Illuminator and their debut album "Answer Voice the Child" (released in January) confirm our suspicions that NYC bands with a mellow sound currently have an edge in terms of originality over rocking/shredding ones. This guitarless up and coming Brooklyn group often sounds like a crazier but also more laid back version of french duo Air, with some added psych/experimental influences reminiscent of artists ranging from Pink Floyd to Grizzly Bear and Dirty Projector. Their soulful melodies also bring to mind early TV on the Radio. In "Hey Crazy (Cough)" and "You Are Overgrown" – two of our favorite songs – electronic percussions, often distorted, introduce an interesting industrial element, but are confined to the background, while sweeping, heavily effected vocals take center stage.
The ancient Greeks thought that at night you could hear the music of the universe while staring at the stars. Nobody ever heard that music, but if it existed it would sound very much like this record. Cosmic. – You can see Illuminator live at the Church For All Nations (417 West 57th St, NY) on August 13 with Teletextile.

This year’s edition of KEXP‘s awesome free concert series Concerts at the Mural kicks off tonight at Seattle Center’s Mural Amphitheatre.  The show features local actsThe Maldives, Black Whales, and Hey Marseilles.  The series continues all month with shows every Friday, plus tomorrow’s 9th Annual KEXP BBQ.  The BBQ starts at 3 pm, all other shows start at 6pm.  Get there early and eat something from Skillet Streetfood.  Below we’ve got the lineups and the video for Hey Marseilles hit "Rio."

Friday 8/5, Doors at 5pm, Bands at 6pm 
Hosted by DJ El Toro
The Maldives
Hey Marseilles
Black Whales

Saturday 8/6, The 9th Annual KEXP BBQ! Doors at 2pm, Bands at 3pm
Hosted by Larry Mizell Jr., Troy Nelson, John Richards and Kevin Cole
Fool’s Gold
Rainbow Arabia
Capsula
School of Rock
Virgin Islands
Mad Rad

Friday 8/12, Doors at 5pm, Bands at 6pm
Hosted by Troy Nelson
Seapony
Gold Leaves
Math and Physics Club

Friday 8/19, Doors at 5pm, Bands at 6pm
Hosted by Hannah Levin
Black Mountain
My Goodness
Whalebones [Record Release]

Friday 8/26, No Depression Night, Doors at 5pm, Bands at 6pm
Hosted by DJ El Toro
Shane Tutmarc
Ravenna Woods
Pickwick
Drew Grow & the Pastors’ Wives

Yeah man! it’s nice to hear some Pink Floyd "Wish You Were Here" / "The Wall" era influences every now and then – it’s kind of rare. I bet you a ton of people out there had love affairs with those records, although now they’ll deny it… Admittedly, in our teens we were obsessed with them. But when we went back in the band’s discography and heard Syd Barret… it kind of changed our lives. However, Austin, TX psychedelic space rock band The Boxing Lesson carry obvious Pink Floyd influences from the Roger Waters dominance period. They premiered the first video from their new Muerta EP today. The intense, apocalyptic clip depicts singers and a variety of debris slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean, set to the song’s dark, sweeping lament.

What’s in a name? Don’t ask me. There’s no such thing as a yellow ostrich, but that doesn’t stop Alex Schaaf from insisting it’s alive anyway. And in songs like ‘Whale’ and ‘In The Past I Was an Astronaut’, Yellow Ostrich is making the abstract discernible, and getting a lot of attention for it. This guy raised enough money through his kickstarter two years back to self-release the outstanding "The Mistress" last year, only to get picked up by Barsuk Records and have the album re-released this year. Things are moving fast! – See Yellow Ostrich live at Glasslands on August 19, read Mike Levine’s interview with Alex Schaaf here.

Ravens & Chimes emerged as the winner of last year’s Best of NYC Emerging Artists readers’ poll. There’s no mystery why the talented quintet is considered New York’s answer to 2011’s big Grammy winner, Arcade Fire. The spirited vocals and baroque instrumentation are comparable to the band’s Canadian counterpart, but Ravens & Chimes don’t need the coordinated outfits and an expansive troupe of musicians to grab people’s attention. Even the band’s most subtle songs are as enthralling as their more ornate tunes. – See Ravens & Chimes live at Pianos on August 17, opening for Sherlocks’ Daughter, read Nancy Chow’s interview with the band here.

NewVillager got a fair amount of love from The Deli and it’s great to see them progress in their "chase for (indie) stardom." The band was just featured in New York Magazine’s ‘Approval Matrix‘ grid as both "brilliant" and "high brow". And "high brow" can’t really be a bad thing from the friggin’ Highest Brow publication out there! The band, who has recently released this video of the song ‘ShotBigHorixon’, is about to head out on tour with Metronomy. New album coming out on August 16.

I don’t know if it’s just me getting old or what (the heat, maybe?), but these days I have the feeling that most of the quality music curently produced by NYC artists is in the range between "mid tempo" and down right "mellow". Brooklyn-based four-piece Little Anchor position themselves in the latter category, blending the storytelling and simplicity of the Northwest (home of front-lady Alexa  Cabellon) with New York influenced pop sensibility. They do so in a very compelling and delicate way. They will digitally release the Yellow Lights EP on September 6, 2011.

NYC alt rock outfit Lion in The Mane is set to release "The Way We’re Wired" on August 9, 2011. The EP was recorded at Long Island’s Pie Studios, in Glen Cove, by producer/engineer William Wittman. This is music for those who like borderline emo vocals, spontaneous yet powerful guitar melodies, and a solid, driving and punhcy rhythms section. CD release party at The Bitter End on August 6. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here). The Deli’s NYC Open Blog is powered by The Music Building.

Carissa’s Wierd, one of the seminal indie rock outfits of Seattle through the 90s and early ‘oughts, have released a b-side track from a batch of new recordings they have reportedly been working on.  The band, which formed in 1995, broke up in 2003, with many of its members being disseminated into current chamber-pop and folky groups- including Band of Horses and Grand Archives.  Mat Brooke, lead singer of both Carissa’s Wierd and Grand Archives, also went on to found the Redwood bar, which is very noteworthy to me because while living in Capitol Hill I drank many beers and tossed many peanut shells onto their floor (Thank you, Mat).

The band is playing a show August 24 at Neumos, and the rumors about a tour, may or may not be true.  Possibly, I would just like to start a rumor that they’re touring, so as to incite a riotous demand for them to tour.     

Carissa’s Wierd – Meredith & Iris by hardlyartrecords

NY rockers Wormburner – currently nominated for our NYC artist of the month poll – have a high profile show on August 10, opening for Deer Tick at the Mulcahy’s Music Hall in Long Island. Wormburner play lyrically charged rock with intriguing western movie tinges that will please fans of the Boss and The National. Their latest full length – released in 2010 – is a concept album about two young and desperate characters on the run, seeking salvation on the road while struggling to make peace with a complicated past.

Folkstress Julia Haltigan – whose latest full length we reviewed just a few weeks ago here – will celebrate the release of her new EP "My Green Heart" on August 4 (tonight) at @ John Varvados Bowery (315 Bowery) in Manhattan. The show is free, and there will be free drinks – so this is a good opportunity to have cheap fun in some kind of "old timey" way.

We’ve been saying for a while that – with the new decade – the 80s are the new 70s, but maybe we were wrong… considering all the doo-wop and bubble-gum inspired artists we stumble upon these days, maybe the 50s are the new 70s! The Bandana Splits, the new band New Yorker Dawn Landes put together with Annie Nero and Lauren Balthrop, bring us a rather faithful reproduction of those old times atmospheres and melodies in this debut video. Their CD release show is on 8/16 at the video location, Farmacy, in Brooklyn