I can’t remember the first time I saw Chris Pappas sing or the first time I saw The Everyday Visuals. I think I know. I think it was at the Lizard Lounge while I was working there. I remember they sang “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys which is one of my favorite songs. I think it is #2 on my ultimate list. Chris Pappas is an extra-ordinary, once-in-a-life-time local musician. He’s kind, humble and talented as hell. I’ve seen him perform in the Lizard Lounge basement, in the attic of a bookstore in Western Mass with Forest Fires and in the courtyard of Kendall Square. He never fails to impress.

I recently saw him conduct an orchestra at the Middle East Downstairs. It was one of the most thrilling musical experiences I’ve had in Boston. He even composed a concerto for feedback guitar. I’ve never heard the crowd at the Middle East be dead silent. Pappas is a treasure, he’s a diamond in the rough, the rough isn’t that bad but, he’s definitely a very sparkly musician. Sadly, Pappas will be leaving us in Boston in July for LA to work on his band The Everyday Visuals and get some fresh air (metaphorically). You can catch him at the Middle East downstairs this Friday with Oranjuly (kick-ass CD release, remember?), The Luxury and Spirit Kid.

Good-bye and Bon Voyage, Chris Pappas, come back soon! You are one of my favorite local musicians.

–Meghan Chiampa

The Points North and Audrey Ryan will be preforming this Thursday at Passim. The Points North have been Down Under and back the past few months, Audrey Ryan’s been around but is about to leave for Maine for the summer. This is a very special show featuring two very unique folk-rock bands. The Points North have been our band of the month and and favorite of the Deli. Their music is mystic and magical and the epitome of ol’ New England folk. Audrey Ryan is one of the most creative folk artists in the area, a one-girl-band of sorts. Catch them tomorrow at Passim.

Club Passim 26 Church St. Suite 300 Cambridge, MA

–The Deli Staff

The sun was blazing down on the hill of Powderhouse Park but the music was decidedly chill. Townies and Tufts kids lounged in the shade around the temporary stage that hosted the opening day festivities of Joe’s Blues and jazz festival for Somerville.

Rising star Brendan Hogan played some trouble-in-mindful original folk-styled tunes from his new release, Long Night Coming, early in the afternoon. A few jam bands and jazz outfits later, Peter Parcek woke up the park with some authoritative, hot electric blues. Parcek didn’t try to hard to work the sparse and scattered crowd but, backed by bassist Marc Hickox and drummer Steve Scully, he dominated an electric guitar. Sounding particularly good on the recent Dylan tune, Beyond Here Lies Nothing, the band also pleased with the title track from their latest release, “The Mathematics of Love.” I was glad to discover these guys who have been around for a while.

After Parcek’s crew, the Ben Powell Quartet kept things moving with some Grapelli-esque jazz-fiddle and the Camelia Latin Jazz Quartet finally get the languid sun-baked crowed to its feet for some dancing. Salsa resolved itself into stomps and sways when Boston native, “The Undaunted” Professor Harp took the stage with his band and blew some Chicago style jump blues to close out the day.

While the event was as small and laid-back as a festival can be, it made me remember that Powerhouse Park existed, reanimating its virtues, and introduced me to some pretty solid bands in the company of my neighbors.

Events continue throughout the week and indoor venues around town.

–Jason Rabin

–Photos by Allison Stroh

The Deli – New England will be holding our 3rd showcase at the House of Blues – Front Room on July 1st. We’ll be featuring three of Massachusetts’ finest. Vostok 4, a unique pop-rock band with the elastic creativity and sound of the Talking Heads. Ghost Quartet’s new album is currently our featured album of the month, they hail from Western Mass. Trip-rockers, Those Wolves Actually Happened sound like Modest Mouse in outer space. Most importantly, this show is FREE! So you have no reason not to come. Take the train to Fenway. There is no Red Sox game, so if you are driving you can find parking, I’m sure.

See you there.

July 1st – House of Blues – Front Room – 15 Landsdowne St. Boston, MA – FREE – 21+

–The Deli Staff

Oranjuly is releasing their self-titled album on July 2nd at the Middle East downstairs.  Brian King is the front-man for Oranjuly. As you can see above, they won the recent Band of the Month poll. Deli readers, pull up a seat and get comfortable, I have something to tell you: This is the best album I’ve received since working as a music journalist. I like difference, I like melody. I like good fucking music. Below Brian King answers some questions. He is a brilliant musician. It is an incredible album. I don’t need to get into specifics. Listen to it! Go to the show! 

Deli: Your music transcends almost the past fifty years of surf and pop-psych rock from the Beach Boys and mid-life Beatles to Queen to the early styling of Weezer and Brian Eno in general. But your sound is unique and all the songs have their own personality. How did you develop the “sound” for the album? Where did your influence come from for Oranjuly?

Brian King: Thanks so much! The big influence for me on this record was melody as obvious as that sounds. haha. Besides the little nods to my favorite artists, I just love pretty chords and melodies and putting them together in a somewhat unpredictable way. The songs have a lot of unexpected twists and turns and that’s something I always keep in mind when writing but melody always comes first and is most important. I also think the album has a cohesive sound even though some of the songs were written years ago ("Hiroshige’s Japan" was probably the 3rd song I ever wrote in 2005/6 or so) because I used a lot of the same sounds and elements that carry over throughout the album – but I’ll let listeners figure that out! I left off three songs or so that didn’t really have the "feel" of the rest of the songs. One of them was really synthy and dancey . It’s like Queen meets Muse or something… 

Deli: One of my favorite tracks on Oranjuly is Hiroshige’s Japan. How’d you get your hands on a harpsichord? It is perfect for the song. I love it.

BK: Ha. My poor Bach imitation. The harpsichord on "Hiroshige’s Japan" was recorded when I was in college. The school made me meet with the music department chair (Karl Berger, who actually was an arranger on a Cardigans album!) and he let me use it for only an hour or so. Pretty lame, so after my lil’ hour, I did some James Bond shit and put some tape over the door lock so it couldn’t automatically lock after I left, so I came back much later that night and recorded all the parts.

Deli: Where did you get your band name?

BK: It’s just my birth-month and my favorite color at the time combined into one incredible word.

Deli: How many different instruments do you play/use on the album? Why did you use such a wide selection?

BK: I played everything that wasn’t drums for the most part – I can play a lot of instruments but I’m far from perfect on any. I just do what’s right for the songs. I wrote all the drum parts and I can keep a beat but our drummer Lou and our friend Andrew Jones nailed that stuff. I think in terms of what feels right for the song more than logically what I can get my hands on. If I want an accordion, I’ll ask around. I was a film major in college so that’s probably a subconscious thing. I just like different sounds I guess. You can only do so much with guitars.

Oranjuly is releasing their self-titled album on July 2nd at the Middle East Downstairs in Cambridge with The Everyday Visuals, The Luxury and Spirit Kid, honestly guys, if you are going to see one show this year…SEE THIS ONE! Trust me. Listen to the album HERE. Also anyone wearing orange at the show gets a free album download.

Middle East Downstairs 472 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge — Buy tickets HERE

–Meghan Chiampa

The Doctors Fox will be performing this Saturday, June 19th, at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, along with Brendan Boogie and The Best Intentions and This Blue Heaven. The Doctors Fox have made their mark on the Boston scene with their mix of soul, funk, ska and jam band rock, which they blend into catchy, energizing tunes that fluidly move from one genre to the next. From vocalist/bassist’s David Ladon’s wry lyrics to violin player Ryan Aylward’s dynamic melodies, the band’s energy is intoxicating. The Doctors Fox will be performing with guest vocalist Dave Hanft, ensuring a powerhouse performance of both original songs and classic covers that’s not to be missed. Doors open at 8:30.

1667 Mass Ave Cambridge, MA $8adv/$10 dos

–Meghan Guidry

In his youth, Somerville Mayor Joe Curatone blew some trumpet in the Somerville High School Jazz Band. In tribute to those days, he’s invited the city’s High School Jazz Ensemble to kick off eight hours of free, live jazz and blues at Powderhouse Park, this Saturday, June 19, from 12PM-8PM. Encompassing a broad range of styles, the line-up includes Professor Harp, Brendan Hogan & Band, Evan Marien Trio, The Ben Powell Quartet, Eric Hofbauer and the Infrared Band, Peter Parcek 3 and the Camelia Latin Jazz Sextet.

The Powderhouse Park event is just the kick-off. Local jazz and blues talents will be featured throughout the following week at Somerville venues, Bloc 11, P.J. Ryan’s, Precinct, Johnny D’s and Sally O’Brien’s. On June 27 at 3PM, at the Nave Gallery, the blues will turn to green, as a set by the Ruth Ristich Trio with The Sisters of Swing, serving as a fundraiser for environmental group, Groundworks Somerville brings the festival to a close.

You can find a complete schedule with artist profiles, here.

–Jason Rabin

No one can say that Jeff Gaynor isn’t a team player. On any given night of the week, he’s either backing up wunderkind Samantha Farrell in her band, the Love Society, or trading songs with Tom Bianchi and Hugh McGowan, among others, in the all-star mash-up Baker Thomas Band. Oh sure, the spotlight occasionally washes over Gaynor as he drops a honky-tonk piano solo here or throws in a vocal harmony there, but when he plays a solo show, it becomes clear why everybody wants this guy in their band.

Piano-key necktie swinging, Jeff Gaynor played eleven songs at the Lizard Lounge on Thursday night, ranging from the bouncy, anecdotal "Teddy Came In" to the soulful, gospel-tinged "Keep It Off" with some ragtime, blues, and boogie mixed in between. There is something unmistakably macabre about Gaynor; invariably, you find yourself musing, oh gee, I didn’t know Tim Burton wrote music. Eyes wild and hands perfectly arched, yet frantic, Gaynor commands the room with a Beetlejuice-like mystique that permeates even his more streamlined pieces (like the Meatloafy "Toothpick Foundation.") Tart-tongued and laced with observational humor, songs like "How’s That Workin’ Out For Ya?" and "Runner Band Boob Job" display Gaynor’s great aptitude for Ben Folds-style sarcasm, expertly straddling a razor-thin line between good-natured ribbing and embittered last-laughing. Gaynor is clever and spunky with lyrics that will appeal to people who were picked on in high school, people who take a principled stance against words like "bro," and people who mumble funny comments under their breath during a play instead of buying into the melodrama unfolding on stage. Bass-heavy and theatrical (Liberace’s rapidly undulating wrists come to mind), Gaynor’s arrangements sound so fleshed-out that it’s almost hard to believe he’s playing alone. His charming, oddball brew is steeped heavily in the eighties, with influences ranging from Billy Joel to Journey; in fact, his latest piece, "Wan’drin’," sounds like a distant cousin of "Faithfully" with melancholy piano and an emotive chorus ("Where do you go when you go wandering?").

Most left Jeff Gaynor’s show at the Lizard Lounge realizing that he is one hell of a piano player. While it’s impossible not to ooh and aah at Gaynor’s intricate jazz riffs and thunderous left-hand power, his versatility as a songwriter is truly the thing to admire here. It’s no wonder Jeff Gaynor is so comfortable juggling his time between bands that play vastly different styles of music–sticking to only one genre would just bore him.

–Stephie Coplan

Marie Stella’s six song Trust starts with a distorted guitar creeping around and ends with a decaying synth line and in between is 20 minutes of joyful experiments in building and breaking crescendos. The twisting warp and weft of Bryan Bruchman and Matthew Erickson’s zipping guitars, the interplay of female vocals (lead: Sidney Bourke, accompaniment: Katherine Hulit), Derek Gierhan’s crashing drums (he sat in on the recording, now it’s Max Heinz) weave a powerful tapestry. Marie Stella is fluent in dynamic range. Blue Blood starts off simply with Sidney singing over all-or-nothing instrumentation. Guitars, bass and drums kick on and off. She sings "I don’t need a lover to bring me down" and the song changes moods, increasing the energy with a steady beat and then, as she affirms her identity, the song kicks into high gear and becomes a thumping, driven machine. The hook grabs, as the band builds into an energetic melee. Bryan’s mean guitar cuts a wandering scar on "Taken", which builds itself out of an atmospheric soup into a sinister cacophony of frenzied drums and adrenaline bass. Guitars and synth bounce off each other in a sonic mosh pit… finally resolving into a sincere declaration: "No more shenanigans." Then turns for the chaotic as Sidney and Katherine belt out a punchy chorus. Ron Harrity recorded, mixed and mastered the album at Forest City Studio. He captures the twin interplays of voices and guitars with aplomb. What could be noisy and muddy is instead a beautifully crafted and wonderfully dense soundscape. The interweaving vocals and guitars create two strong cords that Marie Stella climbs and builds on. It’s woven with deft complexity and it’s worth losing your hearing for. You can check out Trust streaming on their bandcamp page.

–Krister Rollins writes for [dog] and [pony]

Day 5 of Burlington’s Other Music Festival looks to be the cream of the crop for Burlington’s ambient/noise outfits and artists. Burlington’s godfather to the scene, if you will, Greg Davis, will be making his festival appearance as well as other veterans of the area A Snake in the Garden, Toby Aronson, and Lawrence Welks & Our Bear to Cross. Another exciting collabartion with Ashley Paul and percussionist Eli Keszler is set to grace the stage. Other performers include Katarina Miljovic, Stencil/Magic, and Ensemble V. Looks like there will also be some sort of open improv session, which is sure to birth some interesting sounds. Everything is happening at 8pm at North End Studios.

–The Deli Staff

Lusica, the title track off Left Hand Does‘ new EP, is a dreamy but heavy tune influenced by 80’s rock such as Crowded House, Tears for Fears and The Pixies. I heard Left Hand Does play Lusica at the Lizard Lounge open mic a while back and loved it immediately. Left Hand Does is fronted by brother and sister Luke and Jean Sullivan, who are awesomely musically dynamic. Check out the video above, and check them out IRL at the EP release party at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston on June 30th.

–The Deli Staff

Day 4 of Burlington’s Other Music Festival is another jazz colaboration heavy night, but the big attraction of the night is ex-Burlington experimental giant Ashley Paul in collaboration with Anthony Colman. One of the most exciting acts of the whole week. Also fleshing out the night are Johnny T and the Raccoonists, Elbow Room, Michael Gardiner/Derek Beckvoice/Peter Negroponte, Xander Naylor/Ian Kovac, and Zack Cooper/Christ Madden/Vic Dimotis. Things kick off at 8pm at North End Studios as usual.

–The Deli Staff