Baby Alpaca arrive as yet-another Brooklyn based band attempting to make some kind of mark on the musical landscape. They are introduced by way of their first single “Vodka Lemonade.” “Let’s live our Marilyn dreams and dance away,” and “waste away in the sun,” is how the lyrics go. The vocals are deep and reverbed and the overall feel is lazy, lolling, relaxed and hazy. Musically, there is a 1950’s feel present, but by way of David Lynch’s filter. It is post punk, psychedelic, folk and a crooner feel to it as well. Like a male Nicole Atkins who’s chosen to sit on the sidelines and watch the world drift by in front of them. “This was our dream but it didn’t mean a thing ‘cause now you’re gone” is the cause to become “sunken in the vodka lemonade.” Heartbreak can do that to you. “Let’s live our heroin dreams, dance with coke fiends.” It’s like a gothic reply to MGMT’s “Time To Pretend.” “True Heart” continues the slow crooning aspects and again one wouldn’t be off base thinking of Ms. Atkins and the more eerily side of her catalogue (“Neptune City” “The Way It Is”). Vocalist Chris Kittrell modifies this style somewhat on “Driving To See You” which wouldn’t be out of place on, say a Cowboy Junkies album. The instrumental accompaniment is understated and sparse. Mostly consisting of a tambourine, single drum thump, mysterious organ line and a zither-like device. It all adds up to something quite unique. – Dave Cromwell

Considering that Starring features members of Pterodactyl, Talibam! and Skeleton$, it could not possibly be a non noisy project. The band’s tunes are dominated by chanting vocals, tense and staccato organ sounds, frantic drumming, and clangy guitar tones – perhaps inspired by Arto Lindsay’s atonal style which he pioneered in his glorious "no wave" days. All the instruments are played in some sort of "maximalistic" way here – no room for space or subtleties. The result is some kind of weird, crowded, explosive party music with a prog rock flavor… here comes a new genre: prog-orgy-rock?! Quoting Pere Ubu, we could really call this "The New Modern Dance (for the horny post punk hipster)". The band is releasing their debut CD "The Wife of God" with a show at Death by Audio on June 10. After that they will embark on a East Coast tour that will keep them busy until the end of June, when they will play Brooklyn again (Union Pool on June 25).

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).

After hearing Hospitality’s soundcheck, singer-songwriter Karl Blau offered to record the trio’s music in exchange for serving as his backing band for a few shows. The result of this unusual barter is the band’s self titled EP, which features six poppy, captivating songs recorded on a 4-track. It’s difficult not to fall for Hospitality’s charms.: the lo-fi songs project such warmth through Amber Papini’s tender vocals and charismatic melodies, that bear a hint of ‘60s nostalgia. Although their songs are infused with a darling amount of sweetness, their roughness in the recording department balance things out – they recorded some tracks using the telephone as their only microphone! (That’s what we call "no-fi".) Well, those tunes still sound surprisingly awesome. – Nancy Chow

French Horn Rebellion are slowly conquering the world country by country, with their irresisble 70s infused disco-pop. The band has recently opened on major European stages for Matt & Kim, Major Lazer, The Drums and Sleigh Bells. They are now busy touring the Americas, starting in Montreal, stopping in NYC at the Bklyn Bowl on June 12th, and ending in Sao Paulo on June 27th!
A recent visual collaboration betrays deeper, creative connection with Canada and Brasil. Montreal based Canadian film maker DEFASTEN (aka Patrick Doan) with this video visualised The Twelves remix of “Beaches & Friends”, French Horn Rebellion’s collaboration with Brazilian duo Database, a track which provides a clearing for the long awaited French Horn Rebellion debut album recently completed aboard trains, planes, and hotel rooms across Europe. 

We had been wondering for a while when The Drums were going to release their debut full length – now we know: June 8 (digital version), August 10 (vinyl), September (CD). The band hit the NYC scene like a sandstorm in the summer of 2009 soon after moving here from Florida, gaining almost instant buzz in the local music blogs. Their uplifting, minimalistic pop songs, and their melancholic lyrics often recalling memories of Floridian summer and sunny beaches, are a perfect sonic appetizer for anybody’s upcoming summer vacation. The Drums are currently touring Europe, and it looks like the buzz followed them there – their two shows in London on June 8-9 sold out.

Josh Mease belongs to the rather recent school of "adventurous orchestral songwriters", which has a strong presence in NYC. The Houston transplant feels mostly comfortable in what we call "Mellow Core" territory (i.e. ballads that are too sophisticated to be called just "ballads"). His voice alone it’s a monument to mellowness, while his arrangements dabble in psychedelic atmospheres. Josh will be opening for Angus and Julia Stone at TribecaY92 on June 10.

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).

Liturgy are New York’s first black metal band to truly feel like New York—the hypnotic churn of Glenn Branca or Rhys Chatham; the transcendent ecstasy of La Monte Young’s Dream Syndicate; the art-punker cutter sprawl of the Swans or Suicide; the everydude psych of Oneida. Dudes are more likely to wear a Michael Jordan shirt than corpsepaint, more likely to attack metal with a noise-punkers zeal, more likely to make love than war. To wit: Drummer Greg Fox clearly values power and theatrics over speed, watching his BPM increase over the last two years has been nothing short of mesmerizing. – Christopher R. Weingarten

Tyburn Saints will celebrate the release of his debut album “For The Benefit of Strangers” with a show at The Mercury Lounge on Friday 6/11 at  11pm. "For the Benefit of Strangers" was recorded at Dreamland Studios. The setting was fitting, a late 19th century church converted to a studio that has in the past hosted the likes of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Weezer, and Dinosaur Jr. and more recently Beach House, Yeasayer, and The Hold Steady. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Consisting of San Francisco transplants, Brooklyn’s Lemonade picks up a world of influences. From dance-rock to house and almost everything in between, there’s a lot going on – a lot of blissful lusciousness. Think Q and Not U with the Christopher Richards-like vocals interspersed with random samples over entrancing beats. The trio’s latest release, “Pure Moods,” is a brilliant celebration of all things dance. The sound is big and consuming with a mash of influences that probably wouldn’t make any sense pulled into its component parts, but when layered on top of each other, the elements all sound like they are fated to be together. – Nancy Chow

Rob Cantrell rocks. Never heard of him? He’s the proud married dude that lives around the corner from your Brooklyn brownstone. At first glance, he’s a funki-fied version of Aiden (John Corbett of Sex & the City) dressed in a bathrobe, crazy white man fro in tact and bumble bee slippers. But once he opens his mouth, you’ll get a Weird Al vibe, mixed with pro-grass declarations that will make you sing along. Awesome tracks like “Coffee and Weed” and “Rub My Feet” are hilarious, snarky, and unapologetic. Cantrell’s even got a relationship blog on High Times.
"Married and Sh*t” is the best song hands down. With lyrics like, “I’m a one vagina man, doin’ the best I can. No more scams or one night stands. Funk you emo bands. I’m Rob man, kickin’ out the jams, with a wedding band,” you’ll laugh. You’ll cry. And you’ll secretly wish you had the talent to pull off those sweet rhymes.
Check out his album, KEEP ON THE GRASS. After listening to Cantrell you will be rollin’. Literally, off your chair. – Melissa Wong

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).

Earl Greyhound’s newest album “Suspicious Package” is bound to please fans both new and old. This physically and creatively multifarious trio, Matt, Kamara, and Ricc, do not disappoint, offering moments of 70s rock, Latin drums, heavy guitar riffs, and sexy vocals, with tracks that hint of influences like Lenny Kravitz and Led Zepplin cleverly strewn throughout the sophomore album. They’ve made classic rock contemporary, constructing an album monumental in sound and full of soul that has you grooving from start to finish. Sit with “Suspicious Package” for a period of time to truly take in the brilliance of Earl Greyhound’s lyrics and metaphors, as they sneak up on you like in a mystery waiting to be solved. -CM

Named by L Magazine as one of the 8 NYC Bands "You Need to Hear" in 2009, The Beets have gained quite a bit of traction in the NYC indie scene, revamping 60s garage rock for a modern age. Their songs are laden with rhythmic guitar strumming and echoing lyrical chants. The Beets are comprised of Juan Wauters, Jose Garcia and Matthew Volz,and the latest addition, drummer Melissa Scaduto. When the kids aren’t busy touring (the band will be in the midwest for most of June), Jose, Matt, Juan and Melissa seem to enjoy staying really local, drinking cheap beer and BBQing with their friends. Be sure to catch up with the Beets in NYC at the end of June. They will be playing South Street Seaport, the Rare Gallery, the Knitting Factory and the Bell House in early July. – Read Courtney Boyd Myers’ interview with the band here.