The Dodos, one of San Francisco’s finest, has a follow up release to their acclaimed debut “Visiter”in the works, entitled “Time To Die.” Reports from @TheBayBridged and @DodgeMOKB indicate the album has already been leaked. Poor guys. In response to the debacle, the band has set up a website to stream the entire album, pre-order it and receive free downloads. The physical release remains set for September 15, but the digital release of the album will be available for purchase/download through Amazon MP3 on July 27th for either $2.99 or $3.99. Goodness!
It’s Friday, be happy! So get up and try this sunny, retro psychedelic pop groove on for size. The Los Angeles-based indie songwriter AM is gearing up for the release of his sophomore album, Future Sons & Daughters, due August 11th, 2009 on Filter US Recordings. Recorded in L.A. and produced by Charles Newman (Magnetic Fields), this release follows his debut, which earned him the title of “Best Singer Songwriter of The Year” by the LA Weekly.
Holy crap! I was a little shocked to read this morning that my hometown radio station, WOXY, is relocating from Cincinnati to Austin, TX as of September 8. I can’t say I really blame them. Austin offers so much more musically than Cincinnati. It gives better access to artists and plays host to some of the best indie music festivals around. But I’m really sad about this. I grew up with this station. What the hell am I going to listen to when I make my annual pilgrimage home? My parents don’t have satellite radio in their cars.
Thankfully, they’ve thought of that and launched a free iPhone app so you can listen to WOXY on the go. It features WOXY Live and vintage channels along with the great programs we love, like Future Sounds. It’s awesome. Go get it…WOXY Radio for iPhone
There’s always a bit of fear and trepidation when I anticipate a show as much as I did this one. Usually you’re setting yourself up for a disappointment, but that was not the case Monday night at San Francisco’s Bottom of the Hill. The stellar double header of Foreign Born and The Veils definitely goes down as one of my top concerts so far this year.
Both bands were excellent, but I have to say Foreign Born really delivered an outstanding performance with a rich, polished and professional sound rarely seen at the likes of this venue. And they had a stage show too. When’s the last time you saw a show at Bottom of the Hill with two drummers, stage lighting and smoke effects? It was a first for me. They were tight.
The Veils, Finn Andrews, bared his soul during the show giving such a passionate performance he could barely compose himself after “Larkspur.” Wow, was all I could say. His vocals reigned true throughout the night and his graciousness on stage was and unexpected surprise for me. Impressive all around.
File this under “Bands to Watch.” Alberta Cross is poised to release their much anticipated full length debut, Broken Side of Time, on September 22. Their EP, The Thief & The Heartbreaker, was on heavy rotation for me all last year. I was immediately attracted to lead singer/guitarist Petter Ericson Stakee’s Kurt Cobain-like desperation and Neil Young Americana rock vibe. Their set at SXSW this year was one of my favorite live performances as well.
Stay tuned for tour dates. In the meantime, you can download a free copy of the MP3 for “Leave Us and Forgive Us” on their website now.
I had so much fun last night at The Veils and Foreign Born show at Bottom of the Hill that I’m deeming it Veils/Foreign Born Day at The OCMD. Luckily, both bands have cooperated with me and released new videos today. Check it out. I think Finn Andrews was wearing the exact same outfit on stage as in the video. Be forewarned, “Begin Again” is pretty intense and graphic.
Live footage from the show last night coming soon!
Happy day! The Treasure Island Music Festival has announced the line up for this fall’s event scheduled October 17-18, 2009 on Treasure Island in San Francisco. As usual, the line up is divided into the more electro pop/hip hop day on Saturday and the indie rock day on Sunday. Single day tickets are $65 and early bird two-day passes go on sale tomorrow at noon for $99 (limited availability). Get your tickets and get ready!
Saturday, October 17 features: MGMT, MSTRKRFT, Girl Talk, Passion Pit, Brazilian Girls, The Streets, Dan Deacon, LTJ Bukem, DJ Krush and more.
Sunday, October 18 features: The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, Beruit, Grizzly Bear, Yo La Tengo, Bob Mould, The Walkmen, Sleepy Sun, Vetiver and more.
TechCrunch (by way of @epicurianzealot) turned me onto this great new Wiki-like site that serves as a repository for tracking live performance set lists of musical artists, called Setlist.fm. With festival season upon us, this is a site I will definitely be referencing to track the frequency of songs played by more well known artists. Setlist.fm also includes an audio and video playback feature as well as lyrics.
Plus they make it easy to integrate the set lists into your social media accounts, as seen below. Seen here are the set lists for the two Grizzly Bear shows at The Fillmore last month. I was always curious to know how similar or different those two performances were. And if they pulled out my favorite cover of Yes‘ “Owner of a Lonely Heart“ on the second night. Thankfully, they did not.
Wow. There is an absolute stellar line of music happening tonight at Bottom of the Hill featuring London-based The Veils, So Cal up and comers Foreign Bornand Cleveland buzz makers Other Girls. Two of whom also happen to be the creators of my more beloved albums this year. Why the hell this show isn’t sold out is beyond me. It’s quite possibly one of the finest line ups I’ve seen all year. So if you’re SF-based, I highly recommend you get out to see it. Regardless of where you live, you should definitely add these albums to your collection.
The Veils frontman and songwriter, Finn Andrews, makes me swoon. His voice is stunning, his lyrics are soul baring. Couple that with a heady rush of guitars and you’ve got yourself ballad rock epitomised (nod to the Brits here with that spelling). For a band that constantly earns comparisons to Nick Drake, Morrissey and Jeff Buckley, it’s almost incomprehensible why they are not a bigger deal.
Sun Gangs is their third release and I would go so far to say it might be one of the sleeper albums of 2009. And now for a little music trivia. Did you know that Finn’s father Barry Andrews is a renowned musician himself? Playing with the likes of XTC, Brian Eno, David Bowie and Iggy Pop.
Foreign Born started in San Francisco in 2003 after singer Matt Popieluch and guitarist Lewis Pesacov graduated San Francisco State University. After playing a few shows, the pair went down to LA to clean up their rough demos. The results were promising enough for Lewis and Matt to quit their menial jobs and move down to LA where the current line-up of Foreign Born was, yes, born.
Their first LP, On The Wing Now, was released in 2007 and their latest effort, Person to Person, just released last month. I adore their first single from the album, “Vacationing People” andhad the chance to see them perform at SXSW earlier this year. Judging by the number of recognizable faces in the audience at that show, it was evident that I’m not the only one who loves them either. After all, if Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste deems you as his “favorite new band”, you must be doing something right.
Ladies and gentleman, Ty Segall has band! He’s evolved from a one-man act into a full fledged surf punk trio with a girl drummer to boot. Friday night The Hemlock played host to his CD Release party for Lemons, his new album due out July 14.
It was a raucous and rawkin’evening of surf punk all around. Just when I started to question my stamina for a late evening at The Hemlock after a long week, opening band Charlie and The Moonhearts laid out a fierce set of late 80’s-inspired Orange County punk that kicked me right in the teeth. Their 30 minute assault of fast and dirty garage rock combined with the ponytail face whipping from my friend Jen next to me was just the adrenaline shot I needed. No more yawning for me, I tell ya.
Ty and company (which by the way, featured the same bass player – Mikal- from Charlie and The Moonhearts) banged out a great set of mostly new material to an eager and (sometimes overly) rambunctious crowd. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, get in to this band!
the OCMD 