August 2010 Monthly Mix (Podcast #228)

Our latest (and a little belated) Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast features music from eight Bay Area bands, including a bunch of tracks from recent and upcoming releases. Enjoy!

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

To Dreamers, the latest album from Kelley Stoltz (“I Don’t Get That”), comes out on October 12th on Sub Pop. He’ll be playing at the Mezzanine on September 10th, and then celebrating the release of the new record at Cafe Du Nord on October 15th.

Young at Love and Life is the debut EP from Dominant Legs (“About My Girls”). It’s available now from Lefse Records.

Fiveng‘s (“Give Me A Taste”) first release is a single on Beach Tapes. You can download both songs at Beach Tapes’ Bandcamp page.

In August, Bronze (“The Rouge Became”) released a 7″ picture disc on World Famous in SF. No shows upcoming, but we’ll keep you posted.

Burnt Ones (“Kaleidoscope Eyes”) recently moved from Indianapolis to San Francisco. Their first full length, Black Teeth & Golden Tongues, is out now on Roaring Colonel Records, and they’ll be at El Rio on September 22nd.

Oakland’s The Dashing Suns (“Future Thunder”) just released their full length Really Like You on The Council. The band doesn’t have any local dates currently announced.

Birds & Batteries (“Strange Kind of Mirror”) release Panorama on October 12th on Spune/Velvet Blue Music. Their record release show is October 15th at Bottom of the Hill.

Adam Haworth Stephens‘ (“The Cities That You’ve Burned”) solo debut We Live On Cliffs comes out on Saddle Creek at the end of September. He’ll be headlining The Independent on October 2nd.

Related Posts:

• Taking Stock of September: A mix featuring eighteen of our favorite songs from the blog last month
• Mixtape: Music to Drink Beer to (Podcast #261)
• October 2009 Monthly Mix (Podcast #187)

July 2010 Monthly Mix (Podcast #224)

Our latest Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast features music from eight Bay Area bands, including a bunch of tracks from recent and upcoming releases. Enjoy!

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

Royal Baths‘ (“Nikki Don’t”) debut full length comes out on Woodsist later this year. They’ll be at The Knockout on July 29th before touring the country in August with Ty Segall.

Bats In The Belfry (“Summer of Your Dreams”) is an Oakland band led by Kellen Shipley. They’ll be at Grant & Green on August 5th, Rasputin Music in Berkeley on August 8th, and Rasputin SF on August 15th.

Your Wicked Man is the second album from Donovan Quinn & The 13th Month (“Mom’s House”). It’s out next week on Soft Abuse.

The Wrong Words (“What Went Wrong”) have a debut single coming out in the fall on Trouble in Mind Records. They’re playing at the Uptown on August 7th with Hunx and His Punx and Tropical Sleep.

Devotionals (“Chest Like Expansive Wings”), featuring Anton Patzner (Judgment Day) and Tyson Vogel (Two Gallants), recently released their self-titled album on Alive Records. The band’s album release show is August 6th at Bottom of the Hill with Kacey Johansing.

Il Gato‘s (“On Feathers & Arrows [on Burnt Pine]“) new album is All These Slippery Things, out now. The band will be at the Hemlock Tavern on August 1st, with Sunset and Jesse Woods.

Oakland minimalist composer Grant Hazard (“Marionette”) is a classically trained pianist and member of The Very Hush Hush. His first solo album, Genus Euphony, is out now.

Westwood & Willow (“Ghost Door”) is a local folk-rock duo comprised of brothers Kevin and Sean Sullivan. The band will be at The Grind in Redwood City on July 29th, and at Bottom of the Hill on August 19th.

Related Posts:

• Live This Month: April 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #246)
• January’s Best: Our favorite Bay Area songs from the blog last month
• Live This Month: February 2012 — an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #270)

June 2010 Monthly Mix (Podcast #220)

Our latest Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast includes music from nine Bay Area bands drawn from some recently-received submissions. Enjoy!

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

Independent People (“Consolation”) is the solo project of one Brant K., who released Independent People in April. The project has also spawned a series of videos on Youtube.

Formerly of the band Photons, Ben Davila (“Eucalyptus”) wrote one song a week for an entire year. He’s now collecting those tracks and releasing them in four EPs over the course of 2010.

Singer-songwriter Kate Kilbane (“Sweet Unknown”) finished her first solo tour in SF and now calls it home. Her Medea Cycle EP collects songs written from the perspective of the Greek heroine.

Change is in the Weather is the latest EP from electro-soul band Blood and Sunshine (“Change is in the Weather”). They will be at Cafe Du Nord on July 20th, with Con Brio and The California Honeydrops.

Indie pop duo Camp Out (“Closer”) is currently touring the Northwest. Their debut album Closer is out now on Swordfish Records.

You can download the Four Song EP by Angel Island (“What It Means, Where It All Comes From”) at the group’s Bandcamp page. They’re playing tonight at the Red Devil Lounge as part of a Beatles tribute show.

Although the song we played is from their 2009 Tran EP, The Aimless Never Miss (“Heart Surgery”) have a new album out called The High Dive to Lo-Fi Volume 1. Currently on a California tour, the band’s next local show is at We Art Space in Oakland on the Fourth of July.

Northern California duo Gwyneth and Monko‘s (“Good Old Horse”) first joint release is the Good Old Horse EP. They’ll be performing at the Noe Valley Farmer’s Market on July 10th.

The Foreign Globester is a new album mixing the talents of The Rondo Brothers (“A Quiet Room”) and Motion Man. It’s the third album from the Rondo Brothers, who have also lent their production talents to a variety of rock and hip hop projects.

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The Bay Bridged Podcast – May 2010 Monthly Mix (Podcast #215)

Our latest Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast includes music from eight Bay Area bands, including a number of submissions and some recently blogged-about artists. Check it out!

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

San Jose’s Melissa Ann Sweat is Lady Lazarus (“The Eye in the Eye of the Storm”), whose debut album Mantic is currently available in demo form, with a final version out later this summer. She’ll be performing on June 13th at Rasputin Music in Berkeley.

These Hills of Gold (“Free Association”) recently released their debut 7″ and digital EP. They’ll be at The Knockout on June 28th and El Rio on July 31st.

The Love Dimension just put out a brand new 7″ recorded by Greg Ashley, following a CD EP that came out earlier this year. The band will be at The Stork Club on June 9th, joined by My Parade, The Molestations, and The Machetes.

Here Come The Saviours (“Hit Escape”) feature former members of The Otherside, The Stratford 4 and The Tail. They’ll be at Milk on June 11th and the Retox Lounge on June 19th.

Oakland duo James & Evander (Man/Miracle – “Back of the Card [James & Evander Remix]“) just released the remix collection, Songs We Wish We Wrote You Vol. 2, which you can download at their Bandcamp site. They will be at Fort Gallery on June 1st and at Mama Buzz Cafe on July 19th.

Jascha Vs Jascha (“Corydon”) is the project of SF songwriter Jascha Hoffman. His debut album, A Cure for Sleep, is out now.

Anna Ash and The Family Tree‘s (“Opoutere”) album My Oh My was recorded live in a church in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Ash will be at the Hemlock Tavern on June 27th and the Rockit Room on July 12th.

SF quartet Ventid (“Sunny Day for Youth Culture”) recently released the Rain Dance for Your Wedding EP on 500 Records. See them at El Rio on July 14th, with Shapes Stars Make (Texas) and Cellar Doors.

Related Posts:

• January’s Best: Our favorite Bay Area songs from the blog last month
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• Song Premiere: James & Evander – “Unthinkable” (Alicia Keys cover)

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

The Heavenly States (“A Man For Our Times”) recently contributed a song to the Karl Rove: Courage and Consequence compilation. They also have a new EP coming out this summer.

The Blank Tapes (“Driving Out Of My Mind”) have a new album, Home Away From Home, which you can currently download for free from White Noise. See them with Wave Array at the Shattuck Down Low in Berkeley on May 15th.

Lloyd’s Garage (“No Victim”) is a local duo whose debut CD From the Comfort of Your Home is out now. Check out their recent video for “Oh Lovely” here.

Raw Pie, the singles tape from “Hoboken” punks Personal and the Pizzas (“Brass Knuckles”), remains one of my favorite things to come out this year. The band doesn’t have any dates scheduled until a late summer tour with Slippery Slopes.

Battlehooch (“Somersaults”) just released a new self-titled LP of experimental prog-pop. Catch this energetic live band at Homestead Lanes Bowling Alley in Cupertino on May 8th, and at the Great American Music Hall on June 12th.

Parks and Records is releasing Retrospective 2000-2007, a compilation collecting rare and previously released tracks from The Rum Diary (“Pyrrhic Victory”). The album ships May 1st, and pre-orders get a bonus CD as well.

Vandella (“Red Ribbons”) released the V EP last September. Catch them at El Rio for an SF Food Bank benefit show on May 8th.

In Another Life is the first album from local folk-rock band Buxter Hoot’n (“In Another Life”). They’ll be appearing at a Bob Dylan tribute show at the Rockit Room on May 22nd.

Bluegrass-influenced quartet The Brothers Comatose (“Trippin On Down”) recently put out their debut full length, Songs From The Stoop. The band will be at Slim’s on May 6th and the Starry Plough on May 7th.

Related Posts:

• Video: Bhi Bhiman – “Time Heals”
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• Ticket Giveaway: Battlehooch, Man in Space, Ghost & the City Saturday 1/7 @ Slim’s

Subscribe to The Bay Bridged Podcast to get each week’s new episode downloaded free to your iTunes!

About the bands:

Grass Widow (“To Where”) recently signed to Kill Rock Stars, with an album forthcoming in August. See them with P.E.E., True Widow, and Ovens on February 27th at Cafe Du Nord.

East Bay band The Splinters (“Mysterious”) have their debut full length, Kick, coming out in March. The band opens the February 24th Rickshaw Stop show with Foreign Born, The Fresh & Onlys and Free Energy.

Mist and Mast (“Burning Homes”) not long ago released their second album, Action at a Distance. They’ll be kicking off the February 24th Noise Pop Happy Hour at Bender’s that also features Love is Chemicals and The Ian Fays.

San Diego’s Tape Deck Mountain (“Bat Lies”) perform at Noise Pop before touring down to South by Southwest. The band opens the February 25th show at Cafe Du Nord, also featuring Citay, Scout Niblett and Greg Ashley.

Local trio The Sandwitches (“Back to the Sea”) are about to head out on a cross-country tour. They’ll be at Cafe Du Nord on February 24th at a Gorilla vs. Bear co-presented show with Harlem, Best Coast and Young Prisms.

The Voidist is the third solo album from LA-based songwriter Imaad Wasif (“Priestess”). See Wasif with The Soundtrack of Our Lives, Nico Vega, and Music For Animals at The Independent on February 27th.

San Jose’s The Mumlers (“Raise the Blinds”) put out an iTunes Session EP in January, featuring some signficantly reworked versions of songs from both of their albums. The band’s headlining a Noise Pop show with The Growlers, Sonny & the Sunsets and The Ferocious Few . The show’s at Cafe Du Nord on February 26th.

Scottish band We Were Promised Jetpacks (“Quiet Little Voices”) have a new EP called The Last Place You’ll Look, available at shows and digitally in early March. The band headlines at Slim’s on February 27th, with The Lonely Forest, Bear Hands and Tempo No Tempo.

Nashville duo Magic Wands (“Black Magic”) join Atlas Sound at a sold-out Great American Music Hall show on February 26th. Also playing are Geographer and Nice Nice.

The Magnetic Fields‘ (“We Are Having A Hootenanny”) latest album is the folk-pop collection Realism. Stephin Merritt and his band will be at the Fox Theater on February 27th and the Herbst Theater on March 1st, with Mark Eitzel opening both shows.

Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band (“The Sun Is Down! [Cornelius Mix]“) will be playing Ono’s first Bay Area show in over fourteen years. The concert’s at the Fox Theater on February 23rd, with Deerhoof opening.

Related Posts:

• Recommended, 3/28-4/3: Hunx and his Punx, Salem/The Soft Moon, Lady Lazarus and more
• New 7″ releases from the Sandwitches and the Splinters on Southpaw
• Brace yourself for Noise Pop 2010: partial lineup announced; badges now on sale

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

Brilliant Colors (“Absolutely Anything”) recently released their debut LP Introducing on Slumberland Records. They’ll be playing with Hunx and His Punx at the Hemlock Tavern on January 3rd.

The Hourglass is Social Studies‘ (“Time Bandit”) first new musical offering in a few years. It’s currently available for free download at their web site.

Sonoma County’s That Ghost (“The Red Bow”) recently came out with a new digital EP and a new 7″. The band has upcoming dates in LA, San Jose and Sebastopol over at their MySpace page.

In the Beginning is the first album from Billy & Dolly (“Younger Days”). You can stream it in its entirety at their web site.

Citay‘s (“Eye on the Dollar by White Rainbow”) Remixes LP features reworkings from Black Mountain, Sunburned Hand of the Man, White Rainbow, and more. The band also just announced the release of their new album Dream Get Together, out January 26th on Dead Oceans.

The Mantles‘ (“Bad Design”) latest 7″ came out in October on Slumberland and Dulc-i-Tone Records.They’ll be at Cafe Du Nord on January 18th with The Yummy Fur.

Weekend (“Youth Haunts”) have their debut 10″ coming out on Mexican Summer in December. The band’s playing at the Hemlock Tavern on December 1st with Little Girls, and on January 8th with Young Prisms, Dominant Legs and Woodsman.

SF’s Bird By Snow (“If You Wait”) is the folk-rock project of Fletcher Tucker. His latest album, Songbread / Another Ocean, was released on Gnome Life Records earlier this year. Catch Bird By Snow on December 12th at Kimo’s, with Ash Reiter and Chelsea Wolfe.

Vetiver (“More of This [Neighbors RMX]“) is currently touring Europe, with additional East Coast dates in January. The More of This 12″ comes out next week on Bella Union, and includes the original, this remix (with instrumental) and a brand new song.

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• Mixtape: Surveying the Indie Pop Renaissance (Podcast #241)

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

Birds & Batteries (“The Villain”) reveal a funky electronics-dominated side on Up to No Good, their brand new EP which comes out today. We’re pleased to present their EP release show, featuring two sets by the band, a supporting performance by Telegraph Canyon, and DJ Elise, on Sunday, November 8th at Cafe Du Nord.

On November 1st, Oakland’s Man/Miracle (“Hot Sprawl”) release their first full length The Shape of Things. They’ll be at the Rickshaw Stop on November 5th, and have dual CD release parties at The Crepe Place (on November 12th) and the Lobot Gallery (on November 14th).

Young Bay Area punk rockers Impediments (“You Want A Square”) just put out their self-titled debut full length on HappyParts Recordings. You can download a sampler of their songs over at Punknews.org.

Formed by Sierra Frost (ex-Elephone), The Downer Party‘s (“Being A Teenager [Is Free Palestine]“) debut EP Ego Driven Lust Creatures is out now on Popsmear Records. They’ll be at Bottom of the Hill on November 7th, and will begin recording a new EP next month.

San Francisco’s Young Prisms (“Weekends and Treehouses”) recently performed at the CMJ festival. The band’s self-titled 12″ EP is out now on Mexican Summer.

Mark Matos & Os Beaches‘ (“Hired Hand”) debut album Words of the Knife comes out on November 17th on Porto Franco Records. See them at The Knockout on November 2nd and at the Make-Out Room on November 16th.

Fiveng (“Jonah”) is the experimental pop project of Nicholas Ng. No shows currently listed, but you can listen to more songs at his MySpace page.

Invisible by Day is the debut full length from SF indie-pop band Hey Young Believer (“Waking Up on the Floor”). They’ll be on Pirate Cat Radio on November 9th at 6pm, and at the Hotel Utah on November 19th.

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• January’s Best: Our favorite Bay Area songs from the blog last month

About this week’s bands:

The Mantles (“Don’t Lie”) recently returned home from their first US tour. The band celebrates the recent release of The Mantles on October 1st at The Eagle. They will also be at KDVS’s Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom Fest on October 3rd.

John Vanderslice (“Too Much Time (demo)”) has a new 7″ coming out on October 6th on Dead Oceans. The single features “Too Much Time” and the previously unreleased “Moon Rocks”.

Led by Jason Lakis (of The Red Thread), Mist And Mast (“In Public”) are now releasing their second album, Action at a Distance. They’re having a record release show at Bottom of the Hill on October 9th.

Singer-songwriter Owen Roberts (“Where We’ve Been”)’s Bay to Maples drew inspiration from his move from the Bay Area to New York. He’s now moved back, and performing at San-Rock-Fael on October 10th and Hotel Utah on October 26th.

Out October 16th, Sugar & Gold‘s (“Come And Go”) new ¡Aya! Remix EP features several new songs and a remix by Justin Van Der Volgen of !!!. The band kicks off a US tour at The Eagle on October 8th.

Hawnay Troof (“And I”) has a series of tours in the next few months to promote Daggers at the Moon. The new album comes out October 22nd on Retard Disco.

Tim Cohen (“Haunted Hymns”) of The Fresh & Onlys also released the solo album The Two Sides of Tim Cohen. The record was recently repressed and is available from Empty Cellar Records.

The Super Cutes (“Sugar Rush”) moved to the Bay Area from Olympia in 2007. The band’s debut album Yes, We Are The Super Cutes comes out this month, and they’ll be performing at the Berkeley Amoeba on October 7th.

San Francisco folk-rock duo Foolproof Four (“I Come Around”) caught our ears with their EP There are Four O’s in Foolproof. No upcoming shows listed currently, but we’ll keep you posted.

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• Sonny Smith ‘Sees All Knows All’ this Saturday + 2/4/12 @ The Lost Church

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About this week’s bands:

Once episode opener Port O’Brien (“My Will Is Good”) returns from Europe, they’ll be heading on a national tour to support their upcoming album, Threadbare. The new release is out October 6th on TBD Records.

A member of the now-defunct The Wayside State, Erin Brazill (“Speak Easy”) recently released her solo EP Speak Easy. She’ll be at the Eat Real Festival on August 30th and the Rickshaw Stop on September 16th.

Tiny Television (“Hallelujah”) bandleader Jeremy D’Antonio relocated to SF from Denver last year. They played a great set at the Rock Make pre-party over the weekend and released Mission Statement earlier this summer.

SF folk singer-songwriter Sonya Cotton‘s (“Red River”) album Red River came out at the end of July. She was also recently the subject of a great Chasing the Moon video podcast.

Ghetto Kool-Aid is the debut EP from Emeryville duo The Black Pandas (“Amsterdam”). They’ll be playing at the Folsom Street Fair on September 27th.

Butterfly Bones (“XOXO”) are currently embarking on a cross-country house-party-packed tour. The quartet’s catchy new EP is called Pretty Feelings.

It felt incomplete to do our latest mix show without including this great remix from Music For Animals (“Nervous in New York [Wallpaper. Remix"]), who once again delivered an amazing performance at Rock Make 2009. Catch them at the Boom Boom Room on Friday, September 4th.

Keys-and-drums duo Casy & Brian (“SBXT2″) are currently in the midst of releasing the No Fiction 7″ series. They will be at Thee Parkside on August 26th.

San Francisco indie rock quartet Wave Array (“Future Tense”) release their debut full length Cheapjack Moon this week. They’re celebrating this Friday, August 28th at Cafe Du Nord.

Sleepy Todd (“Song For Friends Who Fall Down Stairs”) is a local singer-songwriter I know little about other than that he writes some very good songs. You can download Sleepy Todd Songs for free from Fuzzhouse.

Related Posts:

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Our latest Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast includes music from nine great Bay Area bands — some submissions we’ve received at TBB headquarters, some stuff we’ve posted on the web site recently, all really good stuff.

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged weekly podcast to get each new episode downloaded free to your iTunes the moment it’s published!

About all of the bands:

Oakland songwriter Brian Glaze (“Leader of the Band”) returns with his third LP Green Living, out July 13th on World Famous In San Francisco. He’ll be at McLaren Park on July 18th as part of the Mission Creek Music Festival.

We recently witnessed The Blacks‘ (“Sunday Boys”) stunning and bittersweet final performance, but the band’s legacy lives on with their new album Tiger Songs, out July 21st on Tricycle Records. Check out a great collection of photos from their final show on Flickr.

Oakland’s Sir Lord Von Raven (“Take It or Leave It”) includes members of The Time Flys and The Gris Gris, and their debut LP Please Throw Me Back In The Ocean is out now on HappyParts Recordings. The band has upcoming shows on July 3rd at the Ghost Town Gallery, and July 9th at The Stork Club.

Von Iva (“Guise”) recently released their latest EP Girls on Film, featuring a bunch of new songs alongside tracks from their previous album. The trio has a number of August dates on the East Coast that you can see on their MySpace page.

Bay Area indie pop stalwarts The Invisible Cities (“Marine Parade Road (Soupy)”) released their latest album Houses Shine Like Teeth a few months ago. You can download the new album for free for a limited time. More details about that can be found here.

Lesser Lights (“The Harvest Halt”) is the musical alter ego of Bay Bridged contributor Nate Baker. The singer-songwriter’s upcoming EP, One Day In May, was recorded with Aaron Prellwitz at SF’s Tiny Telephone and you can check out more of his music at his web site.

Conspiracy of Venus (“I’m Your Man”) is a female acapella choir with an affinity for the works of Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits and a reputation as a great live band. You can find out more about the band in our recent profile here and can catch their season opener show on September 3rd at the Rickshaw Stop.

Family Room (“Earthworm”) recently released their album Blood Orange, a stripped down folk-rock collection from Evan Jewett and an assortment of contributors . Check out a video of a live performance of this song at Vimeo.

James and Evander (“Bells”) is a new electronic project from the good people at 500 Records. In addition to making their debut The Awkward Turtle EP, the Oakland duo also has produced recordings for Grand Lake, The Aimless Never Miss, Form & Fate and others.

Related Posts:

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Our latest Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast includes music from nine great Bay Area bands with a bunch of newly released CDs. About all of the bands:

We kicked off the show with a song from the always entertaining Battlehooch (“Take The L-Train”), off their brand new full length Piecechow, out June 15th. They’ll be at 111 Minna on Thursday, May 28th and their official LP release party is June 24th at Bottom of the Hill.

Oakland’s Dreamdate (“Have I Told You”) recently released their second album Patience on Skywriting Records. They’re on a West Coast tour through the first week of June.

Originally from Wisconsin, A B & The Sea (“Suzie”) were recently named “Best Beach Boys Worshippers of 2009″ by the SF Weekly. The band — who have been working on a new album — will be at The Independent on June 5th.

Jonesin’ (“Rollerskates”) is the duo of Matt Jones from Master/Slave and Jenny Jones. Although there’s a lighter pop touch here, Matt’s love of vintage synths thankfully remains. Head to the band’s MySpace page for more.

Local indie poppers My First Earthquake (“Cool In The Cool Way”) release their first full length this month, entitled Downstairs. They’ll be celebrating with a CD release show on June 20th at Cafe Du Nord.

Disorganization Will Save Us All is the new EP from San Francisco-Oakland experimental rock band Raised By Robots (“Dinner Pill”). They’ll be at Grant and Green on May 28th and the Red Devil Lounge on June 23rd.

Featuring members of Replicator, Mount Vicious (“Steroid Unicorn”) released their debut EP Leather Beer Caddy in April and you can download it for free at Bandcamp. They’ll embark on a month-long tour of the US in July and have a full length debut coming out in August.

Assemble Head In Sunburst Sound (“Two Birds”) recently released their third psych rock LP When Sweet Sleep Returned on Tee Pee Records. The band will be at the Great American Music Hall on June 19th.

The power-pop of Cartographer (“Love Triangle For Two”) garnered strong reviews for the band’s self-titled 2008 debut. Although the band doesn’t have any dates currently scheduled, we’ll keep you updated on any new developments.

Related Posts:

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Our latest Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast features ten great Bay Area bands, including a lot of good stuff from new and recent releases. About all of the bands:

Still Flyin’ (“The Hott Chord Is Struck”) release their debut album today via the Ernest Jenning Record Co. The CD release show for Never Gonna Touch The Ground is May 9th at Cafe Du Nord, with Nodzzz supporting.

The second album from local songwriter Ayal Nistor’s My Second Surprise (“Bring the Sunshine”) is called Time to Move On, and it’s available now. My Second Surprise plays every Sunday night at the Edinburgh Castle.

Mythomania, the new album from Cryptacize (“Tail & Mane”), is terrific and it’s out today on Asthmatic Kitty. The band’s CD release party is April 24th at Cafe Du Nord with Papercuts and The Finches.

SF folk-rock band Bias Tape (“MMPP”) released their debut album A Part late last year. The band’s got two performances scheduled in May: at the Hotel Utah on the 19th and at the Swedish American Hall on the 21st.

Trainwreck Riders (“Safety of a Back”) recently released this track, the first song off their upcoming album The Perch. The album comes out on May 12th on Alive Records.

San Francisco-Delaware group The Chop (“We Want It All”) have made We Want It All available for free download on their web site. With a number of West Coast dates in the coming month, they’ll be at The Stork Club on May 2nd, with Goodbye Nautilus and more.

Composer and songwriter Kirk Hamilton‘s (“No Crow, Scarecrow”) latest work is The Exited Door, an album featuring twenty different Bay Area musicians, including vocals from Or, the Whale’s Lindsay Garfield. You can see Hamilton perform at the Red Vic Sessions on May 22nd.

Harbours (“Old Formula”) recently released their sophomore work, No Souvenirs, and the band has a bunch of dates lined up in the coming months. Catch Miguel and the band on April 23rd at Cafe Du Nord and on May 1st at House of Shields.

SF indie rock-pop band Foma (“Hannah, It’s Finished!”) just released their brand new album Inverness. The band celebrates at the Make-Out Room on May 2nd with Si, Claro.

The prolific Adam Balbo (“Obligatory Highway Analogy”) just released Fix, his seventh album in eight years. Catch him June 26th at the Red Victorian.

Related Posts:

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This week’s podcast episode is the first of two mixes spotlighting some of the many excellent bands performing during the 2009 Noise Pop Music Festival. We’re pleased to be partnering with Noise Pop this year to once again deliver comprehensive coverage before, during, and after the festival. This episode features ten great songs from a mix of local and touring artists.

About the bands:

Thee Oh Sees (“Ghost in the Trees”) kick off the show with an excellent song from their 2008 album The Master’s Bedroom Is Worth Spending A Night In. Catch their awesome intensity at Cafe Du Nord on Thursday, February 26th with Tyvek, Unnatural Helpers, and The Fresh and Onlys.

Seattle’s Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band (“Anchors Dropped”) release their self-titled debut CD in March on the Dead Oceans label. The band joins Goblin Cock, Warship, and Kowloon Walled City at the Rickshaw Stop on Thursday, Februrary 26th.

Arizona’s Dear and the Headlights (“Talk About”) celebrate their recently released Drunk Like Bible Times with a headlining performance at Bottom of the Hill on Friday, February 27th. Kinch, Big Light, and A B and the Sea are also on the bill.

San Francisco’s Girls (“Morning Light”) recently announced that they’re close to releasing their first full length album. The band supports Portugal. The Man at Cafe Du Nord during Noise Pop. The show is Saturday, February 28th and also features Japanese Motors and Love is Chemicals.

Mythomania is the name of the new album from Oakland band Cryptacize (“No Coins”), out in April on Asthmatic Kitty Records. On Friday, February 27th, the band performs at the Great American Music Hall with St. Vincent, Rafter, and That Ghost.

Singer-songwriter David Dondero (“When The Heart Breaks Deep”) has a Noise Pop date before heading to Florida for a number of shows. He’ll be playing with Thao Nguyen, Sean Smith, and Colossal Yes at the Swedish American Hall on Thursday, February 26th.

Touring behind his excellent new release Get Guilty, AC Newman (“There Are Maybe Ten or Twelve”) will be at The Independent on Saturday, February 28th. Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele and Devon Williams also perform.

The fragile beauty of Antony & The Johnsons (“Another World”) comes to the Nob Hill Masonic Center on Tuesday, February 24th. The band’s new album The Crying Light was released two weeks ago on Secretly Canadian.

Acclaimed local musician/producer Kelley Stoltz (“The Sun Comes Through”) is part of a terrific Noise Pop bill headlined by a solo performance from Stephen Malkmus. They’re at the Great American Music Hall on Wednesday, February 25th, with Peggy Honeywell and Goh Nakamura also playing.

Ezra Furman & The Harpoons (“Take Off Your Sunglasses”) released their widely acclaimed third album Inside the Human Body last year. The band performs alongside Port O’Brien, Odawas and Dame Satan during Noise Pop, at Cafe Du Nord on Friday, February 27th.

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Our latest Monthly Mix episode of the weekly podcast features eight great Bay Area bands, including a lot of good stuff from new and recent releases. Before getting into the episode’s contents, we hope to see you at our third birthday bash at the Rickshaw Stop on Thursday, February 5th (more info here)!

About all of the bands:

Burbank International (“Chicken Shoals”) initially started as a humorous side project for local musician H.A. Eugene, but it’s blossomed into something serious with the release of City of Burbank, the group’s debut album. The band doesn’t have any dates lined up currently, but we’ll keep you posted.

Walnut Creek quartet Mister Loveless (“Good Story”) mixes traces of post-punk, power pop and alternative rock into something we’re eager to more of. The band will be at Thee Parkside on February 20th as part of the Scatterbrain Jamboree 2009.

In December, The Passionistas‘ (“Righters Block”) released a split 7″ with Hard Place that features three excellent new jams in under five minutes. You can pick it up from World Famous in SF.

Formerly known as Panda, Dizzy Balloon (“I’m Just Me”) released their first self-titled album of ultra-catchy pop late last year. The band’s currently finishing up a California tour before returning to SF for a Noise Pop show at Bottom of the Hill on February 28th.

Window Twins (“Dig A Well”) is the new project from Tim Cohen (Black Fiction) and Jon Bernson (Ray’s Vast Basement/Black Fiction), whose album I’m This Tall City comes out February 24th on Howells Transmitter/Broken Twilight. The album blends dusty beats and psychy sound collage into something really engaging and unique.

Your Star Was Shining, the debut album from San Francisco’s L’Avventura (“Rocket Sue”), comes out on February 15th. Featuring a textured rock-pop sound, the band’s offering a free download of the entire release over at their web site for a limited time.

I’ll confess to not knowing much about SF’s The Molloy Family Album (“Your Vessel”), other than that we’re enjoying their haunting Americana-folk and that the band’s planning to release a full length album sometime this year.

From San Jose, Careless Hearts (“Bus To Dallas”) recently released Heart’s Delight, which spotlights the band’s mix of country, rock, folk and pop sounds. They’ll be performing at the Beale Street Bar and Grill on January 31st.

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This week, the podcast features a mix of terrific new songs from some great Bay Area bands alongside our latest follow-up interview with a band we profiled long ago. In this episode, we check in with Elephone, whose latest album Canister finds them further exploring dark textures and catchy melodies with equally high skill. We sat down with Ryan, Sierra and Terry in our studio to discuss the inspiration behind the new record, how Sierra’s joining the band has developed their sound, and each member’s favorite songs on Canister.

About all of the bands:

We first interviewed San Francisco’s Elephone (“El Jefe”; later, “Day For Night” and “As Seen On TV”) after the release of their last album about two years ago, so it was great to speak with the band about their exciting new work Canister, available from Talking House Records. You can hear more at Elephone’s MySpace page and can see them live on August 27th at Bottom of the Hill. Be sure to also check out the video for “El Jefe” here.

Mixing jangly country-rock with a modern rock feel, The Red Verse (“Circles”) have created a unique sound that lends itself well to the band’s driving songwriting and Alex Oneil’s compelling vocals. The quartet, which also features former members of Beulah and Every Move A Picture, recently released their debut album No Chance For Romance on local favorite Tricycle Records, and you can also visit them over on MySpace.

Winter’s Fall (“Paper Chains”) recently released their self-titled debut full length, and it’s a thoroughly engaging mix of indie, country and folk rock sounds. You can hear more at the band’s MySpace page and web site. They will be performing at the Rickshaw Stop on September 10th.

Featuring former members of Tsunami Bomb, San Francisco’s The Action Design (“Landmines”) serve up tight, danceable rock-pop on their new album, Never Say, available on September 23rd from PopSmear Records. Check them out on their MySpace page and web site. Before heading out on a national tour, the band will be at Bottom of the Hill on August 30th.

The Trophy Fire (“Jenny Under House Arrest”) craft lush emotional indie pop on their debut A Lifetime In The Middle Of The Ocean, which recently came out on Talking House Records. You can hear the whole album and find links to purchase it over at their MySpace page. The band celebrates the CD’s release with a show on September 4th at the Rickshaw Stop.

From Livermore, Jonathan Meek and The Mutes (“The City I Love”) recently sent us their debut EP Irony & Pity, a collection of earnest rock songwriting fixed in a compelling DIY aesthetic. While Meek doesn’t have any upcoming shows, you can hear more of his music at his web site and MySpace page.

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This week’s episode is our latest monthly mix, featuring new music from six great Bay Area bands and our latest follow-up interview with a group we’ve previously featured on the podcast.

About this week’s music:

The show kicks off with a song from Birdmonster, off their new album From The Mountain To The Sea (“The Iditarod”; later, “Born To Be Your Man” and “I Might Have Guessed”). For our follow-up segment, airing in the second half of the episode, we sat down with the band to discuss how both their sound and sense of perspective have evolved in the two years since we first interviewed them, and the three since the release of their breakout album No Midnight. From The Mountain To The Sea will be released digitally next week, with a physical release in September.

Synth-rock trio French Miami (“The God Damn Best”) contributed a disturbingly catchy song from their debut Science Fiction EP, self-released earlier this year. The band has a number of upcoming shows in SF, including a performance at Kimo’s on August 1st, at the Hemlock Tavern on August 22nd, and at the Rock Make Street Festival on August 24th.

Sacramento-/San Francisco-based The Definite Articles (“Elixirs”) recently released their debut album, titled Boy Wonder. It’s a strong release from the six-piece band, whose rock is augmented by some great string arrangements. We recently published photos from the group’s CD release show here.

Apache‘s (“Boys Life”) full length debut, Boomtown Gems, draws from a variety of 70s punk and glam sounds, and it’s the latest release from the always-quality Birdman Records. The group includes members of The Cuts, Parchman Farm, and Ghenghis Khan, and they’ll be heading to the New York next week for an extensive East Coast tour.

Featuring members of The Court & Spark and The Bellyachers among others, the veteran musicians of Parker Brothers (“Leave Me Alone”) deliver an inspired retro-rock sound on their debut First, Best, Last. You can download their song “Your Hometown” here and purchase the album on iTunes.

As we noted previously, Andy Tisdall (“Secret”) just released his new album Cotton Cannibals, another fine collection of experimental folk pop. Tisdall’s group Little Teeth releases their debut album next month on Absolutely Kosher Records.

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Local garage-rockers The Mantles (“Trust”) have been receiving quite a bit of good press for their debut 7″ on Dulc-i-tone Records. The group has a number of shows coming up in June and July, with their next at the Hemlock Tavern on June 13th.

Last of the Blacksmiths (“At An Early Hour”) recently celebrated the release of their new album entitled Young Family Song and the CD is a worthy follow-up to the group’s excellent 2005 debut. The band will be at Sophia’s in Davis on July 11th.

Local synth-poppers Sweetie (“Saturdays”) celebrate the release of their brand new Saturdays EP, out today on local label Gold Robot Records. You can check out another song from the record over at Macktronic.

Girls‘ (“Lust for Life”) psych-influenced lo-fi pop impressed us a whole lot recently and we’re excited to check out their debut 7″, now available for pre-order from True Panther Records. The band’s record release show will be on July 5th at the Hotel Utah.

Recently featured band Beatbeat Whisper (“Mismanaged Skies”) recently released their second album, Wonder Continental, and it’s really terrific. Although they don’t have any Bay Area dates lined up, they’ll be heading on a Pacific Northwest tour in July.

Moomaw (“September”), also known as singer-songwriter Nathan Moomaw, recently released 26 on his label Gazebo Music. The CD is a collection of songs written and recorded one-per-month during the year he was age 26. He’ll be performing at Penny Arcade’s third anniversary show on Wednesday, June 3rd at the Make-Out Room.

The Heated (“Hot Bastard!”) is Cristina Espinosa, formerly of punk band The Pre-Teens, who played all of the instruments on the project’s recently released self-titled EP. You can hear more of her indie pop-rock at El Rio tonight, May 27th, and at Blondie’s on June 9th.

San Francisco folk duo The BrokenMusicBox (“Time”) released their debut album Waking the Sound earlier this year. In addition to primary band members Kimberly Contreras and Tony Wentzel the CD features musical contributions from members of 31Knots, Film School and The Pleasure Kills.

Tippy Canoe and the Paddlemen (“Mass Transmissions”), recently reviewed here, celebrate the release of their new CD Parasols and Pekingese on June 15th at the Make-Out Room. After that, the group’s taking their old-timey pop to the East Coast.

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We Is Shore Dedicated (“Gladiator Cointoss”) open the episode with a song from their latest album Rainbo Donuts. The group is a studio project featuring Sam Tsitrin (The Ebb & Flow) and Chris Cline (Scrabbel) among other talented local musicians.

Psych-folk group Dame Satan (“Suffrin’ Daughter”) just released their new album Beaches & Bridges, which they are streaming in its entirety here. The band will be opening for Dead Meadow at Slim’s on May 24th. They’re also part of Ghost Mansion Records, which we recently profiled here.

We’re still really digging the CD we received from Maus Haus (“We Used Technology (but Technology Let Us Down)”), the indie supergroup who we’ve profiled and seen live. You can catch them on May 8th at the Hemlock Tavern.

Indie pop trio Raccoons (“In The Cavernous Halls”) gave us a terrific track from their latest demos. They will be playing on May 9th at the Retox Lounge.

San Francisco folk group Toromiro (“I Am Important”) contribute a track off their EP 1, which you can pick up here. They don’t have any shows lined up, so keep checking their web site for more options.

Railcars (“There Is Ice; It Is Blue”) is the new name of the synth-rock band fronted by Aria C Jalali. Building on the success of Jalali’s Postmodernism! EP, the band will be recording a new album with Xiu Xiu’s Jamie Stewart over the summer. Catch the band next at the Hotel Utah on May 14th.

Built for the Sea (“Release”) bring us a song off the new Volume 2 compilation from local band collective The Rose Hill Collective. They’ll be joining other members in celebrating the comp’s release at the Great American Music Hall on May 17th.

“Panic-skiffle” group Hank IV (“Hole in my Eye”) head to Tim Green’s Louder Studios soon to record the follow-up to their Third Person Shooter album. They’ll be playing at the Vert Ramp Warehouse on May 3rd and The Knockout on May 7th.

Thanks for listening!

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