Dude York are issuing Escape from Dude York on July 10th courtesy of UK label The Sound of Sweet Nothing. This release will be followed up shortly thereafter with an appearance at Capitol Hill Block Party on July 22nd.

The band – a rowdy three piece that writes self-proclaimed teenpop jams – is comprised of Alex Cassidy, Andrew Hall, and Peter Richards. Together, they created the material for Escape from Dude York, a five song document which reveals their predilection for the two minute long song.

The brevity of these pieces works in their favor; they ramp up the energy quickly in the track "And Andrew Too" with a Fugazi-like riff and thumping drum beat before tearing into more straightfowardly garage ‘n’ roll territory. The vocals are mature and emphatic, drawing comparisons to Jail Weddings and The Black Lips.

Your bones are going to bounce to the beat instinctively, so be prepared for the head-bobbing and dancing their music induces. Their song "Fuck City" becomes an irresistible anthem by the time it is halfway through its two minute, twenty three second running time.

Dude York will be performing on The Vera stage at 8:20pm on Sunday, July 22nd at the Capitol Hill Block Party. You can stream three of the five tunes off Dude York’s upcoming 7 inch on their bandcamp. Make sure to visit the page for The Sound of Sweet Nothing to order Escape from Dude York digitally or on vinyl.

– Cameron LaFlam

Eytan Oren could probably be accused of many things, but unmotivated would not be one of them. After winning one of our studio giveaways last year, Eytan and his band The Embassy used the occasion to record song ‘Everything Changes’ at Stratosphere Sound, showcasing a fantastic band in the process.

In the video for the song, (which has received 420,000 views in just one week), Eytan and The Embassy express an appeal to adaptation, set to music that vaguely references ‘Cruel to be Kind.’ The video goes through a startling 18 costume changes with no editing, and this achievement has been noticed by Record Setter who gave Eytan an award for the most costume changes in a one-take music video.

As one insightful Youtube poster remarked: “Damn you got such a distinctive face, but still manage to show off so many different personalities!.” Indeed. Eytan wears a lot of hats in this band, both musically and literally. His new record ‘The Perfect Breakup,’ finds the Brooklyn singer constantly reinventing himself. From the consoling dance fever of opener ‘No Reason to Cry,’ to the mid-tempo ‘Good Morning Marilyn,’ Eytan has a knack for reclaiming classic rock styles as his own.

See Eytan and the Embassy when they play the CBGB fest at Central Park’s Summerstage on July 6th with The Pains, and check out his head jarring new video below.

Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

The Future of What is a new project featuring Brooklyn singer songwriter Blair, whose previous band was just know as… "Blair," and toured with Neon Indian and Say Hi amongst others. Their music could be considered as the perfect archetype of the bedroom-pop genre, which is becoming a staple of the NYC scene (think Friends, Ms Mr, Oberhofer). The simple, mostly electronic arrangements betray hours spent creating on a laptop at home rather than in a rehearsal or recording studio, while the "mid-‘fi" approach to recording is often due to a combination of artistic choice, budget limitations, and limited equipment; Blair’s delicate, borderline shy vocal delivery is another recurring trait of this genre, and likely to be due to the fact that not many people want to be heard by neighbors while they are cutting a vocal track.

But as we often mention, notwithstanding our obvious obsession with genres and categorizations, it’s always the songwriting that matters the most, and Future of What offers personal, ethereal and enjoyable pop tunes, which – considering their front lady’s touring past – can also be exported successfully in a live show environment.Check out the video for "Back to the City" here.

New York indie folk quartet Swear and Shake played the Hillstock fest last week, and will cement their status with a CD release party at Mercury Lounge on Friday July 6 with These Animals and Tall Tall Trees.

The moniker itself captures a certain quality to the group’s vibe, evoking the rhythmic and fitful, but most distinctly their togetherness – as if these four, somewhere on a playground long ago, entered into a pact of musical dimensions. Undoubtedly there is a spirit of play to the music, resulting in songs that toss between childlike vulnerability and wonder, and resounding harmonies that beautifully elevate the stuff of good old indie-folk – The vocals alone, shared between Kari Spieler and Adam McHeffey, are fodder for obsession.

Yet don’t be fooled. If we are to start on the playground, “Maple Ridge” maps the art of growing up. That is, despite its homespun feel, the album achieves definite sophistication. From the first track, the delightfully singsong “Marbles” (streaming below), the band looks to the future with all the tenderness of youthful promise: “I swear I’ll clean up good/I bought us a piano so our kids would grow up smart”. “White Walls”, on the other hand, displays an early world-weariness- an acknowledgment that relationships seem to impact our personal growth more than we’d like. Still, the wistful “Wrecking Ball” addresses our craving for such (literal) impact. The group freely admits another reality of adulthood: that sometimes, though we’ve sworn a person off, we ultimately can’t shake them. – Kristina Tortoriello

The poppy 5-piece Hidden Pictures has been signed to Kansas City’s Golden Sound Records, just announced in anticipation of their upcoming full-length release Rainbow Records. The crisp, melodic, polite vocal combination of Richard Gintowt and Michelle Sanders mixed with bright retro pop sounds is a perfect fit for Golden Sound, whose current artist roster includes the ’50s-style rockabilly group The Empty Spaces, folk outfit Oriole Post, and ambient noise rockers Everyday/Everynight.

Rainbow Records will be available on July 17 in print/digital formats. The CD release show will be July 20 at The Brick with labelmates Fullbloods. 

In addition, Golden Sound Records is hosting the Crossroads Summer Block Party next Friday, July 6. Food, festivities, and music from bands on the label, as well as bands on The Record Machine.

–Michelle Bacon

Someone get Zach Braff on the phone. He is going to want to get in on She’s a Keeper before someone else does. Having already packed local clubs to capacity and having performed at Midcoast Takeover this year at South by Southwest, if you haven’t heard of this band yet, you damn well should have. And assuming the band keeps making albums like this one, you will hear of She’s a Keeper whether you want to or not.

She’s A Keeper really hit the purposefully rusted nail on the head with this effort. These cool kids got off the bus in some random Kentucky town and quickly put the from-the-jug drinking locals to shame. It makes me wonder which one offered up his or her poor young soul to the devil to comprehend and create alt folk rock so well. It is really, really good. As a fellow local musician, I have to admit it is angry good. It is jealous good. It is damn impressive.

She’s a Keeper pulls off this click of music to near perfection. The more rock moments tinge on the metronomic energy of Phoenix. The upbeat songs are a hootin’ and hollerin’ good time, reminiscent of the Avett Brothers’ early work. The slower, “purtier” efforts tenderly kick you in the stomach and leave you wanting to thank the boot.

Songs like “Guidance” and “Love Me Like a Summer” carry a consistent yet dynamic energy. As is typical in this modern-folk-rock genre, She’s a Keeper enjoys being playful with song structures, often utilizing beat and meter changes to keep the ears surprised.

In “Branches,” my favorite tune of this bunch, the band shows a masterful control of its music. The song is built up and torn down many times in many unique ways, yet it never seems excessive. It features a grand range of instrumentation, but, impressively, each instrument is used in exactly the right amount and way. The restraint and respect shown to the song as a whole is something from which even the most seasoned songwriters could take a cue.

The following two tracks showcase the other side of what She’s A Keeper can do. “Hometown” is a stripped-down effort overflowing with honesty and emotion. It produces the power and impact of the previous track, but with 20 percent of the instrumentation. “Show Me State” starts out very much the same, featuring only the comforting flicker of a xylophone to accompany the spot-on harmony vocals and layered guitar. But just when you think they’re losing their steam, the rest of the band return and bring the track to an exciting and dynamic conclusion. I would say without reservation it is the best three-song stretch I have heard on an album (local or not) in quite a while.

And so it continues over the 12 songs. There are not a lot of criticisms to be had here. The album does lack an obvious radio single, but as soon as She’s A Keeper stumbles upon its “Caring is Creepy” or “Lisztomania,” all bets are off.

Do yourself a favor. Go “like” this band now. Go get this record. She’s a Keeper is doing it right, and you should know about it.

She’s A Keeper will be performing this Friday, June 29 at recordBar for Chris Haghirian’s birthday bonanza, which begins at 9:00 p.m. with Georgia Gordon, Stephen Paul Smoker and Hearts of Darkness. Tickets are $10 and are available here.

 -Zach Hodson

Editor’s note: This album was released in 2011 and followed up by a live recording performed at Midwestern Musical Co earlier this year. She’s A Keeper will be releasing a follow-up studio album in August.

Lazer Kitty released their debut album Ruins earlier this month. They are now gearing up for a performance at The Vera Project, this Friday, June 29th.

The group bypasses the traditional rock trio mold built on guitar, bass and drums, opting instead for the sweeping, evocative tones of a synth in their compositions. The music is instrumental and governed by a penchant for improvisation; they do not needlessly meander or squander their aural explorations though.

They evoke the sounds of a number of dynamic bands upon listening – God is an Astronaut, Mogwai and Boards of Canada are a few that spring to mind. Lazer Kitty blends the climatic build-ups of post-rock with more tempered and celestial moments of rock, such as the track "Magnetic Rose." The album is never content to occupy one space for too long, yet they do not rush the process either, rewarding the listener with eerie, fully-formed soundscapes.

Lazer Kitty’s self-released album is streaming in its entirety over at their bandcamp and is also available for purchase. You can watch the band open for The Humans and Young Empires this Friday at The Vera Project. Doors are at 7:30pm. 

– Cameron LaFlam

This week, we sit down with Stephanie Williams, who plays in nearly every band in Kansas City, it seems. She plays with The Prolific, The Clementines, The Cave Girls, Claire and the Crowded Stage, Adam Evolving, and by the time of this posting, there’s no telling who else. 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.

Since their recent transformation from Vermont jam band to NYC experimental-ish indie collective (with some residue jam band influences) The Deli has become a big fan of Brooklyn octet Rubblebucket. These guys have another busy summer ahead, and this is understandable considering what a great party band they are. After releasing their fist live album and DVD this spring, “Rubblebucket: Live in Chicago” (see a video from it here) the band announced a summer tour with Athens “disco dust” rockers Reptar and their upcoming late night debut on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Vocalist and sax player Kalmia Traver and trumpeter Alex Troth met during college in Vermont, forming the band shortly after and enlisting an entire range of musicians and instruments that include anything from a Moog synth to an n’goni, an African banjo-predecessor. Rubblebucket will tour into fall, and are a set appear on “Jimmy Kimmel” on July 18. – Devon Antonetti

In Make Out’s new single ‘Maybe I’m the One (For Me)’ (video here) singer Leah Hennessey rushes at you with the kind of bouncy, frenetic energy usually associated with NYC bands from the 70s, like say… The New York Dolls, a band this group actually opened for in the past. Hennessey just happens to be the step-daughter of singer New York Dolls’ David Johansen, and Jesper Mortensen (my favorite half of Junior Senior) provides the dancehall ready beats you’ve probably been missing ever since you saw an animated squirrel dance to his last band’s most famous single.

Anyone who’s listened to the band before will probably recall fashionable ‘80s power chicks like Annie Lennox, Tiffany and even… Madonna. These are few and proud ladies who manage to make the dance floor their play thing. As Mortensen explains: “it’s instant excitement.” Indeed, we should all be making out, and this band knows it.- Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

In 2012, it’s not quite clear anymore what someone means when they say they are a DJ. With electronic dance music soaring, Electro-rock continuing its steady march of dominance in the indie scene, hip hop DJs holding strong, and experimental DJs as weird and out there as ever, anyone from Deadmau5 to your neighbor who figured out how to hack his old Gameboy Color can claim the moniker. Not to mention The Drums on their night off or the guy who scratches records behind 50 Cent and grew up idolizing Jam Master Jay . But what about someone who combines elements of all four DJ ideologies? Last Saturday, NYC DJs Obey City (pictured) and Quam took over a Williamsburg’s Mezz packed with hipsters and showed us what that one might look like. With hip-hop beats and EDM-style chords, voices and sounds thrown in just to keep you off guard, and a steady, chill vibe to it, DJs like these guys are not only doing it right, they are doing it all. – Max Lefkowitz

If you’ve ever seen a Bollywood film, you may be familiar with some of the cacophony in Brooklyn’s Trabajo. Lending an otherworldly dimension to their brand of psychedlia, in in "Black Practice" swirling vocals are projected through a Bombay percussion and horn arrangement, while the washing machine of the world’s folk instruments are blended even further in their latest single ‘Monk.’ For how strange this band’s palette is, you’ll find yourself unexpectedly sucked into their peculiar collages. A lot of freaks talk a big game, but Trabajo works it in a way that might have made Olivia Tremor Control proud. See them when they play Brooklyn Fireproof on May 5th. – Mike Levine – Trabajo submitted their music to The Deli for review here.