Episode 127: Judgement Day
August 12, 2008
This week’s featured band is Judgement Day, a violin-cello-drums trio from Oakland that plays instrumental rock that’s as intense as it is unconventional. Unlike the many who abandon their early instruments for guitars, Anton and Lewis Patzner use their classical training to explore rock motifs, amplifying the results through the manipulation of a variety of effects pedals and the similarly strong drumming of bandmate Jon Bush. [More...]
Episode 123: Two Sheds
July 15, 2008
This episode is presented by KQED Interactive.
This week’s podcast features Two Sheds, a band whose melodic folk-rock songwriting has impressed us since we first heard their terrific debut Strange Ammunition a couple years ago. At that time, the group resided in Sacramento, where husband and wife duo Caitlin and John Gutenberger still live, but with two band members now based in the City and frequent performances here, we’re proud to consider them rising stars in the Bay Area indie music scene. We certainly aren’t the only ones, as the group’s local profile has been aided by some supportive bands and bloggers. [More...]
Episode 119: Built for the Sea
June 17, 2008
This week’s episode of The Bay Bridged Podcast is presented by KQED Interactive.
This week’s featured band is Built for the Sea, a San Francisco quartet whose textured rock-pop calls to mind to the legacies of shoegazer and melodic alternative rock music without drawing too heavily from either camp. The group started as a songwriting project for singer-keyboardist Lia Rose, a veteran of the Bay Area music scene, and their 2006 self-titled album showcases her strong command of soaring melodies and bittersweet personal lyrics. Rose’s voice has drawn many listeners into the band’s music and it’s central to the songs too, a versatile instrument equally capable of airy musings and earthy wisdom.
But while the group started as Rose’s, it has evolved into a truly collaborative band full of talented musicians. We’ve actually already interviewed members of this band twice before on the podcast, speaking with guitarist Jonny Latimer as a member of The Aimless Never Miss and drummer Eric Kuhn for his band Silian Rail. With fourth bandmate Daniel Mckenzie also a member of Shuteye Unison and formerly of the now-defunct The Rum Diary, it’s a collection of songwriters and performers to be reckoned with and suggests an exciting new chapter for the band.
Episode 115: Geographer
May 20, 2008
This week’s episode of The Bay Bridged Podcast is presented by KQED Interactive.
This week, our podcast features San Francisco indie rockers Geographer, a guitar-cello-drums trio gaining buzz around the Bay for their dynamic indie pop sound. The band’s frequently hushed vocals, personal lyrics and intimate melodies betray singer/songwriter Mike Deni’s past involvement in the local folk scene, through which he met collaborators like Kacey Johansing (who sings lead vocals on several songs) and developed some of the songs that have since evolved into Geographer’s seriously anthemic music.
That evolution can be attributed to Deni’s love of synths and the impressive chops of Berklee-trained bandmates Nathan Blaz (cello, electronics) and Brian Ostreicher (drums). As we learned during our interview with Mike and Nathan, they’ve been influenced by compositional electronic music, an inspiration evident in the group’s dynamic crescendos and synth layering. The guys are continuing to explore these elements as they further develop their sound.
