Scottish post-rockers Mogwai have a new album out – Every Country’s Sun, and are currently on tour with Xander Harris, which will becoming to the TLA this Saturday, December 9. To enter for a chance to win a pair of tix, just send an email to thedelimagazinephiladelphia@gmail.com with the subject line "Coolverine". Please also include your cell number in the body of the message (in case of an emergency). Good luck! (Photo by Brian Sweeney)

Philly’s own Buddy Leezle recently dropped a new EP, titled Cocaine Castles. Produced by Bockman, its opening track couples elegant, enticing keys and rapid-fire snare, creating a silky, night-dwelling cruiser of a beat. Leezle is able to assert his relentless flow immediately. Pouncing on the possibilities, he doesn’t hold back, setting the table for what follows. It’s a smooth, confident display of talent from the seasoned emcee.

There’s a dramatic depth filtered through a timeless, eclectic, musical framework when one steps into the sonic surroundings of Lizdelise. Refined melodic strokes of sound penetrate to the core, hovering the threshold between stripped-down elegant restraint and exploratory, instrumentally detailed landscapes. Then those precisely thought-out, innately controlled tones are triggered into time-traveling overdrive between classical and contemporary, taking magical form. Tonight at Ortlieb’s, the duo is coupled with the incisively adventurous dream-folk of Sea Offs and the blooming folk-inflected pop rock of Nick Pope. – Michael Colavita

Other places to enjoy this global warming…

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Lizdelise, Sea Offs, SAT The Age Of Truth, Moons

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.)  FRI Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Dominic, SAT Killiam Shakespeare

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI The White Cheddar Boys

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Andorra (Album Release), Alright Junior, Knightlife/The Deadeyes, Yeenar, The River Bones Band/DJ Deejay, SAT Body Spray, Rad Captive/A Black Celebration: DJ Baby Berlin, DJ Jem/Retro/Future: DJ Paul T, DJ Sean Hearn, SUN Dark Waters End, Conflict Theory

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) SUN Girls Rock Philly Fall LRC Showcase

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI FlexSquad, Rio Sound

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St.) SAT Celeste Giuliano’s Pin-Up Peepshow

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Steal Your Face

TLA (334 South St.) SAT Beach Slang, Dave Hause

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Conjunto, SAT (Downstairs) Aaron West and The Roaring Twenties, Steady Hands, SUN (Upstairs) The Binary Sea, Tioga

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Boardwalk Kings, Mattress Food, Greedo’s Ghost, SAT Redhat vs Nobi, Malevil, SUN The Dividing Line

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Sheena & Tjhee Nosebleeds, Femme. Collective, George Engel Brooks, SAT S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D, SUN Pete Hill, Kirby & The Vibe Tribe

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT The Wayside Shakeup, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) SUN Outside Eyes, No Sailor

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI Siravo, Dead:Stop, SAT The Hook, Alec, Stewart, Ginny Mill, Brew

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI Above the Mendoza, Egocentric Plastic Men

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI The Last Emperor & Haak Filmore, Death By Bong, Burndown Allstars, XPresidents, SAT Control for Smilers, Bluestime

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Splintered Sunlight, The Quixote Project (Plays Garcia & Grisman), SAT iNFiNiEN, Gnarbot, SUN The Sherwood Brothers, Stella Ruze

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Downtrodder, Night Raids

Planet Phitness (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Marge, Clasp, Corey Flood

Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Canine 10, Plume, Erik Kramer

Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Yureka Cash

Equal parts confessional and self-veneration, Curtis Cooper’s latest offering begins without a shred of hesitation or apology. Starting off with the full throttle swell of “Freak Out,” Messy unfolds with a satisfying in-your-face bravado. As Cooper croons, “I dare to say that I’m not scared,” screeching riffs, hissing cymbals, and deliberately executed diction amplify the satisfying defiance of survival on your own terms and the intoxicating thrill of reveling in what other’s might consider flaws. A dance-worthy homage to vulnerability, “Freak Out” reminds listeners that it’s okay not to be okay and that sometimes the best way to save yourself is by embracing your inner chaos.

Throughout Messy’s second track, “Philly Jelly,” Cooper channels their inner Billy Corgan circa Machina of God, reviving the best of the grunge era’s zeitgeist. Passion laced with angst and yearning, the song captures the contradiction of being defined by external factors like lovers or hometowns. Through dissonance and sincerity, “Philly Jelly” proves itself to be a perfectly tempered exploration of how proximity can inform desire and a sense of belonging. Prefaced by a whispered countdown, “Crazy” shines a spotlight on Cooper’s softer side. With melodic licks of guitar and proclamations like “I heard your words and I fell for your lines,” the track is as much as it is a love song as it’s an anthem about hero worship. Disillusioned, yet nostalgic, it captures a far too often omitted perspective on romance and remembrance.

“Percs of Life,” prefaced by a calm yet evocative interlude, examines the highs and lows of life with initially sparse instrumentation that gradually blooms into gut-wrenching chords. When Cooper sings, “Time to feel alive again/time to be confined again,” the song, like an ouroboros, turns in on itself, resembling the cyclical nature of mortality implied by its lyricism. “Yeah, No,” a psych-infused melody, feels like a vivid fever dream, enveloping its listener in a brief yet lush soundscape reminiscent of a Devendra Banhart b-side or Brian Jonestown Massacre at their tamest.

With the similarly subtle yet instantaneously catchy “Jkayla,” they pick up the tempo. As the track progresses, it carves out an unpredictable topography of its own. By the time Cooper confesses, “I could have been you/I should have been you,” Messy’s listeners will believe them as if it each word was gospel truth. “Everyone Loves You” is a dark and brooding ballad about the thin line between love and objectification and the ever present promise of escape. Ending with “everyone loves/everyone loves you/everyone stays,” the tune sets the proverbial stage for the equally grim “Everybody’s Dying.” Whether the death in this song is literal or metaphorical, Cooper’s macabre lyrics and heavy riffs continue to echo in the minds of listeners as it eases into the LP’s second interlude.

The album’s closer, “Is It Real,” is a hushed yet existential meditation on love and the meaning of life. Here, Cooper’s fondness for the late great Elliott Smith shows, leaving their audience with a sense of melancholic nostalgia mixed with undertones of hope. Similar to 2016’s Laughing in a Line, Messy is required listening for any Philly native who considers themselves a music lover. Cooper’s anthems aren’t just timely; they’re necessary. (Photo by Abigail Townsend) – Dianca London

From its start with a nightmarish recollection, “Shrink House,” the new single from indie-rock trio The Insides, grabs one’s attention. There’s a resigned-to-fate strategy at work and an even-keeled disposition, steeping in sorrow. But that changes, and a heavier instrumental foothold flashes towards the finish line. Flipping the switch away from passivity, a new beginning emerges as the flame of the past burns out.

Though The Trust Fund Kids frontman Kevin Connor grew up in “a pretty socioeconomically privileged town in New Jersey,” he reveals that he’s “not really wealthy,” and is obviously an appreciator of satire. So we were happy to learn that Connor, Nik Slackman, and Jayson Butts will be putting our mixing and mastering prizes to good use in the coming year. Look out for a new single and hopefully a new album from the recently solidified trio in 2018, as well as more performances, but before all that happens, you can learn more about The Deli Philly’s recent Featured Artist(s) Poll Winner HERE.

“Stray” is featured on the EP Ivy Eyes from the tandem of Paige Pfleger and Aaron Sternick (Tinmouth), a.k.a. Plume. Rolling percussion and synth combine, inviting one into a lush atmosphere. That cozy vibe pairs well with Pfleger’s steady, heartfelt vocals, as remembrances of a relationship’s dawn are revealed in soothing waves. Plume is set to perform at Tralfamadore this Saturday, December 2, as part of a lineup that also Canine 10, Psychonaut, and Erik Kramer.

Beyond any astral imagery, space can be understood as the context in which creation happens. This concept plays a key role in the music of Tim Motzer, whose spontaneity and undulating harmony swells in the realms of ambient music, while retaining a presence that acts as a grounding force. Motzer’s newest album, titled “Soak,” was released on his own 1K Recordings label, and was captured during a live performance for Stockton University’s radio station WLFR. The recordings are mostly ambient sound structures, interwoven with bright guitars, not unlike Brian Eno and Robert Fripp’s album Evening Star. You can catch Motzer performing in his band Orion Tango on Sunday, December 17 at Ortlieb’s. – Josh Kelly

Comprised of Eric Freda (Wigwams), Michael Friedrich (Rahim), and Phil Sutton (Rahim, Wigwams), post-punk trio Heatmap recently released its debut EP Pulses, which was recorded by Uniform Recording’s Jeff Zeigler. Standout, “Again,” flows with a bass-pulsating thump. And with that pulse identified, devious, yearning vocals and jaggedly measured guitar licks produce a danceable air of mystery.

Commemorating the 2-year anniversary of Back To School, the hip-hop duo of Razor Boomarang recently issued the Hall Pass Edition. Omitting the transitional skit elements alters the overall tone, but at the same time, it offers a more playlist-friendly slate. The eclectic tracklist hovers showcasing a playful intensity. Sit back, let it spin, and learn a lesson.

Cat Park (Amanda X, Eight, All Bad, Bandname) consistently contributes new material to the local music scene. Tact pairs Park with drummer Jarret Nathan (Pears, All Bad, Ghost Light), and they recently shared their debut EP Interim, which barrels forward in a grunge/post-punk spectrum. The rhythm section churns following an aggressive track in steamroller fashion. However, that compact force of nature can step back in contemplative awareness, sorting through the overflow. The album was recorded by Evan Bernard and Chris Baglivo at Big Mama’s, and you can stream and download it for free below.

“Untitled.,” the latest single from Teef, incorporates a sense of focus and urgency over a soul-sampled beat. Produced by Lex Mason, the track is set in the dim chill of the present/winter. There’s a duality of hustle and composure taking the immediate steps, without looking too far into the future. The artist sees past the dreariness, with a "won’t stop" determination.