Listen to just ‘Show Me All The Sounds You Know,’ and you might mistakenly think Idgy Dean’s (who placed at #98 in our recent Best of NYC poll for emerging artists) only weapons are her positive energy and beautifully sultry voice. But stick around for harder-hitting songs like ‘Bang Bang Sun’ and ‘Lung’ and you’ll soon discover some of the depths to this roaring personality. Like a cross between tune-yards and Marnie Stern, Dean’s vocals soar over a backdrop that can include anything from her tympani drum and electric guitars, to double-tracked vocals that surround and pulse through your skin with a physical energy too dynamic to ignore.

See her when she plays at Big Snow on April 15th with Howth. – Mike Levine

For any fan of Perfume Genius, here’s Aunt Ange. There’s an acute sense of dread following every twist and turn through new record ‘Olga Walks Away.’ Essentially a document on loneliness seen through the eyes of Olga’s pain. From the lush violins, accordions and toy pianos of opener ‘Black Funeral Dress,’ to the stomping march of ‘Velvet Sidewalks,’ Aunt Ange takes you from the funeral to parade grounds from deep within the psyche of their absorbing subject. – Mike Levine (@goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for review digitally here.

Tomorrow night, the U-District’s Rat and Raven will play host to a deep roster of Northwest acts, featuring local pop-smiths the Balloons, fellow Seattleites the Hoot Hoots and the Fabulous Downey Brothers, and Portland’s Hollyood Tans. With reputations for fuelling fun-filled evenings with infectious and dance-inducing tunes, the four acts sharing the stage should offer a great opportunity to wrap up your week, and kick off your weekend, on a high note. 

Doors: 9:00 p.m.

Cover: $5

21 and over

Thursday began at the Filter Magazine party in the Cedar Street Courtyard where UK-based bands filled the afternoon. Rock ‘n roll trio, Band of Skulls (pictured) played to a packed patio along with the charismatic and energetic Kaiser Chiefs and pop act, Keane. An afternoon jaunt around downtown led me to the beautiful architecture and luxurious history of the Driskill Hotel where Fuse TV was hosting a shindig with live music and comfortable couches. Brooklyn’s Outernational performed in acoustic form after pop band, Waters, from San Francisco. I sprinted to Hotel Vegas on the very east side of the 6th Street strip to catch the last of reggae-infused Indie rockers, Deadbeat Darling, and fellow NY brethren, Black Taxi. Shortly after. 
The night was Deli partay of course! See separate blurb about it. –Meijin Bruttomesso

If Arcade Fire discusses the world as adults sharing their troubles from a child’s perspective, The Henry Millers are just the opposite. While the band’s two leading members are just in their early twenties, the group explores an enormous emotional range under an equally large musical landscape. ‘Mr. Flash Gordon’ for instance, discusses the pressures of a dying romance over grinding organs, persistent guitar strums, twinkling mallets and most importantly… a give and take between the group’s two guiding lights that give you an idea of what makes this band such a rare commodity.

Most of these songs are written by John MacCallum, but witnessing him share his woes with good friend/collaborater Katie Schecter live and on record is a big part of what makes you feel so at home with this group. Like you’re sharing a pent-up secret you’ve been holding inside for a long time, with someone you can trust with its importance. The Henry Millers’ outsized honesty and primary consideration for poetic narrative must have something to do with why they chose their band name, or it may just be something that makes sense between good friends who’ve known each other a long time.

This band submitted their music for review digitally here.

I’m not sure what kind of architecture you might use to construct a psychobuilding, but the band is definitely a supergroup of local freak talent. Singer/songwriter Peter LaBier has teamed up with Peter Schuette (Silk Flowers) and Juan Pieczanski (Small Black) to create Psychobuildings. These are a trio that blends towering layers of synth and percussion, creating the band’s upbeat-yet-eerily dark electronic dance sound. Songs like ‘Birds of Prey’ and ‘Terror Management’ from their past 12-inch releases, provide an aural document standing in for the manic insanity of their highly choreographed live shows. – Mike Levine

The first day of SXSW 2012 started off drowsy and jet-lagged but was invigorated and perked up by the sights and sounds of downtown Austin. Dismounting the R&R Shuttle Bus, I scouted a few parties and giveaways, including the Vintage Clothing Arcade, where Dubstep shook the walls of the room housing threads from the 60s-80s, before heading to the JanSport Party at Mohawk. Kicking off the day, Nashville’s Fly Golden Eagle got the groove going with a seductive mix of R&B, reggae, and pop-rock. Next, Brooklyn’s pride and joy, Bear Hands synthesizer-driven, punky rock brought the venue to capacity, and Austin-based Strange Boys channeled the country side of the city. Closing the afternoon, Austin’s White Denim (pictured) left the audience in awe with seemingly impossible rhythmic shifts, vibrant stage presence, and radiating energy. A quick Tex-Mex break transitioned me into the evening entertainment. I headed to Friends Bar for the annual Oklahoma City showcase for country/punk rockers, Black Canyon, and folksy pop-rock four-piece, Mont Lyons. My consistently noted act and perfect closer, The Pretty Black Chains, who, although have shrunken from a quartet to a trio, have not lose an ounce of power in their heavy retro rock and tight knit sound. A good day of music set the bar high for the rest of the week. –Meijin Bruttomesso

Fans of Destroyer now have a songwriter from NYC to call their own. Singing of the sticky situations that lead singer Leo Maymind finds himself in, the record ‘Gold Fools’ is a hypnagogic journey of competing influences, one half vintage synth wilderness, one half driving rock riffs. For their debut record, Spanish Prisoners ratchets their response to these influences up with the torrid journey of ‘Rich Blood,’ and personal favorite ‘Los Angeles Guitar Dream.’ This band’s washy vibe will leave its ‘tremolo-haze symphonies’ (their words…) on that vulnerable sweet spot of yours found right between the headphones. See them when they get back from tour to play Cameo Gallery April 1st.

MP3: Spanish Prisoners – Los Angeles Guitar Dream

This band submitted their music for review digitally here.

From the moment the ear buds dock and Friend Roulette’s ‘Sailing Song’ came up; I found I was already climbing mountains and working my way across unfamiliar canyons. There’s a perfectly hummable sentiment somewhere in this song that keeps working its way back to the surface, but only after first progressing through all manner of uneven meter changes, brass fanfare and incidental thematic adventure. At times stepping boldly into a space usually exclusive to the imagination of score composers like Danny Elfman, the group essentially writes Baroque pop pieces for an imagined Brechtian musical, casting its talented singer/songwriters Julia Tepper and Matthew Meade as the show’s unlikely protagonists.

After moving through so much landscape, you might think it reasonable that you’d eventually get a good idea about how this band operates. But the more I listen to Roulette, the less sure I am of where the genre’s fault lines are drawn. And it doesn’t help that the vocals are surrounded by generous portions of airy synth playing and legato violin bowing. So I’ve concluded one should only expect to approach the band’s after-hours sound while sifting through a thick haze of fog and mystery. Like an old Noir film, Friend Roulette never gives away the plot, but the distinct pleasure of discovering their dreamy Cabaret texture is enough to keep your ears duly occupied during the journey. – Mike Levine (@goldnuggets)

This band submitted their music for review digitally here.

Happy New Year (who made our 2011 Best of NYC list of Emerging Artists) doesn’t worry about making a mess; things will work themselves out eventually. In the opener to her two-track EP ‘Twins,’ singer/songwriter/noise-maker Eleanor Logan allows a deep bed of noise to envelope her airy vocals entirely for a good minute and a half prior to the drums kicking in. But once things get going, her works take on a life all their own. Like in her latest 7-inch, where the artist seems to drown in a warm bed of synths and buzzing guitars before the bass drum reaches out to pull the song forward, and Happy New Year forges a path all on her own. – Mike Levine

Reptar, as defined by Wikipedia, is “a fictional character from the American animated series Rugrats.” He’s a color-changing Godzilla who, depending on the occasion, is either out to save the world or destroy it. Similarly, the band Reptar is a force to be reckoned with, a furious dance party whirlwind fiasco which, depending on your level of immersion, may either save your world or demolish it. These guys will headline (together with Body Language) The Deli’s UN/OFF party in Austin on Thursday March 15, at Gypsy Lounge (1504 E 6th St), FULL LINEUP HERE. Do not miss! Read BrokeMC full feature about the band here.