here - The Deli

the deli
everything about the nyc music scene
FREE in NYC Issue #24 Volume #2 FALL 2010
$2 in the USA www.thedelimagazine.com
Electric Tickle Machine THE RASSLE Shark? BUKE AND GASS
ANNI ROSSI Living Days AM to AM WAKEY! WAKEY!
Miniboone Lights Resolve LA STRADA Tayisha Busay
Appomattox A Million Years Waking Lights MAMA BEAR
Mike Del Rio FAN-TAN Adult Themes Thinning The Herd
CMJ 2010 issue
(See pages 27-28 for Deli CMJ show schedule)
keepaway
Live @ Brooklyn Bowl on 10/20/10
w/ Bear Hands, Oberhofer & Brahms
Feature
How To “DO IT”
A We Are Scientists Guide to Rock Stardom
+ Reviews of Guitar Pedals, Mics & Audio Plug-Ins
brahms

the deli
everything about the nyc music scene
issue #24 volume #2 fall 2010
p.29
keepaway
p.17
How to ”DO IT”
A Guide To Rock Stardom
Note from the Editor
Dear CMJ Music Marathoners and not,
This issue gives you the opportunity to explore the
burgeoning NYC scene, with almost 100 (awesome)
emerging local bands covered, 50+ of which we booked
for our CMJ parties, 30+ which are advertised here...
You should know by now that listening repeatedly to the
records of the artists whose shows you are planning on
attending greatly enhances your live experience—remembering
the songs makes it way more enjoyable, of course.
Follow these instructions, and we can guarantee you a
fulfilling Marathon:
1. reSeArCH the bands you like in this issue
2. LISTen rePeATeDLY to their tunes online
3. GeT TO THe SHOW AS eArLY AS POSSIBLe
(yes, I remind you that even if you have a badge you are
not guaranteed access if the show is sold out).
4. BUY YOUrSeLF A DrInK AnD rOCK OUT LIKe
THere’S nO TOMOrrOW!
Paolo De Gregorio
EDITOR IN CHIEF: Paolo De Gregorio
EXECUTIVE EDITOR: ed Gross
ART DIRECTOR: Kaz Yabe (www.kazyabe.com)
COVER PHOTO: Kate edwards (www.kateedwardsphoto.com)
SENIOR DESIGNER: Ursula Viglietta (www.ursulaviglietta.com)
CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER: Kelly McDonough
SENIOR EDITORS: nancy Chow, Bill Dvorak
STAFF WRITERS: Bill Dvorak, nancy Chow, David Schneider,
Kenneth Partridge, Lauren Piper, Toney Palumbo, Dean Van nguyen,
Mike SOS, Meijin Bruttomesso, Dave Cromwell, Quang D. Tran
IN-HOUSE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Charles Davis, Chloe Schildhause,
Liz Schroeter, Paul Dunn, Simon Heggie, Christina Morelli,
Dale W. eisinger, Courtney Boyd Myers, Michelle Geslani,
Daniel Schneider, brokeMC, Gina Alioto, Jenny Luczak,
Whitney Phaneuf, Vann Alexandra, Jen Chang, noah Forrest
THE KITCHEN: Paolo De Gregorio, Mike Bauer, Michael Vecchio,
Daniel Tirer, Ben Wigler, Arthur Fleischmann, Shane O’Connor,
Tim Boyce, Matt rocker
OFFICE MANAGER: Jaron Feldman
PUBLISHERS: The Deli Magazine LLC / Mother West, nYC
other NYC artists to check out (p36)
Fresh out of a residency at Union
Pool and a gig as support band for
Yeasayer, Steve Marion, aka Delicate
Steve, plays strange and wonderful
instrumental music. His first full length
album “Wondervisions,” released after
a 10 year career of recording, producing
and playing with other bands,
features sonic delights only a “wise” musician/producer could
conjure up. The album filters influences as disparate as Stevie
Wonder and Ponytails. A perfect blend of varied textural elements
including a wide palette of guitar tones and parts, percussions
ranging from traditional to electronic, samples and
synth arrangements contribute to build tracks that evolve and
build up from gentle intros to animated endings. Don’t miss
Steve’s CMJ show at Santos on October 23rd. Myspace.
com/delicatesteve (Dave Cromwell + Paolo De Gregorio)
On The
Web
interviews with nyc bands
www.thedelimagazine.com
the depreciation guild
What started out as a bedroom
recording project for Depreciation
Guild frontman Kurt Feldman a mere
four years or so ago, has evolved into
something quite extraordinary. Two full
albums later, his band has now toured
the United States and Europe multiple
times. They have also brought their
show to Japanese audiences, inspiring
a video for their song “My Chariot” from
their latest album “Spirit Youth.” Along
the way the band has evolved from one
man to the current four piece lineup.
Their debut album “In Her Gentle Jaws”
was an initial internet download sensation
in 2008 and 2009, creating an
excited response among bloggers and
music lovers far and wide. Having subsequently been remixed and remastered, the
tracks can now be heard with an even richer and fuller clarity. This year brought the
much anticipated follow-up, a meticulously crafted album titled “Spirit Youth.”
Read Dave Cromwell’s article on The Depreciation Guild at:
www.thedelimagazine.com/artists/depreciationguild
B
wakey! wakey!
Wakey! Wakey! sounds like
an indie-pop musical. Front
man, Mike Grubbs has been
rocking out on the piano
since choir practice as a little
kid. He fosters his roots in
classical music, but also has
a strong affinity for the indie
sound. His first full length
album, “Everything I Wish
I’d Said The Last Time I Saw
You” is dynamic and theatrical.
The piano and strings
driven title track begs for
Broadway choreography, while tunes like “The Oh Song” sounds like MGMT.
Grubbs has been a regular face in New York for years; performing at Bar4 and
Rockwood. Ever since his songs were featured on the show “One Tree Hill” the
outside world has been getting a taste of Wakey Wakey! Grubbs just spend
two weeks touring solo all over the southern states and only has a short stint
back in the city before heading west again, this time with his full band.
Read Jenny Luczak’s article on Wakey Wakey! at:
www.thedelimagazine.com/artists/wakeywakey
CMJ
Advice On
How to Be
Selected
eing selected to play one of the major music
industry festivals in the US (like CMJ or
SXSW) is a challenging task for any band.
Since 2005 The Deli has become more and more
involved in booking shows for the CMJ Music
Marathon, and at this point in time we can say we
more or less understand how the selection process
works—if you weren’t selected this year, here’s some
advice for you for next year’s Marathon. It’s never
too early to start working on this!
Read Paolo De Gregorio’s CMJ advice at:
www.deliciouls-audio.com.
The Deli Magazine is a trademark of The Deli Magazine, LLC, Brooklyn & Mother West, NYC. All contents ©2010 The Deli Magazine. All rights reserved.
the deli_6 fall 2010

Thursday Oct 21
@ The Living Roo m
THE NEXT LEVEL OF DIY
NYC bands with home made instruments
Buke and Gass
www.myspace.com/bukeandgass
Octant
www.myspace.com/octantmusic
The independent music scene of the early 21st millennium will
be remembered for its DIY modus operandi. The percentage
of artists who release home recorded albums has been
growing exponentially in the last decade, and some of these
records did and do actually sell. Right now, the DIY revolution
seems like a one way ticket, but there are some artists in NYC who
are already a few steps ahead in terms of “doing it themselves.”
Buke and Gass – 7:45pm
By Paolo De Gregorio
One of our “early finds” that we are most proud
of (the band was featured on the cover of The
Deli in the summer of 2009), Buke and Gass
signed to Brassland Records in 2010, toured
North America and Europe respectively with
Efterklang and The National (who also run that
label), and released the debut album “Riposte”,
finally earning a well deserved “buzz band” status
WITHOUT the help of Pitchfork, which at the time
of writing still hasnít spent a single word about
this mind blowing project. But besides being
one of the most original and edgy sounding indie
bands around, the duo has the rather unique
characteristic of building all the instruments they
play. Guitarist/multiinstrumentalist Aron Sanchez
is the brain behind the bandís DIY instruments:
the Gass, a modded acoustic guitar with two
bass strings, 4 guitar strings, amplified through 4
pick-ups routed through different custom pedals
he also built; and Buke, a bass version of the
Ukulele he built for band mate Arone Dyer to help
her overcome wrist pain her regular ukulele was
causing. These two instruments create a wild
wall of sound thatís punctuated by a modified
kickdrum and foot-triggered percussions. Aroneís
vocals add the final (and most important) touchñthe
girl can deliver serious and varied vocal
goods: catchy melodies, incredible range and
power when necessary. If you are planning on going
to only one show during CMJ, this is the one.
Read an interview with Aron Sanchez about the
Buke and Gass instruments on
www.delicious-audio.com.
Octant – 7:00pm By Benjamin Wigler
Songwriter, singer and inventor-genius Matthew
Steinke used to stand behind giant towering
drum robots, obscured like the “man behind the
curtain” by the machinery of his own creation.
Under the name Octant, Steinke built a solid
body of work, releasing accessible but experimental
LPs. The records span a long career,
incorporating human beings and robotic inventions
alike, but these days Steinke is focusing
on his work as a poet and songwriter. The huge
Octant drums, with show-stopping robotbodies
built into road cases so large they can
only fit in a van, have been benched. Octantís
maestro now plays guitar and sings through a
harmonica mic, crafting tender, cerebral music,
aided by tiny, idiosyncratic robot companions
who truly feel more like supportive band mates
than automated devices. I had the opportunity
to ask Steinke a few questions after his July 7th
performance at The Tank NYC, an amazing art
space in midtown Manhattan. We talked about
gear, poetry, inspiration, on-stage dynamics and
the quest to build ever more “humanly” robots.
Read the interview on
www.delicious-audio.com.
the deli_7 fall 2010

Tuesday Oct 19
@ The Delancey - Ground FL
SLOW CORE + FOLK POP STAGE
The Debutante Hour
www.myspace.com/debutantehour
Mama Bear
www.myspace.com/ohmamabear
Waking Lights
www.myspace.com/wakinglights
The Debutante Hour – 12:00am
By Jenny Luczak + Paolo De Gregorio
These three gals sounds like Bjork and Ella
Fitzgerald’s singing harmonies together backed
by Tom Wait’s band at a 1910 variety show, performing
everything from singing public service
announcements to theatrical reinterpretations of
Sumerian mythology. Their bouncing, old-timey
tracks use a heavy helping of sarcasm, and
alternate accordion, cello, piano and baritone
ukulele. On their MySpace page they say they
performed half naked at the Living Theatre at
Joe’s Pub, so we are hoping that - to attract
industry and fans - they will be wearing as little
as possible also at our Deli CMJ show
Pearl and The Beard – 11:15pm
By Courtney Myers
This charming trio (featured in The Deli’s Best of
NYC 2009 Year End Poll) plays folk pop enriched
with spotless male-female 3 part harmonies and
cello parts. Now when we say “spotless” we
mean that these gals+guy can really sing and
perfectly harmonize with each other, which is like
a rare blessing - because that’s how angels sing,
right? Also, they have an innately warm, friendly
attitude and a quirky sense of humor that triggers
instant smiles, but are still capable of creating
music drenched with emotional depth.
www.myspace.com/pearlandthebeard
Mama Bear – 10:30pm
By Paolo De Gregorio
Mama Bear is the perfect band to boost your appreciation
for sunny days. The band’s upbeat, folky
tunes are catchy as hell, without lacking in intensity
or intimacy, which makes them sound like a more
fun and lighthearted version of 10,000 Maniacs.
The simplicity and pop effectiveness of this band’s
songs, the beauty of the melodies and Vivi’s outstanding
voice and delivery might have the power
to put an end to your SAD syndrome - for good.
Waking Lights – 9:45pm
By Paolo De Gregorio
Waking Lights’ orchestral psych folk sure doesn’t
lack in originality, character and good songs… and
variety! These guys have the rare gift of sounding
rootsy and innovative at once. We really dig the
song “Only the Sex”, with its exotic sounding
strings, Doorsy organ parts and rousing chorus.
In their other tracks you’ll find aggressive bluesy
numbers and folky ballads with “telephoned”
vocals floating on a controlled carpet of - alternatively
- acoustic guitars, keyboards, feedback and
strings. Check them out, highly recommended!
nathan Halpern – 9:00pm
By Paolo De Gregorio
Dealing in folk songs centered around the dark
side of love, Nathan Halpern’s raspy tenor represents
the perfect transition from the dark and
slow psych atmospheres of Baby Alpaca and
Center Divider to the more upbeat folky pop of
this night’s later acts. The man isn’t afraid to go
“all in” when revealing the most intimate truths of
love – the ones that are so drenched in passion
and regret that most of us prefer to bury them.
www.myspace.com/nathanhalpern
Center Divider – 8:15 pm
By Paolo De Gregorio
Sparse to the point of flirting with silence, or
plodding on top of groove-less drums, all Center
Divider’s songs have a very distinct signature
in their pace. When in this sonic scenario the
band introduces simple string or brass drones,
or slow plucked parts, magic happens – see the
song “Madam S”. The lead singer’s dark vocals,
reminiscent of Leonard Cohen and Morphine,
are full of confidence and drowned in feelings
(that perfectly suit the music) like acceptance
and moderate hope.
www.myspace.com/centerdivider
Baby Alpaca – 7:30pm
By Dave Cromwell
With deep and reverbed vocals and an overall
lazy, relaxed and hazy approach, Baby Alpaca
flirts with the 1950s - but by way of David Lynch’s
filter. It is post-punk, psychedelic and folk, but
there’s a crooner feel to it as well - like a male
Nicole Atkins who’s chosen to sit on the sidelines
and watch the world drift by. The instrumentation,
mostly consisting of tambourine, single drum
thump, mysterious organ lines and a zither-like
device, adds up to something quite unique.
www.myspace.com/babyalpacashow
Telenovelas – 6:45pm
By Simon Heggie
Telenovelas can co-exist contently in two situations:
either holding hands while strolling down
the beach and reliving memories of Brian Wilson
melodies, or holding tightly to their fuzz pedals
while dancing a little too close to the eye of a hurricane.
Either way a strong obsession with Santo
and Johnny’s “Sleepwalk” hasn’t stopped them
from stepping out from the usual pack of Brooklyn
bands and offered NY a new take on Surfadelia.
www.myspace.com/telenovelasnyc
the deli_9 fall 2010

Tuesday Oct 19
@ The Delancey - Downstairs
INDIE POP + PSYCH STAGE
Deluka
www.myspace.com/deluka
Living Days
www.myspace.com/livingdays
Mike Del Rio
www.myspace.com/mikedelrio
Deluka – 12:30am
By Meijin Bruttomesso
Deluka deliver delectable dance tracks suitable
for clubs across all ponds. Ellie Innocenti’s brooding
but lush vocal quality blends perfectly with
accompanying bass drones, electronic effects,
new wave nuances, and occasional techno
trends. Their repertoire jumps into high-gear with
“OMFG,” guitar-riff driven “Snapshot,” and invigorating
“Nevada.” The melodious “Come Back to
Me,” single, “Cascade,” and tender “Name On My
Lips” surge forward into the irresistibly danceable
“Mean Streak,” the record highlight that is worthy
of innumerous spins. Deluka maintain a balance
between a rock grittiness and dance party energy,
a sound that satisfies New York cravings.
Living Days – 10:15pm
By Meijin Bruttomesso
Lead female singer Stephonik Youth’s intriguing
low register darkens the mood of this band’s
swirling electronic indie pop, that can’t help but
bring to our mind the glorious 80s Bostonian
band The Cars. Effervescent keyboard lines
merge with dance-rock rhythms, fashioning
music suitable for underground club dynamics.
Descending guitar arpeggios kick start bubblegum,
electro-pop “Go Oblivion,” but a haunting
quality is maintained with heavy echoing distortion.
The quick pace escalates further to frenetic
on “Let’s Kiss!” which bounces across atmospheric
leads. Bittersweet melodies, ethereal
harmonies, and towering layers of synthesizers
on “Bury the World” contrast with the brooding
and sultry pulsations of “Little White Lie” that
undulate beneath vocals which decrescendo
into whispering loops and a few closing clicks.
The Yes Way – 9:30pm
By Meijin Bruttomesso
Taking a path less-common than most indie pop
bands, Brooklynites The Yes Way offer us a pleasant-but-eerie
melodic rock with punk attitude,
where peppy-pop melodies are hybridized with
indie elements. Distortion ebbs and flows (sans
shoegazing) and sauntering beats, playful guitar
strums and uplifting vocal harmonies abound .
Although active around town and in recording
studios, the multi-instrumental pack has yet to
say, “yes,” to an official release date of any type of
album – expect it to be ready in early 2011.
www.myspace.com/theyesway
Mike Del rio – 8:45pm
By Whitney Phaneuf
New York City native son Mike Del Rio deserves
fame and fortune. Let’s stop rewarding talentless
reality TV parasites with recording contracts
and pop star treatment. In addition to being
absolutely dreamy (note: mass appeal, good
looks), Del Rio sings, writes his own songs and
plays no less than “guitar, bass, drums, beats,
arrangements, brass, synth, mellotrons, bells
and whistles, etc.” “The New Year,” a single
available for free download, could be the next
tween pop anthem. We need pop anthems now
more than ever from a young man that loves
art, Downtown Brooklyn, and milkshakes.
Zambri – 8:00pm By Paolo De Gregorio
Exuberant dual sisterhood Zambri is constantly
refining its sound – their initial Madonna and
Zappa influenced electronic mad-pop has recently
matured into something more structured
and organic, dressed in an incredibly varied
palette of sounds reminiscent at times of Peter
Gabriel’s sophisticated atmospheres and a less
shoegazy version of School of Seven Bells.
Their Italian roots add to the charm of course!
www.myspace.com/zambri
Milagres – 7:15pm
By PJD
Fans and Deli readers alike will know Milagres
by their former name, Secret Life of Sofia,
who took home the bronze in the Deli Magazine’s
Reader Poll Best of 2008. More recently,
their “Empty Sleeve” album earned them a
top-ten ranking in the Best EPs of 2009 list on
Pop Tarts Suck Toasted. Milagres say they’re
happier now with the name change, presumably
because it is representative of a deeper and
more meaningful transformation for the band.
Expect beautifully ghost-like vocal melodies
backed by dreamy and swelling instrumentation.
www.myspace.com/milargresmusic
Swingset Committee
6:30pm By Paolo De Gregorio
These guys blend buzzing synth rock with
dance elements and… is that Doo-Wop style
harmonies? Wait, there’s some techno style
“thump-z thump-z” in there too! Vocoders?
Droney indie guitar parts? Swingset Committee
are like a synthetic zoo of musical styles.
www.myspace.com/swingsetcommittee
Blackbird Blackbird (SF)– 11:45pm
www.myspace.com/byeblackbird
The rassle – 11:00pm (See page 34)
www.myspace.com/therassle
the deli_10 fall 2010

the deli_11 fall 2010

Wednesday Oct 20
@ Arlene's Grocery
ALT BLUES + ALT ROCK STAGE
Lights Resolve
www.myspace.com/ lightsresolve
AM to AM
www.myspace.com/amtoam
Lights resolve – 5:30pm
By Meijin Bruttomesso
New York born and bred, Lights Resolve,
comprised of Matt Reich (vocals/guitar), Luke
Daniels, (bass/vocals), and Neal Saini (drums),
set the bar high for power trios. Not the typical
rock troupe, Lights Resolve cater to hard rockers,
pop fanatics, and everyone in between,
with catching songs defined by nonconforming
vocal melodies, distinctive guitar modulations
that intertwine with ornate bass riffs, and complex,
hard-hitting rhythmic styles. Early 2011
will mark the release of Lights Resolve’s first
full-length record, Feel You’re Different.
AM to AM – 4:50pm
By Meijin Bruttomesso
Side projects and super-groups are on the rise,
and AM to AM is one of the new and noteworthy.
Fashioned and fronted by Jon Schmidt
and Will Tendy of New York’s Morningwood,
AM to AM is perfectly power-poppy just like
their previous project. However, this quintet
augments their sound with electronic elements,
a grungy edge, and a concoction of danceable
rhythms. Drawing elements from across
genres, AM to AM will find followers in every
corner of the modern music world.
Blackbells – 4:10pm
By Meijin Bruttomesso
A consummate blend of rock ‘n roll and
psychedelia with a touch of new wave and
soul, Brooklyn-based Blackbells adopt the
best of both classic and indie sounds to create
a refreshing style of rock. Their self-titled,
self-released EP features four tracks of great
craftsmanship and quality. Ringing remnants
of the British-invasion and rock standards fuse
with infectious choruses, polished vocals, driving
backbeats, and bluesy tinges. Consistently
producing new material, Blackbells offer a new
twist on their set for each performance, and
their upcoming releases and shows are sure to
keep the good thing they have going, going.
Black Taxi – 3:30pm
By Meijin Bruttomesso
Kind of dirty, a little poppy, and VERY
danceable, these Brooklynites fashion some
of the most undeniably contagious music
around. Each member brings to the table
a style all his own, lending to Black Taxi’s
widespread appeal and simultaneously
distinct qualities, evident on their 2009
release, Things of That Nature. With finesse,
Black Taxi compose songs of unmatched
addictiveness.
www.myspace.com/blacktaximusic
Decibel – 2:10pm
By Meijin Bruttomesso
Although only a duo, Josh Weinstein and Woody
Moseley produce the resonance of a five-piece.
Weinstein’s standout vocals and darkly melodic
acoustic guitar channel the soulful and gritty
sides of blues and grunge, while Moseley’s
elaborate and shifting rhythms keep listeners on
their toes and sustain decibel.’s transfixing unpredictability.
decibel.’s delivery of raw emotion
through an authentic but atypical style will surely
place them among the noteworthy.
www.myspace.com/decibelofficial
The Courtesy Tier – 1:30pm
The Brooklyn-based duo consisting of Omer on
guitar and vocals, and Layton on drums and vocals,
channels the raw, magnetic vibe of Jimmy
Hendrix capped off with bluesy confidence and
an electric energy that feels contagious at first
listen. Uncontrived lyrics blend with catchy
rhythms, giving listeners just enough rock to
stimulate the body and words that will speak to
an assortment of ages and tastes.
www.myspace.com/thecourtesytier
Frontier Brothers (Austin) 2:50pm
www.myspace.com/thefrontierbrothers
Blackbells
www.myspace.com/blackbells
the deli_12 fall 2010

Thursday Oct 21 @ The Living Roo m
FOLKY STAGE
Anni Rossi
www.myspace.com/annirossi
Daniel Wayne
www.myspace.com/danielwaynesongs
Kendra Morris
www.myspace.com/ckendrago
La Strada – 11:30pm
By Quang D. Tran
La Strada weave gloriously worldly indie folk/
pop, incorporating cello, violin, drums, guitar,
bass, accordion and guitar as well as vocals
from all the members--creating an impressive
sight to see and hear. It’s a big sound
that can also lay meditatively in the still of a
cool country evening. However, there’s also
a good chance you’ll feel like you are drunk
and partying down to a band of gypsies.
Tracks like “Mean That Much” can’t help but
induce spontaneous sing-alongs and feel
good grins all around. Take this opportunity
to catch these talented musicians perform
live because that chance may pass you by
soon enough!
www.myspace.com/lastradanyc
Anni rossi– 10:00pm
By Quang D. Tran
Anni Rossi has been around music most of
her life (she started violin training at the tender
age of three.) She transforms simple, stripped
down arrangements into captivating indie pop
perfection with charming quirkiness reminiscent
of our rock n’ roll crush, indie ‘it girl’ and Rossi’s
labelmate, Annie Clark (St. Vincent). It’s hard
not to be reminded of Ms. Clark, though Rossi
is less experimental rock and more seductively
fun, minimalistic dance music. You know, songs
like “Candyland” are a little too adorable, and
you never imagined yourself gettin’ down to an
Aaliyah cover (“Are You That Somebody?”). But
it’s OK. She’ll just be our guilty pleasure until the
rest of the world catches up and starts spinning
her infectious little ditties. With thought provoking
lyrics and elegant, daredevil vocals that float
on clouds of shifting melodies, it’s easy to see
why she is part of the impressive 4AD family.
Daniel Wayne – 9:15pm
By Quang D. Tran
Is Daniel Wayne the dark, sensitive illegitimate
grandson of John Wayne? Not likely,
but there is definitely some cowboy in this
fireside crooner and midwestern transplant.
Tracks like “The Princess & The Gun” prove
that this modern day cowboy roaming the
Big Apple streets has plenty of tales to share
over whiskey and cigarettes. Wayne also has
that stoner garage rocker in him, evident in
“Protest Song.” Though it is Wayne’s name
in the forefront, his songwriting process is a
collaborative effort with his partners in crime,
producer Oliver Labohn and drummer Brent
“Killer B” Follis. Armed with an acoustic
guitar, earnest vocals and a tight outfit of
talented players, Daniel Wayne leads his
gang each night on sonic adventures down
the dusty road of American music history
with a proud vagabond swagger of freedom.
Kendra Morris – 8:30pm
By Quang D. Tran
Kendra Morris doesn’t sound like she’s had
much luck with guys. But don’t pity the
petite doe-eyed songstress, because these
troubled matters of the heart have only
provided fuel for her musical passion. It also
doesn’t hurt that she has some serious pipes
that help carry on the music and life lessons
provided by her parents. With an education
firmly grounded in her dad’s love for Tower of
Power and War and her mom’s deep connection
with R&B, she’s doing her family proud.
Strand of Oaks (Philly)
12:15am
www.myspace.com/strandofoaks
McAlister Drive (Boston)
10:45pm
www.myspace.com/mcalisterdrive
Buke and Gass – 7:45pm
www.myspace.com/bukeandgass (See page 7)
Octant – 7:00pm
www.myspace.com/octant (See page 7)
the deli_13 fall 2010

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10.23 /SATURDAY
@ SPIKE HILL
5:15pm / A MILLION YEARS
Formed in early 2007 by Keith Madden A Million
Years released their debut full-length album,
“Mischief Maker,” in August 2010. Filled with
guitar and percussion-heavy indie rock ditties,
the boys’ loud rock combines classic indie and
punk spirit with a healthy dose of electronica.
Madden’s vocals add a moody melancholy to
the otherwise catchy choruses. Keep tabs of the
guys on tour with their new mobile app [http://
tinyurl.com/2ajvmes] and get laid while listening
to “Poster Girl,” per the band’s recommendation.
Myspace.com/amillionyearsmusic (WP)
4:30pm / THE PRESS
The Press’s music is like a car chase. When their
songs explode into a rush of driving bass and
violent guitar crunch, you become the unwitting
passenger in a vehicle that’s going to blow
through police barricades and jump flatbed trucks
in an attempt to flee pursuit. Oh, and your driver
is completely inebriated. Or at least that’s how the
vocals on their recordings; raw, impassioned, and
irrational. In short, the band packs some intense
punk-inflected indie rock (with a pop element) that
throws listeners over the edge of convention and
into a whirlwind of chaotic instrumental interplay.
Myspace.com/thepress (Bill Dvorak)
3:45pm / APPOMATTOX
It’s always refreshing when a band comes
around that actually wants to rock. You wouldn’t
think this would be such a rare occurrence, but
somewhere along the recent way, rocking out
became passe and synths became key. F-that
and thank goodness for Brooklyn’s Appomattox.
These three dudes are a straight up guitar band
that rips through peppy power-chord songs with
an underlining current of nicely-tempered spazz.
Sometimes the band’s slightly-distorted choruses
with the proper amount of feedback make me
want to raise my fist in the air just like I used to
do back in the ‘90s. Myspace.com/appomattoxrules
(OhMyRockness.com)
3:00pm / FAN TAN
Fan-Tan’s big and sprawling melodies are hitting
us kind of right. Listening to this, we really wish
we were in a massive rainstorm and there was
a camera shooting down on us from a crane,
because then we could outstretch our hands
and lift them high to heavens while shouting a
roar that’s equal parts joy and pain. That’s what
Fan-Tan makes us want to do. This Brooklyn (by
way of Chapel Hill) band must have grand ambitions
with verses as “shimmering” and choruses
as “rousing” and bridges as “beautiful” as these
(quotes courtesy of Zagat -- not really). It’s all so
emotional. As for other band comparisons, we
don’t know; Arcade Fire? Cloud Cult? Myspace.
com/fantanmusic (OhMyRockness.com)
2:15pm / I’M TURNING INTO
The three dudes in I’m Turning Into have a really
rocking song called “Nonlocal” which reminds
me of those good indie rock songs of old --- the
bands I liked when I first started getting into indie
rock back in, like, 1994. If I had to characterize
I’m Turning Into, I just might say they are “rousing.”
But maybe after many more listens I’ll feel
like changing that characterization to “raucous.”
They definitely seem to have a crazy edge to their
garage-y, punk-y and rock-y music. Some of their
songs are really out there and go into extreme jam
mode, but that’s ok. I’ve always been a sucker for
well placed guitar squeals and yelping harmonies
and fanatical musical beat downs and break
downs anyway. Myspace.com/imturninginto
(OhMyRockness.com)
1:30pm / DIEHARD
With a knack for making nostalgia-tinged,poppedout
indie rock that’s alternately loud and/or
mellow(ish) in all the right places, this band will
get your head bopping and your toes tapping.
Ezra Selove and Liz Schroeter offer a complementary
pair of male/female vocals that call to mind
the Pixies or Yo La Tengo. The straight-ahead,
tight playing of the rhythm section offers the perfect
rhythmic counterpoint to their oft-distorted,
yet still somehow pleasantly shiny, guitar sounds.
Myspace.com/diehardnyc (J. McVay)
the deli_15 fall 2010
12:45pm / TELETEXTILE
Teletextile writes beautiful, dreamy chamber pop
with wonderful theatrics but none of the hokey
melodrama. Singer Pamela Martinez’s voice and
her harp are the strong thread that holds this
band’s multi-textured songs together. Their delicate
tunes made of simple percussive sounds,
piano lines and strings, are as moving as their
more powerful ballads, that often build to aching
climaxes. Myspace.com/teletextile
(Liz Schroeter)
12:00pm / DEAD LEAF ECHO
It is an exciting time for Dead Leaf Echo: the
trio was asked to open for the much ballyhooed
reunited Chapterhouse at their Bell House show in
early October - it was an epic night of shoegazing
and dream-popping. All of this ties in perfectly
with the October 12 release of their latest recording
“Truth.” This 7 song follow up to their debut
“Pale Fire” boast the mixing talents of noted
studio guru John Fryer. Myspace.com/deadleafecho
(Dave Cromwell)

1:15am / TAYISHA BUSAY
Kegs, kones, kicks; rainbows, ringtones, rimjobs;
hotdogs, hamburgers, hoagies; dance, dance,
dance! Tayisha Busay’s EP “Shock-Woo!” serves
up super-sized helpings of clubby beats and
sing-along absurdity designed to get the party
started. The trashy trio is a connoisseur of excess:
70s, 80s, 90s, whatever. They’ve raided everyone’s
‘What-Was-IThinking?!’ photo album and
assembled the fashion faux pas into an album full
of disco progressions, pulsating synth, old skool
rhymes, and glitter galore. Standout single “WTF
You Doin In My Mouth?” walks the razor’s edge
between smutty innuendo and a G-rated reflection
on fast food. Brooklyn, always in danger of taking
its indie too seriously, should welcome this assshakin’
antidote to pretension. Myspace.com/
tayishabusay (Mike Gutierrez – qromag.com)
12:30am / ARPLINE
Arpline is a rather epic sounding new Brooklyn
indie band with an interesting electronic sound
that seems to be based mostly on a wild use of
synchronized arpeggiators - hence the name, we
guess. Early traces of MGMT, mixed with German
post punk influences create a feeling of club
basement badass mixed with synthesizers and
dance jam goodies. ArpLine’s set to release their
debut full-length “Travel Book” in early 2011. For
a taste, listen to the upcoming record’s first single,
“Fold Up Like a Piece of Paper.” Myspace.
com/arpline (Vann Alexandra)
11:45pm / BRONZE
Though they have only been performing for a few
months, Bronze has already played a slew of high
profile dates opening for Free Energy, Snowden,
Film School, and We Were Promised Jetpacks –
probably also because 2 of its founding members
were previously of NYC based, and French Kiss
records alum, Detachment Kit. Compared to the
now defunct act, Bronze have a less guitar centric,
more produced sound, in some sort of crunchy
dance-pop sort of way (think something between
MGMT and Social Broken Scene), and an equally
fun live show, with the added textural element
brought by Jess Birch’s frantic percussion.
Myspace.com/bronzemusic
(Dave Cromwell + Paolo De Gregorio)
11:00pm / CHAPPO
Chappo is a NYC rock band with a new EP that
meshes all sorts of influences, from the playful approach
to music reminiscent of Beck and Flaming
Lips to the spacey atmospheres of Air, to occasional
funk rock rhythms, hip hop references and noisy
distorted guitars. Their music is fearless, innovative
and downright fun, infusing classic indie pop with
complete chaos, achieving their goal of making the
Chappo experience one meant to be out of this
world. Check them out live for some good time.
Myspace.com/chappomusicnyc
( Paolo De Gregorio + CM)
10:15pm / MINIBOONE
The most exciting music isn’t always the most
frenetic, and MiniBoone is a case in point: they
manage to overwhelm the senses without taking
up every last inch of the musical soundscape–
there’s space to breathe, to ponder the music
as it’s happening. It’s a carefully (and perfectly)
constructed balance that most bands struggle to
find and never quite achieve. These guys excel at
packaging remarkable musical complexities into
feverishly catchy pop songs. Seeing them live is
like freebasing cocaine while doing windsprints on
a rollercoaster. Myspace.com/minibooneband
(Ben Heller - ampeatermusic.com)
8:45pm / ADULT THEMES
The best noise rock works exactly like pop music,
but achieves that genre’s “liberating” effect through
the interaction of dissonant elements, rather than
melodic ones. Adult Themes is one of the few
bands that’s developing that idea and making it
their own. This band’s deranged melodies and
dissonant instrumental deviations somehow make
perfect musical sense. Their controlled cacophony
raises musical tension exactly to the point of alarm
rather than ear piercing, unbearable madness. The
songs in their debut 7” - Young Bodies and Four
Fires - are perfect examples of this – check them
out if Sonic Youth left a mark on you.”
Myspace.com/adultthemesband
(Paolo De Gregorio)
AFTERNOON SHOW (FREE)
Psych Rock + Indie Stage
EVENING SHOW ($6)
Indie + Electro Stage
ALSO ON THIS BILL:
2:00 am / LE VICE
(San Fransisco)
9:30 pm / ELECTRIC TICKLE MACHINE
(see feature on page 30)
8:00 pm / BAD COP
(Nashville)
6:30 pm / UNIVOX
(Philly)
For last minute changes check
nyc.thedelimagazine.com
7:15pm / SHARK?
Although they punctuate their band’s name with
a question mark, Shark?, play the kind of fun,
irreverent and party-ready rock n’ roll that is best
paired with an exclamation point. Combining the
lo-fi recording aesthetic of many of their peers
with quirky pop melodies and the raw energy of
70’s punk and sloppy 90’s indie bands, these guys
offer a bit of something for everyone. P.S. The
L Mag is obsessed with them. Myspace.com/
sharkquestionmark (Bill Dvorak)
the deli_16 fall 2010

HOW TO “DO IT”
a We Are Scientists guide to
ROCK STARDOM
By Chris Cain (We Are Scientists)
Illustrations by Michelle Kondrich (www.michellekondrich.com)
As a founding member of We Are Scientists, I’m regularly asked, “How do you do
it?”, “What’s your secret?”, “Why is God’s love for you greater than his love for
me?”, and variations along these lines. No wonder. As I write this, I’m seated
in a spanking new Qantas A380 flying from Sydney to Los Angeles, having just
completed a successful run of shows in Australia. I have an aisle seat all to myself. In a few
minutes, I’ll be served a hot meal that will include a complimentary glass of wine or a cocktail,
should I be in the mood for it. Later, a snack. Such films as “Gladiator” and “A Beautiful Mind,”
as well as contemporary favorites like “Sex & The City 2,” wait at the ready in the seat-back
entertainment unit literally inches from my face. As and when desired, I can visit an on-plane
restroom. All of this is happening in the middle of the sky, at around 500 miles per hour.
Air travel is just one of the many perks that come with my
job, so it’s no wonder everybody wants to trade places with
me. I’m not about to give this all up, though, and in any
case most of you don’t know the bass parts to all of our
songs. So I propose a middle ground: I’ll teach you everything
I know about being a successful music artist – this
will allow you to create your own band and take it straight
to the top. In exchange, you leave me the hell alone, except
to give me compliments or to offer me free things. But you
stop asking me to trade places with you – I don’t want
your job at Panda Express. I was drunk when I said that.
Forming The Band
The first step toward getting to fly on airplanes is to form
a band. Sounds more difficult than it is. It is a little known
and little understood fact that something like 90% of successful
rock bands form at a Guitar Center. Aerosmith, Led
Zeppelin, U2, Coldplay, and Lily Allen all got their start at
Guitar Center when a couple of outgoing musicians who
were testing this or that piece of gear fell into a serendipitous
jam. Indeed, if you hang out at Guitar Center in
any city on any given afternoon, you’ll hear half a dozen
bands form. You’ll be sitting on a marked-down $399
amp with built-in tuner and COSM effects, engulfed in the
not-unpleasant cacophony of two dozen assholes fucking
around on stringed instruments, when suddenly two, and
then three, and then four of those assholes begin roughly to
synchronize their playing in both rhythm and key. The other
musician-customers, hearing what you hear, begin to taper
their own meanderings, the better to witness the burgeoning
phenomenon – “the burgeoning,” I guess. And just like that,
with no forethought or advance notice, twenty lucky sons of
guns are listening to the first Seven Mary Three concert.
The lesson is this: if you’re a musician looking for a band,
budget some time each afternoon for Guitar Center.
Weeding Out Weeds
When you choose your band mates by going to Guitar Center
most afternoons and wanking on mandolin until somebody
starts wanking in time on djimbe and somebody else starts
wanking in key on pedal steel, you run a certain risk. This
approach, though responsible for bands ranging from The
Killers to The Miles Davis Quartet, has an “implosion” rate
of about 5%, which is just a clever bit of legalese meaning
that every hundred years or so, a band composed of dudes
who met at Guitar Center, jamming, will discover that one
among them is not quite right for the job and needs gently
to be kicked the fuck out of Smashmouth. This hellish
prospect became horrifically real for Guns N Roses, who, a
couple of years in, had to deal with the fact that drummer
Steven Adler was violently addicted to a cocktail of hard
drugs, and that his addiction was taking an awful toll on his
the deli_17 fall 2010

“Whether you’re a guitarist, bassist, drummer, or you play one
of the many less-crucial instruments, don’t be afraid to let your freak
flag flutter and flap during solos!”
musicianship, and that his addiction was to a slightly different
cocktail of hard drugs than the rest of Guns N Roses
were addicted to, and that this critical difference made it
impossible for the band to employ fewer than a dozen drug
dealers full-time, around the clock. The word came down
from management: Guns N Roses’ profile was taking on
a vile tarnish in the public eye – the band must limit the
number of full-time drug dealers on official payroll to eight.
At a moment like this, when the reputation and performance
of the band has been threatened, there is little choice: the
likeminded band members must crawl out from the opiate
swamp where they now dwell like hibernating alligators
and mutter or in some way signal that they’re fed up with
the offending member’s irresponsibility, wayward behavior,
and callous disregard for the organization’s wellbeing. The
lawyers take over from there, making sure that the cancerous
tumor is extirpated before further sullying occurs. This
last bit can become messy. A band like GNR has sufficient
financial clout to purchase a smooth exit: $2000 was wired
into Adler’s account. Later the same day he was kidnapped
by two ex-LAPD officers, then lobotomized by a bribed
prison doctor. Next he was set up with a job in the commissary
of an oil atoll 1,500 miles off the coast of Hawaii.
Adler has been selling Camels, Penthouse, and Reese’s
Peanut Butter Cups ever since. He has refused numerous
job applications from both Slash and Izzy Stradlin.
the deli_18 fall 2010

“The Rule of Two says that you never indulge in anything that’s more
than twice as big, beautiful, expensive, or elite as what you’d have been
able to get your hands on if you weren’t famous.”
Rehearsals
Rehearsals, though completely necessary to becoming a
potent live band, can be a major drag. They’re loud, the sound
is bad, and you have to hang out with the other people in your
band. And there are no groupies. And no mixed drinks.
Not a lot of advice I can give here. You have to rehearse if you’re
going to be as big as Grizzly Bear. Grizzly Bear rehearses five
days a week. Then again, they’re all in relationships, aren’t big
drinkers, and they all kinda like each other. #notarealband.
Drugs
Use everything you can get your hands on – drugs are the
wellspring of creativity, the necessary nutrients in any inventor’s
mental soil. Anyone who says otherwise is either a
religious prig or drowning in vanity, a vanity so lavish that he’s
unwilling to spend the pedestrian currency of physical health
against the possibility of contributing to a rich, millenniumspanning
tapestry of intellectual production that will be man’s
bequeathal to the cosmos aeons after his extinction. Even
now, my bloodstream is coursing in toxins. Two ibuprofen
taken earlier for back pain, half a glass of marginal red wine
served with dinner, plus an antihistamine I introduced into
my system half an hour ago to guard against ill effects from
the spores this airplane’s closed environment is doubtless
circulating through my lungs even now. The simple fact is that
without these creative lubricants, I’d still be caught in the eddy
of choosing a name for this essay (“How To Do It,” thanks).
Booking The First Live Shows
In the studio, time literally is money. What do I mean?
Just that for every hour or day that you spend in the
studio, your bill will increase – you’ll have to pay more
‘money’ at the end of the recording session.
So don’t jump the gun. Before the money clock starts ticking,
iron out all the kinks in your songs in front of a live studio
audience, ideally on Dave Letterman’s show, Jay Leno’s show,
or Conan Obrien’s show (1993-2009). If for whatever reason
you absolutely can’t get onto one of these shows to work on
your songs, Jimmy Fallon’s show is an acceptable substitute,
but avoid letting members of The Roots guest on your set.
The Roots, though a perfectly decent group of musicians,
probably won’t be hanging out at the studio where you end
up recording. Developing a dependency on The Roots early
on is fast becoming a classic beginner’s mistake; every day
new bands are finding themselves in the studio days after
doing Fallon, wondering who’s going to add miscellaneous
exotic percussion during the bridge, or who’s going to
reiterate the main vocal melody on a horn during the outro.
Recording
Once the arrangements are locked in and you’ve
weeded out any involvement by The Roots, it’s time
to lay down some tracks. Here are a couple of tips to
help you get the most out of your studio session:
• Keep your smartphone’s Voice Memo app running during
every take. The more expensive and complicated a studio set
up is, the more likely you are to have problems getting everything
to work right – but even if you’re recording on a 4-track
tape deck, you’re still almost guaranteed to lose at least
one take to technical malfunction during the course of your
session. Not if your iPhone is continuously recording! On my
band’s latest album, something like 20% of the guitar ended
up being taken from iPhone recordings after a hard drive
mishap during mixing left us with no alternatives. The reality
is that many people prefer the sound of the iPhone tracks,
with their marvelous compression! In fact, because several
of us were religious about keeping our iPhones recording
in the studio, we had several mic positions to choose from,
and were able to comp together an excellent stereo signal.
the deli_19 fall 2010

• Don’t be afraid to get freaky during solos. Whether you’re
a guitarist, bassist, drummer, or you play one of the many
less-crucial instruments, don’t be afraid to let your freak
flag flutter and flap during solos! Too many musicians
guide their solos down familiar terrain, as though this were
their chance to play a Clapton/Van Halen/Valensi solo a
little worse than the original. Get freaky! The solo is your
chance to freak yourself out, and if you let it pass you by,
not only will your reputation as a freak suffer, but so will the
track. Remember, when you listen to a song, what are you
looking for in a solo? If you’re like most people, you look
to the solo to completely freak you out – to change your
entire sense of what can and should be done with musical
instruments, and to accomplish that in a scary, scary way.
Mixing/Finalizing The Record
Mixing is a scam. It’s the ‘emperor’s clothes’ of music production.
We haven’t mixed a single one of our albums, and you’d never
know it. “This record sounds mixed,” idiots say when they hear
our latest. Oh really? And what exactly does “mixed” sound like?
The Band’s Look
You’ve got the band, the songs, the album – time to nail the
look. There are two basic directions you can take with this:
daring originality or tasteful adherence to the norms of your
scene. The latter is as easy as spending some time with The
Deli’s “Where To Shop” section. The former requires an additional
bit of creative energy, something above and beyond the
actual requirements of music. Think Kiss, Slipknot, Lady Gaga.
Here are a couple of rich veins that have yet to be mined:
• Everybody in the band dresses like Indiana Jones, incl. whips.
• The band dresses like a litter of puppies.
Managers
Managers are great – you’ll want to get as many as you can.
YOU CAN NOT HAVE TOO MANY MANAGERS. A manager
is somebody who goes out there and hustles, gets you deals,
endorsements, great gigs, etc. Better to have an army of such
people than just one or two. My band is currently represented
by 15 managers, none of whom know about each other. The
way we work this is, when one manager gets us a gig, for
example, we tell all of the other managers that the date of the
gig is a “personal day,” and that nothing can be booked then.
The manager who booked the gig gets 15%; nobody else gets
a dime. The worst thing that can ever come of this is that your
band gets conflicting offers from multiple managers. In this
case, simply accept the most lucrative offer and tell the lowerbidding
managers that they need to step up their game, and
that you’ll be taking a “personal day” on the day in question.
the deli_21 fall 2010

the deli_22 fall 2010

The Fans and The Groupies
When it comes to groupies, you can’t be too wary. Although
safe sex is cheaper and easier to achieve than ever before,
lust-clouded brains continue to make foolish decisions in
the heat of the moment, decisions that can sidetrack or even
derail a promising career. The fact is that, no matter what your
new friend tells you, any time you take off your clothes and
get into bed with a stranger and fail to use protection, you can
become pregnant. Are you a girl? I have even worse news for
you. Your chances of becoming pregnant during unprotected
sex are ten times higher than your male counterpart’s.
Here are a couple of myths about sex that personal experience
has shown to be very false indeed:
Myth: You can’t get pregnant after a big spaghetti dinner.
Fact: Although a big spaghetti dinner will probably leave all
parties too lethargic to become aroused, if you do actually
manage to complete the sex act, either or all three of you may
become pregnant.
Myth: If a man has two orgasms over a period of several hours,
the sperm from the second orgasm will hunt down and kill the
first batch of sperm.
Fact: Two orgasms do not “cancel each other out.” Although
the second mob of sperm will hunt down the first mob, and will
fight them to the death, the first orgasm will have contained so
many more sperm that, when the dust has settled, a sufficient
number will remain to complete the pregnancy rite.
Myth: You can’t get pregnant having sex with animals.
Fact: Yeah you can. Steven Tyler, one notorious example, is the
offspring of a man and a pig.
Don’t rely on rumor and old wives’ tales to keep you safe.
Take the time to educate yourself about the many scientific
precautions available thanks to modern medicine. Unless,
like Josh Homme, you want to create an unpaid gang of pick
pockets, car thieves, and pre-teen thugs who grudgingly do
your bidding.
Dealing With Success
If you follow the above advice, chances are good that you
and your band will enjoy success. If you’re at all cognizant
of celebrity culture, you know that success is often the very
thing that destroys careers. My advice for dealing with the
distractions and excesses of success can be boiled down to
a very simple rule, one which I follow almost religiously. It’s
called The Rule of Two. The Rule of Two says that you never
indulge in anything that’s more than twice as big, beautiful,
expensive, or elite as what you’d have been able to get your
hands on if you weren’t famous. You don’t buy a house that’s
more than twice as expensive as the one you used to live in.
You don’t do any more than twice as much cocaine in a sitting
as you might’ve in the old days. You don’t date women who
are more than twice as good-looking as your old girlfriend.
Follow The Rule of Two and you’ll be able to enjoy your
success, instead of letting it enjoy you. Whatever that means.
(I didn’t make up the phrase “letting success enjoy you.”)
the deli_23 fall 2010

specials the deli’s features
Brahms
CMJ 2010
LIVE AT
BROOKLYN
BOWL
10/20/10
www.brahmsband.com
What it is: Dark, delectable electropop
rIYL: New Order, Cut Copy, Depeche Mode
Brahms Away!
By Nancy Chow / Photo by Shawn Brackbill
Clad in black, the gentlemen of
Brahms become purveyors of
dark, delectable electropop that
get the hip masses moving. The band’s
silhouetted figures are dramatically lit
for live performances, which transform
stagnant venue spaces into pulsating
dance floors. On this particular
September evening, the three stylish
men are all coincidentally dressed in
black outside of their Greenpoint
practice space, but their shadowy
presence is not just for show.
“We want to wear black when we play, because starting off as a new
band is like a totally clean slate,” says lead vocalist/percussionist
Cale Parks. “There’s no tropical Hawaiian shirts. There’s no flannels
and beards. There’s none of that. There’s nothing for people to latch
onto. It’s like a blank canvas, or it’s intended to be at first.”
“It’s like an equal plane, and we each individually come out of that,”
adds bassist Eric Lodwick.
Parks, who also plays in the dreamy pop rock band Aloha, originally
enlisted Lodwick of Vulture Realty and guitarist Drew Robinson to
serve as his backing band for his solo CMJ shows last year. After a
few sessions of playing together, however, the dynamic had shifted
beyond a solo project and into a full-fledged, collaborative band.
“We all enjoyed the way we worked together, and the things we
were making together felt the most natural to play,” says Robinson.
“It felt the most natural to slap a new title on it, so we lifted one off
a dead man.”
As of now, the aforementioned deceased, Johannes Brahms, trumps
the band in a quick Google search, but the band has achieved a pretty
high ranking on the first results page. Their nod to the illustrious German
composer may imply that the band plays sweeping orchestral pieces
that occasionally induce waltzing. However, the dancing inspired by the
band is a far cry from anything you would find in a Bavarian court.
the deli_25 fall 2010

“There are things about Brahms’ compositions like really beautiful, extremely lush melodies
and romantic tones,” says Parks when asked if Brahms has any influence on the group’s
music. “He’s the foremost composer of romanticism. We have some admiration and things
that come through with that, but we’re not a tribute band or anything.”
A tribute band it is most definitely not, and even Brahms’ influences get a little murky. No
musical equation successfully summates the trio’s dark electropop, but some comparisons
that can be drawn are to the ever-inspiring New Order, Depeche Mode and Joy Division.
For more contemporary nods, the noise of local bands Cold Cave, Gordon Voidwell, Bear in
Heaven and Twin Shadow can be noted.
The band leverages Parks’ signature percussion expertise with the infectious multi-layered
beats forming the foundation of the songs that mirror the past yet have contemporary overtones.
There are hints of his solo material in Brahms, but the construction of the songs is
tighter and more upbeat: This is an entirely different band.
Pacing bass, strident guitar, entrancing vocal harmonies and escalating synths cement the
Brahms’ original sound, which has only been revealed in four recorded demos. But these
songs have already got people talking since the band’s inception in January. It didn’t hurt
that the trio’s first show was opening for Passion Pit at a sold-out Terminal 5 performance.
“We don’t play for 3,000 people every night,” says Robinson. “No matter who you’re playing
for or what the situation is, the most important thing is just generating something in that
moment. That’s something we strive to do.”
For live performances, the three members stand behind orange-tinted podiums with an
assortment of instruments at their disposal as all of them play multiple musical roles to
recreate their challenging dance grooves. The band doesn’t use backing tracks and manipulates
a drum machine live for their layered beats, says Parks.
“If you want to engage the audience, it’s important to have many ways that you’re sort of hitting
them – you know, appealing to multiple senses,” says Lodwick of their live show. “That’s
aesthetics – sound and all visual elements. It is definitely one element, but it’s not the element.
We want to provide many things for people to take hold of or be interested in.“
Since the band does not have a plethora of released material, new songs crop up on its set
lists and consequently on YouTube. These songs sound more hard-hitting and seductively
decadent, contributing more depth to the trio’s cavernous sound.
When asked what his favorite Brahms song is, Parks replies: “I think there’s a tendency with
anyone for anything creative to when you first are making something, I’m always like, ‘This is
amazing. This is so awesome. This is the best song. This is like, to quote Die Antwoord, “This is
like the coolest song I’ve ever heard.”’ I think [the songs] even out, but right now, I’m so excited
about so many new songs that we’ve been writing and recording, and each time we write one,
I’m like, ‘Oh my god, this is it. This is a banger,’ or ‘Oh my god, this is an ‘80s ballad.’”
Over the summer, whilst their peers were vacationing and enjoying the sweltering heat, the
band kicked off with a tour supporting Passion Pit and Tokyo Police Club and then later hunkered
down in its practice space to work on an album demo. The details of when or how the
new material will be released are up in the air and the band is hesitant to reveal too many
details concerning the new songs.
“[The new material] sounds like a band that’s been together for more than one month, which
was what we were when we recorded those demos,” explains Parks. “Those were very
undeveloped as a band, so we’ll probably readdress some of those songs in newer versions.
There’s a lot more new material that sounds more realized.”
“We more just have the mindset of creating, and we maybe feel like we have some idea of
what we’re creating, but we’re really more in the process of just doing it,” says Robinson when
pressed for more concrete specifics. “We’re a bit too submerged to really tell you objectively.”
By the end of the interview, the sun has set and the darkness of the night eclipses the whole band.
Although they had spent the entire day in their practice space, they trudge back into the brightly lit
building to work on the new set of songs that they will release to a ready and willing audience.
Artist Equipment Check!!!
Line6 DL Delay Modeler
“We use a lot the Line 6 DL4 Delay
Modeler for our delay and echo needs.”
the deli_26 fall 2010

the deli_27 fall 2010
Illustration: I-Nu Yeh (www.inuyeh.com)

the deli_28 fall 2010
Sponsored by:

specials the deli’s features
What it is: An electronic hodge-podge of styles
rIYL: Animal Collective, Dub, Neon Indian
CMJ 2010
LIVE AT
BROOKLYN
BOWL
10/20/10
Keepaway
www.myspace.com/keepaway
Keepaway Camp
Nostalgic and futuristic, childlike and
mature, analog and digital, West and
East Coast: The Brooklyn avant-pop
trio Keepaway straddles these divides and
more. Listening to the band’s debut EP,
“Baby Style,” it’s tough to tell what’s live,
what’s lifted, and what the hell is going on.
Keepaway was born out of two overlapping friendships, one forged
in Massachusetts in the ’90s, the other San Francisco a decade later.
Both involved guitarist Nick Nauman. In addition to Nauman’s guitar,
the band builds its songs with drums, triple-layer vocals, and two MPC
samplers, which it loads with snippets of obscure European records
from the ’60s and ’70s.
By Kenneth Partridge / Photo by Kate Edwards
“Baby Style,” is experimental enough to warrant Animal Collective comparisons
and yet instantly hummable and likable—especially on “I Think
About You All the Time,” where the musicians tone down their tribal
drumming and psych-dub skanking and approach something reminiscent
of early-‘90s pop. On “Yellow Wings,” when they sing of their desire to
“be two places at once,” Nauman and band mates Mike Burakoff and
Frank Lyon aren’t kidding. If anything, they’re selling themselves short.
“I don’t think we’re necessarily going for that mystery,” says Burakoff,
who’s responsible for most of Keepaway’s samples. “It’s cool when a
listener is intrigued by that, I guess, but really we’re trying to make it
blend as best as possible. We’re really conscious about how the sounds
of those acoustic and electronic instruments mix together.”
“We know what works and what doesn’t,” he adds. “I think maybe
down the road, when people are a little more well versed in this kind of
music, it’ll make sense a little more. But for the time being, I don’t think
we’re trying to pull any magic tricks. We’re just trying to blend together
the deli_29 fall 2010

the different styles of music-making we all possess.”
Burakoff developed his style alongside Nauman, a childhood friend from
Arlington, Massachusetts. Theirs has always been a creative relationship,
and before they started jamming, they would build Lego “death chambers,”
as Nauman remembers, and shoot their own TV shows. As teenagers, they
discovered crust punk and alternative rock, and pairing Nauman’s electric
guitar with Burakoff’s synths and electronic beats, they penned songs good
enough to win them first prize at their high school battle of the bands.
“It was kind of what we’re doing now, only what a 17-year-old would
make,” Nauman says.
After graduation, Burakoff went to Hampshire College, in Amherst, and
Nauman headed to Wesleyan University, the Connecticut school where
MGMT and Santigold got their starts. While there, Nauman met Lyon, an
aspiring multi-instrumentalist two years his senior. The two weren’t exactly
friends, but they remembered each other a couple of years later, when
Nauman’s Wesleyan band, Balloon, shared a bill with Snowblink, the group
Lyon had joined after graduating in 2005 and moving to San Francisco.
This time, they struck up a friendship, and one day, after he’d returned to
California, Lyon received a fateful call.
“The moment I thought things might work out with Nick was when he
called me when I was living in San Francisco,” Lyon says. “He still lived
on the East Coast, and he wanted to see if I liked it there. It was a very
sincere, straight-shooting move that showed a lot of heart and a lot of
gumption. I thought, ‘You know, I really missed out on this Nick dude.’”
Nauman wound up moving to San Francisco in November 2007, and he
and Lyon began writing songs. While Lyon had been doing the acoustic
singer-songwriter thing, he was also developing an interest Muslimgauze
and Broadcast—experimental electronic groups he’d learned about while
working at Aquarius Records.
“It’s the best record store in America, in my opinion, in terms of diversity,”
Lyon says. “The guys that run it have really voracious interest in different
sounds and things like that. I pretty much moved back to New York because
I thought it would be easier to be in a band that sounded like Broadcast.”
By the time Lyon relocated to Brooklyn, in August 2008, Nauman had
already been back a couple of months. The guitarist had reconnected
with Burakoff, who had also landed in New York City, and Lyon dug what
the duo was composing.
“It was a happy coincidence Mike and I had been collaborating with Nick
within four months of each other,” Lyon says.
of ‘08. Nick’s sign in the musical zodiac is unquestionably guitar, and
Mike is truly gifted with electronics. I’m a bit slipperier, or at least was
at the time, so I used that flexibility to give the band what I thought it
needed: more percussive crust, deeper harmonies, and maybe a little bit
more a of a dance sensibility on stage.”
The twin-sampler set-up left Nauman, the man responsible for bringing the
group together, with arguably Keepaway’s hardest job. As the lone conventional
musician, he’s had to figure out ways to complement the found
sounds chopped up and stitched together by his mad-scientist band mates.
“The guitar is such a powerful instrument in most contexts, and I think
one of the most serious dynamics of our band is trying to balance power
between the three of us, personality-wise and music-wise,” Nauman says.
On “Baby Style,” released in June on Lefse Records, Keepaway manages
a restrained eclecticism. The EP has emerged a bona fide blogger
fave, and even Pitchfork deemed “Yellow Wings” a 9. The band recently
recorded a song with Sunny Levine, the man behind records by everyone
from the Happy Mondays to Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, and it hopes to
work with the Los Angeles producer on its full-length debut.
“We certainly didn’t expect the EP, which was such a briefly executed
first go-round by a supremely young, probably unripe band, to go as far
as it has,” Nauman says. “So our more modest goals for the full length
are to make music that reflects our growth in band togetherness, and
our lofty ones are to slam the crap out of critical expectations and make
Lady Gaga seem like the stuff your grandma listens to when she makes
cottage cheese salads.”
Burakoff, the real tech-head in the bunch, expresses his aims in the language
of wave propagation.
“I think ‘Baby Style’ was getting everything out on the table and using
the puzzle pieces we already had from prior arrangements, and kind of
a cool interference pattern got formed by that,” he says. “But now we’re
realizing the areas where that interference pattern is more beautiful and
more succinct and stronger and exploring those, knowing how the music
sounds live, and how it sounds on vinyl, recorded.”
“We’re more willing to take a distinct emotional stab,” Burakoff adds. “I
think it’s less experimental at this point and more practiced.”
Artist Equipment Check!!!
Contributing to the new songs meant playing drums and sampler, instruments
he’d dabbled in over the years.
“I had already done some drumming in several of my previous bands, but
it was always much more auxiliary than what I do with Keepaway,” Lyon
says. “In this case it was just sort of clear that it was the most central
strength I had to offer what Mike and Nick had developed in the summer
Akai APC40
“We use the Akai APC40 to trigger clips
out of Live these days. It lays out clips
visually on a grid so we can spend less
time looking at our laptop.”
the deli_30 fall 2010

Follow The Deli's Marathon Runners
Cover 50+ Emerging Artists!
Our writers Alex and Dale will blog about the most exciting
emerging artists playing the CMJ Marathon at: www.thedelimagazine.com
The Deli's
NYC INDIE
Charts
october
2010
Full charts at:
nyc.thedelimagazine.com
/top300
The Deli’s Web Charts are open to all
bands (not only Deli subscribers) and
allow you to quickly browse through
musical genres and local scenes and
get an idea of how popular each indie
artist is according to data gathered from
the web (not from our own site.) Emerging
Bands use them to find like minded
artists to network and play with; Bloggers,
A&Rs and Booking Agents to keep
updated with the scene. Your band can
join them here:
www.thedelimagazine.com/signup.
Indie Rock
1. The Walkmen
2. The National
3. Yeasayer
4. Matt and Kim
5. Sonic Youth
6. Dirty Projectors
7. Yeah Yeah Yeahs
8. Blonde Redhead
9. Animal Collective
10. Grizzly Bear
11. Interpol
12. Marnie Stern
13. Twin Shadow
14. Les Savy Fav
15. Rasputina
16. A Place to Bury Strangers
17. Noveller
18. Fang Island
19. Delicate Steve
20. Highlife
Psych Rock
1. Prince Rama
2. School of Seven Bells
3. White Hills
4. Julian Lynch
5. Endless Boogie
6. The Pains of Being Pure...
7. Bear In Heaven
8. The Raveonettes
9. Panda Bear
10. Blank Dogs
11. TV on the Radio
12. Ducktails
13. Real Estate
14. The Rassle
15. The Antlers
16. Suckers
17. Frankie Rose and the Outs
18. White Magic
19. The Depreciation Guild
20. Big Troubles
Indie Pop
1. Broken Bells
2. MGMT
3. Vampire Weekend
4. Miniature Tigers
5. Dark Dark Dark
6. The Drums
7. Fun
8. As Tall As Lions
9. SUPERCUTE!
10. Ra Ra Riot
11. Rufus Wainwright
12. Sufjan Stevens
13. Status Green
14. Darwin Deez
15. Deluka
16. Ava Luna
17. Santigold
18. Beach Fossils
19. Chappo
20. Sherlocks Daughter
Roots/Alt Folk
1. Brendan James
2. CocoRosie
3. Regina Spektor
4. Sharon Jones and the
5. Cat Power
6. Forest Fire
7. Diane Birch
8. River City Extension
9. Punch Brothers
10. Nina Nastasia
11. Deer Tick
12. Bright Eyes
13. Antony and the Johnsons
14. Devendra Banhart
15. Daniel Merriweather
16. Trixie Whitley
17. Sharon Van Etten
18. Phosphorescent
19. The Spring Standards
20. Titus Andronicus
Alt Rock
1. The Energy
2. Chris Sotiri
3. Stereo Skyline
4. The Handful
5. Steel Train
6. The Gay Blades
7. Alberta Cross
8. Brand New
9. Jesse Malin
10. Lights Resolve
11. Washington Square Park
12. This Condition
13. Star Fucking Hipsters
14. Semi Precious Weapons
15. We Are Scientists
16. The Hold Steady
17. Earl Greyhound
18. Screaming Females
19. Bouncing Souls
20. The Handsome Devil
Electronic
1. The Hundred in the Hands
2. Moby
3. Holy Ghost!
4. Sleigh Bells
5. Teengirl Fantasy
6. Matthew Dear
7. Ratatat
8. LCD Soundsystem
9. A-Trak
10. French Horn Rebellion
11. Oneohtrix Point Never
12. El-P
13. !!!
14. Small Black
15. Arp
16. Blondes
17. Scissor Sisters
18. No Bra
19. Battles
20. Au Revoir Simone
the deli_31 fall 2010

the deli_32 fall 2010

specials the deli’s features
What it is: Upbeat psych-pop with
memorable verses and choruses
rIYL: The Kinks, The Black Lips
CMJ 2010
LIVE AT
SPIKE HILL
10/23/10
Don’t Blow It Again
Electric Tickle Machine
www.electricticklemachine.com
By Jen Chang / Photo by Michael De Leon
Ok, let’s be serious. Electric Tickle Machine are Tom (vocals, guitar), Ryan (keyboards), Clark (percussion)
and a rotating drummer. They are my friends and I’ll concede that some objectivity is thrown out the window.
I will say though, for posterity’s sake, that I have lots of other friends in bands and most of them are
terrible. There’s something brazen and stubborn about ETM but miraculously it’s more refreshing than off-putting.
Over the course of the past two years, I have seen them play more than a dozen times everywhere from Santos
Party House to the Glasslands Gallery. I’ve seen them play on a boat and at absurd art parties with haut-burlesque
and clowns. They always have a lot of girls dancing in the front and Clark, the “hype-man,” usually breaks
his tambourine in a fit of dance rapture. Actually, they all look possessed when they play. This is a good thing.
I could toss around a phrase like real, New York
rock and roll to describe Electric Tickle Machine
but rock star is something they spell with sequins
on belts at the mall. It’s something that is too
often associated with a haircut, or a hand gesture,
and not an actual feeling. In spirit, ETM
perform with a combination of boyish sincerity
and adult abandon. Their psych-pop pomp is
definitely interesting to watch. They make lots of
people shake their bodies and generally, these
people seem to be actually enjoying themselves.
It’s weird. Tom Tickle sings and shouts with equal
fervor. While some of his sentiments and melodies
are sweet, there’s a fuck-all undercurrent of
desperation. Think Iggy Pop and Roky Erickson
with a little Roy Orbison thrown in for good measure.
Ryan Renn has a mighty synthesizer arsenal
at his command. He plays bass lines with his
right hand and noise and hooks with his left. His
sounds are like a combination of Silver Apples,
Fiery Furnaces and Wendy Carlos covering Bach.
There’s some wizard in him. Add Clark, a 6’5’’
roaming percussionist/hype man (occasionally in
6 inch platforms), some loud, slacker guitar and
chugging drums, and you find yourself in a neon
snow globe of “neo-cowboy surrender music.”
Electric Tickle Machine self-released their first
album, “Blew It Again,” in the U.S. in June of
this year and it was also released in Japan
via Vinyl Junkie. According to Tom Tickle,
“One label insinuated that they’d sign us if
we changed our name. We decided to go it
ourselves and it’s been trying at times, but on
the whole it’s felt good to stick to our guns
and keep control of the project.” The album
cover, conceived by Clark and Vice contributing
photographer Mike De Leon, features a young
woman with a crooked smile and an exposed
nipple. It’s sweet, soft-core Americana. “It’s not
like it’s a gigantic fake tit,” says Tom. Well said.
It is worth acknowledging the challenging nature
of the band’s name. Many people seem to hate
it and the band refuses to change it. They’ll
point you to their website where you can read
a long-winded explanation of what the name
actually means. It reads, in part, “You can’t
tickle yourself. It’s laughter born from torture. It
is the sound of forced glee with an undercurrent
of pain and vulnerability. We’re all tied to tickle
machines, and it’s high time we redefined our
relationship with the fingers.” They do concede
that the name defense has grown tiresome.
A recent tweet declared, “from now on, we’re
called Toothpaste and we tweet pictures of
over-sized kittens and talk about how much
we like smoking weed.” Minutes later: “My cat
looks so cute right now. How could I not give
him the other half of my burrito?”
Musically, “Blew It Again,” is a melodic romp
through American garage, psychedelia and
country. “Part of Me” is the poppiest song on
the record begins, “Part of me dies when you’re
not around, Part of me comes to life when you’re
not around,” and is crooned over the verses with
hand claps and group choruses of “Ba Da Das.”
Sounding like a modern Troggs, it’s a happy
song that is at the same time a little strange.
“Gimme Money” goes in the opposite direction
and has a sleazy strut. “Gimme Money, I see
something that I want! It’s My Gun!,” etc. The
synthesizer work on the album’s most ambitious
and lengthiest song, “Ask Me Anything,” reminds
me of Animal Collective until the song resolves
in slow organ and emotional rock and roll.
“Blew It Again” has ten tracks clock in at under
a half hour (perfect for the attention-challenged)
and sound best loud, and in headphones. There
are many production twists and turns that aren’t
immediately audible and provide pleasant surprises
with repeat listens. I recommend buying
it on vinyl, but if you’re a recession stricken, It’s
streaming on their website, or you can torrent it
(they say they don’t mind).
Whether you like it or not, chances are you’ll
remember their name. Are you curious?
Artist Equipment Check!!!
roland SP-404 Sampler
“Beyond the obvious
instruments, clark
recently got a Roland
404 sampler that we’ve
loaded with synth noise
for extra texture in
some of our songs.”
the deli_33 fall 2010

specials
CMJ 2010
LIVE AT
THE
DELANCEY
10/19/10
What it is: Good old-fashioned rock and roll for the new millennium
rIYL: The Ramones, Arcade Fire, Jesus and Mary Chain
The Young And The rassless
I’ve known—and loved—the various members of
The Rassle for almost a decade now. I shared a
writing workshop with lead singer Blair Van Nort
and instantly recognized him as the most talented
author in the class. No wonder the lyrics for The
Rassle are both familiar and penetrating.
Guitarist Reed Van Nort came into my life shortly after, a young musical
prodigy who handed me a demo he had made in his apartment at the age
of 16. Drummer Erik Ratensperger and bassist Mark Solomich were guys I’d
seen around, touring with their old bands (The Virgins and The Takeover UK,
respectively). These four fun loving have only been touring for a few months,
but they’ve already gained a huge following in and around New York City.
Who would win in a fight between the Van nort brothers and the
Gallagher brothers? A dance off?
reed: Clearly the Gallagher brothers. Those guys are hooligans...Very
talented hooligans.
Blair: I plead “No contest,” sir.
If you could describe your band using only the title of a TV show,
what would it be?
reed: Boy Meets World.
erik: The A-Team.
Mark: On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.
Blair: The Young & the Restless.
Which was the song that, as you were creating it, made you feel like
you had found the right sound for The rassle?
reed: I’d definitely have to say “Wild Ones.” It was the first song we wrote
and recorded when we got together in our apartment. I don’t necessarily
think we knew who we were yet as a band or exactly what we wanted to
be. But, I certainly knew what sort of music I didn’t want to be making.
erik: I think rather than us finding “the right sound,” it was really about
learning our creative process as a new band. We’re not set on any particular
sound though—we just want to write good songs.
The Rassle
www.myspace.com/therassle
By Noah Forrest
Mark: I don’t think you ever find the right sound. It’s an endless quest.
You’ve already gained quite a following despite only playing shows
for a few months. To what do you attribute that early success?
Mark: Working hard, keeping our noses down, just trying to win games,
listening to coach, and getting through the season.
erik: Honestly, I just think it’s cool to see that people really seem to like
our songs. That’s all you can ask for really.
For each of you, what was the first album you remember buying/
listening to?
reed: The first album I really remember listening to is “Automatic for the
People” in the early ’90s. My mom was a huge R.E.M fan.
erik: Early Tom Petty records that my parents would spin at home. My
older sister also had a couple Iron Maiden LPs, though I dug Ed Repka’s
artwork more than the band’s music.
Mark: I’d like to say Nirvana or Fugazi but the cold hard truth is Phil
Collins No Jacket Required. “Sususido” is a helluva song.
Blair: I remember dancing around to “Born in the USA” as a young kid.
That’s probably my first music memory. Come to think of it we could definitely
take Liam & Noel in a dance off if we had to.
If you could sum up the band in one lyric from your own song, what
would it be?
Blair: Celebrate the days if it’s all you got.
reed: Full Speed Ahead.
Artist Equipment Check!!!
Fulltone OCD
iPhone
“The only pedals I use are a Boss Digital
Delay and a Fulltone OCD overdrive and
of course a Boss Chromatic Tuner. Live,
Erik’s iphone is very useful: all of our
keyboard parts are coming from there
straight to DI.”
the deli_34 fall 2010

THREE DAY
THRESHOLD
Good Country Gone Bad.
www.threedaythreshold.com
new album out on i-tunes
the deli_35 fall 2010

the snacks other noteworthy NYC artists to check out
Brad Oberhofer’s self taught, lo-fi post-punk has
won his musical project, Oberhofer, quite a lot of praise
lately, and that praise is earned, as the music is a frantic,
energetic, and ultimately satisfying treat. Each song
is laced with manic drums, quirky melodies and sharp,
angular guitar riffs that give way to pensive moments
of xylophone, keys and samples. There’s sing-along
“oohs” and “whoa’s,” and choral hooks like that on
“Landline” that will forever be stuck in your head. Comparisons can certainly
be made to the likes of Wavves or Beach Fossils, but Oberhofer owes as
much to reverb-heavy punk- pop as it does to the carefully crafted indie-pop
of Spoon or MGMT. For a bedroom project (complete with a backing band in
the live setting), Oberhofer sounds surprisingly huge on record, with layers
of instrumentation and vocals that belie the solo status of this talented oneman
project. See them Live at The Deli’s Party on 10.20 at Brooklyn Bowl.
myspace.com/oberhofermusic (W.D.)
Darlings play a brand of mischievous lo-fi garage
pop that has the potential to fill you with a sense of
nostalgia for your wilder days (assuming your youth
has passed at this point), or, if you’re still young, that
remind you of recent parties you’ve attended and
done something spontaneous (or stupid) at. The band
meshes perfect melodies with scrappy, gritty instrumentation
and whimsical lyrics about amusing situations,
as in the infectious and literal “Eviction Party”. The band, however,
is more than just a playful good time. They are also incredibly tight, with a
knack for subtle and intricate guitar and rhythm parts, and they’re not afraid
to get a bit noisy if it feels right. Myspace.com/darlingsokay (Bill Dvorak)
Sometimes you stumble upon a song that literally
freezes time, stops your day - I guess that’s why they
say “arresting”. Lia Ices’ voice and songs commend
attention like only great singer songwriters do.
If her live show delivers what this video promises, the
lady is going to blow up within a year. (Lia Ices will
play live at The Knit in NYC with JJ - the show is sold
out). Myspace.com/liaices (Paolo De Gregorio)
The Tony Castles hooked up at Skidmore
College, before making the trek, like so many before
them, to Brooklyn, just some two years after they
graduated. It’s a familiar tale, but these guys aren’t
just another artsy student band. Sure, their music
has some world beat flavors that somewhat reflects
the direction indie pop has taken towards (read:
Vampire Weekend), but Tony Castles are anything
but familiar. Just check out their track ‘Pirates’ that’s been circulating the
web for some time now: a delicious, six minute spaced out jam. Apparently
it’s a demo, which suggests these guys could be scarily good, and
hugely successful. Myspace.com/thetonycastles (Dean Van Nguyen)
Twin Sister’s idyllic songs are the stuff that
dreams are made of. It’s really the pacifying effect
of the thick viscosity of Andrea Estella’s breathy
voice that hints of Chan Marshall’s smoky pipes
paired with the band’s hazy lo-fi warmth that get
listeners caught up in reveries. On Twin Sister’s
follow-up EP Color Your Life, the band expands its
sonic palette with a diverse array of haunting tracks.
From the disco-influenced “All Around and Away We Go” to the sleepy
romanticism of “Lady Daydream,” the band is able to manipulate different
structures and mark them with its signature sound. Regardless of their
genre leaps, listeners will never want to wake up from the aural dream
world they’ve created. Myspace.com/twinsisterband (Nancy Chow)
NYC electro-dance and pop duo The Hundreds
In The Hands, “came together” on the road,
“playing one another tracks in a van,” that ranged from
disco, to French house to post punk music gods like
NewOrder and The Cure. Call it Kerouacian inspiration
because upon returning home they wrote the upbeat,
guitar-screeching “Dressed in Dresden.” These two
just released their self-titled LP (on Warp Records) with
dance heavy tracks that offer energy and clap happy, basement-feel sounds.
Starting off with the slower-building “Young Aren’t Young,” and progressing
into the catchy “Pigeons,” it’s clear that THITH are doing that DIY thing and
doing it well. They are also good at making tracks that really make you just
want to dance. Myspace.com/thehundredinthehands (Vann Alexandra)
Class Actress’ debut EP “Journal of Ardency,”
which was released on Grizzly Bear Chris Taylor’s
Terrible Records, brilliantly honors ‘80s new wave
but looks forward with a discerning eye. Elizabeth
Harper, the heavenly voice behind Class Actress, Scott
Rosenthal and producer Mark Richardson extrapolate
the best elements from the past and carefully construct
modern electro-pop masterpieces. From the sexy,
slithering romp “Journal of Ardency” to the breezy, sweet serenade “Let Me
Take You Out,” the band flexes its wide range of abilities. The songs maintain
the perfect balance of alluring vibrancy and dark undertones, and this lethal
combination forces listeners to play the EP on repeat. The beats will infiltrate
listeners’ minds, Harpers’ voice will entrance them, and the sparkling synths
will stay in their hearts. Myspace.com/elizabethharper (Nancy Chow)
the deli_36 fall 2010

Loud Rock Corner
The flames of early post hardcore are burning
strong on Descender’s eponymous
six-track introduction to the world. Creating
music that is well versed in the tradition of NYC
underground heaviness, this unit does a solid
job in projecting a relentless sense of immediacy
with enough lung-ripping refrains that stick in
your head for days while implementing the kind
of Sick of it All-esque moments of infectious
melody that call for immediate pile-ons (“Crooked Teeth”). Fusing the
indomitable spirit of DIY hardcore with a jagged blend of modern hardcore
punk brutality and indie rock dexterity, Descender has developed a
specific strand of blunt heaviness that doles out qualities that you can still
feel fine about throwing elbows to with rounds of stellar musicianship that
transcend the throw back tag. www.descendernyc.com (Mike SOS)
Self-professed hard rock psyche metal troupe
Thinning The Herd are hands down one of
the most hard working and visible rock units working
the Big Apple scene, as it’s difficult to not see
their stickers plastered everywhere while romping
through the Lower East Side or not run into them
on any heavy music bill in the Gotham City clubs.
Luckily this NYC trio backs their massive guerilla
marketing campaign and ubiquitous presence up
with a musical output that warrants all the fuss as evident on their latest
endeavor, the massive eight-track OCEANS RISE. Honestly labeling their
music, this act lays down a thunderous backbeat that shares as much
with Blue Cheer as it does Soundgarden while a dastardly amalgamation
of doomy blues (“Plight”), fuzzed-out psychedelics (“Defiler”), grungy
post metal (“Wide Crossing”), and ‘70s arena rock (“My Wake”) pours from
the bass and guitar like a molten lava mix of Danzig, Melvins, and Kyuss.
Skillfully carving melodies from primal slabs of meat and potatoes rock
while showcasing a fierce fearlessness to jam out whenever they please,
TTH retains a sense of savagery without sacrificing catchiness, in turn
creating a smorgasbord of sound that any self-respecting fan of heavy
music won’t be able to deny. Myspace.com/castrosbeard (Mike SOS)
NYC Top 5 Indie Hip Hop Artists
By brokeMC
The New York City independent Hip Hop scene is a vibrant community
of talented, conscientious, positive artists. The styles range
from aggressive abstract art-rap to classic native tongue boom
bap. Think of the five artists listed below as a springboard; most
of them offer free albums and EP’s on their respective websites. Give
them each a listen and if you like what you hear, dig a little deeper.
Homeboy Sandman No one rhymes like this cat. His flow stretches
and bends ferociously around meticulously vetted beats from NYC’s most
promising new producers. Natural and carefree melodies erupt sporadically
and drag you deeper into the rhythms. His energy is palpable - check
out his album, “The Good Sun” out now. www.homeboysandman.com
YC The Cynic This guy is pretty new to the scene, but he’s gained
a lot of attention in a very short amount of time. I’m positive that by
next year at this time, he’ll be a household name. His flow, delivered
casually with a shrug and a smirk, will draw you in and hold you until
you see things his way. YC is one of those rare MCs who can boast
in his rhymes and you don’t mind. Myspace.com/ycthecynic
Metermaids These cats have established themselves as the
forerunners of the indie-rock remix mixtape race. Their website
is packed with free downloads of remixes of your favorite bands
from Animal Collective to Sufjan Stevens to Portugal, the Man.
Swell and Sentence bring lyrics to the table that rub the grit of NYC
streets into the heart of Rumi. www.metermaidsnyc.com
Deathrow Tull W.M.D. DuBois and Rude Humanist are the
two MCs who helm this raucous electro-funk outfit. Their combined
energy onstage is rumored to cause blackouts at unprepared venues.
These cats aren’t content with you just nodding your head along;
they want you dancing. It’s only later on that you realize that they may
have said something awesome as well. www.deathrowtull.com
Nyle And The Naysayers Nyle made headlines a couple years
back when Kanye put his “Let the Beat Build” video up on his blog.
Since then, the kid has been everywhere from the Brooklyn Hip Hop
Fest to MTV. His crowd is mostly 20-somethings thanks to his gratuitous
nods to NYU (his alma mater), but his talent and energy are undeniable.
Old school flavors and an amazing live band quickly morph his
shows into sweaty dance pits. www.nyleraps.com/wordpress
the deli_37 fall 2010

the deli_39 fall 2010

kitchen a local studio
Complete Music
Studios
Rehearsing in Brooklyn
Can Be Comfortable
By Paolo De Gregorio
Mike Marozas started a cartage
company soon after high school in
1985 and after 4 years spent building
connections, in 1989 opened the Complete
Music rehearsal studio/storage facility on 26th
St. in Chelsea, attractig clients that included
David Bowie, Lou Reed, and Keith Richards.
In 2000, with 7 years left on the Chelsea lease he started looking for a
building in Brooklyn, with plans to buy it: in 2001 he found what he was
looking for in Prosepct Heights (on St Marks Ave.), and waited for the
neighborhood to catch up. In April 2004 he decided to try 3 small rooms;
things worked out, also because many musicians and Chelsea clients had
already moved to Brooklyn. Currently Complete Music is one of the few
“upscale” but still affordable, by the hour rehearsal studio in Brooklyn.
The 24/7 warehouse-share type of studios are all a function of space and
the cost of space.
They can be very inexpensive when 3 bands are sharing a $1500, 400 sqft
studio. Then it’s all about whose drums, what time slots you get, how much
gear do you feel safe leaving there. At $500 a month you can get 20 hrs
of time in the least expensive room, change a rehearsal time if something
comes up. So which are you more comfortable with? Many bands will switch
to the hourly set up “when they can afford it,” or want to afford it. Also all of
these facilities are just renting space, they don’t own the buildings, leases are
finite. I have also noticed a few hourly spot open up around Brooklyn, they all
seem to be recording studios with extra space or under-utilized space.
Who are the most successful artists who used your facilities?
They include in no particular order: The National, John Legend, LCD
Sound System, Citizen Cope, St Vincent, The Hold Steady, They Might Be
Giants, Oh Land!, Holy Ghost, Sufjan Stevens, Maxwell, Chrome, Living
Colour, Antibalas, Estelle,Santigold, Care Bears on Fire.
24/7 rehearsal studios have become extremely popular in North
Brooklyn and Gowanus, while rent-by-the hour ones seem to be more
popular in Manhattan? What made you thinka bout opening your
studio in Prospect Heights?
Prospect Heights is all about location, it is very accessible, 2/3, Q/B, C &
G are all nearby. Park Slope, Ft. Greene are all adjacent neighborhoods.
Also it’s 15 minutes to drive to the Lower East Side and there is parking
available everywhere. There are no other large scale rehearsal facilities
like Complete Music outside of Manhattan and I was very lucky that many
Chelsea clients came out here with me.
What’s the advantage of renting by the hour vs. having a 24/7 walk in
situation?
Do you have plans to expand to other neighborhoods or services?
I don’t think so. First I think I have pushed out as far as one can go,
geographically. And second, I would never open a business without
owning the building, I could never buy this building today. Being a small
business owner you can’t make the numbers work anymore on this kind
of business in New York. It’s too bad, but I’ll be here as long as I have
good staff and musicians still live in New York.
www.completemusic.com
the deli_40 fall 2010

BRAND NEW RECORD!
QUILT
ON TOUR! - DATES AT:
VINYL FOR SALE AT:
backwordsmusic.net
backwords.bandcamp.com
“Joyous and playful... Sun, rain, snow– whatever the weather,
‘QUILT’ will strike in you the urge to go out and enjoy it.” -FensePost
*
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the deli_41 fall 2010

kitchen recording equipment news
Shure SM7B: A Secret Dynamic Weapon
www.shure.com
By Michael Vecchio
noticed that SM7B’s are used as vocal mics in the “Live From Abbey Road”
series. Obviously, the SM7B is detailed and smooth enough to be used as a
top quality vocal mic. But what I find interesting about the SM7B is that it’s
a dynamic mic (as opposed to the other two main types of microphones—
condenser and ribbon), and dynamic mics are not the usual choice for
vocals. For the most part, engineers choose condensers on vocals to get
maximum clarity and accuracy. However, many engineers choose the SM7B
as a vocal mic over highly regarded condenser mics in their arsenal. The fact
that it can rival top condensers on vocals speaks volumes about its quality.
SM7B is also an excellent all-around mic because it is dynamic. Dynamic
mics are able to handle very high sound pressure levels, which is why
they are used as close mics on drums or on loud speaker cabinets. For
this reason, the SM7B is also a known choice for amps and drums,
especially for the all-important kick and snare.
Engineers and recording studios have certain favorite pieces of gear that are
referred to as “secret weapons.” What’s a “secret weapon,” you ask? It’s
an inexpensive, but super high-quality piece of gear that people generally
either don’t know about or disregard because of its low price tag. Without a
doubt the greatest of the recording industry’s secret weapons is the Shure
SM7B. It is a staple in the mic closet of every great studio in the world.
For starters, at Clinton Recording Studios we used our SM7B to record
vocals for Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow and Dr. John, and I recently saw a video
of Scott Weiland using an SM7B to record vocals on “Big Bang Baby.” I also
Another feature of the SM7B is its superb off-axis rejection—in other
words, it has a very focused, directional pickup. This quality comes in
handy if you’re recording in a space without a lot of isolation (hence,
the use of SM7B’s for vocals in the “Live From Abbey Road” show), or if
you’re trying to close mic a single drum in a set.
The SM7B is an amazing all-around mic that offers all of the benefits of
a dynamic mic with all of the quality of a condenser. And its low price of
$349 puts it firmly in the “secret weapon” category. For more information
visit www.shure.com.
Delicious Audio’s
History and Construction
of The Drum Kit
By Michael Vecchio
The Deli’s Pro Audio satellite site Delicious Audio is presenting a video
series covering the history of the drum. Go to Delicious-Audio.com to
see the first of a three-part segment on vintage drums. The interview
was shot at Steve Maxwell Vintage and Custom Drum Shop on 48th
street in Manhattan with store manager and vintage drum expert Jess Birch. This
segment covers “History and Construction.” Keep an eye out for parts 2 and 3 in
following online posts, which will deal with “Heads and Tuning” and “Cymbals.”
Watch the video at
www.delicious-audio.com!
10 jay street, suite 405 brooklyn, ny 11201
w w w . J L M S O U N D . c o m
7 1 8 7 9 7 0 1 7 7
m a k i n g t h e w o r l d a b e t t e r s o u n d i n g p l a c e .
the deli_42 fall 2010

kitchen recording equipment news
Fulltone
Full-Drive 2 MOSFeT
www.fulltone.com
Review by Howard Stock
at the heart of vintage overdrive pedals, and vintage generally equals
good for guitarists. They aren’t stuck with it, though: The Fulldrive 2
throws in a switch that toggles between MOSFET and standard modes.
The Full-Drive 2’s controls are relatively simple: volume, tone, overdrive
and boost knobs, plus two switches, CompCut/FM/Vintage and
afore-mentioned MOSFET/standard selector. Despite its placement, the
MOSFET/standard switch works whether the boost footswitch is engaged
or not. The standard mode is voiced very nicely, but the MOSFET mode
adds a little richness, a crackle around the edges, that guitarists going
easy on the gain may well prefer.
On the other side of the pedal, a three-way switch navigates between
CompCut, FM and Vintage. CompCut is effectively a clean boost; it
doesn’t add much grit but it punches a tube amp into overdrive. Just take
into account the boost in volume.
FM adds some dirt, but not too much. For players who look for an articulate
overdrive that spices things up without overpowering them, this is
probably the best mode. Vintage goes the whole hog, with plenty of mids
and a classic rock growl that cuts through the mix very nicely and should
satisfy old-school classic rock purists.
Fulltone’s Full-Drive 2 is a classic overdrive pedal reinvented 10 years
after the original was released, with technology from decades early.
The MOSFET, for metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, was
The boost switch is handy for solos, piling on the pounds to make those
lead lines really sing, and can really thicken up rhythm guitar lines if a song
calls for both articulation and a solid battleaxe thunk. The pedal would
sound awesome without it, but the boost function adds a layer of utility
that makes the Full-Drive a key piece of kit, worthy of its two-pedal footprint
on a pedal board. In a market over-saturated by boutique overdrive
pedals, the Fulldrive stands shoulder to shoulder with the best of ’em.
the deli_43 fall 2010

Check out the deli’s
audio equipment blog!
www.delicious-audio.com
At Mars Amplification
Filmosound Specialist
www.atmarsamps.com
At Mars is a boutique guitar amp maker out of Minnesota. Their flagship
product is the “Filmosound” amp. “Filmosound” was the branding on the
audio amplifiers from vintage Bell & Howell film projectors. At Mars takes
the chassis from these units and builds a point to point circuit from scratch.
Point to point means no circuit boards, which means a cleaner signal path.
The most common model of Filmosound is “The Specialist.” The amp is
loosely based on the circuit in the original Fender Deluxe Amps (the tweed
deluxe 5E3). It’s a 15 watt head, with one volume and one tone knob.
That’s one major difference from the original tweeds, which had a normal
and a bright channel. I usually translated those two channels as single coil
(normal) and humbucker (bright).
I got my hands on one during a trip to Minneapolis for a gig. I got to play
the amp on stage, and then brought it home to New York to test in the
studio. You’ve heard people say “this amp packs a lot of punch into a
small package” a million times. But seriously, I put this little guy on top
of a Marshall 4x12 cabinet, and played in a 500 person venue (without
adding anything to the monitors). It rocked! Then, I brought it home on the
plane, and was able to carry it! It fit in the overhead bin more comfortably
than anyone else’s baggage!!
I played a nice custom shop Strat for the live show, and I’ve never heard
single coils sound so good. The signature “bite” was there, but with a meaty,
low-mid punch rarely heard from a stock Fender. The amp displays an
amazing sensitivity to picking and strumming dynamics, typical of “Class A”
type amps. The volume increases quickly from 0 to 3 on the dial, and from
there you are gradually adding more gain (overdrive) than volume. When you
hit 8 to 10, something really cool happens. The volume actually decreases
a bit, as you get this highly compressed, spongy, saturated distortion. Think
Neil Young “Hey Hey, My My” or countless other Crazy Horse recordings.
If you’re looking for a loud, clean tone on stage you might want to stick
with your Fender Twin. But the beauty of this small amp is the way you’re
able to get to the “sweet spot” of tube distortion at a reasonable volume.
Compare this to a Marshall or a Mesa Boogie where you’re hard pressed
to get the master volume past 1.5 in most situations: you’re not “pushing”
the amp hard enough to put any strain on the power tubes and hear the
amplifier’s optimal operating range.
the deli_44 fall 2010

kitchen recording equipment news
Arturia
Jupiter-8V Soft Synth
www.arturia.com
Review by Michael Vecchio
sounds to chirpy arpeggiated sounds a la “Hungry Like the Wolf.” Can
you tell I worship that album? So great, let’s go buy one! Woops… an
original vintage Jupiter 8 goes for about $7,000.
Fortunately Arturia has created a soft synth version for us called the
Jupiter-8V that has fully won people over. In fact, it’s so amazing that Mr.
Jupiter 8 himself, Howard Jones, has given it his endorsement. It sports
all of the same modules as the original (LFO, two VCO’s, filters and envelopes,
of course the famous arpeggiator, etc.), plus the folks at Arturia
have added some new things—various LFO types, a step sequencer, a
suite of built-in effects and more.
I downloaded the demo and I had a blast flipping through the presets and
making my own sounds. That’s a great headspace to be in when you’re
making music. After all, the most important thing about a piece of gear is
whether it inspires you to create.
So what’s the downside? Well, my experience using analog synths versus
virtual synths is that the virtual instruments generally lack a certain “grit.” I
don’t know how else to say it other than that the real thing creates subtle
anomalies that are pleasing, whereas the virtual examples seem just a
tad cleaner. But you might consider that a good thing, depending on your
point of view. Let’s weigh all of the factors and name the winner:
There are many iconic synths from the ’80s whose sounds were the hallmark
of the era. But of the many great synths of that decade, probably the
most iconic was the Jupiter 8 by Roland. It was the primary synth used
throughout Duran Duran’s “Rio” album, and Howard Jones practically
made his career playing a Jupiter 8.
The Jupiter 8 was very flexible and you could sculpt an incredible range of
usable sounds with it—anything from drum sounds to organ or choir-type
Price: Arturia Jupiter-8V
Convenience (physical storage space and setting recallability):
Arturia Jupiter-8V
Features beyond the original design: Arturia Jupiter-8V
Subtle je ne sais quoi that will mostly get lost in your mix anyway:
Roland Jupiter 8
For me, having an actual vintage Jupiter 8 is cost prohibitive, but if it
weren’t the advantages over Arturia’s Jupter-8V are slim-to-none. This
software really is something that you have to check out. Visit www.arturia.
com and demo the Jupiter-8V for yourself.
the deli_45 fall 2010

the deli_46 fall 2010

This equipment review section is brought to you by:
Line 6 M9 Stompbox Modeler
www.line6.com
FEATURES
USABILITY
Review by Scott Kahn
SOUND
PRICE
Line 6’s line of stompbox
modeling pedals are
extremely popular with
guitarists for good reason:
they are built ruggedly
and sound great.
The M9 is a clever and
compact multi-effect
pedal that continues that
tradition, providing direct
access to numerous Line
6 effects, each instantly
accessible from the
multi-button footswitch.
The M9 delivers simple
access to many popular
effects while adding
numerous features not
available in the standalone
pedals. It can provide single pedal-like simplicity, or it can function
like a multi-effects processor with instant recall of scenes containing
effects from up to three virtual pedals.
Barely less capable than the larger and more costly M13, the M9 is a
great choice for players who want to add a variety of high-quality effects
to their existing pedalboard, or who just need a couple of standard
effects from a single device in order to preserve a very simple rig setup.
The assortment from all of the popular Line 6 pedals includes Distortion,
Delay, Modulation, Filter, and Reverb. The M9 has also Tap Tempo, which
adjusts all time-based effects in use, an onboard tuner, Stereo I/O and
Midi I/O. This pedal shines in particular in the effect department: fantastic
analog delay with modulation inherited from the DL4 (with a bigger
display!), great sounding analog choruses, fantastic Tremolos—the Opto
Tremolo in particular. Also, if you’re searching for an intelligent pitch shifter,
you’ll be very impressed by the quality of this effect in the M9. It’s good
enough to be the only reason you purchase this pedal, but we’re sure
you’ll end up using many other sounds once you put the M9 in your rig.
Phil Jones Briefcase Bass Amp
www.philjonespuresound.com
FEATURES
USABILITY
SOUND
PRICE
there is a headphone jack for private practice.
Review by Joseph Dubbiosi
If you dream about a compact bass
amp but still want something with proclass
sound and features, this is one
amp you need to check out: the Phil
Jones Briefcase is a very compact, reasonably
lightweight (under 30 pounds)
bass amp that is perfect for practicing
at home or taking to a small nightclub
gig. This mighty little combo amp is
ideal for small venues such as coffee
houses or intimate jazz clubs, but has
features and options that could make
it fill a very big room or even tackle
outdoor gigs and sound fantastic.
The front panel has an Active/Passive
switch for use with any bass guitar.
There is a five-band graphic equalizer.
There is also a very effective compressor
with a variable sweep control knob
to dial-in just the right amount. Finally,
The rear panel has some additional features that are almost never found on
a practice amp. The first is a speaker output (4-16 ohms) that allows the user
to use the amp with other (larger) speakers, which is great considering that
most mid size venue have a bass cabinet in their back line. Lastly, there are
Pre-amp out and Balanced line out connections for direct sends to a house
PA or to drive an external power amp.
We played a variety of basses through the Briefcase—they all sounded beautiful
but we were especially impressed with the tone from our upright and acoustic
basses but the tone was always clear and even across all four (and five) strings.
The EQ gave us the ability to dial in the exact tone we wanted with each bass
used, and was very musical in character, and we were very impressed with the
overall sound reproduction that two five-inch speakers delivered.
It was hard for us to imagine that such a physically small combo unit could
make such a big sound with great tone.
FXpansion DCAM: Synth Squad
www.fxpansion.com
Review by Tony Grund
FEATURES
USABILITY
SOUND
PRICE
DCAM is a package of four devices. Three synths: Strobe, Cypher, and Amber, and
a rack-type environment called Fusor that lets you stack 3 of the synths together
and incorporate effects, an arpeggiator, and sequenced modulation.
Amber is a (kind-of) emulation of the old string machines of the 1970s, but it also
includes a formant filter, and three distinct chorus types—way more than just a
classic string machine. Definitely the most forward-thinking of the
bunch, Cypher is a three-oscillator synth that merges classic subtractive
synthesis and FM synthesis, and includes a great overdrive section
that really lets you drive the sound hard. Strobe is a mono-synth on
the surface, and its only oscillator is set up so that you can get chord
tones out of it with the Detune function. Fusor is the effect plug in.
These usually offer some kind of unique twist on each type.
What we found when we dove into these synths were three excellentsounding
analog modeling synths that inspire creativity with their look, feel,
and sound. Easy to edit and fun to program, DCAM really packs a big wallop
of a sound that is inspired by analog monsters from the days of old but also
incorporate digital techniques such as FM synthesis and advanced effects.
Some of the high points for us were the versatility, the modulation parameters,
and the fact that you can use each synth as an effects unit all by itself.
The beauty, warmth and fun of analogue with Cypher’s FM synthesis
gets pulled into the fray, a welcome addition to say the least.
If you are looking for strong analog-modeling synths, we highly
recommend the DCAM suite. Each synth has a firm grasp on today’s
technology, and the combination of old and new means you will never
have stale analog sounds in your productions again.
the deli_47 fall 2010
Read more equipment reviews at www.musicplayers.com/reviews

G Z A • U N K L E • B L A C K S H E E P • J O H N V A N D E R S L I C E
C U T E I S W H A T W E A I M F O R • E L I " P A P E R B O Y " R E E D
FRANKIE AND THE HEARTSTRINGS • ADAM HAWORTH STEPHENS
C U L T S • O B E R H O F E R • B A T H S • B L O O D R E D S H O E S
EXTRA LENS • THE BOGMEN • FRANCIS AND THE LIGHTS
SCREAMING FEMALES • FRANZ NICOLAY • WILD NOTHING

the deli's Pedal Board
T-rex
room-Mate
Tube reverb
• Built-in 300-volt power
supply powers a tube that
adds voluminous, earthy
warmth reverb and
spacious true stereo.
• Four selectable signature
sounds: Spring, Room,
Hall and Chorus/Hall
(the latter works best with
acoustic guitar).
• Features mix and decay
knob that works also a
hi cut filter.
electro-Harmonix
Freeze
Sound retainer
• Delivers infinite sustain of any
note or chord at the press of a
momentary footswitch. Release
the footswitch and again you are
sample-ready.
• 3 selectable decay rates,
including a latch mode, guarantee
liquid smooth tonal transitions.
• Hooking it to your other pedals
opens up sonic collage possibilities.
• Handles input gains from
pedal boards.
Death By Audio
robot
• Low fidelity 8 bit pitch
transposer with absolutely
no feelings what-so-ever.
• Arpeggiator mode with
speed control!
• Control knob on the side
changes the pitch of the
effect to NORMAL, OCTAVE
DOWN, and OCTAVE UP
modes.
Heavy electronics
Grind Fuzz
• Fuzz/overdrive hybrid that
maintains note definition of
chords and arpeggios.
• Excellent impedance response
with Wahs.
•
“Swell” function adds high-end
gain and harmonics.
• Side-adjust voltage pot can be
adjusted to drop voltage.
the deli's Plug-in inserts
if you are interested in reviewing pedals
and plug-ins for The Deli and
Delicious Audio, please contact
delicious.editor@thedelimagazine.com.
Overloud SpringAge
• Based on a mix of convolution and algorithmic technology.
• Three spring models: 1. AQTX ideal for guitar and vocal tracks, 2. S201 keyboards,
synth or lead instrument., 3. ANGEL for drums or mastering.
• Drive control lets you push into saturation the tube stage which drives the spring.
• Boingy knob controls the spring response to transients.
UAD-2 eP-34 Tape echo
• Recreates the warm tape delay effects of
vintage Echoplex EP-3 and EP-4 units.
• Faithful to the original, also delivers
chaotic Echoplex sound, “warts and all.”
• Unique movable record head design
creates warm, rich sound.
• Runs exclusively with Universal Audio’s
UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Cards.
the deli_49 fall 2010
2C Audio Aether
• Claims to rival the best hardware
reverb units available.
• 2x & 4x Oversampling, Double
Precision 64bit DSP.
• Lush sounding, each reverb aspect
can be modified.
• Two simple modulation controls add
random LFO modulations in the Late
Reflections section.
Audiodamage Axon
• FM plug-in instrument that triggers 7
percussion-tuned FM voices.
• Easily creates original rhythms and
textural patterns.
• Features on-board effects and mixing,
and full MIDI I/O capabilities (in the VST
version only).
• Gets away from grid pattern generation
and to allows creation of longer, less
repetitive rhythm patterns.

gran street
R E C O R D I N G
A musician-owned and operated
recording studio in
Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
—
Neve, API, Calrec, AKG,
Neumann, RCA, and many vintage
instruments and amps
718.360.9355 | grandstreetrecording.com
the deli_50 fall 2010

kitchen best selling gear
CONDENSER MICS
MXL 4000 -$199
AUDIO-TECHNICA AT2020 -$150
SHURE SM7B -$399
MXL R144 RIBBON -$150
NEWMANN TLM 102 -$800
AKG PERCEPTION 420 -$350
INSTRUMENT PLUG INS
TOONTRACK DFH EZ DRUMMER -$179
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS KOMPLETE -$559
STEVEN SLATE DRUMS EX -$199
SPECTRASONICS OMNISPHERE -$499
WAVEMACHINE LABS DRUMAGOG -$269
FXPANSION D-CAM SYNTH SQUAD -$350
PITCH SHIFTING PEDALS
ELECTRO HARMONIX POG -FROM $280
MORPHEUS DROPTUNE -$260
DIGITECH WHAMMY -$250
BOSS OC-3 -$184
MXR M-103 BLUE BOX -$126
PIGTRONIX MOTHERSHIP -$650
PORTABLE
SYNTH KEYS
KORG MICROKORG -$500
ROLAND GAIA SH-01 -$800
ALESIS MICRON -$399
MOOG LITTLE PHATTY -$1,395
DAVE SMITH INSTRUMENTS MOPHO -$879
ROLAND LUCINA AX-09 -$599
POWERED
STUDIO MONITORS
M-AUDIO STUDIOPHILE -$199
KRK ROKIT POWERED -$199
YAMAHA HS80M -$399
MACKIE MR5 -$150
JBL LSR 4328P -1,850
ADAM AUDIO A5 -$769
LOOPER PEDALS
BOSS RC-2 & RC200XL -FROM $300
DIGITECH JAMMAN -FROM $300
ELECTRO-HARMONIX 2880 -$150
AKAI E2 HEADRUSH -$200
ANALOGUEHAVEN
MIKE’S SALTY ROMANCE EXPLOSION -$150
PLUSH VERBRATOR -$350
DAWS
AVID PRO TOOLS -FROM $299
SONAR CAKEWALK -FROM $250
PROPELLERHEAD RECORD+REASON -$450
ABLETON LIVE -FROM $99
APPLE LOGIC STUDIO -FROM $199
STEINBERG CUBASE -$150
PORTABLE
AUDIO INTERFACE
DIGIDESIGN MBOX2 MINI -$349
M-AUDIO FAST TRACK MKII -$139
LINE6 POD STUDIO UX2 -$280
APOGEE DUET -$495
CAKEWALK UA-25EX -$299
PRESONUS FIRESTUDIO MOBILE -$350
SINGLE/DUAL MIC PREAMPS
ART PRO -$250
GOLDEN AGE PRE-73 -$350
FOCUSRITE ISA ONE -$600
M-AUDIO DMP3 -$199
UNIVERSAL AUDIO 6176 -$2,500
MANLEY VOXBOX -$3,600
Check out the deli’s
audio equipment blog!
EFFECT PLUG INS
LINE6 POD FARM -$140
ANTARES AUTO TUNE -$499
BBE SONIC SWEET SUITE -$145
WAVES PLATINUM BUNDLE -$2,500
IK MULTIMEDIA AMPLITUBE -$350
MCDSP RETRO PACK -$495
*Prices may vary
www.delicious-audio.com
the deli_51 fall 2010

INDIE
BANDS &
SONGWRITERS
WHAT’S THE POINT
OF MUSIC CHARTS
IF THEY AREN’T
RIGHT???
the deli
everything about the nyc music scene
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Many websites for musicians feature music charts that are limited to their subscribers. What’s the point of that?
The Deli charts include ALL the big names of your scene, and they are organized in detailed regions and
genres, including Alt Rock, Indie, Country, Electronica, Songwriters, Indie Pop, Post Punk,
Alt Folk and many more, to allow you to find the right niche for your music.