here - The Deli

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