Fellow Boston-area blogger Kristin Nicholls (who operates the local music review Bishop and Rook) will be hosting a night of punk rock on February 15th in conjunction with RTT Presents and Refuse Rethink Rebuild Records at O’Brien’s Pub in Allston, MA. The lineup is packed with energy from start to finish with performances from Shambles, Rebuilder, Save Ends and Laureate (Montreal). The show also happens to fall on Kristin’s 30th birthday, so stop by, wish her a happy birthday, drink some PBRs and listen to some totally rad local (and international) tunes.

The show starts at 8PM. $8 cover, 21+. Proper ID required.

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

On last September’s Young Luck EP, Sorority Noise bridges the gap between pop punk and alternative rock. At just under eight minutes, the four-song collection is a quick escapade into catchy hooks and precise rhythms. Opening track “Queen Anne’s Lace,” with its sea of distorted guitars and nonchalant vocals, should be enough to get you hooked, while later songs “Mediocre at Best” and “Still Shrill” explore the feelings of insecurity inherent to most twenty-somethings. On the former, vocalist Cameron Boucher laments “Nobody likes me – that’s what I tell myself.” The latter tugs at pop punk the most, with choppy guitar riffs and shouted back-up vocals as Boucher decides that to “close my eyes to feel more like myself” after comparing himself to his mother and ex-girlfriends. Young Luck is available on Bandcamp now and the band is nearing the completion of its next as-yet-untitled release. – Jake Reed

This Memorial Day weekend, Massachusetts-based music festival Boston Calling will be returning to captivate fans in Downtown Boston. Now entering its second year, festival organizers are preparing for their biggest turnout — and arguably best lineup — yet.

Co-founders Brian Appel and Mike Snow (formerly of The Boston Phoenix and WFNX radio), have been working diligently since the festival’s inception to create a concert weekend that can satisfy even the most critical of New England music fans. “We try to put a festival together that speaks to the people of the Greater Boston area” says Appel, noting that the festival aims to appeal to music fans all across New England, in addition to its central focus on the City of Boston.

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On February 27, two of Boston’s brightest female singer-songwriters will take over Club Passim. Audrey Ryan, who has shared the stage with Suzanne Vega (of “Tom’s Diner” fame), has a smooth voice reminiscent of Vega’s. Her brand of unorthodox folk finds the self-proclaimed "one-man band" playing with a loop station and instruments from the typical (guitar) to the unexpected (vibraphone, accordion). Jenee Halstead is another soft-voiced singer with a strong knack for telling story through song. Check out 2012’s “Raised By Wolves,” where she laments over a simple guitar strum and guitar click that “nothing can hurt [her] now” thanks to an unusual upbringing. Tickets to the even, which starts at 7 p.m. at Club Passim in Cambridge, can be purchased here. – Jake Reed

Readers of The Deli New England, with 478 votes, your choice for the 2013 Best Emerging Artist Readers’ Poll: Mals Totem. Last year, the band was covered by the likes of Berklee College of Music, Allston Pudding and, of course, yours truly. With a vocalist that can chameleon across the band’s range of styles and tempos, the band’s eponymous EP is certainly worthy of repeat listening. Check back for an interview with the guys soon, and in the meantime, take a listen to the Mals Totem EP below.

Amherst’s Rusty Belle is the second place winner in our 2013 Readers’ Poll. The folksters finished with 461 votes, just 17 behind the poll’s winner, Mals Totem. The band’s mix of folk, country and blues is unique enough, but it’s the myriad of vocal styles keeps things interesting from song to song. “Devil in your Smile” showcases a deep male growl, while “Sad Little Boys” finds Kate Lorenz sounding like a more attentive Lana del Rey. Want even more reason to love the band? In addition to Zak Trojano, the trio features brother and sister Matt and Kate Lorenz. Check out the band’s Facebook page for a list of upcoming shows, including a February 5 gig in Cambridge and a stop in Proctorville, Vermont on February 15. – Jake Reed

And The Kids takes third place in The Deli New England’s 2013 Readers’ Poll. The Northampton-based band released its Neighbors EP in September amidst a flurry of shows in Western Massachusetts and across New England. The all-female trio’s blend of strong vocals and sparkly indie rock comes with a pinch of clever lyricism too; for instance, “You’re making money but you make no sense,” the ladies chant on “Wiser.” Take a listen to Neighbors below and catch And The Kids at T.T. the Bear’s Place on February 13 or at Burlington’s Radio Bean Coffeehouse on the 21^st. – Jake Reed

Massachusetts-based arts and culture community organization Boston Hassle (yes, the same awesome people who put on the epic Hassle Fest music festival last fall) has recently launched a Patron 21 campaign in support of the organization’s popular print newspaper, The Boston Compass. The Compass is a major source of local music news (show listings, CD reviews), as well as art and film happenings all around the city of Boston.

For those of you unfamiliar with Patron 21 (as I was), it is a consistent, monthly giving platform, similar to Kickstarter or Indiegogo. The main difference is that individuals can donate any amount (even as little as $2), which is deducted once each month, for a year (though donors are able to adjust the amount of their contribution or opt-out at any time). Instead of only spending your hard-earned money on boring things like car insurance and utilities each month, why not set aside a few bucks to help keep the arts and music scene alive and well in the Greater Boston area?

For more information about Boston Hassle and The Compass, check out www.bostonhassle.com. If you’re intrigued by the artwork for this article, check out Courtney White’s (the artist) website here.
 

-Dan McMahon (@dmcmhn)

The TeleVibes’ Washed Up is the perfect merger of garage and surf rock. You can picture sitting on a driveway in lawn chairs in July while the band plays “Today” behind you, or local skaters using “Let’s Go” to soundtrack their latest film. The album begins on a light note: "Gnar’d" is a (comparatively) easy listen, with its simple chord progression, flanger-aided guitar solo and super catchy chromatic hook. As the EP progresses, the vocals slowly become more processed and muffled, as if they’re being sung through a megaphone gradually being buried in the sand, until becoming barely intelligible on "Today" and "Let’s Go." The effect, however, works to the band’s advantage, turning the vocals into one more instrument amongst a sea of distorted and reverb-heavy guitars. If you’re ready to start building up your playlist for the summer of 2014, Washed Up is a good place to start. – Jake Reed

Released last August, Eastern Phoebes’ Sprouts is everything you could ask for from an indie pop EP: short, to the point, and most importantly sweet. Across its five songs, the set captures upbeat chord progressions and cheery vocal melodies sung with a restraint that keeps them from distracting from the rest of the music at hand. The best song here is “Rolling Nightmare, I Believe In You,” which nears the sonic weirdness of psychedelic rock on its unpredictable chorus. If you’re a brass fan, press play on “Science + Mysticism,” which makes great use of the trombone on its simple hook, and later “If I Could Ever Disappear,” which uses the instrument to end the EP on a bright note. Mark your calendars to catch the band at the Wharf Pub in Newport, Rhode Island, on February 22. – Jake Reed

From the envelope-filtered opening bass line of "Easy As Bicycles," it’s clear that Rippin’ E Brakes’s self-titled album is not a cookie cutter rock set. "Propane," despite its references to Japanese guitars and Canadian whiskey, is an ode to country music, complete with banjos and Americana guitars imported straight from the South. Later, the band honors a “Big Woman” that keeps them protected from the cops – and well fed in the meantime. On “Bailed,” the guys experiment with a funky synth and a Spanish guitar-tinged guitar solo that hints at Santana’s most popular work. With four vocalists and an endless barrel of sonic surprises, we can’t wait to hear what’s next from this New Hampshire five-piece. For now, you can check them out at the Bucket Deck at New Hampshire’s Water Valley Resort on February 8, or their Valentine’s Day set at Chen Yang Li in Concord, NH. – Jake Reed

It’s hard to contemplate categorizing the Blue Moves’ sound without immediately thinking “fun” and “energetic.” On The Shape We’re In, released this month to Spotify, the Boston-based five-piece packs a punch into ten new songs. Of course, the album has its slow gems as well – check out “Come Home to Me,” which sounds like a nostalgic cover of Matchbox 20’s heyday hits. The band uses its dual lead vocalists to its advantage as well: just take a listen to Andy Reed and Megan Brown’s shared duties on the set’s title track. The Shape We’re In is available on Spotify and iTunes now. – Jake Reed