Ticket Giveaway: Ultraista and Astronauts, etc. at The Independent, 10/22/12
Astronauts, etc., the brainchild of Berkeley's Anthony Ferraro, will be debuting as a full band this Monday, October 22nd at The Independent. The headliner of the night is another electro-pop group, Ultraista. Ultraista is led by Nigel Godrich, who is best known for his work in the studio with Radiohead. It should be a night filled with dreamy pop stylings and, luckily for you, we have three pairs of tickets to give away. All you have to do is email contest[at]theybaybridged.com for your chance to win. Both Ultraista and Astronauts, etc. released debut albums this year, and the latter released [...]
The Coup – "WAVIP" / "Guillotine"
Oakland's The Coup won't release their forthcoming album Sorry to Bother You until October 30th, but they've already released two videos from the album and most recently shared a collaboration from the album with Das Racist and Killer Mike entitled "WAVIP". Bay Area native Kool AD of Das Racist kicks the latter track off with his laid-back flow, and Boots Riley, Killer Mike, and Heems all follow suit over the fuzzy bassline. It's full of the political messages without ever losing its groove, which is exactly what you would expect from The Coup. The Coup also just dropped a video [...]
Stream Tussle's new album, 'Tempest'
Who'd have thought that, through one simple tweet, The New Yorker would tip us off to a Bay Area band's new album stream? That's exactly what happened last week when said tweet linked us to a very positive blurb on Tussle's new LP Tempest, composed by the publication's chief musical voice, Sasha Frere-Jones. Have a listen below. As we'd written about before, the DJ Twitch-produced Tempest was officially released on September 25th by Smalltown Supersound, and the band had already shared tracks "Yume No Muri" and "Eye Contact." Needless to say, we're excited to see the San Francisco quartet get [...]
Sonntag – "Welcome to the Americas"
Sonntag, the musical project of Wisconsin native and Berkeley resident Zachary Johnston, recently released an LP entitled In Paths Too Dark For Seeing. Johnston considers himself primarily a filmmaker and actually moved to the Bay Area in 2010 to collaborate more closely with Pixar animators that had taken an interest in his work with films. However, In Paths makes it clear Johnston can more than hold his own as a musician. Sonntag's tracks usually start with a fairly basic folk song as a foundation, but Johnston adds layer upon layer of instruments and vocals to create huge, sweeping moments throughout [...]
Videos: Window Twins, "Two Left Feet" & "The Sky Is Black"
Window Twins – the side project of two of SF's most prolific musicians, Jon Bernson of Exray's and Ray's Vast Basement and Tim Cohen of The Fresh & Onlys and Magic Trick – is back with not one, but two new videos from their forthcoming full-length Wish. Following their June release of a video for album cut "Thunder and Lightning", the duo returns with visual accompaniments for "Two Left Feet" and "The Sky Is Black". The video for "Two Left Feet" was made by Broken Machine Films and tells a haunting story of abuse. Check it out: . The video [...]
Barn Owl members release solo albums
Evan Caminiti and Jon Porras of the SF drone guitar duo Barn Owl have each released a new solo album this summer. Caminiti's hazy, atmospheric Dreamless Sleep is out now from Thrill Jockey. Meanwhile, Porras — under the hard-to-pronounce new moniker DVVLLXNS — gives us the electronic LXTVNY EP. Stream Dreamless Sleep standout "Fading Dawn" and the entire LXTVNY EP below. PS: I wouldn't necessarily condone listening to Dreamless Sleep right before bed — there's a foggy, menacing beauty to Caminiti's music that makes sleep seem uncomfortably close to death. LXTVNY EP by DVVLLXNS
Video: Elvis is NOT Dead!
Oakland's very own Guitars & Bongos Records proudly announces the new video for "Elvis is Not Dead" from Charlie Megira & The Modern Dance Club. The double album Love Police, was mastered by Greg Ashley, and is a rollicking good time full of surf, punk, sex and slime. Don't take my word for it. Check out this elegantly written review on Lo-Pie. The video was also recently featured on Impose! Sweet. Buy the record now directly from Guitars & Bongos!
Hélène Renaut – "Spring Wind" / "Tiny Specks Of Delight"
Local songwriter Hélène Renaut just released the Tiny Specks Of Delight EP on Kitten Charmer. According to the artist: [T]he songs on Tiny Specks Of Delight encapsulate a certain idea of the West Coast sound - breezy and open - while offering a reflection on that eternal process of falling in and out of love - each song centering around a different point along love's roller coaster of learning and liberation. Enjoy two of the EP's songs below. To celebrate the EP's release, Renaut performs alongside The Moore Brothers and Eight Belles at the Make-Out Room on Sunday, October 14th. [...]
Hear Chelsea Wolfe's forthcoming acoustic record, 'Unknown Rooms'
While we await the release of the forthcoming acoustic collection from LA-via-Sacramento singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe, her label released two singles and a video from the album. Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs is out October 16th on Sargent House. You may recall us posting the Glassroom Session for "Flatlands" when the new album was first announced. The whole album is now available to stream via the Sargent House SoundCloud page. Pitchfork caught up with Wolfe in a recent interview discussing details of her new acoustic collection. While explaining her transition from the heavy doom-folk of her previous two albums [...]
Blackbird Blackbird releases new EP, performing tonight at Push the Feeling
Push the Feeling returns tonight with live performances by Blackbird Blackbird and James & Evander. BB's new Boracay Planet EP comes out on Tuesday, and you can listen to the lush collection in full above. The show is free before 10pm, so RSVP now. Speaking of full albums to enjoy before the show, here's J&E's latest, Bummer Pop: Bummer Pop by James & Evander