The latest video from Bat for Lashes acclaimed album Two Suns. They will be at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco this Friday!
SF Music Venues Continue to Battle ABC for Licensing
The battle between California’s Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) and some of San Francisco’s most beloved all ages music venues wages on. Here’s a YouTube clip of a recent report from NBC 11 explaining the situation. Imagine a San Francisco without a Bottom of the Hill, Great American Music Hall, Cafe du Nord and Slims. I cannot! Here’s what you can do to get involved.
ABC Email and website:
SFO.Direct@abc.ca.gov Attn: Brett Musselman
http://www.abc.ca.gov/districts.asp?City=SFO#Sanfrancisco
Email Senator Mark Leno!
http://icanhaz.com/MLeno
Buy this shirt to show your support for GAMH and Slim’s:
http://www.slims-sf.com/tshirts/
Like Deerhunter? Meet Circulatory System
Circulatory System, “The Spinning Continuous“:
More than likely you’ve heard of Deerhunter. Their last album, Microcastle, topped many ‘Best Of’ lists last year, including mine. But what about Circulatory System? Yeah, me neither but you soon will – trust me. I got tipped on their forthcoming album, Signal Morning, recently, took a listen and have been smiling ever since. It was like listening to Deerhunter on a Beatles Magical Mystery Tour. Holy head trip! This is fan-fucking-tastic, who are these guys?
As it turns out, Circulatory System has been around a while and share much in common with Deerhunter. Both were formed in 2001 in Georgia, have received critical acclaim and have front men tormented by disease. Circulatory System was founded by Will Cullen Hart after Olivia Tremor Control fell dormant in 2000. He and most of the other Olivias now comprise much of the band. Their eponymous debut album was released that same year to much critical acclaim and their long awaited sophomore release, Signal Morning, is finally due out September 8.
Seven and a half years in the making, Signal Morning has been sculpted from countless hours of recordings. The end product is a heady, complex and orchestral sonic journey. The songs, composed by Hart, explore his battle with Mutliple Sclerosis – much in the same way as Bradford Cox explores his plight with Marfan Syndrome in his work with Deerhunter and Atlas Sound. And like Deerhunter’s trajectory with Microcastle, I expect this album will explode and take them to a higher level.
P.S. Rumor has it that Olivia Tremor Control is together and recording again too!
Thanks Adam for the tip!
Video: EELS – “Tremendous Dynamite” Live
Yeow, this is hot! I was really starting to get behind the album, after my third or so listen, and this just sealed the deal.
Band of Skulls Rock Harlot
I’ve never seen so many photogs at a Rumbe event prior to Wednesday night’s performance by Band of Skulls at The Harlot in San Francisco. And if there’s any correlation between the number of photographers/camera crew in attendance and a band’s success, then these guys will not be under the radar for very much longer. With their session tomorrow on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic, that’s bound to become a certainty.
The hot London trio definitely delivered too. Standing in front of bassist, Emma Richardson, I couldn’t help muse how much she looked like a young Chrissie Hynde, haircut and all. Their gritty, rock and roll swagger is very soul satisfying and have had their debut album, “Baby Darling Doll Face Honey,” on repeat since I got it. You should too. Go download it from iTunes. It’s only $5.99!
Leopold and His Fiction at The Independent
Wednesday night was a very OCMD satisfying evening of music with a double header of shows – Leopold and His Fiction + Little Joy at The Independent then Band of Skulls at Harlot. It was so nice to finally see Leopold in a proper venue, with proper sound. They rocked it! And I’m always mesmerized by drummer Jon Sortland’s ability to play keyboards and drum at the same time.
I have to say Little Joy wasn’t doing it for me. It felt a little milquetoast in comparison and left early. And I felt kind of bad for the audience too that they didn’t get their chance to get up close and personal to Fab (Fabrizio Moretti) himself. I mean, he is the marquis member of the band right? Yet he was in New York recording what I assume is another Strokes album. Did anyone else feel duped by that?
Children Collide
Children Collide, “Frozen Armies”:
The explosive Australian trio, Children Collide, appears destined for a break out in the US. Their 2008 album “The Long Now” was rated one of the top international albums of last year and now the band has set sites on America with their maiden North American tour, which coincides with the US release of the album earlier this week. Check their June tour schedule for a performance near you.
Wed Jun 10 – The Casbah, San Diego CA
Thu Jun 11 – Spaceland, Los Angeles CA
Sat Jun 13 – Blank Club, San Jose CA
Sun Jun 14 – Peter’s Room, Portland OR
Mon Jun 15 – Tractor’s Tavern, Seattle WA
Thu Jun 18 – Sho, Salt Lake City, UT
Fri Jun 19 – Marquis Theatre, Denver CO
Sun Jun 21 – TBC, Chicago IL
Mon Jun 22 – Smalls, Detroit MI
Fri Jun 26 – Khyber, Philadelphia PA
Sat Jun 27 – Harpers Ferry, Allston MA
Sun Jun 28 – Mercury Bar, New York NY
Mon Jun 29 – DC9, Washington DC
Video: EELS – “Prizefighter”
Here’s the latest video from the new EELS album, Hombre Lobo, released this week. I eagerly awaited this album for months and have been drinking it in all week. Maybe my excitement got the best of me because….well, you know how you see a trailer for a movie then get all excited for it because it looks so good, then you see it and realize the best parts of the movie were in the trailer? My first listen left me feeling a little like that. But I’m not giving up. I think this album is in the grower category, not the shower. I’ll report back soon.
New Fruitbats Album Coming Soon
Fruit Bats new album, The Ruminant Band, is due out 8/4 on Sub Pop. After a four year hiatus, I’m looking forward to the upcoming album from Eric D. Johnson. Not that he hasn’t been busy in that time, playing with The Shins and Vetiver. But after a trying out his new material and band to a very eager audience earlier this year in San Francisco, it looks like his ruminations have finally crystallized into a full fledged album!
Check out the footage of them performing ‘The Ruminant Band’ on KEXP recently.
Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest is Far From Hype
I had been hearing the hype on Grizzy Bear’s Veckatimest all year long. After being force fed tracks like ‘Cheerleader’ and ‘Two Weeks’ for months upon end, I wasn’t quite convinced of all the hullabaloo. Then I saw them perform at the Central Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX at SXSW this year and I became a believer. Having the foresight to arrive at the church a good three performances before the show, I was one of the lucky disciples to make it in. Inside this cozy little chapel, we all sat silently and squished in our pews anxiously awaiting what would be our first full drink of their forthcoming album, Veckatimest.
The band, and the setting, did not disappoint. Not by a long shot. Watching the band at the altar, with the setting sun glowing through the stained glass windows while the angelic harmonies of Ed Droste and Daniel Rossen floated up through the arches of the church was both heavenly and transcendental. I had goosebumps the entire time. I was especially moved during the track ‘Ready, Able’. Something about the haunting orchestral arrangement of that song just gets me every single time. It’s by far my favorite on the album and the refrain, “They go we go, I want you to know,what I did” has been permanently etched in my brain.
That performance was the highlight of SXSW and one of my most memorable so far this year. And hearing the album unfold in all of it’s haunting beauty, beyond the chamber pop appeal of tracks like ‘Two Weeks’, made me a convert. It is really that good and entirely worthy of the praise, and your attention.
Grizzly Bear will be performing two nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco this month, June 21 and 22, with Here We Go Magic. A great line up. Get tickets while they last.
the OCMD 