This week’s podcast episode is our latest installment in our Monthly Mix series, featuring eight great songs by a variety of San Francisco Bay Area groups. About the bands:

The episode kicks off with the A-side from the brand new Soap Bopper 7″ by Oakland’s Ned. The new single is the first follow-up to the band’s 2004 album Coloring Book and is a great electronics-heavy art-pop track. You can catch Ned on November 11th at Cafe du Nord with Fog and Empty Rooms. For more info about the band, check out their MySpace page and web site .

The Blank Tapes‘ latest album Daydreams is an engaging mix of lo-fi pop, folk and rock songs which singer-songwriter Matt Adams performed entirely on his own and recorded onto an 8-track. Adams is currently on a lengthy national tour, set to return in mid-December. You can find all of the dates and more music at The Blank Tapes’ MySpace page and web site.

Led by the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Joel Gion, The Diletanttes draw from elements of garage, a little psych and straight-up indie rock on their catchy debut 101 Tambourines which was released earlier this year on HappyParts Recordings. The band’s got several upcoming shows, including one on November 9th at Cafe du Nord with Rykarda Parasol and 20 Minute Loop. Listen to more from them at their MySpace page.

We’ve also included a great song from brother and sister folk duo Beatbeat Whisper. This track is their contribution to the a compilation from Digital Cloud Records entitled Firsts, which features a number of great local and national groups. You can catch a number of these bands, including Beatbeat Whisper, celebrating the compilation’s release at the Hotel Utah on November 6th. Check out more music at the band’s web site and MySpace page.

We’ve been championing folk-rockers Port O’Brien for a few months now on the site. This song comes from their latest CD The Wind and The Swell, a collection of songs from the band’s self-released records, out now on American Dust Records. The band is currently touring the country with Rogue Wave; check their MySpace page and web site for more details.

We’re big Foma fans and are still enjoying the synthed-up indie pop-rock of their latest album Phobos, released last year. The San Francisco-by-way-of-Albuquerque band is perfoming at the Hotel Utah on November 13th with Lady Genius and The Drones Club. Be sure to hear more Foma at their web site and MySpace page.

San Francisco experimental pop trio 60 Watt Kid caught our ear recently with several songs from their self-titled debut album, which comes out next Tuesday on Absolutely Kosher Records. The band’s celebrating with a CD release party at the Rickshaw Stop on November 7th, with Little Teeth and Snowblink. After that they’re heading on a Pacific Northwest tour; visit their web site and MySpace page for more details.

San Francisco’s Battlehooch close the episode with a frenetic track from their brand new EP Oof Owf. The band’s next shows are Halloween night at the Madrone Lounge and November 9th at the House of Shields. You can hear more from the EP at Battlehooch’s MySpace page.

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