You kind of have to love a band willing to take physical abuse for the sake of art. Above is a picture of the aftermath from Seagulls‘ new music video (directed by Doug Zajaczkowski) for the wonderful track "You and Me," off their debut LP Great Pine. The album is getting re-released on February 3 via Yellow K Records, and you can catch Seagulls live at the label’s showcase on January 30 at Bourbon & Branch.

Hello Shark became one of our obsessions last year after learning that frontman Lincoln Halloran had moved from Vermont to Philly. Below is a new track, "Fishing For Bats," which was recorded by Keith Hampson (Power Animal) and Michael Rheinheimer (Attic Abasement). It also features guest vocals from Katie Bennett (Free Cake For Every Creature).

The tandem of Katy Otto & Diane Foglizzo fuse as Trophy Wife. Performing this evening at Wolf Cycles, the duo develops a textured sound even though fully capable of kicking down the door at any moment with brute force. As their latest album All the Sides (SRA Records) clearly demonstrates, there is well-formed thoughtfulness behind the message issued via their lyrics and the music that helps deliver it. This combination of pensive melody with tightly woven guitar and percussion creates songs that seem ideal for taking a walk in the open with a slight chill in the air. There is that persistent grunge sound, pace-setting space, clearing percussion and smooth preparatory guitar licks that build anticipation. However, once the moment arrives, Trophy Wife tears through with calculated explosions, blasting your ears with gritty precision. Tonight’s bill also includes the pop-punk of local trio Blowdryer and heavy grunge-oriented tunes of Baltimore’s Big Mouth. Wolf Cycles, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 7:30pm, $5, All Ages – Michael Colavita

Dr. Dog will be releasing their first live album, Live at a Flamingo Hotel, on Jan. 13 via Anti- Records. The nineteen-track LP is made up of songs recorded during a twenty-show run in 2014. There wasn’t actually any venue named Flamingo Hotel that they performed at last year. For the band, it represented "a state of mind." You can now stream the entire album over at The Wall Street Journal‘s Speakeasy. (Photo by Louis Kwok)

Krust Toons: "Canceled!" by Teddy Hazard – please feel free to drop him a line at teddandthehazards@gmail.com if you dig or have any funny ideas. You can also check out more of his illustrations HERE.

Currently on tour with fellow locals Latex, Blank Spell issued a new track “Malign Eye.” The song’s ominous anguish-laden instrumentation provides a serious, inescapable scenario – metallic guitar cutting through doomy backend as the vocals cry out for help. However, that instantaneous darkness hits like a passing storm, and is gone in a flash.

West Philly oddball-folk troupe On the Water surprised us with a new four-song EP entitled Baptism right before the turn of the New Year. It was recorded at Sex Dungeon Studios by James Ryskalchick and Dan Angel, and will be released on cassette in February, but you can stream and download the record for free below. The band also plans to release a full-length album, Cordelia, on vinyl in May.

If brief infectious outbursts of momentary absurdity and screaming vocals laid tight with slightly creepy instrumentations sound like a good time, Bad Canoes playing at Central Plexus tonight can be your outlet. The quartet, consisting of Marissa Paternoster (Screaming Females/Noun), Dawn Riddle (Cat Vet), Christina Centaur, and Kate Illes, dishes out twisted tales in snapshots of musicality. Centaur and Riddle’s persistent bass/drum combinations establish a fluidly haunting setting enhanced by Illes’ ever-lurking keys with Paternoster lyrically providing the details (in her signature tone) that are oddball/humorous and memorable in the best sense. On this night, Central Plexus also features the electronic augmentations of Precolumbian and Rhode Island duo Malportado Kids, whose tropicalia/electro/dance with an angry edge is an attention grabber. Central Plexus, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 9pm, All Ages – Michael Colavita

“What do you want? What do you want me to do?” Christina Halladay (formerly of The Shakes) vociferates on the opening track of Sheer Mag’s debut EP 7”. And that’s not the only song where Halladay vents some frustration. On “Point Breeze,” she roars, “I want somebody to love,” and closes the track with barks of ““Aye-aye-aye-yeah!” With a rawness in her voice (probably due to all that whiskey drinking), Halladay helps create Sheer Mag’s distinctive sound: that kind of fast and loud garage rock with pop hooks. There’s much-appreciated tambourine throughout the LP and guitar riffs aplenty that are something to celebrate. While there are only four songs on 7”, that’s more than enough to get you hooked on Sheer Mag and pumped for some new material. They’ll be playing with one man punk Philly act The Holidays at The Farm on Saturday, along with Arm, Glue, Proxy, and Aseptic. It’s looking very promising for these Philly rockers, catch them at the beginning of their ride. The Farm, (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 7pm, $7-$10, All Ages – Emily DiCicco

Some may embrace the idea of easing into the New Year, hesitating like a child afraid to leap into a swimming pool. Others won’t second-guess; their decision confirmed with a resounding splash. The duo of Joey Doubek and Ashley Arnwine, otherwise known as Pinkwash, will be performing tonight at Kat Frat for those ready to dive in. Pinkwash is a band that smacks you in the face in a refreshing with an adrenaline rush of intensity that locks you in from the jump, synchronizing a heart-pounding percussive backbone and the focused attack of guitar as Doubek’s vocals guide the way. They perform at such a high speed that it appears capable of jumping the rails. However, this isn’t reckless abandon; it’s high performance skill. This night will also feature another dynamic duo in Hassan Malik & Abdullah Saeed, a.k.a. Sunny Ali & the Kid, whose eccentric blend of psych, hip-hop and punk captivates while frequently switching gears. Western Massachusetts’ tandem The Taxidermists bring a colorfully twisted lyrical approach with a snarly punk-pop vibe, while New York-based trio Show Me the Body reach out infusing banjo into a heavy, grooving hip-hop scenario, testing traditional musical boundaries. But who needs bounderies? Kat Frat (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.), 7:30pm, $5-$7, All Ages – Michael Colavita