Well, in case anybody doubted it, the Brooklyn DIY movement is alive an well, and the news of the reopening of Market Hotel hopefully will allow it to flourish for many more years. The Bushwick venue that became somewhat legendary in the late aughts under Todd P‘s curatorial activity (and which we partly captured in this 2008 Deli NYC cover of Crystal Stilts playing a show there), will reopen its doors on January 22 with a two day party. The second night, on January 22nd, will host a bill featuring three of the most authentically DIY bands currently based in Brooklyn: Guerrilla Toss, PC Worship, and Pill. Enjoy their noise below, and congrats to Todd P who persevered to make this dream of his a reality – we interviewed him about this (and other things) back in 2014.

Conveying a gritty minimalism, Boston-based emcee Jay Minor‘s downtempo tracks compel with their refusal to be merry. While the gospel-swirled "Liquid.Screens" from last year seemingly portrays a lovesick soul’s search for solace in television, the jazzy "The Peter Piper Theory" (streaming below) from New Year’s Eve harshly yet vitally depicts post-violence duress. Perhaps taking cues from Earl Sweatshirt’s great sophomore album ‘I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside,’ these tracks aren’t light but definitely intriguing. Jay Minor plays at AS220 in Providence, Rhode Island tomorrow (1/19). – Zach Weg 

It’s a new year and a new installment of Daybreaker DC! Filling up the basement of Penn Social on an incredibly chilly morning, the morning-loving crowd of dancers were treated to sublime mixes provided by Rex Riot and Basscamp and excellent MC-ing by Haile Supreme. Fueled by snack bars and coffee, the DC-based DJs provided the perfect atmosphere for a Wednesday morning party. Rex Riot’s beats were sick, using energetic switches and great vocal tracks. Basscamp put together some inspired remixes of diverse origins, from Christina Perri to Major Lazer. My personal favorite was mix of Muse’s Supermassive Black Hole, which featured good use of repetition and distorted Matt Bellamy’s voice to be even more angelic. Another awesome party, all thanks to Daybreaker. -Jonathan Goodwin

Narragansett Beer is celebrating their 125th year of existence and Ghost Of Paul Revere of Maine is helping them celebrate this achievement with their tight harmonies and stripped down Americana. They’re carrying on the folk rock torch by just doing it very well and without being too stereotypical (cue their cover of “Baba O’Riley”). Shows of theirs draw fans from all corners of New England. This free celebration all goes down at Lansdowne Pub in Boston on Monday 1/25 along with The Mallett Brothers Band. – Tracy Troisi

It’s time to tackle the ROOTS category of our open submissions for the 2015 edition of our Best of NYC Poll for emerging artists – you can see the results we published so far here.

ROOTS

Total submissions in this category: 13

Jurors: Cervante Pope (The Deli Portland), Juan Rodriguez (The Deli LA), Zach Weg (The Deli NYC).

Artists qualified to the next stage (i.e. the Readers’ Poll, starting around 01.20):

1. Janita– 7.6 (out of 10)

When Brooklyn-via-Helsinki singer/songwriter Janita shared her album ‘Didn’t You, My Dear?’ back in July, she not only gave precious voice to such seemingly universal hardships as melancholy and frustration but practically whispered to the listener: "Hey, these things happen. I’m right there with you." As heard on the soul-lined "Easing into Sanity" (streaming below), the smooth-voiced singer did in fact seem to come from a pressingly personal place yet. Like every great vocal poet, spoke for everyone striving to emerge from a fog.

—

2. Howth– 7.2 (out of 10)

Having just played the venerable Downtown New York venue Le Poisson Rouge, Brooklyn quartet Howth are deservedly gaining wider recognition as the lighthearted yet affecting quartet that they are. A drum-tumbled track like “April I Will” (streaming below), for example, off their latest “Trashy Milky Nothing Town” album conveys an impossibly pure sweetness that can only come from a passionate band such as this. Howth plays Shea Stadium on 2/1. 

—

3. Tangina Stone– 7 (out of 10) While the term “singer/songwriter” may connote the heartbreak and longing of such masters as Sufjan Stevens, Brooklyn-via-Ohio’s Tangina Stone refreshingly radiates a kind of experienced joy in her soul-lined songs. Her November-released track “Suntan” (music video playing below), for example, details young love not just with optimism but with the deep soulfulness of someone who has experienced its wondrous impact. Tangina Stone plays at Pianos on 2/17.

—

Honorable Mentions: Rue Snider, Fireships, Jesus On The Mainline, Matteis, Tacoma Narrows

Zach Weg – The Deli Magazine

It wouldn’t be correct to state that Brooklyn based electronic chanteuse Yes Alexander (who happened to live in Iceland for a long time) has an "icy" voice, but there is definitely an icy quality to her music in general and to her vocal tone in particular. We are premiering here the video for song "Fever," which certainly plays with with the idea of cold both visually and conceptually: a bleak, wintry night becomes a metaphor of the author’s spiritual desolation, caused by love that’s either lost or never found – a love whose warmth is desperately needed: "I need your fever inside me this evening…" The beautiful final scene – some kind of lynchian peep show in the middle of nowhere between lovers unable to communicate – suddenly reveals that one side of the room is missing, opening unexpectedly an entire wall to optimism. To promote the new album "KIANITE," released today, Yes Alexander will bring her heart wrenching cold wave on tour in the next month and a half.

Here at The Deli NYC we are delighted to announce that Boston’s insane avant-punk group Guerrilla Toss, winners our Deli New England’s Best Emerging Artist of 2012 poll, recently relocated to NYC and just announced the release of their album "Eraser Stargazer," scheduled for a March release on DFA records. Although this is a debut in the LP format, the band has been remarkably productive since they started releasing music in 2012, accumulating ten records between EPs and singles. Their music is not for everybody, but those who happen to enjoy Bushwick’s night life and seek really noisy and experimental party music might have found a new hero: Guerrilla Toss’s post-post-punk is the essence of uncompromising, but absolutely exhilarating, DIY fun, that’s at once bodily and brainy. Check out the preview single "Diamond Girls" from the upcoming LP. Sorry Deli New England!

On February 26, Brooklyn’s pop masters Ski Lodge will release their six track "New Life" EP digitally and as a limited edition tape. The band unveiled two preview singles, "Crush Your Heart" and "Heaven is Now" (both streaming below), featuring heavy references to the new wave sound of the ’80s – we hear in particular moments bringing to mind The Cure and The Smiths. This new, darker sound, was a result of songwriter Andrew Marr radically changing his compositional and arranging process: “Recording in my home studio – explains Marr – using synths, drum machines and samples for the first time, I was opened up a world that helped me develop new and darker sonic textures.” 

Last week we started publishing the results of the Best of NYC Year End Poll’s Open Submissions (find them here), and it’s finally time to go indie poppy!

Total submissions in this category: 16

Jurors: Michelle Bacon (The Deli KC),  Cervante Pope (The Deli Portland), PDG (The Deli NYC).

Artists qualified to the next stage (i.e. the Readers’ Poll, starting around 01.20):

1. The City and Horses – 7.33 (out of 10)

Active since the late aughts, The City and Horses is a collective of musicians guided by singer songwriter Marc Cantone and his elegant melodic talent. The variety of instruments featured in their recordings (from flute to strings and horns) will make most people scream "Orchestral Pop!" – and to some extent they would be right! Thing is, the band’s arrangements are so tastefully composed that, while listening to their music, you’d be hard pressed to think about an orchestra. You can see the band live at Grand Victory on January 22.

—

2. Silverteeth – 7.16

Led by NYC scene veteran Bill Bartholomew (guitar and vocals) and Brazilian bass player Gabriela Rassi, Silverteeth is an excercise in stripping pop of anything superfluous to let the melody and the songwriting shine. Operating in a strictly DIY fashion, this is one of the few bands able to land gigs both at Bowery Presents’ venues (they’ll play Mercury on February 9th) and at Brooklyn DIY spaces like Palisades. We should hear some new material from them soon, since they were recently invited to record a few tracks at Converse’s Rubber Track.

—

3. RANN – 7.00

With their refineded sound, stylish melodies and smooth vocals, RANN could be presented as the Prefab Sprout of Brooklyn. Their brand new debut album "Yellowgun" looks back at the so called sophisti-pop of the ’80s, while adding to that sound an all NYC edge. The group doesn’t shy away from occasional, more aggressive and tense moments (like in ‘Magic Number‘). They’ll be playing at Bushwick’s Black Bear on February 20th.

—

3. Julian Fulton – 7.00

Imaginative and whimsical, New Jersey’s Julian Fulton plays a brand of DIY pop that flirts with the classics of psychedelia, while bringing his own voice, stories and production to the picture. A picture that’s as multifaceted as it’s enjoyable, like his latest track "Another Tattoo," a complex collage of sounds and melodies in part reminiscent of the production style of the early Beck records, which, remarkably, was written and recorded at home in 24 hours.  Julian Fulton will perform at the Asbury Underground Music & Arts Crawl on January 16.

—

HONORABLE MENTIONS (artist with a rating above 6):

Dot and Logic, Kirsten Izer, Sam Kogon, flocke, Late Cambrian, Lunifred Benjamin, Modern Diet.

Stay tuned for more results!

The Deli Folks

Punk rock isn’t the first genre that comes to mind when you think of deeper lyrical content. That particular sound is usually about reaction and feel, most often rage or at the very least, discontent. A quick perusal of Brooklyn based Sketchy’s song titles, however show clever minds at work. Opening track “The Thinkiest Guy In Thinktown,” off of their debut full length album “I Wanted This To Go Different,” hits like prime era Replacements only with growly melodic vocals. Classic dual guitars pair Johnny Ramone hyper-speed strummed chords and hook-heavy single note riffs. “Whiskey Nostalgia” (streaming) thunders along like a college frat theme song where all the pledges have been given amped up electric guitars, after listening to hours of The Clash. “I Wrote A Suicide Note” is a quick minute and a half burst, sharing kinship with LA punk pioneers Social Distortion’s seminal debut album “Mommy’s Little Monster.” The cleverly titled “Someone Else’s Hook” succinctly references rock music’s overall recycled nature, wrapping it in a sound style reminiscent of early Weezer. For som fun and loud times, see Sketchy at The Grand Victory in Brooklyn on January 30. – Dave Cromwell

Psychpop stalwarts James Supercave have announced that they were nearing completion on the highly anticipated debut LP Better Strange. The trio, led by Joaquin Pastor, has been drumming up the release since their last show at The Echo (which we covered, by the way) with film teasers. Now they’ve announced a tour with Austin’s psych southern rock The Bright Light Social Hour. The tour starts three days from now in El Paso, Texas — Pastor and the gang will make their way through the Southwest and up to Seattle before the end of the month, see below for tour dates and locations. James Supercave’s debut LP Better Strange is out February 12 — vinyl pre-orders now available through Origami Vinyl. – Ryan Mo

1.16 El Paso, TX @The Lowbrow Palace

1.17 Phoenix, AZ @Crescent Ballroom

1.20 San Diego, CA @Soda Bar

1.21 Los Angeles, CA @The Echo

1.23 San Francisco, CA @The Chapel

1.27 Eugene, OR @The WOW Hall

1.28 Portland, OR @Mississippi Studios

1.29 Seattle, WA @Tractor Tavern

According to his biography, Andrew Keoghan’s second album "Every Orchid Offering" – due for release later in the year – is the "product of two years of writing and recording between Auckland (New Zealand) and New York, where Keoghan relocated in 2013." Since the write up makes it sound as if he was going back and forth on a monthly basis or so, we couldn’t resist the temptation to check out the average cost of a JFK-Auckland flight – ouch! It’s a 26+ hour trip (or 2+ days if you want to save $6-700 bucks), and if you ever dared to go through that torture, Andrew’s music would definitely be a soothingly helpful soundtrack for it: his songs unravel calmly, alsmost sleepingly, with the various instruments patiently building a sparse sonic web, complemented by melodies that push the boundaries of gentleness. The new record is presented as "a series of vignettes and short stories, some autobiographical, others imagined, but always very personal." You can stream his well received debut here. Check the first single "Stuck in Melodies" from the new album below. Andrew Keoghan will be performing at Rough Trade tonight (01.14) with instrumental NYC composer Frank LoCrasto.