The Key » Artists

Watch Philly grindcore four-piece Fantasy Panther get bloody in The Barbary bathroom

John Vettese — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:37:18 +0000

Maybe you remember mid-aughties Philly noisemakers An Albatross, but if not, here’s a quick summary – they ruled. They mixed up high-octane punk energy with heavy metal instrumental precision, cranked the speed up 20 times, and added some swaggery rock n’ roll moves in the mix. The one time I got to catch them live – a floor show at the First Unitarian Church basement circa 2003 where, if memory serves, they shared the bill with DC avant-shredders Black Eyes and Philly hardcore heroes Paint it Black – front man Edward Gieda was an intimidating, shirtless, sweaty specter. He strutted like Mick Jagger, leaped and landed on the crowd’s outstretched hands like Iggy Pop, was possibly seconds away from smashing a bottle and cutting himself up with it. Meanwhile, the band blew through some of the most nihilistic grindcore jams I’ve heard to this day.

All this is to preface Fantasy Panther, Gieda’s new group I just found out about. Joining him are An Albatross drummer Steven Vaiani and guitarist / producer Daniel Kishbaugh, and they just premiered a new music video for a rager called “Insect.” It’s a minute-long blast of insanity, and the blood-splattered video was shot in the upstairs restroom at The Barbary this past Saturday night. Watching the band play in a bathroom is kind of a surreal thing in itself – from a sound engineering standpoint, they’ve got to be getting like ZERO separation in there, and from a custodial standpoint, they’re practically a demolition crew. But it rules, true to Fantasy Panther’s pedigree. They’re right now recording songs for a full length at Creep Records Studio. Watch “Insect” below.

Photos: Rogue Wave gets cozy at Union Transfer

John Vettese — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 19:05:05 +0000

Rogue Wave | Photo by Rachel Barrish | raddrhapsodies.com

Photos by Rachel Barrish | raddrhapsodies.com

Bay Area indie rock outfit Rogue Wave visited Philly on tour in support of its new LP Nightingale Floors, out earlier this month on Vagrant Records. There was a lot of charm, showmanship and coziness with the crowd during the band’s set – including singer Zach Rogue sitting on the edge of Union Transfer’s stage to serenade the front row with an acoustic rendition of “California” from their 2005 album Descended Like Vultures. Check out scenes from their set in the photo gallery below.

Make Music Philly Spotlight: DEF-Bananas

Anna Novikova — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:34:08 +0000

DEF-Bananas is a Jersey-based hip-hop trio that fashions creative, witty, sometimes playful rhymes over catchy beats in a true collaborative manner.The trio, consisting of Lugo, Kam Dela Coopsta VII, and GQ, produce their own music; they all contribute to the vocals, although Lugo and GQ are the primary rhymers. Kam Dela Coopsta VII is mainly in charge of beat-making, sometimes using a funky old-school style and at other times a more modern electronic-based background. They dub themselves the “three headed monster.” DEF-Bananas will be performing at the Piazza at Schmidt’s this Friday from 3:30 – 4 p.m, as part of the all-day Make Music Philly Festival. Be sure to catch this talented crew, and in the meantime check out their awesome track “99 Bananas.”

The Key Studio Sessions: Light Heat

John Vettese — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:41:56 +0000

All photos by Abi Reimold | www.abireimoldphoto.com

Philly psychedelic rock outfit Light Heat popped up unexpectedly last summer, but they certainly didn’t come out of nowhere. Frontman and songwriter Quentin Stoltzfus is a longtime player in the local scene (and beyond); his knockout band Mazarin released a string of stellar albums in the early 00s, and before that he was in the dreamy 90s outfit Azusa Plane – back when “Psychedelphia” was the buzzword du jour. Stoltzfus is well-traveled in the musical world, and it was a thrill to have him in our studio recording a Key Session of all-new songs that hold up so strongly to his past work. It was equally a thrill to work with the players he brought along – in addition to longtime collaborators Mickey Walker and Drew Mills (formerly of Blood Feathers), this lineup of Light Heat included Peter Bauer (of The Walkmen) and Skyler Skjelset (of Fleet Foxes). The band’s self-titled album is out next Tuesday on Brooklyn label Ribbon Music – and is streaming now via The New York Times – and it opens a sold-out show with Tame Impala at The Electric Factory tonight, then headlines an album release party presented by Philebrity at AKA Music next Tuesday, June 25th.

The Mirrorby Light Heat from The Key Studio Sessions, June 19, 2013 Download

Elevationby Light Heat from The Key Studio Sessions, June 19, 2013 Download

Brain To Recorderby Light Heat from The Key Studio Sessions, June 19, 2013 Download

And The Birdsby Light Heat from The Key Studio Sessions, June 19, 2013 Download

Dance The Cosmos Lightby Light Heat from The Key Studio Sessions, June 19, 2013 Download

Small Black gets all Missed Connections in their “No Stranger” video (playing a free show at Morgan’s Pier on 6/26)

Julie Miller — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:06:24 +0000

In the rambunctious new video for Small Black‘s “No Stranger,” a glance shared by two strangers on a train sparks a fantasy that has the pair partaking in some “wanton destruction and debauchery” after road-tripping to a lake. It might remind you of this Rhye video…almost shot-for-shot at some points (a pastoral car ride, a concluding bonfire). The narrative this time tells a classic case of missed connections fit for a Craigslist post – an immediate attraction, the lack of time to act on it followed by the indulgent wondering of “what if.”

“No Stranger” comes from the Brooklyn electronic dream pop outfit’s sophomore record Limits of Desire LP, recently released through Jagjaguwar. Small Black will play a free show at Morgan’s Pier with Heavenly Beat on June 26th. More information can be found here.

Listen to Welcome to Undertown, the new 7″ from The Dead Milkmen

John Vettese — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:40:54 +0000

Call it making up for lost time. After a long hiatus (and the sad loss of founding member Dave Blood), The Dead Milkmen have been kicking out the jams since their 2009 reunion. A steady series of 7″ singles followed their 2011 LP The King in Yellow, and after the release of The Great Boston Molasses Flood back in March, vocalist Rodney Anonymous tweeted about their productivity:

3 NEW Dead Milkmen songs. That makes 8 new songs and a cover that we’ve released in the last 9 months, slackers.

With no sign of slowing down in site, the band today (last night, actually) posted its latest 7″, Welcome to Undertown, to its Bandcamp page. It finds Anonymous in political-commentary-rant-and-rave mode – think “Peter Bazooka,” the amazing opening track from 1995′s Stoney’s Extra Stout – with a cool surf-ish break in the middle on “Streetlamps / Walking to Work.” Stream the set below, and keep your eye on The Dead Milkmen’s store – preorders go up this Friday, June 21st.

Firefly Under the Radar: Conner Youngblood

Julie Miller — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 15:15:14 +0000

If you’re heading out to Dover, DE later this week for the Firefly Music Festival, don’t miss Texas multi-instrumentalist Conner Youngblood. A recent Yale graduate in American Studies, his music is a melting pot of seemingly incongruous genres and techniques that makes for an exquisite and transcendent outcome. Youngblood’s blending of acoustic and electronic instrumentation with a focus on narrative lyrics is not so surprising, though, after learning he lists Bob Dylan, James Blake and Ray Lamontagne as influential touchstones.

The singer-songwriter released two EPs in quick succession last year – Sketches Pt. 1 and Sketches Pt. 2 – and is currently working on new recordings. Both of last year’s EPs can be downloaded for free here. Catch him on Friday at 3:30 p.m. at The Porch; more information for the festival can be found here. Below, watch a live video of “Australia” and stream “The Warpath,” which was featured as a My Morning Download last August.

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Tame Impala at The Electric Factory, Catnaps at PhilaMOCA, Peter Yarrow at Haddon Lake Park, Northern Arms at Ortlieb’s Longue

Michael Kaufman — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:51:36 +0000

This Wednesday is chalked full of amazing music. First up, the Austrian psych-rock group Tame Impala. Out of the brilliant mind of group leader Kevin Parker, Tame Impala have released two amazing albums, Innerspeaker and Lonerism, both dealing with isolation in a trippy combination of 60s rock and modern electronic music. Tonight, the band plays Electric Factory with Philly’s own Light Heat as the openers. Check out the video for Tame Impala’s “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” below and click here for more concert information.

On Monday, Catnaps released their new EP, Forget About It. Sadly, it will be their last release, as the group is breaking up. But you can still catch them tonight for one final high-energy show at PhilaMOCA. With their infectious mix of pop-punk that could’ve come straight out of the 90s, this is a band you don’t want to miss.

Forget About It by Catnaps

Tonight, if you’re looking to see a legend, Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary is playing Haddon Lake Park. Though he gained fame in the early 1960s with Peter, Paul and Mary, Yarrow has been an active musician ever since. Below watch Yarrow perform “The Wedding Song (There Is Love)”.

Northern Arms sound like they’ve come from 1800s America, a chorus of dark harmonies and quietly sounding instruments that at times sound like funeral dirges. The result is beautiful atmospheric trad-folk that you just can’t get from groups like Mumford & Sons. Tonight, they play Ortlieb’s Longue. For more information, click here and check out the video from their performance at Union Transfer below.

My Morning Download: “My Heart Belongs To You” by Johnathan Rice

Bruce Warren — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:41:29 +0000

Singer-songwriter Johnathan Rice returns with his first new album of material since he released Jenny & Johnny with Jenny Lewis in 2010. Rice’s new solo album, Good Graces, is being released on SQE Music on September 17th. Helping out Rice on the album are Dawes bassist Wiley Gelber, drummer Jason Boesel as well as Lewis and the Watson Twins. Rice produced and played guitar on much of the album along with Farmer Dave Scher. The album has a George Harrison-Byrds-Petty guitar based vibe and includes a cover of “That Summer Feeling” by Jonathan Richman. Below, in exchange for your e-mail, download “My Heart Belongs To You.”

Make Music Philly Spotlight: Sylvia Platypus

Nicky Hyman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:00:43 +0000

If the name alone wasn’t enough to pique your curiosity, then the bagpipes will. Philly’s own six-piece “psycho-celtic glam-blues band” Sylvia Platypus will be performing this Friday, June 21st, for a free, Make Music Philly show at the Historic Headhouse Square Shambles, and they certainly have a lot to offer – for starters, they are the only artist (to the best of my knowledge) categorized as a “psycho-celtic glam-blues band.” When they’re not covering classic Stones tunes like “Paint In Black”, or riffing on old, traditional folk songs like “Raggle Taggle Gypsy”, they’re busy spinning their own web of unique, bagpipe-infused rock. Lead singer Janet Bressler,graces the stage with a mysterious, yet commanding presence. Fit to sing at a funeral, she’s often decked out in a black lace veil, and black everything else (the above photo captures her on a rare dressed-in-white day). Her voice, believed by most to be inspired from singers like Edith Piaf all the way to John Lee Hooker, has a unique style and tone – a certain soulfulness, equally matched by soulful guitar playing of Bill Barone. Check them out for yourself by watching them rehearse their track “Dead City” at Junction Music, below, and once again, catch them this Friday at the Historic Headhouse Square Shambles at noon, for their Make Music Philly Performance.

Light Heat’s new album now streaming at The New York Times website (appearing on XPN Philly Local tonight)

Nicky Hyman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:23:43 +0000

Light Heat‘s self-titled debut is due out on June 25th via Ribbon Music, but if you’re itching to hear it now, the album is now available to stream at The New York Times website. The local psych-rockers will be in town for two up-coming shows, supporting Tame Impala at the Electric Factory on June 19th, as well performing a free in-store concert at AKA Music on June 25th. In addition to that, Light Heat is this week’s Key Studio Session guest, so be sure to tune in to WXPN tonight at 9:30 to hear their performance and check back to the blog tomorrow morning to get a download of it.. Listen to the New York Times stream here.

Folkadelphia Session: Balto (performing at Lickety Split this Friday)

Fred Knittel — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:15:54 +0000

Because you love to discover great music, this week we’ll be debuting 3 new Folkadelphia Sessions for you to fall in love with. We’re going to focus on songwriters of varying styles – each come to the art of crafting a song in different ways, but the results are equivalently enriching for the body, heart, mind, and soul.

On Sunday, you heard from Nashville based Holly Williams, channeling her family’s legacy and carving her own musical path – stream & download the songs (all culled from her latest full-length The Highway) from that session here. Check back Thursday to hear our session with New Yorker Matt Sucich.

Now, let’s introduce you to Daniel Sheron and his evolving musical collective called Balto. Like many songwriters before him, Sheron gathers his influences from what he see and feels- the wonder of the road, what can be discovered upon introspection, the modern American mythology. Balto’s songs came together through Sheron’s experiences and they are told in earnest and meaningful tones. On his latest album Monuments, we hear Sheron’s major progression as an artist.

Sheron was able to stop by the WXPN Performance Studio while he was on the East Coast back in March. Here he presents tracks from Monuments. Balto returns to Philadelphia on Friday, June 21st to perform at Lickety Split.

How some Philly punk rockers are giving back to the community with the Big Footprints Project

Beth Ann Downey — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:00:17 +0000

Brendan Lukens is used to watching things grow right before his eyes.

The frontman and founder of Philly local pop punk band Modern Baseball saw the group’s following and clout grow big enough to earn them a deal with Run For Cover Records in January. Just a few months later, Lukens was required to do a service project for an environmental science class. The Chestnut Hill College senior thought he could use some of the band’s recent buzz to promote selling a compilation album online to raise money for charity.

“I’ve always wanted to do something like that,” Lukens said. “It just kept getting bigger and bigger and eventually it was 75 bands. … Our original estimation for how much we would raise was $500 to $700. That’s how much we raised in the first week. We were all very surprised.”

The BIG Comp was released in April under what Lukens now calls the Big Footprints Project. It was sold for $5, and featuring bands like Balance and Composure and Into It. Over It. went on to receive more than 300 downloads and raise close to $1500. A 15-band house show in West Philly raised another $600, and the money was then donated to both The Nature Conservancy and the Red Cross following the Boston Marathon bombings.

Lukens teamed up with Philly-based alt music blog Property of Zack and local label Lame-O Records (run by Modern Baseball manager Eric Osman) to grow his project into something big and beneficial for the environment. Though he only got a C in the college class, Lukens said spreading the word about environmental issues was always about more than getting a grade.

“I personally am really interested in the idea of deforestation and reforestation,” Lukens said. “I’m really into animals, and the whole them-losing-their-habitat thing hits home for me.”

So Lukens didn’t stop working on the project when the semester ended. Earlier this month, Property of Zack announced that the Big Footprints Project would release a series of 4-way splits each month from June through August to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club of America. The first was released last week on the project’s Bandcamp page, and features new tracks from You Blew It!, Dikembe, Nai Harvest and Marietta.

“The splits are almost set up like a show in the sense that there are two really popular bands and then there are the bands that are touring that not a whole lot of people know,” Lukens said. “I think it’s really cool because so far we’ve had a lot of comments saying ‘I really like these other two bands. I’ve never heard of them.’ ”

Lukens said next month’s split will feature Harrisburg acoustic rocker Koji as the headliner. August will boast live, non-acoustic demo tracks from Pity Sex, The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid to Die and Tiny Moving Parts.

“I wanted to give the bands an option because there are bands like The World Is, who aren’t really into doing acoustic demos because of how their songwriting process goes. I didn’t want to limit or cut bands because of that. … [I accepted] anything that people or fans couldn’t usually get their hands on.”

After talking to several bands featured on both The BIG Comp and the 4-ways splits, Lukens also found that he wasn’t the only punk interested in environmental issues.

“Koji, in particular, is super activist. He is a mega cool, really down to earth, extremely nice guy. He’s super into camping, as is Turnover, the pop punk band,” Lukens said. “They were both really excited to do it just because they’re really outdoorsy people and always like camping on tour.”

But every artist involved has their own reason. “The bands You Blew It! and Dikembe, they’re from Florida and they were really into it because of the Everglades,” Lukens said.

The Big Footprints Project slogan is “doing a bunch of punk things to give back to the community, weird right?” Lukens said he wanted it to highlight that people who identify as punk are usually against supporting big organizations or foundations. Put what’s made his class project turned ongoing philanthropic endeavor has been from the support of so many diverse and talented bands from Philly and across the country to prove that music is a great vehicle for cultural awareness.

“A main reason why I wanted to continue doing this was because when I go to house shows and stuff like that, sometimes people knock having to pay if there’s not a touring band,” he said. “Even though we’re a really tight-knit community, sometimes we loose our heads a little. I think this is a really good was to get us all focused on a really cool project, give back to the community and just enjoy what we all love at the same time.”

Watch a conversation with instrumental duo El Ten Eleven, shot at the North Star (playing Johnny Brenda’s on 9/20)

Michael Kaufman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:41:17 +0000

El Ten Eleven is a duo that doesn’t like to be captured in a label. They make powerful instrumental music that spans various genres and soundscapes. Last year, the group released their latest album, Transitions, as well as a remix of the album in April. Now, they’re going on tour again with a stop at Johnny Brenda’s in September. Last time the band hit Philly, they did an interview with Paradigm Magazine backstage at the North Star Bar, discussing their philosophies on life and music. Check out the interview below and get ticket information on the 21+ show here. Tickets are on sale this Friday.

Watch Local Natives’ New Video for “You & I” (playing Electric Factory on 9/28)

Madeleine Kruhly — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:39:44 +0000

An XPN favorite indie rock band from Los Angeles, Local Natives just shared a new video for the opening track of their sophomore album, Hummingbird. On this second record — released by Frenchkiss Records/Infectious Music in late January — the group offers a contemplative tone and diverse instrumentation. Featuring the falsetto of Taylor Rice and an organ in the background, “You & I” exemplifies the new approach.

But this time around, the track pairs with an unusual cinematic narrative: a world without dogs. Check out the video below, but make sure you watch until the end for a super adorable moment. Find tickets and information for Local Natives’ performance at the Electric Factory on September 29^th here.

Make Music Philly Spotlight: Kyo Daiko

Nicky Hyman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 17:00:40 +0000

To anyone unfamiliar with the Settlement Music School, essentially their mission is make music instruction available to everybody – young and old, from all walks of life. Based in Germantown but located all throughout Philadelphia and growing into Camden, NJ, the Settlement Music School is a constantly expanding, always welcoming, incredibly diverse collection of both teachers and students, all with a love and passion for music. Among the surplus of great (all free!) events hosted by Make Music Philly this Friday, June 21st, a can’t-miss is certainly the Settlement Music School’s presentation of a Taiko drum performance, done by the school’s adult ensemble, Kyo Daiko. Taiko, for the uninformed (myself being one of them until right now), is quite simply Japanese for “drum.” Nowadays, the word often refers to an ensemble performance of drums, usually lasting anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes, following a structure in which the tempo rapidly increases as the “grand finale” approaches. Kyo Daiko’s display will take place at The Porch at 30th Street Station, this Friday, June 21st. While the performance is certainly an early one, kicking off at 8:15am, it promises to be a wonderful way to get your busy day of free music started. Watch their TED performance below.

The shrillest highs and lowest lows: After a decade, The Postal Service returns to Philly (photos, review, setlist)

John Vettese — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:30:50 +0000

The Postal Service | Photo by Eric Ashleigh | showtographe.com

“We’re not really a band,” Ben Gibbard said last night as The Postal Service stepped out onstage for its encore. “We’ve all got our own projects, we’re just kind of moonlighting here.”

Which explains why the synthpop outfit has only played Philly twice ever, despite the way its 2003 LP Give Up (celebrating its 10th anniversary this year) escalated from a cult favorite sideproject to a mainstream success. Roll call: singer and multiinstrumentalist Gibbard was busy touring and making albums with Death Cab for Cutie, or as a solo artist. Jenny Lewis was busy being Jenny Lewis (or playing in Rilo Kiley, until that band fizzled out). Beatmaker / producer Jimmy Tamborello had DNTEL going on. Schedules are tough things to coordinate. So at the non-band’s first time back to Philadelphia after debuting at the North Star Bar on April 17 of 2003, its audience was about 40 times bigger, filling out a bustling Mann Center on a breezy evening.

Laura Burhenn of The Mynabirds joined the group on auxiliary instrumentation, and Tamborello had a lording-over-the-proceedings presence, stationed on a riser with his MacBook and mixer. But Gibbard and Lewis were the stars of the show, and seemed to relish those roles. Gibbard in particular – he’s known for being somewhat wooden and awkward as a Death Cab frontman, but here he was animated. He danced, gestured, smiled, moved around the massive stage, and actually looked like he was having a good time. His voice rang out with the crisp range it had on the recording ten years ago, and he made frequent side trips behind a drumkit to mix in live percussion to the programmed beats.

Doing this on “We Will Become Like Silhouettes”, Lewis strutted downstage and led the crowd in pogoing and clapping, hype-woman style. While her voice hasn’t aged as well as Gibbard’s (her lead vocal on “Nothing Better” sounded a bit weary), seeing the band live underscored how much she contributed to the album beyond that song – and her vocals on the opening “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight” and “Recycled Air” came across much more strongly. Tamborello, though, ground the latter to a halt with a spate of Daft Punk-esque vocoder vocals – his only unfortunate singing of the night.

Which, of course, is being massively nit-picky. I could be further nit-picky and dissect the new / previously-unreleased songs in the set from the expanded Give Up reissue. (Quick stabs: “Turn Around” was the best, with a grinding beat and thunderous energy; “A Tattered Line of String” was annoying; “Be Still My Heart” was forgettable.) The overarching vibe of the night was a positive one, from the band delivering a lively and commanding performance, to the crowd responding in kind with an extended singalong to the raging closer “Brand New Colony.”

Gibbard even worked in local quips when they fit. “Like Philadelphia’s The Roots said, ‘Sometimes relationships get ill,’” he said to introduce “Nothing Better.” “This song is about that.” Or, “The best band in the world is The Dead Milkmen; the second best band in the world is Beat Happening” before launching into a cover of the latter’s “Our Secret.”

On the one hand, it was a nostalgia trip for people who fell in love with the album a decade ago and never got to experience it in a live setting. On the other hand, it was a set of great music, independent of time or place. Check out a gallery of images from the show and read the setlist below.

Setlist
The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
We Will Become Like Silhouettes
Sleeping In
Turn Around
Nothing Better
Recycled Air
Be Still My Heart
Clark Cable
Our Secret (Beat Happening cover)
This Place Is A Prison
There’s Never Enough Time
A Tattered Line of String
Such Great Heights
Natural Anthem

(This Is) The Dream Of Evan and Chan
Brand New Colony

Firefly Under the Radar: LEAGUES

Nicky Hyman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:15:30 +0000

While catching headliners like Tom Petty or Vampire Weekend, will certainly be a thrill at this years Firefly Music Festival, happening in Dover, DE this coming weekend, there’s also a certain exhilaration to be found in discovering new bands whose popularity has yet to really take off. If you’re looking for this kind of excitement, the kind that only comes along with hearing an artist for the first time and instantly loving them, then look no further than Nashville natives LEAGUES. The Tennessee trio released its LP You Belong Here earlier this year. A promising debut, the band displays a sound reminiscent of U2 or The Police, while maintaining a more modern sensibility, drawing equal inspiration from more recent acts like Phoenix, as well. The band showcased its delightful pop-rock in a World Cafe Session back in April when David Dye traveled to Nashville, and it is something surely not to miss at Firefly this weekend, where they’ll be performing at the Lawn stage, this Friday, June 21st. Tickets and info can be found here, and check out the video for their track “Spotlight”, below.

A Philly birthday salute to Paul McCartney

Bruce Warren — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 14:35:57 +0000

Happy Birthday Paul McCartney. Today, Sir Paul turns 71. Below, listen to a few covers of McCartney songs by Philly Locals Birdie Busch, Modern Inventors, Juston Stens and the Get Real Gang, and a couple from the birthday boy as well.

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Rogue Wave at Union Transfer, Kylesa at Underground Arts, Acoustic Megashow at PhilaMOCA

Michael Kaufman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:43:59 +0000

Photo by Terri Loewenthal

Last week, California rockers Rogue Wave released their fifth studio album, Nightingale Floors. For their latest album, the band decided to deal with topics of death by celebrating life and creating an incredibly positive album. Along with the new release, Rogue Wave are on tour and tonight, they play Union Transfer. Playing with openers The Boxer Rebellion and Fossil Collective, it’s definitely going to be a lively show. For ticket information, click here and check out “Siren’s Song” from their latest album below.

High-octane sludge metal band Kylesa play Underground Arts tonight. They recently released their latest album, Ultramarine, possibly the only thrash album to feature a theremin. Get your headbanging on tonight at Underground Arts with Blood Ceremony, White Hills and Lazer/Wulf.

Last, but not least, there’s an acoustic megsashow at PhilaMOCA for The Guild‘s Tuesday Tuneout this week. Chock full of members of Philly bands such as Tom May and Greg Barnett (of the Menzingers), Nick Harris (of Luther), Kirk Malosh (of Ma Jolie), Augusta Koch (of Cayetana), Candice Martello (of Omar / Ghost Light) and Connor Byrne. It’s sure to be a fun night of amazing artists all playing under one roof. For more information about the show, click here; below, watch The Menzingers play an acoustic set at Fest 10.

My Morning Download: “Woodland” by The Paper Kites

Bruce Warren — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:53 +0000

Photo by Kim Cartmell

The Paper Kites are a five piece from Melbourne, Australia, formed by Sam Bentley and Christina Lacy. They recently released its Woodland + Young North EP Box Set on Nettwerk Records and are set to release their debut full length in the Fall. Strummy and light hearted with shimmering guitars and layered harmonies, American audiences will get their first taste of the indie-folk band when they tour with City and Colour in the Fall. Below, download the title song to their “Woodland” EP.

Woodlandby The Paper Kites Download

Make Music Philly Spotlight: Vikesh Kapoor

Julie Miller — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:00:42 +0000

Accompanied by just his guitar and harmonica, folk singer Vikesh Kapoor is a storyteller with a captivatingly gentle and unassuming stage presence. His poignant tales of ordinary men and lost love are told through a voice that seems borrowed from another era, falling in line with Johnny Flynn in its ability to be at once soothing and striking. The Philadelphia native worked the Boston music circuit before moving to Portland, Oregon where he recorded his full-length debut with Adam Selzer (M. Ward), Nate Query (The Decemberists) and Jeff Ratner (Laghorne Slim); The Ballad of Willy Robbins is set for release later this year. Vikesh Kapoor will perform at Nakey in Passyunk Square on Friday for Make Music Philly. Learn more about the day-long, multi-venue festival here. Below, watch Kapoor perform “Careless Love” and “Willy Robbins.”

Photos: Cody ChesnuTT gets funky with the World Cafe Live crowd

John Vettese — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:11:06 +0000

Cody ChesnuTT | Photo by Matthew Shaver | www.mattshaverphoto.com

All photos by Matthew Shaver | www.mattshaverphoto.com

Funky, eclectic and unpredictable, Atlanta-based singer Cody ChesnuTT headlined World Cafe Live on Saturday with a show that culminated in the energetic performer diving offstage and dancing with the crowd. (That must explain why he’s always got a helmet on.) ChesnuTT is on tour in support of his latest LP, 2012′s Landing on a Hundred. Check out scenes from the night in the photo gallery below.

Drake announces North American tour (playing Wells Fargo 10/19)

Nicky Hyman — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:59:24 +0000

Despite no report of a new album, Drake has just recently announced that he will be embarking on a massive North American tour this fall, starting in late September. Drake, who will be supported by R&B artist Miguel as well as rapper Future, will be stopping in Philly in October, on Saturday, the 19th, for a show at the Wells Fargo Center. Tickets go on sale this Saturday, June 22nd at noon. More information on that show can be found here, and watch his video for the track “Started From The Bottom”, below.

Photos: Companion and Evangelicals played Kung Fu Necktie Upstairs

John Vettese — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:48:49 +0000

Companion | Photo by Chris Sikich | countfeed.tumblr.com

All photos by Chris Sikich | countfeed.tumblr.com

Brooklyn four-piece Companion visited Philadelphia last Thursday to play Kung Fu Necktie upstairs. Fronted by singer and songwriter Pepi Ginsberg – who had a short stay in Philadelphia in the mid-aughties – the band released its self-titled debut LP last fall. Joining them on the bill was surreal Oklahoma outfit Evangelicals. Josh Jones of Philly’s Univox also performed an opening set. Check out photos from the show in the gallery below.

Photos: Junip and Birdie Busch played Union Transfer

John Vettese — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:24:19 +0000

Junip | Photo by Rachel Barrish | raddrhapsodies.com

All photos by Rachel Barrish | raddrhapsodies.com

Last night at Union Transfer, the Jose Gonzalez-fronted Junip brought its folk-infused, majestically arranged indie rock to Philly, on tour in support of its self-titled latest LP. Opening the show was Philadelphia songwriter and singer Birdie Busch and her band, who released the equally folky / vibey Birdie Busch and the Greatest Night earlier this year. Check out photos from the show in the gallery below.

Hot Tuna’s all-acoustic set at The Keswick strikes an intimate chord (photos, review)

Noah Silvestry — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:50:46 +0000

All photos by Noah Silvestry | silvestography.tumblr.com

A long-running offshoot of 60s psychedelic rock group Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna made a stop at the historic Keswick Theatre in Glenside Friday night. The blues-rock group put on an all-acoustic show featuring former Jefferson Airplane members Jack Casady and Jorma Kaukonen joined by multi-instrumentalist Barry Mitterhoff. Despite the group’s devoted following, similar to that of The Grateful Dead, the auditorium was far from full, leading to a pleasantly intimate experience, fortunately enough. Fans enjoyed a diverse setlist, including classics such as “I See the Light”, “Hesitation Blues” and “Good Shepherd” mixed in with songs from their most recent album, Steady as She Goes, like “Second Chances”, “Children of Zion” and “Goodbye to the Blues”. In fact, the very much laid back trio ditched the setlist not halfway through their set. While not the most talkative of musicians, banter was present, Kaukonen recounting his struggles to get Casady to say the word “barbeque” as a part of his effort to creatively introduce their song, “Barbeque King.”

Joining Hot Tuna as an opening act was Jill Sobule, whose forthright lyrical style had the audience engaged from the start, asking the crowd’s preference between a song about the apocalypse and a tune about her “sexy love for trains”.

Watch Work Drugs’ new video for “Mavericks” (playing Morgan’s Pier on 7/10)

Julie Miller — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:30:53 +0000

Philadelphia’s resident synth-trop outfit Work Drugs will release their new full-length Mavericks tomorrow via Bobby Cahn Records. The smooth hit makers have shared a video for the title track in anticipation of the release, setting the song to a montage of nostalgic summer footage including clips of Gilligan’s Island and beach parties a la Beach Blanket Bingo. Watch the video below and learn more about their free show at Morgan’s Pier on July 10th here.

Make Music Philly Spotlight: Heyward Howkins

Michael Kaufman — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 18:07:42 +0000

This Friday, hundreds of events will occur all over the city for Make Music Philly, with countless artists from the area and countless genres represented – how do you figure out who to see? That’s where we come into the picture. To help you narrow down your choices, we’ll be bringing you Make Music Philly spotlights all week.

One artist you should not miss this Friday is Heyward Howkins. A folk singer from Philadelphia, Heyward Howkins released his incredible debut LP Hale & Hearty last summer and is already preparing a follow-up. With quirky yet catchy rhythms and songs that make lyrical references to the greater Philadelphia area, Howkins makes music like no other. If you’re looking for an original artist and beautiful music, check out Heyward Howkins at Ortlieb’s Longue this Friday at 6 p.m.

Rasputin’s Secret Police, Satellite Hearts and more playing Walla Fest (happening at The Centre Theater on 7/6-7/7)

Julie Miller — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:43:50 +0000

Rasputin’s Secret Police

Walla Fest has announced the line-up for its first two-day music and arts show, taking place at The Centre Theater in Norristown, PA on July 6th and 7th. The local music showcase began as a school project in 2011 and has since grown to include several events each year. July’s festival will feature sets by local bands including heavy rock duo Rasputin’s Secret Police, reggae / soul outfit The Snails, psych-rock quartet Satellite Hearts, electronic producer Moon Bounce and several more, alongside an art show on the 6th and a film screening on the 7th. More information can be found on the Facebook event page here. View the full line-up here and watch a few videos of the bands below.