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It’s slightly sad that Cascao & Lady Maru’s sophomore LP doesn’t hit shelves until September 18th because it’s the best summertime punk record since YACHT’s Shangri-La (of which it definitely shares some sonic sensibilities). The album, which boasts songs reminiscent of the most intellectual dance rock and synthpop of...
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When I was first asked to cover Betty Moon, it was the most excited I’ve been about an artist in a while… A Tura Satana-looking vixen of the most badass persuasion, who makes sassily menacing tunes reminiscent of many of the most profoundly enticing sirens of Lollapalooza’s original run…...
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Lael Neale is one of my favorite people I’ve met in 2015 and I’m guessing that in the near future that statement will be a pretty big deal… as I kind of suspect she will be a pretty big deal in the near future. The classically beautiful blonde songstress...
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Sometimes, especially within the realm of “indie culture,” the coolest entities are those that make absolutely no effort to be “cool.” I think this might be true of Seattle quartet The Hoot Hoots (I mean, see, it’s kind of even in the name.) Unapologetically inspired by (and obsessed with)...
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With the whole sunny SoCal folk pop sound of the late 60’s and early 70’s making a comeback in a pretty major way, it’s a bit surprising, if not shocking, that Cardiff, Wales duo Zervas & Pepper are not yet a household name on this side of the pond…...
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There are few sounds that I’m confident I’ll never tire of… And the morbid pissiness of post-punk, the hazy hipness of shoegaze, and sunshiney abandon of ’90 alt rock all fall into that category… They also all seem to fall into the competencies of UK trio Presents for Sally…...
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At this point America’s only about 20 minutes into their first date with Soldier’s Heart… but it’s going well so far… very well, in fact… The Belgian band has been at it since 2012 and released their self-titled debut EP this June. The four-song collection is most easily (and...
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I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the most punk rock (and likely best, in general) performance Philadelphia is going to see all year is going to take place at The Mann, a venue best known for housing The Philadelphia Orchestra performing the soundtrack to...
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In the age of MP3s, streaming, and digital-only EPs (Yuck…), it’s especially nice when an artist will take their time working on a full-length… especially when they’re not yet the kind of wealthy, super-established marquee name that could really stop working forever and be better off than 99% of...
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Oh Mercy’s latest album, When We Talk About Love (which dropped this June), is not only an exceptionally great record, reminiscent of when the best of the Brit Poppers channeled Americana balladry for existential tales that could bring down an arena, but its story is also particularly engaging in...
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Puerto Rico’s Los Manglers are actually familiar with the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection… However, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection is likely unfamiliar with them… Friday, July 10th, the quartet made an appearance at The Fire, which was attended… well, characteristically to performances at...
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Insect Ark’s debut LP sounds a bit like the soundtrack to one of history’s greatest films that was never made. The album, Portal/Well, was released this June. The release, an instrumental, displays a sonic narrative battle between the folk and the postmodern and also the natural and unnatural (not...
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I must admit that I was very anxious to catch up with Nicole Turley about the latest Swahili Blonde release, as the last time we talked turned out to be one of my favorite interviews I’ve ever done. At the time, early in 2014, we were discussing Kimono Kult ,...
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Like most of our favorite contemporary indie acts, NYC’s Gladshot embrace a lovely nostalgic aesthetic that seems to harken back to the ‘90s, the golden age of “alt rock.” However, the sounds of Gladshot ring a little bit differently than the most frequently embraced inspirations of the Lollapalooza era...
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COIN are at the intersection of two of our favorite things in the world of music right now: they’re based out of Nashville and they share a distinct and keen appreciation for ‘90s alt rock. However, they’re not churning out the gritty punky country or country punk of so...
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Laura Carbone is my favorite artist I’ve encountered this year that I had absolutely no prior knowledge of. The German singer/songwriter was in Deine Jugend, an electro-punk band who earned a following in Europe, but whose sounds never really made it to the states, and she released her solo...
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2013 saw the release of The Lonely Wild’s debut LP, The Sun as it Comes, a beautiful 12-song collection of morbid, yet rollicking and uplifting, indie folk tunes that got the band accolades courtesy of the likes of American Songwriter and Consequence of Sound, in addition to gigs supporting...
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Echodrone are one of those bands that I want to be horribly embarrassed to have not been aware of ‘til their fifth album and tenth year… Although, apparently many of the band members are yet to even meet each other… So I’m inclined to be slightly less embarrassed… This...
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Du Blonde is still a relative newborn… It is the new moniker and project of Newcastle (but often LA-based) singer/songwriter Beth Jeans Houghton. In 2012 Houghton released Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose, which critics mostly liked, but which had many comparing her to a plethora of the most obvious contemporary...
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Danish duo Darkness Falls not only seamlessly blend musical movements, but musical eras and genres. They’re clearly influenced by ‘80s goth rock, new wave, and dream pop; ‘90s shoegaze; and the most ethereal and spiritually profound avant-pop of this century. The band, comprised of vocalist/keyboardist Josephine Philip and bassist/guitarist...
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Brooklyn’s Friend Roulette are not only really fucking good, but they’re also really fucking charming…They’ve been described by Kodi McKinney as “Bambi having a god damned acid nightmare,” and they, themselves, describe the genre that they fit into as “Good Music.” The band, whose members are regularly fluctuating and...
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Last week I met a lovely kindred spirit, a former punk, who is now primarily focused on roots, or Americana, music… Well, except she actually plays the music and I remain simply an admiring listener of the two beautiful, working-class genres. That individual is Kendl Winter,...
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It can sometimes feel cool to talk to “stars” on the record… Although it tends to be less satisfying than meeting an actually interesting person, with good taste and a working understanding of the world in which we live… But rarely do the two sentiments overlap (And even when...
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Philadelphia is hosting a plethora of music history’s most amazing comebacks in 2015, from Morrissey’s first non-cancelled regional dates in six years, to Sleater-Kinney’s first local date in nearly ten years, and The Juliana Hatfield Three, Refused, L7, Ride, and Babes in Toyland’s first 215 dates in right around...
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Although Hemming’s connection to ‘90s alt rock might not be quite so glaring as many of the best indie artists of recent years, there’s certainly still a pretty profound connection to that golden age of “alternative.” The singer/songwriter’s solo career actually began on VH1’s Make or Break: The Linda...
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Toronto’s The Weather Station are a band that don’t like to rush themselves… although I’m not sure that any of their fans mind… Forming in 2006, their third LP just dropped this May. That LP is Loyalty and The Weather Station is Tamara Lindeman (whom you may also know...
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Although the UK’s BLiNDNESS technically formed in 2008, their debut full-length, WRAPPED iN PLASTiC, isn’t set to hit shelves until July 24th… although the album is well worth the wait… BLiNDNESS is comprised of Beth Rettig, Emma Quick, and Debbie Smith (of Curve, Echobelly, and Snowpony fame), a trio...
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Like recently profiled (and brilliant) Dear Rouge (who Philly unfortunately didn’t really turn up for when they played an amazing show at MilkBoy a week and a half ago), Bora York are a husband/wife duo that deal in all things funky, dancey, and synthy… However, unlike Dear Rouge, who recently...
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It’s been a while since we have heard from Heather Woods Broderick… or at least under her own name (She has played in Efterklang, Horse Feathers, and Loch Lomond, in addition to backing Laura Gibson, Sharon Van Etten, and Alela Diane). Her sophomore LP, Glider, is set to be released on...
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Although rightfully entitled “Norway’s queen of electronic pop,” Sandra Kolstad is, sadly, a relatively unknown name in the states. The classically trained pianist, who is currently better characterized as “postmodern singer/songstress,” has released three full-lengths since 2011 and made a name for herself throughout Europe for live spectacles that...
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Motobunny are a brand spanking new Rock’N’Roll (and I mean that in the truest sense of the phrase) band comprised of members of The Wooly Bandits, The Love Me Nots, and Zero Zero and who have, at one point or another, shared stages with the unlikely diverse likes of...
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This past Saturday Philly was engulfed in yet another Apocalyptic storm, of whose recent regularity can’t help but make one wonder if something is attempting to tell us something… Yet South Philly indie rock hot spot Boot & Saddle was nearly full for Torres’ most recent area appearance, which...
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Call me “old fashioned” (or just a “dork”), but I’m a sucker for an actual “tour” with an actual name… Nowadays it seems as though artists do short sprints of dates at their convenience (And really, I can’t blame them, as I’m a “starving artist” myself), but it’s become...
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Remember Asobi Seksu? That shoegazey dream pop band that did that song “Transparence?” Remember? How fuckin’ great were they? Well, they broke up… But James Hanna, one half of the core members, recently started a new project, which is pretty much different from Asobi Seksu in every way, except...
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Although Australian indie poppers San Cisco are technically new friends of PHILTHY MAG, they are great friends of our longtime friends Chaos Chaos, who hit up Johnny Brenda’s two years ago together on one of the best “pop”-tours-that-are-still-legitimately-amazing bills we’ve seen in recent years. San Cisco have since returned...
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For all those late-twentysomethings and early-thirtysomethings whose childhoods were soundtrack largely by the beauty of ’90 alt rock, Jeen O’Brien’s (better known simply as Jeen) Tourist should likely be the summer’s most satisfying release… Although Toronto singer/songwriter Jeen may not yet be a “household” name among indie music aficionados,...
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If you’ve wondered what ever happened to quintessential Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt since he parted ways with Bri and Stefan in 2007, he’s actually been up to quite a bit… like, a whole lot, actually… 2009 saw the formation of Love Amongst Ruin, a band fronted by Steve, which...
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The City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection has seen some notable musical legends throughout the month of June – Noel Gallagher. Belle & Sebastian, Morrissey, Paul McCartney – but I’m excited, anxious even, to get back to the bars and clubs. And this week has a number of...
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It is literally impossible for a “rocker” to age gracefully… Like, it actually can’t happen… You either die (ideally, halfway through the recording of your sophomore effort) or you become a mega-corporate arena-filling dinosaur rock entity who is best known for gouging suburban moms and dads of the paychecks...
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The award for the weirdest thing I’ve seen on the internet this week is Amazon suggesting that those purchasing the 2-CD deluxe edition of Sticky Fingers by the Stones also consider bundling that purchase with Sub-Lingual Tablet, the 31st record by brilliant post-punk weirdos The Fall (both of which...
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Radio 104.5 continued their Summer Block Party series at Festival Pier – this time with A Silent Film, New Politics, Misterwives, and Big Data. The next Block Party hits Festival Pier July 12th, with Nate Ruess (from fun.), Philly’s own The War on Drugs, Civil Twilight, and MS MR....
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Although cinema historians may resent the claim, over the course of the past half-century or so, Rock’N’Roll has served as one of the most potent catalysts for introducing people to some of film’s greatest overlooked gems, from the hyper-intellectual (i.e. Bowie’s references to William Klein’s masterpiece Who Are You,...
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The entity that is Marion Walker are beautifully ambiguous squared. The three-piece band is comprised of Jessie Marion Smith, Kyle Walker Akins, and drummer Donovan Jordan Williams. In addition to fronting and writing music for Marion Walker, Jessie is also a choreographer, dancer, and filmmaker, while Kyle is a...
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“We’re like Bob Dylan playing the theme song to Roseanne.” Hutch’s statement held partially true, as Kathy did actually play the Roseanne theme on Tuesday night. However, Hutch and Kathy are much more than that. Taking a break from their punk aesthetic with The Thermals, the duo stripped down...
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The best “rock doc” of 2015 hit shelves via Blu-ray and DVD earlier this week, courtesy of Rhino: R.E.M. By MTV. The doc premiered at select theatrical screenings last month and manages to condense last year’s REMTV 6-DVD box set, containing nearly all the footage MTV ever provided about...
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Although perhaps best known as a star of the teen-pop variety, who actually spent her mid-teens supporting Britney Spears on the Onyx Hotel Tour, in her later life Skye Sweetnam has re-branded herself Sever, lead vocalist for Toronto-based rockers Sumo Cyco, who blend the sonic sentiments of punk, industrial,...
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Although the majority of Noel Gallagher’s most recent press has revolved around his ineffably amusing (and actually quite poignant) commentary on things like gay marriage and the songwriting abilities of Taylor Swift, the Oasis co-founder actually does have new music that you should be listening to. This February saw...
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I’ve described my favorite song by Savannah, GA-trio CUSSES as, “Kathleen Hanna fronting a sleaze rock band, or a riot grrrl taking up vocal duties on the first Buckcherry record.” (Both of which would be equally as interesting and admirable as they were bizarre.) The song is “Sally and...
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Expanding from a one-piece bedroom project to a 5-piece band, Shawn Foree (also formerly of the bands Destruction Unit and Lost Sounds), mastermind of Digital Leather has ambitiously created quite a fury of knock out songs on the new album, All Faded, scheduled to be released on South Philly’s own FDH Records...
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Holly Herndon is my favorite kind of amalgamation, bridging my love of cosmetically dark, avant-garde sonic experimentation (Her most recent album, Platform, was put out by 4AD.) with my current position as an “academic,” as a humanities professor at Temple University (She’s currently working on a PhD and is...
It’s slightly sad that Cascao & Lady Maru’s sophomore LP doesn’t hit shelves until September 18th because it’s the best summertime punk record since YACHT’s Shangri-La (of which it definitely shares some sonic sensibilities). The album, which boasts songs reminiscent of the most intellectual dance rock and synthpop of...
Lael Neale is one of my favorite people I’ve met in 2015 and I’m guessing that in the near future that statement will be a pretty big deal… as I kind of suspect she will be a pretty big deal in the near future. The classically beautiful blonde songstress...
