While Drake might have found a way to become rich and famous writing hip-hop tracks for "the ladies," that is certainly not the reason why we love the genre. Check out this ominous, hard-hitting LP from sound sculptor Ill Clinton entitled The Illvolution! The Philly producer assembled this way rad fifteen-track album by recruiting a fine collection of underground emcees, which also includes local up-and-comers like Carl Kavorkian and Firm Taqtics as well as Army of the Pharoahs vets Crypt The Warchild and King Syze. Special thanks to The Key for bringing this record to our attention.

Below is the latest EP from instrumental rock outfit Mohican entitled The Abuse Is Character, the follow-up to the band’s debut Honest Red. Captured live on a snowy winter day and during a sweltering summer heat wave in a Philly warehouse space, the album was recorded and mixed by Brad Wallace. The Abuse Is Character was released via Parts Philly/Swamp Youth Collective, and is available for purchase. Enjoy!

Check out heavy, nihilistic shoegazers Nothing‘s new single "Bent Nail"! It popped up on the internet earlier today, but was then mysteriously pulled down. Now, we know why. The track just reappeared as a Fader premiere. It’s off the band’s forthcoming album Guilty of Everything, due out March 4 via Relapse Records. You can catch them live on Sunday, February 2 at The Boot & Saddle co-headling with Whirr.

Here are two new, "more focused and refined" tracks, "The Dead Isle" and "Mutant Maze," from local psych rock outfit Drone Ranger. The songs are the initial offerings from the group’s upcoming first full-length album, currently scheduled for release this summer. Drone Ranger will be performing next in Philly on Saturday, February 1 headlining Johnny Brenda’s.

GUNK – I CAN’T "OFFICIAL" MUSIC VIDEO from tom kaericher on Vimeo.

We’d like to introduce you to a new band called Local Onlys, and their debut EP Half Birthday, which you can stream below and download for free via LIPS Records. Their sound is a mix of multiple influences, but we’re really picking up on their Elvis Costello/Black Lips vibe. And of course, we love their name. The group is made up of La Salle University students Mark Lynch, Julie Gutekunst, and Jacob Smolinski, who began jamming together in the school’s chapel, where they also partially recorded their record. See – take advantage of all the perks of being in college, y’all, and get involved!

We’re really enjoying watching the snowflakes float past our windows to the soundtrack of Ben Warfield‘s album Songs of Light & Dust. We strongly suggest that you do the same – bonus if you are doing it with a vaporizer in hand. The record just dropped today via Data Garden, and is now available for streaming and purchase below. Enjoy the vibes!

While this current gentle snowfall is lulling us to believe performances won’t be cancelled tonight, I don’t really think that will remain true, but we’ve seen stranger things happen at PhilaMOCA. In a "show must go on" attitude, DIY PHL will be presenting another Tuesday Tune-Out this evening with Ruben Anree’ Polo as the guest curator. His featured acts will be Olive Drab [and if you just look up a bit at the top of our page, you’ll see that they are our current Featured Artist(s) Poll Winner], and headlining the bill will be loud pop-punk four-piece Smoother, who just released their debut album Guys Till We Die last month. A hint to the film that is planned to be screened this evening is a video of R Kelly’s "I Believe I Can Fly." Could another showing of Michael Jordan’s Space Jam be happening at PhilaMOCA? Well, here is a list of other movies that the song has appeared in as well: Drumline, Ice age: The Meltdown, Fun with Dick and Jane, and The Hangover: Part III. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 8pm, $5, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman

To honor Martin Luther King Jr. yesterday, we took the day off from writing about music to help out with a little painting so forgive us for still playing catch up. Now, we already knew Cayetana‘s "Hot Dad Calendar" is a helluva catchy tune with an absolutely rad song title, but the South Philly power trio really brings you into the party with their new music video for the single. This has been on serious repeat. Why? Simply – it makes us feel young and alive, which is obviously a good thing. Cayetana are supposed to be kicking off their mini-tour with Waxahatchee and All Dogs tonight at The Mercury Lounge in NYC, but we’ll see if the weather allows that to happen. The tour will be closing out in Philly this Sunday, January 26 at the First Unitarian Church. (Photo by Mary Ferrigno)