If at some point, during this CMJ madness, you were in desperate need for some warmth and "homeyness" in musical form, we recommend you head to one of the two Backwords‘ CMJ shows (at Sycamore in Ditmas Park on 10.22 and Kenny’s Castaway on 10.23.) This Brooklyn based band blends folky and old timey music with gentle psychedelic pop influences reminiscent of Flaming Lips and Grandaddy. Their music is soothing, but weirdly so, in a lo key, unassuming, almost bucolic kind of way. Brian Russ’ vocals sing stories full of wisdom through timeless melodies. These guys might not be the kind of band that gets hyped by the blogosphere or in Pitchforkshire, but they sure are doing something nobody else we are aware of is doing in NYC right now: unpretentious, mellow psych folk that speaks to the heart.

Songstress, vocalist, and keyboardist Lachi, and her band, Jamie Diaz (Bass), Andre Donatien (guitar), and Jimmy Fontanez (drums) combine their skills to generate an enchanting and airy style of piano-driven rock. Lachi distinguishes herself from a straightforward soul singer by adding exotic flair to her nuanced tone, channeling spiritual roots as she sings about beauty, determination, and human nature on the melancholy “ Ugly Girl,” syncopated “ Slow Down,” and haunting rock track, “ Dear Happiness,” from Lachi’ s self-titled, third album released this past summer. Album standout, “ We Can Fly” opens with robotic, muffled vocals and lo-fi recording quality which transition to uplifting clarity. Lachi offers an alternative to alternative rock, and her enthusiasm for her art is made clear through her impassioned performances. Lachi will be playing the CMJ Music Marathon at The Village Underground on October 23.- Meijin Bruttomesso

For the first time since its inception, this year The Deli has also booked some non-NYC artists for its CMJ showcases. The SF Bay Area is proud to be represented by wondeful "ambient-delic" group Blackbird Blackbird, who will play at The Delancey on 10.19 together with about a dozen of NYC artists including Living Days and The Rassle.

Reckless Sons will be gracing three different stages at this year’s CMJ Music Marathon, which makes perfect sense for a band that has appeal across a variety of NY boroughs. CMJ will be the band’s fourth appearance since their line-up reincarnation, as Matt Butler (vocals) and Anthony Stella (guitar) have been joined by Cass Dillon (guitar/vocals), Josh Pillbox (bass), and Hari Gangleberger (drums). In addition to the three new members and trey of CMJ shows, Reckless Sons have added a few new songs to their repertoire, including “One Step Further,” “Anything But the Truth,” and “She Forgives Me in the Morning.” Drawing influences from guitar-driven, Brit-rock idols and melding them with contemporary, alternative pop vibes, the quintet is in the process of recording a full-length album. In the meantime, check out Reckless Sons next week at Bowery Electric, Crash Mansion, and the McKibbin Lofts on October 19, 22, and 24, respectively.– Meijin Bruttomesso

New York’ s Jump Into the Gospel bounced into the electro-pop at The Studio at Webster Hall on October 13. Sandwiched between Dear Comrade and Diet Kong, Jump Into the Gospel was the “ hallelujah” moment of the night, bringing the evening to its peak with energetic, contagious rhythms, sleek synthesizers, and straight up good pop songs. Powered by Louis Epstein’ s staccato new wave/Brit-pop vocal cadence, JITG pushed through a non-stop set that included “ Humvee Mansion,” for which JITG has a brand new video, “ Photovoltaic,” that featured Epstein hopping up and down his falcetto vocal range atop heavy guitar riffs, bright, synth- driven “ Murder Me,” sing-song, rock track, “ Flagship,” and buzzing and bubbly “ Powerlines.” Some newer tracks, “ Original Fever,” “ St. John,” “ 20212,” and “ Even If We Die” are available for public consumption at live shows only, so be sure to catch Jump Into the Gospel on November 5 at Pianos. -Meijin Bruttomesso

Who would’ve thought in 2008, when aspiring musician named Alyson Greenfield released her debut CD, Jewel-esque ‘Tuscaloosa’, that in 2 years she’ ll evolve into full-speed ambitious business woman with her own music festival and a unique take on music, which mixes electronics, pop, folk and even rap (there are a lot of things Alyson can do with her voice). It seems that she fuses music styles as easily as she makes jokes between the songs during her countless gigs all over New York. On September, 26 Alyson kicked-off her all-female festival ‘Tinderbox’ and while working on British and French versions of the festival she somehow finds time to constantly come up with fresh material, which includes collaboration with beatboxers, glockenspiel covers and songs about… giving birth to the keyboards? Check this lady out at this year’ s CMJ Music Marathon on October, 22 at Spike Hill (Beyond Race Magazine Showcase) and 23 at Bar Marchless (TJO Presents). – Mikhael Agafonov

NYC scene luvers,



The 24rd issue of The Deli was delivered to the most rocking NYC neighborhoods yesterday – did you see it?

If you didn’t, here is a shortlist of SOME of the location that carry it:



LES: Mercury Lounge, Pianos, Cake Shop, Arlene’s Grocery, The Delancey.

East Village: Webster Hall, Bowery Electric, Rivington Guitars, 1st Flight Music, Otto’s Shrunken Head, Banjo’s Jim, The Library.

Chelsea: Music Buildings on 30th St. and on 8th Ave at 39th street, Funkadelic, S.I.R., Smash Rehearsals, 30th Street Guitars, Rogue Music, News Cafe.

West Village: Other Music, Rebel Rebel Records, My Generation Records, le Poisson Rouge.

Williamsburg: Main Drag, Southside Guitars, Earwax Records, Beacon’s Closet, Soundfix, Public Assembly, Music Hall of Williamsburg, Trash Bar, Bruars Falls, Flood Rehearsals, Glasslands, Monster Island, Union Pool, Sweat Shop rehearsals.

Greenpoint: Matchless, Coco66, Rehearsal Studio on Franklin, Europa, Permanent Records.
Park Slope/Gowanus: The Bell House, Southpaw, Flood Studios, Union Hall, Bar 4, Tea Lounge, Bands Spaces NYC, Music Matters.



YOU CAN NOW ALSO SEE IT ONLINE HERE!!! With interactive liks, dudes!



The Deli’s Staff

I’ve known – and loved – the various members of The Rassle for almost a decade now. I shared a writing workshop with lead singer Blair Van Nort and instantly recognized him as the most talented author in the class. No wonder the lyrics for The Rassle are both familiar and penetrating. Guitarist Reed Van Nort came into my life shortly after, a young musical prodigy who handed me a demo he had made in his apartment at the age of 16. Drummer Erik Ratensperger and bassist Mark Solomich were guys I’d seen around, touring with their old bands (The Virgins and The Takeover UK, respectively). These four fun loving have only been touring for a few months, but they’ve already gained a huge following in and around New York City. – Read Noah Forrest’s interview with the band here.

The Rassle will be performing at The Deli’s CMJ show at The Delancey on 10.19 with Blackbird Blackbird, Living Days, and many other awesome NYC bands. Full Deli CMJ schedule here.

Songwriter/singer, and inventor-genius Matthew Steinke used to stand behind giant towering drum robots, obscured like the man-behind-the-curtain by the machinery of his own creation. Under the name Octant, Steinke built a solid body of work, releasing accessible but experimental LPs. The records span a long career working with human beings and robotic inventions alike, but these days Steinke is focusing on his work as a poet and songwriter. The huge Octant drums, with show stopping robot-bodies built into road cases so large they can only fit in a van, have been benched. Octant’s maestro now plays guitar and sings through a harmonica mic, crafting tender, cerebral music, aided by tiny, idiosyncratic robot companions who truly feel more like supportive band mates than automated devices. I had the opportunity to ask Steinke a few questions after his July 7th performance at The Tank NYC, an amazing art space in midtown Manhattan. We talked about gear, poetry, inspiration, on-stage dynamics, and the quest to build ever more “humanly” robots. – Read Benjamin Wigler interview with Octant on Delicious Audio.

Octant will be opening for Buke and Gass at The Deli’s CMJ show at The Living Room on 10.21 at 7pm – don’t miss it!

Sounding somewhere between The Beta Band and your favorite shoegazer group, New Numbers is a Brooklyn band that can make many ears turn. We are actually very familiar with some of the guys involved, as they graced the inside pages of our magazine in the past – and also the outside one (i.e. the cover) when we had the now defunkt Jealous Girlfriends on it. Because TJG’s Josh and Mike are playing in this project together with 2 other noteworthy NYC "scenesters": Noah of Sam Champion, and Matt of The Comas and Dean and Britta. This is what we call a supa-group! The band has a series of CMJ shows planned, don’t miss the one at Fontana’s of Saturday 10.23 at 2pm.

Lights Resolve were selected by Stadium Red Studios as the winners of the free full day of recording time giveaway organized by The Deli. Ten more local artists were given a 50% discount on a full day session.

Not the typical rock troupe, the New York born and bred band cater to hard rockers, pop fanatics, and everyone in between, with catching songs defined by nonconforming vocal melodies, distinctive guitar modulations that intertwine with ornate bass riffs, and complex, hard-hitting rhythmic styles. The band has three self-released EPs, “Prelude,” “Currency,” and “…,” beloved national status, top spots on The Deli’s charts, consistently sold out hometown shows, appearances in soundtracks for MTV hits, including “The Hills” and Season 1 of “Jersey Shore,” and striking numbers of “Rock Band” downloads of their single “Dreaming of Love” under their belts, but shockingly, early 2011 will mark the release of Lights Resolve’s first full-length record, “Feel You’re Different.” The band will headline The Deli’s CMJ Alt Rock Stage at Arlene’s Grocery on 10.20 starting at 1.30 pm. Here’s the full lineup:

1.30 The Courtesy Tier
2.10 Decibel.
2.50 Frontier Brothers  (Austin)
3.30 Black Taxi
4.10 Blackbells
4.50 Am to Am
5.30 Lights Resolve

For the full schedule of Deli CMJ shows go here.

The Deli’s Staff

If you’ve ever seen Bluebrain live, you’ll know that their aesthetic endeavors have the two brothers exploring and pushing both sonic boundaries and the visual landscape. When performing live, their haunting and multilayered electronic music, rich in deep tones and timbres, textured with interesting instrumentals and various string arrangements, and characterized by dynamic transitions in pace and rhythm, is often accompanied with strange and mystifying visual effects, making them just as much of a performance art act as it is a music show. So if you’re looking to be wholly stimulated this Saturday night, check out their interactive live performance at the recently opened venue Artisphere in Rosslyn. They’ll be teaming up with other artists like the revered Geologist (of Animal Collective) and a few super secret acts yet to be announced.  Make sure you’re there to check out this interesting new gallery-meets-theater and watch as some serious musical brainpower assembles to produce plenty of killer tunes and dynamic art. Who knew dancing to electro music could be so intellectual.