Brooklyn rockers Blue & Gold deliver an impressive first single in advance of their debut album with the heavy mid tempo “In My Head.” Combining driving guitars with soulful, bluesy vocals, their sound has the instant appeal of an updated version of blues rock. Solid thunderclap drums and a precise distorted bass lock the track down while well-placed power chords and rippin’ lead guitar solos point to the era when Leslie West’s band Mountain triggered the evolution of the electrified blues-rock hybrid. On the second chorus, girl/boy tandem vocals give way to alternating single lines: “Ain’t got no time” becomes the throw-down vocal hook statement, when “I want you” is followed by “why don’t you want me too?” The band will celebrate the release of their album at Mercury Lounge on January 10. – Dave Cromwell

 

Kangaroo Knife Fight’s new self-titled EP is a soul-searching romp through deep caverns of reverbed out guitars, gospelesque vocals, and flowing melodies reminiscent of Sly and the Family Stone and Kings of Leon. The opening track, “Hold On” is an airy build into a delightful chant-worthy chorus. With the vocals screaming “I don’t think anybody wants to lose,” it’s hard not to sing along the second time around. The song illustrates difficulties everyone struggles with and the sweaty grip people have while trying to hold everything together in life. The challenging nature of the overwhelming instrumentation leaves you asking, how will they make this bigger? KKF doesn’t disappoint with giant swelling vocals and expanding guitars.

Not exactly an emerging band (the project has been around in a shape or another since 2002 and has already enjoyed some degree of popularity) The Blow‘s music is nonetheless still rather overlooked, and deserves the attention of all those who (like us) are in love with the delicately edgy electro-pop experimentations of bands it anticipated (and probably influenced) like St. Vincent and Glasser. Initially the solo home recording project of Olympia, Washington based songwriter Khaela Maricich, the act became permanently a duo in 2004, when Jona Bechtolt (now of YACHT) injected his electronic production into its sound; the collaboration peaked with the band’s breakout 2007 album "Paper Television." After Bechtolt’s departure, Melissa Dyne joined in, bringing her background in installation, sound, and conceptual art into the band’s live show. This formation, which relocated to Brooklyn in 2008, has finally given us its first album in 2013, entitled "The Blow". The band’s live show is now half rock concert, half art installation, with Dyne often performing from a location off stage. Don’t miss the opportunity to see them live at Glasslands on December 5.

A staple of the avant-pop Brooklyn scene, Monogold has been around long enough to have witnessed the "MySpace days," and in a showcase of true anti-comformism they haven’t abandoned that profile yet. The trio just released their third record, a six tracks EP entitled "This Bloom," which develops their shimmering and textured psychedelia in a more gentle and transparent direction. The band announced that this will be the first record in a series of three. Check out single "Under Daisies" below and don’t miss them live – the band can deliver on stage.

The NYC scene’s rediscovery of the music of the 90’s isn’t limited to the gutar based sound of grunge and slacker rock. With their first three singles, released in quick succession in the last three month, electronic trio Bottoms tap into the (mostly) European sound of industrial dance, a dark wave born from the marriage of the minimalistic production of Acid House and the goth tendencies that "plague" the home country of anything angular (Germany), but also, kind of unexpectedly, sunny European countries like Italy. The NYC band, comprised (as they say) of "two shitty drag queens, a 303 and a drummer," makes that language their own, by introducing grotesque vocals that, together with the obsessive repetition of their beats and the noisy nature of their arrangements, push their music to extreme levels of paradox and alienation. Their sound is charged with what they call "gender problemizing" content, also recurrent in the sexually provoking cyberpunk imagery. Check out their latest single HIV (released on World AIDS day), from the upcoming debut "Goodbye EP," out on January 20. You can catch them live at Baby’s All Right on December 14. 

"Desert" is a word that lately has been visiting our blog more often than usual. The aesthetics of "desert rock" are kind of vague, but in most cases refer to rather slow burning rock music with epic overtones and psychedeliic influences, often featuring also roots music and Morriconian elements (our favorite band in this niche was Thin White Rope). Brooklyn trio Desert Stars – whose latest single "Hamster Wheel" recently got some love from NME – fits this description quite well, although they relinquish the typical tension of the genre in favor of a dreamier and more harmonious approach, as if the desert was inhabited by angels rather than bandits. Unless, of course, it’s all just a heat induced hallucination… Find it out for yourself tomorrow night (12.02), when the band plays Glasslands.

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

Led by keyboardist and songwriter Adam Schatz, Landlady’s lush, symphonic soundscapes on sophomore record ‘Upright Behaviour’ pull influence from everyone from Sly and the Family Stone to the Pixies. Such is the effervescent nature of the piece, you’d almost miss the existential tones embedded into the tracks.  Schatz’s examination on the human condition, however, proves life affirming,  and the album offers uplifting instrumentation, huge choruses and the frontman’s soulful but booming vocals at every turn. 

To celebrate the end of this great year that saw them tour with Man Man and Rubblebucket," Landlady is throwing a holiday season party at Mercury Lounge called "Landlady Holiday Spectacular" on December 8, featuring also Deli favorite Celestial Shore, Xenia Rubinos, Cantina and many more – all proceeds from the event will be donated to the Bushwick School of Music. 

Read Dean Van Nguyen’s recent interview with Landlady.

Initially formed as a collaboration between Drew Citron and Frankie Rose, Brooklyn’s Beverly – after Rose’s friendly departure to focus on her solo career – has now evolved into a four piece touring band. , Even though Frankie’s contributions on the Kanine Records debut “Careers” is substantial, Drew is now moving the band forward with the help of Jamie Ingalls on Drums, Scott Rosenthal on bass, and Caitlin Frame on guitar, synth and the distinctive harmony vocals. The band recently completed an extensive North American tour with The Drums, followed by five appearances at this year’s CMJ Festival. The band’s music stands out from the pack due to their impactful pop songwriting concealed under big, 90s sounding guitars, also enhanced by their meticulously crafted vocal harmonies. That, combined with dreamy atmospherics and moody lyrical hooks places them firmly in the dreamgaze camp. The band recently released a string of videos from their Kanine debut, check out the latest, "Madora" streaming below, and see them live at Glasslands on December 4 with two other female led Brooklyn bands: Teen and Charly Bliss.

Read The Deli’s interview with Beverly by Dave Cromwell.

Vandals will be closing on Sunday, November 30 and will reopen on Tuesday, December 2. Be sure to hit up one or all of their events next week. Why not? They’re all free. Facebook event page for the December 6 show. 

Brooklyn’s Hints describe themselves as a "Thatcher-era, guitar-pop band." That’s an interesting way to say that they are inspired by the acts that came out of England in the 80s, since the "Baroness" was in charge from 1979 until 1990. They may want to add that they are a "2nd to 3rd term Tatcher era band", because the British post punk of the early 80s erred on the punky side of things rather than the poppy one. The band released three double singles to date, consistently and convincingly inspired to the sound of the goth tinged, post Smiths UK indie-pop of the 80s – those who already like The Sundays (probably Hint’s biggest influence) and The Psychedelic Furs should check out bands like House of Love and Loyd Cole and the Commotions for some mostly obscure gems of the era. Hints are scheduled to play Glasslands on December 1st.