Giveaway: Win Monster Rally & Jay Stone tickets AND vinyl
Enter to win the beauty on the left. (Splatter is already sold out, sorry!) We've been talking a lot about the upcoming release show for Monster Rally & Jay Stone's 12" Foreign Pedestrians January 24 at Leo's, because, well, we're really excited about the release and the show. Today we're teaming up with Gold Robot Records to give one lucky winner a pair of tickets to the show AND a copy of that beautiful purple vinyl you see above. Details on the contest and show are below - see you Saturday at Leo's! To enter for a chance to win [...]
Premiere: Stream Stalls’ self-titled debut EP
As soon as we heard the smooth yet snarly voice of Stalls' Sam Weiss, we were immediately hooked. Today, we're excited to share the first listen of Stalls' self titled debut cassette, which is out tomorrow on Oakland's Vacant Stare Records. The five tracks were recorded entirely by Weiss and drummer Nick Clark at Oakland's Itinerant Home Recordings, and provide the perfect post punk haze to complement Weiss' badass vocals. Since forming a live band late last year, Stalls has played a host of shows around the Bay and looks primed for a busy 2015. Listen to the album below, [...]
Will Sprott releases Vortex Numbers on his new label
Photo: Shana Cleveland It's been over four years since Will Sprott has released new material, but he's back with the release of Vortex Numbers, out January 20 on his very own Hairdo Records. Sprott says he's recorded "about 21 songs" over the past few years, and Vortex Numbers contains the ten that he wanted to share with the world. He's shared a video for the track "Psychic Lady" off the album, confirming that Sprott's music is still simply as cool as it gets. http://youtu.be/vuj2poDdcCQ Vortex Numbers is the first musical release on Sprott's Hairdo Records, but it isn't the first [...]
Interview: Monster Rally & Jay Stone on Foreign Pedestrians
As we told you last week, we're excited to join forces with the former Oakland (and now Boston-based) Gold Robot Records to present the release show for the fantastic new 12" from LA's Monster Rally & Oakland's Jay Stone: Foreign Pedestrians. The album features Jay Stone on all A-side tracks and instrumental versions of the same tracks on the B-Side, creating a concept that rewards frequent listens. Jay's rhythmic and melodic flows mesh seamlessly with the tropical rhythms on the A-side, but flipping over to the instrumentals reveals nuances, colors, and moods in the beats that you might have missed. [...]
Best of submissions: Stalgie, Crashing Hotels, Bangus Tron, Maxwell Paul
Crashing Hotels One thing you learn when you listen to submissions from aspiring musicians is that there are A TON of electronic composers out there, but it's very difficult to stand out from the pack. Here are some of our favorite submissions we've gotten lately that at dip into the electronica genre. Omid Moayedi is a recent SF Art Institute who has created a fascinating three-song EP as Stalgie. Laid back, but not too laid back, with dark and psychadelic elements mixed in: https://soundcloud.com/stalgie/sets/thursday-evening-fever Crashing Hotels may have the most conventional sound you'll hear in this post, but I've had [...]
Get to Know: Rosie Cima
As 2014 was coming to a close, I was listening to tracks that I had enjoyed throughout the year, and came across this simple folk song made of nothing more than a guitar and a strong, stunning voice. I stopped whatever I was doing to learn more, and soon realized the singer was Rosie Cima, who happens to live in the San Francisco. From what I can tell, she remained mostly unnoticed in 2014, so 2015 is the time to start paying attention, folks. Cima tells me she's slowly putting together a full-length album to complement her three-song solo EP [...]
Get to Know: It’s Just Great
The Bay Area is already home to a fantastic and creative vinyl subscription service, Turntable Kitchen, and starting this month a new unique way of discovering and collecting vinyl is hitting the scene, with the launch of Oakland's It's Just Great found vinyl subscription. Each quarter, It's Just Great creator Clive Hacker creates a theme, and selects albums that are either loosely or literally connected that theme. Once the theme is chosen, Hacker tracks down as many copies of the album on vinyl as he can, local artist All Gold creates a print, Hacker produces a zine discussing the nine [...]
Ring in the New Year with a Bells Atlas Residency
Oakland's Bells Atlas is wasting no time making the new year a busy one, with a month-long residency at ERA Art Bar & Lounge. Joining the rhythmic pop stylings of Bells Atlas will be a wide variety of local talent, including a surprise DJ set from what I am told is a very special guest. Bells Atlas plans to release a few covers this month before playing a Noise Pop show at The Fox with Geographer in February. Listen to their 2013 self-titled debut followed by the residency details. Bells Atlas by Bells Atlas Bells Atlas, Surprise Guest DJ ERA [...]
Best of 2014: What the other lists missed from Russell Jelinek
It's officially 2015, and all the 2014 lists are in. I honestly enjoy them, but how many times do you need to read about Run the Jewels and War on Drugs? We get it, they're good. Locally, everyone loved Cocktails, Sun Kil Moon, and tUnE-YaRdS, but what did just about every list miss? THE ANSWER IS BELOW: Odawas - Reflection of a Pink Laser: A triumphant comeback for the Indiana natives. The expansive instrumentals on the 19-minute "What If Our World is Their Heaven" leading into "Flow My Tears" makes for the best moment on any album I've heard for [...]
Jolie Holland’s Viracocha residency continues
While New Year's Eve is perhaps the biggest night for shows in the city, Christmas is often neglected on the concert front, leaving those who either don't celebrate Christmas or need to get away from the family with few options beyond a sad dive bar jukebox. Luckily, former San Francisco resident Jolie Holland continues her ridiculously intimate residency at the now-legal Viracocha every night this week, giving you a chance to see some amazing performances on a typically slow week. Each night will include a unique setlist and opener chosen by Holland herself. The first night sold out, but last [...]