Despite its namesake, HEAVEN is a gritty and angsty band. Their songs are big, booming and compelling, with an evident pop ethos that straddles indie irreverance and top-40 catchiness. Making good use of the minor-key, grimy vulnerability of grunge and soaring, harmonious refrains reminiscent of Arcade Fire and other early-aughts indie bands, the four-piece of HEAVEN are a tight unit on their most recent LP, All Love Is Blue. The eleven-song album flows seamlessly, with enough variety in each song to keep the listener guessing. It's clear that for HEAVEN, the sky's the limit. HEAVEN is playing Mercury Lounge on April 7th with Longwave and Tiger Mountain. Listen to "She's Closer Than Everyone" below! - Ethan Ames

If psych rock and shoegaze had a baby, then that baby would probably love the fuzzy indie rock of New York-based Heaven. The quartet subverts the conventions of psychedelia with their focus on lyricism and tight percussion lines, all while maintaining plenty of fuzz. Their songs channel an emotional quality not often seen in psychedelia. The slow, often droning tracks would be perfect for a school dance for stoners (intended in the best way possible, of course). They just unveiled this video for single "Never the Moment," which will be included in their upcoming LP "All Love is Blue," out in March 2018 on Little Cloud Records.  - Lilly Milman 

This year’s 4Knots Music Festival will take place on Saturday, July 11th in its new location at Pier 84 in Hudson River Park.  This move away from lower Manhattan’s South Street Seaport reflects the new partnership with Friends of Hudson River Park, also allows a later finishing time (10pm) than the previous four editions. For the first time the Festival will be a ticketed show, with tickets starting at $25 and proceeds benefiting the Park.

Opening the day are two local acts that make it worth to show up early.  Brooklyn punk rockers Surfbort (a band we blogged about earlier this year) kick off the event with their female fronted lyrical nihilism and Ramones inspired roughness.  Song titles like “Trippin' Over Babies” (streaming) “Perversion” and “Junk Estate” keep faith to the band's mission statement to “laugh in the face of the end of the world,” while “getting emotional about the slushie streets.”

More controlled local dream pop veterans Heaven are also scheduled to play early in the day.  It will be interesting to see how core members Matt Sumrow (guitar, vocals, songwriting) and respected drumming powerhouse Mikey Jones have evolved their sound.  Album tracks "Mountains Move" come off moody, dark and dreamy (all rolled into one) as Matt's outstanding guitar work alternates between clean-note arpeggios and wah-wah effected choruses. While other tracks like "Once The Heartache," "Falling Apple" and "Centuries" added majestic keyboard pads to clearly defined chord progressions and atmospheric dream-gaze vocals.  “Telepathic Love” accentuates Matt’s soft yet sandpapery vocals, weaving imagery about having seen “the ugly and the beautiful,” and simply trying to “figure it all out.” As always the drumming of Mikey Jones gives the band a tightness often lacking in this genre and a forceful edge in the live environment.

The big name headliners this year include Super Furry Animals, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Twin Peaks and Mikal Cronin.  Also scheduled to appear are Screaming Females, Happyness (Meatbodies and Heaters. - Dave Cromwell

There is a transcendent quality to Brooklyn based Heaven’s latest single “Telepathic Love” - title-track of the psych rock trio's upcoming album. What sounds like a toy piano serves as the dominant hook, but there is so much more going on. Matt Sumrow’s soft yet sandpapery vocals immediately grab your attention, weaving imagery about having seen “the ugly and the beautiful,” and simply trying to “figure it all out.” Ryan Lee Dunlap adds seamless tandem vocals evoking the 1960’s era style of The Everly Brothers as well as more recent artists like The Raveonettes. There’s a powerful backbeat running throughout, courtesy of master sticksman Mikey Jones, which deftly rides under the more-sophisticated-than-you-initially-think chord progression. “There’s a bridge down telepathic love - the only way to show you” becomes the ultimate resolution of faith and wonder. The full 'Telepathic Love' album is set for release on July 30th with a summer tour to support it. A record release party is scheduled for August 1 at The Mercury Lounge. - Dave Cromwell

We added this song to The Deli's playlist of Best Psych songs by emerging NYC artists - check it out!

Fronted by guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Matt Sumrow (The Comas, Ambulance LTD), Brooklyn's Heaven plays a precise and controlled kind of dream rock. Complementing Matt's lead vocals is keyboardist and sometimes bassist Ryan Lee Dunlap (Fan-Tan). In addition to providing buzzy synth textures, Ryan backing vocals and harmonies contribute to this band's signature sound. Their song "Mountains Move" is moody, dark and dreamy (all rolled into one). Matt's outstanding guitar work alternates between clean-note arpeggios and wah-wah effected choruses. Other tracks like "Once The Heartache," "Falling Apple" and "Centuries" add majestic keyboard pads to clearly defined chord progressions and atmospheric dream-gaze vocals. Respected drumming powerhouse Mikey Jones (The Big Sleep, Snowden) completes the trio, giving the band a tightness often lacking in this genre and a forceful edge in the live environment. The band will be playing at SXSW 2013 and is currently  finalizing the debut album, which will be released on Goodnight Records. - Dave Cromwell