Philadelphia

The Deli’s Best Emerging Philly Indie Rock Artist: The Retinas!

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The Deli’s Best Emerging Philly Artists 2017 Poll kicked things off last week with the Indie Rock category, and we now have the first results to share with you. After compiling the jurors’, readers’/fans’ and writers’ votes, congratulations go out to The Retinas! The band made us take notice last year with the release of its killer EP chaba, and as we wait with great anticipation for the group’s next album of new material, the trio just released a collection of older singles, which is aptly named (singles), to make the time pass a little more quickly. You can also pass the time by catching The Retinas in all their fuzzed-out glory later this month on Wednesday, February 22 at The Barbary. 

Also, runner-up in the Indie Rock category goes to RFA, whom we announced the other day had come out on top of the Readers’/Fans’ Poll. And fledgling Philly outfit So Totally earned honorable mention, impressing with the group’s debut EP a cheap close-up of heaven. Take a listen to the latest releases from all three of these rad bands below. We’ll be revealing more results over the next few weeks, including this year’s Overall Winner, so keep your eyes peeled, and feel free to vote for your favorite emerging Philly artists HERE! 

Philadelphia

The Deli Philly’s February Record of the Month: Tourist in This Town – Allison Crutchfield

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Over the past decade, Allison Crutchfield – former member of bands like Swearin’ and P.S. Eliot – made a name for herself by crafting brutally candid anthems about love, loss, and nostalgia. With her latest release since 2014’s Lean Into Me, Crutchfield grapples with the present head-on.
 
Tourist in This Town opens with the warm and soulful start of “Broad Daylight,” a gospel-inspired declaration of love that quickly blooms into a synth-y and cinematic ballad about a romance on the brink of chaos. “I’m selfish, and I’m shallow, and unstable,” she confesses, before asking seconds later, “Was it mutual respect, or was it mutual frustration?” “Broad Daylight” says everything that earlier cuts like “No One Talks” couldn’t. Unafraid and shameless, it tells the truth without playing coy.
 
On “I Don’t Ever Want to Leave California,” Allison channels her inner Bethany Cosentino, coupling surf ready riffs and tambourine with admitted faults (“I keep confusing love and nostalgia”) and new desires (“I aspire to live in the present”).  The acoustic calm of “Charlie” evolves into an intimate portrait of infatuated yearning, an uplifting reminder that love and lust isn’t always turmoil, that sometimes it’s just sweet bliss. “Dean’s Room” brings to mind the percussive trill of New Order’s iconic single “Age of Consent,” and is equally dance-inducing. Lyrically and instrumentally frenetic, it’s pop-friendly tempo is seductive, but friendly. It’s the sort of song that could easily convince listeners to “dance with the devil in broad daylight.”
 
“Sightseeing” perfectly captures the feeling of being haunted by shattered relationships via ethereal chords and delicate reverb. When Allison sings, “I can’t enjoy Paris because I get away from you/like a ghost trapped inside my hotel room,” it’s nearly impossible not to relate. “Expatriate” is reminiscent of girl group all-stars like Lesley Gore and the Ronettes with the unabashed realness of the Shangri Las’s “Right Not Now and Not Later” and Shannon Shaw’s “Point of Being Right.” Spector-esque but without a shred of co-dependency, “Expatriate” is a celebration of those who love themselves as fiercely as they love their significant others. “Mile Away” is satisfyingly electric, filled with tempered drum beats and crashing cymbal, while the fast-paced brevity of “The Marriage” contrasts with the brooding but steady buzz of “Secret Lives and Deaths.”
 
Within the span of three tracks, Allison’s strengths shine bright, reminding fans that her sound is as diverse as her career has been. Tourist in This Town ends with the hissing snare and melodic riffs of “Chopsticks and Pots and Pans,” a heartfelt earworm bound to make you press replay again and again. In a way, Tourist in This Town is a milestone, in the literal sense. No longer preoccupied with the past, Allison Crutchfield is boldly embracing the present and looking forward to whatever is next. – Dianca London
 

NYC

Salt Cathedral unveils single “Fragments” from upcoming debut LP

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Bands, these days (electronic ones in particular) are not in a hurry to put out full length album. Many of them carry on releasing single after single, which are then gathered in EPs or compilation albums when enough songs have been churned out. Following the trend, NYC’s Salt Cathedral has been releasing celestial, world music flavored synth-pop since 2013, and they finally announced the ucoming release of their debut LP, entitled ‘Big Waves//Small Waves.’ They did so by unveiling a preview single entitled ‘Fragments," a song about the personal damage created by conflict, which confirms the band’s talent so many times we praised in this very blog. Take a listen below.

NYC

From the digital submissions: The Romantic Comedy goes to SXSW

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The Romantic Comedy is certainly a fitting name for the new project (by members of Brooklyn’s The Great American Novel), whose debut EP “Let’s Be Sad Together” was released in late 2016. The EP features coming of age songs about wasting time ("Ugh"), falling head over heels for someone ("The Thirst") and wanting someone you can’t have ("Let’s Be Sad Together," streaming below). Like in the movies the band’s moniker is inspired by, these struggles are approached with an upbeat optimism, which musically speaking means "power pop." It looks like the quintet will be headed to Austin in March for the SXSW music festival.

This artist submitted music for coverage here.

NYC

Dark Tea plays Baby’s All Right on 02.15

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The side project of Gary Canino of the band Rips, Dark Tea plays a brand of introverted folk-pop that blends the soothing simplicity of The Shins with the playfulness of some of Syd Barrett solo albums. ‘Providence Sky,’ featuring the sugar-coated addition of Alexandra Savior‘s vocals, is their only truly finalized track to date, but sounds very promising to our ears – stream it below. You can check out a bunch of demos on their Soundcloud profile, and see the band live at Baby’s All Right on February 15th.

Philadelphia

New Boosegumps EP Available for Streaming & Purchase

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Boosegumps recently dropped On The Way to Meet You, a four-song EP that is available digitally as well on Lathe-cut vinyl via Birdtapes. The bedroom pop embraces a hopeful approach, as keys/synth unwrap the desire to achieve a positive perspective. There’s a good chance that one will feel just a little, bit better after listening to these personal, mantra-esque tracks.

Philadelphia

New Track: “Venus” – André Altrez

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Strings and floating flourishes of flute set the scene before a backend pulse rounds out the beat in “Venus,” the latest single from André Altrez. With a seamless stream of consciousness sense of delivery, Altrez bounces back and forth on a variety of subject matters. The inviting instrumentals open the door to talk about the current state of affairs that ripples with intensity.

NYC

Bad Moves helps keep DC punk great

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Bad Moves is part of what keeps DC punk moving forward. Infectious pop tinged with adolescent sadness, this is music for the young, hopeful and deeply discontented masses. Music full of yearning for a better society amidst the soul crushing mundanity of everyday life. And although DC’s alter-globalization movement has ceased to become relevant, punks like Bad Moves are keeping its spirit alive.

Listen to “Shitty Tomorrow” from Bad Moves’ self titled debut EP

NYC

Best Austin Electronic Acts 2017: Mobley, Mr. Kitty

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Our Best of Austin 2017 poll has begun last week with the Electronic category and, after you-the-people cast your vote, we have the results to share with you!

Overall Poll winner (Jurors’ vote + Readers’ vote): Mobley

Readers’ Poll Winner (Readers’ Vote only): Mr. Kitty

We are superproud of these two Austin acts, that offer very different varieties of electronic music.

The full list of nominees for our Best of Austin 2017 Electronic Category can be found under the streaming tracks.

 

 Mr. Kitty
  88%   186 votes
 Capyac
  0%   0 votes
 Mobley
  1%   3 votes
 SURVIVE
  1%   4 votes
 Missio
  0%   0 votes
 Eyelid Kid
  3%   8 votes
 Thor & Friends
  0%   2 votes
 NAM
  2%   6 votes
NYC

King Woman talks about gear, plays release party on 02.17 at Starline

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If the ground were to one day crack open, and the sounds of Tartarus began to seep out of the earth, I’d like to imagine the hellish cacophony would sound a bit like King Woman. The San Francisco-based four-piece crafts the sort of doom metal that seems to herald the bridging of our dimension and the underworld. Kristina Esfandiari’s vocals envelop the band’s tracks with the precision of a hushed, siren song, while the band–composed of Colin Gallagher on guitar, Peter Arensdorf on bass and Joey Raygoza on drums–punctuate her ethereal singing with fuzzy, dark soundscapes and angular riffs. On the heels of their soon-to-be-released album, Created in the Image of Suffering, Collin and Peter were kind enough to share their current pedal set ups, and the techniques they used to get the visceral sounds heard on their album. – Olivia Sisinni

Read the interview here, and fon’t miss the band live at their new album release party at Starline Social Club on February 17.

Portland

PWRHAUS New Single, Upcoming Album

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Some of your favorite local tracks may be from Anthony Schatz, but you would never know it. He’s been recording under the guise of anonymity for years, with some of his albums secretly reaching heights of critical acclaim and maximum enjoyment, including from popular musicians like Fleet Foxes frontman Robin Pecknold. While those in the scene may know his face from the house shows he’s thrown, everyone else will soon know that face due to his upcoming new album, due out on February 3rd.

Under the moniker PWRHAUS (or sometimes, Tonality Star), Schatz’s tender concoction of ethereal dreampop, retro Motown soul and indie, topped with a witty cheekiness, is undeniably catchy. 

The newest single to come off the release, "Heartbeat," is a lo-fi reworking of a traditional love song as far as the ear can make out of the slightly droned out but definite head-bobbing beat. You can experience this track live along with the rest of the album, at his visual album release on the 8th at Holocene. Secrets, the solo project of Aaron Chapman from Nurses, and Schaus will also be a part of the soulfully dreamy fun. Take a peek at "Heartbeat" below.