The new track “Big Sur” (a place that always reminds us of our favorite Kerouac book) from Lushlife premiered yesterday via the blog Space Age Hustle, but we wanted to save it for today to help get your blood pumping this morning and all warmed up for his performance tonight at Union Transfer with Doomtree and F. Stokes. It was produced by Western Vinyl labelmate Botany (who was our special guest this past October at The Deli Philly’s Anniversary Partay), and will appear on Lushlife’s forthcoming album Plateau Vision. Enjoy!

If you are a fan of our site, then you know we are happy to share this with you. Check out and download below the mind-titillating remix of Power Animal’s “Better Water” by Lushlife that was just posted yesterday. Enjoy!

Below is the second single “Heard About It” from North Philly’s Ground Up off their forthcoming mixtape The Get Up (due out March 6). The track also features fellow local native Freeway and is produced by Jahlil Beats.  

Phonographic Arts just announced the lineup for their very own music festival! Liberty Fest 2012 will be taking place at their home base The Level Room and EMODA Gallery from April 6 – 8. Take a look at the lineups and deets below.

Check out the new track from Streetwalkers called “Song 12.” It’s the first recording from the band’s new lineup in which BITBY’s Kyle Costill has joined them on keys along with Shorty boy-boy’s Josh Pannepacker on drums. Streetwalkers will be entering Uniform Recording to lay down their debut single with producer/engineer Jeff Zeigler.

Leather may be considered a dark horse on our list of Top Performers in 2011 due to the fact that you can hardly find any information about the group on the Internet. However, we are quite proud to be able to give hardworking DIY bands like Leather some much-deserved exposure through our year end poll. In 2011, we saw the four-piece start to rise up from the underbelly of Philly’s DIY hardcore/punk basement scene and into the national spotlight. In July, the group released a string of 7-inches on the highly-respected hardcore label Jade Tree Records, which were well-received in the punk community. Their most recent 7” Sterile is a brief but attention-catching ten minutes full of the buzz-saw guitar riffs, growling vocals and pummeling drums that one would expect from a hardcore band, but it also shows the influence of noise-rock and some subtle hints of melody which set Leather apart from other hardcore/punk acts. On the success of their 7-inch releases, they hit the road touring halfway across America and back performing at every grimy basement, vacant warehouse and house party along the way. In 2012, we look forward to Leather doing us proud and continuing to open cans of whoop ass on the national hardcore/punk scene with more tours and releases. In the meantime, check out the lead track from Sterile called “No Motivation” HERE! – Dan Brightcliffe

Lion Versus have been on a bit of a hiatus, but tonight the gang will be returning back to the stage at The Fire. Led by the sultry vocals and charming poetic verses of Hilary White, the 7-piece create a backdrop full of old world beauty for her bittersweet tales to play out before audiences. The multilayered tunes can transport you from the grit and grime of the noisy city to the tranquil, expansive stretches of the countryside which are moments that should be cherished. They’ll be joined by local acoustic pop punk brother duo Corporate Hearts and Boston crooner Ariel Rubin. Looks like Tutlie recently dropped off the bill. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 8pm, $7, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

Break It Up had an impressive debut year in 2011 by garnering a lot of local blog love from just their lone single Excavate, which manages to channel Sleater-Kinney style alt grrrl memories. Since that time, the trio featuring Jen Sperling (ex-Conversations with Enemies), Dan Morse (Wigwams), and Casey Bell has delivered exciting live performances making them a new act dear to our hearts. They also laid down some most enjoyable sessions with the BITBY and The Key crews. The band is getting ready to kick off their 2012 by performing at The Fire for the Northern Liberties Music Festival with a stellar lineup of locals and Deli faves like The Extraordinaires, Dangerous Ponies, Conversations with Enemies, Arrah and the Ferns, and City Rain. They’ll also be making their first trek down to Austin to maneuver through the sea of indie acts hustling to get noticed on the national level at SXSW so look out for some exciting things from Break It Up including their debut release! (Video by BITBY) – Bill McThrill