D.C.’s GEMS (& ATG/B3/TMD’s CMJ (enough acronyms?) Hit Parade act) let loose the dramatic & soulful boy-girl synth pop of their upcoming EP’s title track “Medusa”. Forty fathoms deep in reverb and Lean-esque in its cinematic quality, “Medusa” for its instrumental ornamentation is really quite visceral melodically (hit us straight in the gut) and we really really like that. Hit Parade.
GEMS 
(Official)
Rating 8.4
No bio electronic producer (& a favorite of b3) Slow Magic lends his complex, varied, exotic production style to tourmate Gold Panda’s “Brazil”. Quiet at the start and slow to build, the mix’s big payoff in its fourth minute (when the oceansized mid 80’s synth introduce into the track) is quite special. Get with it below.
Slow Magic (Facebook)
Rating 8.0
Lorine Chia out of our home hood of CLE impresses again with the minor-keyed slow burn of new track “Eve’s Perspective”. Lorine will be releasing her new “Naked Truths” EP next week.
Lorine Chia 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
Termanology links up with the always affable Bronsolini and the definitely dope Jared Evan for the jazz-hop stylings of “Take My Turn”, excerpted here from the Mass. emcee’s out today Goya project. Ice cold.
Termanology 
(Facebook)
Rating: 8.2
Tennis, the Denver-based duo signed to Communion Records, catches a bit of that Holy Ghost w/ the 60’s soul-informed new track “Mean Streets”. Playing out from the record at a pace and quality that’s suggestive it could just be the very only track in the world (the song takes it time), “Mean Streets” leisurely meandering pocket ebbs about Tennis singer Alana Moore’s equally nonplussed but melodically right on vocal. Tennis’ “Small Sound” EP is due November 5.
Tour Dates
11/3 Brooklyn, NY @ School Night Brooklyn Bowl
11/5 New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall+
11/6 Washington, DC @ Black Cat+
11/7 Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts+
11/9 Montreal, QC @ II Motore*
11/10 Toronto, ON @ The Garrison^
11/12 Bloomington, IN @ Bluebird Nightclub+
11/13 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar +
11/14 Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge+
11/16 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall^
11/17 St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway^
11/19 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater+
11/20 Madison, WI @ The Frequency+
11/21 Maquoketa, IA @ Daytrotter+
+ Communion Presents w/ ON AN ON, Night Sweats, Savoir Adore & more
* Support from ON AN ON
Tennis 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.3
The triumphant Clare Maguire gets an A+ for song choice (Sonny Burke’s classic “Black Coffee”, later performed by Sarah Vaughan and Peggy Lee among others) and an additional A+ for an engaging, original, dynamic take on a much covered standard. Maguire’s full-bodied Peggy Lee-esque vocal is well complemented by the track’s equally modern and mid-century-referencing production spinning the blue far-off quality of the original to a contemporary frame. Very very powerful.
Claire Maguire 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
The R wraps up best Oreo reference on a hook for 2013 w/ the illustratively titled new one “Cookie”. Cookie, Cookie, Cookie, Cookie, Robert Kelly’s got melodic lines for days, in fact he probably wrote this one standing on his head, left handed, while lying back in the hot tub (if anybody could pull this maneuver off it’s R. Kelly btw) while writing the next “Go Getta” “I Believe I Can Fly” and “Ignition” all at the same (damn) time. Witness.
R. Kelly 
(Twitter)
Rating 8.2
“Time Machine” is new from Nashville party rockers COIN. Long on super strong hooks, easy accessibility and that indie 1-2 that is irresistible to keep still to, “Time Machine” is the latest pop crusher from the Tennessee-based trio. Also, COIN are playing the fabulous CMJ HIT PARADE showcase showcase we’re throwing w/ All Things Go on October 16th. All of which can be yours for the low low price of a few clicks of the mouse, a bit of geographic availability (NYC) and a “clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose” attitude starting below.
COIN 
(Official)
Performing @ The CMJ Hit Parade @ Brooklyn Bowl 
(Official Event Info) (Purchase Tickets)
Rating 8.0
