Air Waves‘ sweet, lighthearted sing-along-style folky songs, complete with delightful, echoed vocals, are the creation of Nicole Schneit. Her catchy melodies and falsetto vocals give the tunes a magical, upbeat quality that wouldn’t be expected of a lo-fi band. But the bouncy guitars and intimate lyrics are welcoming warm as they gently sink through the speakers. The best part is the unassuming aspect that Schneit’s vocals emit: Air Waves could be total strangers or your best friends, but the music would sound just as lovely. – Lauren Piper
The NYC Deli rarely covers bluegrass artists – maybe because there aren’t THAT many in this bustling city. But when we stumbled upon musicians of the caliber of Punch Brothers, we felt compelled to write about them. The rootsy combo just released their second full length album "Antifogmatic" – named after a type of 19th century alcoholic drink that was meant as a cure for the effects of fog and other inclement weather. Of choosing the title, singer Thile notes, “Antifogmatic is an old term for a bracing beverage, generally rum or whiskey, that a person would have before going out to work in rough weather to stave off any ill effects. This batch of tunes could be used in much the same way, and includes some characters who would probably benefit mightily, if temporarily, from a good antifogmatic.”
Singer Jon Pierce is a showman through and through, and he’s a big reason why this band is so fun to see. He bleeds confidence and oozes congeniality. Plus, there is plenty of power in his pipes. Along with Pierce (who was in Elkland), The Drums other principal player is Pierce’s longtime BFF, Jacob Graham (also in Horse Shoes). But on stage, the songwriting buds come with a crew of four (not counting a couple of female backing singers) to make their pop sound more like POP. This band just knows how to write a song that shimmers and sparkles and jingles and jangles. – it sounds like every song they play is a potential summer hit. The Drums are definitely ’80s Britpop inspired, but also are into some strange activity called "surfing," so they rock a sound inspired by that obscure marine activity too. The band released their debut self titled full length CD digitally on June 8 2010 and is currently touring the world – ohmyrockness.com
Grooms merge dissonant guitar riffs, alternative percussion, Moog attacks and haunting vocal melodies into a whirlwind sound that challenges the listener at every turn. Although Sonic Youth comparisons can certainly be made, Grooms also channels Pavement, Chavez and countless other bands that pioneered the sonically-intense, broken-pop sound of 90’s indie rock—but with an attitude and approach uniquely its own. – Check Grooms out live on June 25 at Cameo or on June 27 at Silent Barn. Read Bill Dvorak interview with the band here.
Brooklyn label Ernest Jenning Record Company has released nearly six dozen albums since founders Pete D’Angelo & Gandhar Savur set up shop in 2002. Ernest is nowhere to be found, except perhaps in the label’s ethos which is pure and simple — get our favorite bands heard. That mission and great ears have allowed D’Angelo and Savur to grow Ernest Jenning into one of the nation’s premiere independent labels, with releases by homegrown talent (Takka Takka, La Strada, The Black Hollies – in the picture – and Blood Warrior) alongside national bands (San Francisco’s Still Flyin’) and international acts (Toronto’s Cuff the Duke). This year, Ernest Jenning also released the debut LP from Washington DC’s Title Tracks, the solo venture of former Q & Not U drummer and Georgie James frontman, John Davis. Davis’s former bands had recorded for Dischord & Saddle Creek, respectively, but for his solo project he chose Ernest Jenning. The Deli is proud to offer the worldwide premiere of this video, which was produced by the good folks at www.musicmovingimages.com.
The video finds D’Angelo revealing how it all got started, what makes an indie label tick, and features the Ernest Jenning bands who showcased at this year’s SXSW — including Wild Yaks, Title Tracks, Still Flyin’ — and La Strada, who headline Ernest Jenning’s showcase tonight at the Cameo Gallery. Check it out.
Class Actress’ debut EP “Journal of Ardency,” released on Grizzly Bear Chris Taylor’s Terrible Records, brilliantly honors ‘80s new wave but looks forward with a discerning eye. Elizabeth Harper, the heavenly voice behind Class Actress, Scott Rosenthal and producer Mark Richardson extrapolate the best elements from the past and carefully construct modern electropop masterpieces. From the sexy, slithering romp “Journal of Ardency” to the breezy, sweet serenade “Let Me Take You Out,” the band flexes its wide range of abilities. The songs maintain the perfect balance of alluring vibrancy and dark undertones, and this lethal combination forces listeners to play the EP on repeat. The beats will infiltrate listeners’ minds, Harpers’ voice will entrance them, and the sparkling synths will stay in their hearts. – Read Nancy Chow’s interview with Elizabeth Harper here. Read the older Deli interview from 2007 here.
I’m not sure what the percentage of indie bands that manage to stick together for long enough to put out 5 records is – but Woods‘ story shows that sometimes persistence pays off, even in a super tough field like the indie rock world. The band, that has been enjoying a few years of attention and constant touring and recording, has just released this video (probably their first? It’s hard to tell as the name Woods is pretty much "un-googable"), and will be performing at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 06.25.
As you all should be aware by now, The Deli’s mission is to give local artists free exposure and opportunities. Recently Innovative Music, the Manhattan based recording studio, gave to The Deli readers the opportunity to win a FULL DAY (8 hours) of free studio time – there will be more, so stay tuned! We can now announce that the winners of this first studio time giveaway (chosen directly by the studio’s owner Joe Hernandez) are our February Band of the Month Shanya Zaid and the Catch – congrats!
We continue our "Best of NYC Countdown", covering every day one of the artists that made our Year End Best of NYC list (a chart compiled by a jury comprised of local bloggers, music writers, promoters, record store personnel and DJs).
In a world dominated by male bravado, all-female hardcore punk troupe Zombie Dogs do their part to insure that the girls can get their rocks off in the basement as well. This preservationist Brooklyn troupe (whose four-song demo PUG’S NOT DEAD is lovingly only available on cassette) exude the virtues of a raw DIY approach with an understanding of the basic fundamentals of the genre intact, championing an all guns blazing sound straight from the back alley of an all-ages matinee. This quartet’s simple but effective delivery is far from original and definitely treads familiar ground, yet Zombie Dogs stays true to the roots of the matter, supplying genuinely visceral stabs of noise-mongering mayhem that harkens back to a simpler time when beer was cheap, drugs were cheaper, and studded jackets weren’t sold at Hot Topic. – Mike SOS
Now, THIS is a fun video! Good song too, well done to the Electric Tickle Machine peoples, this is great stuff! The Brooklyn based band will release their debut full length on June 29. Don’t miss their upcoming show at Shea Stadium on June 25.
A quick listen to Spirit Family Reunion’s 3-song EP and it’s easy to see how they can so easily convince a live audience to pick up their feet and sing along. The songs exude a sense of fun and urgency that feels free of irony. Raw and raspy Appalachian folk-inspired vocals lead off the verses, and the whole band joins in for anthemic choruses that scream out for listener participation. “Alright Prayer” is an exuberant hoedown replete with lively strings, manic banjo picking, a thumping drum beat and the most memorable choral hook on the album. “I Will Not Go Up to the Sky” slows things down a notch, but remains just as boisterous, and the ballad “Gazebo Song” is filled with the kind of bittersweet lyrics that make up the entire EP, but are masked by its mostly celebratory feel. Give this record a spin, head out to a show, and you too can be part of Spirit Family Reunion, at least for a bit.
We guess the Brooklyn based Rock Camp for Girls (around since 2004) is starting to show its effectivness, as lately NYC girls who aren’t even old enough to drive keep to impress us – in this case we are talking about Care Bears on Fire. Sophie, the 15-year old lead singer, rocks out with heart-breaking attitude and age-appropriate lyrics, accompanied by 14-year-old drummer Izzy and 16-year-old bassist Jena who keep a rocking beat – most likely while dancing around the stage in white Chuck Taylors. Their punkish music is relatable for jaded pre-teens, singing along in the back of a mini-van on the way to soccer practice. Reminiscent of the Muffs, best known for their hit “Kids in America” on the “Clueless” soundtrack, Care Bears embraces the punk spirit and humor of early 90s girly rock. Songs like “Gym Class Haze” and “Met You on MySpace” are abrasive rhythmically but contain hilarious lyrics like “ hey tights aren’t pants” and “said you were 12, but you’re really 300.” The best track on the album is “Heart’s Not There,” which includes smooth, building tempos and the catchy chorus “Can’t use me if my heart’s not there.” Their name, Care Bears on Fire, says it all. – CBM
