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Tonight’s Concert Picks: Edison at Kung Fu Necktie, You Do You at Boot & Saddle and Lily Mae at Tin Angel

Michael James Murray of Edison | Photo by Colin Kerrigan

Philadelphia psych-pop outfit Edison is back with a new line-up and some new material to showcase. The band’s last EP, Living Room, released early last year, is comprised of six songs that evoke so much emotion through soothing, ambient soundscapes reminiscent of Robert Francis and S. Carey (of Bon Iver). Check them out tonight at Kung Fu Necktie. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at the door.

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Edison will premiere new line-up and new songs at Kung Fu Necktie on 4/27

Michael James Murray of Edison | photo by Colin Kerrigan
Michael James Murray of Edison | photo by Colin Kerrigan

At the start of 2013 a band called Edison drifted into Philly with a debut EP called Living Room and a handful of shows.  Founded by locals Michael James Murray and Alexander Savoth, the duo crafted roaming soundscapes that incorporated string sections with quietly jazzy drums and large-room production that still kept things intimate with closely placed vocals.

Following several months of solo work by Murray and Savoth that coincided with a new approach to Edison, the band is back with an expanded line-up and new material, ready to hit the stage again at Kung Fu Necktie on Sunday, April 27th.  Chris Giraldi joins on drums and Bennet Daniels (Neighborhood Choir, Hippy Johnny) takes control of the bass, bringing new perspectives and possibilities to a band that already reached aural moments of Air and Radiohead.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show with Marc Neibauer and HLEP can be found here.  Listen back to last year’s EP below.

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Explore Alex Savoth’s new direction with The New Black

thenewblack
Photo by Colin Kerrigan

Last week, we heard Michael James Murray‘s latest EP The Heart Weeps for What It’s Lost II, which features some beautiful downtempo ambient music from a founding member of atmospheric Philly rock band Edison. Today we’ll take a look at a new release Alex Savoth, another member of that band who recently released an EP from his project The New Black. In these EPs, we can see the Edison bandmates moving in very different directions.  Where Murray quieted down, slowed down and focused on ambient textures, Alex Savoth makes loud, powerful rock n’ roll in the vein of The Killers or Queens of The Stone Age.  Their self-titled EP was released a few weeks back, and you can check it out below.

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Listen to The Heart Weeps for What It’s Lost II: A new EP from Michael James Murray

MJMLast winter, we heard the beautiful ambient EP The Heart Weeps for What It’s Lost from Philly’s Michael James Murray, a videographer with Out of Town Films and member of Edison.  Now in stark contrast with the snowy sounds and timing, Michael James Murray’s second EP is streaming in the middle of a hot and humid summer.  But seasonal changes aside, there’s still plenty of space for the whispered sounds of The Heart Weeps for What It’s Lost II.  The four tracks move along at a slow pace, humming in long drawn-out tones amidst quiet recorded voices all culminating in the glistening “Hidden Valley” (think Lord Huron slowed way down).  If his last EP was meant for the snow, think of this as music for those long summer days where it’s just too hot to do anything but watch the sunset with your headphones on.  Below you can check out a stream of the EP, which will be available for purchase in November on Marmara Records.

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Stream “Orbital R.S.V.P.” from Air is Human (playing El Bar on 4/13)

426502_340383242728022_865042361_nIn the tradition of ambient prog-rock bands Mogwai and Explosions in the Sky, local instrumental outfit Air is Human work layered guitar, keyboard, bass and drum parts into deftly spun expanses of sound waves with a cohesion and fullness that belies their status as a duo.  Following the release of The Infinity Limit in August, Air is Human hit the ground running with shows at North Star Bar, World Cafe Live and PhilaMOCA’s Tuesday Tune-Out.  More information for their April 13th show at El Bar with Tuesday Tune-Out compatriots Edison can be found on the Facebook event page here.  Stream “Orbital R.S.V.P.” below.

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Guest VJ Nikki Volpicelli previews Philadelphia Area Music Showcase’s Tuesday Tune-Out (kicks off tonight at PhilaMOCA)

NikkiThis month heralds either PhilaMOCA‘s final Tuesday Tune-Out of the winter or the first of the spring, and the lineup that local writer Nikki Volpicelli pulled together has a similar season-melding element to it.

You’ve seen Nikki’s byline here on The Key somewhat regularly; she also an editor for JUMP Philly, and runs her own music blog, Philadelphia Area Music Showcase, which is curating this month at the ‘MOCA. I’m pleased to welcome Nikki to this space (as an interviewee, rather than an interviewer) to tell us what’s in store. All events are at PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th Street), start at 7:30pm and are $5.

From Nikki:

Coming into the whole Tuesday Tune-Out, I had two goals. One, I wanted to make sure I highlighted bands that weren’t playing out as much, but should – bands that people should know about and be able to hear. And two, I wanted to make sure every single night was compact. If you’re going, you’re going because you like this specific sound, and you’re not going to be let down by either of these bands. Continue reading →

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Tonight’s Concert Picks: Buke & Gase at Johnny Brenda’s, Edison at Ortlieb’s Lounge, Lindi Ortega at The Tin Angel, Trixie Whitley at World Cafe Live, Sera Cahone at Burlap and Bean

Photo by Grant Cornett

Brooklyn experimental duo Buke and Gase play Johnny Brenda’s tonight.  Evolving out of punk / noise band Hominid, Buke and Gase members Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez make angular, dissonant post-rock with with elements of chamber folk.  The outfit followed up 2010′s debut LP Riposte with General Dome, released this past Tuesday.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show with Norwegian Arms and Ahleuchatistas can be found here.  Below, stream “Hiccup” from General Dome.

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