Bass n' drums two piece rock band The Holy Vowels have just dropped a brand new single “Body Pillow”. Both fellas share singing duties and include some nice harmonies in their garage, lo-fi jam. The verse section has some soul and the overdrive really kicks in for the chorus. Makes for a deadly combo. The Holy Vowels are hosting an evening of music at Paintbox Catering and Bistro on Friday July 26^th. Special Guests TBD. – Kris Gies

Photo credit: Ginger Fierstein

Oakland's Makeunder (aka Hamilton Ulmer) just released another single off forthcoming album Pale Cicada and it's a force of soul and funk, Prince-esq vocals and gyrating horns and baselines. There's so much going on in track "In Between My Dead-End Jobs" that you've got to give it a couple listens. The full album comes out June 28 on Good Eye Records and it's a fun experience of songs that are full of passion and positivity, despite messages full of struggles and loss. - Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Mannequin Pussy just dropped their third full-length and the band's first album on Epitaph Records. With Patience, the quartet's diverse songwriting capabilities are on full display, allowing one to more easily envision the group's leap from DIY spaces to much larger stages. Their latest LP was produced by Will Yip at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA. All digital proceeds from Bandcamp will be donated to The Trevor Project, a non-profit organization focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth, and if you choose to "name your price," Epitaph will match your amount. Starting in August, Mannequin Pussy are set to go on a month-long, national, headlining tour in support of the new release, and they'll be closing things out with a welcome home celebration on Thursday, September 19 at the First Unitarian Church, with tourmates Destroy Boys & Ellis.

With tenaciously powerful vocals compounded and accentuated by riff-rampant grooves, Sheer Mag creates a sweaty, smoky, uncompromising brand of rock ‘n’ roll. Fueled by an earnest dynamic that exudes a savvy grit, their songs rally the listeners, building momentum in a fun, uproarious manner. The band will be starting its summer tour this Saturday evening at World Cafe Live, supported by Thin Lips, whose melodic powerpop opens a window into intimate, cathartic narratives. Also along for the ride is slick Louisville rock outfit White Reaper. – Michael Colavita 

Other places where you can enjoy this Summer Solstice weekend…

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Midnight Singers, Travel Lanes, Joey Sweeney & The Neon Grease

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Ramona/DJ Deejay, SAT Narcos Family Band, The Magnificent Shithawks Of The Greater Northern Americas/Fame Lust, SUN Behind Deadlines, Fuzzy Slippers/Curanderos, Moral Crayfish

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI Boysetsfire, Restorations, SAT Boysetsfire, Restorations

The Foundry (29 E. Allen St.) SAT Tommy Conwell And The Young Rumblers, Creem Circus, SUN Catie Turner

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT (Upstairs)  DJ Oluwafemi/(Downstairs) Sheer Mag, Thin Lips

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI  Stripped Down & Unplugged Fest: Laura Purfield, Sh’Bang/Voodoo Death Cult, The Heels, Banged Up, SUN Gas Money, House Plant, Thrillchaser/Behind The Horror, The Lima Division, Big Handsome

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Camp Candle, SAT Tuck Ryan Band

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) SAT GROSS, World Below

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) SUN Rover Rover, Rachel Andie and the Fifth Element, Sleepmonster

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Bo Bliz, SAT DJ Deejay

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Live Band Karaoke, SAT Paul Green Adult Program, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) FRI Adventure Lost, Andorra, At Best, SAT Dirty Soap, River Bones Band, SUN Kicking Down Doors, John Galla

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) SAT Knightlife

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) SAT Menace Cartel, SUN New Pony Band

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ AZN JAKE, SAT DJ Drootrax, SUN A Midsummer Nightmare: A Drag Tribute to Tim Burton

Century (1350 S. 29^th St.) FRI Voltheque, Worst Ones, Pataphor, SAT Pushin' it 2 the Limit (Tape Release), Code of the Jaguar, Los Gueys

The Tusk (430 South St.) FRI Live Not On Evil, Street Vengeance, The Noid, SAT Shark Bullet, Misfit Holiday

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI The Funky T, Rachel Andre & the Fifth Element, SAT Mesmeria, Dr. Beardface, Jay Skull In Spades, The Cluster Flies

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Electron, Catullus, SUN Ben Arnold, Matt Santry

Molestice (100 Block of N. Mole St.) SAT &More, Ali Awan, Great Time, Camp Candle

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Yeenar (EP Release), Honeytiger, Droopies

Creep Records (1050 N. Hancock St.) FRI Afloat, Science Club

Warehouse on Watts (923 N. Watts St.) FRI Rob Paine & Francisco Collazo

Haus Of Yarga (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Booklegger, Hyve, Ty Miller & the Miller Lites

Being broke financially is a situation that a majority of fledgling artists can relate to. For Broke Body, life has been taxing in the physical sense as well, so they wanted a band name that would represent their lives right now. However, things haven’t been all that bad for the trio here in Philly of late. After discovering “a really dope, supportive community,” the group just released its first EP, Bleed, via local imprint Good How Are You Records, and claimed victory in our recent Featured Artist(s) Poll. “Exploring themes of dissonance, loss, apathy, and anxiety,” you can give Broke Body’s fiery debut a spin below, and take a gander at our interview with the gang HERE. Tru.