Wednesday night was a very OCMD satisfying evening of music with a double header of shows – Leopold and His Fiction + Little Joy at The Independent then Band of Skulls at Harlot. It was so nice to finally see Leopold in a proper venue, with proper sound. They rocked it! And I’m always mesmerized by drummer Jon Sortland’s ability to play keyboards and drum at the same time.
I have to say Little Joy wasn’t doing it for me. It felt a little milquetoast in comparison and left early. And I felt kind of bad for the audience too that they didn’t get their chance to get up close and personal to Fab (Fabrizio Moretti) himself. I mean, he is the marquis member of the band right? Yet he was in New York recording what I assume is another Strokes album. Did anyone else feel duped by that?
The explosive Australian trio, Children Collide, appears destined for a break out in the US. Their 2008 album “The Long Now” was rated one of the top international albums of last year and now the band has set sites on America with their maiden North American tour, which coincides with the US release of the album earlier this week. Check their June tour schedule for a performance near you.
Wed Jun 10 – The Casbah, San Diego CA
Thu Jun 11 – Spaceland, Los Angeles CA
Sat Jun 13 – Blank Club, San Jose CA
Sun Jun 14 – Peter’s Room, Portland OR
Mon Jun 15 – Tractor’s Tavern, Seattle WA
Thu Jun 18 – Sho, Salt Lake City, UT
Fri Jun 19 – Marquis Theatre, Denver CO
Sun Jun 21 – TBC, Chicago IL
Mon Jun 22 – Smalls, Detroit MI
Fri Jun 26 – Khyber, Philadelphia PA
Sat Jun 27 – Harpers Ferry, Allston MA
Sun Jun 28 – Mercury Bar, New York NY
Mon Jun 29 – DC9, Washington DC
Here’s the latest video from the new EELS album, Hombre Lobo, released this week. I eagerly awaited this album for months and have been drinking it in all week. Maybe my excitement got the best of me because….well, you know how you see a trailer for a movie then get all excited for it because it looks so good, then you see it and realize the best parts of the movie were in the trailer? My first listen left me feeling a little like that. But I’m not giving up. I think this album is in the grower category, not the shower. I’ll report back soon.
Fruit Bats new album, The Ruminant Band, is due out 8/4 on Sub Pop. After a four year hiatus, I’m looking forward to the upcoming album from Eric D. Johnson. Not that he hasn’t been busy in that time, playing with The Shins and Vetiver. But after a trying out his new material and band to a very eager audience earlier this year in San Francisco, it looks like his ruminations have finally crystallized into a full fledged album!
Check out the footage of them performing ‘The Ruminant Band’ on KEXP recently.
I had been hearing the hype on Grizzy Bear’s Veckatimest all year long. After being force fed tracks like ‘Cheerleader’ and ‘Two Weeks’ for months upon end, I wasn’t quite convinced of all the hullabaloo. Then I saw them perform at the Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX at SXSW this year and I became a believer. Having the foresight to arrive at the church a good three performances before the show, I was one of the lucky disciples to make it in. Inside this cozy little chapel, we all sat silently and squished in our pews anxiously awaiting what would be our first full drink of their forthcoming album, Veckatimest.
The band, and the setting, did not disappoint. Not by a long shot. Watching the band at the altar, with the setting sun glowing through the stained glass windows while the angelic harmonies of Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen floated up through the arches of the church was both heavenly and transcendental. I had goosebumps the entire time. I was especially moved during the track ‘Ready, Able’. Something about the haunting orchestral arrangement of that song just gets me every single time. It’s by far my favorite on the album and the refrain, “They go we go, I want you to know,what I did” has been permanently etched in my brain.
That performance was the highlight of SXSW and one of my most memorable so far this year. And hearing the album unfold in all of it’s haunting beauty, beyond the chamber pop appeal of tracks like ‘Two Weeks’, made me a convert. It is really that good and entirely worthy of the praise, and your attention.
Grizzly Bear will be performing two nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco this month, June 21 and 22, with Here We Go Magic. A great line up. Get tickets while they last.
Apteka, the Chicago-based 4 piece is heading to San Francisco to bring their psych rock, shoegaze sound to The Rumble on June 3 at Harlot. RSVP for the event here then download a free copy of their EP on their MySpace page.
Artist:Band of Skulls Album: Baby Darling Doll Face File Under: Indie Rock Recommended if You Like: The Kills, anything Jack White influenced – White Stripes, Raconteurs, Dead Weather Featured Tracks:
Boy, catching up on the mountains of email in my mailbox really paid off this weekend. Namely in the discovery of this hot little London-based three piece calling themselves Band of Skulls and their debut album, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey. It’s been on heavy rotation ever since. Their sound smacks heavily of that stripped down garage rock sound, tinged with a little of that 70s inspired rock vibe I love so much. And the vocal play between Russell Marsden (guitar & vocals), Emma Richardson (bass & vocals) definitely evoke images of not only the White Stripes but also Jack White’s new venture, Dead Weather, featuring The Kills’ vocalist Allison Mosshart. Especially on tracks like ‘Death by Diamonds and Pearls‘, ‘I Know What I Am’ and ‘Blood’.
Luckily for all of us San Franciscans, Band of Skulls will be performing at this week’s The Rumble on June 3 at Harlot. Oh, and did I mention it’s free? Just RSVP here.
the OCMD 