As a rule, I very much dislike covers. I do not like playing them, I do not like listening to them, I often irrationally feel somewhat slighted when I find out a song that I really enjoy is actually a cover. Despite my rational brain, I just have a personal distaste for hearing someone butcher another person’s art by half-ass learning it just to get a huge round of "woos" when it comes around to chorus that everyone knows.

Now, before you get all twisted, I also know there are many, many exceptions to this. I know how pop music works. I understand the game. I really do. I actually have a long-standing conspiracy theory that the pop music industry is just some elaborate Wizard of Oz-esque hoax. Just one tired old mindless robot of a man hunched over in a room with no windows cranking out the next "Call Me Maybe" or "Starships."  But, I’ll save that for another blog post.

Regardless, when a cover is pulled off correctly, it accentuates and elevates the original piece of music. It tips its hat to the original spirit while bringing in a new and exciting flavor. I suppose I can even make myself admit that covers can be an art unto themselves.

For a recent compilation by our friends over at Kill Your TV, James Christos and Wurm & the Madness surely reinforce that. The track is called "Revolt (Off the Wall)."  Originally performed by James Christos (James D’ Conqueror) featuring Ava Bella, it is 3 minutes and 35 seconds of high-energy, sub-busting, dance-infused hip-hop. Christos’ precise and cutting verses lay a solid groundwork upon which Bella fiercely drives the hook with a soulful, sassy and scalding vocal that jumps off the track. It is lively, fun and accessible, even for a whiter-than-white-bread boy like me. I will freely admit I don’t often listen to a lot of hip-hop, but I would if it all sounded as good as this.

So, along comes Wurm & the Madness. They describe themselves as an art rap outfit. Philosophical and/or indie hip-hop would be another good descriptor. Revolt is a pretty straight forward party song, so I was certainly intrigued to hear what they would do with this track.

Driven by a verby and textured acoustic guitar, their take on the song wanders towards the Portishead or Soul Coughing direction. However, it’s not all folk and mirrors, as the track is accompanied by a most definite electronic percussion element and what I’m guessing is a distorted bass. Wurm’s verses drip with piss and vinegar, gradually building an aura of distress and tension. Kitten, the female half of Wurm & the Madness, handles more vocally than just hook duties and is often paired with Wurm’s half-spoken/half-sung vocals to great spooky effect.

The duo manages to transform the party song into a slow anxious stumble down a dimly-lit hallway, the masked killer certain to prey from the shadows at any moment. Occasionally the hook comes around to provide a strip of light to see by, but then quickly back into the dark and psychological. Wurm & the Madness’s version is the Saw trap that the original song got put into.

Both versions of "Revolt (Off the Wall)" are phenomenal in their own right. Even beyond that, both of these artists are certainly worth checking out. Christos may be one of the hardest working music people in this town.

In addition, Kill Your TV KC has a whole compilation of covers in the works. Locals covering locals. Keep your ears open as that gets updated. I hope all the efforts that come out of it are as good as these.

Other songs on the Kill Your TV KC Cover Up Series currently include:

• "Go Down, Baldwin City, KS" by Ddean Cassidy, covered by The Dirty Fingers
• "Ghost Movie.Octopus Girl" by The Black Bullet Promise, covered by The Swing
• "#4" by Kitten Tits, covered by Merriweather
• "Freak Out" by The Quivers, covered by Vitae and The Pale Horse
• "Rushmore" by Merriweather, covered by Kitten Tits

–-Zach Hodson

Zach is a lifetime Kansas City resident who plays multiple instruments and sings in Dolls on Fire and Drew Black and Dirty Electric, as well as contributing to many other Kansas City music, art, and comedy projects.  He is very fond of edamame, treats his cat Wiley better than he treats himself, and doesn’t want to see pictures of your newborn child (seriously, it looks like a potato).

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Natureboy does that impossible thing that people cutting their teeth exclusively on kosher diets of classic rock n’ roll will never be able to understand: re-imagining rock into something that sounds entirely new. Natureboy is the brainchild of Sara Kermanshahi, a first generation American of Iranian descent. None of this matters when you listen to the music of course, but it might help explain some of the magic that Natureboy brings.

On new record ‘The Sweep,’ Kermanshahi channels her border-crossing background toward ecstatic delivery, guiding her spirit through erupting waves of vocal intensity in tracks that cover all the bases, from ‘Blow to the Head’ to ‘Head to Toe.’ On this record (and especially when seen on stage), it’s obvious Natureboy means every word. As proved by this artist, sometimes you only need to listen to someone outside your Spotify playlist to understand what’s really possible for music. You can see her when she plays Joe’s Pub on September 16th – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Like some kind of critical exercise, or perhaps only for the aesthetic nuances, Howth took their music to three different spaces, from the studio to ‘Blake’s place’ to the stage, to expose through the recording of their latest EP Secret Goldmine the differences in textures, effects and ambiances that occur from one environment to the next. A heartfelt declaration may seem somewhat sterile when compared to the intimacy of a home recording, the sound of the live will lose in depth as it bounces further away, etc. Every track finds its own strength. Having spent the last month on the roads, touring the US to promote this new record – their second EP, closely following a second album they released in May – the band will soon be heading back to Brooklyn, where you can catch them for their homecoming show at Cameo Gallery on Saturday (8.25).

Has New York stumbled upon our own verson of The Swell Season? A City On A Lake is taking a stab at providing us with that special dialogue particular to the young and in love. A soft meditation on lessons learned and love found, Alex Wong’s latest song ‘Oceanside‘ will gently rock you back and forth through its lilting violins, lullaby harmonies, and moonlit rhythms. For the song, singer/songwriter Wong recruited Mexican rocker Ximena Sariñana to provide the tune’s opposite voice, and the pair perform beautifully together. Check out the new video below & see him play this Thursday (8.23) at Rockwood Music Hall – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Featured in our latest Deli NYC print edition (here!), art pop quartet Conveyor released a couple of weeks ago a first self-titled full-length album; one of those rare records that can display so wide a range of sonic experimentation without ever seeming to find the process self-sufficient, Conveyor is a deliciously rich combination of lush harmonies and offset rhythms, flowing gracefully whilst leaving you on a constant vital edge. Any second the tingling melody could turn to roaring freakout, an acoustic introduction could pull you suddenly into a shimmering fusion of electronic sounds… Long story short (you can find out more in a recent Deli interview with the band here), to watch the magic happen on stage, don’t miss them tomorrow evening (8.22) for their homecoming show at Brooklyn’s Glasslands Gallery! 

Looking back, The Due Diligence‘s debut album ‘I Will Wreck Your Life‘ seems like a delicate mise en bouche for what the band had in store, a raw power (so to speak) they unleashed as they let their music flow harsh, unpolished on the five tracks of their follow-up EP ‘Let It Be Already‘, which they released mid-July. Harsh perhaps, but no lo-fi soup, none of that ‘noise for the sake of noise‘; instead, a jam-like tease of a rock’n’roll record, casually swaying over soul and folk undertones, one to get you hooked at ease on the screeching guitars or the dandy, hiccupy rhythm of a boogie, just rough enough to strike below the waist; after all, rock’n’roll… it’s about getting the crowds off, isn’t it? Speaking of which, any new shows coming our way guys? – Tracy Mamoun

Having worked and re-worked its baggy-psychedelia cocktail, Brooklyn-based trio Dinowalrus set off in March towards its best efforts to date with ‘What Now‘, pulling the droning vocals out of the washed-out depths of their reverb’, picking up the pace with some fast steady drumbeats and glorious effusions of synth and guitars. Dropped five days ago, the shimmering ‘Grounded‘ pursued this fuller, more fluid sound, only slower, so very laid-back that one can’t help but notice the confidence they’ve gained over the last couple of years. If we’re going to extrapolate here, there’s a bigger and bolder Dinowalrus to be expected from their album to come (produced by Jorge Elbrecht).

The band will be playing this Friday (8.24) at Public Assembly, for a show introducing Ken Griffin’s latest project August Wells and headlined by Variety Lights, Chicago-based duo featuring ex-Mercury Rev David Baker. All of this and more (including a Dj Set by Spacemen 3’s Rosco) courtesy of the lovely Lady Bree.

Photo Source: Dreamdecay

Dreamdecay are playing at The Josephine this Friday, August 24th. The other groups performing are Matt Akers, Mutant Video, Gag, and Nudes.

These musicians have penned a document overflowing with sonic fury in Fern, which was released earlier this calendar year. Dissonant and chaotic, intensely cathartic and rhythmic – Dreamdecay’s feedback frenzy spins a web that is hard to disentangle from.

Take track "II" for instance, whose opening riff would not sound out of place in a Fugazi song. This vibe quickly dissolves into a heavier, punchier affair as the cymbals come crashing and the vocals meander on in – landing somewhere on the measuring stick near Michael Gira of Swans, and the vocalists of Young Widows and Daughters.

Song "IV" captures their most balanced blend of angular math rock and noise rock; except it has been tossed in a blender and coughed back out as a mass of raw venom. 

Their music is fearless and peerless in the Northwest because of its thirst for unadulterated noise and energy. They carry with them the relics of noise rock’s forefathers – bands like The Jesus Lizard or Sonic Youth – and yet they ultimately convey and champion their own passion rather than another’s.

See Dreamdecay at The Josephine coming up on the 24th of August. You can stream "IV" below and then visit their Soundcloud to hear all of Fern. The record is available for purchase via Great Plains Records.

– Cameron LaFlam

(Photo by Todd Zimmer)

Thee Water MoccaSins are one of the most well-known, yet most elusive bands in Kansas City. While frontman Billy Smith is now making his mark in New York, the other members of the group (Steven Tulipana, Wade Williamson and John Berusch) remain busy with a host of other projects. This week, we get a rare chance to sit down and talk with the group and find out a little more.

The Deli: Gun to your head: One sentence to describe your music. What is it?

Thee Water MoccaSins: We call it Psychedelic Electronic Fractal Pop. It is music that was made with a sense of urgency with an overall goal of keeping all things casual. Not only musically but internally as a band member. Easy Breezy.

The Deli: Let’s talk about your latest release or upcoming shows. What can we expect?

TWM: We have a show coming up on Thursday, August 23 at The Riot Room with Be/Non and Olivetti Letter.

The Deli: What does "supporting local music" mean to you?

TWM: The members of our band have spent most of our lives creating, participating and nurturing the local music scene by being booking agents, club owners, studio producers, haunted house builders, back patters and bartenders. All vital cogs in the local music machine. We take great pride in how the local music community represents itself.

The Deli: Who are your favorite "local" musicians right now?

TWM: We like bands that like are more exploratory in the live setting. Expo ’70, Be/Non, Ad Astra Arkestra, Gemini Revolution, Surroundher, Conquerors, Soft Reeds.

The Deli: Who are your favorite not-so-local musicians right now?

TWM: Digging bands like Tame Impala, Django Django, Tinarwen, Caetano Veloso.

The Deli: What is your ultimate fantasy concert bill to play on?

TWM: Queen with Einstürzende Neubauten, Stone Roses, My Bloody Valentine & The Residents.

The Deli: Would you rather spend the rest of your life on stage or in the recording studio?

TWM: Each one has a personal satisfaction. In the studio you get that instant song playback that gives you chills when the mix is perfect. I love to push the boundaries of what the studio can offer. It always helps when the producer/engineer is willing and able to help us experiment with sounds and non-traditional ideas when tracking songs. Chris Cosgrove really helped guide this record. And so far we have all been lucky with working with great producers and engineers. Thee Water MoccaSins could easily maintain and flourish within the settings of only a studio. Live: We love to play these songs live. We get to open the songs up a bit more like how we originally wrote them. Feeding off each other and being able to reach a psychic level of playing is about the highest mental plateau that humans can reach. And we push to open a communal bliss between us and the audience when we play live by adding an intense light show and percussive audience participation during some numbers. It is our attempt to say that All Are Welcome here.

The Deli: A music-themed Mount Rushmore. What four faces are you putting there and why?

TWM: Tom Waits, Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Mark Mothersbaugh. Wise Man, Protector, Lover, Human Dissent.

The Deli: All right, give us the rundown. Where all on this big crazy web can you be found?

TWM: www.theewatermoccaSins.com. You can download or listen to our full record. It sounds a bit silly when you just stream it due to some songs being strung together. Just buy it.

The Deli: Always go out on a high note. Any last words of wisdom for The Deli audience?

TWM: We would like to thank everyone for their continual support. Support your locals. Never bite the hand that feeds you. Please be good to each other. Start Now.

Thee Water MoccaSins will be bringing their psychedelic electronic fractal pop to blow away The Riot Room this Thursday, August 23 with special guests Be/Non and Olivetti Letter. Since they rarely play live shows, this is your chance to see them. Prepare to be impressed.

–-Zach Hodson

Zach is a lifetime Kansas City resident who plays multiple instruments and sings in Dolls on Fire and Drew Black and Dirty Electric, as well as contributing to many other Kansas City music, art, and comedy projects.  He is very fond of edamame, treats his cat Wiley better than he treats himself, and doesn’t want to see pictures of your newborn child (seriously, it looks like a potato).

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Chris Riffle could be New York’s unlikely mellowcore champion of the year. A mix of folk authenticity and offbeat sentimentality, Riffle has just released his second full-length ‘Another Dream‘ that charts many of his unrequited hopes for love, with topics ranging from his wishes for the shapes of stars, to his wishes for the names of stars. In songs like ‘Kiss On The Cheek‘ and his fantastic cover of ‘And I Love Him,’ Riffle proves New York is still a home for hopeless romantics at heart. Like Bright Eyes and M. Ward, Riffle’s tenor brings home passionate urgency to matters of the heart. See the troubadour when he plays this Thursday, August 23rd at Spike Hill. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Remember how big and scary everything looked when you were a kid? Well, either Jennifer Charles and Oren Bloedow never grew up, or things really are that big and scary. From ‘Red Riding Hood’s big bad wolf, to the ‘Old, Old Wood, Elysian Fields paint a vivid series of grownup myths with steep shadows and forbidding proportions.

Personal fave ‘Villian On The Run‘ from new record ‘Last Night On Earth‘ takes Jennifer through a twelve-bar blues form that links her casual sexiness to a Lynchian darkness. Admittedly setting a unique mood, this band makes it work by possessing their settings intimately and immediately. You might even find yourself forgetting this really hasn’t been done like this before. Definiftely recommended for anyone who enjoys a good fairy tale or bedtime story. See the band September 7th when they play Le Poisson Rouge. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)