Daytrotter honcho Sean Moeller described Marshall as a young man who “had to adjust to an impartial real world that’s been littered with hardship and disappointment:”

When he raps, you hear this in every line. You hear that the struggle is still fresh and he’s being strong about it, but there are plenty of parts to the story that are tender and will always be tender.” Heavy stuff, but important and meaningful stuff. … Grande Marshall songs are about staying afloat when everyone’s so quick to tie blocks of cement to everyone else’s ankles, just to watch them sink. It’s the kill or be killed mentality that Grande Marshall talks about – that grand and selfish notion that it’s either me or it’s you going down – and it’s incredible how few winners there are when that game’s played. Grande Marshall will win.

Download Grande Marshall’s Daytrotter Session here. For more, check out some of Grande Marshall’s appearances in the Key archives here.

GrandeMarshall has released another new song, “Dedicated,” featuring Saudi Money and produced by Ben Pramuk. This one’s a head nodding syrupy slow jam, with Grande and Saudi exchanging raps all extolling the virtues of the Mighty Green (cash, that is).

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.

DRGN KNG Photo by Nicky Devine

Who’d we forget? Probably dozens more. Our apologies if we left you out. We hope you get the point though; these days, Philly is miles deep and miles wide with talent and creativity. If 2012 was a “ten,” here’s 15 reasons why Philly’s music scene is about to go to 11 in 2013.

1. The highly anticipated Kanine Records debut from power punk rockers Bleeding Rainbow, Yeah Right, out on January 29th.

2. Not wanting to be out powered by their noise brothers and sister – Bleeding Rainbow – Purling Hiss tear the blisters off their fingers when they release Water On Mars on Drag City on March 19th. Hiss guitarist Mike Polizze redefines the concept of “shredding.”

3. Not from the old school or from the new, rapper GrandeMarshall is from his own trippy, ethereal school of hip-hop. Recently signed to Fool’s Gold, his 800 mixtape was one of the best of ’12, and there’s more to come in the one-three.

4. The recent return of Reef The Lost Cauze with Reef The Lost Cauze Is Dead.

5. Don’t call it a comeback he’s been here for years: William Hart, lead singer of The Delfonics is back with the sounds of symphonic soul with Adrian Younge.

6. Roots collaborators Greg Porn and Truck North are in serious music making mode.

7. Dr. Dog drummer Eric Slick and singer-songwriter Brendan Mulvihill, aka Norwegian Arms, release their new Wolf Like A Stray Dog album on January 15th. It’s a collection of wonderful wierdworld indie-folk.

8. Pattern Is Movement will release its new album, There Will Be, next year. PIM performed new material at this show recently and by all indications the new jawns are mind blowingly funky and right on time. Rumour on the street is that new record was inspired by drummer Chris Ward and keyboardist Andrew Thiboldeaux listening to thousands of hours of Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange. When they hear the new PIM album, the Dirty Projectors will attempt to make a record like Drake’s Take Care and fail.

9. We’re pretty certain that Work Drugs will continue to release at least one new song a month. If not, we’ll be disappointed.

10. Not familiar with the mind blowing pianotechnics of jazz pianist Elew? Well you should be. This past summer he released Elew Rockjazz, Volume 2, and we’re just saying that his takes on rock classics will take you to another planet, which is a good thing. Originally from Camden, NJ and a graduate of Overbrook High, Elew is Eric Lewis. He’s toured with Wynton Marsalis, Josh Groban, Cassandra Wilson and many others. His musical world Is a planet where Thelonius Monk, Keith Jarrett, Michael Jackson and The Killers all make sweet music together. Don’t lose sight of this guy.

11. The Fleeting Ends is a trio who release their second album, Our Eyes Are Peeled on January 29th. Their attention to pop detail, songwriting and arrangements is frighteningly good, bordering on obsessive. Oh yeah: string arrangements by the legendary Larry Gold.

12. Dominic Angelella and Ritz Reynolds are DRGN KNG. The geniuses at Bar None Records were smart enough to sign them and are releasing Paragraph Nights on January 22nd. Oh yeah, did you catch that nice little writeup in Rolling Stone?

13. Ron Gallo and his band of merry ramshackle roots rockers Toy Soldiers release their new album next year. Produced by Bill Moriarty, Maybe Boys promises to deliver on their fun live performances and Gallo’s knack for writing songs that bring to mind a Sun Records meeting of The Band.

14. Our pals Free Energy unleash their new collection of bubblegum indie-rock, Love Sign, on January 15th. More infectious than The Cars and the Ohio Express.

15. When he’s not bassing it up for The War On Drugs, Dave Hartley, has his own groovy musical project called Nightlands. Hartley releases Oak Island on Secretly Canadian on January 22nd. While we are certainly amazing by his musical talents, Hartley is also a pretty sharp basketball fan and shares his insights with us in his basketball column for us, Top Of The Key.

Chill Moody

There’s no arguing that Philly has amassed some fantastic new rap and hip-hop talent over the last several years. Complex Magazine has picked 10 New Philadelphia Rappers To Watch Out For. It’s a pretty solid list; the thing with lists is that, well, with so much talent in Philly it probably should have been 20 New Philadelphia Rappers To Watch Out For. Find out who made the cut here.