New England

Interview with The Shills

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shills

The Shills are fast carving their niche in the Boston area scene with their music, songs that are simultaneously catchy, challenging and experimental in sound and concept. With their second full-length album Ganymede, a conceptual album about a misanthrope who is shipwrecked on an island and forced to confront himself, The Shills continue to hone their talents and distinct style as they assert themselves as a staple of the Boston scene. Recently, Bryan, Eric, Dave and James were kind enough to answer some questions for the Deli.

Deli: Could you give our readers a brief biography of the band? How you got together, what your musical and non-musical inspirations are, how you characterize your sound and style, etc.?

Eric: James, Dave & myself were in a previously existing band called Gallery. We fired our singer and were auditioning new ones when we came across Bryan. We all have different and similar musical influences, which is a great combination. The stuff we all like gives us a common ground to work from and then we can all bring in our own different influences and jumble it all together to create a new overall sound. It’s never been easy for us to describe our sound but it’s something like progressive pop/rock. We like to blend pop melodies and song structures with musically complex ideas and rhythms. The idea being that anyone can identify with sound right off the bat but there’s a lot of subtle complexities to keep it interesting. Basically we want my little sister and our music nerd friends to all dig it.

Read the whole interview by Meghan Guidry HERE

NYC

Is Xylos the New Abba? CD out later in 2010, Live at The Studio on 02.19

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The love-inducing quintet Xylos has been bringing up-lifting dreamy soft tunes to the world since the release of their debut EP, Bedrooms in 2008. Their songs are a heavenly chorus of female and male vocals that will take you back to those Sunday afternoons at church harmony – ah! Don’t you ever miss those days when you could sing unselfconsciously during mass? As their name suggests there is plenty of xylophone-like percussive sounds here, plus gentle electric guitars and a laid back rhythm section. The band showcases a noteworthy musical maturity, channeling at times tropical influences (In The Bedroom), and experimenting at others with more daring ideas/song structures (Mission). The female lead singer’s vocals have the power to trigger instant attention and warmth. Their debut LP (produced by Britt Myers – the man behind bands like Chairlift and Yeasayer) will be out later this year, but in the meantime you shouldn’t miss their live show at The Studio at Webster Hall, Friday the 19th. – Chloe Schildhause

Austin

Indie BBQ this Friday

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A trio of local acts is descending upon the most fancified BBQ joint in town: Ideal Soul Mart, Wiretree, and The Pons play at Lambert’s (401 W. 2nd St.) this Friday (2/12). (That’s Ruby Painter of The Pons pictured above, looking glam and contemplative all at once.) Fearless pop for the postmodern world, to steal a line from The Pons themselves. 

Chicago

Verbal Kent Mixtape and Tour

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This month Verbal Kent will be unleashing his latest album “Save Your Friends”, and to hold us over, give us a peak, and mark Verbal Kent’s upcoming tour of Europe, Beat Trotterz has released a mixtape. This mixtape combines over 24 tracks spanning Kent’s career and contains “Example” featuring Lance Ambu and William Kurk from “Save Your Friends”. Kent has appeared on 20 release indie hip hop releases since 1999, and is one of the most prolific and respected emcees in town.

NYC

SUSU release new CD, play Glasslands on 02.09

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Brooklyn devastatingly noisy SUSU have a new record and this is what they say about it (from our Open Blog): "R and R and R is the culmination of a year of writing and reaction. Our process was simple and 100% collaborative – mostly forget everything you did the day before, but keep the things that stick. Once we had the bases for songs we fine tuned or de-tuned the mixtures to produce what you will hear. We feel our approach was very visceral but respectful of a traditonal "song". We are very excited with the results and hope you will be too. You may hear echoes of what we have done on our previous release, but for us it feels entirely more cohesive and powerful, as it was done in one big chunk. It is also very true to our live performance. It was recorded and mixed in 7 consecutive days at Machines with Magnets (Battles, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Elvis Perkins in Dearland etc.) in Pawtucket, RI by Keith Souza and Seth Manchester. The guys there (and Lauren!) were amazing to work with, not to mention they let us sleep on the floor. Visit our website to purchase (iTunes, eMusic, Lala, Amazon etc.) Much love. – SUSU" – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here). – Don’t miss their show at Glasslands on 02.12.

 

Chicago

Last Minute Plans: Baron Von Something

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I know you are probably buried in snow and don’t want to dig your way out, but if you can make it down to Empty Bottle tonight you will be rewarded. They are featuring three bands that play various forms of indie rock. The Vindits learn more towards the punk aspects of things, Baron Von Something play something more traditional, and Deadlands (from what I can tell) play alt-country tinged rock. It is three facets coming together for one night. Let’s see if they can melt some of this snow!

Portland

Band of the Month Nominee Spotlight: Echo Helstrom

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Classically trained five-strong group Echo Helstrom is rising into the spotlight of Portland’s eclectic center. This orchestral-driven ensemble is backed by a variety of stringed and melodic instruments, including upright bass, violin and various horns, creating an energy that builds an emotion deeply rooted in a place most musicians never quite reach. Each song seems to unveil a truth that is earnestly stated and summed up from its rising beginning to climactic end.

With lyrics thought to be Bob Dylan-esque, the band’s unusual name was actually taken from one of Dylan’s early girlfriends. While front man Ross Seligman holds an aura similar in sound and passion to that of Coldplay’s Chris Martin, he retains a uniqueness found easily relatable, yet peculiarly original. All the while, Seligman sings with spirit in a clear and resonating voice that transcends most pop or emotionally driven artists of similar vocal orientation.

Building off of the rising commercial and ever-spreading success of their full-length album The Veil, Echo Helstrom is gearing up to release the five-song EP Paper Airplane on Saturday, February 13th at the Aladdin Theatre.

Co-headlining the album release will be jazz-pop solo artist Jake Oken-Berg, who will be releasing his own new album Out the Door.

Doors are at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Get your tickets in advance for $10 and go support the emotional vibrato of Portland’s newest rising act, Echo Helstrom.

– Michael Miller

Portland

The Ascetic Junkies Free February Happy Hour Residency at the Laurelthirst

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Havin’ a hard time making it through Wednesdays? Then the last bastion of bluegrass stompin’, country callin’, folky strummin’, and poppy shoutin’ is offering you a remedy.

Yes, ladies and gents, the LaurelThrist Public House is allowing the gal and guys of The Ascetic Junkies to set up shop every Wednesday evening in the month of February for a few rounds of happy drinks for happy hour and a happy time.

But these kids don’t play alone, they’ve brought friends! Each week they’re collaborating with a new artist displaying honeyed originals, twangy, traditional bluegrass, ramblin’ covers, and maybe even a testin’ the pluckiness of new some material.

The Junkies are joined this Wednesday, February 10th by Sam Cooper of Horse Feathers, with guests The Glyptodons on February 17th, and Leigh Marble and Ezra Carey on February 24th to finish out the month.

These sessions guarantee two hours (6 to 8 p.m.) of dosey-do switching of partners, instruments and banter. And this’ll all come to you for free. (Note: The concert is free, not the booze.)

And if that’s not enough to get ya in the door, singer/glockenspieler Kali Giaritta is feeling generous and giving away the Junkies’ latest EP Don’t Wait for the Rescue Squad on Bandcamp. “These songs are like gifts to friends, so we felt silly charging for them. Enjoy!” says Kali.

Have happy music and happy friends at 6 p.m. every Wednesday in February with the Junkies at the LaurelThirst.

– Chris Young

L.A.

One-shot pony Juliette Commagere debuts new video, sets date at El Rey

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Juliette Commagere | "The Nature of Things"
Dir. by Michael Graham

With talent like singer/songwriter Juliette Commagere and filmmaker Michael Graham, who needs a second take? This video, shot in one take with only one camera and–we’re not kidding–one candle for lighting simply puts the DIY-ness into an otherwise insanely expensive medium. Commagere gracefully brings down the house (and the ambience) March 5th at the El Rey, sharing the bill with Deli favorites The Bird and the Bee.

L.A.

Music-doc Map The Music set to debut

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After the death of her father, filmmaker, Second City alumna and self-proclaimed "crazy person"  Samantha Hale filmed Map The Music, a road trip documentary explaining the power music has over people. Through interviews with legions of devoted live music fans and the artists who inspire them, she tries to uncover the mystery behind the music while struggling with her loss. Artists include Imogen Heap, Kate Havnevik, Zoe Keating, Rachael Yamagata, Cary Brothers, Charlotte Martin and Jim Bianco, featuring unreleased live performances and behind-the-scenes footage with some of the most unique musicians in independent music. Check back into the official site for release dates and local screenings.