This week’s episode of our podcast features the music of San Francisco’s Nyles Lannon. You may have already come across Mr. Lannon through a number of avenues–his critically lauded 2004 solo release Chemical Friends, his work as a guitarist in the popular band Film School, his more experimental electronic recordings as nLn, or his new album Pressure, which came out last month on Badman Recording Co.
It’s by that last means that we first became aware of Nyles, and it’s quite an introduction to the man’s sound, a lush, beautiful mix of tunes that incorporate elements of dream pop, shoegaze, glam and psych rock, and more traditional singer-songwriter elements filtered through Lannon’s guitar and layers of synths and electronic effects. Despite the many layers in each of Lannon’s songs, they don’t feel cluttered, and there’s plenty of room for his quiet, melodic singing atop the instrumental backdrop.
To emphasize the music’s sophistication, though, should not be to ignore the lyrics. In a conversation we had with Lannon after the interview ended, he discussed the lyrical themes that wind through the album, themes of control, obsession, love and the mistakes that accompany each. Lannon emphasized that, in many ways, it’s a very San Francisco album, informed by specific local events–earthquakes, the assassination of Harvey Milk, and the corruption of 60s idealism. These images give a content and context to his lyrics that elevates them well beyond the realm of standard moody singer-songwriter mope.
In addition to our interview, we’ve included four songs from Pressure in this episode. You can catch Nyles Lannon live in San Francisco in a couple of weeks:
Saturday, November 3rd
Rickshaw Stop
with Minipop and Built for the Sea
8:30pm, $10 (purchase advance tix here)
You can hear more music and purchase Pressure at Badman Recording Co.’s web site and on iTunes. Be sure to visit Nyles Lannon’s web site and MySpace page for all of his latest show dates and other information.
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