Category Archives: SF Spotlight

SF Spotlight: Sic Alps – “L Mansion”

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Sic Alps – “L Mansion“

Man, San Francisco’s lo-fi garage rock scene is on fuego. And it doesn’t get any hotter than Sic Alps. These guys are so good it’s stupid. So good they toured with Sonic Youth.  So prolific that every time I turn around they’re coming out with more music that gets better and better.

Comprised primarily of Matt Hartman and Mike Donovan, the single-happy duo has been churning out music together – and a lot of it – since 2004. Steeped in lo-fi scuzz, their sound combines elements of grungy garage rock and 60s psychedelia . It’s both timeless and fresh and I never get tired of listening to them.

“L Mansion” is a track of their new  7″, out now on Slumberland.

the OCMD Mixtape: SF Surf Punk

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I’ve been long overdue for a mixtape.  This is one I’ve been collecting for a while – pulling tracks here and there from the greater garage rock movement that’s exploding right now in San Francisco. This playlist is a subset of that sound that I’m really digging right now….lo-fi, fuzzed out rock with a distinct punk edge and surf riff. Or Surf Punk for short.  Yeah, I’m sure I’m going to get a lot of flack for that label but what the hell. There’s a nice south swell in town, and if I’m packing up my long board and wetsuit to go surfing, you can bet this is the mix I’ll be listening to.

Enjoy a taste of San Francisco.

the OCMD Mixtape: SF Surf Punk

  1. Ty Segall, “It #1”
  2. The Fresh & Onlys, “Fog Machine”
  3. Snake Flower 2, “No Way Home”
  4. Nobunny, “Boneyard”
  5. Thee Oh Sees, “Can You See”
  6. Sic Alps, “Gelly Roll Gum Drop”
  7. The Okmoniks, “What I Want”
  8. Bare Wires, “Teen Witch”
  9. The Mantles, “Trouble in the Streets”
  10. The Touch-Me-Nots, “Cool Enough for California”

Say Hello and Goodbye to The Blacks

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The Blacks “Sunday Boys”

The Blacks bowled me over when I stumbled across them at SXSW a couple of years ago.  The San Fran/NYC based band has one of the most raw, energetic live shows I’ve ever seen.  Featuring guitar (Luisa Black), drums (Gavin Black) and wild-eyed tambourine player JDK Blacker, their sound has been described as the love child of Karen O. and The Jesus and Mary Chain.  They flat out rock.  And tambourine man JDK Blacker is a sight to behold.  He plays like he’s exorcizing demons and it’s absolutely spellbinding.

In a bittersweet moment last week, The Blacks released their third and final album, Tiger Songs, on Tricycle Records.  Turns out the band is calling it quits after two and a half years.  Death by tambourine, they reported. They’re breaking up because tambourine man JDK Blacker is quitting and the band wouldn’t be the same without him.  True that.

Buy Tiger Songs now through iTunes.

The Moondoggies + Harbours At The Rickshaw Stop Tonight

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Harbours “No Souvenirs”

The good folks at Stranger Dance are hosting another stellar line up of music tonight at The Rickshaw Stop, featuring Bay Area locals  Harbours and Sarah Bethe Nelson (also known as Prairie Dog), along with Seattle’s Moondoggies. Be sure to check it out if you’re in town!