Tag Archives: mp3

Wintersleep Plays Hotel Utah Tonight

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One of my favorite up and coming bands, Wintersleep, is playing San Francisco’s Hotel Utah tonight.  I just saw them this weekend at SXSW and can confidently vouch for their live performance.  They rock.  The Halifax-based band is on tour supporting their latest album Welcome to the Night Sky.  One of my favorites for 2008.  If I wasn’t so sick I’d be out there to see them again tonight.  You should be there though.  That way when they make it big you can say “Yeah, I saw them at Hotel Utah once.”

Listen to “Drunk on Aluminum”:

I Live Here: SF

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A quick break from our regularly scheduled program for a public service announcement plugging a cool project from local photographer and blogger, Julie of Tangobaby.    She’s launched a new blog called I Live Here: SF that features portraits and stories of the people that call San Francisco home. It was amazing to meet her, hear her story, share our goals and ambitions and be a part of her dream. Such an interesting interlude to a random Friday.  

Since we connected through the blogosphere, music was a big part of our conversation.  As was fashion and my current obsession with my new peacock feather necklace.  (Isn’t it pretty?)  I was asked recently what we were listening to when this shot was taken.  I can’t recall exactly, but if I had to choose one song to reflect my mood it would be Iran’s “Buddy“.  I’m in love with this song.  (More on this band later.)

Listen to “Buddy“:

Dan Auerbach @ Bimbos

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Rock and roll hoochie coo! Man, my musical stars were aligned last week. There’ve been so many good shows and so many more to come with SXSW merely days away, I think my head’s going to explode.  Dan Auerbach‘s show at San Francisco’s Bimbos last Friday was just another display of rock-n-roll awesomeness.  

Better known as half of The Black Keys, Auerbach’s solo endeavor is more of the same swampy, blues-tinged rock but, dare I say, even bigger and more dynamic. Whereas The Black Keys have that stripped down two-man band vibe, Dan has a 5 piece band supporting him (mostly comprised of musicians from the project he produced, Hacienda): two drummers, keyboardist/organist, rhythm guitar and bass player.  Wow!  I lost my socks somewhere at Bimbos.

If you’re going to SXSW and don’t have Dan Auerbach on your agenda, you’re a bona fide fool.  Pencil it in and make sure you pick up his new album, Keep it Hid.

Mar 18 2009 10:45P
SXSW – The Parish Austin, Texas
Mar 20 2009 8:00P
SXSW – Bill’s Place Austin, Texas
Mar 21 2009 1:30P
SXSW – The Mean Eyed Cat Austin, Texas

 

 

 

Listen to “I Want Some More”:

TSOOL @ The Independent

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I thoroughly enjoyed what felt like a TSOOL (The Soundtrack of Our Lives) private concert last night at The Independent. These guys know how to rock and have the attitude to match the music.  Clad in satin red ‘The Who’ jackets and hippie tunics, they put on quite a performance with their guitar jams and theatrics.  

TSOOL is one of my favorite rock bands from the 90s that have endured the test of time.  The seasoned rockers are touring in support of their new double album, Communion, and wrapping up the limited US leg tonight in LA before heading back to Europe – where they are well know and adored.

Listen to: ‘Babel On’

Papercuts – You Can Have What You Want

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Artist: Papercuts
Album: You Can Have What You Want
File Under: Lo-Fi Indie Pop
Recommended if You Like: Beach House, Grizzly Bear, Vetiver
Featured Tracks: “Future Primitive”

Really?  I can have what I want?  I thought the saying was you can’t always get what you want.  But if the former is the case, I’ll take a walk in closet please.  And $10 million dollars.  Yep, I think that’ll do.

I guess that’s the difference between me and Jason Quever, the mastermind behind San Francisco’s Papercuts.  I grew up middle class bourgeois; he was raised on a commune in Humboldt County, orphaned, then wandered the West Coast before calling San Francisco home.  Knowing that will give you some insight into his music. Jason is an analog guy living in a digital world – using vintage organs and 4 track tapes to create that  hazy, lo-fi, dream-pop sound of a bygone era.  “Future Primitive” is an apt description.  Headphone heaven is the end result.

You Can Have What You Want is Papercuts third album, due out April 17. (Thanks AG for the advance!) Be sure to catch their April 24 record release show with the Finches and Cryptacize at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco.

White Lies – To Lose My Life

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Listen to “Death”

I’m having a momentary crush on White Lies.  My first thought upon hearing them was Interpol meets Echo and The Bunnymen.  And I have a serious soft spot for Brit rock and Ian McCulloch,  so when I received an advance copy of UK trio’s To Lose My Life recently I couldn’t help but fall in love a little bit. It’s blatantly 80s influenced, but represents everything I like about Brit rock and the 80s in one album; guitar focused arena rock with a big dose of that new wave sound.  

To Lose My Life drops on Fiction Records 3/17. Their US tour kicks off in Austin at SXSW, making their way to San Francisco April 11 to play Slim’s and wrapping up at Coachella.  In the meantime, check out the new video to “To Lose My Life”…

Say Hi (To Your Mom) – Oohs & Aahs

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Artist: Say Hi (To Your Mom)
Album: Oohs & Aahs
File Under: Indie Pop
Recommended if You Like: ‘The moment just before orgasm’ 
Featured Tracks:

“November Was White, December Was Grey”:

“Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh”:

This album is so damn catchy I can’t stop listening to it. I’ve been a longtime fan of the band and don’t think they’ve made a bad album to date.  This one is no exception.  I love frontman Eric Elbogen’s quirky lyrics and musical arrangements.  Just take a listen to “Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh” and try to not get hooked. 

Elbogen has an incredible ability to mix sad and  happy together into a delightful contradiction. I can’t think of many other artists who could have me bopping around to a song about vampires singing – “Oh I just want to drink your blood…”.  (“Blah Blah, Blah” from the album Impeccable Blahs.)  While previous albums have been on the darker side in terms on subject matter – vampires, drinking blood and rejection – this one seems to lean more toward the lovelorn than the macabre.  And built more around layered harmonies too – like in the gem “November Was White, December Was Grey“. It makes for an easy album to listen to and like – and sure to get stuck in your head!

San Francisco, you can catch Say Hi at Bottom of the Hill on March 12.

Get this album free via eMusic’s 50 Free MP3 Promo

buy it at insound!

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California’s Budget Solution: Legalize Marijuana

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San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano proposed a bill this week that would decriminalize and legalize the sale of marijuana to adults 21 and over in California.  The tax revenues would generate more than a billion dollars annually for our cashed-starved state.  A perfectly plausible and sensible solution really, but sure to be met with resistance from the federal government’s prohibition policy on cannabis.  However, Ammiano said federal officials may be receptive to such changes under the administration of President Barack Obama.  

Imagine the boon to tourism in our state if this happens too.  Buy a ticket to Disneyland and a bag of weed. The Magic Kingdom awaits.

Listen to the psych rock sounds of Arbouretum’s “False Spring”.  Their new album Song of the Pearl will be out on Thrill Jockey records March 10.  They will be touring heavily this summer opening for Band of Horses.

Never Had Nobody Like You

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And so the age of imagination begins.  While it may look like my boy is seriously lacking in table manners, he’s actually pretending to be a kitty-cat.  Kitty-cat Judah to be exact.  He mews, crawls around on all fours, likes to be petted and – most importantly – insists on being served a bowl of milk. Preferably, he’d be drinking from the bowl off the floor, but we had to draw the line somewhere.  So here he is lapping up the leftover milk from his cereal bowl.  I try not to get too disturbed by these episodes and instead focus on the positive aspects – like his creativity and commitment to character.  Who knows, maybe he’ll be a respected character actor like Philip Seymour Hoffman one day.

Listen to M. Ward‘s “Never Had Nobody Like You” from his new Hold Time album out now.

Black Gold

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My Beautiful Blue Bottle Latte

20 Surprising Health Benefits of Coffee – Drink Up!

  • Regular coffee drinkers have a lower chance of developing cirrhosis of the liver…
  • Reduces the risk of skin cancer…
  • Increases sense of well being and happiness…
  • May reduce the chance of Parkinson’s disease…
  • Very high in antioxidants…
  • It’s the second most economic valuable product in the world – black gold!
  • May reduce colon cancer in women…
  • Can reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes…
  • Reduces muscle pain…
  • May reduce heart disease…
  • Fights cavities…

…and more!  For the full article, click here.  

In the meantime, listen to Athens, Ohio-based Southeast Engine’s “Black Gold” from their new release From the Forest to the Sea.