Philly singer-songwriter Greg Mendez has a new EP, entitled Heavy Metal High. Lo-fi, key-oriented instrumentation creates lighthearted feels that allow the touching sensitivity of the lyrics to shine. Endearingly relatable, you can feel free to find a bit of solace in his songwriting. Mendez is slated to perform at Bourbon & Branch on Wednesday, July 24, alongside Josh Levinsky and Thin Lear.

Greg Mendez just released an impressive collection of demos, entitled Home Videos (2006 - 2018). The gifted Philly artist is able to put a spotlight on the power of writing simple, well-crafted songs with his latest, bare-bones release. The (mostly) home-recordings immediately captivate without the need of studio magic. Mendez humbly posted, "they are far from perfect but I like them and they deserve to be out there. It took me a long time to feel comfortable really sharing my music with ppl I didn't know so thank you for making me feel so welcome." Thank you for sharing. Do yourself a favor; get into this. (Photo by Veronica Isley)

Philly's own Don't Stop Now series just shared its second compilation in time for this oh so important Election Day. "Let it serve as a reminder that the fight for justice is not over, that the celebration of diversity is essential to progress, that we must work together for what is fair and good." Stacked mostly with kick-ass local artists like Tom May (The Menzingers), Cherry, Augusta Koch (Cayetana), No Thank You, SOUL GLO, Greg Mendez, and many, many more covering beloved artists (Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Fugazi, The Beastie Boys, Tom Waits, Lucinda Williams, Sharon Van Etten, etc.), you now have plenty of entertainment on your way to the voting booth. All proceeds from the compilation will be donated to RAICES (Refugee & Immigrant Center for Education & Legal Services), "a nonprofit agency that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families, and refugees in Texas."

The new split EP between Greg Mendez & Nervous Dater’s Rachel Lightner recently hit the open airwaves. Mendez continues to negotiate through dreariness, in melodic personal narratives that reach for an escape in a relatable folk manner. These songs march in a semi-subdued, relieving ache, united in self-evaluating isolation. Lightner taps into a similar thread of delicate openness and evaluation.

Greg Mendez’s songwriting seems to pull away from the periphery, focusing in on subject matter that makes the musical plots play out like intimate scenes. One becomes entranced by the gentle swirl of acoustic guitar and the reverberating haunt of melodic progressions. Subdued but dripping with insanity, there’s the feeling that you’ve been in these rooms/places before, yet something is just a bit off-kilter. Tonight at The Pharmacy, Mendez will be part of a lineup that also includes the tranquil, swaying, fuzz-flecked psych of Sun Organ. In support of their recent debut album It Felt Like Glass (No Sleep Records), the upbeat emo of California quartet No Better, and the eclectic noise-pop of Lava Gulls complete the billing. – Michael Colavita

Other shows to help get you through these dog days of summer…

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Greg Mendez, Sun Organ, SAT Prototype:AT, SUN Too Many Talk Shows

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Line Leader, Fred Beans, SUN Full Bush, Jenna Pup 

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI The Dove & The Wolf, SAT E. Joseph and The Sparrows, The Classic Hunt

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Mat Burke and The Painkillers, Breaker Breaker, Pete Hill/Night Drive, SAT Tailgunner, Se7en Heads/Fame Lust, SUN Springbrooke

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI The Stonethrowers, The Cheddar Boys, SAT Pure Jerry

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Party On The Meekend

TLA (334 South St.) FRI Warchyld, SAT Flannel, White Limo

The Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal St.) SAT Yolo Ono, DJ Sylo, Tay Banga

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SUN (Downstairs) The Off Switch, Earth7, As Annie Falls, Set in Stone, Steel Crowes, Zymotic Flow

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Mad Conductor, SAT The Good Mess, The Hook, SUN Bohemian Mule

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Chris Kush, John Gilbride, Supreem Da Rezarekta’, Gabrielle, SAT Red 40 and the Last Groovement, Trap Rabbit

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Earth Telephone, No Thank You, SAT Kirby & the VibeTribe, Vilebred

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Die Choking, SUN At Best

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI DJ Sylo, Astro 8000, SAT DJ Deejay, DJ Matthew Law

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac 

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) FRI Joshua Bation, Dizzy Valdez, Patrick Feliciano, SAT Fad Nauseam

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI Too Many Talk Shows, Pajent, SAT Stepping Razor (CD Release), The End A.D., The Blessed Muthas, Thorazine

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI Gross, Disinhume, SAT Left to Vanish, SUN Big Handsome, Big Mind

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT DJ Lean Wit It

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI Royale, SAT Ian St. Laurent

Century (1350 S 29th St.) FRI Sharkbullet, World Below, SUN Zombie Shark, The Taste of Vomit, Moyogash, Hallucinogenic Bulb

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Nick Schneblen Band, Greg Sover, SAT Something Divine, Slyfoxes, Jamie & the Guarded Heart

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Splintered Sunlight, SUN Philly Does Willie Nelson: Amber Rae & The Raetones, Jim Mitchell & The Repeat Offenders, Grady Hoss & The Sidewinders, Ali Awan

Creep Records (1050 N. Hancock St.) SAT McGuire's Mob, TV Violence, SUN Eli Capella (Album Release)

LAVA Space (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Mint

Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Busy Bee Project (EP Release), Honeytiger, Canine 10

Planet Phitness (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Walte Young, Tiffany's House, Plumslugger

The Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.)

The Tusk (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Chino, Kitty Rotten

Tundra Dome (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI A Million Dollars