It’s always nice to find new music in your inbox that truly brightens your day. So much so that we couldn’t wait to share it with you. Take this new feel-good jam, "Birth House," from fledgling local act Etheric Felines, for a spin "again and again"! The music/video art collective is made up of writer/singer/artist Katie Ross (Cicada O’Kain, Parhelion), musician/artist James Kalinoski (Living, Flesh Prince), and writer/rapper/artist Andrea Bullard (Acid Orphan). "Birth House" bounces along with an undeniably contagious groove, beautifully accented by flourishes of brain-teasing samples, while Ross’ endearingly sweet vocals melts away the constant stresses that seem to be more apparent in our daily lives. It’s Etheric Felines’ debut single, which was mixed and produced by Lucas Coudry (Living, Inverness), and is available via Philly’s own Magic Death Sounds. We are also looking forward to the visual art that should surely be coming in the near future, soundtracked by this electro noise-pop gem. 

Subdued frustration morphing into melodic release as "Midatlantic Chow Tipping" opens Krispy Kareem‘s new EP Krispy 1. "Golly" serves a quick burst, before "Sugar Bean" ebbs and flows between hushed intimate restraint and swells of a gate-opening chorus. The album draws one in close to personal distance, then delivers messages for all to hear collectively.

SideOneDummy Records will be releasing Survival Pop, the forthcoming album from Worriers, on September 29. Its latest single, “The Possibility,” enthusiastically proclaims an immediate desire to escape the limits of one’s hometown and the potential of a relationship from an unexpected source. It’s a flashback, photo-exuding confidence, while providing an emotional context. Worriers are set to take the stage on Friday, November 3 at Johnny Brenda’s, supported by Thin Lips and Katie Ellen.

Krust Toons: "’Why Are You Wearing Glasses?" by Tedd Hazard – please feel free to drop him a line at teddandthehazards@gmail.com if you dig or have any funny ideas. You can also check out more of his illustrations and animation shorts HERE.

We’re glad to see that Modern Baseball co-songwriter Jake Ewald, who records and performs under the moniker Slaughter Beach, Dog, is continuing to stay productive during MoBo’s hiatus. He just premiered a new track, called "Gold and Green," over at Stereogum. It’s the lead single off his forthcoming album, Birdie, due out October 27 via Lame-O Records. You’ll be able to hear more of the folk/country influence sliding into his latest collection of tunes on Thursday, August 17 at Johnny Brenda’s, with support from fellow Lame-O labelmate Shannen Moser, whom he will also be heading out on tour with in November.

Below is a new music video for "Qualified" from Sammus, a.k.a. Philadelphia-based rapper/producer Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo. It’s off her Don Giovanni debut Pieces in Space, and features contributions from Open Mike Eagle and Arch Thompson. Sammus is set to hit the road this week, where she’ll also be joined by Open Mike Eagle and Mega Ran. She’ll be closing out her North American fall tour on Sunday, October 1 at beloved, hometown DIY space Everybody Hits.

Smashing straight ahead, Dogmouth‘s "Someotherguy" tears through the ideal of happiness. Fuzzy, garage aggression succinctly details, being supplanted by another. In a concise yet raw fashion, an emotive sentiment is conveyed.

Locals via Lititz and The Deli Philly’s 2013 Emerging Artist of the Year, The Districts will be congregating at a sold-out show this evening at Union Transfer to celebrate the release of their new album Popular Manipulations (Fat Possum). Still evoking an earnest pit-in-the-stomach power, the band’s sound ventures into more polished production depths on their latest release. Utilizing control within a hallowing, personal, vocal force and the detail of densely woven instrumentation, The Districts tap into unified sonic waves. Tonight, they’ll be joined by The Spirit of the Beehive’s tumultuous torrent of psych and the enchanting yet eruptive rock of Abi Reimold. A plethora of young, Philly talent will be taking over the old Spaghetti Warehouse! – Michael Colavita

More places to be this weekend…

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St.) FRI The Districts (Record Release), The Spirit of the Beehive, Abi Reimold

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Sad Heaven, SUN Rosu Lup

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Deadfellow, Sixteen Jackies, Emmett Drueding, SAT QQQ, SUN The Charley Few, Night Raids, Disjawn

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.)  FRI Weak Knees, Slophouse/Starkey, Dev79, SAT Torito/Strange Parts, The Vernes/DJSC/Wolf Dem, KT Caustic, Teknacolor Ninja, SUN Beasters, Durian, Down The Way/Honeytiger, Sublaymen, Kelsey Cork & The Swigs, Sidenail

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) FRI Ursula, Dark Web, Lizdelise, SAT Posers, Pushin’ it 2 the Limit

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI Kingfisher, Tucker Hill Band, OhBree, QQQ

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) FRI George Engel Brooks, Boy In A Stitch, Saver, SAT Natalie Bermudez, Tucker Hill, SUN SkateWink, A1-Twig, Dev Leone, Geechi Gus, Trippy Drugz

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI (Balcony) Johari Nassor & Family, Duv & RJ Revolver, SAT (Balcony) DJ RL, SUN (Balcony) Cthulhu Martini

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT (Upstairs) Snake Club

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Joey Stix

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI In The Presence of Wolves, SAT SteveO & The Crippling Addictions

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Huffamoose, Stargazer Lily, SAT Kuf Knotz

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI The Space Cats, Mercury Retrograde, SAT The Stammer, Summer Scouts, Last Full Measure, SUN The Sideshow Prophets

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Lee Mayjahs?, DJ Everyday, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Francisco Collazo

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Dave Steel Blues Band, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI King Ani Mal, Atomic Cretins

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) SAT Alex Catrambone, Trey Day, Squid Mchale

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Boulevard) FRI DJ Beat Street, SUN Courtney Jansen

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Royale, SAT Ian Saint Laurent

Century (1350 S. 29^th St.) FRI The Stone Eye, The Mountain Chiefs

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Canyon Ride, American Dinosaur, Madame Jones, & Bluestime, SAT Max Seidman, Athensville, SUN Tektonic, Zoidzilla

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Marah, SAT Love Killed Kurt, White Limo, Purple to the Core

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Novyy Stil’, SUN Heavy Harold

Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Yeenar, Very Bad Vibes

Planet Phitness (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Tall Friend, MS Saint

Twilight Festival (Parks on Tap – MLK Jr. Dr.) SUN Grandchildren

Face In Peril, the new album from post-punk four-piece The Stammer, is out today. Capturing the melancholy of relationships gone awry and the subsequent fall out, a looming emotive friction melodically pushes forward as shards of guitar are cast. The LP feels extremely personal as the ongoing existential search unravels in real time, casting a calm but penetrating sense of uncertainty. Ortlieb’s will be hosting the band’s record release show this Saturday, August 11, supported by Summer Scouts, Last Full Measure, and Parrot Dream.

The hard-hitting duo of The Stone Eye will release their forthcoming album, The Meadow, on September 2. Guitar gradually awakens before pounding percussion truly announces the arrival of its title track. Stewing in the dusty unabashed heaviness pulls one into a vortex of sonic refuge. You can join them this evening at Century, where they will be part of a bill that also includes Almost Honest, Maharaja, and The Mountain Chiefs.

Gender Work recently released Disruption, a full-length series of synth-pop that could (at least temporarily) relax the tensions caused by the daily news cycle. In its place, warm vapors of keys, mingling with decisive backbeats, uncoil the body, breathing in a refreshing atmosphere. Gender Work is penciled into the lineup at South Philly’s Tralfamadore on Thursday, August 24, with Slow Clover, Missangelbird, and Busy Bee. (Photo by Sam Hollander)

Hometown heroes The War On Drugs have a new album coming out on August 25 via Atlantic Records, entitled A Deeper Understanding. To help warm up for their upcoming North American/European tour, the band played an intimate performance on June 8, 2017 at the beloved Bowery Ballroom, and while in NYC, they also stopped by Spotify Studios to lay down some promotional recordings, which included a cover of Warren Zevon’s "Accidentally Like A Martyr" (below), off his 1978 album Excitable Boy. You can catch The War On Drugs performing next in Philly on Thursday, September 21 at the Dell Music Center.