Talent is talent, but when presented in a sloppy shape, it becomes contagiously charming, and an adorable band name can only boost that perception. This is the lesson we have learned today via Brooklyn’s quintet Flower Girl, who play some kind of lo-fi twangy pop and have been around for longer than we expected (their debut album was out in 2013). Their latest, sophomore LP, entitled Okie Dokie Howdy Doody came out in the summer of 2015 and it’s a very solid, uber-amiable work, full of delicate melodies and qurky moments, that re-elaborates the disorderly genius of Syd Barret and the (early) Beta Band, marrying it with the not-so-traditional approach to… traditional American music of Neil Young and late Camper Van Beethoven. Based on an odd time signature, opening single "Scary Drive" (streaming) is a scruffy, limpy alt-country number a la’ Beck that will make you crack a smile – which is always priceless. Following track "A Platypus" starts as a plodding blues but gradually accelerates in ways only The Feelies could conceive, slowly morphing into a delirious slacker rock tune. Third song Eat Worms flirts again with blues but develops in a gentle, idyllic melody reminiscent of the Flaming Lips at their most tear-inducing – although the lyrics "come to terms/eat that worm that’s feeding you" might conflict with a weeping mood. The remarkable variety of the twelve tracks, with textural ballads like "Romantic Mood" juxtaposed to punkish numbers like "Stop Starin’," doesn’t mine the band’s identity, rooted in an "anything goes" attitude that’s refreshingly unpretentious. 

Flower girl will be performing live at Palisades on December 2nd and at Alphaville on December 11th.

We’ve been following Eddie Front‘s Ivana Carrescia (ex Ivana XL) for a considerable amount of time (check out a 2009 interview over here). She spends her time writing beautiful but mostly sad songs, and has developed a unique style that blends the melancholic crooning of the pre-rock’n’roll ’50s with ambient music and dream folk. Hopefully her upcoming album "Marina" – her debut full length – will put this talented singer songwriter in front of a bigger audience, although in this country – sadly – not many people can appreciate music that it’s not upbeat. That’s when Europe comes handy. Check out preview single "Goldie" below, and if you are in the mood for a quiet night, don’t miss her show at Palisades on November 25.

We had the chance to talk about Gabi Jimeno a bunch of time already, since she’s the drummer of dream pop Brooklyn band Balancer – a very impressive drummer for that matter. We never covered her solo project Ela Minus though, which also deserves attention. Recently nominated one of the "Queens of the South-American Indie" by this webiste, Ela Minus offers minimalistic synthpop, at times resembling a less dramatic version of Bjork, at others filtering through an electro filter Gabi’s homeland musical influences , like in the first single "Jamaica" (from of her upcoming "First Words" EP) based on what sounds like a Bossanova drum pattern, enriched by a delicate melody and harmonies that are at once pretty and edgy. The Deli NYC is premiering here the second single from that EP, entitled "Kiddo," a sparser, more experimental track, in which Gabi’s soprano reaches sky high altitudes with a melody as vague as it is haunting. Look out for the third single to be released in the next few weeks.

The soaring rock songs of Boston trio blindspot are serious yet warm. Enlivened by frontwoman Alexa Economou’s Nicks-like voice, such drum-pounced tracks as "I Won’t Let Your Heart Break" (streaming below) and "Lay Me Down" uplift even as they stir, seeking happiness while still considering such hardships as disappointment and heartbreak. Pleasantly, though, the 2012-formed group portrays the inherent messiness of life with elegance, moving the listener while expressing what he/she sometimes struggles to. Blindspot plays at Great Scott in Allston, MA on 12.20. – Zach Weg

For us here at The Deli, it’s always a great feeling to see an early Deli NYC Record of the Month artist keeping at it with great new releases. Alice Cohen was rewarded with the highest Deli honor (short of being on the cover of the mag) back in 2008, thanks to this gem of a record, full of references to many of our favorite new wave bands. Since then she kept releasing her dark and mysterious records (five to date), all dwelling in a world reminiscent of the darkest days of The Cure, the lush melodicism of Cocteau Twins and the tense experiments of Wire – "Walking Up Walls" being the most experimental of the bunch. Her latest albums, which for some reason we overlooked, showcase an exciting songwriting and production growth. 2015’s "Into The Grey Salons" confirms Alice as a musician full of ideas, both in the sonic and melodi departments. If you dig her music, don’t miss a rare live appearance at Union Pool on December 1st.

Hailing from New Jersey, and armed with a seemingly unlimited supply of fuzz, reverb, and catchy melodies, Sunshine & The Rain‘s Ashley Anderson and Justin Angelo Morey form one of the noisiest married couples of the current NYC scene. Rediscovering the "three chords songs buried in distortion" sound of early Velvet Underground and The Jesus and Mary Chain, the duo lets Ashley’s airy pop melodies float on top of what sounds like (deliciously) organized sonic mayhem. On December 6th, Sunshine & the Rain will be opening for legendary band Rocket from the Tombs (not to be confused with Rocket from the Cripts), a Cleveland band whose debanding, back in the late ’70s, gave birth to Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys. 

The music video (playing below) for New York band Ursae‘s "I Swear" is a crushing yet cathartic tone poem of shorn love. As the nimble guitars and winding strings of project head Andrew Campbell (previously in local folk band Little Sur) ominously hover above electronic distortions, a young couple gradually draws apart, the ravages of anger and jealousy severing their affection for each other. Campbell’s calm voice glides over the ensuing drama, though, giving it integrity and compassion. "I Swear" is off a forthcoming full-length effort scheduled for a Summer 2016 release and, meanwhile, Ursae will play shows (details to-be-determined) this winter. – Zach Weg

You’ll have a couple chances to see Jessica Paige this week. She’ll be playing some tunes on Thanksgiving night at recordBar with Vi Tran and friends, and will take the stage at Mills Record Company the following evening for Black Friday/Record Store Day. Her set starts at 7:00 p.m., followed by Pink Royal. Facebook event page. 

Between the heartfelt prose of her blog posts and her casual ’90s R&B mashups, the humble singer-songwriter mesmi creates temperate compositions that exemplify her singing prowess. Her name, a gift of her college friends, is intentionally undercapped to convey a mindfulness that "music and art is about much more than me."

Even so, mesmi’s voice naturally commands the attention of others. Hers is a luster that’s reminiscent of Mandopop artists like Jay Chou — her 2013 debut EP was painted with the rosy veneer of studio production which gave some young Sarah McLachlan feels. Outside of the mixing room, mesmi’s unplugged café performances make you forget about the woes of your workweek, if only for a few minutes. Her journey is neither glam nor grunge — the artisanal and artistic qualities of mesmi’s musicianship, coupled with her attentiveness to fans, brings mesmi closer to earth than you’d expect. 

Having played across the disparate and disconnected sprawl of Los Angeles for years, from Long Beach to the San Gabriel Valley, mesmi is ambivalent of the city’s sheer size.

"It can be hard to feel at home or to feel like you matter sometimes, but the fact that there’s always something going on and you can find creatives of so many different types is really special."

We couldn’t agree more. Rest assured — you do matter.

mesmi performs back-to-back shows this weekend: on Saturday at The Roar Room in La Crescenta, and Sunday at Art Share LA for So Soul Sundays. Listen to her newest released single "Gloria" below. – Ryan Mo

There’s heavy VHS nostalgia in Sextile‘s newest music video for "Visions of You", off their debut album A Thousand Hands. The band worked with Jesse Kelly, a local video editor whose contributions include music videos for Hammered Satin, Whispering Pines, and Alana Amram. The video bombards with heavy tape noise, strobe lights, and color inversions, conveying the rawness of Sextile’s homegrown sound. It’s definitely 90’s Goth Klub material. – Ryan Mo

Rebellious, whimsical, literary, and elegiac are some of the hopefully accurate words that come to mind when reflecting on Providence band Edgar Clinks‘ exhilerating September release, ‘Keep Jetty Diving.’ Featuring the innocent yet relentless vocals of frontman Joe Guadiana, these genre-melding tracks, from the sweet pop-punk of opener "Tree Culture" to the apparently surf rock-rattled closer "weave roll’d into another dream" (streaming below), curl up on the listener like a dog whose pure affection can’t be denied. Edgar Clinks plays at The Midway Cafe in Jamaica Plain, MA on 12.2 and at AS220 in Providence, RI on 12.5. – Zach Weg

It would be interesting to know how many bands are born in NYC every day on average – and how many of them are bedroom based electronic pop project. Here’s one for you fresh off the oven, but with well known "ingredients": 2001 is the band of Benjamin Lazar Davis and Joan Wasser (of Joan As Police Woman!). The duo met each other after separate trips to Africa, and almost naturally ended up writing songs inspired by the music of the Ba-Benzele Pygmy people from the Central African Republic (all we know is that they sound nothing like The Strokes). "I fell in love with these cycles, played by one person alternating quickly between singing and playing the one note flute" Lazar says. The results, filtered through a contemporary and entirely Western electronic instrumentation is quite mesmerizing. Check out single "Broke Me in Two" below – and expect a new single out soon.

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