“Down,” the latest release from the duo of Marian Hill, begins with the graceful, jazz-oriented keys paving the way for Sam Gongol’s elegant vocals. As your swept into the seductive subtlety, the afterburners of a glitchy, electro-percussive beat kick in. That low, warming flame switches gears into a hyperactive call to action, before simmering down and then raising it up again. The heat rises, yet Gongol maintains her cool.

Krust Toons: "Practice Genres" by Teddy 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.

Nothing premiered a new music video for "Vertigo Flowers" earlier today over at Noisey. The paint splattered footage was directed by documentary filmmaker and videographer Don Argott (The Art of the Steal). The band was warned that "the paint would burn their eyes, taste bad in their mouth, and be very cold," and there could only be one take. The single is off Nothing’s forthcoming album, Tired of Tomorrow, which comes out May 13 via Relapse Records.

After declaring it quits yet continuing to play sporadic shows, Prowler have just officially released a new four-song EP, Trash Bag. It comes nearly four years after the noisy space-boogie crew’s presumedly last album 2012’s Y’all Don’t Know. There is a limited run of 50 cassettes available, and you can stream and purchase the record below.

Check out Live At Second Empire Philadelphia! The compilation was released via Mace Canister Recordings, and it features live performances by 24 bruising Philly underground punk acts such as Blank Spell, Dopestroke, Telepathic, Haldol and many others. All proceeds from the album will go to DIY space Second Empire so don’t hesitate to donate.

Tonight, Petal, a.k.a. Kiley Lotz, fills out a bill of acts similarly rooted in emotive rock. Each group has their own take on influences young and old, forging tunes that sound fresh and familiar. Lotz’s versatility as a songwriter is often on display, from her debut LP Shame, released in September on Run For Cover Records, to her use of a rotating backing band. From slow-burning ballads to sparse acoustic laments, Petal’s songs are anchored by the musical Swiss army knife of Kiley Lotz’s commanding voice. Also, on the bill is Philly’s The Superweaks, whose power-pop braggadocio and crunchy guitar riffs always make for a good time. A simple name tweak is certainly not stopping this band, who just last year were on tour with Brand New, from making noise. The pairing is not surprising, considering the nostalgia factor that binds these bands and fans alike. The show is headlined by Somos from Boston, who recently embarked on a tour with Petal and The Superweaks as support. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 8pm, $12, All Ages – Adam G.

Abi Reimold lets go of her everyday life, and finds her inner punk chicken(?) in her new music video for "Mask." The footage was directed by Jay Miller, capturing the universal feeling a lot of us experience in our daily lives and finds a humorous way to unmask what really lies underneath. Reimold will perform next in Philly, backed by a full band, on Tuesday, March 15 at Johnny Brenda’s supporting tour bud Curtis Cooper‘s album release. (Photo by Michael Ash Smith)

Evil Sword aids in accelerating the weirdness this evening at Kung Fu Necktie. Kate Ferencz‘s vocals and the mile-marking bass lines create a playful, haunting scenario. Those theatrically twisted tales narrated by Ferencz march through the narrow alleyways, gathering a following with its minstrel harkening bells and whistles. An eerie, tormenting backdrop taps at your door as the rhythm infiltrates your head, demanding participation; subconsciously, you’ll follow. Tonight, the space-altering, electro-synth soundscapes of Hallowed Bells provide a dreamy mind-cleanse needed as the week ends. Touring in support of their fresh full-length Songs from the Shoebox, The Snails headline churning enthusiastic rockers, peppered with precise, free-flowing instrumentation and soulful, etching vocals. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7pm, $14 (Sold Out), 21+ – Michael Colavita

Modern Baseball premiered two songs yesterday from their forthcoming album Holy Ghost, over at NPR Music. The MB team is co-captained by songwriters Jake Ewald and Brendan Lukens, who will each be getting their own sides on the new record to sort through snapshots of their lives, working to make sense of it all. Ewald does so with the steady jogging pace of "Everyday," while Lukens goes the anthemic route with "Apple Cider, I Don’t Mind." Holy Ghost, which was produced by Joe Reinhart (The Headroom), is set to drop on May 13 via Run For Cover Records, and Modern Baseball is scheduled to head out on a girthy tour, with Thin Lips and Joyce Manor, that starts towards the end of May and will run into the beginning of July, with a stop home on Sunday, June 26 at The Fillmore.

Yasss – what a nice surpise! Here’s a new EP, III (Wilsuns RC/Static Shock Records), from garage-punks and former Deli Philly Artist of the Year, Sheer Mag. Starting tomorrow, the band will be spending most of its spring into summer on the road with stops at Coachella and Primavera Sound – DANG. And you can catch them back in town again on Tuesday, April 12 at DIY space Vox Populi, because that’s how Philly rolls. You can also check out Sheer Mag’s new music video for the track "Nobody’s Baby," which was directed by Nancy Shirley.