Video: John Vanderslice and the Magik*Magik Orchestra – “Overcoat”
April 19, 2011
Via NPR, here’s a live video (shot by Yours Truly) of John Vanderslice and the Magik*Magik Orchestra performing “Overcoat” at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley during the White Wilderness recording sessions. JV’s currently on a US tour — find all of the dates on his web site.
John Vanderslice – “The Piano Lesson”
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Carletta Sue Kay – “Pas Le Même”
April 18, 2011
It is always uplifting to receive news of veteran performers finding opportunities to release recordings. The first release from Carletta Sue Kay comes out tomorrow: the “Pas Le Meme” / “Just Another Beautiful Boy” 7-inch via the new San Francisco label Daddy Pony. DP launched in order to support CSK’s ventures and according to its website, was “funded with the settlement money from a moped accident.” That’s pretty San Francisco. More videos, including one for the song “For the Birds” off CSK’s summer debut LP, are located on Daddy Pony’s site.
As mentioned, Carletta Sue Kay are veterans of the local performance arena, having shared the stage with friends The Sandwitches and The Fresh & Onlys, as well as opening the Thao and Mirah/Horse Feathers show during Noise Pop 2009. Carletta’s live show is tantalizing, theatrical and driven by quality musicianship. The b-side to the upcoming 7-inch, “Just Another Beautiful Boy,” is an exceptionally playful and catchy song that stands out in my memory of their 2009 set.
This Friday Carletta opens the Kurt Vile and the Violators show at Bottom of the Hill (10pm, $12), just in time to celebrate their debut release.
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Little Wings, Jason Lytle join Olympia vets on Japan compilation ‘Resume’
April 18, 2011
Does a phenomenal roster of compilation contributors warrant donating to a cause? If so, here’s your opportunity. Resume is a tri-volume, internationally curated compilation released to benefit victims of the March earthquake in Japan, and it is available on iTunes for $6.99 per volume.
Resume’s 43 contributing bands includes a handful of Olympia’s noteworthy indie musicians: World Gang (feat. Jeremiah Green of Modest Mouse), LAKE, Mount Eerie, and more. For local interest, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy, Admiral Radley) and Little Wings both contribute tracks. Sealing the deal is cover art from the wonderful Olympian illustrator Nikki McClure (shown above), whose calendars and prints are scattered all over small design bookstores here and beyond.
Find the comp’s full tracklisting in adorable Japanese web format over at 7.e.p.
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Thee Oh Sees announce new album Castlemania; ‘Singles Vol. 1 & 2′ out now
April 18, 2011
Through a mix of great records, top notch live shows, and a community-supporting DIY spirit, Thee Oh Sees have become one of San Francisco’s most vital bands today. They’re also, it would seem, hellbent on staying one of the City’s most prolific, with this morning’s announcement that Castlemania (artwork above) is coming on June 14th on In The Red Records. Says the press release:
Which brings us to Castlemania, the closest Thee Oh Sees have come to creating a scuffed-up, home-brewed symphony. In other words, there’s more to its 16 tracks than maniacal pop music (“Spider Cider,†“If I Stay Too Longâ€) or the kind of fang-baring, riff-raking garage rock (“Corrupted Coffin,†“A Wall, A Century 2â€) that have made the San Francisco vets one of the underground scene’s few standbys. Slip on a decent pair of headphones to hear what we mean, as junk shop synths float through the ether alongside flutes, horns, mellotrons, and enough scorched bells and whistles to reward many a repeated listen. And then there’s Dwyer’s actual lyrics, which explore familiar themes of love, friends, drugs, and death with a skewed delivery that’s uniquely his.
“I guess there is a theme going on in this record,†admits Dwyer. “It’s shit I didn’t realize while making it—songs about bad things, packaged in a summery record about getting numb to life and its little pleasures as you take it for granted with age.â€
Sounds pretty great, right? Oh, and the band is planning another full length album for release this fall, which Dwyer is calling “maybe our best yet.”
By the way, TOS’s Singles Vol. 1 & 2 came out recently on Castle Face — according to Aquarius, it was originally intended to be a Record Store Day release — and I’d grab a copy before it’s gone completely. The double LP on beautiful red and green vinyl collects 24 songs from a whole lot of 7″s that the band has released over the past several years.
15 – Thee Oh Sees – Blood In Your Ear [Blood In Your Ear 7'', 2009] by imintocb
Before heading to Europe in May, Thee Oh Sees will be at 924 Gilman on 4/22 (with OFF! and Ty Segall) and at Cafe Du Nord on 4/28 (in a rare “acoustic/mellow set”).
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Video: Young Prisms – “Breathless”
April 15, 2011
Via Altered Zones, here’s a new video from Young Prisms. The band is currently on a US tour that finds them playing a bunch of shows with The Fresh & Onlys. Says the Zones:
Shot by Andrew Creighton, the material was brought back to Denver to director by Trevor Peterson, of Woodsman, where he shot and embedded extra imagery.
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James & Evander release Constellating EP
April 15, 2011
Oakland’s James & Evander recently released this EP, which finds the guys incorporating vocals into their analog synth pop. I dig the humanizing effect of the vocals here, which pair well with the duo’s longstanding knack for catchy, layered melodies.
James & Evander will be performing at Milk on Wednesday, May 4th.
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Photos: Rural Alberta Advantage, Vandella at Bottom of the Hill 4/12/11
April 15, 2011
The Rural Alberta Advantage
Vandella
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You Are Plural – “Caught On A Wire”
April 14, 2011
You Are Plural may currently reside in Seattle, but the Bay Area roots of Jen Grady (playing solo all over, as well as with Emily Jane White, Adam Haworth Stephens, Garrett Pierce, and more) and Ephraim Nagler are too notable to dismiss. Likewise, You Are Plural’s music is too good to not further explore – beautifully spare at times, appropriately lush and complex at others, and overall quite compelling and light-hearted.
You Are Plural’s debut EP, Hand It Over, is available now via Bandcamp. You Are Plural will be playing in San Francisco on April 28th at Great American Music Hall, opening for the Felice Brothers (9:00 pm, $21).
In the meantime, check out You Are Plural’s video session with local blog Echolocale, which was recorded in San Francisco the day before the duo moved away to their new home in Seattle:
You Are Plural – “Where All Directions Lead” from Echolocale on Vimeo.
