NYC Scene Report – The Living Strange, The Nectars, & more

This week’s NYC Scene Report features alt-rock band The Living Strange “Losing It,” pop-punk outfit The Nectars getting “Holy,” dream pop/shoegaze act Pecas vibing out on “Tuesdays,” and indie rockers Zula celebrating “New Years.”

* Brooklyn-based alt-rockers The Living Strange just released their debut album, Gunk, the latest single off of which may have you “Losing It.”

“Losing It” is an infectious rock song, and the video for it is a trippy version of The Living Strange frontman Elijah Sokolow’s life. He explained the inspiration for the clip in a statement, saying, “To make this video, we just filmed my daily routine. It’s nothing out of the ordinary. That’s why we wanted to do it, though. There’s something about capturing everyday life that shows how much substance could be appreciated in something as boring as brushing your hair in the morning.”

Believe me when I tell you there’s nothing boring about this video, the song, or The Living Strange. Click play, and see what I mean.


* NJ-based pop-punk band The Nectars have one of the best live shows around, but judging by the video for their latest single, “Holy,” I might pass on accepting any rides from them.

The clip for the 81 second song moves at the same blistering pace as the music, and features … well, I’ll let you see for yourself.

“Holy” is off of The Nectars’ debut album, Sci-Fi Television, and for more on the band check out our Stacking The Deck interview from earlier this year.


* Brooklyn-based dream pop/shoegaze act Pecas just released a six track EP, titled After Dark, via Broken Circles, and the name of the project is incredibly appropriate, as the latest single, “Tuesdays,” is a late-night soundtrack jam.

A vibey gem with breathy vocals, “Tuesdays” will have you in the mood for chillin’ out, and enjoying some lounge time – even on a Tuesday. The song is yet another reason I’d love to know more about Pecas. I’d also definitely love to see Pecas live … as long as I have a date to go with me, because my guess is the live experience will have everyone wanting to do some things After Dark.


* NYC-based indie rockers Zula are celebrating New Years a bit early … like on September 21st, because that’s when the band’s third album, titled New Years, will be released via Inflated Records.

The band members discussed the album in a statement, saying, “Though the title doesn’t specifically concern New Year’s Eve, or New Year’s Day, it deals with the feelings of time, desperation, festivity, change, and renewal that the holiday often represents. Anxiety and elation are definitely recurring themes. Making sense of time when it seems like it’s rushing forward and standing in place at the same time. How to be a loving and thoughtful person in an uncertain world. Feeling the dynamics of relationships in romantic partnerships and collaborations.”

You can feel all those emotions on the title track to New Years, which you can listen to right here.


For more of the best of NYC’s indie music scene, come back next Wednesday, and check out the archives for previous columns.