NYC Scene Report – Strawberry Launch, Madeline Rhodes, & Homeboy Sandman

This week’s NYC Scene Report features Strawberry Launch with an ode to long distance sisterhood, Madeline Rhodes “Bailing on Your Birthday,” and Homeboy Sandman feeling “Real Good.”

* NYC-based indie rockers Strawberry Launch released a new single today titled “Emily,” and it’s all about lead singer Riiza’s long distance relationship with her sister.

Released via Trash Casual Records, Riiza explained the song, and the love she shares with her sibling, saying, “I felt so inspired to write about a relationship that was so strong despite being physically far from one another,” adding, “We’ve been each other’s rocks even though we’re thousands of miles apart.”

“Emily” is off Strawberry Launch’s upcoming sophomore EP, Bad Luck, which is due out this spring. In anticipation of the EP they’re hitting the road to perform at SXSW March 11th through 16th, followed by a date at the New New Festival in Dallas, TX on March 17th, and they’ll cap everything off with their Small Crush Tour, which will hit four East Coast cities April 11th through 14th.

With everything they have lined up, it’s looking like it’s going to be a very Strawberry spring, and you can get a head start on it by clicking play on “Emily.”

* Madeline Rhodes – who is the artist formerly known as MuMu – has some bad news for you, according to her recently released single, she’s “Bailing on Your Birthday.”

The incredibly fun indie pop song, which was produced by Gaspard Murphy, is a danceable ode to saying home, and practicing self-care.

“There are so many songs out there about going to a party, getting wasted, and having a great time,” Rhodes explains, “This song is about NOT going to that party, taking care of your mental health, and having a better time.”

She continued, adding, “Parties should be optional, not mandatory. We all have different capacities for social events. So next time you want to cancel on someone’s party, you can send them this song.”

“Bailing on Your Birthday” is Rhodes’ opening salvo from her upcoming full-length album, The Brothel. The title of the LP is an homage to the nickname she had for her house growing up, which was one of the topics she discussed in our interview last summer.

So celebrate staying in, and dance to your mental health by clicking play on “Bailing on Your Birthday.”

* Homeboy Sandman is feeling “Real Good.” “Real Good” being the title of the upbeat single he released last month.

More than just a single, according to Homeboy Sandman it’s the beginning of what will be a lifelong monthly release schedule.

“‘Real Good’ is the first release of my conscious decision to drop new music every month for the rest of my life,” he explained in a statement, “I know I’ve pretty much been doing that anyway, but now I’m doing it with more intention. If a month passes and you haven’t heard from me then I have moved on to glorious afterlife, whatever that entails.”

“Real Good” features Homeboy Sandman’s trademark ability to flip remarkably deep lyrics while still creating a good time. One of my favorite parts of this incredibly quotable song is when he raps about his aversion to social media.

Every person that I ever met
Like Sand I never see you on the net
How can we connect?
I tell em homey pipe down
We connecting right now, what the heck? 

It’s a wonderful reminder that far too often we feel the need to live in a screen, rather than in reality, and because of this sometimes we forget how to interact in the latter.

Click play on the song, and feel “Real Good.”

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