Radical Dads don’t have the same issues as other bands you’ve been listening to. You’re not gonna hear singer Lindsay Baker, other singer Robbie Guertin or not-singer Chris Diken talk about posturing or clubbing. Get real. They’re having way too much fun to worry about all that nonsense.
This dismissive attitude comes from a group that doesn’t just sound like ’90s indie all stars Yo La Tengo or Chavez or… (insert favorite ’90s Matador Records band here), they characterize it like an unearthed time capsule from Portland. With an imagination that includes room for dinosaurs and apocalypse all within the scope of the same song (‘New Age Dinosaur’), Radical Dads have got your needs covered.
Their new record Mega Rama (Uninhabitable Mansions) is drenched in fuzzy guitars, fuzzy screaming and fuzzy fuzziness, and all of this is somehow far too much fun to be aggressive in any way. Loud abandon is just their calling card. Any other doubts? Watch the video below for ‘Recklessness‘ and I promise you’ll get over yourself. – Mike Levine

 

The market for joke Rap groups has run dry lately. Paul Barman did his thing, Northern State did theirs (wait, were they serious?), and some of us were lucky enough to bask in the hilarity of Party Fun Action Committee. However, if you’re thirsty from something new, brazen, and potentially drenched in Sake, you should check out the Notorious MSG. Their raps are completely irreverent, self-effacing, and rife with cliché (as most joke rap should be!). Imagine if the Beastie Boys had been raised on dim sum and Sonny Chiba flicks, then sprinkle in a little 80s R n’ B for effect and you’re ready to wok. Their debut album “Heavy Ghetto” was released on May 24th, don’t miss their CD release party at Brooklyn Bowl on June 10th. – BrokeMC

Hooray for summer! Time for bikinis, beers, bean…dips… and Battle of NYC Boroughs! On Friday the sixth, ten bands are participating in Manhattan’s Battle of Boroughs, the preliminary round for the Ultimate Battle, and a chance at the opening slot for this year’s SummerStage festival. The winner is determined by audience vote, so your attendance is necessary. Featured bands include West Side Five, Ethan Mann, Genghis Barbie (top picture), Lounis Ait Menguelet, Jay Stone, Snehasish Mozumder, Scrambler Seequill (see crazy/awesome video below), John Brodeur, Andy Suzuki & The Method, and Ben Tyree. The show will be at The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space at WNYC 44 Charlton Street. More event info here. – Caitlin Clive

Shilpa Ray And Her Happy Hookers are back home at Music Hall Of Williamsburg tonight (June 1st) . The band have been on the road for about 2 months straight now, and they’re bringing it each night.

Late Cambrian‘s debut full length comes out in late June but you can already hear many of the tracks over at Last.fm. Also, preview the album artwork and learn more about this Brooklyn, NY existential prog-pop-rock band. Late Cambrian is playing a FREE show at Spike Hill Saturday June 25th at 9:30 pm. – (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.

Faithful to their name, Brooklyn based Spanish Prisoners in their sophomore, upcoming album "Gold Fools" play with the concepts of false identity and deception, guiding the listener through a trip between realism and surrealism, filled with evocative feelings of nostalgia and euphoria. The nine-track work, produced by the band’s guitarist Leo Maymind and multi-instrumentalist/drummer Michael DiSanto at their home in Bushwick, opens up with ethereal vocals and a steady drum beat in "Los Angeles Guitar Dream", and lingers throughout with a lazy and hazy attitude that already makes sense in this anticipated NYC summer. The band’s sound, flirting with ambient music and even lounge pop, synthesizes various influences in a rather unique psych pop package. – Madison Silvers

Erik Gundel, from recently dismembered Brooklyn band Motel Motel, has just released the debut EP for his new solo electronic project. Erik’s tracks aren’t in any way reminiscent of his previous band’s work, dwelling in a more electronic and experimental territory. The slow paced loops, mixed with abundant atmospheric noises and gentle sax stabs, bring back to mind a less funky version of… Funky Porcini, while the sophisticated vocal harmonies refer to more recent avant artists like Dirsty Projectors and Grizzly Bear. Overall a very interesting debut.

Folk rockers Great Elk quietly released a four song EP today. It’s a free download, but the band is asking folks to consider dropping $5 towards the kickstarter campaign to fund their debut full length, to be recorded in a few weeks and released late in 2011.

On Wednesday Night on the curb in front of Bowery Electric, Nick Vivid, frontman of the Nuclears (in the picture), took a deep breath and limbered up, making tai chi-esque poses. When asked about his pre-show ritual, he commented "I don’t want to pull anything – other than hijinks." And there were hijinks to be had. Ripping through most of the tracks off their recent release, Brian and Mick Maverick worked out their sibling rivalry by shredding guitar. In between sets, Go-Go Amy’s steamy burlesque kept (male) patrons glued to their spots (by the way, the lady’s nipple-tassel-twirling is well executed). After a brief fashion show from Stella Zotis (featuring more zippers, studs and leather than I have borne witness to in quite a while), Brass Knuckle Evangelists took the stage, working through a set of expertly executed bluesy rock ‘n roll. After one last set from Go-Go Amy, patrons stumbled their way out, looking for the afterparty on a weekday night. – allison levin

Americana musicians are often forced to walk an interesting line between folk idealism and popular realities, with the best of such acts successfully synthesizing the strongest elements of both paradigms. One such act is New York-based songwriter Julia Haltigan. Her eclectic brand of roots music is reminiscent of iconoclasts such as Tom Waits, the electric blues of Chess records, and the atmospheric soundscapes of golden age Hollywood. Haltigan’s cryptic lyrics and blues-inflected vocal timbre sit right at home amongst a backdrop of lush guitars, old-timey horns, and a driving rhythm section. The pedal steel guitar, a mainstay in country music since the time of Hank Williams, adds an eerie ambiance that appropriately ties together Haltigan’s sound. Required listening for fans of classic blues, alt-country, and rockabilly alike. Check out "Knocking at the Door" from her latest release, "Julia Haltigan and the Hooligans." You can see Julia and her band at 11th Street Bar on May 31. – Jason Bertone