Having just released their EP ‘Break Me Free,’ Connecticut/New York soul octet Mad Satta today premieres through our blog the music video for the work’s second single, “Simpler Times.” Elegantly infusing present struggle into a reflection on past joy, this horn-blared song is almost intensely candid. However, behind these crisp visuals, which intercut scenes of frontwoman Joanna Teters quietly singing and her band jovially playing, the track becomes a melancholic yet ultimately triumphant piece of musical meditation. Watch the music video for “Simpler Times” below, and head over to here to find out more about Mad Satta’s summer tour. The band will be opening for SF’s R’&B songwriter Goapele at the Bowery Ballroom on July 10th. – Zach Weg

This year’s 4Knots Music Festival will take place on Saturday, July 11th in its new location at Pier 84 in Hudson River Park.  This move away from lower Manhattan’s South Street Seaport reflects the new partnership with Friends of Hudson River Park, also allows a later finishing time (10pm) than the previous four editions. For the first time the Festival will be a ticketed show, with tickets starting at $25 and proceeds benefiting the Park.

Opening the day are two local acts that make it worth to show up early.  Brooklyn punk rockers Surfbort (a band we blogged about earlier this year) kick off the event with their female fronted lyrical nihilism and Ramones inspired roughness.  Song titles like “Trippin’ Over Babies” (streaming) “Perversion” and “Junk Estate” keep faith to the band’s mission statement to “laugh in the face of the end of the world,” while “getting emotional about the slushie streets.”

More controlled local dream pop veterans Heaven are also scheduled to play early in the day.  It will be interesting to see how core members Matt Sumrow (guitar, vocals, songwriting) and respected drumming powerhouse Mikey Jones have evolved their sound.  Album tracks "Mountains Move" come off moody, dark and dreamy (all rolled into one) as Matt’s outstanding guitar work alternates between clean-note arpeggios and wah-wah effected choruses. While other tracks like "Once The Heartache," "Falling Apple" and "Centuries" added majestic keyboard pads to clearly defined chord progressions and atmospheric dream-gaze vocals.  “Telepathic Love” accentuates Matt’s soft yet sandpapery vocals, weaving imagery about having seen “the ugly and the beautiful,” and simply trying to “figure it all out.” As always the drumming of Mikey Jones gives the band a tightness often lacking in this genre and a forceful edge in the live environment.

The big name headliners this year include Super Furry Animals, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Twin Peaks and Mikal Cronin.  Also scheduled to appear are Screaming Females, Happyness (Meatbodies and Heaters. – Dave Cromwell

Husbands is a dreamy bedroom-pop duo made up of two married guys (though not to each other) Wil Norton and Danny Davis. They met at undergrad in Oklahoma City while Norton was playing in instrumental prog-rock band "The Non" and Davis was recording songs with Beach Boys inspired vocal harmonies. The two started a project that would later succeed in transcending state boundaries when Norton moved to DC to attend Georgetown for an MA in Literature. Not only has the band’s production survived, but flourished! On July 2nd they released their first full, 8 track album, "Golden Year". They’ve noted that this particular record was made with the intention of playing live shows, which for the duo meant less experimenting with Animal Collective reminesent sampling, but also gaining the discipline necessary for writing tighter, catchier tunes. We’re excited to hear their future work, which will without doubt further perfect combining both of these songwriting methods. Golden Year melts seamlessly with warm and drowned guitars, sad surfy vocals, bright synths and samples, and hip shaking percussion. These songs derive strength from the duo’s ability to add layer over layer (sent over dropbox) without overdoing it and washing out the core of the song. Give the lyrics a look-see when listening, there are some real gems. Husbands is proud, excited, and fast at work on their next two albums already. So go to Bandcamp, enjoy your new summer jams! We’ll likely have some more good news from Husbands in time for fall or winter.

– Leora Mandel

Ezra Tenenbaum used to write about guitar pedals for our Delicious Audio blog. We were pleasantly surprised to see his new band EZTV signed with super buzzworthy Brooklyn label Captured Tracks (home to notable artist such as Mac DeMarco, DIIV, Widowspeak and Wild Nothing among others). Since we had his email, we thought it was time to ask him a few questions about his favorite pedals… check out the Q&A on Delicious Audio. The band is about to release their debut album and is currently on a week long tour with Jacco Gardner and DINNER.