NYC might be famous for bringing to the masses bands like Blondie and The Strokes, but it’s the experimental core of its scene that keeps it edgy and forward looking. Brooklyn based rather young veterans Growing (yeah because when one says "veterans" everybody tends to think about 50 years olds acting like teens…) are back with their 8th album of sonic experimentations, entitled "PUMPS!!" and out on Vice record in early April. The band’s music is mostly an instrumental carpet of layered sounds, a beatless drone that slowly evolves, hypnotically. The trio will play Coco 66 on april 6th, date that will kick start their US tour that will bring them from Vermont to Seattle, then down to Santa Cruz and back home through Texas, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. A month and a half on the road!

Brooklyn artist Class Actress recently debuted the video for their song "Journal of Ardency" on Pitchfork TV. The title track off their recently-released debut EP, the video stars Elizabeth Harper herself and is directed by Patrick Cleandenim. Class Actress’ debut EP, bearing the same title as this song, has just been released on Terrible Records, owned by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor.

Molly Shea and Jason Krauber, the creative core of New York’s buzzworthy Acrylics, employ an expansive palette of sonic colors and textures not frequently associated with the noisemakers and trendsetters of Bushwick and Williamsburg. The band has been providing a contrast to lo-fi hipsteria by crafting a sound influenced more by radio-friendly 1970’s pop-rock and less by a desire to induce ear-bleeding in audience members. Their first release, a five-ditty EP entitled All of the Fire, was recorded in a church and produced by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear, almost instantaneously earning them significant local street cred and building interest for a follow-up LP. – Read Toney Palumbo’s interview with the band here.

Motel Motel‘s raw, emotional brand of indie-infested country rock creates the insatiable need to wear a cowboy hat, drink coffee and strut down the New York streets with a slight attitude. The band’s tunes breath new life into the idea of Americana, yet smack of the angular garage rock of The Strokes as well as older folk acts such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young and Dylan. The honesty that comes rising from the blazing guitar, keys and chameleon-esque vocals, fills the songs with a feeling of desire and camaraderie. There is a humbleness and openness that allows the listener to feel comfort in every song and, instead of a wailing wall of noise, the band comes out plodding sweetly and gives the listener the impression that there’s more where that came from. – Read Lauren Piper’s Q&A with the band here.

We’ve never been huge fans of teen bands – "early teen bands" in particular, just to be more specific… Yeah, there’s something about that which somehow bothers us a little ("rock’n’roll" always brings to mind those two other words starting with "s" and "d" that nobody feels comfortable mentioning in the presence of kids). But it’s not just that: firstly, there’s always the feeling that these bands are not exactly spontaneous gatherings of like minded musicians but groups assembled (and directed) by their parents; secondly, we are often dissatisfied by the songwriting for obvious reasons (we don’t care THAT much about perfect performance, it’s only rock’n’roll after all…) But somehow Supercute! conquered us from the first few chords. Maybe the fact that the band stems from an established musicians’ collective that has the words "family" and "slideshow" in it reassures us (Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players). But all prejudice aside, the bottom line is that these girls have some really good songs – particularly reminiscent of our favorite rock’n’roll genius: Syd Barret, a man who – quite fittingly – never grew up. This allowed him to be free and – most importantly – to sound free. Isn’t this sense of freedom – a "sound of freedom" – one of the things we look for when we listen to indie music?

New songs from the Glint’s self-titled EP could be considered dreamy, sexy, and even haunting. No matter what they’re called, the tracks on this EP are down right satisfying. Check out “Freak”, which offers sleek vocals from lead singer Jase Blankfort, and catchy guitars that would make any indie girl’s heart skip a beat. If that song doesn’t reel you in, “Friends,” explores the band’s infatuation with electronica, and “Damaged Goods” is another eerily stimulating tune. The EP is a follow up to the band’s 2008 debut album, SOUND IN SILENCE, which was released on Rely Records. The Glint will be at SXSW this month, so make sure you stop by and see the band’s official showcase on either nights: March 18th @ The Dirty Dog Bar, or March 19th @ The Blind Pig. Visit the band’s blog page for photos from the latest live shows. – Melissa Wong

Somehow we missed this video by lovely Dawn Landes, who recently released a new album entitled Sweet Heart Rodeo. Dawn is definitely going to be one of the hot "items" this year at SWSX – enjoy the video!

If you live in Williamsburg and work in Manhattan, you may have a very crowded trip back from work today: buzz blessed Freelance Whales have scheduled a Live Subway Performance TODAY At the Bedford L Stop At 6 PM. As this picture demonstrates, the band has a history of busking in weird places… this one is going to be interesting!

La Strada, our brand new artist of the month, are a collective of truly talented musicians on a mission to create beautiful folky music with a very personal orchestral approach. The band – that we had the pleasure to see live a couple of years ago at one of our Deli parties – has been particularly productive as of late with an EP released in 2009 and a full length scheduled for release in April. They are also about to hit "the road" (that’s what "La Strada" means, by the way), basically making a few stops on their way to Austin for SXSW for a couple of dates in North Carolina and New Orleans. In Austin they are scheduled to play Brooklyn Vegan’s SXSW party, which is bound to create some deserved buzz around these guys. You may as well start listening to them now, why wait?

After spending two short weeks holed up and snowed in in the Studio, Blackbells emerged from the depths of Brooklyn with their debut self-titled EP. Their sound calls upon influences ranging from Echo and the Bunneymen to Oasis and contemporaries Band of Skulls — with whom they have shared the stage. The band has a run of post-release dates planned, including a stop at SXSW. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

The organizers of the Tech Mashup Party have selected the 3 artists that will play at their show in Austin during SXSW. The lucky ones are LA alt rock band Voxhaul Broadcast (in the picture), Austin indie rockers Red Leaves, and NYC singer Songwriter Dion Roy – congrats to them and thanks to all the bands that submitted through The Deli!

Ryan and Hays Holladay (formerly of the Brooklyn pop/rock band The Epochs ) played their "goodbye NYC" show at Pianos this past Monday under the new moniker Bluebrain. The two brothers – who are moving to Washington DC – had residency at the Lower East Side venue; performing every Monday this month to showcase their electronic rock songs off of their newly-released LP, “Soft Power.” Bluebrain smoothly transitioned from mellow, melodic songs like “Each Time I Think” to downright body-jolting jams like “Ten by Ten”. Athough there are only two of them onstage, the brothers managed to achieve an impressive, almost majestic sound weaving their voices with looped instruments like drums and violin and other electronics. With each song, they cranked out more and more energy and showcased some serious musical skill. When the set was over, one person in the audience yelled, “Three more songs!!” – there’s a fan who knows how to make a bargain…