Armed with an arsenal of synth sounds, soaring vocals, and experimental electronic vibes, Paris Monster weaves effortlessly across genres and decisive categorization. On his latest release, "Ain’t No Movin’ Me," the Brooklyn-based act showcases its prowess for hook writing/crafting a track that could stand without accompaniment as a blues-y, spirtual declaration, but is launched into another realm by its bed of synths and echoing choruses. An inspired take on blues-folk that’s both hypnotic and engaging, Paris Monster’s sound seems to edge toward what could be the new face of American roots rock. Check out his new single streaming below. – Olivia Sisinni

Brooklyn-based Vagabon’s vocals are sometimes wistful, sometimes haunting, but always seem to have a soft ethereal quality to them. An indie rock project spearheaded by Laetita Tamko, Vagabon navigates the spaces between dulcet tones and crunchy feedback effortlessly. While every track on her Persian Garden EP is worth spending time with, "Cold Apartment Floors" is a distinct stand-out–featuring the juxtaposition of thick, noisy guitars, against Tamko’s soft vocals; resonating like thunder and rain. You can check her out at Baby’s All Right with Mal Devisa and Jelani Sei 2/24, and in the meantime, be sure to stream her music below. – Olivia Sisinni

Need something to warm you up as you truck along the NYC-slush? Check out Dakota Jones, a Brooklyn-based four piece specialzing in the type of soulful rock that’s guaranteed to melt away even the steeliest winter blues. With warm, roots-rock guitar licks, and singer Tristan Carter-Jones’s honey-sweet vocals, the band makes unfussy music that refuses to compromise on visceral punches. Check them out live at the Bitter End 1/20 playing with Liquor Radio, Samia, Danielle Cardona, The BeriBeri, and The Bowery Boys, but in the meantime stream Dakota Jones below. – Olivia Sisinni

Facebook has gained such influence on our perception of the world, that finding a really good band when they only have a few hundred likes always feels very special. Enter Fixtures, a Brooklyn group with 204 – now 205! – Facebook likes. The quartet released their debut EP ‘Experienced Fainters‘ in 2014, combining the earnest yet creative slack rock of Modest Mouse with the lighthearted pop of Violent Femmes. Following LP ‘Watch Your Head,’ out in November 2015, develops a more personal voice, blending in other influences from the ’80s and ’90s (we hear R.E.M. and XTC and The Cars among others), within a sound that’s fuller and often also heavier. Track #3 ‘Gone Crazy’ (streaming below) is the pop highlight of the record, an enthusiastic love song where everything works like clockwork. You can see Fixtures live at Sunnyvale on February 1st.

 Having a song included in Little Steven’s Underground Garage "Coolest Song in the World" poll is one of those “honor just to be nominated” moments.  Diane and The Gentle Men’s single “Motorcycle” (streaming below) earned a place among that weekly group with 51 other artists ranging from local stars to very big international names.  The song and video pay a playful homage to the late 50’s/early 60’s ideal of a youthful desire for rock n’ roll kicks.  While clean-cut teenagers watch bad boy motorcycle movies on TV, Diane sings about “riding on the back with her ray bans and leather jacket” over a chugging rock rhythm.  Soon the kids are up dancing as the chorus hooks with lyrics “blame it on summer heat, when the moon is high, and the air is clear, and the sky is wide.”  The track stands out with numerous unexpected sonic twists, like the slightly askew descending keyboard line in the second verse and the momentum shifting percussive breaks, scattered throughout the tune.  There’s a country-western warmth to the chorus, with its chord structure, big impassioned lead vocal and sweet background harmonies. – Dave Cromwell

Now in its 11th edition, "THE REVOLUTION" concert series at National Sawdust has consistently held it down by featuring talent both top-notch and under the national radar, but always local. Which is the reason why this ver blog decided to partner with them! This month’s cream of the crop features CE of Quincy Vidal spitting and singing his solo stuff, Krychek’s bizzare electropop and the loungy hip-hop of Kala and the Lost Tribe. 

CE (pronounced "See," pictured) is 1/2 of NY indie-rap stalwart Quincy Vidal, also an established emcee/producer. His solo recordings feature sedated instrumentals and potent lyrics that are mostly rapped but often sung as well. Krychek, the only non hip hop artist on the bill, will break the funky grooves with music that sounds like a surprisingly functional marriage between Nine Inche Nails and Tears for Fears. Their punky, spacy electropop is at times unstable, at others tranquil but always transfixing.  Kala and The Lost Tribe serve the classic, never cliché, combo of poignant, clever rapping over jazzy, keys-driven backing tracks. Check out their recent single/video ‘Chill" streaming below.

You can catch these NYC artists live at The National Sawdust on 1/21 – and copies of The Deli will be there! —Henry Solotaroff-Webber

Hailing from La Verne by way of Pomona, the suburban experimental tribe Tomber Lever release their new album Furniture Pedagogue on Pacific Nature Records tomorrow, January 7. The quartet’s brand of infectious and genre-bending rock ‘n’ roll permeates with themes of family, showcasing creative efforts of the tight-knit DIY community that cultivated them. Pacific Nature Records is releasing the album on cassette tape with two different covers and tape splatters with J-card. 

Listen to "No. 12" off Furniture Pedagogue below and watch Tomber Lever perform tonight at VLHS to kickoff their tour "4,000 Miles to Graceland" with Birote the Musical, support from Judcody Limon and Harriers of Discord. Need an address? Ask a punk. – Ryan Mo

We gave NYC’s indie pop duo Satellite Mode a "Buzz Alert" back in November (yo, when we say it, we mean it!), and we are glad today to find out they are playing Irving Plaza… tonight! These guys just released a new single, entitled ‘Warm Fire Lightning’ (streaming below) that confirms their talent what good we had to say about them a couple of months ago. This is quality pop that feels timeless. If you move fast, you might still be able to grab a ticket for tonight’s show, they are opening for Great Good Fine OK. If not, well… enjoy the new single!

Orange County’s Panoramic embark on their first West Coast tour from January 7 to January 21, traveling up to the wintery forests of Washington and back following a successful trek through the Southwest last summer. The quartet kick off their tour at Orangy County’s Beatnik Bandito tomorrow at 7:30 PM, with support from dairy queen duo Talk, Tired Thanatoid, Leashes, Young Jesus, and the linguistic-noise trio Benno, VA. Download Panoramic’s debut album Not Exactly for free on Bandcamp. – Ryan Mo

Ah, the late 90’s. What a decade to be alive for true rock lurvers! A time filled with gritty, grungy, hardcore, sloppy yet wonderful alternative rock music. Formed in 1987, hardcore influenced NYC band Supertouch release three years later their debut album “The Earth is Flat”. Their musical style hinted at legends such as Mudhoney, Melvins, and Bad Brains, but with their own sonic spin and a F-You demeanor retained from the good old punk days. As it happens in rock’n’roll, they broke up after that debut, which slowly became a cult record among many rock music connoisseurs. Twenty years later, the band is reuniting, releasing a new EP entitled “Lost My Way,” which really sounded as if time had stopped. Although they haven’t released new music since “Lost My Way”, Supertouch is still killing it live, and will hit St. Vitus on January 19th. Check out their EP title-track streaming below. – Jocelyn Huggler

Flower Girl, whose previous release was our NYC Record of the Month back in November, have already a new record full of catchy, unpretentious indie pop tunes, cleverly titled Tuck In Your Tie-Dye, which conjures up fond memories of Syd Barrett, Beck and early Camper Van Beethoven. The Brooklyn-based group, led by Dave and Henry Van Dusen, have put twelve tracks of head-bopping songs down to kick off 2017, each one of them balancing equal parts of alt-country, psych pop, and indie rock. Recorded in the Catskills, this is another album that makes us reach for the repeat button, while kicking back in a (mental) cabin with our best friends, all of whom are jamming to "I Saw A Mouse", swaying to "Breathmint," and going "Yeehaw!" on cue during the chorus of "2 Late 2 Be A Cowboy" (track #6 below) 

You can celebrate the release of Tuck In Your Tie-Dye with Flower Girl at Sunnyvale tonight (January 6th), along with openers The New Ones, Plains, and Datenight from Nashville. – Will Sisskind

True Blue, like a fair share of alternative artists, doesn’t like to let any information about them transpire through their online profiles (in most cases, this is not due to love for privacy, but rock’n’roll-style lack of caring). This being said, it looks like this act really enjoys living in expensive US cities, since they list San Francisco and NYC as their home (we believe they currently reside in the latter). By the way, we are not sure why we are referring to them in the plural form, since they appear to be a one-woman bedroom project. Maybe because of this picture, which, together with this more electric version of single "Feeling Sad" (original streaming below) seems to imply that a band has been formed. True to their name and song titles, True Blue offers invariably sad and slow songs, sung by a beautifully melancholic female voice. It’s a kind of sadness, though, that’s ineherently (dream-)pop, and, therefore, very enjoyable. You can see them live for free at Baby’s All Right on January 20th.