Light Heat, the latest project of Quentin Stoltzfus, sounds the way its name suggests. The track “And the Birds,” which streams on the Light Heat website, is warm and delicately ornamented with piano notes.  “The Mirror” has been described by Spin as a “simmering slow-burner.”  A few months ago, we posted Light Heat’s “Elevation” recording for Bands in the Backyard and it was clear, even then, that Stolzfus’ new project was something to keep an eye on.  A Light Heat album isn’t due out until June, but tonight Light Heat will perform at Johnny Brenda’s, offering a few more gorgeous songs than what’s currently available for streaming.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show are available here.  Below, listen to Light Heat’s “The Mirror.”

Pat Martino is a remarkable jazz artist, but his story is even more remarkable.  Martino began to play music at age 15, and by the 60’s, he had established himself as a talented jazz musician.  In 1980, tragedy struck.  An aneurysm followed by corrective brain surgery left him devoid of significant memories—including his ability to play music.  Martino did not accept his condition though, and after years of practice and dedication, Pat Martino was playing again by the end of the decade.  Of course, “playing again” hardly begins to describe Martino’s ability.  The local jazz hero performs tonight at the Sellersville Theater.  Tickets and information for the all ages show are available here.  Below, watch Martino perform “Welcome to a Prayer.”

Hallelujah the Hills has been a staple of the Boston pop rock scene since 2005. The group has released three albums, most recently No One Knows What Happens Next. The album came out last year after a Kickstarter campaign raised enough money to back the band’s effort. Hallelujah the Hills followed the album up with a single on Valentine’s day, and an announcement of a spring 2013 album. In the midst of so much recording and releasing, the band is also on tour. The six men of Hallelujah the Hills will be at Kennett Flash tonight. Tickets and information for the all ages show are available here. Below, stream their single, “The Three Minute Mark.”

Next on the docket is Steve Gunn, a Philly native who is often mentioned in the same breath as John Fahey, Jack Rose and Michael Chapman. Where Spacin’ melts with amps and noise, Gunn takes a stripped back (though still totally blissed-out) approach with intricate acoustic guitar compositions that weave together the schools of Indian Raga and American Primitivism (checkout the epic “The Lurker (Extended)” to get a sense of what this guy can do with six strings).  Gunn’s most recent solo release is 2009′s Boerum Palace, but he also works prolifically with drummer John Truscinski as a duo and released the well-received Ocean Parkway earlier this year.

Finally, we’ve got psych-rock extraordinaire Quentin Stoltzfus with a new post-Mazarin project called Light Heat.  Featuring Mickey Walker (Mazarin), Sam Cohen (Yellowbirds / Apollo Sunshine) and Drew Mills (Aspera / Blood Feathers), Light Heat are the psychedelic kaleidoscope projected on the ceiling of a Julian Casablancas basement party.  We’ve heard a few samples from the band, including the strummy “And the Birds” and “Elevation,” as filmed by Bands in the Backyard.

Tickets for the 21+ show are available here.  Check out videos of the bands below and get more information from the event page here.

Light Heat “Elevation”

Steve Gunn “Old Strange” (Live at The Kensington Picnic, August 2012)

Spacin’ “Sunshine, No Shoes”

This news is nothing short of staggering, considering that MBV’s last recorded work was the landmark record Loveless, released some 21 years ago back in November of 1991. Its blend of dissonance and agression with beauty and tranquility had no major parallels at the time, but went on to influence countless artists in the subsequent decades. You could hear the echo of Loveless in 90s acts like The Verve and Mazzy Star as well as 21st century rock demagogues Radiohead, all the way down to smaller-profile artists like Japancakes (who covered the album in its entirety in 2007), Black Angels and currently buzzing Baltimore outfit Secret Mountains.

So the question is – what is the band’s first album in 21 years going to sound like, anyway? Shields told NME that the engineers and musicians who have heard the record, which has been in the works since sometime the 90s, find it to be more far-out than Loveless. He doesn’t agree, however.

So does that mean it will merely be Loveless II? One would think that a band wouldn’t release its first album in 21 years unless it had something new to say / do, right? Even a bad My Bloody Valentine record would rule pretty hard…but what if the unthinkable happens and it is bad? Could it tarnish the legacy of Loveless? Are you excited or afraid to listen?

Ponder these questions, and let us know what you think in the comments below. And while you do that, check out an assortment of artists from our own local music community here in Philly that, one way or another, have drawn influence from My Bloody Valentine.

Jeff Ziegler and his cohorts in Arc in Round draw from all manner of experimental styles, but their blend of sheer volume and the atmospheric vocals of Mikele Edwards make them one of the closest things to MBV that we’ve got.

The jangley guitars and amp-tones of Matt Scottoline’s Hurry draw liberally from the MBV school, with perhaps more of an emphasis on pop catchiness and whimsical sonic tapestries.

Disclosure: Philly instrumental guitarist Dan Malloy is a good friend, and I’ve engineered a few of the tracks he’s released over the years – including this one, from 2010′s atmospheric Soundscaping EP. But he’s a proud Shields devotee, to the point of taking notes on amp choices, settings and placement when MBV reunited a few years back. When this news broke, he was the first person I thought to tell.

Quentin Stoltzfus – formerly of Mazarin, currently of Light Heat – has played Kevin Shields’ guitar before. Don’t think many other Philly musicians can make that claim. The truncated YouTube video above is Mazarin’s excellent song “New American Apathy.”

A second-generation case: Endor Endor not only draws influence from MBV, but also the artists that MBV has influenced, particularly the post-rock school of Explosions in the Sky and Sigur Ros.

American-Belgian singer/songwriter Trixie Whitley will be performing at Milkboy Philly tonight. Whitley’s forthcoming debut album, Fourth Corner, will be released January 29, 2013. The 21+ show tonight starts at 9:30; more ticket information can be found here. Five tracks from Trixie’s album can be downloaded from NoiseTrade for free prior to the release of Fourth Corner here. Below, watch Whitley’s video for “A Thousand Thieves”.

The revival of the 215 Festival Music Showcase presents the Bibliodiscotheque Dance Party tonight at Underground Arts featuring Lushlife, Light Heat, Lily & the Parlour Tricks, and the Dave Quicks Trio. Proceeds from the event, which is only $5.00, will go to Mighty Writers. The event starts at 8; more information can be found here.  Below, listen to “Dance The Cosmos Light” from Light Heat.

Come celebrate the release of The Parsnip Revolt’s new full-length album, A Sunshine Report tonight at World Cafe Live. In addition to performances from The Lux and Rodger Delany, each guest at the event will go home with a copy of A Sunshine Report. Tickets for the 9 pm show are available here. Below, listen to the first single from A Sunshine Report, “You Can’t Save Me.”

XPN Welcomes Diego Garcia to Tin Angel tonight. Garcia, the former frontman of indie rock band Elefant, is currently touring promoting his solo 2011 album, Laura. Tonight he will be playing back to back performances at 7:30 and 10:30; you can find tickets for the shows here. Below, watch Garcia’s perform “You Were Never There” from this year’s XPo Fest.

Photo by John Vettese

One of the highlights of this weekend’s arts-and-letters showcase The 215 Festival is sure to be the Bibliodiscotheque Dance Party at Underground Arts on Saturday, and one of the bands on the bill is Light Heat, the new project from longtime Philly indie-psych wizard Quentin Stoltzfus. The band debuted with a set in the echoey art gallery ambience of Center City’s Fleisher-Ollman Gallery, and they sounded fantastic – with a proper stage and sound system at the North Chinatown venue this weekend, we imagine they’ll be even more spectacular. Today the band premiered a brand new track called “Dance The Cosmos Light,” a brilliant patchwork of horns, fuzzy guitars and melodious vocals. Listen below, and get more information on the festival here.