The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
The Lawsuits | Photo by Matthew Smith
On the one hand, The Lawsuits are solidly part of the well-established Philly roots music scene. Their guitars twang, their vocals harmonize, and they gig more often than not with their like-minded bretheren in The Levee Drivers, Toy Soldiers and of late, The Districts. On the other hand, they’re a lot more, interweaving elements of reggae, a 60s pop flair, 80s rock anthemic refrains, highly literate lyrics and swelling arty crescendos. It’s a heady, eclectic blend that gets its first full-length showcase in the record presently wrapping up at producer Bill Moriarty’s East Falls studio, and in this week’s Key Studio Session, we get a taste of the progression the Bucks County band has taken since its uber-country Hot Love EP. For instance – compare the sparse and folky version of “In Deep With the Queen” from the Numbers EP with the swelling rocker we hear below. “Onion” and “Long Drive Home” are unreleased new ones that we’ll hear in their proper, finished versions on the album. We’ve even got some bonus footage of “Long Drive” care of Philly videographer Matthew Smith. Check it all out below, and catch the band in concert at Triumph in New Hope on March 16th.
Local wild men Man Man close out a month long national tour at Union Transfer tonight. About to release their fifth studio album this summer, the eclectic rock outfit talked to The Key’s Kate Bracaglia recently about pre-show tea drinking rituals, Instagram posts and the “natural progression” of the new album from 2011′s standout Life Fantastic. Tickets and information for tonight’s all-ages show with Murder By Death and Northern Arms can be found here. Stream and download “Mayan Nights” from Man Man below. UPDATE: tonight’s Man Man show is sold out.
Ahead of their Free at Noon appearance tomorrow, The James Hunter Six play an XPN Welcomes show at World Cafe Live tonight. The British R&B musician released his full-length Minute By Minute earlier this week, his first studio album in five years. Hunter got his start playing in the clubs of Central London and eventually caught the ear of Van Morrison, who took the soul singer on tour with him and sang on some of Hunter’s early records. Tickets and information for the all-ages show can be found here. Stream “Minute By Minute” below and download the new single here.
Download B.C. Camplight‘s BBC Radio 6 session featuring two new songs [link]
Juston Stens and the Get Real Gang bring rock and soul to their Key Session [link]
Listen to Free Energy‘s new album Love Sign at Consequence of Sound [link]
Thrash out with a new Surgeon track; they play Kung Fu Necktie next month [link]
The collaboration between Ground Up and The Lawsuits continues in a HotBox session [link]
David Bowie releases a new single for his birthday [link]
Chill Moody releases his latest album, RFM [link]
Get psyched for Zilla Rocca‘s Tuesday Tune-Out with his new Wrecking Crew video [link]
Download The Key Studio Sessions Vol. 6, our new 17-song compilation [link]
Stream the new album from The Lone Bellow, a Georgia-bred close harmony trio [link]
Stream a new EP from Philly’s Acres of Diamonds, who play PhilaMOCA next week [link]
Plow United announces the details of their all-ages album-release show at The Barbary [link]
Download Anais Mitchell‘s Folkadelphia session [link]
The WXPN Philly Local Show expands to three hours [link]
If you caught Philadelphia Weekly‘s Concerts in the Park show with Ground Up backed by The Lawsuits last August, you know the unexpected pairing of a hip-hop duo and roots-informed rockers worked in a big way. Today, we have further evidence for those who could not attend the show (or were unsatiated by the shaky YouTube documentation of the night). The band recorded a HotBox Session at Sigma Sound Entertainment, playing the riffy and rollicking “Late Night Special,” which you can watch in the YouTube video below. Crank your headphones, check the video out and keep your fingers crossed that this pairing plays for the public again soon. In the meantime, The Lawsuits are one of a bazillion awesome Philadelphia acts on the World Cafe Live bill tonight to perform Beck’s Song Reader. Tickets and more information on that show can be found here.
The Broad Street Ministry
One of the many wonderful things about the Philadelphia music community is its desire to rally around causes and make a difference in the city. As cliched as that sounds, its true – the latest example being hometown musician John Francis‘ new City of Love Festival, benefiting Broad Street Ministry and their “Breaking Bread” hospitality initiative. Amidst debate over whether or not outdoor meal services for the homeless should be allowed in Philadelphia, the Broad Street Ministry has created its own safe haven for the city’s homeless men and women where they can receive a hot meal and a variety of services (including medical attention, art therapy and assistance for veterans) every Thursday afternoon. Continue reading
Lancaster’s The Stray Birds perform “Dream in Blue” for Folk Alley’s backstage sessions [link]
Sellersville progressive hip-hop group I&I record an adventurous Key Studio Session [link]
Get a free song from Florida’s rootsy Roadkill Ghost Choir in My Morning Download [link]
Philly punk four-piece The Menzingers released an acoustic version of “Casey” [link]
Meet rootsy Philly group The Naked Sun in their new Bands in the Backyard video [link]
Philly country-rockers The Lawsuits released a new EP and a new music video [link]
Quirky rockers Eels announced a fall tour with a Philly stop in March, and a new song [link]
Founding Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha played Free at Noon on Black Friday [link]
