Photos taken by Sean Edgar at Webster Hall

Eight million mouths need somewhere to eat, and NYC's overwhelming number of bistros, cafes, restaurants, delis and other establishments make it no simple task in deciding where to feast. Paste:Local looks at some recently- and soon-to-be-opened spots making the choice even tougher. 

Borough: Brooklyn
Fun Fact: Frontman Leo Maymind's family emigrated from Latvia when he was just three years old. Pursuing a music career means he's the only one in his family who isn't on the cusp of a Ph.D. 
Why They're Worth Watching: The deliberateness and diversity of the Prisoners' music means each song they record is its own little world, with a unique sound and feel. 

Photos taken by Sean Edgar at Town Hall

Photos taken by Eric Ryan Anderson at Cake Shop

Deft jazz, pure nostalgia fuel legend's latest holiday outing

It’s no coincidence that the modern-day American interpretation of Christmas derives much of its imagery and aesthetic from the 1950s. From Haddon Sundblom's iconic Coca-Cola portraits of Santa Claus to the mass production of the candy cane, our current associations with the holiday season date back to a culture defined by the explosion of suburbia and the post-WWII nuclear family. And there's no greater evidence of this connection than Tony Bennett's latest holiday album, A Swingin’ Christmas.

Photos taken at Webster Hall by Sarah Hajjar

If you’ve ever been to an English department mixer/off-campus kegger that happened to take place in an airplane hangar, you would have felt right at home at the Vampire Weekend show last Thursday at Terminal 5.

When Yeasayer left Brooklyn, it was as scrappy newcomers with an impressive debut album and growing internet buzz. After 14 months on the road, the band had more than earned the hearty Brooklyn homecoming they received last Saturday. Playing to a sold out crowd at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Yeasayer seemed less like a group of up-and-comers and more like a group of road-hardened veterans, performing their unique mix of Western pop and globe-trotting rhythms without breaking a sweat.