THE DELI

You couldn’t tell by listening, but Washer is two unassuming New York natives: Kieran McShane and Mike Quigley. Like many a garage-punk band before them, these boys look like they would work for the geek squad but sound absolutely vengeful. Their 2016 release "Here Comes Washer" is an aimless punk album marked by Quigley’s casually passionate vocals. Washer’s lyrics have the tendency to stick in your head: "Nailed your picture/To the back’s of my eyelids," captures a violent, loving imagery whose bluntness pairs perfectly with their sparse, familiar sound. Catch them live at Alphaville July 28th. -Allie Miller 

This Sunday night (July 30th), Rockaway based band Blac Rabbit will be bringing their vintage psych-rock tunes to Brooklyn’s Union Pool alongside Brooklyn fellows Taphari and Elbows. With their 2016 self-titled album, including six minute opener “Mind Space,” the band has drawn comparisons to Temples, MGMT, The Beatles, and Tame Impala. Check out our favorite track, the droney and ’60s inspired "All Good," streaming below. – Pearse Devlin

On Sunday, August 6th, Yusuf Siddiquee will be performing at Pianos alongside Franklin Echoes, The Switch, and Moxa. Siddiquee is a Brooklyn-based DIY artist who combines dance, synth, and alternative aspects into his music, particularly in his most recent project, Softee, an EP released back in January. The synth-pop EP possesses plentiful synth layers, pop vocals and dance-driven beats. The opening song, “Honest”, particularly hits the nail on the head, with friendly vocals over electro-pop instrumentation that sound like something that would fit perfectly in a FIFA soundtrack. The EP abounds with other influences, however. The closing song “Maja” starts out sounding like a pop beat, but shifts entirely towards a dance-rock vibe of something like LCD Soundsystem. By combining electronic piano & his familiar dance-driven beat with a distorted guitar and soothing vocals, it becomes clear that the song, along with the project as a whole, is a very cool, modern-day combination of new wave, pop, and alternative. You can check out Yusuf Siddiquee’s performance at Pianos at 10 PM. – Pearse Devlin

Bay-area psych quartet Silent Pictures will co-headline a show at Bottom of the Hill on July 28th, alongside United Ghosts and Breaking Lights. On their 2016 full-length release, Let It Begin, Silent Pictures weaves a melancholic tapestry of minor-key disillusionment. The band blends elements of Brit-pop, punk and new wave into a polished and impressive display of musicianship and cerebral songwriting sensibility. –Ethan Ames

Nashville duo Sad Baxter has come a long way since their debut EP release in 2015. While the EP (recorded live on an 8-track tape machine) showed their penchant for fast-paced grunge, their full-length LP, Weirdy, proves that none of the messy, lovable aspects of their music are lost in production. In Weirdy, their guitars are even louder, their energy palpable, but their harmonies are refined (specifically seen in “The Big One,” which is featured on both projects). Sad Baxter is currently on tour, with a stop in their hometown of Nashville on August 4th at The East Room. –Lilly Milman, photograph by Caroline Bowman

Listen to our favorite track, “The Drip” streaming below. 

When it comes to the New England Americana of Jack Labbe, there is a lot more than meets the eye. For example, his newest release, How to Behave Around Horses, comes with footnotes that, quite literally, teach you about horse etiquette. Meanwhile, his lyrics focus on past relationships. When combined, these two themes work well together, providing a unique approach to future relationships. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Paris Parks at Bennington College (where Labbe himself attends) the production of this EP is masterful—it’s intimate, warm, tender. Listening to this EP is like being in a room with Labbe; no background noise, no outside forces, just the serene picking of his guitar. – Lilly Milman

Listen to our favorite track "Plastic Rose" streaming below.