Terrorbird and Epicsauce present a holiday extravaganza this Saturday, December 4 at Bottom of the Hill featuring:
Maus Haus – “We Used Technology (but Technology Let Us Down)”
Brent Amaker and the Rodeo – “Man in Charge”
Exray’s – “Hesitation”
Category Archives: SF Spotlight
12/1 @ The Rickshaw Stop: Phantom Kicks, The Actors, Sunbeam Rd.
11/22 @ Milk Bar: Sister Crayon, Truckasaurus, Kites Sail High
Truckasaurus – “Quarters”
Kevin at epicsauce.com is curating a great night of Monday night music at Milk Bar featuring Sacramento’s Sister Crayon, Seattle-based Truckasaurus, whose sophomore album just got a 8.2 on Pitchfork, and San Francisco’s Kites Sail High.
SF Spotlight: Darondo
Darondo is one pimpin’ dude. Literally. The San Francisco-based 70s funk and soul singer was reportedly also a pimp, though he denies the claim. Perhaps he got that rap from cruising around town in a white Rolls Royce in the day. He did have his moment, however, opening for James Brown. Some say he could of been the next Al Green or Sly Stone. He disappeared for many years but has enjoyed a resurgence the past few, thanks to DJs and collectors. He even appeared at SXSW in 2009. Lucky for you he’ll be appearing tonight, live and in person, at Cafe du Nord. Check out a legend in action.
Album of the Week: Royal Baths – “Litanies”
Royal Baths – “Nikki Don’t”
Meet your new favorite San Francisco garage rock band: Royal Baths (formerly known as The Baths but forced to change their name so not to be confused with LA’s Baths). I’ve been silently stalking these guys for about a year. Unable to satisfy my craving for their music because they only released cassette tapes (a most annoying trend, btw), I was oh so thrilled when they signed to the tastemaker Woodsist label. The future looked bright with the promise of a debut LP on a format I could actually consume. And that day has finally arrived. “Litanies” is out and my need for a whole and complete Royal Baths fix has been satisfied. So satisfied. Lo-fi, dark, brooding goodness is what this is all about. With a heavy dose of eccentricity. Future SF garage rock royalty in the making.
Pretty Good for a White Girl
K. Flay – “Coastin’ with Zion I”
You gotta wonder, being a white girl from San Francisco emerging on the hip hop scene, how often K.Flay has heard that phrase uttered. Well, with all due respect, she’s damn good for a white girl. Apparently so good she’s turning heads within the hip hop/rap elite. She’s already collaborated with Bay Area hip hop czars, Zion I, has a debut EP ready to drop October 12, and will be hitting the road on tour with Passion Pit and 3OH!3 this fall. Color me impressed. Go get ’em K.
One to Watch: Tamaryn – “Mild Confusion”
There’s no confusion here, this local lady is ready to blow up. Signed to tastemaker label Mexican Summer – who released her debut, The Waves, last week – her music is a heady concoction of ethereal dream pop and reverb drenched, MBV-esque shoegazy guitar goodness. Which is perhaps why I like it so much. Her debut album is available now. Get it.
Tied to the Branches – “Fog”
We’re down there somewhere under all that fog. This summer has been borderline inhumane here in SF weather-wise. Just when our indian summer should be kicking in, the fog gets thicker… and wetter. “Caution Heavy Fog” signs are a common sight on the Golden Gate Bridge these days. So dense it’s disorienting and starts to mess with your mind. It has a surreal, other worldly quality. And I’ve been seeking music of late to match this frame of mind (caution: mixtape in progress). So San Francisco’s Tied to the Branches self-titled debut EP (set to release September 28) and the track “Fog” couldn’t have arrived my inbox at a better time. Like manna from heaven their reverb-soaked, psychedelic drone completes the fog induced psychosis.
Someone get me some vitamin D, quick.
Love at First Listen: Lazertag
Lazertag – “Bring Us Back to Life”
“Buildings of a Former Century”
Lazertag is love at first listen. A San Francisco-based duo, they have that indie folktronica thing going on that mixes guitar, melodies, drum machines and video game bleeps and bloops into unexpected loveliness. The pair, Mitch and Ryan, have been playing tunes since their high school days in Petaluma. Both went to SFSU where they independently cultivated their musical styles and planted the seed of what would become Lazertag. They’ve just released their second album, Minor Loss of Fidelity, which is just a fancy, clever way of appealing to my lo-fi sensibilities. Take a listen.
SF Spotlight: Blackbird Blackbird
“Pure” unadulterated SF Chillwave from the prolific San Francisco one-man band (Mikey Sanders) known as Blackbird Blackbird. His split 7″ is out on UK’s Double Denim Records now. He released “Starlight (feat. Steffaloo)” last week and you can download his Rarities EP for free here. Get it.
the OCMD 