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Like the recently Philthy-profiled Kristin Hersh, Charlotte Hatherley is another heroine of my teenage years that I have been out of touch with for quite some time. Since her departure from Northern Ireland power poppers Ash in 2006, her solo output has remained largely alien stateside (i.e. unavailable aside from...
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Kristin Hersh has the unique distinction of being the last person I ever (and will ever) asked for an autograph… hopefully she finds that something of a small honor. Along with that, she has the honor of being my most-honored-to-interview individual for Philthy Blog all year. I grew up...
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This past Saturday I found myself in Eraserhood’s latest hotspot for the first time… Underground Arts. The venue does, indeed, promise what it delivers. It is an underground performance art space. It also fits quite nicely into the hood of Eraserhead. The room resembles a cross between a school...
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A few years back I fell hard for Kate Miller-Heidke’s Curiouser. The album, the second from the Australian songstress and first released in the US, boasts a dozen postmodern piano pop anthems… like a matured and coolly restrained Kate Nash, sprinkled with playfully sassy synths. Some of the songs...
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Like Philthy’s recently-featured husband/wife duo, Hank & Cupcakes, Oakland’s (by-way-of Massachusetts) Mornin’ Old Sport’s biggest influence would seem to be literary and not musical. However, band member Scott Nanos (guitar, bass, keys, strings) tells me that since deciding on the band’s moniker, he has been reading less fiction and,...
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“We’ve been lucky to play very cool events in Philly and we always like to rub a little Philly on us before returning to Brooklyn,” says husband/wife dance rock duo Hank & Cupcakes, who are no strangers to Philly, or Philthy, for that matter. I first befriended them at...
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The Motor City’s music scene is most regularly associated with 1960s Motown and Proto-Punk, the garage rock revival of the past two decades, and… Kiss… despite the fact that they’re not actually from Detroit. However, the city’s also produced some of the best sounds of 2012, including the recently...
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The Marble Vanity are a supergroup of sorts. They are comprised of members of CoCoComa, the Hipshakes, and Hollows, including Lisa and Bill Roe, proprietors of Trouble in Mind Records. They released their self-titled debut 12” June 19th on Chicago’s Slow Fizz Records. I had a chance to chat...
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“There’s more of an edge to it. The sounds are edgy and raw,” Jesca Hoop tells me of her latest album, The House That Jack Built, out this Tuesday on her very own Bella Union. The album, the Manchester-based/California-born singer/songwriter’s third, doesn’t stray too much from her previous releases. ...
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Liz Enthusiasm, lead singer for Boston synthpoppers Freezepop, certainly lives up to her moniker… even when she’s talking about a lack of excitement. “Musically, it’s actually been a pretty quiet year for us. We were taking a little well-deserved break. It’s been kind of nice to take a little...
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When 2012 began Sharon Van Etten was probably the most darling-ed singer/songwriter in indie music. But since the release of her third LP, Tramp, this February, she seems to have ascended to the title of the most prolifically relevant and brilliantly acknowledged songwriter currently inhabiting music in general. And...
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When Now, Now’s debut album dropped the Minnesota then-duo, were barely old enough to buy cigarettes. However, after transforming into a trio, changing their name (formerly Now, Now Every Children), and spending nearly half a decade developing the sounds that would manifest themselves onto their follow-up LP, the band...
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“I’m interested in where rock music intersects with other forms of music,” says Russ Waterhouse, one-half of Blues Control. I’m surprised to hear that German rock bands of the 70s are a big inspiration. While the band’s latest release, Valley Tangents (which drops Tuesday), does blend at least a...
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Last night Philthy (the city, not this fine publication) hosted JEFF The Brotherhood, the slightly-psychedelic garage punk rock duo from Nashville that produces an aesthetic that is both hyper-traditional rock and hyper-conceptually postmodern (They utilize three drums, three cymbals, and a three-stringed guitar.) The duo brought a sizeable crowd...
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So I’m sure you’ve realized that it’s relatively rare that a male subject finds themselves covered in Philthy Blog’s music department… and that’s not a coincidence. However, Greg Laswell has proven to be an exception (And for somewhat ironic reasons.) I’ve come across Greg and his popular indie folk (You...
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Although technically a Boston resident, I like to consider Marissa Nadler an honorary Philthadelphian. The hyper-lo-fi singer/songstress produced her last two releases in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, she’s worked with a number of Philadelphia musicians, and her local appearances are always more than noteworthy. This...
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If you’ve been keeping up with Philthy, you know that this week is a particularly busy week for good music… especially in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. Brilliant new album’s drop today from semiotically-inspired songstress Emily Jane White and Detroit supergroup FAWN, both of whom I’ve...
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After a few bouts of phone tag, I recently got a chance to chat with Theresa Andersson. Andersson, a multi-instrumentalist, released her eighth solo recording, Street Parade, this past April and next Friday, June 15th, her current tour will find itself at Olde City’s Tin Angel, alongside Lucius, some...
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I would like to sincerely thank Ms. Emily Jane White for the best interview I’ve conducted all year… not that I should be surprised (based on the title of her latest). The Oakland-based “Gothic-Folk” singer/songstress’ third fell-length, Ode to Sentience, is about to drop stateside June 12th on Antenna...
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YAMANTAKA // SONIC TITAN have been described as “A psychedelic noh-wave opera group fusing noise, metal, pop and folk music into a multidisciplinary hyper-orientalist cesspool of ‘eastern’ culture in giant monochrome paper sets.” The Canadian group, which maintains an ever-changing cast (with backgrounds such as painting, philosophy, theatre, social sciences,...
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FAWN are a Motor City supergroup of sorts, comprised of previous members of the likes of Thunderbirds are Now!, the Von Bondies, Javelins, Child Bite, and Those Transatlantic, among others. Their debut album, Coastlines, drops next week on Quite Scientific Records. The band spawned from the simultaneous heartbreaks of...
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Last Wednesday the Dandy Warhols played one of the best shows Philadelphia’s seen all year at the Trocadero. The show also holds quite a bit of sentimental significance for me. The last time the band played that particular venue was nearly nine years ago. It was the first concert...
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Next week The Spring Standards kick off a US tour supporting Rhett Miller & the Serial Lady Killers, including a June 5th stop in Philadelphia at World Café Live. Earlier this month the Brooklyn-based (Delaware/PA-bred) three-piece put out their third release, yellow//gold. I recently got a chance to chat...
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“Some of the words we were throwing around were ‘warm’ and ‘dirty’… not in a pornish way,” says Lucy Michelle of Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles, when describing the concept behind the band’s upcoming album, which they finally decided to call “Heat.” As someone who is yet to...
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So I have been known to mock the musical tastes of my students. However, that’s only because, in most cases, it deserves mocking. But I hope they know I do it all with love (Well… you know what I mean.) I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received...
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Simone Felice (of The Felice Brothers and The Duke & the King) recently released a solo record, which has been festering inside him for the better part of his life. And next Friday, June 1st, he will be performing this life’s work (likely among others) at the hyper-cozy chapel...
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Something tells me that, by the end of the year, Gemma Ray will be the Western hemisphere’s most popular indie-electro chanteuse. Flavorwire is comparing her to Phil Spector and David Lynch, while Village Voice is likening her to Amy Winehouse and Norah Jones. The UK singer/songwriter is the perfect...
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Penguin Prison sounds a bit like Justin Timberlake, bent over and taking it from Stevie Wonder… and I mean that in the best possible way. I’m not usually one for camp (no matter how crass), but Chris Glover manages to appropriate hyper accessible, glossy, retro, synthetic soul pop in...
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So the word is that Rocky Votolato’s show next Thursday, May 24th, at Milkboy Philly is almost sold out. This is great news for the Seattle-based singer/songwriter; my dear friend, Bill Hanson, who owns and operates my new favorite Philthy venue; and, also, one of my new favorite people...
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Oops, you got a little... you're dribbling a bit of bile from you... no, don't use your sleeve--ah, forget it....
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This past March I chatted with Americana singer/songwriter Amy LaVere in regards to her (then) upcoming tour supporting The Black Crowes’ Rich Robinson on his latest solo trek. However, it was a side-project, whose details were still being ironed out, that she seemed most excited about in 2012. She did...
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The last time I saw Spacehog was in 2001. I was 16-years-old. The Leeds, England-by-way-of-Manhattan neo-glam rock outfit was serving as the opening act for The Black Crowes and Oasis’ Tour of Brotherly Love (Each of the three bands included brothers). The gig, which took place at Columbia, Maryland’s...
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In 2012 it’s hard to characterize someone as being “conceptual” without them assuming you’re mocking them… as if “thinking” is simply a pretentious hipster fad. RACES, however, do not fall into that category. I recently got a chance to chat with two of the band’s six members and, I...
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With two teams in the playoffs, Philadelphia is finding it difficult to care about anything else right now. The Phillies won? Call us when they’re 13 games up. New footage of the duck boat crash was released? Who… the fuck wants to see that? Kids missed that orthodontist appointment?...
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This past Friday (April 27th), a group of local video and film creatives organized the third installment of an event they call Philly UNfestival at PhilaMOCA. The event is organized by Anthony Zagarella of Fractal Circus, as well Joe Reidl and Nick Hatsis–and is hosted by Aidan Rich....
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The last time Philthy caught up with Charlene Kaye she was in the middle of a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for an upcoming album. Her goal was $20,000, at the time the article ran she had raised $24,750, and by the end of the 30-day run she had...
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(Unfortunately, as of May 1st, Ane has had to cancel the first two dates of her tour, including the intended opening night in Philadelphia, so she will not be appearing at Union Transfer this Wednesday. But I would still highly recommend picking up her latest, It All Starts With...
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In 2011 the two musical stars of Philthy were the hyper-conceptual and socio-politically confrontational Atari Teenage Riot and the, somewhat less-likely (considering the “Music Department and Features Editor”’s, background is in semiotics and postmodern art), Deer Tick, the alt.-country-by-way-of-reckless-punk-abandon project of John McCauley. Their last LP, Divine Providence, released...
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I recently discussed with my students of Intellectual Heritage the notion of psychoactive plants being present at the creation of numerous of the world’s religions… A sentiment not so far off from what Danish lo-fi outfit, Alcoholic Faith Mission, were pondering when they came up with their lovely moniker. ...
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There's no reason not to be optimistic, unless you're somebody who allows problems, analysis, and history affect your opinions....
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These United States’ fifth full-length (since 2008!), and best yet, is hitting shelves on June 12th. However, if you’re interested in getting a sneak preview of the self-titled release, the Americana quartet will be at Union Transfer tonight, supporting Trampled By Turtles, likely previewing a handful of tracks from...
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Keeping with the sentiment of urgency found in their moniker, I recently chatted with Stefanie Berecz (vocals) and Brendan O’Connell (keys and guitar) of The Right Now as they were en route to their final rehearsal for their tour, which kicks off tonight in Pittsburgh. Although the two would...
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On April 23rd World Café Live’s free Monday night institution, Philly Rising Open Mic, will be hosting a special guest, Britain-bred, Atlanta-based singer/songwriter and one-of-Shawn-Mullins’- favorite-people-in-the-world-of-music, Callaghan. In 2010 Callaghan relocated from London to Atlanta to record her debut album with Shawn Mullins (who produced the album). “I lived...
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The Penguins put their skirts on last night, but not their dainty ballet skirts. They slipped on their classiest gowns and came out with the intent to not go quietly....
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It’s likely been a little while since you’ve heard Megan Reilly’s name. Six years ago the Illinois Times was saying “Her music works on an almost subliminal level, lulling you into a state of perfect receptiveness and infiltrating your consciousness like a restless spirit,” and the Dallas Observer was...
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“Living in San Francisco, it’s like 4/20 there every day, every minute, but I think it’s nice for everyone else to get to celebrate,” says Allyson Baker, mainwoman of SF’s Dirty Ghosts, who will find themselves in Philthy this Friday, 4/20, performing at PhilaMOCA (alongside locals Levee Drivers, Ghost...
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I recently chatted with TOBACCO, frontman of Black Moth Super Rainbow and general purveyor of some of recent history’s most misunderstood (but none-the-less thoroughly enjoyed) takes on popular music (He’s a big fan of utilizing analogue synths and noise boxes to produce sounds that often ring of psychedelic fuzz...
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There is something profoundly anti-sentimental about Cool Nightmare, the latest EP from Portland’s Radiation City, which dropped earlier this week. The release is, in a lot of ways, centered on a dying piano. This piano spent its golden years in drummer Randy Bemrose’s basement. The sound of the decaying...
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The key to their success? Relentless athleticism. Concentrated support. And as always, Peter Laviolette being seconds away from a vicious crime....
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Somewhere between protecting their eggs from the harsh Arctic cold and learning to play hockey, Penguins became a whiny, detestable pack of Pennsylvanian jerkbags. And there's not a thing Morgan Freeman could narrate them doing that could change that....
Like the recently Philthy-profiled Kristin Hersh, Charlotte Hatherley is another heroine of my teenage years that I have been out of touch with for quite some time. Since her departure from Northern Ireland power poppers Ash in 2006, her solo output has remained largely alien stateside (i.e. unavailable aside from...
Kristin Hersh has the unique distinction of being the last person I ever (and will ever) asked for an autograph… hopefully she finds that something of a small honor. Along with that, she has the honor of being my most-honored-to-interview individual for Philthy Blog all year. I grew up...
