CMJ Music Marathon is a time to discover the brightest young stars in the music industry. We at The Deli had our hands full with 2009’s festivities and had a hard time picking our favorite bands. Savoir Adore not only was one of my personal favorite artists of this year’s festival, but they also played The Deli’s 20th issue launch party, opening for showegaze Zaza, who graced that issue’s cover. They put on a great live show. I recently sat down with Paul Hammer – we discussed CMJ Music Marathon and future touring plans. – Read Nicholas Palumbo interview with the band here.

Someday, Rachael Sage will make her punk album, a stripped-down collection honoring Joan Jett, one of her heroes. At the moment, though, she’s compelled to make what she calls “cinematic” and “textured” music—expertly crafted piano pop that, however intricate, seems destined for the Top 40. If Sage’s admiration for Jett comes as something of a surprise—her latest album, “Chandelier,” is more along the lines of Vanessa Carlton or Tori Amos—it’s characteristic of her wide-ranging talent and ambition. Another of her idols is Meryl Streep, and in 7th grade, Sage adapted “Sophie’s Choice” for a school theater project. Later, she earned a degree in drama from Stanford University. – read Ken Partridge interview with Rachel here.

Javelin (in the picture, snacking) and The Phenomenal Handclap Band are two of the sweetest artists to emerge from the NYC scene in 2009. They share an electronic, creative approach to music, but their final sound couldn’t be more different. While Javelin sparse lineup of two favors experimental, quirky sounds and their shows and overall approach to life flirt with performance art, the PH Band crowded crew prefers to stick to basics of partying. Javelin just signed to David Byrne’s Luaka Pop and is schedule to release their first full lenght in early 2010. The PH Band is enjoying massive buzz accompanying their European Tour and new Deen Haan Remix of "15 to 20". Don’t miss the two bands live at the Bowery on December 11!

Guitarist and singer Travis DeVries’ name might ring a bell among those of you who obsess about cult shoegaze bands (for some reason shoegaze is the inde cult genre par excellence): he was the main force behind the band The Turn-ons, also nicknamed "the godfathers of the shoegaze Seattle scene". Now based in NYC, Travis has formed a new project and conveniently called it "deVries". The man has worked almost two years to deliver "Death to God" (released last week with a show at Cameo), a fine shoegaze-pop record that kept us involved from the first to the last fuzzy guitar chord. The songs on the album share an atmospheric and contemplative weft, given by the textured and hypnotic guitar sound and by Travis’ droney, reverbery melodies. DeVries’s songs create an original musical universe while giving a lingering impression that they have always existed. The ethereal "Girl in the fur skin" and the captivating "Slowing Down" could have been classic shoegaze gems from the early ’90 next to Kevin Shields’ unforgettable "Girl in the City" or The Jesus and Mary Chain’s "Just like Honey". "Darkest Summer" is a beguiling melody that flooats on a saturated orchestration and definitely has the power to linger in your mind for awhile. Don’t miss deVries’s show at Union Hall on December 10. – by Claire-Marie Le Bihan

Your 33 Black Angels: "Lovers Limbo" from Benji Kast.

Your 33 Black Angels just released their third album, PAGAN PRINCESS with a show at Mercury Lounge on 12.03. The album will be available on both CD and vinyl. The release comes one year after the band’s double-album melancholic opus, Tales of My Pop-Rock Love Life and 2007’s Lonely Street, an album deemed "…one of the year’s treasures…" by Rolling Stone magazine Senior Editor David Fricke. This is the video from the single "Lovers Limbo" (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

The Delfields self-released their third album on December 1st; a seven song EP titled "Sooner Than You Think". This release comes on the heels of their free digital EP "Twilight Town". Recorded on and off over the past year, the album is a pastiche of an eclectic number of influences ranging from C86 artists to mid 60’s art pop and psychedelia. The video for Madeline was filmed in The Delfields’ hometown of New Brunswick, NJ and was directed by William Kaufman who also directed a video for their first LP "Ogres". The EP is available for sale on The Delfields’ website under the buy section. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

NYC-Montreal Disco revivalists Chromeo have just released this video entitled "Night by Night" – some kind of chauvinistic phantasy about a guy who goes to a party where he’s the only boy and all the girls (which are curiosly all very hot) are waiting in line to dance with him. He actually gets to choose them! Keep on dreaming…

NJ melodic prog rock band Days Before Tomorrow recently won Record of the Year in the 2009 Los Angeles Music Awards. Their CD, The Sky Is Falling, produced by rock industry legend Ron Nevison (Led Zeppelin, Heart, Jefferson Starship, Survivor, Kiss, Europe, Damn Yankees, Ozzy, and more) combines huge multi-part vocal harmonies with big hooks and intricate musicianship like classic 70s and 80s arena bands, but with a modern songwriting approach.

One of our favorite hobbies here at The Deli is to brag about how much earlier we covered and/or booked some local bands that were later blessed by international recognition… Here we go, then: we first covered Au Revoir Simone in 2005 – the band also played a Deli show at quaint and cozy Pete’s Candy’s Store in Brooklyn. They were a brand new band at the time… we knew they were good, but we weren’t expecting that they would sell out arenas in Japan and China within a few years…
The three charming ladies will be back in their hometown in early 2010 for a show at Highline Ballroom on Thursday January 7. We have a bunch of free tickets available for readers: to enter the contest send us a 3 to 5 word description (or, better yet – make a Haiku) about the music of your favorite 3-girl-armed-with-synths band to this address: info [at] thedelimagazine.com. The 2 best entries will win 2 tickets to the show.

Submission Deadline December 11. Good luck!

The Deli Staff

Scrambler Seequill announce their debut LP "Secret Passageways" on Layered Records, and are offering four free downloads from the album. Accompanying the downloads is the debut music video for "One Design", produced, directed and visually designed by Seequill – which was made with a $200 budget – and as much invested in beer and coffee.

Frenchkiss/Mom+Pop Records just announced the signing of Freelance Whales – who packed the house at our CMJ Saturday afternoon party at the Delancey. The band will leave on a winter tour with Fanfarlo and play Webster Hall on December 18.

On Saturday December 5 local music blog Guilt Free Pleasures is presenting an intimate night of folk/alt-country performances at a private art space in Brooklyn, NY, featuring fine Brooklyn folkster  Reverend John Delore among others. His blues-tinged alt-country rumbles with wistful tales of yearning. His gritty vocals have been likened to those of Hayes Carll, Mason Jennings and Steve Earle. Full line up and more info about this even can be found here.