“Are you ready?!” Kwame Binea howls into the microphone, keying in the audience for what’s about to come. This is the Apollo Music Cafe–a series specializing in the curation of diverse, independent artistry, hosted by the iconic Harlem-based theater–and tonight’s sold-out performance is coming from the spirited Kwame Binea Shakedown, a roots-rock band with a dash of funk, blues and good vibes. As the frontman of a band that bears his namesake, Binea is 6’5” of boundless charisma with a voice that threatens to bring the stage down. Backed by his full band, an arsenal of skilled musicians practiced in tight sets and big sounds, Binea effortlessly navigates through originals and covers all of which align with the band’s mantra. It’s a phrase that the singer will energetically repeat several times throughout the set: peace, love and positivity. Stand out moments of the night include an explosive cover of James Brown’s “I Got You (I Feel Good),” an homage to the live version recorded by the artist on the very same stage, and an electrifying performance of Hendrix’s “Fire,” that came after the audience demanded an encore.

Maybe the real magic of the Shakedown is magnified by they way they command a crowd. During their original “World on Fire,” Binea managed to get a filled-to-capacity room to echo the word “love” to him during the outro, and “Let Go,” one of the first singles released from the band, had the audience flocking to the dancefloor. With lyrics like “Early morning, up with the sunrise/ Man, what a blessing it is to see another day” it’s easy to see the appeal of the band’s positive message. Amidst the tumult of recent events, Kwame Binea Shakedown’s commitment to love and unity is a welcome ray of hope that is poised to melt even the steeliest of hearts. To follow more from the Apollo Music Cafe, check out their site here, and be sure to check out the band’s original track, “Let Go," streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni

Whether she’s accompanied by keys, or her full band, Shannon La Brie is a force to be reckoned with. Her smoky, powerhouse vocals are raw and intimate, much like her songs, and she deals in melancholy and old-school blues rock. Think Adele with a dash of home-fried southern twang and you might get close. Check out Shannon La Brie, at Alley Taps 12/03 and in the meantime stream her below.-Olivia Sisinni

Busting out of the city’s underbelly, Cheena, a 5-piece twang-punk band, churns out tunes for NY nocturnals and is quickly proving a place among the streets that artists like Lou Reed and the Dolls once called home. Their latest album, Spend the Night With…, smacks of NYC glitz and grit, and belches out anarcho-anthems for lawless nights spent in packed, sweaty rock clubs. It’s probably not fair to say that Cheena sounds like New York, but you’ll find that the glam and gutter goodness–the sneering, New York-cool–all baked in between the catchy melodies and reckless riffs. The band is currently on a Euro-tour so hold yourself over until they return by streaming them below. – Olivia Sisinni 

 With a strong alt-folk sensibility, Dreamtigers delivers spacey, melancholic indie, set to embed itself into your brain’s softest crevices. The band’s latest LP, Wishing Well, paints poignant portraits of longing, loss, and moving on, and does so with such expert precision, you may mistake the lyricist’s heartbreak for your own. Check out Dreamtigers streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni

Boston-based Crumb offers laid-back tunes for reflective mornings. Layering singer/guitarist Lila Ramani’s effortless, nonchalant vocals over a bed of sometimes-funky-often-jazzy psych rock, the band delivers dulcet tunes with a serious side of haze. The lyricism invites introspection, and instrumentals often wind down unexpected turns, but Crumb’s music manages to be engaging without being overly demanding of their listeners. Right now, the band’s Soundcloud account description is simply inscribed with the words "More to come." We’ll certainly be looking forward to the next release from the band, but in the meantime, you can stream Crumb below.-Olivia Sisinni
 

Though Buddahgraph Spaceship‘s sound certainly can feel astral at times, don’t be fooled–the band’s strong funk sensibility keeps them firmly planted on earth. With tasty basslines, ethereal synths, and infectious grooves, the VA-based group manages to create hip-swinging funk with a prog-y twist. Catch them live at the Velvet Lounge 11/11 with NAH. and Woodgrove, and be sure to tune them in below.-Olivia Sisinni

I dare you not to fall in love with Snail Mail. The Baltimore-based trio crafts lo-fi, indie-pop ballads that are simple, sweet, but instantly relatable and posess a depth that’s hard to not engage with. Their latest release, Habit, may have a bummer-summer vibe, but you’d be hard pressed to not be humming their tunes after listening the EP. Catch Snail Mail playing The Windup 11/8 with Tony Molina, Wildhoney and Wipeout, and in the meantime stream them below.-Olivia Sisinni

Listening to Pile is kind of like being in the eye of a storm–there are brief moments of calm, punctuated by the cacophony of the hurricane hurling around you. A lot of what makes the band so engaging to listen to is that while they certainly deliver the head-nod worthy riffs of an indie rock band, they’re also explosive and driving–constantly pushing the limits of simple song structures and edging toward blanketing the listener in total noise. The result is an unpredictable sonic experience with expert dynamic play, and gleaming, textbook examples of bridled chaos. If the sky ever cracks open, this may be your soundtrack to the end of the world. Check out Pile 11/17 at Great Scott with Palm and Dust from 1000 Years, and listen to them streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni

With the recent revival of flannel and plastic tattoo chokers, Lady Bones may be the next obsession for nostalgia-hungry millenials on the hunt for their next 90’s throwback. On the their latest EP, Terse, Lady Bones serves up everything we loved about early 90’s tunes: churning out packageable tracks with a lo-fi, DIY tinge, that still manage to seem on the brink of losing their cool. Riffs are weighty without being heavy, drumming almost feels primal at times, and the band’s vocals are unhinged, even while crafting catchy hooks. Listen to "Weight" from Lady Bones streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni

With a set of effortless vocals and a strong pop sensibility, NYC-based Talullah Ruff typically crafts radio-ready alt-blues tunes, but her latest release has a decidedly electro feel. The new single, "Resilience," is a blues-soaked banger that showcases Ruff’s talent of writing tracks that are as catchy as they are piercing. Her soulful vocal performance is punctutated by nuanced EDM instrumentation, that give credence to–rather than distracts from–her poignant lyricism. Stream "Resilience" below and catch Talullah Ruff on Halloween playing The Gateway with PSYMON SPINE, For Everest, Nervous Dater, Field Trip and more. – Olivia Sisinni

Sneaks, the one-woman project of Eva Moolchan, produces music that seems mezmirzingly simple, but is wildly potent. Gymnastics, the latest LP from the artist, is a bass-driven/drum machine-backed work that could probably be loosely filed under "avant-punk." But while the album feels like it encapsulates part of the DIY aesthetic, Moolchan’s polished vocals–that alternate between conversational talk-singing and hushed whispers–add an eloquence to the tracks. While the instrumentation remains minimalist, her voice fills in the cracks, making you question why people even add guitars to things anyway. Listen to Sneaks streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni
 

Inter Arma might just be the sludgy saviors of doom metal. The VA-based band serves up tracks that are not just heavy, plodding metal licks, but instead offers dynamic, quaking aural-scapes that reveal a world of more merciless gods. "Transfiguration," a 9-minute stand-out track off the band’s latest release, Paradise Gallows, is operatic in scope–utilizing guitar sweeps that echo the glissandos Mussgorsky used on "Night On Bald Mountain" to conjure demons–and threatens to place the listener into the desperate throes depicted on the album cover. The sonic imagery is so trenchant that it’s easy to feel gripped by the terror of being ensnared by a mighty, black sea. For metalheads, Inter Arma is a band to watch, and Paradise Gallows is a staggering juggernaut of an introduction. Check them out streaming below.-Olivia Sisinni