The Boxing Lesson has not released a full length album in almost five years, but I promise you the wait has been more than worth it. The trio’s newest offering, Big Hits!, opens up with a psychedelic nine minute journey into a world of ethereal noises, spacey guitar, dark vocals and a slow, steady drum beat that holds it all together. As much as the epic opening track is reminiscent of Pink Floyd and David Gilmore’s echoing guitar work, don’t be fooled. The Boxing Lesson proves to be a diverse band that knows how to blend punk rock, classic rock n' roll and psychedelia into a fluid and well-calculated album. Check out their opening track, “Endless Possibilities”. -- Written by Jodi Lang
Philly emcee Gliss just premiered a new single earlier today via VIBE called “Inner Visions,” which was produced by Chigz. The track will appear on his forthcoming LP High on a Weekday due out this summer, but you can listen to and download it for free below. We’d also like to congratulate Gliss on his recent nuptials this past weekend - wishing him and his lovely wife Tiara all the best! Cheers!
Preston Spurlock and Neil Kelly make experimental electronica under the moniker Tunetown Philharmonic, regularly uploading scattered tracks complete with Windows Media Player-esque swirling visuals directly to their Facebook page. The duo’s work has been somewhat ramshackle in nature thus far, but their finest and most fully realized composition to date is the haunting and futuristic ‘A Suckers Saturday’ (orange alert for those of you who are at work or with their ladies: more than some nudity after minute 2) which Kelly uploaded to YouTube as an alternative soundtrack to The Prodigy’s famous ‘Smack Your Bitch Up’ video. The band placed 73rd in our latest Best of NYC Poll for Emerging Artists. - Dean Van Nguyen
If you’re a fan of TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb’s garage folk-blues and Bukowski- esque tales, then you definitely should come out to Johnny Brenda’s tonight. The band will be performing two sets this evening so you know that they’ll be leaving it all on stage to help raise funds for Brat Productions, “a theatre company that produces both contemporary material and re-envisioned classics, working with new artists, working in non-traditional venues, and working to keep ticket prices low.” The Brat Cabaret will be on hand displaying their unique theatrics with a drag performance and two rock medleys, and Andrew Bird-inspired Brooklyn outfit Isadora will also be donating their time and talents. Help keep art alive and weird in Philly! Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 8pm, $12 - $30, 21+ - Alexis V.
The Brooklyn based Indie duo that is now Steel Phantoms (the band lately went through some line up changes) has just announced that they are set to self-release a new 7-track EP on July 16th. Former Islands drummer Aaron Harris pairs with Jessie Newkirk to bring you a special sect of Post-punk/Indie Rock that plays back like a catchy flood of dissonant guitar riffs, pleasant vocals and an ironically balanced composure. Listen/download the song “Curtain Call” (not an Eminem cover) from their upcoming EP below. Check them out at Muchmores on the 18th and Cameo Gallery on the 31st. - Michael Haskoor (@Tweetskoor)
This is such sad news. Dangerous Ponies just announced that they’ll be calling it quits. We’ve had the honor to share such momentous occasions in Deli Philly history like anniversaries and ringing in this past New Year with these wonderful folks. We are obviously going to miss seeing their joyous performances on stage together. Below are a few words from the band.
dearest darlings,
we have some news to share.
its not happy news.
we will be playing our final show on May 26th in Philly.
These last four years together have been a beautiful and wild rollercoaster and we are all the better for having met all of you. Thank you for the couches, floors, and porches you shared with us, for eating endless breakfast burritos with us, for showing us the coolest parts of your towns and the secret swimming holes that only you know about, for thrift shopping with us, for getting on stage and playing with us, for telling your friends about us, but most importantly thank you for constantly supporting our music. It’s a dream to be able to travel the country with a group of your friends and play shows to keep the van moving. so seriously..thankyou.
It’s currently unclear as to what will happen next. You can find Evan playing with Holy Death and Kyle is always over Headroom Philadelphia recording bands. and Chrissy I’m sure will start a new project soon. So stay tuned. and hopefully you can make it on the 26th.
so much love forever.
♥♥♥ dp.
You can catch Dangerous Ponies’ final performance on Sunday, May 26 at The Barbary with Lemuria and Omar. Much love for DP!
Little Berlin welcomes you to explore the interstellar musical limits tonight with a bill that includes a pair of hometown heavyweights Spacin’ and Chris Forsyth. Fronted by Birds of Maya bassist Jason Killinger, Spacin’ offers a funk-infused sonic explosion that launches off a classic blues rock platform incorporating powerfully raw and raunchy fuzzed-out guitar licks while utilizing a tight rhythm section (which is held down by Killinger’s wife Eva on the kit and Acid Kicks’ Sean Hamilton on bass), allowing the group to stretch out and delve deep into the sonic stratosphere. Spacin’ runs like a well-balanced relay team each instrument carrying its own weight, relying on each individual piece in producing a complete overall sound that seems to move at optimal speed from the second they hit the stage. They’ll be joined by drone guitar maestro Chris Forsyth, who is known for his unique guitar playing that pushes the boundaries taking listeners on a finessed sojourn beyond the outer limits. This edition of the Dream Oven Music Series also includes Chicago’s Bitchin’ Bajas. Little Berlin, 2430 Coral St., 7pm, $5 - $7 Donation, All Ages - Michael Colavita
It’s Mother’s Day tomorrow. Have you gotten her a gift yet? Luckily, there’s the Spring 2013 Art Star Craft Bazaar happening all weekend at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, where you’ll find over 100 local and national artists setting up shop with their handmade goods to save the day. But it’s also a good time to take in some fine performances from locals acts such as Arrah and the Ferns, The Bailey Hounds, TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb, and much more. (You can check out the full schedule of musicians above.) And don’t forget about the tasty food options and demonstrations for the kiddies. Hopefully the weather won’t dampen everyone’s fun. Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, Columbus Boulevard between Market and Walnut Sts., 11am - 6pm, Free All Ages - H.M. Kauffman
Browngrass- you’ve seen it, but have you heard it? It’s the sound of one of our April Monthly Poll winners Sour Bridges. They used the term after having a difficult time describing their music. “We have tried categorizing our music into folk/rock, blue-wop, mountain gossip or aggressive grass but nothing really stuck until Dalton (the drummer) jokingly coined the phrase 'Browngrass'. It’s similar to Bluegrass but a little dirtier."
Cravings of those Austin summer nights with friends in a backyard drinking whiskey until the sun rises are exactly what I yearn for when listening to Sour Bridges and that’s the browngrass way of life. “With bluegrass elements and a rock n’ roll rhythm section, it typifies our values in life and living: humble, backyard, dirt stomping in 4/4 time. We have a way of spilling notes into a bathtub and making some really great music for consumption.”
Their sophomore album, Catfish Charlie, is being released at the end of this month with cover art featuring their friend Charlie riding a catfish. This 15 track record is comprised of love songs, train songs, drinking songs and thinking songs that will make you move. Get your dancing shoes ready for their CD release show on May 31st, 2013 at The Scoot Inn. Doors open at 8. --Written by Courtney Pierce
On March 25th, Los Détroit released their debut EP The Killing, which channels the drift of modern post-rock into something completely their own. The four-member band, comprised of Marian McCarthy(lead singer and former member of Silent Violent), Michael Carian, Jill Marklin and Michael Lloyd, began in LA with "the icy winds of the Detroit River pushing the final members of the group together", creating one rich discrepancy that fuses the minimalism of post-rock and the ethereal sensations of dream pop ambiance. McCarthy's tranquil voice is an abstract version of Amy Lee from Evanescene and Grace Potter from The Nocturnals, richly layered in echo-delayed, electronic melodies and bittersweet-introspective lyrics that create dreamy soundscapes drenched in atmosphere. Picture this: you’re laying in bed, the lights are off and the ambience of their new song, "Conditions", creeps slowly through your speakers and floods your room with psychedelic, mind-bending music. As a whole, The Killing feels like a a spiritual, uplifting experience that exceeds the limit of one's thought. So get lost, lose your mind and relax your body, because Los Détroit is an out of body experience. - Kayla Hay
