NYC

Weekly Feature 186a: Jones Street Station – live at Mercury on 02.05

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Ready for a little taste of good old Americana pie? Patrons at the Housing Works Bookstore and Café in New York City were on Dec. 9, when Brooklyn collective Jones Street Station invaded the used book retailer for a festive performance of folk/country/indie music. The show was packed to the venue’s wooden corners with hipsters who couldn’t help but sway to the beat of the group’s rustic instruments and harmonious synchronized vocals. Fans, shows, unyielding instrumentals and charming songwriting. What more could a band ask for? – Read Cecilia Martinez interview with the band here.

Chicago

Ok Go “This Too Shall Pass”

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Yes, the boys have done it again, and know for a fact we will say that again several times this year. For their new album, Ok Go will be making a video for each song. The latest video is for the song “This Too Shall Pass”, and features the Notre Dame marching band. It’s another classic in the Ok Go stable, but they are not allowing you to embed at this point so you will have to head over to youtube to be counted among the 20,000 plus people who have watched the video in the last four days.

NYC

Weekly Feature 186b: Small Black – live at Bklyn Bowl, 02.06

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There’s definitely an excess of lo-fi “bedroom pop” acts floating around the Brooklyn music scene lately, but Small Black stands out from the rest for their impeccable songwriting skills and attention to sonic detail. The band’s songs drip hazy, summertime warmth, wrapped up in delicate layers of tape-hiss, samples, drum machine plunks and sanguine synth, all accompanied by laid-back and infectious vocals. The band is Josh Kolenik and Ryan Heyner, and live it consists of Pitchfork.tv contributors Juan Pieczanski and Jeff Curtin, who have since joined the band. They released a self-titled EP in October–which was fittingly recorded in an uncle’s Long Island attic–and have since garnered a lot of critical praise. From the Jesus & Mary Chain-channeling “Despicable Dogs” to the watery depths of the washed-out “Bad Lover,” Small Black delivers perfect noise-pop to brighten the winter months or keep pace with the summer. – Read Bill Dvorak’s interview with the band here. (video by Yoonha Park)

L.A.

Nik Freitas joins AA Bondy’s bill Saturday at Echo

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Singer/songwriter Nik Freitas is a sponge. In one instance, his downtempo tracks seem honorably stolen from Mind Games-era Lennon and the next, contemporaries like M. Ward and an early Ben Kweller. The thing that sets Freitas apart from all the other sponges in town is that we actually believe him. Sincerity will always prevail. Freitas plays The Echo this Saturday night with AA Bondy.

L.A.

Residency/Pizza/Beer/Bingo Alert: Olin and the Moon @ Echo every Tuesday

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The next-round’s-on-me sounds of Olin and the Moon will be claiming The Echo as their own every Tuesday this month. If the free cover isn’t enough to bring you in (it should — Olin and the Moon put together a great live set), then perhaps the pizza and beer specials alongside games of bingo might help if you’re into being ultimately distracted at a live show. Tonight: cabaret pop’s Eleni Mandell joins the bill, with Dusty Rhodes and the River Band on the 19th and The Henry Clay People on the 26th.

L.A.

Horse Stories release limited edition of new LP filled with non-guilty kitsch

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For those who consider buying CDs as some archaic pastime, reconsider: Silver Lake’s own Horse Stories are releasing an especially nifty and ultra limited edition of its latest LP November, November for the first 100 people to grab them. The homemade CDs boxes follow up in singer Toby Burke’s folksy aesthetic by providing  original notebook lyrics, original photos from recording sessions and other mementos that paved the way to the creation of this record. Own a little piece of indie history for $15 here. Take that, iTunes.

New England

The Low Anthem on Letterman! 1.14

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Rhode Island trio The Low Anthem will embrace an exciting new decade by headlining their first North American tour in March and April and making their US television debut on the Late Show with David Letterman this Thursday, January 14th. They will also spend much of February supporting The Avett Brothers on the road (not in North America). They will come back to the states at the end of Februrary. Yay! 

–The Deli Staff
 

New England

Audrey Ryan and Richard Julian at Passim 1.17

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Audrey Ryan (Maine native and current Boston resident) is playing a very special show this Sunday at Club Passim in Harvard Square, Cambridge with New York’s Richard Julian. Both artists are known for their creativity and song-writing superpowers. They both bend folk and indie genres into something beautifully indistinguishable and new.  Julian is a member of The Little Willies with Norah Jones. Julian has also toured with Bonnie Raitt and Suzanne Vega. Ryan recently released the full-length album, "I Know, I Know" in September. Once again the show: 8pm @ Club Passim on Sunday, January 17th, 47 Palmer St. Cambridge, MA. Tickets are pre-sale $12 (buy them HERE) and at the door $15. 

–The Deli Staff

Austin

Spoonerisms

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The News of Spoon ramps up fast & furious as the release of Transference (January 19) approaches: firstly, you are lucky to live in Austin, because they’ll play an instore, or technically, an out-of-store, in the Waterloo parking lot on January 25th at 4 pm (weather permitting), secondly, they’ve announced tour dates (below, including kickoff at Stubb’s), and also tour companions, which will include yet another fast-rising Austin act, The Strange Boys, and lastly, you can stream Transference right now right here. 

P.S. – Also happening in the non-Spoon universe: local original cosmic cowboy Ray Wylie Hubbard drops A: Enlightenment B: Endarkenment (Hint: There is no C) today. 

Spoon Dates…

Wed Mar 17 // Stubb’s // Austin, TX 
Thurs Mar 18 // Republic // New Orleans, LA * tix
Fri Mar 19 // Workplay Soundstage // Birmingham, AL * tix
Sat Mar 20 // Tabernacle // Atlanta, GA * tix
Mon Mar 22 // 9:30 Club // Washington DC * tix
Tues Mar 23 // 9:30 Club // Washington DC * tix
Wed Mar 24 // The National // Richmond, VA * tix
Fri Mar 26 // Radio City Music Hall // New York, NY * tix
Sat Mar 27 // House of Blues // Boston, MA * tix
Mon Mar 29 // Sound Academy // Toronto, ON * tix
Tues Mar 30 // Royal Oak Music Theatre // Royal Oak, MI * tix
Thurs Apr 01 // Aragon Theatre // Chicago, IL & tix
Fri Apr 02 // First Avenue // Minneapolis, MN & tix
Sat Apr 03 // First Avenue // Minneapolis, MN & tix
Mon Apr 05 // Ogden Theatre // Denver, CO & tix
Tues Apr 06 // Ogden Theatre // Denver, CO & tix
Wed Apr 07 // In The Venue // Salt Lake City, UT & tix
Fri Apr 09 // Moore Theatre // Seattle, WA & tix
Sat Apr 10 // Moore Theatre // Seattle, WA & tix
Sun Apr 11 // Orpheum Theatre // Vancouver, BC & tix
Tues Apr 13 // Fox Oakland Theatre // Oakland, CA & tix

* with Deerhunter, The Strange Boys
& with Deerhunter, Micachu & the Shapes 

Chicago

Drumming For Pistols

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To hear Christa Meyer talk about the new album from her duo Puerto Muerto is to hear the revolution approaching. Talking about the title track to the Fire Records release, Drumming for Pistols, due next month, “basically a call to arms, I wanted the song to evoke thoughts of revolution, without specifically referencing the subject.” The album as a whole is also a revolution of sound combining chamber pop with soulful chantey sounds and mixing in a dirge or two along the way. The other half of this eclectic duo is Tim Kelly, and he credits both the musicians growth musically and their good fortune to work with so many wonderfully talented Chicago musicians. On Drumming For Pistols, Kelly and Meyer have enlisted the help of Gary Schepers (Devil in A Woodpile), John Londay, Tiffany Kowalski (Bright Eyes), and Gary James (Box of Baby Birds). This once again proves that collaboration typically results in a diverse and rich product. This thirteen-track exploration is that rich adventure that will keep you guessing at every turn.

Philadelphia

The Deli’s January Band of the Month: The Circadian Rhythms

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From The Beatles to Beck to Olivia Tremor Control, the Deli’s January band of the month, The Circadian Rhythms, let us in on what makes their intricate musical body clock tick. Check them out live at Kung Fu Necktie January 21 and February 13 at Bordz Skatepark in Southampton.

The Deli: When did you start playing together?
The Circadian Rhythyms: Sometime in the summer of 2005. I believe the very first time the four of us made music together was in our friend Tony’s parents’ basement. I probably have a CD of that recording still lying around somewhere, and it’s probably awful.

TD: What are your biggest musical influences and what bands are you currently listening to?
TCR: The Beatles are #1 always for us. Ringo’s a big influence on our drummer’s playing, and Beatles Rock Band is helping him rip Ringo off even more recently. He just found a sweet record of them playing at some club in Hamburg in 1962. Its great because their harmonies are a little off, it’s almost entirely covers, and the crowd sounds like they could give a shit. Other than that, we listen to lots of different music such as the Elephant 6 collective bands (mostly Olivia Tremor Control and Circulatory System), Parliament, The Kinks, Raymond Scott, Parliament, Fats Waller, Mulatu Astatke, The Beach Boys, Franz Liszt and so much more. As for local acts we are super into The Armchairs, Make A Rising, Da Comrade!, and Hermit Thrushes!

TD: What’s the first concert you ever attended and first album you ever bought?
Chris: Pop Disaster Tour ’02 or something, the one with Blink 182 and Green Day. Sorry for that.
Jim: The first album I ever bought was Beck’s Odelay. I still love that album.

TD: What’s your take on the Philly music scene?
TCR: There are a lot of really great bands in Philly right now. I heard myself tell someone that Grandchildren was the best band in the city like two days before I saw they won your Open Contest. Weird. 

TD: What are your plans for 2010?
TCR: We will be releasing an EP on EarSnake (Gemini Wolf, Paper Masques, and more) and hopefully recording a full-length album and playing a bunch of shows. January 21 we are at Kung Fu Necktie and February 13 at Bordz Skatepark in Southampton for the Orange Apples Record Release. Dangerous Ponies are supposed to be there too so it should be super fun! We are trying to plan a tour for July and other than that, just chillin.

TD: What was your most memorable live show?
TCR: This past Halloween was crazy! We played Jim’s friends’ basement in South Philly, dressed as various animals. I was just a regular lion but I was mistaken for Barf from Spaceballs and a gay lion. I don’t see how super short shorts with fur trim automatically make you a gay lion instead of a regular one. Anyway, the place was packed and we played two sets full of every song we know how to play. Super awesome.

TD: What’s your favorite order at the Deli?
TCR: Pierogies and chocolate cake.

myspace.com/circadianmusic

– Jaime Pannone

 

NYC

Brand new electro NYC band gets da buzz: Brahms

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Brahms (who are fortuately NOT an orchestral alt-rock band inspired by the classic German composer) might be new to the scene, but they seem to have their act together, with a series of great shows planned opening for great bands (including Telepathe, Boy Crisis, Body Language, Javelin and Lemonade!) in very cool venues (Glasslands twice, Santos and Mercury within about two months…) At a closer look we do see that Cale Parks is one of the band members – actually… at an even closer look this is exactly the same live band that plays with Cale Parks! Probably Eric Lyle Lodwick project? Anyway, it looks like these guys are getting quite a lot of buzz. Electro-pop music lovers might want to head to Glasslands on January 22 to check them out.