There’s been a lot of renewed interest in the 90s recently. From the opening credits in the premiere of Carrie Brownstein’s awesome new show Portlandia, to Pearl Jam turning 20, It looks like its now safe to bring the flannel out of the closet once again.
To that end, Sam Siegler from CIV (remember them!??), Walter Schreifels, my favorite vegan and frontman from the grossly under-rated bands Quicksand and Gorilla Biscuits, along with members from Youth of Today and Iceburn, have come together as supergroup Rival Schools.
Though it may not feel like it, Rival Schools have actually been around in one form or another for quite some time now. After disbanding shortly after the release of their first full-length in 2001, they’ve now come back together to carry their ‘post-hardcore’ torch for all who miss the quiet-loud-quiet-loud rock of their youth. Lyrically, they remind me (oddly enough) a bit of the Foo Fighters’ later songs that discussed redemption and acceptance, topics that get by well enough on their honesty, but sound a bit tired to me after hearing these themes for so long.
The real draw here is what a great sound these guys have when they all come together. While none of this material will surprise fans of many of their other projects, maybe that’s not a bad thing. Listening to Rival Schools’ new single (video embedded) heading off their forthcoming second full-length album Petals (Photo Finish Records), the band sounds confident and fun, like no time has passed at all. This record may be a decade too late, but better late than never.
Join them when they stop by Santos Party House on March 8. – Mike Levine

Last Wednesday at Rockwood Music hall Stage 2 pulsated with the smooth, soulful sounds of Brooklyn-born Aabaraki. Recently, the quartet self-released an EP downloadable on Bandcamp and showcased several of these tracks which oozed seduction, jazz, R&B, soul, and not-so-subtle double entendres, at the jam packed show. One highlight, “Girl,” slinked along with sultry syncopated guitar slides and impassioned vocals. Tri-part harmonies opened “Haters” and interchanged with solo sexy vocal runs and instrumental accompaniment. Hushed guitars and drums snuck up on listeners during “Terrified” and spotlighted vocalist Aamir Bermiss’s impressively expressive vocal range. The audience screamed with delight as the band began the obvious favorite, “Karate,” a song full of innuendos rhymed with various martial arts names backed by the band’s fusion style. “Happy Ending” embarked on another soulful sound journey with samba beats that relaxed into ringing guitars that bloom into an energetic funk bridge. Be sure to catch Aabaraki live as they bring the groove back to NYC music. –Meijin Bruttomesso

All the urban Nietzsches running around screaming that “Rap is dead” have been listening to the wrong MCs. In “Fall FWD,” YC the Cynic (featured in out Best NYC Emerging Artists on 2010 list) stands up and refutes the mob of naysayers with his signature patterns of potent poeticism. With a voice that conjures a blend of Mos Def and Q-tip, YC croons “Truthfully, I don’t let that ish influence me. It’s not cool to be cold, it’s not in to be G, it’s all bitches and hoes, there’s no intimacy till I enter the scene.” It’s a running theme in the mixtape, that ability and integrity transcend both time and genre. Building on the sturdy shoulders of last year’s “You’re Welcome” mixtape, “Fall FWD” raises the bar in every aspect and will undoubtedly generate substantial hype for his upcoming album, “The Spectacle.” In the closing track, he sums up his ethos proclaiming confidently, “I know mad cats that have had it with rap, but incidentally, soon as I got their attention they were listening intently.” Celebrate the release at Southpaw tonight (Tuesday, March 1). – Broke MC

Most music lovers discover the discreet charm and amazing therapeutic power of gentle music when their lives enter the hectic phase (late 20s?). Here at The Deli we created a genre category for this kind of music, called "Mellow Core". Belonging to this genre is Careful, the project of published writer, orchestral composer, visual artist, and part time builder-of-robots Eric Lindley. His tunes, tied together by a soft, whispered approach and by attention to texture, mix more or less traditional songwriting with sparse and dreamy electronic effects, often slightly dissonant, but always tastefully realized. Careful will be playing live at Death By Audio on April 30th – mark your calendars.

An amalgamation of big names (Matt Berninger of The National is featured on the latest single "Fire to the Ground"), admirable musicianship, odd tempos and a chilled-out demeanor, The Forms are a great example of approachable "alt". Alt-what I’m not entirely sure… but does it even matter? The melodies swirl on "Steady Hand (feat. Andrew Thiboldeaux)", but the percussion keeps the listener at least slightly grounded on the trippy adventure. I was most impressed, however, by "Fire to the Ground," perhaps because of the strikingly original string arrangement. Unlike in most ventures, these are actual strings, not computer facsimilies. There is a lot to be said for the power of bow to instrument. And that kind of attention to detail is key. The Forms’ EP "Derealization" dropped February 15th on Threespheres / Ernest Jenning, and now they’re are touring the US, some dates with The Dismemberment Plan. They will also play 3 shows in Austin during SXSW (check myspace for dates). But will they bring the strings? – allison levin

I had a gigantic infatuation for Kim Deal when I was about 19 years old – yes, she was quite cute at the time, but it was her voice that did it: I can still confidently state that her voice is one of the best if not the best female voice in the indie rock genre. Austin up and comers Love Inks‘ vocalist Sherry Leblanc has a tone very reminiscent of Kim, which – of course – got me excited. The only song you can currently hear from this band (embedded here) is a very simple pop gem that seem designed to allow indie pop lovers to fall for Sherry’s voice and melody. Well I think it works. The band just announced the release of their debut album, due on May 11. They’ll be playing at Cheer Up Charlie on March 10 and then at 3 different Austin venues during SXSW.

Deli readers,

The Deli will travel to Austin this year for the renown music fest, and we will also present a show together with The Musebox down there – not an official show, but one that will happen during the music festival. If interested in attending please RSVP HERE. Here are the details:

Venue: Lipstick 24 (606 E. 7th St. Austin, TX 78701), 18+
Saturday afternoon March 19, 2011

*** WE’LL HAVE FREE 
ARIZONA TEA AND BAREFOOT WINE
FOR A LIMITED TIME ***

INDOOR STAGE
1.00 The Lines (UK)
2.00 Living Days (NYC)
3.00 Delicate Steve (NYC)
4.00 Kopeky Family Band (Nashville)
5.00 Fang Island (NYC)

OUTDOOR STAGE
12.30 Quiet Company (Austin)
1.30 R.G. Morrison (UK)
2.30 Adam Cohen (LA)
3.30 Tristen (Nashville)
4.30 The Rassle (NYC)

The Deli booked 5 of the 10 artists on this bill. We also booked 3 more bands at a separate show on Tuesday 03.15 (Tech Mashup Party):
Golden Ages (Philly), The Wandas (Boston), Kendra Morris (NYC). 7 of these artists were chosen from the ones that submitted through our system in January.

The Deli’s Staff

P.S. We’d like to thank in particular our sponsors Ascap and SoundToys, since their early support allowed us to organize this event.

Say it ain’t so! The Tennis System are moving to L.A., and going out with a sonic bang this Friday March 4 at the Rock & Roll Hotel. Deservedly, it’s a sold out show, with Smith Westerns and Unknown Mortal Orchestra filling out the rest of the bill. We at the Deli just want to thank the Tennis System for an awesome year of noise, and wish them all the best on the next stage of their epic rock journey on the west side! –Dawn

Downtown Records was founded by ex major label exec and record producer Josh Deutsch. Clearly someone who knows the ins and outs of the music business (having done A&R for big artists like Courtney Love for example), Deutsch decided to branch out on his own and started Downtown in 2006. The label is celebrating their 5 year anniversary with a live show at The Studio at Webster on Friday March 4th with some of its most prominent artists, including Art Brut, Lissy Trullie and high profile guest DJ A-Track. The Suzan – a emerging NYC band we weren’t aware of – will be amongst the openers. This all female seems entirely composed of Japanese ladies and play some kind of percussive, almost tribal pop led by some powerful and theatrical vocals. Their show promises to be loud and fun.

NYC pop maestros The Orion Experience is having a show on Wednesday, March 2. Joining them will be April Smith and the Great Picture Show, who also had a recent single ("Songs For A Sinking Ship") released on February 23rd. The Orion Experience will be selling advance copies of their EP NYC Girl for $7 at the show (the EP will be officially released online on April 19th). The tracks included on NYC Girl are "NYC Girl," "Emerald Eyes," "Vampire," "Rollercoaster" and "Sweet Friend." On the EP, front man and songwriter Orion Simprini says that "We wanted to try something different…because we love disco as much as we love pop." Fans of The Orion Experience range from Lady GaGa to Rachel Ray, drawn in by the band’s irresistible hooks and catchy songwriting. The March 2nd show begins at 9pm and it is 21+. Tickets are available for $10 here.

Having grown up in Israel, then moving to France and the Netherlands before coming to habit NY, there’s something to Keren Ann‘s music that sounds foreign and familiar at once. Her coffeehouse storyteller themes are universal enough to be heard in a variety of settings (you’ve probably heard her before in any number of HBO shows), but intimate enough to allow you to relate to what she’s singing about on your own terms.
Not only has she lived in some of the coolest places on earth (Paris, Amsterdam, Nolita, NY…), she’s also resided in a huge array of musical locations as well. From the all French singing of her first two records, to Biographie De Luka Philipsen’s trip-hop, Keren Ann has a rare ability to make very diverse styles orbit around her gentle energy without ever sounding like a tourist.
Always a great storyteller, Keren Ann becomes the muse for otherwise anonymous figures on her 6th solo album 101 (out Feb 28 on Blue Note Records), unexpectedly recalling early Goldfrapp and even Blonde Redhead in the record’s first single, "My Name Is Trouble" (see video). These are areas I haven’t heard her step into before, and she handles it as if she’s been working with dance patterns her whole career.
She won’t be in our area until the summer (The Bell House June 7), so you should have plenty of time to catch up on your French by then. Au revoir! – Mike Levine

On Saturday, February 26, 11 p.m., Danny Ross and his nine-piece band and horn section will headline Mercury Lounge for a live album recording to be released this summer. Audience members will be asked to shoot footage on their phones and flipcams for the official music video. Featuring new songs, all the hits and grown men in panda costumes. Nancy Chow asked Danny a few questions, read the interview here.