Santos Party House was filled to the brim on Thursday night from the moment the doors opened — rightfully so given the quality of the lineup. Xylos (@xylosmusic) began the night with a delightful performance, setting the tone with their easy dance-pop. Their 80s sounds swelled to fill the room and sounded great on Santos’ ample Continue Reading

Photo credit: Ethan Feuer

Suckers (@sssuckersss), with the help of Acrylics, Turn To Crime, and Papertwin, celebrated the release of their latest album, Candy Salad (released on Frenchkiss Records), by filling out both stories of Glasslands on Tuesday. This new album seems to have brought with it a new sound — more polished and driving, but still rich Continue Reading

Photo credit: Eric Weiner

This past Tuesday was a very welcomed treat for fans of Brooklyn’s Jukebox the Ghost (@jukeboxtheghost). Performing their new album in its entirety at Rockwood, the band jammed, bantered, and charmed their way into the hearts of all attending. Not to mention, their new album, Safe Travels, is filled Continue Reading

I was first introduced to The Spinto Band (@spintoband) a number of years ago (six to be exact). During the first year of the now annual Great Escape festival in Brighton, I stumbled upon their early evening set. After witnessing the band’s mix of barnstorming live enthusiasm and infectiously adorable tunes, I was an instant believer, and their Continue Reading

Photo Credit: Katie Karalis

There was a whole lot of dancing going on at Bowery Ballroom on Wednesday night, and while the moves happening onstage weren’t necessarily skillful, they were uninhibited, inspired and infectious.

The dancing began in the second set when Barbara Gruska, the sprightly, smiling lead singer of brother/sister band The Belle Brigade (@thebellebrigade), relinquished her guitar and moved to the drums. She promised some serious dancing from the now misplaced drummer, who, tambourine in hand, did not disappoint. These three guys and a gal play music with irresistible, honky-tonk bass lines, rock and roll guitar, crooning harmonies and astute lyrics. Plunging into “Where Not To Look For Freedom”, the drummer’s erratic dance moves almost outshone the song’s rollicking rhythms and fiery melody. Fueled by fervent cheers from the audience, drummer Tim Arnold from the headlining band Good Old War (@goodoldwar) soon joined in the revelry.

The eccentric dancing continued throughout Good Old War’s set. Lead singer and keyboardist Keith Goodwin’s restless energy slipped almost subconsciously into his version of a funky chicken dance at every opportunity, while across the stage, Dan Schwartz bounced around wildly, his body unable to resist the grooving melodies his guitar was laying down. Even Arnold, inherently more stationary, stood up from his drumset to sing on three songs. In the closing song “Loud Love”, on which all three sang a solo verse, he crossed the stage to rest his head playfully on Goodwin’s shoulder.

Schwartz’s stillness came only when he played the electric guitar suspended in front of his microphone stand. This required reaching around one of the three rotating acoustic guitars strapped over his chest, one of which was a twelve-string that added the richness of a banjo or mandolin to the country-tinged songs. The conceit, though practical, looked amusing — like a person wearing two sets of eyeglasses.

The set showcased the Philadelphia band’s body of work, spanning three albums. Their songs follow a classic structure with spirited pop rock tempos, catchy melodies and sweet vocal harmonies. Their lyrics are straightforward enough to be picked up and remembered effortlessly, and this audience was singing along from the very first word. “You guys sound good,” Goodwin remarked to the adoring crowd.

New songs like “Calling Me Names” and “Amazing Eyes” were as relished as the older “That’s What’s Wrong” and “We’ve Come A Long Way”, but the audience was bound and determined to hear “Coney Island” off the band’s first album (“What you think this is, request hour?” Schwartz called back at one point). The crowd’s request came as the final song of the encore, the best apparently saved for last.

These three guys are genuine and endearing, as are the folks in The Belle Brigade and Family of the Year (@familyoftheyear) who played before them, and seem at home in their own skin as well as together onstage. They aren’t putting on any airs; what you see is what you get, and what you get will win you over in no time.

Photo credit: Alex Munro

As a performer, Alex Winston (@iamalexwinston) has a very difficult time staying away from the audience. She started her set at The Knitting Factory on Tuesday night in the crowd, opening with the mysterious, gypsy-tinged “Fire Ant” off her debut full-length King Con. When she finally made her way to the stage, she didn’t take her place in the center of her band, but instead opted to remain right at the lip of the stage, practically on top of the front row. She seems Continue Reading

Following the release of two EPs (the Sister Wife EP being our 2011 EP of the year), Michigan native turned New Yorker Alex Winston (@iamalexwinston) is back with her debut full-length King Con. Similar to her earlier efforts, this album is tastefully theatrical and undeniably danceable. With a musical style that’s seductive, playful, and full of soul, Winston Continue Reading

Photo credit: Luis Ruiz

As heavy rain pelted pedestrians on the streets of Manhattan Sunday night, there was a sense of irony upon entering Highline Ballroom to see Washed Out (@ernestgreene). The vibe inside, though, was much warmer, as the densely-packed crowd Continue Reading

Ironically, it took moving halfway across the country, from New York to Colorado, for Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites to draw a crowd in Brooklyn — well, that and some irresistible blues rock songs. But draw a crowd they did, as their band, The Lumineers (@thelumineers), sold out the Music Hall Continue Reading

Iceland has added yet another another name to the list of talented musical exports it ships around the world. Of Monsters and Men (@monstersandmen) first captured America’s attention when their sunny single “Little Talks” premiered on Philadelphia’s Radio 104.5 shortly after its September release in Iceland. Now, they’re in the Continue Reading