If emerging NYC bands are your passion, you shouldn’t miss the Make Music NY show at Spike Hill, featuring a smorgasbord of local up and coming acts, most of which were covered by The Deli at one point or another. Interesting to see that Mama Bear (whose debut record was our CD of the Month some time ago) changed name to "Weird Children." Amongst the artists we never covered, Slam Donahue (pictured) has the most intriguing sound, featuring lo-fi quirky electronic/distorted arrangements, super-catchy melodies and a soulful voice gifted with impressive range. Magnetic Island is as indie as indie gets – distorted guitars, tense atmopspheres, with a Sonic youth-like fascination for resolving dissonant chords – we recommend the track "Shake The Fog" (embedded here). The band just released a new EP that displays an evolution towards slower bpms and sparser psych roch atmospheres. Serica Ux sound like a mix of grunge guitars and dance rhythms.

1:45-Weird Children (ex Mama Bear) http://www.myspace.com/weirdweirdchildren
2:30 PM-Serica Ux http://www.myspace.com/sericau
3:15 PM-Quilty http://www.myspace.com/kcquilty
4:00 PM-Clouder (featuring members of Quiet Loudly and Telltale)
4:45 PM-Miniboone http://www.myspace.com/minibooneband
5:30 PM-Wild Yaks http://www.myspace.com/boyhoodforever
6:15 PM-Quiet Loudly http://www.myspace.com/quietloudly
7:00 PM-Gunfight! http://www.myspace.com/gunfightband
7:45 PM-Luff http://www.myspace.com/luff
8:30 PM-Diehard http://www.myspace.com/diehardnyc
9:15 PM-Magnetic Island http://www.myspace.com/magneticislandband
10:00 PM-Slam Donahue http://www.myspace.com/slamdonahue
10:45 PM-EULA http://www.myspace.com/eulamusic (CT)
11:30 PM-The Yes Way http://www.myspace.com/theyesway

Weird Owl is a band with its feet swamped in the days of yore. With an inspiration focused in revisiting the psychedelic trials of the past, they’ve now branched out to a heavy southern rock sound that weaves its way around 15 songs that lyrically work with anything and everything involving the outdoors, brotherhood and animals. Recorded upstate, the album reflects the environment surrounding it. Plodding, heavy guitars make their way into acoustic ballads, and together with stomping drums and pagan keyboards they get buried in a thick psychedelic fog that has the effect of eradicating the listener from their actual location. It’s a trip! See Weird Owl live at Union Pool on July 14. – Simon Heggie

"There is a song my mother used to sing to me as a child," burbles character Yon Yonson in a fake Russian accent, "It is called the Pennsylvania Polka…." Dolchnakov Brigade is one of the most hilarious bands in Brooklyn, with songs that defy logic even in their titles, like "Dating in Space" and "Onion is Underdog". Their sound is mostly electronic, and their show is a full-on spectacle, inspired by anything bizarre from Dadaism to The Residents to Devo, complete with flying onions, S&M imagery, and – of course! – scantily clad masked dancers banging drums. Check them out live for some fun times.

Big Mosey perks ears with its bluesy alternative rock sound and front-man Matt Jacob’s peculiarly deep and gritty vocals. The band has a solid live show driven by a strong (and loud) rhythm section. You can see them live at at Arlene’s Grocery on July 17.

These bands submitted their music digitally here.

 The Globes’ album Future Self, released by Barsuk Records in early May,  was produced by John Goodmanson, who also did albums with the likes of Blonde Redhead, Sleater Kinney, and Death Cab for Cutie- not shabby company for a debut LP.  

Future Self opener "Haunted By Bears" sets a precedent for the rest of the album.  Throughout, there are many dynamic shifts that in less practiced hands would come off as cloying or overly busy for the sake of being busy.  The track opens with a direct, full sound that is warm and dreamy until around the midway point, where the song climaxes in a blast of guitar noise, quickly rolling drums, and a mellifluous, urgent vocal melody riding over the waves repeating "Stay golden for me."  The song has several dynamic shifts after this, but what "Haunted By Bears" signals and the rest of the able maintains is a loving labor for song craft with interweaving lines that are never showy and always in accord.  

The band lineup is traditional guitar, bass,  and drum, but the ways in which these ambitious youngsters assemble their compositions is often striking in its diversity and complexity.  On "Stay Awake," The Globes seamlessly slide between mathy bass riffs, alt rock fist-pump swagger complete with solos that feel neither tacked on nor excessive, and rhythmic noise elements that create an ominous, if not downright foreboding atmosphere.  Future Self is a fully realized effort of dizzying post-rock at its most angst-filled and fulfilling.  The Globes have few comparative parallels with current indie bands- this is a  very good thing.    

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 Make Music New York & 316 Productions Present: HEAVY METAL PARKING LOT UNDER THE BQE! – Meeker St (at Union & Humboldt). It’s time to dust off the denim vest and zebra print cut-offs and enjoy the thunderous sounds of some of NYC’s best local metal bands. Featuring: La Otracina (in the picture), Wizardry, Thinning the Herd, Exemption, Gods Green Earth, SOS, Kills and Thrills, Prostitution Cue the Sun, Krystaleen  The show is free and all ages.

On Wednesday, June 29th New Jersey natives, Waking Lights will be releasing a self-titled EP at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 (169 Allen Street New York, NY 10002). Admission is free; set time 10:15pm. Here’s their brand new music video. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here). The Deli’s NYC Open Blog is powered by The Music Building.

Warm Ghost is a project by Paul Duncan which threads his love of 70’s disco and synth pop covered in a cold net of electronic noise. Having collaborated with many other Indie Rock stalwarts such as Grizzly Bear and Bear in Heaven, Duncan’s new project finds him mishmash multiple style’s from the 80’s while leaving their 1st single “Open the Wormhole in your heart” open to a number of multiple remixers. After releasing an EP in early 2011, the band is currently in the studio recording the upcoming ful llength. – Read Simon Heggie’s Q&A with the band here.

When Sara Lucas, Ryan Seaton and Don Godwin finally reconvened in Brooklyn, the three-piece band brought together style, intrigue and complex simplicity to create their latest full-length album, “Life of Love.” Lucas’ soulful vocals guide the intricately laid tracks, while the boys bring on a multitude of musical mastery, making each song unique and mesmerizing to the listener. Understated and yet extremely powerful, this band’s tunes play like a stripped down version of your favorite ‘90s rock album, consisting of serious guitar and percussion mastery while channeling a voice somewhat reminiscent of Dolores O’Riordan of The Cranberries. With a diverse background and a passion to challenge their musical creativity, the Callers are sure to bring inventive music and dazzling vocal command to wherever their travels take them. See Callers at Union Pool with Talk Normal on June 23. Callers debut was Deli CD of the month back in 2008. Read Christina Morelli’s interview with the band here.

Son Lux must have experienced profound loss. It is clear from "All The Right Things," the single off his sophomore album We Are Rising. "It’s not your fault/no it doesn’t have to be," he repeats over and over, as if to convince whoever he’s addressing that he’s taking the blame, which judging by the haunting atmosphere of the track, is a heavy cross to bear. Reminiscent of The Shins, Autolux and perhaps some early Of Montreal (that underwater-y vocal effect especially), Son Lux presents a dreamy and melodic soundscape, all the more impressive for its recording time (only a month) and the fact that NPR was tracking his every move. We Are Rising was released June 14th, and Son Lux will be hitting Public Assembly on June 28 with his album release show. – allison levin

 

Well finding a band name is always a horrible struggle (we have all been there) and literal names can be good at times…. but this Brooklyn based duo of Floridians could have made a little effort in that department. Worst name ever after Buke & Gass?
Anyhoo, names are not that important if the music is good – and it is in this circumnstance. TPPM create instrumental, atmospheric post-rock tunes with ambient, trip hop, lounge and occasional dub influences. Of course, electronics and samples abound in their tunes, streamlined and organized by Sean Sullivan’s eclectic drum style, which anchors the band’s music in the rock genre.
Two People Playing Music will play at Pianos on every Thursday in July.