Written and Photographed by: Max Bennett

Philly Music Fest offered an eclectic array of local acts at numerous venues in and around the city. And at Johnny Brenda’s on Oct. 23, Philly Music Fest got turned up to the proverbial 11 with a ripping show featuring headliner Sheer Mag and The Out-Sect in support.

The show got going at about 8:17 p.m. with The Out-Sect coming in hot with their surf rock offerings. Both the lead guitar and lead vocals were trembling with tremolo, reminiscent of Link Wray’s 1958 classic “Rumble.” The five-piece band also includes an organ, which complements the 50s and 60s aural aesthetic of The Out-Sect.

By their third song, The Out-Sect was going hard in the pain, to use a basketball reference, as the Sixers kick off their season. Bassist Laura Nunzi was putting in work on her instrument. Despite her stature, she kept the beat thumping and thundering on what can often be an unwieldy instrument due to its long neck and sometimes backbreaking weight.

The band played what they said was a cover song, but neither myself nor my two friends recognized it. Still, adding a cover to a set is always a fun surprise for audience, at least to me. Ideally, a cover isn’t just a near note-for-note recreation, like the horrid Weezer cover of Toto’s “Africa.” Nor should it be a disastrous revision akin to Fall Out Boy’s “We Didn’t Start The Fire.”

Anyway…

Unfortunately, and maybe because it was a weeknight show, I could tell The Out-Sect’s set wasn’t going to be too long, and when they reached the latter half of their time, they really ramped up the energy.

They tore through the back half of the set list, which felt more punk than surf, but the throwback sound was still the underlying motif of their final songs.

I regret to say that while the performances were killer, the mix felt lacking. It’s frustrating to know stellar musicianship is happening right in front of you, but that certain instruments are lost in the noise. I would have loved to have that organ a bit louder for the set, but maybe that’s the way The Out-Sect likes their sound.

I also have to note the rather unique guitars wielded by frontwoman Lisa Russo and lead guitarist Grey Haas. Haas was playing a guitar from Vox, which is known more for its amplifiers than instruments. I couldn’t pin down what axe Russo was using. The classic Gibson and Fenders are iconic visually and sonically, but seeing lesser-known gear brands on stage always piques my interest. Not to mention, they sounded great for the surf rock vibes.

Sheer Mag hit the stage at about 9:22 p.m., but before they came on, a representative from Rock to the Future took the mic to tout the group’s efforts to help get kids into music, which got a warm reception from those in attendance. After all, we were all there because we love music.

Check out Rock to the Future online here.

I was only loosely aware of Sheer Mag before the show. I sadly missed them a few years ago when they opened for Coheed & Cambria in Harrisburg, and after seeing them at JB’s, I’m kicking myself.

Their energy was incredible.

The band came out of the gate very hot, and I was thinking about bands like Thin Lizzy and Boston hearing the incredible lead guitar work from Kyle Seely. Seely told me after the show he’s as inspired by The Allman Brothers Band as by Thin Lizzy, which isn’t surprising, but his lead work is more histrionic than the laid-back jams that Duane Allman and Dickey Betts laid down.

Vocalist Tina Halladay’s belted her way through the set in her high-register voice. The feat of keeping that range for an hour is Herculean at the least. I racked my brain to pull a reference for who she reminded me of vocally, then it hit me: New Edition, specifically the sung vocals on “Candy Girl.”

Bassist Hart Seely (Kyle Seely’s brother), rhythm guitarist Matt Palmer, and touring drummer Evan Campbell held the fort down with rumbling bass, cranked out chords, and pounding drums while Halladay and Kyle Seely shredded the set.

All together, the band forms something unique and special. And fans of Sheer Mag already know this; I’m just late to the game.

Like I said, Sheer Mag Live is like mid-to-late 70s guitar rock with the vocals of New Edition’s Ralph Tresvant.

And that makes sense why they were on a bill with Coheed & Cambria, who are known for the high vocals and intricate riffing.

Watching the Seely brothers take up the same microphone while they jammed on was very fun to see. The brothers jumping to the mic simultaneously to belt out “moonstruck” during the titular song “Moonstruck” from their album “Playing Favorites,” which was released this year on Jack White’s Third Man Records, made me smile every time they did it.

Campbell had a moment to show his chops on the skins with a nice drum break, reiterating that without him, Hart Seely, and Palmer, Sheer Mag’s goal of delivering blistering 70s rock and punk-inspired modern-day protest music would fall flat.

But they succeed fully.

The band took a short break before playing two final songs, closing with “Fan the Flames,” their most popular song on Spotify and likely all other platforms, which was released a whole decade ago. That goes to show Sheer Mag has built a dedicated fan base and has surely weathered many a storm. Few bands can claim those successes.

Sheer Mag

Instagram丨Facebook丨YouTube丨Soundcloud丨Bandcamp丨Spotify丨YouTube Music丨Apple Music

The Out-Sect

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Written and Photographed by: Max Bennett

The Sunday Scaries weren’t a factor at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown on July 14, as the second-story venue was loaded with attendees for a show with an eclectic bill.

Sixteen Jackies celebrated the release of their first full-length album “Bangs & Whimpers” that night and brought along synth-punkers Fast Car Slow Car and the more roots-rock-based Mavis the Dog.

Before the show even started, Jackies singer Jody DeMarco was mingling with fans, giving them a touch of the band’s signature glam vibe by adding Sixteen Jackies-branded eye glitter.

While playing live, Fast Car Slow Car employs not one but four keyboards. While one might think, “That’s too many keyboards for a five-piece,” I assure you it is not. The synth tones filled the venue with ethereal auras, but they weren’t to be outdone by the guitar, which came in screaming at times, pushing the boundaries of new wave and punk.

And speaking of punk and new wave, singer Breshon Masrtzall plays the role of frontman well for both genres. At one point, he jumped off the stage onto the floor and was belting lyrics like it was a 2009 DIY basement show in West Philadelphia. This is all after he was delivering lines with the low, intense gravitas that you find in some of the mid-80s new wave acts.

As they powered through their set, Masrtzall stopped to shout out he and his brother Keondre’s mother, who was in attendance. We love to see supportive parents and appreciative kids, don’t we, folks?

Mavis the Dog changed up the tempo a bit, as Fast Car Slow Car ended their set with a high level of energy. The quartet, compared to Fast Car, is much more stripped-down, featuring bass, guitar, keys, and drums. And the influences must be in the realm of classic singer-songwriters, as well as 50s and 60s combos. But as the set progressed, some songs harken to 90s alt-rock hits we Millennials grew up with on the radio.

What stood out was the keyboard and the emulations it was employing. At times, it was a swirling organ and others an eerie theremin, like in old sci-fi flicks you’d catch on “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”

The set felt largely driven by the bass, as the guitar and vocals could have used a bit more in the mix. There were great vocals and exciting guitar parts coming from frontman Scott Olsen, but unfortunately, they were lost due to some volume issues.

Mavis picked up the speed to finish the set, and their closer included some blistering drum work.

Sixteen Jackies hit the stage right at 10 p.m. and came out strong with the lead track from Bangs & Whimpers titled “Trash Night.” And it’s no wonder they chose to open both the show and the album with it: the song is a staccato-driven pop rock powerhouse that sets the stage for what’s to come. It’s inclusions of woodblock hits by drummer Ian Staley really scratch that cowbell itch we’ve all been feeling since the iconic 2000 “Saturday Night Live” sketch.

Next came more new tracks. “You and Your Friends” strays from the frenzied pop that “Trash Night” offers up, coming in as a sort of surf punk track you might hear on a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater soundtrack. However, the dreamy chorus cuts through the aggressive punk stylings that lead the song.

DeMarco is pure joy on stage and pure joy to watch. His vocal range is one to marvel at, hitting almost whistle-like tones at points. The frontman can also hold his own on guitar, trading riffs at times with Jeremiah Bull and Tim Davis, who took turns on bass and guitar throughout their set.

While playing the song “VHS #1 (a Body),” DeMarco donned an old-school hockey mask, a la Jason Voorhees from the “Friday the 13th” series. The look is perfect for a live rendition of the 2017 track, as it features a droning main riff that creates a sense of unease thanks to the use of a harmonic minor scale.

The band swung back around to its more uplifting sound with another new track, “Mercy.” “Mercy” is a classic rock song driven by cowboy chords and some fiery lead guitar solos.

They jumped back to 2018 to bust out “Little Duke” from the “Mascula” EP. With its persistent thumping bass line, “Little Duke” ramped up the energy in the room, getting the crowd even more on their feet. What’s funny, though, is that the song ends abruptly, giving the audience that feeling when a roller coaster car comes to a screeching halt after getting you amped up with its heart-pounding thrills.

DeMarco gave a shoutout to David Skovron of Drowning Fish Studio, who produced Bangs & Whimpers, and then the band went into “Creature Feature” from their 2018 EP, Hostile Architecture. “Creature” toward the end sounds like it’s going out with a dissonant, cacophonous end. The band went silent, then exploded into the final chorus, which features fuzzy guitar tones and tremolo leads.

DeMarco put down his guitar and modulated his voice with auto-tune, or something similar. And before you might think to yourself, “Auto tune? That couldn’t be good.” I’m here to tell you that it was, indeed, good. The use of the often-maligned voice-shifting technology fit perfectly in the track. If only this writer could remember what track it was.

When Jackies announced they were on their final song of the set, they were met with boos. The band played a bit of “In My Life” by The Beatles, prompting a crowd singalong before heading into the end of the show.

They then ended their show with “One of the Boys,” the final track on Bangs & Whimpers. The song’s closing features a vocal line perfect for live audiences to chant along with. The evening was the perfect way for the Philly glamband to celebrate their first full length. And it brought people out on a Sunday—no small feat.

Sixteen Jackies

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Mavis the Dog

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Fast Car Slow Car

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Written and Photographed by: Max Bennett

Temperatures in Philadelphia have been pushing 100 degrees, so the last thing anyone wants is more heat. But at Johnny Brenda’s Saturday night, three local acts turned the heat up all the way, delivering heavy riffs, dance-inducing punk, blistering solos, and mind-bending aural trips.

Psychedelic rockers Slomo Sapiens celebrated the release of their sophomore album, The Holy Babble, by headlining the gig, with Wax Jaw and Flatwaves opening the show.

Flatwaves hit the stage first and brought a thundering bass tone that served as the driving force of their set, which featured vocals reminiscent of 90s rock frontwomen, with both guitarists taking turns singing lead and at times belting lyrics in tandem. While the guitars bathed the crowded venue in swirling, ambient shoegaze leads, drum fills provided contrast with bursts of speed and ferocity.

It’d be a shame not to shout out Flatwaves bassist Stephen Edwards, who was at center stage during the set and was hyping up the crowd during and between songs. From standing on his monitor doing hair flips to chugging what was left in a can that was tossed on stage, he helped set the tone for the remainder of the show.

Wax Jaw came out strong with an incredibly high-energy vibe. The crowd already fired up from Flatwaves, picked up on the band’s intensity and spirit instantly. Kids were moshing around, throwing in a little two-stepping, as soon as the set kicked off. It’s unclear if Wax Jaw is influenced by hardcore punk, but their set was dripping with rhythms from the golden era of punk.

At this point, no one in the crowd seemed to care about how hot it’s been. Everyone was feeding off the music, sweat be damned. The vibe, as the kids say, was immaculate.

What set Wax Jaw apart from other punk acts was the ripping guitar solos. Both guitarists took turns shredding solos and lead riffs, which aren’t that common among punks thanks to curmudgeons like Johnny Ramone, who actively worked to be a mediocre player. Early in the set, one guitarist broke a string on his Telecaster and busted out a black Les Paul, which felt more fitting given the pace Wax Jaw and Flatwaves set. The Les Paul likely made the show a bit more physically demanding for the already frenzied shredder, as they’re considerably heavier than Telecasters.

Regardless, the band tore through their set, with singer Shane Morgan putting some serious attitude into her performance. The vocalist may be short in stature, but her presence was larger than life on stage. She commanded the crowd at one point to crouch down. On the band’s mark, everyone leapt into the air in unison and the band rushed right into another dance-punk banger.

Not once during the set did Wax Jaw slow down. It was going to be a tough act to follow for Slomo Sapiens.

Unfortunately, Wax Jaw said they won’t be gigging much for a bit. Fortunately, that’s because they’re working on a new alum, so stay tuned to their socials for updates on fresh material.

Slomo Sapiens hit the stage not long after 11 p.m. for their headlining set. The band’s second album was released June 7, and they’ve hit up Brooklyn, Asbury Park, and Richmond recently to support the “The Holy Babble.” As part of the celebration, Johnny Brenda’s was offering two signature cocktails. Well, one cocktail and a city wide.

The vibe shifted with Slomo Sapiens. To say they had less energy than Wax Jaw would be wrong: the energy was just different. While both bands share punk elements, Slomo is rooted in psychedelia, blues, and stoner/sludge. Frontman Ceallaigh Manaaki is a blues head when it comes down to it. His other band — simply called Manaaki and featuring members of Sixteen Jackies, St. James & the Apostles, & Grave Bathers —  is a heavy blues outfit that puts on a hell of a show, as well.

With Slomo came less moshing and more tripped-out vibing from the crowd. A Slomo show would surely be a heady event with a bit of psychoactive chemicals rushing through your blood. That’s not to say catching a set sober is boring: it’s still a must-see display of virtuosity and creativity.

Manaaki and multi-instrumentalist Mike Sanzo traded guitar licks and riffs, with Manaaki taking the bulk of the set’s guitar solos. The set’s opening song, Desert Head/Slacker, is the lead track on “Babble.” It features a dizzying guitar solo that breaks the bounds of traditional keys and modes found in popular blues rock. That particular solo gives feelings of mystery, confusion, and unease, and in the best ways possible. A live rendition of it is even more enthralling, as the band nailed the track’s eeriness and intrigue in a way possible only on stage.

When taking his solos, Manaaki kicked his rig into gear with a wah pedal that sent his tone through the mix, giving the crowd crisp and fiery leads.

Sanzo, bassist Greg Geiger, and drummer Jon Pritchard backed Manaaki on vocals. A band this good with members who can all sing well is like getting ice cream after eating cake. A pure treat.

The vocals had some modulation, too. Manaaki’s words were often saturated with a fuzzy effect, like the tracks on their studio releases. It’s always appreciated when a band works to deliver a nearly identical version of their recordings when playing out.

But some deviation is welcome, too. Stone Bones, an anthemic track on “Babble,” featured a bit of a jam, it seemed. The song felt like an extended version with more instrumentality from all four members as they grooved together, laying down serious solos.

Slomo Sapiens closed the show with “Stone Bones,” but came back out for one more song after a few minutes of the crowd beckoning them back to the stage.

Overall, it was a great show and a prime display of Philadelphia’s vibrant music scene. And a shout-out to Johnny Brenda’s for keeping the temperature comfortable amid the heatwave.

Slomo Sapiens: Instagram; Facebook; YouTube; TikTok; Bandcamp; Spotify; Soundcloud

Wax Jaw : Instagram; Bandcamp; TikTok; YouTube; Spotify; Soundcloud

Flatwaves : Instagram; Bandcamp; Spotify; Bandsintown; YouTube; Website

Indie folk/alternative Boston-based trio, Tall Heights, and Vermont-based singer/songwriter, Henry Jamison, played to an intimate, attentive crowd of music lovers last night at the Lizard Lounge (located in the bottom level of the Chameleon Club).

Tall Heights played many tracks from their latest record, Neptune. They also performed some new songs, one of which was only their fourth time performing live. It was a great song – somewhat quirky and unique, while having some elements of alt-J, and some of the incredible folk music out of New England.

Singer/songwriter Henry Jamison opened his set around 7:30 PM and played tracks from his latest EP, The Rains. He joked that most of his songs are “about a girl”, but he has some that aren’t. Included in his set were the title track, “The Rains”, “Real Peach”, as well as the EP’s opener, “Dallas Love Field.”

Both artists performed a beautiful collection of music that combined the best elements of heartache, love, friendship, and more into songs that can stand the test of time. They’re performing together in Philly tonight at Johnny Brenda’s. Tickets are available now.

photo by Dailey Toliver

Capturing love in song is one of the more elemental things about the continuum of music through the ages. It can be divine or personal but all forms of the love song offer something relatable. It helps the songwriter connect to their audience through the ups and downs and plateaus that are so becoming of all romantic partnerships. For Austin transplant Molly Burch, her debut is a window into the past few years of heartbreak and rekindling.

Taking elements of vintage pop and soul, the album in question, Please Be Mine also marks Burch’s first opportunity to take her wistful love songs on tour, supporting Tim Darcy and Sallie Ford on two separate legs in March and April respectively. Before making her debut tonight at Boot and Saddle (and visiting our city again on April 13th at Johnny Brenda’s), I had the chance to speak to Burch about her debut, what inspired it, as well as how her own songwriting has offered closure and renewal.

“When I wrote the album and recorded it I wasn’t signed yet,” she says on eventually getting signed to her label Captured Tracks. “But I started writing it in 2013 when I moved to Austin. I had just moved from North Carolina and moved by myself on a whim. That’s when I started writing the album and then we recorded about a year ago. We just sent [Captured Tracks] a cold demo submission and they signed me and wanted to put out the record basically as is.

“I had just sent it to friends and anyone who I felt who would give me good advice on the album,” Burch continues. “I had planned on sending it to labels and I didn’t know too much about that process.”

Thanks to her friend Jared, a member of the Austin-based psych-rock quartet the Zoltars, that process was simplified, giving her the advice to send the demo out to Captured Tracks. “They got back to me in a day,” she says. “It was very early on and I didn’t really send it to too many places. It was very fast.”

With two separate tours booked so far in 2017, things are on track to move even faster. Owing to that pace is Burch’s own tenacity and resilience. “I’ve always been a singer, songwriting came later,” she explains. “So for this whole record, I mean…I’m always learning and growing and of course everyone is, but there wasn’t much experimenting probably since I moved here. I write for my voice.”

That voice gifts her debut with an undeniable authenticity. She writes and sings from experience, developing the vocals that feel both natural and nuanced. “When I was younger my voice sort of leaned towards more pop music,” she says, recalling how she found her voice in the most literal sense. “I listened to a lot of Christina Aguilera and I grew up with American Idol. I feel I was too much like that. Then when I was in college I was studying jazz and it was almost like too much in that spectrum so I feel like I’ve sort of fused the two in a way where I feel like it has both of those elements. A jazz sound but with a pop mentality.”

This mentality trickles down into the doo-wop textures of Please Be Mine, some of the improvisational nature of which is utilized in her track “Please Forgive Me.” “It was one of the first songs I wrote for the album,” she says. “I think it was the second song. I wrote it on a ukulele, it was a very simple progression. I definitely wanted it to have a sort-of doo-wop vibe. That’s one’s about having such a young love and finding somebody else but then realizing you made a mistake and wanting that person back.”

Love and want are central to Burch’s recent songwriting. Healing heartbreak through her own music has inlaid a sweet if maudlin vibe that digs deep into relatable aspects of any long-term relationship. “The act of singing has always been a very therapeutic thing for me,” she explains, on writing to heal. “It just always makes me feel better. Specifically referring to the album, I went through a breakup right before I moved here. It was my first real time writing songs basically. I was dealing with breaking up and I wrote a lot of the songs like the title track when I moved here. That felt very cathartic.”

But the singer rejects the identity of her debut as a “breakup album.” After all such labels are reductive. “Since moving here, the guy I broke up with, we got back together,” she says referencing her bandmate Dailey Toliver. “A lot of the songs are inspired by reuniting with him. I feel like that in itself is very therapeutic for both of us in a way and learning how to work together.”

I, of course, couldn’t help but admit the inherent awkwardness that might arise from being partly the subject of an album while at the same time playing together on tour. “There’s never awkwardness,” she admits with a laugh. “He’s extremely supportive. We didn’t play with each other when we lived in Asheville. I feel like that was something we had to work up to.”

Molly Burch will open for Tim Darcy at the Boot and Saddle tonight, in addition to opening for Sallie Ford at Johnny Brenda’s on April 13th. Check out the video for her single “Downhearted” below.

photos by Anna Webber

There’s no denying that the full-length debut, The Sunshine of Your Youth (Bright Antenna), from Philly haze pop quartet, Cheerleader, was one of the most influential indie records of 2015. However, Philadelphia wasn’t always the only city that Connecticut natives Joe Haller (vocals/guitar) and Chris Duran (lead guitar) had on a list of moving to.

In the beginning, Haller and Duran had a list of cities, including Boston and New York, in addition to Philadelphia, where all three were within about a five hour drive of their native Connecticut.

“We toyed with the idea of New York and toyed with the idea of going across country to California, but ultimately both were pretty pricey,” Haller admits. Ultimately, the pair decided on Philadelphia. “We also felt that Philly has more of an intimate music scene. There is less noise, so we felt we could have a little more of an impact and a louder voice in Philadelphia. We’ve gotten to really like Philly. It’s a really cool town and it has a lot to offer. I like the fact that’s it’s not quite as crazy.”

Philadelphia’s music scene is undeniably unlike any other city. There are so many genres and artists that are making a name for themselves in the musically diverse city. Haller adds, “Mainly, when you see another band live, I guess that’s when the Philly thing comes into play. But we’ve seen other bands live and think ‘Oh, they’re doing something really cool.’ I guess bands like The War On Drugs or like Kurt Vile, we were already fans of those bands before we moved to Philly, so they were already influencing our music a little bit. Bands like Cruisr, Air Is Human, there are a variety of different bands who we know, and who we’ve played around with, who we inevitably have been influenced by.”

Once they finalized their move to Philadelphia, the pair added Paul Impellizeri (bass/vocals), Josh Pannepacker (keys), and Carl Bahner (drums) to round out the full lineup. Haller definitely feels that the move has altered the way they create and write now “probably pretty drastically.”

He adds, “Chris and I are the primary creators of content usually. We were very much a ‘bedroom recording’ type of project. We didn’t really think about playing the songs live and as performing has been more a bigger part of what we do, we realize it helps to write with the fans in mind. Our older stuff is almost impossible to pull off in a live setting.”

It’s now been about a year and a half since their debut album was released and it was definitely one of the most bright-eyed, indie releases of 2015. Despite that, things “haven’t changed too drastically,” Haller says. “We went on a few longer tours, I guess that would be the biggest difference. We went on one with The Wombats that was almost two months and one with Eliot Sumner, which was about a month and a half. We’ve been doing a lot more touring, but other than that not a whole lot have changed.”

Since those tours, the band has played some new material at shows, but ultimately, is looking at the rest of the year for more opportunities to continue writing.

The band’s “main goal right now is working on new material. We’ve played a few new songs live and we have a couple shows coming up and we’ll definitely be incorporating some of the new material into the set.”

With that said, the quartet was scheduled to hit the road with indie rock band, Caveman, but after a week, was cancelled for undisclosed reasons. With that disappointment, however, comes opportunity.

“We’re trying to work towards another full-length and tweaking our sound a little bit and moving things in a slightly different direction,” he explains. “A little less sugary pop, a little more true to our original influences. We felt like the first record got away from us a little bit, so it’ll be a little more psychedelic.”

The band’s hometown show at Johnny Brenda’s on Friday will reveal some of the band’s new material with “about 50 percent of the set being new stuff.”

There are rarely more than a handful of times where you can look back on a moment or an event and say with certainty that it exceeded all expectations. This past Saturday at Johnny Brenda’s saw three of the most promising acts currently rising through the ranks of the crowded Philadelphia indie sphere do just that. Heading the lineup that night was Oldermost, an eclectic indie rock quintet on the heels of the two breakthrough singles, “Honey with Tea” and “Finally Unsure.”

Opening up for the band came Hemming and American Trappist, each controlling the stage and captivating the audience with their uniquely powerful performances. Normally a quintet themselves, Hemming was fronted that evening solely by principal songwriter and vocalist, Candice Martello. With a voice that crackles with unfiltered emotional angst and honesty, Martello’s uncanny ability to condense each role from her band into a solo, acoustic performance cannot be overstated.

Following on her heels came American Trappist with their brand of self-described “Gothic Americana.” Quite a different energy went through the room as their performance would often venture into a blitzkrieg of guitar and percussion sated only by the careful and imaginative lyrical mind of frontman Joe Michelini. With their self-titled debut out on September 2nd and already a series of EPs to their name, the genre boundless outfit has filled their first few months of existence with tireless dedication.

Oldermost’s turn at the stage naturally had a lot to live up to, but their practiced and casual demeanor showed little sign that they wouldn’t be able to live up to both the anticipation and expectations that hung in the air. Their set sailed through on a breeze that reveled in pop hooks with an indie sensibility comparable to Kurt Vile or The War on Drugs. Later featured near the end of the set was rising singer-songwriter Rosali, contributing her own sweet, sonorous vocals to “Honey With Tea.” Performed live, the airy, easygoing pace of the single took on special significance as a culmination to the night’s celebration of Philly’s rising stars.

For more on Oldermost check out our own feature from the band in promotion of this appearance at Johnny Brenda’s.

Photo by Jeremy Zimmerman

Oldermost, a band that’s been around since 2010, has been infusing the Philly music scene with a new association for the Wild West lexicon. Instead of the term being a ghost town descriptor, fans are left with a high energy rock and roll sound focusing on piano chamber pop vibe and lineups. However, this wasn’t always the case. Coming with the territory of lineup changes over the years, the band has dabbled in different sounds such as indie pop, improvisational, and more of a raw feral sound.

Although their sound has been inconsistent, this has proven to be a strength for the band, as their sound is quite adaptable and malleable to their diverse players: Bradford Bucknum (manager, chief lyricist and songwriter, frontman), Stephen Robbins (drummer and producer), Mike Sobel (lead guitarist and lap steelist), and Dan Wolgemuth (bass guitarist and website manager). Furthermore, it gives fans a component of the unexpected, never knowing what else the band might produce or the direction they will go. That being said, Oldermost is influenced by ’60s and ’70s songwriters.

“We love classic songwriting, and although we have an affinity for familiar popular some construction, we lean towards bands that have chosen to do something interesting with song experimentation and arrangements that create some semblance of narrative drama,” states Bucknum.

This type of narrative can be seen in their last EP It’s Didficult to Know Anything At All, wherein they introduced concepts of uncertainty in life and this meaningless tension we all face in the form of unknowing. Bucknum goes on to say, “Our lyrics blend the quotidian with an almost mystical approach to meaning and the loss of meaning in contemporary life. Music is a great way to [confront meaninglessness]. You listen to songs over and over again, and they make a place in your life and you return to them again and again creating a rich site for meditation.”

This is the enthralling atmosphere and stage that Oldermost sets for the audience, a continual ponderance and reflection on meaninglessness. They continue to explore this existentialist theme in their two new singles, “Honey with Tea” (collaborating with Rosali) and “Finally Unsure.” Fans will hear a greater depth of sonic complexity in these two songs claims Oldermost. This complexity originates from their improved decision making process on arrangements and fine tuned intuition on when less is more. Robbins has contributed to an improvement in tracking and Jeff Ziegler added his own touch in mixing the singles.

Despite having such an intensive and compelling narrative for their song lyrics, Oldermost always writes the melody first. At rehearsal, the melody in its nascent stage is modified, revised and built upon with the addition of lyrics. This process of songwriting and recording is rather meticulous and can take up to a year or two. It is a continuous process of deliberate and critical revision. Although they have such strengths in their concrete writing and revision process and communication, one of the challenges they face is how to continue to make inspired music despite low energy levels at the end of the day. Music is not the sole focus for Oldermost band members, but they are truly passionate about making music.

“It is a privilege to make beautiful things with beautiful people…if you don’t love the process, you will never love the rewards,” Bucknum says.

Oldermost would like to extend thanks to Johnny Brenda’s for their support and for making the Philadelphia music scene a home to a lot of local bands out there. The band members would also like to say thank you to their fans. They are completely humbled when someone gives them their valuable time of day to listen to their hard work. Catch up with Oldermost at Johnny Brenda’s on August 27th.

I know we live in a moderately large city—one that knows how to pack a music venue—but it’s easy to forget that Philly is often an auto-include on any band’s touring itinerary.

Johnny Brenda’s—for the unacquainted, you’ve been missing out.  The rowdy Phishtown establishment has a cozy stage, ideal for slurping craft beers and enjoying underground bands on the cusp of catching on like wildfire.  They’ve got a loaded roster of performers on the docket, be sure to take a look.

On the evening of Friday, July 1^st, I found myself at what first appeared to be a bill of unknowns, but was in fact a spring-loaded dynamite performance.  Can’t beat discovering new artists by catching them live first.

Mercury Girls, Puro Instinct, and Fear of Men: three up and coming acts, each hailing from a different geographic locale, each flurrying with momentum and buzz, each offering up their own veritable twist on the elusively defined dream pop.

The evening kicked off with Mercury Girls, a local Philly band just getting on their feet.  It was a quick set—partially because I completely lost track of the time.  As such, I did manage to catch two songs—approximately the sum length of their total recorded material so far.  What can I say? Excuses. What I can tell you is Mercury Girls have cute, melancholy guitar pop down cold.  Their music is deep and immersive.  It would sound fantastic on an old vintage cassette player (oh wait, you can do that! via limited-run-merch-smith endlessdaze)—incidentally I couldn’t help but notice while scanning over their bandcamp page that they tagged their music as both “jangle pop” and “c86”.  They’re not the first contemporary band to worship at the shrine of The Mighty Lemon Drops. But who’s counting?  Also—at least on this particular evening—several of the band members had an impromptu uniform: generic baseball caps and tucked-in raggedy t-shirts. haute fashion, lo-fidelity.

Next up were Puro Instinct—easily the most idiosyncratic of the evening.   Skylar and Piper Kaplan are a sister act that hail from LA, bringing with them an unfathomable coolness and hip style dripping with irony—the proof is in the pudding, look at their blog.  Their shoegazy debut Headbangers in Ecstasy was one of the several records that helped cement Mexican Summer as indie’s center of gravity back in 2011.  They also performed alongside Aerial Pink’s Haunted Graffiti—talk about attracting buzz.

This time Puro Instinct are found touring in support of their latest album Autodrama.

The elements come together like left over Thai and mint chocolate chip.  Synthesizers bleed outlandish samples of an unremembered department store back-catalog.  Layered over top are two oddly registered vocal ranges: a raspy low end, and a prickly sharp falsetto.  Cocteau Twins featuring resurrected Jim Morrison in neon aerobic instructional video.  It’s an oddly evocative marriage that somehow manages work.

London’s Fear of Men capped the evening off—sleek, elegant, pastoral soundscapes that could just as easily entrance you into dance on a Friday evening amongst friends, as it could zonk you out on the couch clutching a good summer read.  Jess Weiss’ voice projected into the venue and engulfs you in a warm, lush, marshmallow.  Guitarist Daniel Falvey’s intense posture makes it impossible not to get lost in their world.  Their latest album Fall Forever came out this past June, and it’s worth a listen—though the dynamics of this band feels much more substantial live, so definitely try catching Fear of Men if you can.  The band is in the midst of a substantial North American tour, mainly focused on the west coast—then they’re Europe-bound.