Third time is a charm so they say. And the Band of Skulls show last week at Bimbos was definitely that. They’ve been hitting the States hard promoting their debut album, Baby Darling DollFace Honey, and it is one of my favorite albums of 2009. This was the third performance I caught of theirs this year. It’s been fun to see them climb the venue ladder of success. First Harlot, then Cafe du Nord. Now Bimbos. What’s next? We’ll wait and see.
Bear In Heaven – “Beast In Peace”
Gah, I cannot get this song outta my head. Every time I put on this album I just hit the repeat button for this track and listen to it over and over and over again. And I’m still not sick of it. “Beast in Peace” is a track off the Brooklyn-based band’s third album, Beast Rest Forth Mouth, and is a study in electronic experimental rock. It’s a great album with that kind of textural, atmospheric sound you just want to wrap yourself up and get lost in. Pitchfork compared the album to be on par with Caribou’s Andorra and for once I agree with them. Love that album and love this one too.
Dan Melchoir Und Das Menace – “Wrapped in Fog”
Dan Melchoir Und Das Menace. Such a great name you just want to say it again. London-based Melchoir is one hard working independent artist. The man has put out more than 30 recordings with various bands since the mid-90s and has earned a respected reputation among fans of always delivering. ‘ThankYou Very Much’ is his recent effort with NC -based group Und Das Menace and I just love this track “Wrapped In Fog”. His garage rock aesthetic is so right on.
Meet my latest obsession, Imaad Wasif. No stranger to the indie music scene, the Canadian born, Indian singer-songwriter and guitarist has been in numerous bands including lowercase, The New Folk Implosion and alaska!, but is probably best known as the touring guitarist for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. He also contributed to the Where the Wild Things Are soundtrack.
His latest album The Voidist is his third solo release and explores his obsession with the idea of love and faith. Channeling the groovy, psychedelic 70s sound, Imaad is like a harder rocking, less kooky version of Devendra Banhardt. But like Devendra, he seems to fully embrace the free love, hippie aesthetic of that era. Just take a look at his new video for “Redeemer”, featuring naked women worshiping the sun – and each other.
Imaad has been confirmed as a showcasing artist for SXSW 2010 and I look forward to seeing one of his legendary impassioned live performances in person.
Tape Deck Mountain – “Scantron”
These past few bone-chilling, foggy days here in San Francisco, I’ve been comforting myself in a blanket of fuzz from San Diego’s Tape Deck Mountain. And it feels so good.
The band’s debut album, Ghost, was written by frontman Travis Trevisan during all the free time he had after being laid off from his job last year. With a self-proclaimed ‘mid-fi’ sound, the album title is befitting of the slacker-fuzzed lullabies it creates. Filled with ambient electronics and intricate layers that give way to walls of crashing guitars, the album is intoxicating and the perfect winter elixir. Let’s just hope Travis doesn’t have plans to return to his day job.
Alberta Cross – “Broken Side of Time” (Live Daytrotter Session)
Hot damn, I like the way 2010 is shaping up. The news that one of my favorite bands is finally making their way to the West Coast in January has literally made my week. And there’s nothing that would make me more happy than to usher in a new decade with a scorching live set from the NY (by way of London) group. If you haven’t checked out their debut LP, Broken Side of Time, do so. It’s one of my favorite albums of 2009.
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Casbah | San Diego, California | ||
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Detroit Bar | Costa Mesa, California | ||
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Troubadour | Los Angeles, California | ||
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Muddy Waters Coffee | Santa Barbara, California | ||
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Bottom of the Hill | San Francisco, California | ||
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Mississippi Studios | Portland, Oregon | ||
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Chop Suey | Seattle, Washington | ||
La Blogotheque’s Take Away shows simply rule. Case in point this latest video with Phoenix performing “1901”.
A new BJM album is set for release on 1/1/2010. The tracklisting for Who Killed Sgt. Pepper? was posted and streaming on their MySpace blog, but then retracted. The band just released a teaser, One EP, in the interim. Here’s the full LP track listing.
1. Tempo 116.7 (Reaching For Dangerous Levels Of Sobriety)
2. The Heavy Knife
3. Lets Go Fucking Mental (Melodica Mix)
4. White Music
5. This Is The First Of Your Last Warnings (Icelandic Version)
6. This Is The One Thing We Did Not Want To Have Happen
7. The One
8. Someplace Else Unknown
9. Detka! Detka! Detka!
10. Super Fucked
11. Our Time
12. Feel It (Of Course We Fucking Do)
13. Felt Tipped-Pen Pictures Of UFOs
I was smitten with Spain’s Boat Beam after my first listen. This is the latest video from their debut album for the track ‘Falling Over”.
Silver Swans: “Realize The Ghost”
I’ve been on an electronica kick ever since I got off the beach in Mexico. Something about sand and ambient grooves seems to go really well together. That and I’ve been immersed in my Best Electro Pop 2009 Mixtape (coming soon). Which leads me to a tune I’ve been digging from San Francisco’s very own electronica duo, Silver Swans. Channeling eerie soundscapes reminiscent of The Knife, vocalist Ann Yu and producer and musician, Jon Waters have recently released their dreamy, electro pop single ‘Realize The Ghost’ that will soon flourished into a full length debut on Tricycle Records in January 2010. Pay attention!
the OCMD 