New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
Evelyn McHale leaped to her death from the Empire State building’s 86th floor observation deck in May of 1947. A limousine caught her fall. Minutes after her death photographer Robert Wiles captured McHale’s peculiarly serene post-jump repose.
And now, 63 years later, Parenthetical Girls have written a song equally as morose and beautiful as its namesake. “Evelyn McHale,” is one of four tracks comprising Privilege: Pt. 1 – On Death and Endorsements, the first of a series of five extremely limited-edition 12-inch EPs released by the band’s own Slender Means Society label. On Death and Endorsements will be released February 23, with a quarterly release of the following EPs spanning the next 15 months.
Parenthetical Girls plan to release the final 12-inch, concluding the box set and completing the record, May of 2011. Each installment of Privilege is limited to 500 physical copies and will not be distributed in stores.
-Katrina Nattress
Recent victors of The Deli’s Open Contest in the Alternative Rock/Metal category and this month’s nominees for the Emerging NYC/NJ Artist of the Month, The Shake shook down Crash Mansion at a semi-secret show on January 5. There was "a whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on" while the quartet highlighted several top tracks from their month-old release, “The Shake Go Crazy.” Consistently an ear-catching and energetic band, The Shake stood out with their on-stage chemistry, witty inter-song repartee, raucous guitar solos, and rebellious vibe evident in their volatile “Merry Musket,” fiery “Galleries,” and explosive “Timebomb.” An a cappella intro transitioned into a rousing “Your Idols,” that was followed by a galvanizing “Pop Goes the…” The Shake added a bit of disco flare to their penchant for rock ‘n roll, covering only the best, The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive,” before closing the show with the soulful “Got No Soul.” –Meijin Bruttomesso
It tragic times sometimes the most positive and reassuring things can takes place. Such is the case with the new formed grassroots organization Every Drop Counts Chicago. This group of young artists and activists have come together in response to the devastation in Haiti. Their goal is simple and focused, to raise funds in order to send filtration equipment that will provide sustainable, clean bathing and drinking water. Hence, the name Every Drop Counts. They began by establishing a Hip-Hop and soul benefit concert scheduled to take place in Chicago on Sunday, January 31, 2010. The goal is to raise awareness, funds, and to enjoy all that Chicago hip hop has to offer.
Hosted by, Aja Monet, Every Drop Counts Benefit Concert, will include performances by: Fred Hampton Jr., M1 [of Dead Prez], Jean Grae, Mystic, Rhyme Fest, The Cool Kids, BBU, FM Supreme, Mic Terror, Mikkey Halsted, He Say She Say, Kids These Days, Haki Madhubuti, DJ Sean Mac, DJ Izzo, and appearances by countless surprise guests. The event takes place at Reggie’s Rock Club and I encourage everyone to attend and give generously.
Indie folk duo Beatbeat Whisper play a free show Thursday January 28th [thats tonight] at the SF Underground Farmers Market. 199 Capp St. at 17th, San Francisco. 5-11pm
Farmers markets start to darn early sometimes. Finally, someone came up with the idea to have one, not just at night but, at night combined with other evening activities like drinking and listening to live music. Behold the SF Underground Farmers Market where for hefty fee of nada you can graze and purchase wild mushroom spreads, pies, acorn fudge and sarasparilla while listening to a live band.
If there ever was such a thing as ambient garage rock, Sunshine Recorder, the latest moniker for Christopher Coello’s sort-of-solo project, probably fits the bill. Coello is also part of The Cobbs, and while there are some similarities in tone, the name Sunshine Recorder should hint at the difference here: a sound that’s a bit brighter, more spacious, but losing none of its edge, like a drug-fueled walk through the desert at high noon. There may occasionally be some subtle electronic flourish, but Sunshine Recorder prove themselves to be a guitar band through and through, with the hard, propulsive drums serving mostly as an anchor to the hazy delay of the guitars. “Love in a Coma” has a hypnotic riff and a great vocal hook, while “Die Pretty” takes a darker turn, sounding borderline industrial with its cyclical drum pattern and fuzzed-out atmospherics. Catch Coello and co. over at Johnny Brenda’s where they’re sharing the bill with The Entrance Band and Lights. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave, 9 p.m., $10, 21+ myspace.com/sunshinerecorder666 (Photo by Ed Roper) – Joe Poteracki
”brick bats, kendo classes, the falls, cargo cults, the vaporization of elugelab, alone in the wilderness, hai karate egg monsters, candy-colored clown!, man-eating trees, prison burpees, freeman dyson, suave homeless assholes, riddling fucks, yukon cornelius, the leather apron club, batshit billy with a boing-boing, cold statues of bitches, pajama’d cong, bobby fever, fist fights on the moon, wind-up sushi, bog man, food from a wooden spoon, weird ear, swiss rib side panels, caesar mohawks…crouton earrings, you’re going to jail…BuBbLeTaPe LoUnGe”
Rockers, Folkers and Poppers of all ages, sexes and hair colors,
The Deli’s regional Year End Best of Polls for emerging artists are finally over and it’s time to have a quick look at what’s going on outside your local scene. Here’s a recap of the winners of our nine polls with links to overall charts and readers’ polls results:
AUSTIN – Winner: Stereo Is a Lie
Overall Chart – Readers Chart – list of jurors
CHICAGO – Winner: I Fight Dragons
Overall Chart – Readers Chart
LOS ANGELES – Winner: Local Natives
Overall Chart – Readers Chart
NASHVILLE – Winner: Those Darlins
Overall Chart – Readers Chart
NEW ENGLAND- Winner: Mean Creek
Overall Chart – Readers Chart – list of jurors
NYC – Winner: Talk Normal
Overall Chart – Readers Chart – list of jurors
PORTLAND – Winner: Explode into Colors
Overall Chart – Readers Chart – list of jurors
PHILLY – Winner: Reading Rainbow
Overall Chart – Readers Chart – list of jurors
SF BAY AREA – Winner: Girls
Overall Chart – Readers Chart – list of jurors
The Deli’s Staff