To that effect, here is a quick initiation: Felix is a band formed of members of Lonnie Walker, Future Islands and Annuals while they were still in high school. To say the least, they were a band ahead of their indie electronica time as they combined elements of drum loops, live instruments and brooding vocals.

Back is September, that little high school experiment reemerged with a performance at The Brewery alongside the aforementioned Lonnie Walker and Future Islands. Prior to two months ago, the last time the four members performed together, they were in their late teens. Now in their late 20s, Felix still likes to goof around but still plays engaging party tunes.

Add in another band starring members of Lonnie Walker and Annuals, and you have a Thanksgiving show with the makings of an epic evening.

NAPS — featuring LW’s Brian Corum, Annuals’  Zack Oden, Daniel Michael and Nathan Price — will once again take the stage at Slim’s Downtown on Nov. 26; this time joined by Felix the Drum Machine — featuring Jackpot deejay Brian Shaw and Future Islands’ William Cashion.

Corum and Oden will play double duty on guitar and drums, respectively, in both bands.

Felix’s last show was billed as a one-time reunion — obviously that didn’t happen, so we’ll see where The Machine will take them. As for NAPS … just let their newly released EP speak for itself, and check out photos from their Oct. 20 performance at Slim’s.

Red Bull Sounclash will bring The Foreign Exchange’s R&B melodies together with The Love Language’s lo-fi indie pop in a unique opportunity to see these two bands share the stage.

“Lalita” by The Love Language

“I think it’s brilliant! I couldn’t have thought of a better motley group,” Missy Thangs of The Love Language  said in a release. “I just want to have fun and don’t want to be too competitive and get to know some really cool talented people. I don’t know another time I’ll get to run into these cats.”

The event will be hosted by 102 Jamz deejay Kyle Santillian and feature a soundtrack provided by Public Enemy’s DJ Lord.

“Daykeeper” by The Foreign Exchange

The two bands will compete in four events: The Cover, The Takeover, The Clash and The Wild Card. The ultimate winner will be decided by the audience.

For The Cover round, each band will perform the same cover song; while during The Takeover round, one band will begin playing an original song and the other band will have to finish the second half in their own style. The Clash round has each band playing their songs in tune with DJ Lord’s spinning, and the final round allows the band on stage to welcome a special musical guest to join its performance.

Red Bull Soundclash is a free 18-and-up event with gates scheduled to open at 7 p.m. at the intersection of North Street and Glenwood Avenue next to Hibernian Restaurant & Pub.

Monomyth is set to be released Nov. 24 through Lovitt Records with the album release show planned for Nov. 14.

“Magnetic North” by Fin Fang Foom

“Monomyth sums up all the travails the band has weathered to this point — not literally, but emotionally,” a press release explains. “It’s a brooding yet hopeful work that finds Fin Fang Foom humbled but unbowed.”

The album comes after the death of drummer Peter Enriquez and the near-death of guitarist Michael Triplet following a bout with spinal meningitis in 2004. It was through these two experiences the band overcame the odds of breaking up, and instead crafted a record that pays homage to the human condition.

“That, to me, is a hero’s journey,” frontman Eddie Sanchez explains of Triplet’s fight against the often-fatal disease. “From life to death and back.”

In addition to Fin Fang Foom’s Nov. 14 show at Local 506, the band will perform at The Pinhook in Durham on Dec. 18 with Gray Young and Free Electric State.

“Working on this record has been a labor of love for everybody involved, and we hope it serves as a teaser for Zo’s upcoming full-length SunStorm, dropping next summer on FE Music,” Phonte writes.

…just visiting too also features guest vocals from Sy Smith and The Foreign Exchange’s Yahzarah. The album includes covers of Stevie Wonder, The Jones Girls, Prince, Don Blackman, Bobby Caldwell, Quincy Jones and The Isley Brothers.

The album is being offered as a free download through The Foreign Exchange Web site and includes a “digital pdf booklet complete with all the album credits, information on the album’s vocalists and contributors, as well as information on the originals.”

Ten months later, the first of those EPs is ready to be unleashed through Terpsikhore Records. The Harmonia Macrocosmica, Pt. 1 will be released some time in November and features artwork by Florence.

“Levels” by Sunfold

The four-track EP is anchored by the track “Levels,” which was previously streamed on the band’s MySpace page, and  the Hear Here cut “Weeping Wall.”

Norkus is offering Hollerin’ Haints as a free download through Sufficient Records. Also available are his albums Digital Hiss,  Livin’ in the Wrong Times and Covers.

And if you missed the Fruits’ performance on Sessions at Studio B, head over to the video’s landing page to check it out.

After critical success from their self-titled debut and being named to the News & Observer’s Great 8 in 2008, the quintet signed on with Portland, Oregon label Greyday Records in 2009 to release a double EP and, in September, their long-awaited sophomore LP.

Horror Vacui was unleashed Sept. 28 and shows a band that has grown into itself and embraced the ethos of power pop.

“Horror Vacui pushes I Was Totally Destroying It beyond the bounds of a return to innocence and youth, into the territory of a mature band capable of crafting a great record,” Grayson Currin with Independent Weekly wrote. “Compositionally smarter and structurally more diverse than you might’ve imagined, I Was Totally Destroying It bests their past on Horror Vacui by wrapping willful growth into irrepressible pop songs.”

Following the release of the album, IWTDI hit the road for a guerrilla trip through America’s heartland that landed the band with a side swiped van and a hefty repair bill. Regardless, the band carried on with its tour without missing a beat — exhibiting an ethic that has undoubtedly carried the band where it is today.

You can check out photos from this performance and others at the Music.MyNC Facebook Fan page. And while you’re there, become a fan and get the latest updates on upcoming Studio B performances.

But things may get a little sloppy with Jägerbombs at the downtown club the next time Breakfast Club comes through.

Growing Up Southern via New Raleigh reports that Lincoln Theatre will introduce liquor to its bar; and by doing so, the venue will require a membership to go to shows. Apparently you can just sign up for the newsletter to score a membership — I’m still awaiting that confirmation.

This won’t be too different from the format at Local 506, just be sure to go ahead and sign up to avoid any ridiculous “Non Member” lines.

Wait, what?

Bob Dylan — unfortunately — seems to think so. And after listening to clips on Amazon.com and fighting the urge to cut off my ears, I’ve finally rehabilitated and am stoked to hear some quality tunes.

It only seems fitting that a band with the secular season in its name be the one to provide me with the first of my holiday indulgence.

Studio B alums The Winter Sounds sent word that they have a track featured on the XO Publicity holiday comp this year. To their credit, they also released an equally catchy Christmas tune on last year’s comp.

“The Anthem Is A Gift” by The Winter Sounds

Meanwhile, frontman Patrick Keenan mentioned a program the band is involved in to gather some funds to records The Winter Sounds‘ new album.

“Kickstarter is a fundraising tool that we are using to raise money to fund our next record,” Keenan explained. “The beauty of Kickstarter is the way in which people can donate or pledge.”

Each donation or pledge is reward with something different depending on the amount contributed.

“[W]e’ve got everything from handmade scarves; a handmade, handwritten book of lyrics of all our recorded music; T-shirts; hoodies; signed tour posters; etc … all the way up to having us write a song for someone!” Keenan said. “Mostly Kickstarter acts as a pre-order giving us a chance to offer up our future record in exchange for the funds to record it.”

When the band initially launched the program in September, the goal was set at $3,000. With 47 days to go, The Winter Sounds has raised more than $4,000; and the more money they can earn, the better the finished product will ultimately be.

However, now comes word that NAPS will take the stage along side Colossus, A Rooster For The Masses and The T’s. The aforementioned “supergroup” has, unfortunately, also canceled

This evening’s showcase is presented by the folks at New Raleigh, and doors are set to open at 9 p.m. with the show scheduled to start at 10. Admission is $7.

Tonight’s performance will be NAPS’ second appearance during this year’s Cherry Bounce Festival, and third for Lonnie Walker’s Brian Corum. Previously, NAPS opened Music.MyNC’s showcase at Slim’s Downtown on Tuesday, while Corum headlined a night of acoustic music and magic at Raleigh Times on Monday.

NAPS features Corum on guitar and effects, Annuals‘ Zack Oden on drums, Nathan Price on bass, and Daniel Michael on guitar and vox. If you haven’t heard them yet, check out some tunes on MySpace, and download their recently released EP of home demos.

Could we hope for an all Brian Corum Cherry Bounce? Let’s rally for Lonnie Walker to be added somewhere on the bill and Felix the Drum Machine just before Man Man.