This week, we got not one but two brand new Folkadelphia sessions.  Sunday gave us a mesmerizing, improvisational set from local harpist Mary Lattimore and producer / musician Jeff Zeigler (Arc in Round) ahead of their Valentine’s Day show at Kung Fu Necktie.  Lattimore is releasing her debut full-length The Withdrawing Room in March but you can fall in love with her dreamy harp playing right now by downloading the live session below.  As a bonus download, Folkadelphia shared a session with local singer-songwriter Abi Reimold.  The four tracks are a sublime introduction to her striking vocals and sense of space and dynamics (though you may have already come across Abi on this compilation of local music).  Stream “Battlefield” below and download the full set here.

Bringing their raging, aggressively accessible new tunes to the building this week, Pissed Jeans stopped by to record a Key Studio Session.  The Philly punk quartet released their fourth studio album Honeys this past Tuesday (out via Sub Pop) and celebrated with a show at Underground Arts on Friday.  Among the tracks they recorded for the session is “Bathroom Laughter,” a scratchy, screamy rager with one of the best music videos you’ll probably ever see.  Learn more about the band in this interview with Key contributor Brian Wilensky.  Below, download “Bathroom Laughter” and watch the video; the full session is available for streaming here.

Local trio of brothers Penrose are on the verge of setting forth their new LP Circe and released a free download of “Tango with Lucy” this week in anticipation of the full-length.  Set in the shadowy streets and cafes of New Orleans, the song depicts a meeting with the devil while a carnival-esque tango plays in the background.  Penrose will throw a record release show at Underground Arts on March 2nd with Levee Drivers, The Lawsuits and St. James and the Apostles.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here.  Stream and download “Tango with Lucy” below.

Set against field recordings of trickling water and happy chatter, Philly’s GrandeMarshall shows his confidence on the new “Boathouse Row.”  He was joined by local MC Asaad on the track and drops names like Demi Moore, Nick Cage and Crown Fried Chicken.  GrandeMarshall was recently signed to Fools Good Records (A-Trak, Duck Sauce, Kid Cudi) and wasted no time in sharing another track this week after “Boathouse Row” (check out “Tastykake” here.)  Stream and download “Boathouse Row” below.

Photo by Rachel Del Sordo

Happy Valentine’s Day from Helen Leicht – get free downloads of Philly Local love songs [link]

Philly punks Pissed Jeans ravage the Key Studio Sessions [link]

Indiepop five-piece Catnaps releases a prom-themed music video for “Novelty” [link]

WXPN will broadcast Sunday’s Mumford & Sons concert from the SBC in Camden [link]

Bleeding Rainbow‘s new LP Yeah Right is the subject of the Unlocked showcase [link]

Philly’s Abi Reimold is spotlighted in a Folkadelphia session [link]

See photos from Toro y Moi‘s appearance at Union Transfer [link]

Five Things That Inspired Mary Lattimore’s Debut Album, The Withdrawing Room [link]

Watch local actors, fashion designers and musicians Khari Mateen and Elegant Animals collaborate in a video called The Living [link]

Explore Philadelphia with Dave Hartley of Nightlands and BlackBook Magazine [link]

Kurt Vile announces a headlining Union Transfer show, shares a free download [link]

Philly space-rocker Brendan Codey shares a new track called “Twin Chimney” [link]

UK experimental trio Beak> plays Underground Arts on a snowy night [link]

Photo by Abigail Reimold

As you already know, dearest reader of The Key, we have a plethora of amazing musical talent in our fair city. Every single day, I hear a new local artist, album, or song that mesmerizes me, that stokes my Philly pride, and that inspires me to beseech others to listen. It’s why I keep doing what I’m doing (whatever it is that I’m doing) to try and spread the word about honest music.

This past Sunday, we posted the cosmic ambient sound that Mary Lattimore and Jeff Zeigler created in the studio and, next Sunday (2/17), we’ll be posting a double session feature with Spirit & Dust and Small Houses in advance of their Folkadelphia presented record release show on Saturday, 2/23. I thought that we might as well make this week an impromptu local music celebration, so we’re sharing another recent session to bridge the Sundays.

At the end of last year, on December 17th, we spent an evening with Abi Reimold, who is a Philadelphia songwriter, an excellent photographer, and a Temple student. Obviously these parts do not make up the whole person – even the music only just skims the surface of the unknowable depths of creativity that Ms. Reimold has within herself. She is a young, developing singer-songwriter and therein lays the beauty and the rawness of the session. These are my favorite kinds of recordings; tracks that display the musician in her most bare state of being. You can hear the songs breathing with new life and emotion. With these set of songs, Abi shows tremendous promise and I cannot wait to hear what she comes up with next.

Beyond this session, make sure you listen to her other recordings because they are a treat.

Philly band Royal Shoals returned this week with a brand new four-track EP called Surrounderer + 3, recorded with Jeff Ziegler at Uniform Recording.  The EP follows up the surf rock / new wave outfit’s 2011 debut Dirty Water with a collection of brightly polished, tightly produced tracks that show growth and confidence.  Stream and download “Surrounderer” below.  Royal Shoals play Kung Fu Necktie on February 28th; tickets and information can be found here.

With help from local musician Ryan Wilson of Pill Friends, Slovakian music blog Start Track released a free compilation this week featuring tracks from a number of Philadelphia bands involved in the basement / DIY / house show scene.  It’s a glimpse into the depths of the Philly music community with a diverse batch of contributors including electro-disco outfit Night Panther, thrashy punk band Mumblr, darkly captivating singer-songwriter Abi Reimold and an acoustic take from alt-folk / rock squadron Roof Doctor.  Stream “Rug” by Abi Reimold below and download the full Philly compilation on Start Track’s Bandcamp here.

South Jersey outfit The Naked Sun kindly came to the WXPN studios recently to record a Key Studio Session.  Drawing mostly from an upcoming EP, the Beta Hi-Fi competitors brought the energy with broadly arranged but tightly performed roots rock boogie tunes.  And with the jazzy inclusion of saxophone and trumpet players, the session’s five dynamic tracks are energizing enough to remedy any sort of mid-winter blues this weekend’s weather has slumped us into.  The Naked Sun play the Field House on April 12th with The Lawsuits.  Stream and download “Holdin’ Back the Heart” below and head over here for the full session.

• Holdin' Back the Heartby The Naked Sun from The Key Studio SessionsDownload

Each weekday this month World Cafe is offering a free download of a Cafe track from a limited-time-only compilation.  By February 22nd, there will be twenty songs up for grabs – but here’s the catch: the download links will disappear on March 1st.  This week’s free offerings included recordings by neo-soul / R&B singer Allen Stone, roots rocker John Fullbright and the track streaming below, “Fortune Teller” from alt-country band Calexico.  The duo and a full band recorded the song when they stopped by Philly for a sold-out Free at Noon at Union Transfer last fall; listen to their full World Cafe session with David Dye here and download the free collection here.

this mixtape has been collected by a great homie Ryan Wilson from Pill Friends pillfriends.bandcamp.com

all bands are active in a beautiful music scene formed in Philadelphia and its neighborhood and they will be pleased with your support

there many other incredible bands from this scene which are not covered in this compilation, but you should definitely listen to them

You can listen to the compilation and get to know some of your neighbors – from an across-the-globe perspective – in the player below. To grab a free download, head to Start Track’s Bandcamp.