Bay area noir rocker Luis Vasquez, aka The Soft Moon, has been making moody, evocative music recalling Joy Division, Cabaret Voltaire and early 80s Cure for a half dozen years. Last March, he released the band’s third LP, Deeper, via Captured Tracks records. Watch the frenetic music video for “Far” below and get tickets and more information on tonight’s show at the XPN Concert Calendar. Continue reading →
Coming off their late-summer tour of the Northeast and Midwest, Louie Louie are back in Philly for a show tonight at Ortlieb’s. The lo-fi four-piece released their pyschedelic pop debut, “Out in the Streets,” back in July along with a b-side entitled “Miles Around.” If you missed Louie Louie at Johnny Brenda’s in August, you won’t want to miss them tonight at Ortlieb’s. Get more show info at the XPN Concert Calendar, and listen to “Out in the Streets” below. Continue reading →
New Brunswick rock mainstays Screaming Females will play Union Transfer tonight in support of this year’s Rose Mountain LP. They released a new video for opening track “Empty Head” last month, which follows a cast of paper cutout creatures around an industrial city. Watch it below and pick up tickets for the all-ages show with Vacation, Radiator Hospital and Pinkwash here. Listen back to Screaming Females’ Key Studio Session from last week here.
As their name suggests, newly-formed local band Louie Louie are influenced by the varied and dynamic sounds of the sixties. Their first effort, a debut single called “Out In the Streets,” is out this week and is accompanied by a release show at Johnny Brenda’s this Thursday, July 23rd with Myrrias.
On the first 2017 collection of standout performances from The Key Studio Sessions, Philly artists stretch out.
Three Man Cannon explores measured avenues and alleys of indie rock groove for six minutes on “Pushing People.” Mars Parker runs a five minute sprint to the trancey hip-hop / R&B tones of “Little Red Corvette.” Long-running Philly / Brooklyn experimental pop outfit Cuddle Magic delivers a vibrant epic in “The First Hippie on the Moon, Parts 1 & 2.” And far-reaching instrumentals are rocked by raw power metal trio Stinking Lizaveta and forward-thing jazz ensemble Vince Tampio Quintet.
That’s not to say The Key Studio Sessions Volume 19, available for streaming and free downloading today, consists solely of slow burners. You’ll hear spirited retro rock by Louie Louie, hooky punk from Eight and swift electropop care of Camp Candle. Long running Philly faves Creepoid check in with a searing new heavy psych jam, PINKWASH rages for three minutes of cathartic thrash and Shannen Moser closes the set with a elegant and direct folk song.
And, as usual, that’s just scratching the surface. Continue reading →
Geisha Facade were one of the local groups we spotted on Bandcamp in round four of our Items Tagged Philadelphia feature, the home-recorded psych haze of their debut LP You Went To Space, Good Bye Dear standing out from the crowd with a multitude of textures and vibes. Catch the duo at Boot & Saddle tonight; tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here. Stream “Krime” below.
1956 – Capitol Tower, the home of Capitol Records in Hollywood, CA, is dedicated. Resembling a stack of records, it is the first circular office tower designed in America. It is 13 stories tall and 92 feet in diameter, housing three new recording studios where Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin, Linda Ronstadt, and many other stars will lay down tracks. The building becomes an LA landmark, with the red light at the top flashing “HOLLYWOOD” in Morse Code.
Last December, Philadelphia’s Beat Jams shared some remastered tracks from a 2007 split with Kurt Vile. Now, they’re back with their first new music in years, the five track DOG EP. If you like your punk rock chaotic, danceable, and even a little psychedelic, you’re in for a real treat. Stream the set below.
With its seasick guitar and keys, plodding bass, and stuttering drums, opener “Blackout” gets things off to a satisfyingly woozy start. It details a perpetual hangover, and with the cool, droning vocal delivery of Carolyn Wayne front and center, it might be the catchiest song on the whole EP. Blue Oyster Cult would have been proud, as both “Blackout” and following track “Magic Bitch” feature cowbell, but the latter places it in a much livelier, playful context. Third cut “Snakeman” is even livelier still, but all three of these tracks benefit from Jeff Ziegler’s engineering and former Violator Jesse Trbovich’s guitar. Continue reading →
Man oh man is this gonna be sweet. Firefly Music Festival’s 2017 lineup just tripped down the wire, and it is stacked, per usual. Coming to The Woodlands in Dover, DE this summer will be The Weeknd, Muse, Twenty One Pilots, Chance the Rapper and goddang Bob Dylan. The festival takes place June 15th through June 18th and passes are available here. Continue reading →
