Porches, the recording project of New York-based Aaron Maine featured on the coer of our Best of NYC issue 2015, announced today the release of new and fifth album, entitled "Pool," and set for release on February 5, 2016, via Domino. Written and recorded in his Manhattan apartment (ugh! no Brooklyn?), Pool confirms the distancing of the band from the guitar centric sound of the previous releases in favor of synthesizers, a trend initiated last year with the popular single "Forgive." Porches today shares a video for the current single "Hour", which was released digitally on October 8. Directed by Alan Del Rio Ortiz (Blood Orange, Danny Brown, St. Vincent, Petite Noir), the video stars Maine and band mate Kline (Frankie Cosmos) as star-crossed lovers on a night excursion.  

After releasing its eponymous EP in 2014, Brooklyn folk-pop duo Bitterheart today premieres the piano-lined song "Know It All" (streaming below) off its forthcoming EP ‘Wish I Was Wrong.’ Created by the band in order, as they explain via e-mail, to convey "feelings that come with learning, growing and discovering your truth," the second single from the new album refreshingly expresses an uplifting message with genuineness, the sunny harmonies of singers Trevor Rue and Sam Roche sounding like the pure words of siblings in times of duress. ‘Wish I Was Wrong,’ which was written by Bitterheart and produced with Simone Felice (The Felice Brothers, The Lumineers) and David Baron (Meghan Trainor), is set for release in January 2016. In the meantime, Bitterheart plays at Gypsy Den in Anaheim, CA tomorrow (11.20) and at Fox Coffeehouse in Long Beach, CA on Saturday (11.21). – Zach Weg

If you frequent Washington Square Park in the bearable months, you’ve probably heard the duo Coyote & Crow. Self described “Old Time Rock & Soul,” the married couple livies in the city and busks every chance they get. They have a similar instrumentation to Brown Bird, but most similarities stop there. Their music is much more danceable, with simple back beats played by Thomas Kopie’s feet on suitcase and tambourine, and some more levity in the sound, counterbalanced by Kopie’s growly tenor, reminiscent of Tom Waits at his most cavernous. They’re playing a show tonight 11/19 at Halyards in Gowanus with The Northern Orchard (Brooklyn Via Central MA), Tuxis Giant (Boston), and David Moss (NYC). Check out the event here.

The two things you need to know about multi-instrumentalist Dre Babinski: she’s idiosyncratic and particular. Older fans might remember Dre as the violinist/vocalist of Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, or as one half of the folkpop project Miracle Days. As a working musician, Dre admits that her job distanced her from creativity, and hence the local scene.

"I’ve had a pretty insulated experience. It wasn’t til quite recently that I’ve felt the courage to lead a project and begin sharing my own work, and I’m quickly finding how nice it is to be a part of a community."

Her new solo project Steady Holiday digitally released "Your Version of Me", first single off the 2016 full-length Getting There. The looming progressions, cinematic strings, and lofty Spage Age vibes toy with a confession of (co)dependence. It might be a snapshot of Dre’s musical and personal growth, but that’s not up for discussion today.

"The only evolution I can speak on is a personal one, but we’ll save that for my Oprah tell-all next week."

We’re pumped all the same to hear Dre’s Getting There next year. Steady Holiday performs tomorrow at Club Bahia with the Hunter Hunted extended family: Justin Cornwall, Sympathetic Frequencies, and Air Life. Stream "Your Version of Me", available on Bandcamp, Soundcloud, and through Infinite Best. – Ryan Mo

The message emerging musicians should get when hearing music from artists like Yonatan Gat – who is currently on an East Coast tour selling out small venues – is simple: it doesn’t really matter what kind of music you play: as long as it’s your own thing, and you are awfully good at it, and you keep at it, some people will respond to it. The NYC based musician hasn’t even chosen the most crowd pleasing of styles: a genre defying, mostly instrumental mixture of psychedelia, tribal rhythms and punk; but boy, the results are jaw dropping on record, and mind blowing live. By the way, is the band’s drummer human? Find that out yourself on November 24 at The Knitting Factory. 

With just one track under their belt (released about one month ago), NYC’s The Shacks still have a long way to go in the wonderfully complicated path towards "band stardom." However, that one track they have is charming the heck out of us. Entitled "Texas," the tune is a quirky, Stereolab-esque waltz, that thanks to Shannon Wise’s whispered, semi-unintelligible vocal melodies comes across as some kind of playful, musical courting ritual. Our ears sure fell for it. The duo also comprises a dude named Max Shrager, and you’ll be able to see it live at Baby’s All Right on November 30th.

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

Connecticut act Stove‘s guitar-fuzzed songs may fall under the genre of slacker rock revival but they emit a pure passion that is hardly lacksadaisical. On tracks such as "Lowt-Ide Fins" (streaming below) off its debut album ‘Is Stupider,’ singer/multi-instrumentalist Steve Hartlett coolly yet fiercely sets scenes of longing against walls of stormy strings and fast drums, a pining eking through the chaos. Like the subtly involving last track off Mac Demarco’s ‘Another One,’ these songs move the listener with their very mellowness. Stove will release ‘Is Stupider’ this Friday (11.20) and will play The Outer Space in Hamden, CT on 11.23.- Zach Weg

Realigned Silverlake quartet Sun Drug (fka Vanaprasta) want to trepanate you with the video to their newest single "Soaked". Shot in the middle of Joshua Tree, "Soaked" is the second vanguard of Sun Drug’s darker visions, following June’s digital foray "Easy In Your Attitude".

The summer departure of drummer Ben Smiley, and the counsel of Rocco DeLuca changed the band’s course from their 2011 debut Healthy Geometries. A full 180 on sound, the Sun Drug EP doesn’t uplift; it agitates. It doesn’t embrace guitar warmth; it fucks with synthesizer chills. Heavy doses of noise play, electric beats, and zipper-fuzz riffs will leave you burning through dusk. Metabolize with care.

Sun Drug’s next gig is Chris Douridas’ School Night Mondays with Caverns, Hazel English, and The Shadowboxers at Bardot. – Ryan Mo

Four piece grunge band from Toronto Dilly Dally is starting to make a serious buzz. Currently making their way all the way through the USA, they get a brief break back home before heading to Europe in the New Year. I’m diggin’ their latest single "Desire" (streaming) from their recently released album "Sore". This track just oozes 90’s rock n roll. Basically soft grunge with beautiful atmospheric "ooohs" that would almost make Kim Deal jealous . You can tell they’re still just dying to unleash some intense overdrive all over the place. The track "Purple Rage" is a good example of this, showing off a little more anger, although they never lose the tight rhythm and catchy melodies… by the way as I’m writing this I got completely off track while playing the video game on their website… but uhm, regaining some focus… Dilly Dally is doing some cool shit and you can see them live at the Horseshoe on November 27th. – Kris Giles

Margot is the moniker of several musical projects (that’s the risk you take when you pick an evocative, single word female name), including the solo project of a NYC based female artist whose full identity is not publicized. This particular Margot is a singer, composer and classically trained violinist who recently opened for Katy Perry for the Asia leg of her Prismatic World Tour, and who has written and recorded string arrangements for Beyonce and Lady Gaga among others. Notwithstanding these noteworthy collaborations, Margot’s solo career is still in a budding stage, although showing great promise. Her solo output leans towards mellow, orchestral/electronic ballads with soul influences and cinematic, noir atmospheres. No wonder each one of the two singles released so far is accompanied by well shot, sensual videos that mostly depict the artist herself in "seductive attire," in full femme fatale mode. After releasing her debut single "No One’s Gonna Miss You" just about one year ago, Margot last week hosted a a screening of the "Isn’t She Lovely" music video (streaming below), directed and filmed by Liza Voloshin. The single will be included in the artist’s full length album, scheduled for a 2016 release.

The twinkle is strong in Ferbus, a relatively new emo-rock band of Oklahoma City transplants and Los Angeles natives. First single they ever put out, "Explain Yourself", featured halcyon instrumentals and the deep baritone voice of Henry Dillon, which strangely makes me reflect on King Krule’s absence. And the newest single "Four Word Song Title" resonates American Football angularities with opaque lyricism — a bit of a downer journey through textures dense and sparse.

Played against the backdrop of Los Angeles’ winter, it has a slight warming effect, makes the winds bite just a bit less.

Ferbus are making their way through LA’s music circuit, and they’ve already hit up DIY venues like Bridgetown and the HiFi Deli with bands such as Twin Peaks and Slow Hollows. Heads up for the release their self-titled debut December 11 through Danger Collective Records — these guys are making plans for a release party on the same date. Stream "Four Word Song Title" below. – Ryan Mo