Milk and Honeys), performing highly danceable Afrobeat under the pseudonym AG, and delivering dating advice via JDate. Gould’s schedule may be intense, but you’ll be able to see her when she plays Rockwood Stage 2 on Saturday, April 30th. Listen to new track ‘Rollin’ (ft. Lucille Crew) below, the raucous lead single off her upcoming LP of the same name.- Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

We are always curious to see what local bands make it into the yearly NYC Popfest – a festival that deserves credit for scouting talented emerging pop acts and keeping things on a medium to small scale, which is what The Deli is all about. This year’s edition will see three NYC based acts involved, and we are very intrigued in particular by Lake Ruth (pictured), a band that evokes aural specters of early Belle & Sebastian led by Trish Keenan of Broadcast. The trio is really, reall new, but its members have played in established acts like Enon and Holy Fuck, although they sound like a development of NYC’s guitarist Hewson Chen’s psych-pop project The New Lines – with a different singer. They have dropped two digital releases so far, for a total of three tracks, debuting in February 2016 with two stylish and mellow songs in ‘The Inconsolable Jean​-​Claude’ EP, followed just two months later by the more uptempo and summery ‘Through The Lychgates,’ streaming below. Singer Allison Brice’s soprano is honey for the ears, and the band knows how to let it flow.

The other two local acts playing this year’s popfest are garage pop trio Big Quiet, which we booked at one of our latest CMJ shows, and self-defined "freak-pop" band The Hairs, brainchild of Brooklyn songwriter Kevin Alvir, who are about to drop their first release since 2013, a n LP entitled ‘While, I Hated Life, Barbarian.’ Check out preview single ‘Fave Shit 15.’

Led by singer songwriter Oliver Kennan, Kennan Moving Company is a NYC based quartet that plays loungy pop-rock with vintage overtones – we caught them live this past Sunday at a "Feel The Bern" event at Black Bear Bar. Their music is soulful and refined, with Kennan’s crisp and youthful voice juxtaposed to jazzy arrangements, for a modern throwback sound. Released earlier in 2016, their debut EP "New Colors" features tracks like ‘Easy Coast‘ that are relaxing but upbeat, and smooth opening single ‘Charades’ (streaming below) which conjures up images of romantic flicks and their sentimental narratives. – Amanda McCall