Secret Beach is life distilled to its purest essence: emoticons (‘kiss/wink emoticon’) and being out of school (‘unlearning’). For a band already on their third full-length, it’s amazing how new their unadorned material sounds with each repeated listen. Like John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, Matt Magelof and Nicole Zumpano possess a simple urgency to their jams that transcend their otherwise lo-fi origins.

So don’t expect any studio sheen here. Theirs are lo-fi jamborees that begin as spontaneously as they end, and I don’t think it would sound right any other way. The straight ahead guitar and voice of this group of friends comes together beautifully imperfect. With so many endless things to think about in life, Secret Beach celebrates all the small moments, with the people surrounding you that make them all possible. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets) – This band submitted their Music for review to The Deli here.

On September 21st, 2010, Ra Ra Riot headlined the Bowery Ballroom in New York City for the first time with little known (at the time) fellow Phantogram as their opening act. Wow, how I wish I had 10 bucks and a time machine.

What Ra Ra Riot and I have in common is a past in Syracuse, New York. This is a large reason why I take great pride in them and have for a while. Their success, much like Carmelo Anthony’s and Aaron Sorkin’s, is mine as well. Syracuse was once described as a place where the rapture hit 20 years ago, and I don’t think whoever said that was too far off. So even though Ra Ra Riot was only there for 4 years, they are "ours."

But on June 28th, 2012 they belonged to the only people any band wants to, their few-hundred biggest fans, at The Box on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. For 5 dollars a pop at a venue usually reserved for sexually-charged dance recitals that take place from 1am til dawn, any fan of RaRa Riot who acted fast enough could see their favorite band at the most intimate venue they have played in New York City since that night with Phantogram, almost 2 years ago.

On this night, the opening act (the always-amazing Lissy Trullie) was breathtaking; the crowd was hipsterful, the beer was $8 a bottle and the two girls behind me would not shut the fuck up (how could they afford to get THAT drunk?) Although, they only played a short set, the Ra Ra guys and girls played one of the most well rounded nights I have ever heard from them; this is From me and the 30 Ra Ra diehards I talked to after the gig: it was a fantastic set. – Max Lefkowitz – Read Ryan Henriquez’s 2008 Deli print feature on Ra Ra Riot here.

 Photo Source: Kyle Johnson

Pollens are the newest addition to Tapete Records, a record label based in Germany. Their appearance at Capitol Hill Block Party on July 21st ought to really bring home the excitment of this announcement.

The group began as a project between Hanna Benn and Jeff Aaron Bryant in 2008; through periods of musical experimentation and a self-released EP, they have expanded to their current six member lineup.

Pollens has three songs available for streaming as a preview for the album – entitled Brighten & Break – to come. "Helping Hand" is guided by a mellifluous, repetitive vocal melody that hooks you in with its multi-layered approach. The rhyhtmic patterns are fluid, entrancing, and will induce bouts of blissful swaying.

"Motion King" leads in with a bouncy riff and a subdued beat before gently blending into choruses and instrumental breaks. Their music maintains a quality of purity and vibrancy, uplifted by their powerful vocal ensemble without becoming maudlin. Live, the band pulls you with their energy – genuine and inclusive, but controlled.

Brighten & Break is due for a September 21st release date. Until then, give Pollens’ tracks a listen and find yourself spirited away. Listen to "Motion King" below and the other songs on their bandcamp. They will appear on the Neumos Stage at 3:00pm on Saturday, July 21st at the Capitol Hill Block Party. Be there.

– Cameron LaFlam

The Numbs has its first cassette coming out this Sunday, July 15th. The record – entitled People – will be released courtesy of Couple Skate Records. 

It is a one-man project, engineered by Jeff Johnson, the artist who is one half of the experimental and enigmatic duo U. The only track available for streaming right now, "Freaks Easy," syncs with its name perfectly. It swoons like a minitature soundtrack to someone’s odd carnival.

The sounds are peculiar, but ineffably tinged with a light and happy spirit. Almost if he were reimagining an instrumental track for Olivia Tremor Control. There are accordion-like noises, a door creaking, a small locomotive – and other repetitive, fragmented sounds which coalesce to form a twitchy, wordless song.

Stream "Freaks Easy" below and see how easily it sinks into you. Check back at Couple Skates Records website to purchase People soon.

– Cameron LaFlam

Check out the new video from Clay Hughes, called "The Love I Gave Ya" from his upcoming project Four. The track was originally released last year on Hughes’ collaboration The Whether Machine with JKR70. 

Hughes is a part of Sharp County Records, a local label founded by Lennon Bone of Ha Ha Tonka. 

Four will be available on July 24. Until then, you can catch Hughes at Saints in Lawrence on Friday, July 13 and The Granada on Saturday, July 21, when he opens for George Watsky.

Are your ready for a weekend of beats, rhymes, and mayhem? Dust off your flyest kicks and your Cazale shades, because it’s summertime, and there’s rap in the air. New York boom-bap demigod El-P (video below), who recently released his 5th solo studio album on Fat Possum Records, “Cancer 4 Cure,” will rock Irving Plaza this Friday the 13th. If post-apocalyptic jazz-rap is not exactly your bent, then you can skip over to the Mercury Lounge for a heavy dose of Funky with Brooklyn’s dance-rap outfit Deathrow Tull and funk-damentalist Bernie Worrell (P-Funk, Talking Heads). Saturday you can revisit your roots at the 8th Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest. You’ll see a diverse array of new and old-school artists including Maya Azucena, Freeway, and the mighty Busta Rhymes. Later Saturday night, test your mettle as east village gem NUBLU hosts the bombastic Underground Horns in what will surely be a sweat-drenched carnival of hip-gyration and swagger. After a rejuvenating Sunday afternoon BloodyMary-soaked brunch, saunter over to Brooklyn Bowl at 6pm where Queens legend Pharaohe Monch (pictured) will be rocking alongside Olamide and J Ross Parrelli as part of a fundraiser for MORE THAN ME, a local non-profit which builds schools for orphans in war-torn Liberia. Monday, unfortunately, you might have to go back to work. -=brokeMC

The brainchild of Brooklyn based programmer Bonnie Baxter, Shadowbox offers dark electronica reminiscent of some wonderfully grieving and rather damaged 4AD records of the late 80s/early 90s – This Mortal Coil in particular. Matt Kliegman’s video of the song "AM" (see below) visually translates Bonnie’s troubled tune by focusing its attention on a mysterious man, who looks like what could be the child born from a genetic experiment mixing the DNAs of Neo from "The Matrix" and Alex from "A Clockwork Orange" – the type of guy you may not want to meet when you are alone in a subway station: kind of scary, but very cinematic! Shadowbox will release the EP Haunted by Colors on July 24.

Boston based dream-poppers Dirty Dishes have released a 5-track album “The Most Tarnished Birds” in both physical and download format, and can be gotten directly from their bandcamp. Consisting of five single word song titles, “Gaze” opens with sparse instrumentation, focusing momentarily on Jenny Tuite’s expressive voice, before exploding into a powerful wall of guitars and layered dreamy vocals. “Bloom” follows a similarly structured introductory pattern, before alternating between sweet female vocals and frenetic musical interludes reminiscent of Sonic Youth, although Collen’s voice leans more towards the smoother textures of Kim Deal, rather than Ms. Gordon’s husky rasp. “Break” exhibits more complex rhythms via syncopated drumming against an open note guitar pattern, while “Blur” channels the pure sonic guitar force of My Bloody Valentine, with vocals not nearly as murky. The band will be playing The Middle East Upstairs in Cambridge, MA on August 5, and Glasslands Gallery in Brooklyn the following night. – Dave Cromwell

Boasting an impressive stint of Monday night performances since 2005, the Jim Campilongo Electric Trio continues shredding through heavy country guitar riffs nearly every Monday at The Living Room, in the heart of the Lower East Side. Campilongo, who has performed with Cake, Bright Eyes, Gillian Welch, and slew of others, is also on the road with Norah Jones this summer, both opening for the singer and appearing at festivals with her. Jones and Campilongo are also bandmates in the country and blues group The Little Willies, releasing a cover album earlier this year featuring songs from Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, among others. After a few international shows, the Jim Campilongo Electric Trio will return to their instrumental sets at the Living Room on July 20. – Devon Antonetti

Austin’s epic psych rockers The Saint James Society just released this outstanding video of their single "Ballad of the White Horse," from their February self-titled release. This majestic, sexy, powerfully evocative song suddenly makes the idea of getting lost in the desert – with guns – more appealing than it’s ever been (as long as gorgeous members of the opposite sex will join the party). Kudos to Katelin Arizmendi, who directed the video.