Luluc‘s Zoë Randell and Steve Hassett came to NYC via Melbourne, Australia, and have been winning over audiences through constant performances, mostly in the Lower East Side. The band has an austere and genuine character, which is a rarity in the NYC music scene. Randell sings a beautiful alto and plays a parlor guitar from the 1890s, while Steve plays a nylon string from the ‘50s. The band is very much focused on the craft of songwriting, putting meticulous detail into the studio sound. Since the album’s release, the duo has begun to taste commercial success, touring with Fleet Foxes, Jose Gonzalez and Lucinda Williams. – Read Alex Borsody interview with the band here.

Quiet Lights have been gathering quite a lot of attention lately in the blogosphere with their ethereal and sometime dissonant dream pop. The Brooklyn band just release a this new video of the song Break Trouble Wait. The band will also play Rock Shop on march 1st.

Railbird isn’t afraid of void nor silence. Split between the isolated wilderness of upstate NY (where they converged in March of 2009 in a friend’s A-frame cabin surrounded by snow) and the crowded lonesomeness of NYC, this band produces sparse music that speaks to the heart – and can be comforting to both the lonely and the stressed out. Sarah Pedinotti’s theatrical vocals tell stories about everyday life, while her backing band creates a beautifully balanced soundtrack that doesn’t shy away from being occasionally playful. We are impressed with these guys, we recommend you check them out at their CD release party at Rockwood Music Hall on 02.24.

Featured on the cover of one of The Deli’s early issues, Parts and Labor have stuck around and evolved from their furious industrial-punk beginnings to the current sound reminiscent of Hüsker Dü‘s immarcescible noise-pop. On March 8, P&L will celebrate the release of the new album with a show at Monster Island Basement in their hometown of Brooklyn, NY (Check out the band’s video flyer HERE). From there they will be touring to this year’s South by Southwest Music Festival, with fellow Brooklynites and Deli favorites Pterodactyl. Pterodactyl’s guitarist Joe Kremer, will join Parts & Labor on all dates, and P&L’s Dan Friel will sit in on Pterodactyl’s sets playing electronics and keyboards.

Parts and Labor – Rest

Here’s the new video for NewVillager‘s "Lighthouse", directed by Ben Dickinson (LCD Soundsystem, the Rapture, the Juan Maclean). Debut album details coming later this week.

Beans has been delivering syllable-crammed poetic space raps for well over ten years. For those familiar with his days with Antipop Consortium, his newest effort delivers more of what you loved from the start and then some. Beans attacks the ferocious beats on “End It All” with a syncopated intensity reminiscent of a robot Rottweiler in a space helmet. He has never been one for punchline rap, and it’s refreshing to see someone stick to his guns in a musical climate that has most artists second-guessing their established and previously-endorsed styles. This album eschews the mishmash jokes and bravado characteristic of its genre in favor of an artistic statement made without pretense, an onslaught of rabid heart and merciless vision; it succeeds where many fail in that it conjures a viscous vibe which enraptures and mesmerizes the listener. – BrokeMC

From this new Brahms video of the (rather "Depeche Modey") song "Repeat it", it looks like we entered a new stage in the "musical DIY revolution"… not only bands record themselves, now they also shoot their own videos! According to Stereogum.com "BRAHMS shot this video while on tour and while in Tokyo, using their iPhones and surveillance cameras." – Hold on a sec… "their surveillance cameras"? How does that work, exactly? Bands tour the world with with their own surveillance cameras?

New Numbers is the new band of Joshua Abbott and Michael Fadem, former members – together with Holly Miranda – of The Jealous Girlfriends, a band that graced the cover of The Deli in 2006. This new project shares with their previous effort a sober psych rock influence and a punchy, hybrid sound, where guitars and synths cooperate to create thick and textured arrangements. The group’s material reveals all sorts of influences. "Creature Comforts" is the only track from the new CD available online and – I know some people won’t like this, but it’s true – sounds like Simple Minds’ from the "New Gold Dream" period, which is kind of refreshing because Jim Kerr’s band was awesome for many years before becoming extra annoying (everybody should check out their first 3-4 albums). Older songs from the previous "Islands EP" ("She’s So Down", "Whatever I Want") refer more directly to the sounds of the 60s, with beat and psychedelic influences. "Hinterlands" on the other hand is an upbeat pop-rock track with unexpected reggae bridge, more reminiscent of the band’s recent past with The Jealous Girlfriends. New Numbers will celebrate the release of their full length album at Rock Shop on March 3rd – Sean Bones will also be on the bill. These Are Not Records is planning to distribute a limited 300 copies on colored vinyl.

Hip Hop is in an interesting period of change right now. Many rappers are realizing that they can’t just rhyme over hardcore beats and expect to be overnight superstars. Enter groups like Rocky Business, rapper-producer duos who combine elements of street rap with unorthodox pop/electro production. Of the wide spectrum of groups attempting to bridge the gap, Rocky Business stands out as a tasteful balance of skillful rhyming, upbeat rhythms, and healthy swagger. They’ll be releasing their new mixtape at the Mercury Lounge tomorrow, February 23. Dust off your dancing shoes and Gameboy belt buckle and prepare yourself for the electric revival! – BrokeMC

Separately, the four members of The Archive have been at this for a while. They’ve played in countless bands – from indie rock to prog rock, ’60s psychedelia to ’70s punk – played countless shows – from New York’s Irving Plaza to 1,000-seat arenas in Toronto – and toured across the country. And yet it’s only now that they’ve managed to find each other. And things have never sounded better. Combining the raw, rootsy sound of Paul Westerberg and Spoon with the twisted beauty of Sigur Ros and early British shoegaze acts like Ride and Chapterhouse, The Archive draw inspiration from a host of influences on both sides of the Atlantic and both sides of the last decade. Check them out live at Mercury Lounge tonight (02.21). – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Brian Mackey is a Singer/Songwriter from NYC who just released his much awaited album, "Honest Love", and is currently playing his "Honest Love" tour across the country. His kick-off show was at the Knitting Factory Brooklyn, Feb. 1st. Also, he has the "Honest Love" music video debut releasing in March, filmed live in Chicago. His next show is at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville on February 13th at 6:30PM, and the Hotel Indigo on the 14th at 10PM. Also, he has his "Honest Love" music video debut releasing in March, filmed live in Chicago.- (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Sick of frontmen lacking stage presence, making you question if they even enjoy their own music? Francis Farewell Starlite may be the cure. Fellow scenemaker and Cantora Records labelmate, William Johnson of Gordon Voidwell, once said in a Deli interview that Starlite “is easily the most impressive dancer I’ve played a show with.” A quick search on YouTube renders numerous live videos of him showing off some sweet dance moves, opening for acts like Drake and MGMT. His band Francis and The Lights has a good amount of cred as they can count Kanye West and Drake as fans. Francis will play a rare solos show on February 24 at Les Poisson Rouge, only accompanied by piano and drum machine, and we can’t help but wonder: will the bare bone pre-programmed rhythms trigger some of those notorious dance moves? – Nancy Chow