BRAHMS’ electro, indie-pop melodies are danceable and infectious gracefully delivered. Tracks march forward with the forceful intensity of layered drums, guitars, and synths. Eric Lodwick, Drew Robinson, and Cale Parks, three admittedly spontaneous people with eclectic musical influences, spawned BRAHMS in an unplanned but natural manner. It was this process that allowed them to create their tight Coldwave power, melding their undefined differences and artistic unpredictability. The “buzz”-about-this-electro-band pun never really gets old, and in the case of BRAHMS, it’s actually totally warranted. BRAHMS have made a name for themselves in large part because of their impressively successful live openings for larger acts (e.g. Passion Pit, Delorean) and healthy sense of immediacy. The ability of BRAHMS’ expressive music to elicit both emotional and physical reactions is a true reflection of the time period from which their name originates. – Read Paul Dunn’s interview with the band here. – BRAHMS will be playing a Deli CMJ party at Brooklyn Bowl on 10.20 with Keepaway, Oberhofer and Bear Hands. See full schedule of The Deli’s CMJ parties here.

Eskalators are part band and part public performance piece. As if being a ska-influenced band in the Brooklyn indie scene isn’t already enough to raise some eyebrows, the band’s infamous and well-documented subway car performances have grabbed the attention of the Village Voice, the New York Post and Time Out New York. Eskalators formed in 2007 and performed their first show on—yes—an escalator in the Mall of America, and have since gone on to incorporate 18 members, including Williams. On the new record, Cats and Dogs Living Together, the band combines melodic and raw power-pop/punk vocals and power chords, a horn section, and everything from flute and glockenspiel to djembe. The songs are instantly infectious—melodic hooks abound and Williams’s vocals tap into the urgency of  20-something angst. The Eskalators aren’t totally a ska band (and to be fair, not everyone in the band grew up listening to ska) there’s enough pop melody and instrumental variety to push the band into other musical categories, and anyone with an interest in fun, energetic, and well-crafted songs should hop on board and sing along (lyrics are included with the band’s new record for that very purpose). – Read Bill Dvorak’s Q&A with the band here.

The Young Things, Galaxy of Tar (pictured) and Trent Hancock are the 3 NYC finalists (out of a total of 20 from all over the US) of the Sennheiser/CMJ HearIAm initiative, which will reward one band with a CMJ show at Le Poisson Rouge on October 20th and $10k in audio equipment. Fans of the bands that will participate to this initiative by casting their vote (here) will be elegible for some free CMJ badges + and a trip to NYC – all expenses paid! So I mean, even if you are already in NYC you can still get out of your 150 square feet studio and rent a luxury hotel room for 5 days, right? Semi-luxury? Ok, we’ll see…

Former Antler’s bassist, Justin Stivers, has been getting some good Brooklyn buzz going with his own band Pet Ghost Project. The songs in the band’s new EP "Winter Variations" share similarities with his ex band in the mellow atmospheres that suddenly build into thick wall of guitar sounds. The overall sonic atmosphere ranges from liquid ambient parts, droney psych rock buildups, shoegazer explosions and at times also industrial moments – but with a playful edge. There is also an obvious noise rock attitude that emerges from interesting fuzz guitar tones and all sort of guitar feedback used in layers. This is definitely a band that deserves some attention, you can see them live at Cameo Gallery on 09.25.

Mice Parade’s new album “What It Means To Be Left-Handed,” which released on September 14th, is your new favorite record. This album leaps right into the pool with Animal Collective, Beach House, and Grizzly Bear and splashes them all in the face. Their amalgamation of global rhythms, lo-fi folk, and electronica creates a lush sonic landscape that glitters and thumps with a refreshing earnestness. If you don’t know them, now is your chance to beat all your music-snob friends to the punch. They’re playing at Le Poisson Rouge this Friday with Les Shellys: Tom Brosseau & Angela Correa. Go buy a T-shirt and every CD on the table. BrokeMC – Read a 2005 Deliinterview with Mice Parade here.

In the Nineties, one of the things I could have sworn on was that there would have never been an 80s dance revival – how naive of me. I was a rocker into The Pixies and Nine Inch Nails of course, and lack of distorted guitars in music bothered me as much as sugary falsetto melodies sung by guys. In the meantime, while I was at home alone recording distorted guitars on my 4 tracks, the majority of the human beings out there was actually partying to the sound of… the dance hits of the 70s and 80s! Yes, the perception of a lone rocker can be extremely flawed, and dance music from that period in reality has always been extremely popluar. But French Horn Rebellion somehow managed to bring that sound to the indie hipster crowd, through their ironic attitude matched by a really authentic vibe and really good songs. If you around for CMJ, mark October 23 at Santos Party House.

Tuesday, September 14 was a guitar-centric evening at New York’s Terminal 5. For one, Slash was headlining the sold out show, and yes, some Guns’n’Roses tracks were performed! Hand selected openers and emerging act, TAB the Band, held their own against the blessed-by-fame dude, as they filled the 3,000-person capacity venue with raucous rock tracks, biting guitar riffs, and an air of humor. TAB jumped into high gear with “The House of El Ron” and barely took breaks as they pressed on with songs from their January release, “Zoo Noises:” “Bought and Sold,” “Run Away,” “She Said No (I Love You),” and “Lookin’ Pretty, Pretty,” which was featured on HBO’s “Entourage.” “Sticky Wickets “Little Water,” and “Heavy Idea,” the “oldies,” drew in the crowd, amping them up for the two-plus hour Slash extravaganza. www.TABtheBand.com – Meijin Bruttomesso

The Art of Shooting’s music presents the question: The lady or the tiger? The quartet’s melodramatic indie rock swings through a pendulum of extreme moods. Kelly Irene Corson’s voice can be deceptively sweet in one instance and then become rough in the next with the rest of the band following suit. This is most evident in “The Birdcage,” which volleys through this juxtaposition with ease. The band evokes comparisons to Rainer Maria and Bettie Serveert for their strong female frontwomen that can play both the lady and the tiger cards without batting a lash. It will be interesting to see this eminently electric band play an intimate (acoustic?) set at Rockwood Music Hall on 10.07. You can also catch them at CMJ on 10.19 at The Alphabet Lounge. – Nancy Chow

Family Records’ Pearl and the Beard are back with a new EP. This charming trio (featured in The Deli’s Best of NYC 2009 year End Poll) plays folk pop enriched by spotless male-female 3 part harmonies and cello parts. Now when we say "spotless" we mean that these guys can really sing and perfectly harmonize with each other, which is like a rare blessing – yeah because that’s how angels sing, right? You can witness this in this live video they recorded to promote the CD. You can also stream their album here. Don’t miss the CD release party at The Living Room on 09.24!

Interesting and unconventional bill Saturday night at Googie’s Lounge (above The Living Room). Performing will be multi-instrumentalist, Phil “Philthy” Lassiter (pictured), whose blend of soul, R&B, funk, and everything else has earned him the description “the lovechild of Andre 3000 and Aretha Franklin, with James Brown laying down the blessing.” Lassiter has been primarily recognized as one of the premier horn section arrangers in the music business — (he even scooped up 3 Grammy Awards from his work with a number of different multi-platinum artists like Timbaland, Regina Belle, and Kirk Franklin) — and it wasn’t until recently that Lassiter moved to New York from Nashville, TN and began playing his solo material, so his performance is highly anticipated. The sounds of Dominic Sinesio are equally as varied, drawing from classic 70’s rock, jazz, and soul, a la Steely Dan and Stevie Wonder, to overtones of 80’s-era Sting. Opening for the two New York-based artists will be talented Nashville singer/songwriter (and Deli Nashville Editor) Erin Manning, with her rather unique vaudeville-meets-rock style.

Hey we’ve got a really edgy band from NJ here called Brick+Mortar – in this song they sound a little bit like one of the crazier tunes of (super-awesome, now defunct) Soul Coughing, with more urgent vocals. The rest of their repertoire is slightly more "straight" synth based kinda lyrical post punk with an unpredictable twist.If you live nearby, you can check them out at the Starland Ballroom in Sayre

Featuring members of Cordero, Sparklehorse and Pere Ubu, And The Wiremen‘s take on sleepy, warm, indie rock with jazz inflections manages to mesh 1920s Berlin, the East Village of 1960, Southern blues, Latin Carnival rhythms and the eclectic vibe of modern day Brooklyn, making for some fresh, interesting music for audiophiles with grown-up taste. Front man Lynn Wright’s vocals are as across the board as his influences, sometimes invoking the likes of Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley and post-Zeppelin Robert Plant. ATW’s signature track, "Sleep," with its bittersweet romantic nature and melancholy horns, conjures up images of rain-drenched, black-and-white breakup scenes, perfect for those who love some "hurts-so-good" musical heartache. The band will play a show at Zebulon on 09.22 with Kris Gruen.