House of Sugar (Domino) is the latest LP from Alexander Giannascoli, who is better known as (Sandy) Alex G. Complex, cohesive sonic textures make for a compelling yet comforting collection of songs. One becomes intimately entangled in the web of warped warmth. It's another must-have release from the prolific Philly songwriter. Union Transfer will be playing host to (Sandy) Alex G on Saturday, November 30, where he'll also be joined by Corey Flood and Tomberlin. (Photo by Tonje Thileson)

(Sandy) Alex stopped by Third Man Records's Blue Room last fall for a performance. The live session has been memorialized on vinyl, which is out now via Jack White's Nashville label. Below is the beloved "Bobby," which originally appeared on his latest critically-acclaimed LP 2017's Rocket (Domino). Enjoy! (Photo by Jen Cray)

We are here once again at The Deli Philly’s final post of the year. It’s been an honor getting a chance to share new music with all of you this past year (and nearly a decade), and I look forward to continuing to discover the best of Philly’s underground music community with you. And without any further ado, here is my “Best of” year-end list for my favorite Philly albums of 2017. I look forward to seeing you on the other side.

Much love – cheers!

Q.D. Tran

1. Raw Rock Fury (Relapse) – Ecstatic Vision

Ecstatic Vision weren’t joking when they decided to name their latest album, Raw Rock Fury. There are few, if not any Philly releases that can match the pure intensity and glorious shredding found on my favorite local release of 2017. And it also provides you a glimpse into the awesomeness of their live performances.

2. Rocket (Domino) – (Sandy) Alex G

With Rocket, Alex Giannascoli proves that all the adoration from the media for the young songwriter is certainly not unfounded. Using the guise of an Americana framework, he is able to craft wonderfully intimate campfire songs that make left turns at all the right places.

3. Veblen Death Mask (Kill Rock Stars) – Taiwan Housing Project

Veblen Death Mask is music without boundaries – so chaotically beautiful!

4. Need to Feel Your Love (Wilsuns RC) – Sheer Mag

All riffs and vocals – garage-punks Sheer Mag make their retro-fit sound oh so good. Rock ‘n’ roll is not dead.

5. Out in the Storm (Merge) – Waxahatchee

Waxahatchee’s earnest songwriting speaks right to the heart, and it’s hard to ignore.

6. My Idols Are Dead + My Enemies Are In Power (Self-released) – Lushlife

7. Messy (Self-released) – Curtis Cooper

8. Play “The Songs You Like” (Salinas) – Radiator Hospital

9. Oh, My Heart (Lame-O) – Shannen Moser

10. Soft Sound From Another Planet (Dead Oceans) – Japanese Breakfast

11. Movie Was Bad (Self-released) – Sixteen Jackies

12. Spirits (Creep) – Julia Rainer

13. Slacker Paint (Self-released) – The Mary Veils

14. Everything Is Always in the Past (@Self-released) – Blood Sound

15. A Deeper Understanding (Atlantic) – The War on Drugs

16. We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags (Polyvinyl) – Quiet Slang

17. Tourist in This Town (Merge) – Allison Crutchfield

18. Why Love Now (Sub Pop) – Pissed Jeans

19. Shadow Expert (Carpark) – Palm

20. Let’s Be Nice – b-sides, covers & demos (Self-released) – Pill Friends

21. Birdie (Lame-O) – Slaughter Beach, Dog

22. Wilt (Self-released) – Line Leader

23. You’re So Smart (Self-released) – Joy Riding

24. Pleasure Suck (Tiny Engines) – The Spirit and The Beehive

25. Nothing Special (Honest Face) – Harmony Woods

26. Amuse-oreille, Vol. 1 (Self-released) – American Trappist

27. Grow (Self-released) – Them Jones

28. The Vernes (Self-released) – The Vernes

29. Cool and Fun – Madalean Gauze

30. White Reindeer – Lithuania

31. Tunnels (Self-released) – Vita and the Woolf

32. S/T (Self-released) – Teen Spaceship

33. Good Wind Pt. 1 (Human Kindness Overflowing) – Power Animal

34. Popular Manipulations (Fat Possum) – The Districts

35. Crime Waves – Moor Mother x Mental Jewelry

36. Jumpship (Lame-O) – No Thank You

37. Palisades (Egghunt) – Eric Slick

38. Dark Web (Suicide Bong Tapes) – Dark Web

39. Sadness is a Gesture (Inherent Sounds) – Aphra

40. Motel City Honey (Self-released) – Levee Drivers

September has arrived, and with it, comes the ceremonial conclusion of summer. However, before the sun-kissed season draws to a close, Ben Franklin Parkway plays host to a recently vested (6^th overall) tradition Made In America. While an assortment acts will grace the various stages over, the 2-day event, the local contingent continues to grow. This Saturday includes the silky, serenading electro-pop of Marian Hill, the retrofitted, harmony-harnessing Queen of Jeans, the devastatingly tenacious, melodic whirlwind of Mannequin Pussy, and experimental instrumental textures meets sincere Americana-folk songwriting of (Sandy) Alex G. And Sunday’s slate begins with PNB Rock, before a consecutive tandem that includes the heart-rendering, earnest elegance of Japanese Breakfast (whose Soft Sounds From Another Planet was our August Record of the Month) and the gritty, grab-the-wheel-and-drive indie rock of Beach Slang. Of course, the streets of Philadelphia will also be filled with bangers from Hova, Solange, Run the Jewels, Little Dragon, and many others. Hopefully the weather will hold out so that we can all enjoy a rad Labor Day Weekend in Philly! – Michael Colavita

More places where you can say goodbye to summer this weekend…

Made In America (Ben Franklin Pkwy) SAT Marian Hill, Queen of Jeans, Mt. Joy, Mannequin Pussy, (Sandy) Alex G, SUN PnB Rock, Japanese Breakfast, Beach Slang, Tigers Jaw

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Night Raids, Barakka, SUN DJ Lil Dave

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Hawk Tubley & The Ozymandians, Jason Ager (Trio), Rachel Eve, SAT Goodnight/Goodluck, Wax Wav, Cologne

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Devil's Grippe, Truant Minds, Punkes/Gravers Lane ImHul/DJ Deejay, SAT Drones for Queens/Wolf Dem, KT Caustic, Teknacolor Ninja/Lunacy, SUN Sublaymen, Yeenar/Disinhume, Descendency, Depletion

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) FRI The Improbables, SAT A Virgin

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Conjunto/Massive, Denelle Anderson, K-Soul, Rico Anderson, SAT (Upstairs) Steve Cal Quartet, Mike Kennedy

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Of the Archive (EP Release), Shy, Mage Hand, SUN Luxe

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Maggie Mae, Sonni Shine, Miss Cantaloupe, Granz

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI dot.gov, Dave Bakey, SAT Nicky P & Friends, Doug Wartman, Jeremiah Tall

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Shaky Deville, U.S. Lawns, SUN Langor, Circadian Rhythms

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI DJ Dav, Reed Streets, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Astro 8000

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Alec Stewart, Bryant Eugene Vazquez, I am not the Universe, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI Project 28

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI Bad Luck 13 Riot Extravaganza

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Boulevard) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT Menace Cartel

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Chris Urban, SAT Ed Christof

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Christian O’Connor Band, Calla Bere & The Attitude, SAT Take Cover

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SAT Eat Your Beats

First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI S-21 (Last Show)

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) SUN My Name Is Tom, MON Matt Kelly, Old Scratch

Beautiful World Syndicate (1619 E. Passyunk Ave.)  SAT Dark Web

This Saturday, Union Transfer hosts a billing that generates power via proximity. (Sandy) Alex G floats feathered layers of intersecting instrumentation, establishing a complex reassuring sense of melody. Placing pensively introspective narratives on top of delicately detailed compositions, his tunes are capable of swaying you into submission and/or abruptly shifting sonic gears and ripping it up. And as we await the official release of her new album Soft Sounds From Another Planet (due out July 14 via Dead Oceans), Japanese Breakfast captivates with cosmos-venturing, silky serenades and dramatically danceable tracks that waft into the ether, while sinking in deep. In support of their recent full-length debut #1 Hit Single, available via Double Double Whammy, Brooklyn quartet Cende cracks the doors open with a jangly, jarring brand of power pop. - Michael Colavita

More place to chill this weekend…

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St.) SAT (Sandy) Alex G, Japanese Breakfast

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Rich Medina, SAT Sumerlands, SUN Pine Barons

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Groovy Movies, Secret Nudist Friends, SAT Upholstery

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Flat Mary Road, Baker Man/Clamfight/DJ Deejay, SAT Stereotytans, Ill Fated Natives, Kaytronalia, Spells/Kieran Loftus, Wolf Dem, Teknacolor Ninja/The Tough Shits, SUN Dead Laughs, Old Arrows, Vital Stats

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) SUN Francie Cool, Deer Scout

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Stone, Tortuga, Rob Levy, SUN Flex Squad, Celebrity Flash, Lavish The Villain, Cas YoungStar, Ash Ava, Heem Luciano

TLA (334 South St.) SUN Foxtrot and the Get Down

The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) FRI Blame Candy

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Conjunto/Dibbs and the Detonators , SAT Heart Harbor, Sunday Muse/Denelle Anderson, Rico Anderson, Jeremy Isaac, Taylor Samuels, Ms. Tia McNeil, Tracey Preston, Dave Watson, SUN Jesse Ruben

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Saver, Post War Dream, Here/Now, Oso/Vessna Scheff, Edenspore, Tiny Hueman, Femme Collective, SAT The Wayside Shakeup, Ginny Mill and The Barter Kings, SUN RIP Eternal, Holy Mountain/P-Slur

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Ace and The Kings, Granz, Elk Embassy, The Stonewall Vessels, Posture

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Chris Cornell Tribute: Andorra, Kid Felix, Soraia, Plantation

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Maggie Mae, SAT Metroplex, Crossed Keys, SUN The Stone Eye, Sublaymen

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI DJ Dav, Reed Streets, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Francisco Collazo, Foxx Boogie

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Dave Steel Blues Band, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) SAT In The Presence Of Wolves (Album Release), Robbie Casablanca, SUN The Morelings, Stellarscope

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) SAT Star Castillo, Track Jumpas, Microwave Frank

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT DJ PiERSON, SUN Piano Fight Club: Burnt Sienna

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) SUN Eyes of the Living

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Lady HD, Slomo Sapiens, Local Smokes, North Lawrence Midnight Singers, Stephan Hayes, SAT Razor Boomarang, The Parameters, Somethin’ Divine

Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) SUN Laser Background, Grubby Little Hands

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Honey Radar, Telepathic, SAT Petunia, McGarnagle (Record Release) / Puke Party, Secret Seahorse, A Ship Named Beagle

The Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Addie Pray