One of my pet peeves as a lover of all types of music is when you mention a band to someone and their immediate reaction is, "Oh yeah, those guys sound like…" I mean, I get it. Our culture is full of musical references. I, for one, don’t think it’s a bad thing. To be influenced by other people’s art is natural for an artist. Most of the music we grew up listening to was a direct descendent from something else; we just don’t know about it, so we think it’s “totally original.” No one on the planet can convince me they are playing something that isn’t derivative of something else. All that being said, I admire bands that wear their influences on their sleeves. Not to replicate it, but to push it along and give it new life in a new context. Dream Wolf’s three-song EP, Learn To Survive, does exactly that and does it well.

"Future Man" is a really the perfect opener for this set because it sums up the band’s idiosyncratic take on ’70s prog-glam rock. Pushed along by Kansas-ish keyboard tones and some laser-focus guitar playing, the song sets the pace while spinning a Bowie-like lyrical yarn ("Circle now, around the Sun/What you’re seeing now, son, are things you don’t understand/But they will make you a man").

"All Time" starts off with an on-the-verge waltz feel, highlighted by chimes and terrific vocal work by Megan Zander and Katelyn Boone. Around 1:13, the song takes a veer into a shuffle hook, reminiscent of Meatloaf or Hedwig and The Angry Inch, before falling off into a quiet vocal round that builds back into a climax that should prove at least one member of Dream Wolf is related to Freddie Mercury.

Rounding out Learn to Survive is "The Water is Full of Lead," which invites us to join them in a swimming pool full of disease. However, it may be safer to stand around the pool and bask in the band’s ability to shift into more jazz-oriented playing styles, with a very nice piano solo to boot. Although stylistically these songs are obviously pure Dream Wolf, each one has an ability to spotlight the diversity of the band without losing track of what it is at the core.

I saw Dream Wolf play last fall and their live show was filled with thematic, over-the-top melodies and grooves that made me an instant fan. The expert musicianship of every member is evident on this recording as well as their exuberant imaginations that take the listener into strange situations. With another album coming up in the near future, this band will be one to watch as they reinvent their own versions of operatic rock and take it in new directions.

You can catch Dream Wolf tonight at Coda, headlining the show with guests Modern Arsonists and Sundiver. .

-Mike Tipton

In the latest installment of his ongoing IPhone videos – five parts, and something of an iSeries –  New York City producer and songwriter Jessie Harris has released this video for “I Won’t Wait” from his upcoming full-length album “Sub Rosa,” due out on July 31. Once again, the focus is on Harris’ friend Dulcinea Del Dolorosa dancing in a role described as “The Succubus,” was shot on director Lyle Owerko’s iPhone, and later edited on iMovie. The song is a mellow, but driving, blend of Harris’ pop and folk stylings, and features Bright Eyes main man Conor Oberst and Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Norah Jones also appears in several songs on “Sub Rosa.” The album release party will be hosted at record store Tropicalia in Furs on July 30th at 6pm. – Devon Antonetti

As they introduce a first full-length album to come with a clear second take on the fuzzy, poorly recorded ‘Dance Only (Only Dance)’ of their debut EP, NYC-via-New-Jersey septet The Everymen prove that they’ve come a long way in two years. Subtly supported in this soulful effort, amid heavy basslines and low sax tones, by the only female voice of the band, frontman and founder Mike V follows the melody with the clumsiness of both punks and macho rockers indulging in kitchy love songs that makes them sound all the more genuine.

Rough ’round the edges with no more need for noise, the track sees New Jersey Hardcore as a potential turning point in the band’s recording career. We will however have to wait until October to confirm, so meanwhile, I suggest you get a taste of the new sounds at Brooklyn’s House of Vans next Thursday (07.26), where they will be opening for psychedelic garage big band King Khan & His Shrines. That should be loads of fun. – Tracy Mamoun

With their good old-fashioned folk‘n’roll and a new video to match, The Bottom Dollars (who placed at #35 in our 2011 Best of NYC Poll for emerging artists) have premiered “Prizefighter” this week. The video was shot around iconic New York landmarks like the Coney Island boardwalk and Washington Square Park, and includes, yes, plenty of people having fun and fighting. The band, dressed dapper in 1920’s attires, duke it out in a series of brawls, though not always proving their claimed “prizefighter” status. The elusive single-named Seeley directed the video, which features appearances from a few friends, members of The Nuclears and the frizzy-haired W.M.D. DuBois of Deathrow Tull and Strings for Truth. See The Bottom Dollars live at Mercury Lounge on August 7. – Devon Antonetti

The magic hour is that one time of day when shadows get sharper, light gets more intense, and everything is perfect to take great photos. The debut video for Wilsen’s first release seems to recall this mood in its sharp instrumentation and dizzying lights. Shot in the band’s rehearsal space, ‘Dusk’ highlights the differing shapes and sizes this time of day creates. From Tamsin Wilson, a singer/songwriter usually associated with country twang, comes a surprisingly commanding voice backed by an ambitious folk trio. The song channels the heavens in its haunting refrain “dusk is rolling in,” and I’m excited to see what vision develops from here. Check it yourself when they play their debut album release show at Union Pool on July 25th. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Sexy Neighbors is a garage band from Brooklyn with a sound that reminds me a little of one of my favorite British post punk bands – The Stranglers, "Black and White" period – I guess because of the relentless organ parts and lead singer Felix Gottdiener’s commanding attitude. Native J (the lady behind the keys) also lends her voice to the band’s tunes, adding an unexpected, occasional dreamy element, in particular in "Seeds" (streaming below). This is a band that’s fun to listen to, and should be even more fun to witness live.

We’ve been following Brooklyn duo She Keeps Bees for a long time now, and it’s great to see them gaining more and more buzz (no pun intended, maybe). Their latest single “Counter Charm” (streaming below) was released this week and debuted on NPR’s All Songs Considered, and showcases an interesting development in their sound, in a direction that’s at once more atmospheric, punchy, and tense. Singer Jessica Larrabee howls over a dark, pulsating melody, pleading out “please stay” over and over. Larrabee, who is joined by drummer Andy LaPlant, possess a sinister tone throughout, at times reminiscent of Cat Power. The single also includes the track “Blue Moon,” one of the ominous forays of the 1930’s classic. She Keeps Bees is finishing up a tour overseas (for some reason it seems like every time we blog about them they are in Europe), but will return for US this fall for a string of shows in the… west coast – dudes, NYC shows??? – Devon Antonetti

Photo Source: Amelia G.

Blood Orange Paradise will be performing at the Black Lodge this upcoming Friday, July 20th. The lineup also includes Prizerog, Tropical Punk, and Ubu Roi.

The band self-released their debut record earlier this year, an eight track affair eponymously titled Blood Orange Paradise. In the span of its length, they manage to distill many of their Discord Records ’90’s era influences into a unique concoction that may be the cure listeners have been searching for. Their songs unfurl by their own accord, alternatively driving and pulsing or pensive and disquieting.

"The Other End" is a notable example that refuses to stick with any one flavor. Beginning with a whistling patch of feedback, the bass riff subtly hums itself into the mix, breaking into a post-punk groove kept in check by the full crack of the snare beat. The last minute of the track channels the best of bands like Fugazi and Malady, raising the stakes energy-wise without sacrificing melodic complexity.

Lead track "Gene Roddenberry Had A Vision" is guided by thoughtful, introspective vocals that deserve praise for their confidence and versatility. Genres aside, this song and others on the album reflect a band emboldened by their predecessors rather than hindered by them.

Check out BOP – (such a beboppin good acronym for a band) – on the 20th of July at the Black Lodge starting at 9pm. Listen to "With All Due Respect" below and continue onto their bandcamp to stream the entire release. It is also available for convenient digital purchase for only $4!

– Cameron LaFlam

Since their release of 2011’s “Celebration, Florida,” The Felice Brothers have had a rough go of it. Their home was hit by a hurricane, their tour Winnebago broke down, and their singer/lead guitarist was hospitalized. Yet the Americana band persevered through the adversity to deliver a new collection of songs. Entitled “God Bless You, Amigo,” the collection consists of twelve’s original songs and eight covers of traditional folk songs. The proceeds from “God Bless You, Amigo,” which can be downloaded exclusively from the band’s website, will go towards an official follow-up to “Celebration, Florida” and a new touring vehicle. The Felice Brothers will be opening for Modest Mouse at the sold out July 20 Montclair, NJ’s Wellmont Theatre, and “Lincoln Continental is streaming below. – Josh Johnson

Those who (like me) spend their life going through press releases and music submissions tend to develop often misleading snap judgment tendencies. When I read NYC songstress Anna Rose‘s name in my Inbox I expected your typical, a little generic, slightly boring singer songwriter – maybe because her name is a little… effortless? But the lady’s music proved me wrong. Admittedly, Anna doesn’t play the most outrageously innovative of genres – modern blues – but she does it with style. She recently got a good amount of press because of this video of a cover of "My Body is a Cage" by Arcade Fire, which she reinterpreted with a delicate, sparse and sober touch reminiscent of The Cowboy Junkies. Now she’s releasing another video, for the the title track of her forthcoming album "Behold a Pale Horse," due out later this year.

This week’s edition of On The Beat features prehistoric pummeler Sara Teasley of The Cave Girls and The Heavy Figs. She talks about hangin’ with Mr. Alice Cooper and her philosophy on music and fun. Catch the beat right here!

On The Beat is a weekly interview brought to you by drummer Sergio Moreno (of Hillary Watts Riot and Alacartoona), and features some of the many talented drummers in the Kansas City area.

There’s something touching about the quiet voice of concern that Birthmark gives to the people he meets. Like the intimate chamber/electronic music of Destroyer or Jeremy Enigk, singer/songwriter Nate Kinsella uses random materials (whether these be drum machines or pizzicato violins) to pull something deeply personal out of otherwise far-flung genres. Whether the towering tribute of ‘Big Man’ or the mysterious source of inspiration in ‘You lighten me up,’ his latest LP ‘Antibodies’ digs deeply into the human condition. Birthmark pulls inspiration from unlikely places, repeating this sentiment over either baroque oboes and after-hours electronics alike.

In a desperate world filled with all manner of overlapping human and musical families, Birthmark designs a universe where both of these can live together. Handling his subjects in a delicate manner, one story at a time. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)