In the ongoing search to find musical treasures, Sandcastle provides a reliable source of riches. The band’s latest EP Bloodstone Mermaid exudes a mystical, enchanting, glam-folk level of intimacy. A pensive, candlelight aesthetic envelops the softly-sung, spindly-strummed selection, retaining a delicate, engaging fragility. On Thursday, April 12, Sandcastle will be performing at Ortlieb’s as part of a lineup that alo includes Line Leader, Cookie Tongue, and Cóq.

Wrecking Crew compatriots Curly Castro & Zilla Rocca combine forces as Grift Company. “Billy Batts” serves as the appetizer to their forthcoming, soon-to-be-released EP. Jumping out the gates and not looking back, the duo meshes the grimy, side-street-stepping sound, with a cool-headed, graceful delivery. The pressure may be turned up, but this tandem, in contrast with what their name suggests, delivers the goods.

Chris Diehm (Thin Lips, Year Of Glad, 1994!) and Evan Dwyer (The Battlefields Studio) add up to the musical duo of Algebra. The band’s debut EP Die Noisily exasperatingly accelerates as its components skillfully combine. The well-oiled, instrumental machine rumbles through the streets with Diehm’s vocals illustrating an accessible, emotive angle, balancing the momentous force of the music. (Photo by Scott Troyan)

Krust Toons: "…At Every Show" 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.

Clone Age, the forthcoming album from Philly punk outfit Dark Web, will be released this summer via Erste Theke Tonträger, a record label based in Mannheim, Germany. “Robot Dreams” is a rippin’, sci-fi fantasy that playfully tears through to the future. The accompanying video by Linda Jean quilts together classic images of space and psych strangeness that may seem more like nightmares to most. Be afraid…be very afraid!

Kississippi, a.k.a. Zoe Reynolds, has shared the release date for her forthcoming album, Sunset Blush, due out April 6. Reynolds is currently on a hefty U.S. tour with Beach Slang and Dashboard Confessional. Below is her latest single "Easier to Love," which teeters between holding on to one’s independence and sacrificing one’s self to be with another. How much is enough, and how much is too much?

Sundays are usually a good day to wind down and reset for the workweek, but if you are looking to squeeze in some more sweet tunes before you return to your studies or that job you should have left months ago, head on over to Johnny Brenda’s! You’ll find the beautifully melodic garage-pop of The Vernes kicking off the festivities with a new batch of tunes, helping you to forget the trials and tribulations of life. However, if you are ready to delve deep into the corners of your mind, the contemplative tunes of indie darling Abi Reimold will surely help to stir up some emotions that you just might not have known were there. All this rad local support will be leading the way to the synth-pop concoctions of Nawlins duo Video Age. (Abi Reimold Photo by Bob Sweeney) – H.M. Kauffman

Other places where you can wait for spring to arrive already…

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Philly Loves Phife & ATCQ, SUN Abi Reimold, The Vernes

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Taggart, Thee Glitterbombs

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Northern Liberties/Ramona, Tiny Hueman/DJSC/Trieves, SAT Earth Telephone, Tact/Shawn Kilroy/Fame Lust/Stateschoolgirl, Leo, Phil Yeah, SUN Blank Pill, Tim Motzer

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SUN Loverlorn

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Andrea Valle, SAT Heavens Edge

The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) SUN In the Presence of Wolves

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Deb Callahan Band, SAT (Upstairs) DJ Rahsaan, (Downstairs) Echoes, SUN (Upstairs) Sistahs Attune

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Wrong Planet, SAT The Parsnip Revolt, Civil Holdup, Zupang

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI DJ HA

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Heavy Temple, High Reeper (Release Show), Hound, SAT Tioga, Vanderlyle, SUN American Trappist, Jackson Pines

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Internal Rhyme, Tiani Victoria, Kohn, The Digital Crates, Balmour, OG Juan Shinobi, SAT The Rectors, RunHideFight, SUN Voltheque, The Dull Blue Lights/Knightlife, Los Festingos, Curtis Jr.

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) FRI Dave Joyce, SAT Possum Kingdom, Lithium, SUN Reece Stacks

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) SAT DJ Deejay

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

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI Ty Asoudegan, Paulette Branson & Mixed People, Chad Jenkins Band, Michaela DeBenedictis, SAT Primatives (Album Release), Andorra, Knightlife, At Best, The Good Mess

Century Bar (1350 S. 29^th St.) FRI Resilient, SAT Clamfight, Goat Wizard

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI Left To Vanish, SAT DJ Mighty Mike Saga

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI Philly’s Foxes/DJ Chris Urban, SAT DJ Brian Toll

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Xpresidents, SAT Jac with no K, Easily Fooled, Tyler Asay

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Splintered Sunlight, Control For Smilers, SAT Cabin Dogs, SUN The Whiskeyhickon Boys

Creep Records (1050 N. Hancock St.) FRI Heavensake, Midfield

Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Dark Thoughts, Loose Tooth, SUN Mavis The Dog

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Fred Beans, Tristan Kavanagh, SAT DJ-Sun, The GoAround/Slow Reader, Patches and Pins

Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Rebecca Zimmerman

JJ’s Diner (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Coping Skills, Snakeboy

Hole Foods (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Slaughter Beach, Dog, Sleepy Freak, Greg Mendez, Moto Surf

Open to Most Things (Bolied Records), the second full-length album by Philadelphia’s Pulgas, a two-piece consisting of Simon Martinez and Zane Shields is a tundra of spectral delight. Its a sonic quest that is as cogent as it is unhinged. The record’s nine tracks contain multitudes, offering its listener new delights upon each return to their world. The compositions are complex yet surprisingly digestible, with dense atmospheres hovering over intricate rhythmic sequences and playful melodic components. – Josh Kelly

Post-punk trio Control Top just premiered "Type A," the first single from the band’s forthcoming debut LP, Covert Contracts, over at Stereogum. The project was founded by vox/bassist Ali Carter, who has recruited drummer Alex Lichtenaur (HIRS) and guitarist Al Creedon (Bleeding Rainbow, I IM EYE MY), to help her unleash a bit of noise and fury on innocent (and not-so-innocent) bystanders. They’ll be kicking off a run of shows with Empath at Space 1026 on Wednesday, March 28, along with punk outfit Dark Thoughts.

The new self-titled album from Three Man Cannon is now available via Lame-O Records. The quartet spins subtle, melodic indie rock/pop that’s personally inviting and earnest. The beauty of that barrier-free storytelling creates a connection, as one becomes immersed in the warmth of the instrumentation, which while pleasantly mellow, escalates at optimal moments, before laying back in a casual stroll that is well called upon. It’s the type of record that grows on you with each additional listen, as you pick up on any number of nuances. You can join Three Man Cannon at their record release show on Sunday, April 15 at Johnny Brenda’s.

Aidan Peterson, a.k.a. Instupendo, teams up with Teen Daze for “Fleur,” the second single featured on his forthcoming sophomore EP Faces I Know, which is slated for release on April 3. Gentle vocal harmony marries with the tender touch of keys and percussion in a beautiful fantasy state. A refreshing cascade of sound cleanses the spirit as one begins anew. On Friday March 30, Coda will be hosting Instupendo, who will be there to support Digitalism. You can still enter for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the show HERE!

Spring Onion, a.k.a. Catherine Dwyer, is set to release a new album, I Did My Taxes For Free Online, on April 13 via Sleeper Records. On the release, Dwyer enlists the aid of Remember Sports bandmates Carmen Perry and Jack Washburn as well as Santi Slade and Peter Gill (Friendship, Hour). The album’s first single/title-track quietly cracks the door, as an acoustic guitar pattern sets the course and the warm whine of pedal steel reinforces, beckoning inwards. A personal narrative of embracing/valuing the mundane activities of daily life follows. The musical fabric appears simple at first; however, the components mingle in a cohesive, shimmering manner.