THE DELI

Grand Kid’s brand of groove-focused roots rock is equally at home in the city as it is in the Upstate countryside, an indie romp with all the trappings of good Americana, wrapped up in a Fender-friendly package. Their debut EP We’ll Be, recorded at New Paltz’s Welterweight Sound Studio, has all the energy of a live performance, bolstered by the occasional dramatic instrumental breakdowns; three quarters through driving introductory track “They’ll Be,” Grand Kid engages in a chromatic descent, just ahead of exploding into a lush chorus before seamlessly transitioning into a falsetto-laden last minute bridge. While just two tracks, We’ll Be demonstrates the Brooklyn trio’s willingness to engage in experimental song structures while maintaining all the fittings of classic (yet modern) instrumentation. Listen below, and catch Grand Kid at C’mon Everybody on January 3rd, opening for Gorgeous and Leafing. —Connor Beckett McInerney

The term “jam band” can be a divisive term, evoking images of meandering guitar work and instrumentation pandering to a heady listener base, and while NJ-based outfit Garcia Peoples incorporates psych rock as a founding pillar of their music, their new LP One Step Behind embraces a fuller sound. Opener and title track “One Step Behind” begins on a jazz fusion note, gradually segueing into an accessible, more indie influenced groove; while there’s no shortage of noodling guitar solos, the band’s eager incorporation of garage and prog rock could turn even the most reticent of listeners into full fledged fans. Stream it below to hear for yourself, and catch Garcia Peoples at Le Poisson Rouge on December 30th, opening for Ryley Walker.

Avant rock performer Katie Burden just released the title track of her forthcoming album Edge of Sleep, and it is a captivating representation of the song. Burden, who has spent the last few between San Francisco, Los Angles and New York, created the album with a new level of consciousness. Of the name, Burden says, “There’s that ancient Toltec wisdom that describes our conscious life as a waking dream that we sort of project into the world…’Edge of Sleep’ refers to an occurrence that shakes one from their waking dream and brings about a new perspective or way of seeing.” Title track lies somewhere between Björk and Florence and the Machine. The video depicts the frustrating place between awake and conscious and emotion, dragging a woman through a house where she can’t seem to decompress. Enjoy Burden’s new video and keep an eye out for her full album Edge of Sleep out January 30, 2020. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Long Island-based songwriter Annie Trezza dwells on inertia throughout new single “Drinking Beneath a Pear Tree,” contemplating the merits of productivity (or lack thereof), quitting drinking, and the unwritten future. The track is an evenhanded tune that seeks not to focus too much on the positive or negative facets of remaining in place, but rather transmit all passing thoughts to the listener lackadaisically through a rolling vocal melody, acoustic arpeggios, and the occasional electric guitar accents. It’s recommended listening for those who find themselves spacing out during these short December days, and for those seeking centering folk that sounds as nostalgic as it is of-the-times; stream it below, and catch Trezza at Mercury Lounge on December 27th.

Ireland-by-way-of-Brooklyn composer Alex Dowling’s forthcoming release Reality Rounds promises an esoteric, experimental affair, an LP that seeks to incorporate faith and futurism into a disconcerting effort. Lead single “King of Thumbs” sounds off as a distress signal from a lonely A.I., replete with autotuned vox, tactile accents, and spacey analogue synths. Dowling conceived Rounds as a hypothetical “future ritual of Dataism, a new religion that worships the eternal flow of data,” employing themes not unfamiliar to fans of Frank Herbert and Phillip K. Dick in cinematic fashion; his music dips deep into the uncanny valley, finding a place where the human voice and computer-produced tones intersect, exacerbating this uncomfortability to deliver visceral, confrontational electronic music. It’s a bold take on the Singularity, a vision that will be expanded upon when the record drops January 31st; stream “King of Thumbs” below, and catch Alex Dowling at Shapeshifter on January 29th.—Photo by Emma O’Halloran

I’m On Your Side is the latest LP by Sonny Santos’s project The Shivers, and it’s a muted, atmospheric record; most of the album’s nine tracks saunter along, accompanied by minimalist synths, mild electric guitars, and an understated vocal performance. It gives the entirety of the album an introspective quality, spotlighting Santos’ melancholic lyrics and hushed vox, while providing the necessary instrumental backbone to keep things engaging. It’s perfect for listeners seeking something quiet, but never sleepy; stream it below, and catch The Shivers at the Sultan Room on January 9th.