Philadelphia

Purling Hiss & Nightlands Featured in Spin’s “5 Best New Artists for January ’13”

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So it looks like Spin is starting to discover how rad Philly’s music scene is (which we’ve all obviously known for a while now). The music publication just featured Purling Hiss and Nightlands in their post about "5 Best New Artists for January ’13." While most of our readers are probably thinking "they’re not really new," it’s still nice to be mentioned. After all, you should always understand that you need to give the old guys some time to catch up. You can check out the blurbs about our hometown heroes HERE.

Philadelphia

The Deli Philly’s January Album of the Month: Wolf Like a Stray Dog – Norwegian Arms

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Norwegian Arms’ debut LP Wolf Like a Stray Dog is a solid and short one. The album is over in a flash, with all the tracks, minus one, clocking in under two and a half minutes. The songs are snapshots, but they do not feel cut short despite their limited runtime. It is more an in-and-out effectiveness of punks Minor Threat or Bad Brains. The lyrics on the album are just great. Mulvihill could have easily allowed the album to rely on its poetic strength, but instead, with the help of Dr. Dog’s Eric Slick, among others, he was able to capture the emotions of the words, and counter them with a prancing, percussive folk sound.
 
The minimalist opening of “And Then I Found Myself in Taiga” introduces the listener to singer/mandolin player Brendan Mulvihill’s quivering tenor and ruminant, gentle lyrics. A lot of Norwegian Arms’ appeal up until this album were those sticking points, but as soon as they introduce Mr. Slick’s dynamic percussion, it changes the way that you look at the band entirely. The sound from previous demos is really flipped on its head, and suddenly the mandolin is complimenting the tribal percussion that is the heartbeat of the LP. The opening track is significantly more put together than anything the band had released before, which is not to say the lo-fi approach didn’t have its benefits, but the sound on this album realizes the songs in a way that a lo-fi approach could not.
 
The title track “Wolf Like a Stray Dog” has an animalistic charm of Animal Collective’s Sung Tongs – both in subject and the primal nature of the song itself. Maybe it is a cop out, but there were numerous times when I heard that era of AnCo in Norwegian Arms. There are dynamic similarities, thematic similarities and vocal similarities. That is a compliment by the way.
 
Another rewarding listen on the record is “She Lives in a Secret Town,” which also showed up on their Trimming of Hides EP. If you really want to understand how the new recordings changed their sound for the better, just listen to both versions of that song, and you will get it. Simple things like the sparse lead guitar do wonders for the song. “Soviet Bicycle” has a hypnotic repetition to it. It is a dizzying listen, and fully captures the bike ride that the band takes you on. The song is really clever in that way, and for that matter, the whole album. One of the earlier tastes that we sampled of the LPwas “Tired of Being Cold”; the ever relatable lament about not only being cold, but self-reflection and the inevitability of aging. The record closes with the declarative, bouncy “Pu-Erh.” The song removes you from the cold being sung about, and places you in a sandy oasis where your only obligations are to relax and enjoy. 
 
Wolf Like a Stray Dog is fully immersive. It is a cocoon to protect from external surroundings. At the same time, it obsesses about external surroundings while displaced. Throughout the record, you can hear Mulvihill question and reaffirm his purpose. He does so with vignettes – some seemingly unrelated but all ultimately essential. There is a lot to say for an album with no filler. It is melodic, it is therapeutic, and it is truly fulfilling. – Adam G. 

Philadelphia

Q.D. Tran’s 40 Favorite Philly Releases of 2012

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Every year I never have the intention of making a year-end list, but then I start seeing others rolling out, and think to myself – why not? There are plenty of Philly releases that deserve to be mentioned each year. I might as well give into the fact that another one will be coming next year. 2012 is/was a great year for local releases. I started off wanting to keep my list to 20, and obviously things didn’t go as I had planned. I just kept coming across more albums that I felt should be included. I finally decided to cap it off at 40 (though I still could’ve added more – my apologies to those who weren’t mentioned) or else I would’ve never gotten around to getting it up. Well, here is my final post of 2012. I look forward to seeing you on the other side. Happy New Year, and cheers!!! – Q.D. Tran

 

1. Spacin’ – Deep Thuds (Richie)

 

2. Lushlife – Plateau Vision (Western Vinyl)

 

3. Ghost Light – Awful Feelings (Single Girl Married Girl)

 
4. Cousin Brian – First (Mallrat)

 
5. TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb – Manufacturing Joy (Self-released)

 
6. Dr. Dog – Be the Void (ANTI-)
7. Hop Along – Get Disowned (Hot Green)
8. Asaad – White (Self-released)
9. Daniel Bachman – Seven Pines (Tompkins Square)  
10. Work Drugs – Drift (Bobby Cahn/State Capital)
11. Streetwalkers – Cassette One (Self-released)
12. Cold Fronts – Pretty American (Self-released)
13. Grande Marshall – 800 (Self-released)
14. Vacationer – Gone (Downtown)
15. Ape School – Junior Violence (Hometapes)
16. Gracie – Treehouse (Small Plates)
17. Radiator Hospital – Some Distant Moon (Forward)
18. PO PO – Dope Boy Magick (Mad Decent)
19. Swearin’ – Swearin’ (Salinas)
20. Meek Mill – Dreamchaser 2 (Self-released)
21. Family Band – Grace & Lies (No Quarter)
22. Sun Airway – Soft Fall (Dead Oceans)
23. White Birds – When Women Played Drums (Grizzly)
24. Wrecking Crew – Wu Tang Pulp (Self-released)
25. Arc in Round – Arc in Round (La Société Expéditionnaire)
26. Nothing – Downward Years to Come (A389)
27. Far-Out Fangtooth – The Thorns (HoZac)
28. Residuels – Residuels (Self-released)
29. Rich Mystics – LOVERDOSE (Self-released)
30. Orbit to Leslie – Whitemarsh Woods (Self-released)
31. Power Animal – Exorcism (Human Kindness Overflowing)
32. Lantern – Dream Mine (Bathetic)
33. Buried Beds – Small Stories (Self-released)
34. Brendan Codey – Casco (Treetop Sorbet)
35. Laser Background – Laser Background (Stroll On)
36. Ghost Ship – Golden Girls (Self-released)
37. Cheers Elephant – Like Wind Blows Fire (Self-released)
38. Strand of Oaks – Dark Shores (Self-released)
39. Chris Forsyth – Kenzo Deluxe (Northern Spy)
40. Night Sins – New Grave (Avant!)
 
Philadelphia

The War on Drugs Close Out 2012 w/Sold Out Shows at JB’s Dec. 30 & 31

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This year saw The War on Drugs continuing their touring ways in support of 2011’s critically-acclaimed album Slave Ambient and performing at huge events like Lollapalooza and the CBGB Festival. Adam Granduciel recently mentioned that he has booked some studio time down south in March to begin recording new material, which is always good to hear. But judging by the time it took for their most recent LP to be finished, who knows when it will see the light of day? I’m guessing that only the rock gods do. Well, before all that occurs, the band will be wrapping up 2012 with two SOLD OUT shows at Johnny Brenda’s that will see a portion of the ticket proceeds going to MANNA. Tonight they’ll be joined by Alex Bleeker and the Freaks (featuring members of Real Estate) and Arc in Round, who also had a good year thanks to their self-titled LP being released via La Société Expéditionnaire. The War on Drugs’ New Year’s Eve bash will feature performances by the impressive Avery Rosewater and the explosive guitar-laden dirge of Purling Hiss. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford St., 9pm, Dec. 30 & Dec. 31 SOLD OUT, 21+ – Bill McThrill

Philadelphia

The Starting Line SILYMI 10-Year Anniversary Tour at E Factory Dec. 30

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The primal impulse to tie your hometown to an epoch of music is as old as time. It’s often associated with genres of a certain vintage. And Philly is far from barren of genres that sprang up on its streets. It’s a victory for the Millennial set of Philly, though, that pop-punk has endured since the TRL days, when The Starting Line first put out their buoyant debut Say It Like You Mean It. Now, after a career studded with fest appearances and side projects such as frontman Kenny Vasoli’s Vacationer, they’re celebrating the albums ten-year anniversary, highlighted by a sure to be jam-packed, sold out show tonight at the Electric Factory. Anyone who ever bobbed their head to “Best of Me” on the way to study hall in the morning will be hard pressed to resist the emotional tug of this reunion. Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 8pm, SOLD OUT, All Ages – Alyssa Greenberg

Philadelphia

rjd2 Constructing & Deconstructing Sound at TLA Dec. 29

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Master sonic manipulator rjd2 is set to perform tonight at the TLA. Known for his free-flowing constructions, which stretch a wide range of the musical quilt, but are centralized in the hip-hop arena, rjd2 re-imagines melodic organization, deconstructing the elemental only to later build them up into a fresh organic chemistry of sound. The results shine a spotlight on what sonic interplay is all about, not only stimulating the mind, but also allowing the body and booty to let go. He’ll also be pulling double duty opening for himself when he teams up with Roots collaborator Aaron Livingston for their soulful project Icebird. Also rounding out the bill will be the funky hip-hop combination of Hezekiah and Tone Whitfield known as Johnny Popcorn. TLA, 334 South Street, 8pm, $35 day of show/$47 VIP, All Ages (Photo by Concerted Effort) – Michael Colavita

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, December 28 – 31

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New Year’s Eve weekend is finally here giving the lucky few five days to do nothing but party down if they want. Where should you be when the ball drops? Obviously, hanging with us at our NYE party with Dangerous Ponies, Arrah and the Ferns, Slutever and Conversations with Enemies, who were just added to bill. Where are we going be? Well, not in West Philly as we originally planned due to the pitfalls of having it at a DIY venue, but we have a great space in Kensington to break some laws NYE Philly style. Keep yourself tuned in to the site for more details on how you can join us in being criminals!

 
Other things to get you in trouble this weekend…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Modern Inventors Release Show w/Hezekiah Jones, Shark Tape, SUN The War on Drugs, MON The War on Drugs
 
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI City Rain, SAT La Capitana, Ballroom Spies, Sacrificial Blood, Entrenched, Heathen
 
Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St.) SAT Swearin’, MON Making Time NYE
 
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) SAT The World At Large, Sunshine Acid Tabs, Terrible Friends, Pete Groch
 
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI North End, Joint Cheifs of Math, We Were Skeletons
 
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Holiday Hurrah! ft. Language Problem, Homesick Elephant, Gretchen Lohse, Thomas Hughes (of The Spinto Band), Mike Schmidt, Nicole Erin Carey, Spacey Raygun,The White Hat, Conquaranelly, Ryan Williams, Physical Illusion, MON Girl Scouts
 
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Undertow, SAT Dirk Quinn Band, SUN Leana Song
 
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI Mike Brenner
 
TLA (334 South St.) FRI Chill Moody, Jade Alston, Mont Brown, Pate, SAT rjd2, Balam Acab, Johnny Popcorn
 
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI GAPE, Public Noise, Cloud Nine, Singularity, Greenjeans, Kick Back Tomorrow, SAT The Static Locals, In Nomine Patris, Popped Collar Nigstas, 3rd Times a Charm, Xero Gravity, All To Blame, Shane Henderson & The Future Perfect, MON Brothers Past
 
Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.) SUN The Starting Line, MON Octane
 
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Ground Up, Guy Harrison, Pooda Dappa, SAT Black Thought, Reef The Lost Cause, Mic Stew, Rowboat Casino, SUN New Sound Brass Band, Bohemian Sunrise
 
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI LightPoint, SAT Keystone Mountain Boys, SUN Rusty Cadillac, MON Toy Soldiers, The Districts
 
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Mike Maguire, SAT Teddi Tarnoff & The Northern Lights, Chevonne, Loud Company, SUN Philadelphia Jug Band, MON Dukes of Destiny
 
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI Commonwealth Choir, Cold Roses
 
Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI Estimated Profit, SAT Dancing Days, SUN Tom & Tony’s Acoustic Rock Duo
 
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) SAT Moosh & Twist, Tayyib Ali, HAHA-YO, The Bakery Boys
 
The Barbary (951 N. Frankford St.) SAT Middlebrain, Good Graces
 
Maggot House (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for details.) MON Stinky Smelly, Bleeding Fractals, The Hundred Acre Woods, Roof Doctor
 
Mt. Thrashmore (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for details.) SUN Cool Points, Mumblr
 
Golden Tea House (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for details.) MON Jet Set Sail, The Glow in the Darks, Townhouses
 
Sprinkle Kingdom (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for details.) FRI Crybaby