It’s been pretty quiet in The Prowler camp lately. However, they did just post a new music video of the band “jamming out” to their track “Skinny Bones,” which you can check out below. It was directed by Eddie Austin.
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Debut Live Performance of Resistor at MilkBoy Philly March 2
After droppinging his latest album The Flood culminating with its release party a couple months back, Steve Goldberg surprisingly announced that he would be putting his Arch Enemies project on hiatus. But just as quickly as he made that announcement, he revealed his newest musical venture Resistor, a synthpop project that features enchanting melodies and just a dash of 8-bit chiptune influence like in his debut track “First World Problems” or cover of Lana Del Ray’s “Video Games.” Resistor’s debut live performance will be tonight at MilkBoy Philly, and it will also mark Arrah and the Ferns last Philly show before they pack up for their spring tour. MilkBoy Philly, 1100 Chestnut St., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Bill McThrill
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Psalmships Opening for Purples at KFN March 2
One line can only truly describe Pslamships’ sound: Sunlight cutting through the trees, washing the dusty sky of an early morning Sunday drive. Sure, it’s a description heavily reliant on visualization, but it’s entirely appropriate, especially when you hear the sparse rural folk that comes out of Pslamships’ fingertips. Listen to "Cannon" off of their EP, HYMN OF LIONS, which will be released later this month, and you’ll understand perfectly (preorder the physical copy now and receive an immediate digital download of the EP. Yay!) The slow-burning melody is eerily beautiful in its dreary but hopeful typology – a desperate longing cut by searing moments of anxious optimism. You’ll have chance to experience all that tonight at Kung Fu Necktie when Pslamships open for the ever-evolving Purples (former members of the Teeth) (BONUS: the Spinto Band’s Nick Krill will spin after the show). And if you can’t wait for tonight or for HYMN OF LIONS to drop, visit HERE and pick up not only Psalmships’ latest album, Dark Marches, but their two recently-released "Best Of" collections, Manipulator and Pastures, which both feature tracks from out-of-print or unavailable records. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, $10, 21+ – Annamarya Scaccia
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The Deli Philly’s March Album of the Month: Be The Void – Dr. Dog
From the distant, tinny starting countdown of opening track “Lonesome,” one could tell Dr. Dog feels particularly at home with the songs on Be The Void, the 7th album by Philadelphia’s currently most popular rock-revivalists. The band in no way ditches their “sound” on the new album, but they do embrace new aspects of the group and its sound. Most importantly, the lineup shifted, adding Eric Slick – one of the best young drummers in the country. Slick has been widening eyes since his early teens, and now brings both his youthful flare and eclectic percussive influences to an already storied band. The other new member, Dmitri Manos, is responsible for basically every sound on the new album that you are not used to hearing from the Dr. Dog camp. He has been called the “Mad Scientist” of the band, and looking at him tucked in the corner of the stage with his multitude of pedals and knobs (the obtuse comparison would be Geologist from AnCo), the nickname doesn’t seem too far off.
Since the beginning, the band has not shied away from their influences, but while sounding like some of the most influential bands of all time normally wouldn’t seem like a negative, the constant comparisons to the Beatles and Beach Boys (Pitchfork calls it a “McCartney-indebted,” but we get it) has pigeon-holed the group. While they have found a good amount of success, critically they have been fighting an uphill battle to prove that they are more than just a copy-cat act. If this new album doesn’t prove that assessment false, I don’t know what will.
After “Lonesome” gets the listener comfortable, the restless lead single “That Old Black Hole” kicks the album open. The track is catchy, conjectural and evolves into a sort of carnival tune on amphetamines. It is a delightful track and a great introduction for the newest members. The dichotomy of Scott ‘Taxi’ McMicken songs and Toby ‘Tables’ Leaman songs is still present; Scotty providing the poppier, more “accessible” songs, and Toby adding the grit and spit to the mix. This balance has always been an endearing part of the band, especially when they blur the line. An example of this is “These Days,” which actually sounds like a song written by McMicken and sung by Leaman. With the churning bass, staccato lead guitar and lines like, “I hate when people say those were the days/well what are these then,” it is one of the more rewarding tracks on the album both lyrically and musically.
A well-timed respite in the album comes in the form of the sullen lovelorn ballad “How Long Must I Wait,” and the harmony-laden “Get Away” completes a bridge that sounds eerily similar to the vocal work that made Fleet Foxes so popular. As a lyricist, Scott is at once romantic, abstract and charming. He deals with heavy topics with an air of candor and restraint that conveys complicated emotions while avoiding sentimentality. This is the case in “Do The Trick,” which is one of the poppiest tracks that Dr. Dog have created to date. This is not a knock on the band. In fact, the song is easily one of the best crafted songs on the album. It ebbs and flows on a fairly simple melody, without ever sounding stale. Similarly, the albums strongest song, “Heavy Light” is built on a sparse keyboard part that blooms into a lush, Bhangra-infused climax.
The back-end of the album has a relaxed, conversational feel with songs like the trippy, T-Rex influence “Warrior Man” and the rollicking “Big Girl,” which I can’t listen to without being reminded of this. The hazy, antique sounding “Turning The Century” closes the album not with a slam, but a peaceful sigh.
Dr. Dog have been constantly pushing themselves and their listeners; each album attempting to better themselves. These days everything musical has already been borrowed and recycled. That being said – one would expect being called a “copy-cat” band would be invalid given that most bands are copy-cats, but Dr. Dog were ostracized for being so good at replicating a sound that it somehow became a negative. The truth is though, and Be The Void is the best example of this to date, that despite their tendency to harken back to earlier rock styles, Dr. Dog is an incredibly creative, intuitive and trendsetting band that have sculpted a timeless sound that is fully their own. Be The Void is a rousing success of an album (their best to date) that will influence and progress music for years to come. You can purchase Be The Void via Anti Records or any distribution outlets that you enjoy using. – Adam G.
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The Deli Philly’s Featured Artist(s) Poll Winner: Ghost Ship
While the members of post-punk outfit Ghost Ship are spread out across the world, they still managed to rally their fans and friends to win our recent Featured Artist(s) Poll. The four young musicians Ben Walls (guitar/vox), Adam Downer (drums), Matt O’Connor (guitar), and Davis Alianiello (bass) are looking forward to reuniting this summer to play a bunch of shows and to work on new material. In the mean time, you can check out our interview with Ghost Ship HERE.
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Weathervane Music Awarded Philadelphia Cultural Fund Grant!
Congrats to Weathervane Music for being awarded the annual General Operating grant from the Philadelphia Cultural Fund (PCF)! Being one of the few music-focused cultural institutions chosen for the 2012 award, the organization has joined the ranks of such esteemed past winners as the Curtis Institute of Music, the Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Temple University’s Music Preparatory Division to name a few.
“This really confirms our belief that the City of Philadelphia cares about music and the creative economy, and that we are in THE RIGHT CITY to do this! It’s reassuring that others see the value in what Weathervane Music provides for musicians and audiences from around the world,” states Brian McTear, Executive Director, Weathervane Music. “We are eager to use this money to further our mission of creating community, opportunity, and resources that advance the careers of musicians, while creating a healthier music ecosystem.”
Cheers to Weathervane Music for a job well done!
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Free Download: “Let’s Get Away” (Diplo Remix) – PO PO
We mentioned that PO PO (a.k.a. Zeb Malik) released a new album earlier this week called Dope Boy Magick, which you can stream HERE. Well, Mad Decent just shared a remix from Diplo for the track “Let’s Get Away” (that you can download for free) where you’ll find more restrained/chilled out production work from the producer/Mad Decent label head while Malik’s vocals are pushed out into the forefront. We dig a lot. Enjoy!
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Vintage Kicks & Levee Drivers Welcome the Darkness at JB’s March 1
“Do you welcome the darkness?” is one of the lines in “Jetty Jump” off the album King Geek from Philly-based pop-punk outfit Vintage Kicks. Their music, at first listen, sounds heavy and somewhat cluttered as if there may be too much going on. However, the clutter isn’t a mess; it’s the result of the complexity of a bunch of pieces that are not half-hazardly thrown together. Rather, these segments are the building blocks created by the band’s influences. The edgy simplified garage-rock feel of the White Stripes meets easy groove of the Ventures and Weezer. Throw in raw emotional vocals of lead-singer Alex Marlys and a spacey neo-psychedelic touch, this group conjures up something that listeners can appreciate. Levee Drivers are a country-blues act that you should be familiar with in these here parts. Their songs are heavily expressive and almost menacing in the vein of Johnny Cash, but there is a distinct grunge element that pushes the music forward and creates an energetic rough edge that surely makes them the type of band that can captivate an audience in a live setting. Both acts will be opening for Belgian garage/blues rock duo The Black Box Revelation. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Michael Colavita
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Free Download: “March of the Pigs” (Nine Inch Nails Cover) – Psychic Teens (Feat. Jeff Browne)
Psychic Teens are releasing a split CD-R and digital download with Hulk Smash entitled Halo, which will be available at live shows and Doylestown’s Siren Records. Psychic Teen’s half consists of five Nine Inch Nails covers that were performed last year for Halloween with guest vocalist Jeff Bowne (formerly of Dangerbird/Gunna Vahm). Both halves of the split were recorded at the newly renovated Red Planet Recording. Take a listen to and download Psychic Teen’s version of “March of the Pigs” below, and you can also grab the rest of their split for free HERE. They’ll be performing next in Philly this Friday at Goldilock’s Gallery.
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Chiddy Bang Sold Out All Ages Philly Release Show at North Star Bar Feb. 29
After a string of critically acclaimed mixtapes, claiming a Guinness World Record, puffing herb with rock ‘n’ roll legend Keith Richards, and plenty of rescheduled release dates, hometown hip hop duo Chiddy Bang finally released their official debut full-length album Breakfast yesterday. Earlier this week, Chiddy and Xaphoon brought their blend of hip hop, electronica and pop to late night TV with appearances on Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno with performances of the album’s lead single “Ray Charles.” Tonight’s show at the North Star Bar will serve as their official record release party in their hometown, which they decided to make an all ages event so all their fans could come by and join in the fun. The duo has expanded to a full band like they did back in their Drexel University days. Unfortunately, the show is already sold out, but fans can stay swelly by streaming the new album here and checking out their performance on Conan below. (BTW: We HATE Jay Leno.) North Star Bar (2639 Poplar Street), $15 (SOLD OUT), 7pm, All Ages – Dan Brightcliffe
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Take a Leap w/Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang & TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb at The Level Room Feb. 29
Between a three week tour that includes a stopover at SXSW, and the release of his debut full-length album Trash or Treasure, March is set to be a huge month for Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang. But before the month turns, he will be a part of Phonographic Arts twisted Leap Day party at The Level Room tonight, which will be headlined by his fellow Park the Van Records labelmate The Pharmacy. As their Rock ‘N’ Roll Murdershows during Halloween have indicated, TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb are no strangers to celebrating the holidays. And hopefully their most excellent new song “Gerald Dean” will be a precursor to more new material on the horizon. They’ll also be joined by the soulful, psych rock of Satellite Hearts. The Level Room, 2102 Market St., 9pm, $8, 21+ – Bill McThrill
