Not that I ever really fell out of love with Leopold and His Fiction. It was more like a momentary distraction by shiny, new music objects. Music is problematic that way. Especially when you suffer from OCMD. Even if you’re happy with what you’ve got, you can’t help but look over your shoulder for something new and different. Well, thanks to The Bay Bridged and their fabulous Rock Make Fest yesterday, I’ve come back home to my roots and fallen head over heels in love again with Leopold and His Fiction and their sultry, vintage rock vibe. Emphasis on rock because man do these guys lay it down. They’re hotter than ever. And I felt oh so complete leaving the festival yesterday with an earful of vintage rock and my new vintage dress and shades. Thanks for keeping me hip, Bay Bridged.
Continuing the tradition, San Francisco’s The Bay Bridged, is hosting the 3rd Annual Rock Make Street Festival in the heart of the Mission this Sunday from 11AM – 6PM. Featuring 100 arts and crafts vendors, three stages of music and entertainment filled with great local indie bands, and a beer garden with tasty brews….it’s an event not to be missed. And did I mention it’s free? Be there!
Okay folks, meet your new favorite San Francisco garage rock band – The Beehive Spirit. Yum! They just released their first EP and are getting ready to record their full length soon. A year in the making, the foursome recorded most of the EP at Coyote Hearing in Oakland, CA, with Jeremy Black (Dr. Dog, Big Light, Apollo Sunshine, Drug Rug) and Cochrane Miller (Apollo Sunshine, Tea Leaf Green, Big Light). While the final track “Georgia Hotel” was recorded at Greg Ashley’s (Gris Gris) studio warehouse in Oakland. A nice pedigree if I say so myself!
San Francisco’s Stripmall Architecture is a group I fell in love with the first time I laid ears on them. Their dreamy, downtempo beats hook you instantly. The duo turned foursome was created by founding members Ryan and Rebecca Coseboom of the late Halou. Reincarnated in their next musical life as Stripmall Architecture, the group has just released their latest EP, Feathersongs For Factory Girls (Part One), which is out now. The beauty of this release is that it was completely self -funded by their fans. Love that. “Radium Girls” is a track from the release in tune with their tempo. They also released a freebie remix of LCD Soundsystem’s “Drunk Girls” for shits and grins that was likely inspired by their recent visti to SF. Drunk Girls…Radium Girls…it’s all good.
Download the album now and look for them live July 17 at Milk Bar.
In case you’ve been living under a rock lately, Geographer is the next ‘ need to know’ SF band. Synth-y, orchestral, moody and melodic, they make a beautiful cocktail of music. The recipe? Take two parts Grizzly Bear and one part New Order, mix well and you’ve got yourself a heady concoction of sound perfect for after hour, late night sessions of…whatever. They’re set to release their next album, Animal Shapes,on August 17 on Tricycle Records. Now you know.
Terrorbird is turning 4 and Epicsauce is hosting a fine birthday bash for them tonight Thursday, May 20 at Milk Bar in the Haight (across from Amoeba) featuring a great line up including San Francisco’s Man/ Miracle, The Splinters, Sacramento’s Sister Crayonsand LA’s Baths. For $5 you just can’t beat it.
Artist: Ty Segall Album: Melted Release Date: May 25, 2010 Track: “Ceasar”
Speaking of lo-fi love, Ty is getting ready to release a new album “Melted” on Nashville’s Goner Records next month. He’s been trying out his new tunes on the road and, no surprise, I like what I hear. Lucky for me (and you) he’ll be back in town at Bottom of the Hill 6/27 with Grass Widow and one of my new favs, The Baths. Feel the love.
Last Thursday night The Eagle Tavern played host to a great night of down and dirty garage rock featuring local acts Ty Segall, The Baths, The Splinters and Nashville-based Jeff the Brotherhood. First off, I need to say that The Eagle Tavern is my new favorite bar. As one of San Francisco’s better known gay bear/leather bars, it’s not a destination that was on my radar. But what a great venue, vibe and fun people! They have the best beer garden in town. And I got a kick out of teasing the bartender, who handed me the beer list, by ordering ‘whatever’s most popular with the ladies.’ After a momentary blank stare, I got a Stella Artois.
It was my first time catching up with The Baths and look forward to hearing more from this group. Especially when they put out music on some other format than cassette tape. (I feel a trendspotting series coming on.) Luckily it appears the uber cool label Woodsist will be putting out their debut LP soon…which is a very good sign. I dig their sound and something about them gave me a Girls vibe, but maybe that was just the lead singer’s dress and shawl getup and the fact that Christopher Owens often takes the stage in similar attire. Whatever the case, file them under one to watch.
The band of brothers, JEFF the Brotherhood, took the stage next and delivered a scorching set. If you haven’t checked these guys out, do so. How can you not like a band that tapes Jeffro Tull on their drum kit? Always a crowd pleaser, these guys know how to work the audience with Jake spending more time off the stage than on it. Then there’s Jamin on drums who wails on his set with the kind of bounce and enthusiasm as Animal of The Muppets. Seriously, check it out.
Ty Segall closed out the night with a kumbaya set of old tunes and a handful of new ones. Members of The Baths joined in on the fun. And if Ty wasn’t already adorable enough, the love and sweetness he was throwing down for his girlfriend (the bassist for The Baths) throughout the night was just too cute for words. When he dedicated “Lovely One” to her my heart melted too. So uplifting and inspiring it was that I almost regained my faith in humanity. Almost.
I can’t help but draw references to Tegan and Sara when I listen to the San Francisco indie pop duo, Camp Out, comprised of Maddy Hanks and Jackie Law. And that’s not a bad thing. Their debut album, Closer, is due to release March 15 on Swordfish Records. In the meantime you can spot them playing around town at any of these venues.
If you don’t already know about the San Francisco-based vintage rock trio, Leopold and His Fiction, you soon will. The band, who is working on their third album with the help of producer Thom Monahan (Vetiver, Devandra Banhart, Beachwood Sparks, Little Joy), gave us a sneak preview of their first single “Golden Friends”. And boy, do I like what I hear. The song oozes that 70s era blues-rock vibe I love so much. And if the rest of the album is as good as this track, we’re in for a treat.
So enjoy the first listen to “Golden Friends” here, and be sure to grab the singles vinyl release of this and b-side “Throne” on April 29th. If you’re headed to SXSW, be sure to catch them at one of these gigs.
the OCMD 