Philly Indie
A collective of local and underground gems from the Philly music scene.
http://www.facebook.com/PhillyIndie
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Video reblogged from IN WATERMELON SUGAR
check this out.
Listen to gabriel ep by In Watermelon Sugar.
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Mason Porter is good ol’ sweet tea, mint julep sipping country folk music. The music is sweet and smooth but with a subtle raw complexity. Love songs can swiftly become saccarine but not with these guys. You won’t find overly long and ambitious comparisons between eyes and oceans. Nor will you find a scratched record chorus comprised entirely of the word “baby.” Mason Porter writes simple but straight forward love songs, sung with a charmingly twangy southern accent and the occasional ear catching harmony.
Instrumentally, Mason Porter is bewitchingly well layered. The long mournful sigh of the slide guitar is complimented by the reverberant tones of an upright base. The prominently featured mandolin adds a higher pitched trill to run the gambit of tone and composition.
This music harkens back to a simpler time and place. Perfect for the mall. I mean, you’ve got to be able to escape the ear bludgeoning of holiday songs that you’ve been hearing since October. (Don’t get me wrong, I dig the christmas tunes but seriously ? Enough is enough.)
-AH -
Leoce: Chill Jams for the Ride Home (or at least something to keep the murderous Thanksgiving road rage at bay).I was in the mood to add some new blood to my driving-home-from-work sound track, so I was pretty amped when I began streaming Leoce’s This is Real, through my phone. These Richboro natives have Jack Johnson/Brett Dennen sort of folky tunes that have a some what surprising mix of ska and blues influence. Leoce isn’t as indefatigueably upbeat as Johnson but they do have that unmistakeable pop folk sound. Sean Ladden’s voice is neither bass nor is it quite what I would call a tenor, regardless he has one smooth tone, which pairs remarkably well with the low thrumming bass lines provided by Shawn Hogan. Kyle Walter plays the drums with such fluidity, that inspite of the fact that there is a lot of high-hat action going on in this song, it is not at all jarring. Instead the drums actually add a layer of unruffled cadence.Also these guys are looking for more Philly gigs, so if you are looking for some talented artists, give these guys a holla’ (as it were).-A.H.
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THE SUNFLIGHTS (click photo to listen)The Sunflights, whose previous appearance was often made enchanting unsuspecting basement-show and dive bar dwellers, release their first EP today (FREE release show at North Star Bar 8pm along with Queen Anne and The Wild Carrot). We had the pleasure of listening to the self-titled release and were pleasantly surprised with the growth this band has achieved while still staying true to their minimalist, one-guitar-with-two-voices blueprint.The first track, “I am a Robot” (click the photo above to listen) is our favorite of bunch; lush with a tapestry of words, harmonies, and guitar work that somehow seamlessly weave together the sentiment of the song sonically and lyrically. I have admittedly not been able to stop showing the song to whomever happens to be in my busted Toyota where this disc has been rotating since I received it. Sounding at times like a blue Joni record, and at others a taste of a slew of folk/blues and even sometimes sunny and brighter moments; this album is perfect for the schizophrenic Philadelphia weather in early November, before everything becomes definitively cold and dark, making this release date perfect for the effect of the record.Beyond Natalie Butts and Claire Duncombe’s impressive chemistry for song-writing and harmonizing together, the Sunflights’ perhaps biggest strength is in the way the songs develop. The tempo, key, and guitar-picking style can seem to change 100 times in the song while somehow not sounding sporadic but instead more like a woven composition than the normal verse-chorus-verse acoustic folk songs that many bands of similar stylings produce. Another standout song is “The Clearing.” Similarly with the first track, the imagery in the lyrics as well as the composition of the song creates a great tune but also another testament to a definite maturation from prior demos.So come out tonight, pick up this beautiful album (charmingly hand-crafted), and see these ladies live - you won’t regret it. -
Say Yes to No :
Yes, No, I would come back and see you if you play Philly again. In fact I think that would be a brilliant idea ! Last night I went to the TLA to jam out to Work Drugs, a band that has been a consistent presence on Philly Indie, and see Electric Guest live. Heading in I read the sign with the head liner Electric Guest, followed by NO Work Drugs. At first I was pissed, no Work Drugs ?! They couldn’t have cancelled this late in the game…..Then I remembered that, NO, was the name of the other band playing that evening. ( Strangely I have similar problems like this when I was working at my college radio station. A caller asked for something by the Beatles. I said, “Ok anything you had in mind ?” to which he replied”….yeah ‘Something’ by the Beatles.”)
NO’s vocal styling is part Johnny Cash, with the deep sonorous baritone of lead singer Bradley Carter, and part Mumford and Sons with spell-weaving group harmonies. Their musical styling is quite frankly, an experience. The music is layered with complex melancholy melodies, the magnet drawl of a hazy electronic keyboard, and straight-forward brilliantly executed drumming. Although, this band hails from LA. I figured they deserved a shout out for repeatedly asking “If we come to Philly again, will you come see us ?” I can enthusiastically say Yes. Lets show them some brotherly love and see if we can get these guys to come back.
-A.H. -
FAMILY VACATION - “WAITING CLOUDS (DEW)” (Click photo to listen)
Family Vacation could be described as Animal Collective meets Vampire Weekend with a touch of West Philly punk drenched in reverb and heads turned towards their shoes. We’d rather just say it’s good shit. The main singer’s vocals add a more unique quality to the sound and this newly formed Philly band made up of 4 Temple students will definitely make some waves. Check out their first single “Waiting Clouds (Dew)” and follow their Facebook for future tunes: https://www.facebook.com/familyvacationmusic
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AUDREY BEAN - BONES (click photo to listen)I dig this not only because Philly artist Audrey Bean counts off the tune in french, that she has the flawed indie girl voice that I am a huge proponent of, (that should not only be okay for male singers , people), but there is something gold here.The swing vibe in conjunction with the mystical lyrics and the somehow-creepy-in-a-wondrous-way tone of her voice all flies by so fast that it will make you want to listen a few times just to catch all of the essence of just what Audrey Bean is feeling in this tune. I think it’s a good middle of the week song - upbeat yet minor.
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FEMME FATALE - Saturday 9/22 @ World Cafe Live
Poison Ivy Music presents FEMME FATALE PHILLY, a celebration of Philadelphia’s female artists, with…
The Northern Lights
http://www.TeddiTarnoff.com/
*ALBUM RELEASE SHOW!!!!
Fig Leaf
http://figleaf.bandcamp.com/
Julia Rainer
http://www.reverbnation.com/juliarainer
Starving The Tsunami
http://www.starvingthetsunami.com/
ALL AGES
$9 adv/ $11 dos
Tickets: http://tickets.worldcafelive.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=4220——
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The Weekend by Modern Baseball mixes the punk sentiment of uncertain youthful angst with a more melodic indie vibe. Although “The Weekend“ is a single, it caught our attention because it taps into the feelings of uncertainty underlying youthful bravado. It’s the musical version of a freshman trying to introduce himself as James Bond , when you really know he’s more of a ”Jimmy.” Your heart goes out to him, regardless. Everyone has been there and Modern Baseball makes this single wonderfully relatable. The Weekend is certainly worth the listen. Especially if your friends are in the middle of a nostalgia driven Dawson’s Creek marathon -
because the Netflix gods thought it would be a good idea to make that a possibility -and you realize that, that ”I Don’t Want to Wait” theme song was cute the first time, but not the 17th time. So if you’re finding it hard to relate to TV dramatizations , listen to The Weekend for some real relatability.-A.H., with contribution from K.
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Word Up, Band Round Up !
Looking to see some of the awesome artists we’ve written about in action ? Well here is the in-state September show round up of some of those very same bands !
Arrah and the Ferns: Saturday September 8th @ Milkboy in Philadelphia —> for Maasia Rising (check it out, it’s for a good cause !) http://www.facebook.com/events/452570908106693/
Roomtone: Saturday, September 8th (Record Release Party !!!) @ Maas Building, Philadelphia
The Fallen Troubadours: Saturday, September 8th @ The Tin Angel in Philadelphia.
Syrrah: September 12th @ Havana in New Hope, PA.
Dangerous Ponies: September 15th @ The Blockney in Philadelphia. Featuring River City Extension, Illinois, Brick and Mortar, Juston Stens, and Get the Real Gang
Toy Soldiers: September 27 @ Johnny Brenda’s for TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb’s Album Release party. also featuring Double King and The Looks Of It.
*(cowboy image from HarveyMackay.com. We don’t own it, it just seemed relevant.)
