New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Highdiver released the third single, “This I know”, from their forthcoming debut album, Dual Control, this week.
This is the Alt Rock of Richie Pistol (Guitar/Vocals), Sam Kim (Lead Guitar), Mario Vega (Bass), and Brandon Charles (Drums).
You can catch Highdiver at Cobra Lounge on July 26th opening for The Tomblands and The Band Royale.
The trio of Great Time recently shared a new video for its latest single, “Rushin”. The track and group coolly and confidently strut their stuff through the streets of West Philly as the undeniable groove takes. Meshing sleek vocals and a funky, upbeat tone, the song has an infectious, dance-inducing atmosphere. You can catch Great Time performing at this year’s Philadelphia Folk Festival on Saturday, August 17, as well as Johnny Brenda’s on Thursday, August 29.
Lowell, Massachusetts has never been lacking in character, so it only fits that bands nurtured in its distinct environment would be able to tell a good story. Enter Horse Mode, a group who in less than seven minutes paints a vivid picture of the once-thriving industrial city: the agile math-rock composition that is the band’s two-track EP The And / Breath performs like a well-oiled machine. The group uses dynamic guitar arpeggios, energetic drum fills, and vocals reminiscent of Zack de la Rocha’s glory days to create a sonic apparatus worth cherishing. The gritty spirit of Lowell is undoubtedly captured in the record, the band approaches its music with resolve, telling a whole lot in the instrumental work. The group will be playing UnchARTed in its hometown on July 27th. As a treat, we are streaming the two-track EP for you below. – Rene Cobar
Multi-Instrumentalist Tommy Nelson releases a new single earlier this month called “Past Life”. He released series of singles in 2018 that where all interesting DIY Psych gems, but this is his first released track with Lillian Grace on vocals.
Grace brings a new, sultry elements to Nelson hazy downtempo rock, and truly makes this single pop. We hope there is much more to come from both Nelson and Grace.
New York-based musician Gabrielle Marlena‘s new single and video for "Older Than Me" discusses the problems she had with dating an older man. The source of her frustration is peeled away in the music video’s imager, featuring a wedding dress, cake, and of course, an older man (in a wheelchair, played by Marlena’s sister). The track’s languid rhythm, rolling drums, and Marlena’s tender delivery give the song th aura of a confession from a friend, including self-deprecating moments detectable in both the lyrics and the video. The title stands out as the pinnacle of an outburst outlined through the song’s crescendo, a realization that each aging year brings an opportunity to take control of one’s life. It plays to the artist’s benefit to admit her faults in the relationship, naming the specifics about exactly what makes her feel the way she does. – Susan Moon
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Writer, Activist, Musician Avery R. Young released his new and vital new album, tubman., last week via FPE Records. This album is part Funk, part Soul, part Education, and in every aspect a needed cultural contribution.
The legendary Raekwon (of the Wu-Tang Clan) is coming to The Ardmore Music Hall this Saturday, July 27, where he’ll be joined by Philly’s own Dice Raw, Mike Voss, and Frankie Vado. To enter for a chance to win a pair of tix, just send an email to thedelimagazinephiladelphia@gmail.com with the subject line: "Da Chef". Please also include your cell number in the body of the message (in case of an emergency). Good luck!
HXLT has released the latest single, “Anti Special”, from his forthcoming sophomore LP, Bloom From Doom, which is due out August 9th via the Orchard.
This is the third single from the album following last month’s “Ace” and May’s “AllMyFriends”.
M A L O released her debut EP, “Born In A Bad Way”, last year and is now preparing to drop a full-length album called No Martyrs’.
She blends Jazz, Soul, Funk, and Rock in a way that sets her apart in every way. Her vocals are impressively powerful and in the mold of Amy Winehouse, but somehow grittier.
You can catch M A L O at Foundation Room at House of Blues on July 24th as part of Uncorked and Unplugged. She will also be performing on August 30th at Green Grocer Chicago.
The latest single from Boston’s Motel Black progresses quickly and intoxicates with velocity: “Master of Reality Revisited” keeps a steady punk rhythm going as a slick bassline hypnotizes. The vocal delivery is assertive as it leads the listener toward furious build-ups punctuated by dynamic guitar solos. Motel Black embraces the gritty alternative rock that New England produces, the group flashes the best parts of it without a doubt. The band has a gig at Jungle Community Music Club in Somerville, MA on July 27th. We are streaming “Master of Reality Revisited” below to get your alt-rock engine going for the show. – Rene Cobar
Fans of Brooklyn’s garage rock quartet Big Cheese have something to look forward to this year: Wild to Be Born, a brand new record, has been announced by the group for a September 13th release. The band’s new single “Filthy Rich” is a dramatic sonic strut back into the busy Brooklyn music scene, a swagger-filled track with an opening guitar riff too cool to forget. The band’s last album Supersonic Nothing was making the rounds in 2016, spreading its Sonic Youth-influenced tunes and making a name for Big Cheese’s noisy brand of garage rock. Three years later the band has refined its sound, filtering out some of the noise, but not abandoning it – it bubbles up more subtly in the brand new track which also flashes enough grunge to excite ’90s rock lovers. The band appears to have a big end of the year in store, but for now, it is business as usual as a performance at Art at the Footlight in Queens awaits on July 25th. We are premiering “Filthy Rich” for you below. – Rene Cobar
Sans Lorenzo has released their latest album, Lombard, which features the lead single, “Licia Park”, which we shared back in May.
This is the blistering Post-Punk of Dan Couture (Guitar, Vocals), Kevin Graf (Lead Drums), and Nate Brown (Bass).
