To call the Bay Area’s Sore Thumb surf rock would be a restrictive oversimplification. While the beginning half of their debut LP An Album By… is straight-up, 60s inspired, reverb-drenched rock, the record moves on from that pretty quickly. A few of the middle tracks, like “No Right, No Wrong” and “Meltdown,” explore darker undertones and move deeper into the territory of alternative rock. However, like a rubber band snapping back into shape, the sunny, surfy rock that Southern California has grown to love returns in “That’s Why” (streaming below) and remains throughout the end of the track list. This LP is also accompanied by a visual album that is streaming on the band’s YouTube. Currently, the LP is available for free download for anyone who attends a show or connects with the band on Facebook. Catch their next live show at Feral in Oakland on September 22nd. – Lilly Milman 

Overlake specializes in serving up gazey and delicious tracks that showcase strong melody-writing chops. They are playing a high profile show in Philly tomorrow (September 6th), opening for The Brian Jonestown Massacre (New Yorkers will be able to catch them at Gold Sounds on October 4th). Though there’s enough wall-of-sound goodness to sink your teeth into, the band also manages to meld upbeat, indie-inspired choruses that you may find echoing up in the space between your ears all day. Our friends at Delicious Audio asked them to share a little bit about the gear that helps to define their gorgeous noise – check out the Q&A here, and their recent video for ‘Unnamed November,’ streaming below).  – Olivia Sisinni, Photo: Naomi Scott

Oy, nu-music lurvers!

The new issue of The Deli NYC is available for online reading here!

On the cover, fabulous math-dream-indie-rockers Ian Sweet (who are headed on tour with Frankie Cosmos!). Check out the video of our favorite single "#23" streaming below.

Oh and hey! It’s a Brooklyn Stompbox Exhibit issue! If you love guitar pedals you don’t want to miss it, it’s chock full of them, including an interview with pedal guru Mike Matthews of NYC’s Electro_Harmonix!

The print version of it will hit the streets of NYC on September 1st!

The Folks at The Deli NYC

This upcoming weekend (September 8-10), the Brooklyn-based music blog The Wild Honey Pie will be hosting its fifth annual Welcome Campers festival at Camp Lennox, MA. More than a festival, this is some sort of super-affordable group vacation for hipster into indie pop – a pretty rad idea if you ask us. The organizers always book a lot of great emerging NYC artists, and among those performing this year are electronic pop outfit Black Coast, a one man project that has received a lot of streaming love with recent single “Feel Something” (streaming below). Released earlier this year, this track features a fun and tasteful blend of electronic sounds with a luscious dream pop flavor. You can find the lineup and details for the festival here. – Pearse Devlin

2017 has been a good year for NYC’s melodic psych rockers Maybird: after releasing the "Unraveling" EP back in June, including the single “Keep In Line” featured by The Deli a few months back, the band was asked in quick succession to play a September residency at the Knitting Factory and to open a couple shows for Portugal, The Man during their upcoming fall tour. At the Knit, on September 14th, 21st, and the 28th, you’ll also be treated to fellow NY psych-flavored projects Evolfo and Steady Sun, the former joining their performances on the 14th, and the latter on the 21st. But for now, check out Maybird’s most popular single ‘Turning into Water,’ streaming below. – Pearse Devlin

Ninjasonik is one of those rare musical "variety packs" that actually work. Pressing play is grabbing out of the hat, bringing surprising variations of hip hop, punk, pop. Their experimentation is defiant but, most importantly, it’s fun.

The duo’s flows offer meta-reflections of the genres they borrow from, adding a surprisingly intellectual element to their catchy beats, their particular brand of non-conformity offers a unique energy. Make sure to soak it up at their upcoming show at the Brooklyn Bazaar on 09.03. —Amanda Ogea

Nashville 5-piece FRNDS is just one of the many great new bands taking the music scene back from fat-cat record labels and commercialism. Their newest single “Wasting Your Time” (streaming below) a melodic mix of shoegaze and indie rock, complete with emo-influenced vocals and driving guitar riffs. The lyrics, written by lead vocalist and guitarist Nathan Brooks, are simple and show some stoner rock influences (“I’m so afraid you’ve been wasting your time / ‘cause I am not good enough / and I’ll never get it right,”) but they’re not without feeling either. Brooks’ voice can at once be droney and emotional, which is what makes their sound so unique. Catch them playing their next show at their house venue Sunnyvale on September 9th. – Lilly Milman 

Electronic NYC artist Toulouse can produce anything from dancey electronic tracks to mellow soulful songs like "Reach Out" (streaming), featuring his borderline stoic vocals. With a few singles to his name, the project has garnered considerable attention, landing a spot on the soundtrack of Fifty Shades Darker with "No Running From Me", a soul-themed track that features a blues-based melody fit for a vintage rock and roll scene. The artist will be playing Communion NYC 09.05. – Tafari Lemma

Charlie Shea is the mastermind behind the Nashville project Charlie & The Evil Mothers, a psych influenced indie garage rock outfit with two releases under its belt. The first is a self-titled EP that finds its home in a bluesy and experimental psychedelia. More recently, with the help of Todd Bolden on bass and Luke Fedorko on drums, Shea has released the single “Strings” (streaming below), a much more upbeat use of his signature croon. The guitar-driven track is a moody foray into the realm of fast-paced, reverb-drenched rock. Charlie & The Evil Mothers will be taking the stage next at The 5 Spot on September 8th at 9 pm. – Lilly Milman

The second most important thing in rock or folk music, after the actual song, is the vocals’ character. There’s no need to be a great singer if you are blessed with a voice that carries that elusive quality. Nick Llobet, an upcoming solo act from the NYC area, has it, and also happens to write really good songs. With his latest EP, Where To?, released this June, he delivers four gritty but immensely charming tracks: one is purely acoustic dream-folk bliss – with not-so-dream lyrics ("Puke My Thoughts"), while others flirt with indie, lo-fi and psych influences. Title track, "Where To?" is a wandering psych-folk gem for laying on the grass, channeling Bob Dylan’s spoken singing and Mac DeMarco’s inventive but simple arrangements.  "Ear to Ear" borrows the loud/quite/loud production trick of the grunge bands of the ’90s, but adapts it to a songwriting approach that’s poetic, rather than energetic. Closer track "River" is a simple a garage-pop song you will want to dance along to live, at Nick Llobet’s next show, scheduled for September 10th at Sunnyvale. Do not miss! – Allie Miller 

We added "Where To?" song to The Deli’s playlist of Best songs by emerging NYC artists – check it out!

Nashville-via-Michigan performer D.L. Rossi is of the rare breed of songwriters that channels raw, unadulterated heartache through his music without eliciting any sort of pity or over-sentimentality. His 2015 release The Apartment EP catalogues a painful 2-year long marriage that ultimately ended in divorce, and he tells this story through gentle and honest lyricism. He is currently in the process of recording and releasing a follow-up EP called Crooked Love Vol. 1 & 2, a project that already has one released single: “First Time Around” (streaming below). This track offers more of the same subtle folk of his older releases. D.L. Rossi will be performing next at The Basement on September 6th at 9 pm. – Lilly Milman, photograph by Laura E. Partain

Watching LAPêCHE’s video for “Breaking Parts” (streaming below) is like traveling back in time to when there were still music videos on MTV and the lines between alt rock and mainstream were much more blurred. The single is a catchy chorus-driven ’90s flashback complete with intricate guitar lines, tight drums, and the slightly melancholic vocals of front-woman Krista Holly Diem (who is married to the bassist, Dave Diem, a last name to be… carped!) The Brooklyn four-piece is getting ready to play their record release show at the Footlight on September 8th. – Lilly Milman