As I listen to Chicago/NYC based Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, I can picture Mr Furman’s childhood as aspiring indie rocker, the colorful sounds of early Beatles and the nasal voice of Bob Dylan on a portable record player filling his bedroom. You can hear these influences in the band’s best songs such as “Take Off Your Sunglasses” with its harmonica reminiscent of “Love Me Do" or "From Me to You," and the expressive, pressing vocals, telling everyday stories with a two notes melody. Ezra’s charming naivete is evidenced most as he squeals lyrics such as “I dove into your heart like a pool…” (it goes on to rhyme with “fool”) in “The Stakes Are High.” As their music evolves, this band needs to raise the stakes, listen to early John Darnielle and focus their energy on what they do best–rollicking pop tunes. Ezra Furman and the Harpoons next show will be in Chicago at Belmont Harbor on September 3. – Whitney Phaneuf

We continue our "Best of NYC Countdown", covering every day one of the artists that made our Year End Best of NYC list for emerging artists (a chart compiled by a jury comprised of local bloggers, music writers, promoters, record store personnel, DJs, and our writers and readers).

A decade ago, Jon Philpot could have made any kind of record of he wanted. He started Bear in Heaven as a solo project back in Atlanta, and although he and Wills were friendly, the two never thought they’d wind up playing together. After moving to Brooklyn, Philpot continued doing the one-man bedroom-pop thing, recording songs piece by piece on his computer. Eventually, he started jamming with Adam and two other friends, and the four found themselves writing new material, rather than trying to recreate Philpot’s solo recordings. After a well received first record, the band gained a "Best New Music" tag from Pitchfork Media, which opened the doors to world touring and public recognition. Here’s an interview with Jon about Recording and Audio Equipment.

Born in an Oberlin, Ohio basement, The Roulettes practiced on borrowed equipment next to a leaky washer/dryer combo and grew up playing living room parties. After moving to Portland, the Roulettes met up with label Lucky Madison to record the first ever LM release, their self-titled EP, at Portland’s Jackpot! Studios with engineer Larry Crane (Sleater-Kinney, Stephen Malkmus, etc.). Later, unreleased Roulettes tracks saw them moving into darker territory with songs like "2:1," "Do it Again," and “Snow Day 2004/Moon Over Miami” (their meditation on volcanoes, false promises, and WMDs). But the band continued to pay tribute to nights at Chopsticks karaoke bar, the Fred Meyer Can-Do Machine, and the ever-popular montecristo sandwich. Long ago and far away, the Roulettes graced the cover of the Willamette Week and played all over their beloved Portland, from Ash Street to Slabtown to the original Rock’n’ Roll Camp for Girls. In New York, they played at the long gone Meow Mix. The Roulettes are back in NYC, where they played at CMJ in 2009 and at venues such as Cakeshop, Santos Party House, Union Pool (w/Class Actress and Rebecca Schiffman), Bruar Falls, and Bowery Electric. The band is currently writing new songs and working on pre-promotion for their "Hot Ticket" video. Look for video spots in a couple months with writers like Rob Sheffield (of Love is a Mix Tape), bands like Duty Free, a stray ship’s captain, and… you? See them live at Surreal Estate on September 3.

During my first trip to New York, circa about eight years old, my parents took me to the Whitney Museum to check out a (very) contemporary art exhibit. In hipster retrospect, this is cool; yet all I remember from this freaky exhibit was a television screen of a white painted dude eating the bloodied flesh of a buffalo. Call me a little bitch, but ever since then, I have stayed away from the Whitney during my yearly museum visits. However, since the start of the “Whitney Live” this summer (concerts “with upstarts in experimental pop, tropicalia, chill-wave, beach music, garage rock, post-punk, and globe-trotting bass-inflected DJ beats”) I have decided to put aside my irrational fears of cannibalistic art forms in order to rock out for free. On that note, Brooklyn-based Tanlines, will be performing this Friday for your dance floor pleasures! Incorporating hints of African percussion, ritualistic chanting and a mix of instrument-heavy-vocal-steady beats, this duo produces music with sun-drenched, poppy life. Who knew the Whitney could put on a hella fun beach party? Anyways, it’s totally worth it. Just don’t forget your Bull Frog. – Alex Daly

If Devendra Banhart was a little older, Larkin Grimm could be his rebellious love child (unsurprisingly, the two share the same record label, Young God Records). There is just enough of an artistic personality crisis in Grimm’s music that moves her beyond the folk-Appalachian-meets-avant-garde we’ve heard before. The soft acoustic notes and simple melodies of “The Butcher” and Eastern-inspired, high-pitched strings and chanting rhythms of “Durge” are equally accessible. Grimm’s life reads like a modern fairy tale, from her childhood in a cult to being a former member of Dirty Projectors, and her raw talent and creative urges should only continue to develop. Catch one of her intense live shows on Sept. 2 at the Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY with Birds Fled from Me. – Whitney Phaneuf

Birmingham-born and now, Brooklyn-based Deluka deliver delectable dance tracks suitable for clubs across all ponds on their latest record, “You Are the Night,” due out September 14. Ellie Innocenti’s brooding but lush vocal quality blends perfectly with accompanying bass drones, electronic effects, New Wave nuances, and techno trends that permeate Deluka’s eleven tunes. The immediately attention-grabbing album jumps into high-gear with “OMFG,” guitar-riff driven “Snapshot,” and invigorating “Nevada.” The melodious “Come Back to Me,” single, “Cascade,” and tender “Name On My Lips” surge forward into the irresistibly danceable “Mean Streak,” the record highlight that is worthy of numerous spins.“Trespasser” walks on sultry rock territory, while “Waves’” reverberation and free-flowing style reflect the song title to a T. Humming synthesizers and crunching guitars awaken listeners on “Morning Comes,” and “Capital City” closes “You Are the Night” with a six-minute, infectious dance- punk finale. Deluka will hit the Pianos stage for free on August 25 at 8PM and Ella Lounge (9 Avenue A, Manhattan) on September 1. – Meijin Bruttomesso

We quote from our NYC Open Blog (we gave up editing this): "Long ago in the days of ancient kings there was peace, and all were happy – but HARK! A sudden darkness en-cloaked the realm of Brooklyn, and hailing from the outer reaches of the galaxy came ELKS shooting lasers from steel antlers, shattering souls and melting brains. They brewed a drought of New York souls from New York bros and subjugated the realm. Never satisfied, they loaded what terrified wretches remained into a gold sarcophagus and aimed it at the sun. Soon all would be melted by the glory of their heaviness. ELKS recently completed their first EP, three of the six tracks can be heard on their Myspace. Upcoming dates: FRI 9/3 @ SANTOS PARTY HOUSE w/ Today is the Day, A Storm of Light THUR 10/28 @ MUSIC HALL OF WILLIAMSBURG w/ JEFF The Brotherhood, Ninjasonik, Liquor Store" – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Miniature Tigers‘ "Fortress" was definitely one of our favorite "Made In Brooklyn" pop albums of the summer (it just officially released a couple of weeks ago, but we had a press download since June – ah the privileges of the bloggers). The band is about to embark on a fall tour with Neon Indian (a group we’ll have to start covering in this blog because also partially based in Brooklyn – although  mostly in Austin) and Japandroids. This is a lo-fi, quirky video of the single "Gold Skull" – which was actually co-produced with the Neon Indian folks.

Caitlin Pasko just graduated at NYU and plays mellow but somehow eerie orchestral pop under the name Lacrymosa – sounding somewhere between Kate Bush and Joni Mitchel – with a piano. She recorded her debut album "Selah" as her senior project. The first single, entitled "Simple Questions" will be released on September 5th, in occasion of the first date of her September residency at The Living Room. Check out also the live video on her site here. Definitely a new talent to keep an eye on.

Everybody’s favorite Brooklyn-post-punk-band-fronted-by-a-head-shaven-bearded-man – yes, we are talking about Les Savy Fav of course – announced the release of a new album. Celebrations will occur at a (packed) Mercury Lounge on 09.08. The new album, entitled "Root for Ruin" will be release on the band’s own French Kiss Record on September 14.

Bellevue’s Finest are an electro-orchestral-pop sextet hailing from New York City. The band had a busy summer, releasing a single track on the 1st of every month during June, July, and August, as a pay-what-you-want download. The 3 tracks will be gathered in a new EP released at the beginning of September. The final August 1st release is the song “Homies On The Block.” . It is a song about the gentricifation of New York City, where the band was born and raised, and how socioeconomic change affects everyone in the ladder, regardless of background. The recording sounds like a cross between modern day indie-pop bands like Passion Pit and Hot Chip, and classic groups such as the Kinks and the Sonics. Bellevue’s Finest’s next show will be on Sept. 11th at the Studio @ Webster Hall with A Million Years.

Prince Rama is post-modern psychedelic world music (from Florida). Or Prince Rama is experimental electro-opera (from the future). And only then it begins to make sense. It’s especially disarming (and charming) in tracks such as “Lightening Fossil” when you’re manipulated into thinking this is rock music. The buzz is building for the Brooklyn trio’s third full-length album, Shadow Temple. It’s their first release under Animal Collective’s label (Paw Tracks), and Avey Tare and Deakin helped in the production department. Experience the wall of sound at the record release party on Sept. 13 at Glasslands, Brooklyn, NY supported by Deakin, Silk Flowers and Amen Dunes. — Whitney Phaneuf