THE DELI

From the sheer ferocity present on their latest single "Worse For Wear", one would be forgiven for believing that Lawndale band NOYES (pronounced "noise") was pulled straight out of a No Wave-era CBGB gig. From the vocalist’s Thurston Moore sneer to the thickly fuzz-ridden bass, everything about this group is pure hardcore. Each track on the single is a frantic beatdown serving to let out an unbridled rage that is rarely felt in modern punk. The wailing of "I don’t care!" in the title-track is wrought with more self-loathing and apathy than even the most biting Sebadoh piece. Lou Barlow would be proud.

"Worse For Wear" can be listened to on Bandcamp, along with the band’s latest album Relapse. NOYES will bring their scuzzy noise punk to The Smell on July 29th with some New York blood: Lazy Queen and Lady. – Justin Ashby

Gillian‘s frontlady Kym Hawkins’s vocal phrasing revisits the style of 80’s icons Lene Lovitch and Missing Person’s Dale Bozzio as much as modern counterparts Gwen Stefani of No Doubt and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s. While the joyous pop-funk groove of opening track “Eau to Be” stomps to clever lyrical word play, it’s the ultimate hook “we play our danger game, we found our danger fame, how did we get into this life?” that will stick in your head for days. Their new EP’s “Strange Candy"’s title track “Strange Candy” merges electronic pulses and rock guitar hooks with Hawkins’ deliberate enunciation. Slower track “Sue My Mood” wades into the copyright law debate (an interestingly rare subject for a rock song!) suggesting there should be limits on what can be litigated regarding creative control – check out the video here. “Radio Clock” returns to faster tempos, relying on an angular jazz-funk style with tandem male-female vocals. The song was inspired by the novel Suttree by Cormac McCarthy, as was following track “Windfall,” describing a win win situation with the lyrics “we both got high and we both got laid.” Final track “House Boat” (also inspired by that now must-read book) has Kym singing tragic hero fantasy lyrics like “brave warrior, raise your sword” with a stylized accent and cascading structure reminiscent of Liz Fraser’s work with The Cocteau Twins. The Deli is exclusively streaming Gillian’s new EP below. – Dave Cromwell

Happy Lives – the rather unpredictable indie pop duo who recently relocated from Brooklyn to LA – are back. and this time they’re trying an "alt soul" hat on for size. Having done their own spin on Beck-era "caucasian rap" a year ago," on "Sick Love," the two return with their usual appraoch of stripping down songs to their core and then adding in elements from other genres (synth-pop on this track). The result is a rather convincing song about break-ups that, despite its minimalist arrangements and simple back-up vocals, feels filled to the brim with emotion. With their outright refusal to stick to a consistent genre, it’s honestly hard to tell with these dudes whether they’re taking their craft seriously or simply just trying to have a good time, however, with the consistency of their recent releases it’s easy to keep any skepticism at bay — for now. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Human People are a Brooklyn-based band who describes their music as "sloppy poppy punk." Their debut EP Sleep Year was released back in March and features slacking attitude paired with witty and charming lyrics. On the opening track “In My Speakers," lead singer Hayley reflects on a past lover who left her feeling like crap as she sluggishly sings “I’m feeling weaker than last year”. The track “Cell” (streaming) is a more upbeat track that features pop hooks and fuzzy guitars that refuse to be ignored. The band will be playing the Silent Barn on 6.28 in support of Russel the Leaf. – John Honan

If asked to name a band that could be representational of what’s popular in indie music today, Amherst’s Calico Blue could serve as an unlikely, if not interesting answer. They have a dreamy, nostalgic sound based on pristine guitars, minimalist tendencies á la The XX, and deeply sad vocals reminscent of a lo-fi version of Lana Del Rey. Their self-described "surfer blues" is able to capture vintage elements and conteporary influences and coalesce them into something new and intriguing. Their 2015 self-titled album drags the listener down with heavy lyrics while also keeping them afloat with light guitar work. You can check them out at O’Brien’s Pub on 7/1. — Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Brooklyn-based bands Dead Painters and Plates of Cake (pictured) are taking the stage together in July in support of Transcendental Telecom. Dead Painters’ sophomore LP Aluminum Gold was released in the fall of 2015, and it is a relatively placid record that glides between tuneful instrumental interludes and mellow vocal deliveries. The track “In the Chrome” highlights the band’s serene nature with the use of a steady drum beat and peaceful guitars until the tension is raised towards the end with a sudden burst of crashing drums and fuzzed out guitars. Plates of Cake’s sound is somewhat similar, but ventures into more psychedelic and even orchestral territories. “She Wants to Disappear” (streaming below) off their latest LP Becoming Double, is characterized by its sparkling guitars and dreamy vocals. The band’s warm guitar tones are reminiscent of 70’s power pop acts like the Raspberries, while their breezy harmonies, specifically on the track “Boyfriends”, make their music incredibly pleasing. Check out both of these bands at the Cake Shop on July 6th, and stream “Semi-Criminal” from Dead Painters and “She Wants To Disappear” from Plates of Cake below! – John Honan