Two Brooklyn bands called Al Gore and the Memorial Gore Four got “Yoko’d” into a new sonic monster, Memorial Gore, which brings to mind a bit more Cronenberg and a bit less greenhouse gas and is totally for the best. Their 2013 debut “Demos,” displays a warm, hazy sounding and rather light hearted garage-rock, while the more recent releases (including "say What You Will," streaming) reveal punk revival influences within an overall power pop environment. It’s fun and a bit familiar, unpolished energy. Think of them as your college pals having fun without you – although you can catch up with them at Fontana’s on April 9th. – Leora Mandel

We’ve always been fans of Sam Cohen‘s band Yellowbirds, which celebrated their farewell show in November 2014, so it’s great to hear that the NYC composer and producer is coming out with a solo album entitled "Cool It," scheduled for a late April release. Single "Let the Mountain Come to You" (streaming) features heavy ’70s influences and Sam’s signature vocals.

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

After the gloom and doom of a brutally cold NYC winter, NYC/Athens band Kuroma give us a great excuse to rejoyce the way good old Christians do, only for something a little more mundane: the anticipation of summer! The band’s new video "Simon’s In The Jungle" and its colorful animations are like a pure shot of aural sun. Look out for their debut album our in April.

"Terrible Towns," the second LP from NYC dark side duo, The Bright Smoke, promises a furtherance away from the conventional pop sounds, and an instillation of despondent intrigue that creates, like the band’s name, a positive vibe with a twang of the gloomy. The second single, entitled “Exit Door” (streaming) is a vocally driven pop tune of eerier familiarity, but with effectual harmonizing and distant guitar tones that creep up and down the skin. Singer Mia Wilson’s voice is a penetrating force that contrasts with the hazy mixture of reverbed guitars and the time-bomb tack of drums, but works together to command your attention and send chills down your spine. "Terrible Towns" is out this April, with the record release party scheduled for April 17th at the Mercury Lounge. – JP Basileo

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

Are you ready for another totally unique, kickass woman making music out of NYC? Glockabelle is a classically trained pianist from Paris who, like a creature from Peter Pan, plays a lyre-shaped glockenspiel using eight thimbled fingers. She also experiments with two vintage Casiotones, sings in French, and describes her music as “glockrock” – but maybe "glocken-synth" is more accurate, considering the psych tendencies. Though her songs are most often delightful and whimsical, they will also feature some dark material. For instance, her chirpy Ramone’s cover “le KKK a pris mon bébé” translates into “The KKK took my baby”. Enchanté Glockabelle! See you at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn on March 27th. – Leora Mandel

Comprised of rockers from former bands Fixer, More, and January Jane, NYC trio Circus Life is all about rock’n’ roll. Their 2014 album “Little Secrets” boasts non-stop energy and influences ranging from Guns N’ Roses to AC/DC. Most of their lyrics are about the "glamour" and grossness of what the band describes as “the rock n’ roll lifestyle.” We’re talking all your grandmom’s favorites—cocaine, ecstasy, booze, women in leather, sweat, dirty Santas (streaming), and sometimes silly voyeurism: “got an ass like an earthquake, it’ll send a rattle through your bones. I want her butt on my pants, they’re getting tighter, so come on baby come on”(from the song “Just Looking”). They’re playing a show on March 26th at The Bowery Electric. For the occasion, we suggest whiskey well shots (and leaving gram-gram at home). – Leora Mandel

Brooklyn shoegazers OhNoMoon might not be remembered for their prolificity (the band just released their debut EP "VVV" after four singles produced from 2011 to 2013), but you sure can’t fault them for the quality of their releases. The Deli’s psych oriented staff (i.e. most of us) dug their early single "Sleeping Limbs" and the cover of "Ashes to Ashes," and are excited to find this early love still in great shape with new single "Low" – streaming below. Kat Lee’s ethereal vocals reach here new levels of dreaminess, while the guitars perfectly balance the sugar surge with the right amount of tension and dissonance. The entire EP sounds solid (you can stream it in advance here. Don’t miss their EP release party at Mercury Lounge on Monday 03.16.

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

In the 90’s, Seattle produced two REALLY bluesy bands that went on to become two of the most popular acts from the grunge wave: Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. In today’s Brooklyn-centered rediscovery of that west coast sound, we haven’t heard a lot of bluesy overtones – until Highly Suspect came on our radar. This young group (who made our latest list of Best Emerging NYC Bands) has the chops to pull off this kind of heavyness through a punchy interplay between their tight power trio set up and Johnny Stevens’ powerful but expressive lead vocals. Their latest single "Lydia" (streaming) is getting a lot of attention, the band is going to bring it live to the Austin crowds at next week’s SXSW Festival.

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

Neutral Tones is the brainchild of Queens’ N. David Pastor, who confesses in his Bandcamp description: "I’m a writer and a musician. I should probably focus on one or the other…" – to which we reply: "but why?" Songwriting is the art that combines these two talents, and David shows promise in both departments, as you can hear from his three song debut EP, filled with intimate lyrics and interesting textures and arrangements. Neutral Tones recently performed at a NYC Sofar Sound event.

This artist submitted music for coverage here.

We saw Sky White Tiger live a few weeks ago and we were impressed. The psci-fi NYC band, headed by Louis Schwadron of The Polyphonic Spree, has just released this new video for single “Don’t Matter Much,” and also announced the band’s official participation in the upcoming SXSW festival, with a show at The Iron Bear on Tuesday March 17.

Ladies and Gents,

The SXSW 2015 issue of The Deli can be now read online here. 10k copies of this baby will flood the streets of Austin during SXSW Music Week.

It will be a busy time for us as usual, with the madness of the Stompbox Exhibit in full swing, joined this year by a sister expo called Synth Space!

So yeah… if you are attracted to nerds, come and see us at the SXSW Music Gear Expo inside the Austin Convention Center from March 19 to March 21 (11am-6pm)!

We’ll also have a small live showcase, here are the details:

THE DELI’S SXSW 2015 SHOWCASE

FACEBOOK EVENT
WHEN: Friday 03.20, 4pm
WHERE: FLatstock Stage (Austin Convention Center)

4.00 Prinze George (DC Area)
4.45 Lazyeyes (Brooklyn, NY)
5.30 Roger Sellers (Austin)

See y’all in Austin!

The Deli’s Staff

Tear off your scabs at the Black Lodge tonight with PC Worship and Chubby Rhapsody or catch them on tour somewhere else: