I woke up this morning, listened to this track and had an overwhelming urge to put on my bell bottom jeans and go pick daisies – in Golden Gate Park, of course. The sleepy, sexy, ‘let’s shag, baby’ sound of Brian Olive’s solo debut is a great way to start the day. Peace, love and rock-n-roll.
Based in Cincinnati, the album was produced, recorded and mixed by Olive alone and features some notable locals such as Jared McKinney and Craig Fox of the Greenhornes and Mike Weinel, formerly of the Heartless Bastards. The album is out June 23 on Alive Records.
I like Wheat. I wonder if their name was inspired by the 70s rock band Bread. Or if they would have named their band Wheat had they formed during the low carb craze. Decidedly lo-fi and low key, this indie band has been rocking for more than 10 years running. Their newest effort, “White Ink, Black Ink” is due out July 21 on The Rebel Group.
Here’s a new track off the album, “H.O.T.T”. Ain’t these lyrics the truth…
“Half of the time I feel broke, cracked, peeled and weathered/ Half of the time I feel shiney and new. Half of the time I feel I’m clever/ half of the time I just haven’t a clue.”
For those who read The OCMD regularly, you know how I feel about The Smashing Pumpkins and Billy Corgan. When drummer Jimmy Chamberlin, the last standing original member of The Smashing Pumpkins, quit the band I couldn’t help but laugh. I laughed even harder when Billy set up an open audition for a new drummer. Because who in their right mind would work with such a bona fide butt head?
The 19 year old Berklee College of Music freshman and Oregon native Mike Byrne will. Maybe because he’s too young to know any better. He was born the same year the band was formed after all. Whatever the case, the guy can drum – that’s for sure. Here’s the audition video he submitted for review. Only 12 drummers were chosen to audition for the gig (including System of a Down’s John Dolomayan).
San Francisco’s Kid Mud (aka Sean Duncan) makes good on his debut LP Now They Shut Us Downout today on New and Used Records. I loved his home recorded, one man band solo EP, Birds Will Move In, juxtaposing bleeps and bloops with acoustic longing. For Now They Shut Us Down, he keeps his independent recording flair but takes it up a notch with a host of collaborators, backing vocals and full-fledged recording studio. The result is a set of richly layered, finely crafted indie rock songs. Sparklehorse fans this is right up your alley.
San Francisco fans can catch Kid Mud play the Mission’s El Rio June 17.
The obsession continues for me and Band of Skulls. I love their debut album,Baby Darling Dollface Honey. Here’s the first video for the single, “I Know What I Am.” Does bassist Emma look like Chrissie Hynde here or what? Download the free MP3 for ‘Blood‘.
Following the March release of the highly acclaimed MYSTERY EP, BLK JKS’ anticipated full-length debut After Robots will be released September 8 on Secretly Canadian.
Finn Andrews of The Veils performs an acoustic version of the title track from the band’s new album, “Sun Gangs”. I adore this song and seeing this performance makes me so excited for their upcoming performance at Bottom of the Hill on July 13. Tickets are still available at the time of this post. And to sweeten the pot Foreign Born will be joining them. Ahhh!
The Handsome Furs finally made their way to San Francisco this week and, well…this was pretty much what the show was like – HOT! Their energy, connection, passion and performance on stage was raw and magnetic. The husband and wife duo bared it all for the audience (figuratively speaking), pouring their souls into their music and each other, feeding one another into a frenzy and into heaps on the floor several times throughout the night.
There were moments when I thought Alexi Perry was going to dive through her drum machine back into the Matrix, only to be brought back from the edge by the dashing Dan Boeckner’s embrace and kiss. For real, people! It was truly amazing and inspiring to watch two people so connected and effusive. If it wasn’t rock and roll it might have even been a little sappy.
Oh, and I haven’t even talk about the music yet. I love these guys and have been remiss for not featuring their new album, Face Control, on this site yet. It’s sure to be on my top album list of 2009. Just like their sleeper debut Plague Park was in 2007. Face Control is definitely more upbeat and dancey, likely inspired by their romp through the clubs of Eastern Europe. Boeckner’s straightforward rock and songwriting shine in this album. as it does in his work with Wolf Parade. I’ll take him over Spencer Krug any day.
the OCMD 