Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, March 16 – 18

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We are sad to hear that this Saturday’s show at MilkBoy Philly will be the last one for New Motels. We’ve always been fans of the Jenkintown four-piece. They headlined the very first Deli Philly showcase that we put together at Johnny Brenda’s so we certainly have a warm spot for them. Come out and send them off proper, and hopefully we’ll get to hear classic beauties like “Modern Thinker,” “Drama of the Hollywood Scene,” and “West Coast Brawl” for one last sing-along. New Motels will also be joined by Lightninging and Left of Logic. MilkBoy Philly, 1100 Chestnut St., 9:30pm, $10, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

 
Other events to enjoy the pretty weather this weekend…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Shorty Boy Boy 7" Relase Party w/ Mountjoy
 
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Brown Recluse and Resistor, SAT Mischief Brew
 
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) SAT The Timid Roosevelts
 
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Heat Run and Sunshine Superman, SAT Lauryn Peacock, Todd Henkin (The Great Unknown), KC Jones, Boog, SUN Forest Fools, The Loverboy Wanderers, Anchorhead, Dot Square
 
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) SAT Don McCloskey
 
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Cold Roses, Red Letter Life, Aunt Artica, The Jolly What, Bag of Music, and More
 
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) SAT Close to Good and Philadelphia Funk Hustle
 
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Arcati Crisis, SUN Rusty Cadillac
 
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT Beyond the Element, Dive, Maddam Ink, SUN Kenn Kweder
 
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI J Cooper Band, SAT Pale Autumn and Willpowerless
 
Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI Green Street, SAT West Philly Orchestra
 
JR’s Bar (2327 S. Croskey St.) FRI Hellstorms, Nobody Yet, NCA, Panther Moderns
 
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI Spraynard
 
The Station (1550 McKean St.) FRI White Life, Ddm, New Hero, SAT Old Arrows and John the Conqueror
 
Teri’s (1126 S. 9th St.) SUN Blayer Pointdujour & The Rockers Galore
 
Millcreek Tavern (4200 Chester Ave.) FRI Grass and Tapeworm
 
Highwire Gallery (2040 Frankford Ave.) SAT The New Heaven and The New Earth, Weyes Blood, Jordan Burgis
 
Warehouse (Details are HERE.) SAT Rockers! w/The Mighty Paradocs, Joe Jordan, Gdag Girlsdressedasgirls
 
Green Tea House (Please contact one of the acts for more info.) SAT Bandname and Mike Bell & The Movies
 
Little Berlin (2430 Coral St.) SAT Data Garden’s Computer Groove w/Buffalo Stance, D&D Orchestra, Color Is Luxury
 
Philadelphia

Free Download: “Many Miles” – Unpowered Pennsylvania

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Hair Rocket mastermind Chris Blasucci has a new acoustic solo project called Unpowered Pennsylvania. Never afraid to wear his pop sensibilities on his sleeve, you can check out and download for free the Beatles-esque ditty “Many Miles” below as well as listen to the rest of his project’s self-titled EP HERE.

Philadelphia

Brown Recluse Soundtracking the Change of Seasons at KFN March 16

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The warmer weather might have you in the mood for sunny tunes and the summer to come. If so, Brown Recluse will provide the soundtrack to those feelings when they play Kung Fu Necktie tonight. The local outfit has a way of mixing 60s sunshine pop with arcade 80s sounds. They self-describe themselves as Baroque-pop, and there are bits of Belle and Sebastian-esque moments disbursed throughout their music. The daydream-y quality of their songs can get you so lost in its warm glow that you almost don’t notice the sometimes eerie lyrics that lay underneath their soundscapes, which is probably one of the many reasons why well-respected indie label Slumberland Records have picked them from the orchard of talented Philly acts making more noise in the blogosphere. Brown Recluse’s well-crafted, sunshiny songs are the perfect transition into spring. Expect to hear some new tunes from the indie popsters this evening. They’ll be joined by the synth-pop laments of Steve Goldberg’s latest project Resistor and Brooklyn’s We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front Street, 7:30pm, $8, 21+ – Maura Filoromo

Philadelphia

Album Review: Exorcism – Power Animal

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The words of Power Animal may be obscured by a boatload of studio manipulation, but what they’re communicating is always clear: This is Feel-Good Music. Evident from Power Animal’s major-key synth hooks and disco percussions is a love of the kind of nostalgic sentimentality bands like M83 and Passion Pit maximize with unrelenting waves of keyboard and second-wave British invasion bands like The Kooks channel into plain-spoken love narratives. But unlike these late-aught champions of electronic-indie, Power Animal don’t do “pleasant” by blending every pleasant thing they could think of into an overwhelming pastiche. Instead of indulging dream-pop’s natural affinity for cheese and excess, Power Animal strip it down into the grimy, humble Exorcism, an EP that, with its bare-bones approach and subtle use of hooks, aims to reclaim the genre’s humanity. 
 
There’s no denying that Exorcism presents itself as “quirky.” The jerky keyboard lines and garbled vocals sound as if they’re culled from records warped by years of sitting in an attic (an image also brought to you by the record’s hazy, Mono production), and the wonky structure of its opening suite “Better Water” suggests the hippie-warbling excess Exorcism could’ve easily devolved into. But as the EP progresses, these cracks begin to reveal the sincere, very real character hiding underneath the saccharine signifiers. The little winks that pepper Exorcism’s excellent second half make it practically interactive. “Mold Spores” was already assured its place as the album’s best tune before the chuckle that slips through its second verse makes its glee infectious, as if we’re being let in on whatever great time Power Animal are scoring. By Exorcism’s eponymous closer, we’re sharing the record’s smile.
 
It could be a more “conventionally” pretty record, but it’d be worse for it. This ambitious kind of pop has a tendency to become weightless in its nostalgia-bating, and while Power Animal certainly capture the comfort nostalgia offers, they also capture its insubstantiality. Built from bits and fragments of pop-eras past, Exorcism sounds as if it could break apart at any moment. It holds together, of course, but as music that sounds like it wants to save the world through sheer positivity goes, Exorcism accomplishes something far more impressive: It actually manages to inspire the feelings it evokes.
 
You can purchase the album HERE, and all profits from digital sales will be donated to Philabundance, a local charity organization that provides food to the needy in the Philly area. – Adam Downer
 

Philadelphia

The 5th Annual Roots Picnic Lineup Announced

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It’s that time of year again. You know that summer is just around the corner with the announcement by Okayplayer of the lineup for The Roots Picnic. This year’s festival has expanded to two days June 2 & 3 at Festival Pier, and will include performances by (obviously) The Roots, who will be doing their own set and backing hip hop legends De La Soul, both Major Lazer and Diplo solo, St. Vincent, tUnE-yArDs, James Murphy DJing, Danny Brown, Shabazz Palaces, Kid Cudi, The Hood Internet, Flosstradamus, Chill Moody, and many others. Pre-sale begins today, and two-day passes for $80 will only be available until 10pm this evening (just use the password: picnic). You can purchase your tickets HERE. General public tix go on sale this Friday at 10am.

Philadelphia

The Homophones Opening for Obits at JB’s March 15

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When The Homophones’ Jason Ferraro sings, he’s a narrator who seems like he might just be improvising the plot as he goes along – reminiscent of Morrissey with vocals that are spoken yet sung. Simple, smooth melodies provided by guitarist Dan Adair and the rhythm section combo of Ben Saltzman and Ryan Mitchell balance quite naturally with Ferraro’s deep ominous sounding voice. His chosen subject matter and tone are often humorous and quirky while remaining intellectually stimulating and sometimes vulnerable. But it’s the vocals that captivate you despite the “figure it out as we go” vibe. There is a distinct and instant appeal as if the destination is rather unimportant. Yet, the ride is certainly worth the trip. The minimalism of their tunes becomes endearing and catchy with every listen. And just like that you’re hooked. Brooklyn’s Obits will headline the show this evening at Johnny Brenda’s bringing their take on garage rock where fuzz and distortion will certainly be at a premium which will also be aided by the UK’s Fists. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $12, 21+ (Photo by Q.D. Tran) – Michael Colavita

Philadelphia

The Black Magic Family Band Casting Spells at The Troc March 14

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Part of the fun in working with The Deli is being there to witness the evolution and growth of an artist. You sometimes can experience a performer’s first solo show as well as a bands last, and then their next project. Relationships are built, and you might not necessarily know the artists personally. But in a way, you do. I remember catching Mike Bruno years ago at the MilkBoy in Ardmore. Back then, I believe that he was just starting out – another young singer-songwriter making the rounds as a solo act with his acoustic guitar and songs that seemed to blend in with the many other singer-songwriters that were around at the time. I hadn’t heard much from him until recently when I discovered his latest project The Black Magic Family Band. Like the name of the band might hint, Bruno is now conjuring up sounds from a darker place that roams the sonic landscape of the freak folk genre (which is totally working for me). You can check out his latest sacrifice, a 7-inch entitled In the Shade (Marmara Records) HERE, or come on by The Troc tonight where he’ll be performing with ultra-rad weirdo folksters On the Water. The Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 9pm, $7, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

Philadelphia

New Track: “Rising Artifacts in a Five-Point Field” – Many Arms

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Many Arms shared a little over 13-minute ball of organized chaos with Impose Magazine earlier this year called “Rising Artifacts in a Five-Point Field,” which you can take a listen to HERE. The jam appears on their forthcoming self-titled album that will be available via John Zorn’s not-for-proft cooperative label Tzadik Records. The band will be celebrating the record’s release on Friday, March 23 at Circle of Hope which will also be the kick off to their 3-week U.S. tour that is followed by a month-long European tour.
 
Philadelphia

Photo Recap: Creepoid at The Westmoreland

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Creepoid performed an extra cozy set at The Westmoreland studio in Kensington (which is home to The Asteroid #4 crew) this past Saturday night. It was complete with free booze, fresh Pennsylvania farm cheese, and a close-knit community of supporters all in favor of unwinding and relaxing as they hypnotically swayed in front of the live stream camera during the band’s performance.

 
The warehouse’s orangey light was soon overpowered by psychedelic imagery projected over the group’s equipment; the white-bricked walls were illuminated with splatters of purple, green, blues and yellows. Creepoid presented The Westmoreland with an eight-song/roughly 35-minute set covering ground from Horse Heaven and Yellow Life Giver as well as “Old Tree” from their Shaking Through session and unreleased songs like “Wallpaper,” “Golden String” and “Gout,” which will appear on a downloadable album in the near future. You can take a look at the setlist below as well as our photos from the evening HERE.
 
Creepoid Setlist:
“Intro”
“Wallpaper”
“Rotten Tooth”
“Hollow Doubt”
“Golden String”
“Dream Out”
“Old Tree”
“Gout”