Superhuman Happiness (who made our Best of NYC 2010 list) has just unveiled a video for "The Hounds," the track from side two of their new 45/digital single ("GMYL"/"The Hounds") out now on Electric Cowbell Records. Superhuman Happiness are in the midst of several projects, including an EP, an additional 45/7-inch release due this summer and their first full-length album. Additionally, the band’s collaboration with electro-synth duo Cults on a remake of "Ile Aiye" by Caetano Veloso will appear on the forthcoming Red Hot + Rio 2 collection due out June 28. We also heard a rumor that the band may be touring with Iron and Wine in the spring. Superhuman Happiness’ next performance is scheduled for April 6 at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City sharing a bill with Chico Mann.

The paradoxical idea of mixing electronic music with good old Rock’n’Roll is not new (I think Suicide pretty much coined it in the early 70s), but definitely interesting and under-explored. Mad Decent Records signee, New Jersey based Bosco Delrey blends the two genres to create a rather infectious signature combination of electro-psychedelia and rockabilly styles. After catching the attention of The Beastie Boys (who worked on 2 remixes of one of his songs) and playing several dates with Major Lazer, Bosco just announced a tour with sublime NYC electro-punk rippers Sleigh Bells. His album "Everybody Wah" is scheduled to be released on April 26. Here’s the video of the song Space Junkie.

We keep covering the 107 artists that made our Best of NYC Emerging Artists 2010 list – Diamond Doves placed at #99.

For the last five years, the three members of Diamond Doves have been Dearland, writing and touring with Elvis Perkins.  Their “breakaway” enterprise has a similar folksy Americana feel as their past work, yet stands alone, exuding boundless energy, and their revolving cast of horn, fiddle, and keyboard players creates a chaotic sound you can’t help but dance and sweat to.  After seeing their show, the legendary Carl Newman (The New Pornographers) tweeted that they were “The Band to [Elvis’s] Dylan.”  Their song, “You’re Not The One That I Love,” recounts the classic rock ‘n roll road story, the realization that the person you’re with may have been fun to sleep with, but in the light of day you’d rather be alone.  The tale is told over a jangling guitar-driven rhythm, the fiddle highlighting classic southern rock overtones. The single "Club Night", on the other hand, shows a desire to overcome the boundaries of roots music, experimenting with rhythms, sonics, melodies, and vocals in an avant-pop direction reminiscent of MGMT. We’ll call that a successful experiment. – Katie Bennet

April is going to be an exciting month for rootsy pop quintet Shayna Zaid and the Catch. After playing several dates at SXSW, on April 1st the band will be celebrating the release of their debut full length "Lighthouse" at Crash Mansion’s Soirée Stage (upstairs from Crash Mansion on Bowery). The band was also invited to play a 3 date residency at The Living Room on Ludlow Street in April. Led by petite but charismatic singer Shayna Zaid, this band has the charm and the songwriting chops to attract a wide audience beyond the NYC limits.

On Friday April 1st, Brooklyn based Plates of Cake will be giving an in-store performance at Greenpoint’s Permanent Records. (181 Franklin Street, Greenpoint, Brooklyn 11222 Sharply at 7PM. FREE.) Praise for Plates of Cake’s Debut LP, out now on All Hands Electric: “This is rock ’n’ roll for latenight cab rides, rainy mid-day skies, blinking lights, almost-gone well drinks, cocktail napkins with phone numbers written in lipstick — this is The National if The National sounded like everyone says they do. . . Truly soiled music, dove-like in its beauty and full of gritty fire and sore guts.” -TinyMixTapes "With an impressive breadth of pop styles and tight execution, the band puts forth a surprisingly varied set for such a short record." – Popmatters "A top-shelf lead single [Private Yacht] that we can show off to our friends…" – My Old Kentucky Blog "A British Invasion sound straight out of Brooklyn." 2010 CMJ – Our Recommendations – AM New York – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here. The NYC Open Blog is powered by The Music Building).

Brooklyn based Baby Teardrops will be releasing their debut CD with a show at Pianos on April 04. The band revisits the sound of the 90s in a poppier, less abrasive and rather sophisticated way. If you miss those mood lifting "loud-quiet-loud" oh so ’90s moments, you’ll be able to find them again in these guys’ music, although a little more tamed compared to what the Pixies or Nirvana used to do. Here’s the video of the single "X is for Love", which was shot at The Local 269, the Lower East Side bar where drummer Gerry White works.

On Monday, March 28, New York City’s Lily & The Parlour Tricks will be accompanying for The London Souls at Brooklyn Bowl along with The Tales. Monday marks the final night of The London Souls month-long residency, and Lily & The Parlour Tricks will warm up the stage with their captivating retro, doo-wop, three-part harmonies of Lily Claire, Morgane Moulherat, and Jade Fusco, playful rhythms, and synchronized dance-clap routines to close the four weeks on a high note. The show will be in support of the L&TPT’s upcoming album, which will include much of the new material they have been playing live in the past several months. The show doors open at 7:00 PM and tickets, are only $5 and can be purchased in advance. Don’t miss out on a night of dancing!  –Meijin Bruttomesso

Brooklyn-based, “spook-folk” quintet O’Death have put their rowdy, banjo-driven SXSW shows behind them as they continue on a huge US tour in support of their forthcoming album Outside (April 19, Ernest Jenning Record Company). Mark April 15 as that’s the night they will play at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn with Grandchildren. Enjoy the embedded free track from their upcoming album.

I’m not exactly sure why music writers of both sexes, when covering all female bands, always make sure to point that fact out – I don’t think I’ve ever read or heard the "all dudes band" thing. Maybe because everybody likes gals while only gals (in most cases) like dudes? Admittedly, there are a lot more guys in bands than girls, so an all girl band is kind of rare and therefore exciting. Anyhoo, the purpose of this never ending pointless intro is to introduce you to Dawn Landes‘ new group, called The Bandana Splits. The 3 ladies – who should look into organizing a tour with The Debutante Hour – play charming old timey folky tunes with frequent excursions into doo-wop and 50s pop territory. If vocal harmonies are your thing (they are our thing!) you owe it to yourself to listen to this band.

Lia Ices probably couldn’t have written “Grown Unknown” without taking a break from Brooklyn. Released in January 2011 on Jagjaguwar, the singer’s sophomore album collects nine impressionistic fairy tales, each song a misty sylvan dream world unto itself. The music is airy, uncluttered, and untouched by civilization. Prospect Park and Green Wood Cemetery have their dark, secluded spots, but as refuges from civilization—places capable of inspiring the kind of wonder and dread hissing beneath the quietude of this record—Brooklyn’s premier green spaces have nothing on rural Vermont, where Ices spent last winter writing. – Read Ken Partridge’s interview with Lia Ices here.
Lia Ices graced the cover of the winter 2011 issue of The Deli – read it here. This is the video of the single Daphne.

"Daphne" by Lia Ices from Secretly Jag on Vimeo.

Releasing a few tracks here and there since founding Teengirl Fantasy, students Logan Takahashi and Nick Weiss were suddenly shoved into the spotlight with the release of their debut album 7AM last September. Aptly titled, the record’s gentle brand of house music captures the hazy feel of a post-club comedown. With 2010 being a busy year in their fledgling music career, as well as their hefty study scheduled, it’s unsurprising that when I caught up with the duo my casually tossed out greeting is snatched upon as a chance to voice their exhaustion. And considering that the band was just asked to play a UK All Tomorrow’s Party Festival curated by Animal Collective in May, it looks like 2011 might be an even more exhausting (and successful) year for them. – Read Dean Van Nguyen’s interview with the band here.

Latest tracks by Teengirl Fantasy

Earth Grid, Zomes second solo album out April 12, is the culmination of Maryland based Asa Osborne’s years of exploring meditative modal models. Written, played, and recorded entirely at home on cassette tape, Earth Grid, is an intimate and intentionally primitive recording. The album was mastered by Bob Weston.  The cover art was created by Osborne whose reputation as a visual artist is growing. He has had several group and solo shows, including a show at New York’s Mountain Fold Gallery with Lungfish singer and friend, Daniel Higgs.  A fan of primitive and outsider art, Osborne’s work uses common objects to reach transformative ends.  A visual reflection of the music, the cover takes simple elements (white medical tape on black paper) and via careful placement and repetition of patterns with subtle variations creates a beautiful space transforming the simple to the infinite.  

Zomes will be touring in the US this April with The Skull Defekts, and in Europe with Kogumaza in May. –Courtesy of Thrill Jockey