After listening to Future Weather, the follow-up to The War on Drugs’ breakout full length album, Wagonwheel Blues, from Indiana-based label, Secretly Canadian, it’s extremely fitting that the Philly trio – comprised of frontman Adam Granduciel, drummer Mike Zanghi and bassist Dave Hartley – released their 8-song EP on October 26. Continuing on the Americana nuances of The War on Drugs’ previous records, Future Weather takes on the rhythms of classic America and adds a jangly twist, giving off a vibe that is serene, brisk and almost chilly – the soundtrack to a lonely, rainy night in a strip mall diner. In other words: Future Weather is perfect for a late autumn love affair.

 

Opening with the under-a-minute buzzed out ambience of “Come to the City #14”, the nearly 30-minute EP, with Granduciel’s old-soul, far-off twangy intones in full effect, is magnificently awash with surging soundscapes and murmuring cadence from start to end. The ‘80s-influenced Americana fuzzbox of “Baby Missiles” coasts down the open highway, showcasing an energetic harmonica alongside a layered audio backdrop of spirited pulses. “Comin’ Through” and “Brothers” are both pensive and starry-eyed – two tracks that are relaxed yet lush, courting a hazy simplicity that evokes a peripatetic abandon. And Future Weather’s latest “single”, “The History of Plastic”, is a raw experimental number that spotlights a droning harmonica and burns leisurely on your fingertips, bursting into a dissonant array of sonic shakes and controlled freak outs that blanket Granduciel’s vocal slurs. And, throughout, it flows between the whirring kick-off and the abrasive zenith until it fades out to black. But it’s “A Pile of Tires” that’s the most noteworthy. Performing like it’s spinning on a dusty gramophone, the track feels forlorn. Its muted scratches hover above raspy vowels and ever-present guitar chords.

 

And like Wagonwheel Blues, the tracks on Future Weather are divided by three instrumentals: opener “Come to the City #14”, the corporeal seconds of “Comin’ Around”, and the dense “Missiles Reprise”, a mired psych-surf number that lasts over two minutes and features muted guitar wops and intensely austere drums. Overall, Future Weather plays out like polished tunnel busking, which isn’t to say that it’s a bad thing. Instead, it’s like music hidden underneath a street bustling with busy urbanities too oblivious to notice its beauty. – Annamarya Scaccia

Today is proof of how amazing the Philly music scene is doing right now. Where else can you get such a talented and diverse group of artists releasing their albums on the same day? It’s certainly a date that has been circled on our calendars. (Ha…do people actually use paper calendars anymore?) You already know that Sun Airway’s Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier is out today via Dead Oceans (check out our interview with Jon Barthmus for Where Is My Mind? here). But if infectiously catchy, lo-fi indie pop isn’t your thing (anymore) and you just simply want to rock, then Purling Hiss’ Public Service Announcement via Woodsist has plenty of those nasty psychedelic blues guitar riffs full of angst and rage that you’ve been hoping to snap the indie music scene out of its chillness. Maybe you are looking for some experimental Americana with Dylan-esque vocals and verses. The War on Drugs will make you surrender to the hallucinogenic haze of their latest EP Future Weather via Secretly Canadian. And if you are looking to rock your soul with a little funk and hip hop on the positive tip, then Kuf Knotz brings his BoomBox Logic to the masses via Mad Dragon. While it’s nice to see record labels scooping up our local talent, our love goes out to those true indie artists who dig into their own pockets to share their music with us. That is why we are proud to be presenting the CD release party for Grimace Federation’s On Velvet this Friday, Oct. 29 at JB’s, but if you just can’t wait that long, then contact them here. I’m sure that they’d be glad to get you a copy. Go out and buy any or all of these albums today! Your ears will thank you. – The Deli Staff

 

 

 

OK, let’s get all the “rising from ashes of The A-sides” and the “flying and taking flight” references out of the way. Sun Airway, the new “bedroom/basement” project turned full band from former A-siders Jon Barthmus and Patrick Marsceill, is already creating quite a buzz with their most excellent upcoming debut Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier. The album’s  official release is tomorrow Oct. 26 on Dead Oceans, and we think this one is going to take Sun Airway to many places (hopefully one of them is Japan). We had a chance to catch up with Barthmus on the phone last week before he headed off for his national tour, which opens tomorrow night in Pittsburgh with Bear in Heaven. Check out where his passion for music came from, what’s behind that interesting album title, and plenty of other things that we were just wondering here!

 

Kurt Vile and Matador Records drop the digital release of “In My Time” 7” today! The teaser to Vile’s upcoming full length release in 2011 with producer John Agnello features “In My Time” as well as “Early Dawnin” and “Sad Ghost” (one of which may appear on the new album). If you really need the 7” in vinyl, then you are just going to have to wait until its vinyl release on Nov. 9. Until then, you can purchase the MP3/FLAC and preorder the vinyl here. Vile is also planning a series of free in-store performances in support. The first performance of the series is today in Toledo, OH, and it will be solo acoustic. He is currently on a nationwide tour with The Soft Pack and Purling Hiss. (Photo by Jake Giles Netter) – The Deli Staff

It’s far from a typical show already when The El Bar hosts a completely out there band from the land down under like Circle Pit at 6pm. But things are sure to get even weirder when Far-Out Fangtooth (with former members of garage heartthrobs Dark Horse and the Carousels) provide a suitable soundtrack to the evening. Combining lo-fi beats and riffs with subtly crafted drum work and raw, echoed vocals, you have a show that howls upon any cycle of the moon. They recently released their self-titled debut 7” on Philly-centric Ian Records. And when they share the stage with a wild bunch of Aussies and the crazies from Chicago’s Population, it makes for an extra special occasion! So get ready to drown your playoff sorrows in plenty of cheap beer and liquor. El Bar, 1356 N. Front St., 6pm, $7, 21+ – Bill McThrill

 

While October has been a most excellent month here in The Deli camp, I have to think that it has been the same if not better in the Blood Feathers camp. Our favorite local vintage rock n’ rollers just opened for Blonde Redhead at the E Factory last weekend and tonight they’ll be bringing their feel good tunes to The Troc to warm up the crowd for The Walkmen, which will be their last show in the U.S. before heading off to Europe with The Black Keys. The Phillies game will also be showing in the balcony bar and the lobby during the concert so you really have no excuses. The Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 9pm, $18.50 adv/$21 door, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman

 

If you want to show some city pride but dread the trek to Citizen’s Park for the Phillies or if you just don’t give a crap about baseball but wanna get out of your cramped abode, then wiggle your way to West Philly’s Danger Danger Gallery this evening for the nearly five-hour MINI FEST. It’s a night of two-tone punk appeal-meets-balls to the wall shredding hardcore that’ll represent Philly hard – on the 10-band bill, six outfits are stripped from our own junkyard (Snowing, Towers, The Joint Chiefs of Math, Gods and Queens, Pink Coffins, and Algernon Cadwallader) two Philly-by-association acts (Lancaster’s 1994! and Kresgeville’s The Greek Favourites), plus two party crashers (Syracuse’s hardcore rip tide OAK & BONE and Oakland’s melodic punk trio Big Kids). But if you only go for one band, push through the crowd for Algernon Cadwallader. Their rowdy underground indie punk is snotty, brash and super infectious, with dissonant pop melodies twirling under chorus caterwauls and screaming sing-speak strains. It’s gonna be one helluva sonic party blast that’ll leave you happily blown. Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave., 6pm, $10 suggested donation, All Ages – Annamarya Scaccia

 

Giovanni’s Room, Philadelphia’s oldest gay and feminist bookstore, is is need of some help for a renovation project that involves getting a new wall. So to help some of Philly’s hottest queer musicians are coming together to give it to them in style. The end result could be the Rotunda hosting one the naughtiest benefits in its history and that might be attributed to the colorful set by quirky pop outfit, Sweatheart. The band has already gained some serious street cred by opening for the likes of Devo and Bad Brains and acquiring the services of anti-diva Amanda Blank. Joining them will be dance floor destroyers and underground hip hop crew Sgt. Sass as well as The Lesbian Dorkestra (you know what they say happens at band camp). The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., 6pm, $5 donation, All Ages – Bill McThrill