Shenandoah & the Night is a promising NYC based quintet led by singer/songwriter/producer Shenandoah Ableman (of the San Francisco-based Yard Dogs Road Show). The band offers a seductive brand of noir orchestral pop that will surely charm fans of Tom Waits and Nick Cave. They are playing Rockwood Music Hall on March 31 and just announced the release of their 2nd album, out some time in May. Check out the titletrack "All The Beautiful Ladies" here.

Electronic duo New Villager has some seriously catchy songs in their repertoire – they caught our ear in 2009 and we went ahead and interviewed them in 2010 (here). We heard a rumor that they are just about to announce a new full length, so we thought it might be a good opportunity to write about them and get our readers to familiarize with our favorite song from the old record ("Rich Doors"), and its official video embedded here..

Tiny Animals, a trio born out of Katonah, New York, is set to release their second album, “Our Own Time,” on April 5, 2011. A potpourri of pop, punk, and playfulness, Tiny Animals utilize interche and sweetly blend the vocals of Chris Howerton (lead vocals/guitar), Rita Maye (drums/vocals), and Anton Kreisl (bass/vocals). Peppy “Fight or Flight” launches the album’s varying dynamics and emotions. The record rides through the harmonious and tense, “A Long Journey,” spritely single “Wait For Me,” melodic and romantic “We Can Read the Stars,” rock ballad, “The Moment,” and the ethereal closer, “Love Scene.” While Tiny Animals inch toward “Our Own Time’s” debut, the trio is bringing their punchy pop to Pianos on February 19. http://www.tinyanimals.net –Meijin Bruttomesso

Recommended for fans of The New Pornographers (or people who wish that Weezer had broken up in the ’90s when they were still writing great music), indie-pop/snyth-rockers Lucky Ghost (brainchild of Seth Berkowitz, pitctured) have recently released the ten song LP "Sex Griddle" on Lapdance Academy Music, the free-download imprint based out of Brooklyn. The band combines ’70s prog with ’80s pop and the lyrical whimsy of Britain’s lush singer-songwriter traditions. A video for the album’s first single, "Made In America" has been edited together from antique skydiving and daredevil public-domain footage from the Prelinger Archives. The entire LP is available for free download here. (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

New York City’s Post Rock instrumental duo Wires Under Tension will be playing in Brooklyn at Littlefield on Friday February 25th in support of their new album "Light Science" that was released on February 8th on Western Vinyl (which also released records of other notable NYC bands like Dirty Projector and Glass Ghost). Check out the video of the song "Mnemonics In Motion".

Deli Summer 2008 cover band Buke and Gass‘ raise to legendary status seems to proceed unstoppably. After supporting SF experimental indie masters Deerhoof, the band was asked to open for NYC scene legends Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson on Tuesday 02.15 at John Zorn’s venue The Stone in the East Village.
The Brooklyn based duo of multi-instrumentalists builds their own instruments and has forged one of the most edgy, unique and innovative sounds we’ve heard in a long time. This show’s ticket might be a little expensive for our readers ($40), but these guys play regularly regular and DIY venues in the two rock NY boroughs – if you can’t afford this show, don’t miss their next affordable show.
Read: The Deli’s feature about Buke and Gass – Delicious Audio interview with Buke and Gass about their instruments

Redhook flies under the radar in the NYC music scene but is home to two great venues, Jalopy and Sunny’s which are the epicenters for NYC’s roots/bluegrass revival. Here musicians come together to perform, jam and learn from each other. The Rooftops will be playing Jalopy Theatre this Thursday and you want to check out this lively scene before it blows up.
The Rooftops are a new band that has been nurtured by this bluegrass and old-time scene, they have played at BB Kings, Jalopy and Banjo Jim’s. This show will showcase the release of the their new EP. Unlike those who pick up the banjo simply to tinker with the open tuning and the novel sound, this band can actually play it. They may not be the easiest to Google, but their music proves to be more original than their name. They’ll be sharing the stage with WA songwriter Ali Marcus The Rooftops go on at 9PM, Ali Marcus plays at 10PM, cover is $10. Jalopy is a little hard to find so look it up first. – Alex Borsody

Singer-songwriter, Alex Vans, has released a new EP titled Old Souls and Other Cellar Songs that has been filling my stereo (alongside his self-titled EP, released in April of last year) this week with his ragged voice and blues guitar. He’s also been cool enough to offer the new EP for free for a limited time if you sign up for his mailing list. 

The thing that will surprise you about these EP’s is not Alex’s emotional voice or his masterful guitar playing, it’s just how versatile his songwriting is. The tracks span effortlessly between bright pop songs, wrenching and raunchy blues anthems (with harmonicas blaring) and delicately lamenting ballads. The common thread amongst these songs is a bare, exposed arrangement of chords and words that lets your ears know that what they’re hearing is utterly honest.

You can wash away your Valentine’s Day hangovers with Alex Vans next week at Iota on February 15th. He’ll be opening for Star FK Radium along with a handful of other like-minded artists. (8:30, $10 Cover.) -Jarrett

Photo Credit: Bruce Willen

Baltimore rockers Double Dagger and their stripped-down and modernized garage punk are making an overdue appearance at Black Cat on February 24th. ($8.00 Backstage, Doors open at 8:30) They’ll be sharing the stage with Imperial China and Tiny Bombs. You can expect a show that’s loud, intense, fun and that doesn’t always take itself too seriously. It’ll be a great time. Now, if only I could convince them to start scheduling shows when I’m not out of town…

-Jarrett

Remember when you fell in love with Chan Marshall? Late 90s Chan, before she got sober, and her messy, moody, melodic sound and cute haircuts wooed us into her web.
Get ready to be wounded by the dark, beautiful sounds of LA’s Chelsea Wolfe, celebrating the release of her new album “The Grime and the Glow” tonight (Saturday 02.12) at Show Cave. Joined by her PENDU NYC label owner and DJ Todd Pendu plus The Present Moment, King Dude, WhITCH, and Robert Disaro, this show should produce many surprises and broken hearts. – Whitney Phaneuf

Smart, sensitive and wielding accordions, Dark Dark Dark is a nomadic tribe spreading its love of making music across the globe. Nona Marie Invie and Marshall LaCount met and almost instantly hit the road, forming Dark Dark Dark in 2007. Today the pair is joined by equally enthusiastic instrumentalists — Todd Chandler, Jonathan Kaiser, Walt McClements and Brett Bullion — who contribute to the haunting, lush melodies created by a moody mix of piano, banjos, horns, accordions, vocals and more. While known for passionate live performances, Dark Dark Dark captures this energy on its new album “Wild Go,” the follow up to its well-received EP “Bright Bright Bright.” As heard in the new single “Daydreaming,” the genre-defying music gains a dreamlike quality through Invie’s childlike vocals and personal lyrics. Members of Dark Dark Dark hail from Minneapolis, New York City and New Orleans, but belong only to the strange world they’ve together created. – Read Whitney Phaneuf interview with the band here.

The last few months were an exciting time for NYC indie rockers Grandfather – the band recorded their debut CD in Chicago with master sound engineer Steve Albini (the guy doesn’t like to be called a "producer", although he is one), and then opened for legendary post punk pioneers Mission of Burma at Maxwell at the end of January. Deli contributor Dave Cromwell had the chance to review the guys record and ask them a few questions, read the interview here.