The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music

Mixtape: Twenty Bands at Noise Pop 20 (Podcast #271)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:30:57 +0000

Mixtape: Twenty Bands at Noise Pop 20 (Podcast #271)

Noise Pop 20 is just weeks away. From February 21st through the 26th, over one hundred bands will take over SF’s venues for six days celebrating independent music. True to form, this year’s Noise Pop Festival includes an eclectic mix of veterans and emerging artists, and you’d be wise to buy your tickets soon, because many shows are starting to sell out.

To get familiar with many of the bands performing at Noise Pop this year, here’s the first of two mixtapes showcasing music from performing artists. To find out when all of these acts are performing, check out the complete schedule of Noise Pop events.

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Tracklisting:

1. Dirty Ghosts – “Shout It In” (Start Time: 0:00)
2. Jel – “All Around” (3:30)
3. oOoOO – “NoWayBack” (6:32)
4. Chromatics – “Circled Sun” (10:44)
5. Big Black Delta – “Capsize” (14:45)
6. Ume – “Captive” (19:27)
7. The Dodos – “So Cold” (23:20)
8. Veronica Falls – “Come On Over” (27:34)
9. Imperial Teen – “Runaway” (32:02)
10. PreTeen – “Left Hand Blues” (35:29)
11. John Vanderslice – “Sea Salt” (37:46)
12. Laura Veirs – “Wide-Eyed, Legless” (42:02)
13. Emily Jane White – “The Law” (44:23)
14. Superchunk – “Crossed Wires (acoustic)” (Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan is performing at Noise Pop 20) (48:06)
15. The Lonely Forest – “Coyote” (52:02)
16. Wye Oak – “Civilian” (55:12)
17. Mount Moriah – “Only Way Out” (58:47)
18. Papercuts – “Poor and Free” (1:03:50)
19. Disappears – “Superstition” (1:06:56)
20. Shannon and the Clams – “The Cult Song” (1:08:44)

Live This Month: February 2012 — an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #270)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:41:26 +0000

Live This Month: February 2012 (Podcast #270)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. The twentieth installment of the Noise Pop Music Festival takes over a wide variety of local venues later this month — and we’ll be covering many of those shows — but there are also plenty of pre-NP events worth checking out. Locally, two bands are seeing the release of records for which it feels like we’ve been waiting forever: the debut LP from ultra-catchy punks Terry Malts, and the latest Rick Rubin-produced effort from Howlin Rain.

Speaking of new albums, Laura Gibson’s bringing her newest folk-rock set to SF for a February show. Meanwhile, Montreal’s Grimes has already sold out her Noise Pop date at the Rickshaw Stop, which will come just one day after the release of her new album, Visions. Enjoy this mix of tunes and then go see some shows!

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About the bands:

New York seven-piece band Ava Luna (“Wrenning Day”) is currently touring with Twin Sister. On February 4th, they’ll both be performing at the Great American Music Hall.

The Situation EP is the first release from local band Future Twin (“Yuka”). The group’s EP release show is an exciting one that also features Twin Steps, Exray’s and Death Cheetah all at the Hemlock Tavern on February 2nd.

Eleanor Friedberger (“My Mistakes”) is one-half of The Fiery Furnaces, but her solo record, Last Summer, is probably her best work yet. Friedberger and band come to The Independent on February 4th. Dominant Legs supports.

Sea Lions (“Grown Up”), from Oxnard, released the delightful jangle-pop collection Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sea Lions But Were Afraid To Ask last year. The quintet performs at Cafe Du Nord on February 3rd with Jeremy Jay and Tremor Low.

Laura Gibson‘s (“La Grande”) new album, La Grande, was inspired by the Oregon town that shares the record’s name. The folk performer and Breathe Owl Breathe will appear at Bottom of the Hill on February 6th.

Visions is the buzzed-about new album from Montreal’s Claire Boucher, also known as Grimes (“Genesis”). She’s co-headlining a sold-out Noise Pop show at the Rickshaw Stop on February 22nd.

Experimental electronic pop artist Matthew Dear (“Headcage”) will be performing a live set at Public Works as part of Noise Pop. Maus Haus, Exray’s, and Tropical Popsicle appear alongside Dear at the February 24th show.

Skygreen Leopards’ Donovan Quinn (“Shadow on the Stone”) recorded and produced Honky Tonk Medusa, which comes out on February 14th. Quinn will be at the Hemlock Tavern on February 19th, with supporting acts to be announced.

Los Campesinos! (“By Your Hand”) is a Welsh indie pop band. Hello Sadness, the act’s fourth album, came out late last year, and the group will be performing with Parenthetical Girls at the Great American Music Hall on February 10th.

Shawn Foree leads Digital Leather (“Young Doctors in Love”), a band championed by the late Jay Reatard. On February 11th, Digital Leather will be at Oakland’s 1-2-3-4 Go! Records, joined by Blasted Canyons and Glitz.

Terry Malts (“Nauseous”) are one of our favorite local bands, so we’re really looking forward to the group’s first LP, Killing Time. The band’s record release show is February 17th at the Hemlock Tavern with Airfix Kits and Cocktails.

The Russian Wilds is the long-awaited new album from SF’s Howlin Rain (“Phantom in the Valley”). The band is touring the country over the next few months, with a hometown stop at The Independent on February 18th.

Mixtape: Twenty Years of Noise Pop (Podcast #269)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:00:42 +0000

Mixtape: Twenty Years of Noise Pop (Podcast #269)

In February, the Noise Pop Music Festival turns twenty by gathering over one hundred local and touring bands from across the indie spectrum for a week of exciting concerts all over the City. Two decades of championing independent music is an accomplishment worth celebrating, and this mixtape collects twenty bands that have performed at Noise Pop events in years past.

As you’ll hear, a whole bunch of big names graced Noise Pop bills before achieving fame, as past festivals hosted early performances by bands like Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie and Mates of State. Equally impressive, though, is the annual fest’s important role as a showcase for Bay Area indie bands, and you’ll hear a bunch of now-well-known local artists in this mix too.

We’ll be ramping up our coverage of Noise Pop 20 in the coming weeks. For now, enjoy this look back at Noise Pop’s accomplished history.

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Tracklisting:

1. The Aislers Set – “The Way To Market Station” (3:12)
From The Last Match (2000)
Noise Pop appearances: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

2. Rogue Wave – “Endless Shovel” (4:48)
From Out Of The Shadow (2004)
Noise Pop appearances: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010

3. Mates of State – “Proofs” (2:18)
From My Solo Project (2000)
Noise Pop appearances: 2000, 2001, 2005

4. Papercuts – “Poor and Free” (3:13)
From Mockingbird (2004)
Noise Pop appearances: 2001, 2005, 2009, 2012

5. Beulah – “If We Can Land a Man On the Moon, Surely I Can Win Your Heart” (3:17)
From When Your Heartstrings Break (1999)
Noise Pop appearances: 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

6. Spoon – “Mountain Of Sound” (3:50)
From Soft Effects EP (1997)
Noise Pop appearances: 1997, 2001

7. No Age – “My Life’s Alright Without You” (2:00)
From Weirdo Rippers (2007)
Noise Pop appearances: 2007, 2009, 2011

8. Overwhelming Colorfast – “Toss Up” (1:42)
From Two Words (1994)
Noise Pop appearances: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2012

9. The Dodos – “The Ball” (5:38)
From Beware Of The Maniacs (2006)
Noise Pop appearances: 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012

10. The Fresh & Onlys – “Peacock and Wing” (3:18)
From The Fresh & Onlys (2009)
Noise Pop appearances: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

11. Imperial Teen – “Ivanka” (3:16)
From On (2002)
Noise Pop appearances: 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2012

12. Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – “Bag Of Hammers” (2:50)
From We Brave Bee Stings and All (2008)
Noise Pop appearances: 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012

13. The Mountain Goats – “Onions” (2:15)
From The Coroner’s Gambit (2000)
Noise Pop appearances: 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009

14. Death Cab For Cutie – “For What Reason” (2:52)
From We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes (2000)
Noise Pop appearances: 1999, 2000, 2002

15. Two Gallants – “Nothing to You” (5:05)
From The Throes (2004)
Noise Pop appearances: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012

16. Joanna Newsom – “Sprout and the Bean” (4:33)
From The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004)
Noise Pop appearances: 2003, 2004, 2005

17. John Vanderslice – “Confusion” (3:43)
From Mass Suicide Occult Figurines (2000)
Noise Pop appearances: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012

18. Film School – “Activated” (4:02)
From Alwaysnever (2003)
Noise Pop appearances: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011

19. Actionslacks – “The Scene’s Out of Sight” (3:51)
From The Scene’s Out of Sight (2001)
Noise Pop appearances: 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004

20. Fastbacks – “AAA (45 Version)” (2:22)
From Truth, Corrosion and Sour Bisquits (2004)
Noise Pop appearances: 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002

Live This Month: January 2012 — an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #268)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 21:05:23 +0000

Live This Month: January 2012 (Podcast #268)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area.

If the beginning of January feels a little slim on the live music front, things should ramp back up into the usual overwhelming number of interesting shows by the month’s end. Several young local bands recently came onto our radar — including Churches, Poor Sons, and Primitive Hearts — and they’re all partaking in locals-heavy bills in the next few weeks.

On the coming-into-town front, it seems that, by sheer coincidence, a number of the month’s highlights all offer variations on electronic pop. From the most immediate and dance-oriented, like Starfucker and Fujiya and Miyagi, to the more experimental, including High Places and Religious to Damn, synth fans have a lot to get excited about in January. Enjoy this mix of thirteen tunes and then go see some shows!

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About the bands:

Deleted Scenes (“Bedbedbedbedbed”) is touring behind Young People’s Church of the Air, the D.C. band’s latest collection of psych-pop. A Lull and Ravenna Woods also perform at the Rickshaw Stop on January 23rd.

Brainstorm (“Forms Without a Frame”) is a big-sounding experimental pop duo from Portland. The band’s touring comes to Vitus on January 5th and the Hemlock Tavern on the 11th.

After the recent release of the Heatwave EP, Ash Reiter (“Heatwave”) will be performing at Cafe Du Nord on January 11th and the Starry Plough on January 27th.

Churches (“Save Me”) is a new band that includes Caleb Nichols (of Grand Lake) and Pat Spurgeon (of Rogue Wave). You can see them at a free show at The Uptown on January 6th, with Grass Widow, Culture Kids, and Wave Array.

Oakland rock and roll trio Primitive Hearts (“Killin’ Time”) has some great demos you can download on Bandcamp. The band is playing at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records with SorryEverAfter and Dark Beach on January 19th.

The Dyunes EP is the first release from SF’s Poor Sons (“Scales”). Party Owl and Cool Ghouls perform alongside the band at the Hemlock Tavern on January 14th.

Jeffertitti’s Nile (“Mountain Jam”) is touring the West Coast this month. See the LA psych band at Thee Parkside on January 19th and at The Knockout on January 23rd.

Captured Tracks released the slef-titled album from Blouse (“Videotapes”) last year. On January 19th, the dream pop band joins labelmate The Soft Moon at Cafe Du Nord.

UK quartet Fujiya and Miyagi (“Yoyo”) hit the US following the release of the new single, “Ecstatic Dancer.” The Frail open their January 30th show at The Independent.

Starfucker‘s (“Bury Us Alive”) US tour finds the synth-pop act playing the Bay Area three times in four days: at The New Parish on January 4th, the Great American Music Hall on the 6th, and The Independent on the 7th.

LA experimental pop duo High Places (“Year Off”) will be taking part in a Berkeley Art Museum event inspired by the moon. The night is part of the museum’s L@TE series of shows, and takes place on January 27th.

January’s shows mark the first West Coast appearances for NYC band Religious to Damn (“Glass Prayer”). The group joins Wax Idols and Alexis at the Elbo Room on January 18th.

The reliably-great Vetiver (“Can’t You Tell”) performs at The Independent on January 15th. Magic Trick, Prairiedog, and DJ Britt Govea will also be performing.

2011-in-Review Mixtape: 50+ Signs of a Strong Year for Bay Area Indie Rock, Indie Pop and Folk-Rock (Podcast #267)

Ben Van Houten — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 18:37:08 +0000

After surveying a variety of sounds coming from the Bay Area this year, we’re ending our look back at 2011 with the world of indie rock, indie pop, singer-songwriters and folk-rock. While there were a lot of Bay-based success stories this year, no artist probably had a better year than tUnE-yArDs, and w h o k i l l is an innovative, ultra-catchy collection of experimental pop deservedly revered as one of the year’s best albums.

Beyond tUnE-yArDs, however, the list of big names releasing strong records this year shows why the Bay has the deepest talent pool in indie music today. 2011 saw new records from John Vanderslice, The Dodos, Thao & Mirah, Girls, Ganglians, The Sandwitches, Vetiver, Dominant Legs, Little Wings, Papercuts, Weekend, and many, many more. Seriously, that’s a pretty amazing list.

This three-hour-long, two-part mix surveys over 50 Bay Area artists who released new records in 2011. Follow each link in the track lists below to look back at our coverage of these artists in 2011.

Mixtape: SF Indie Rock in 2011 (Part 1)

Mixtape: SF Indie Rock in 2011 (Part 2)

Track Listing:

Part 1:

1. Kids On A Crime Spree – “Sweet Tooth”
2. PreTeen – “Left Hand Blues”
3. tUnE-yArDs – “Bizness”
4. Dreamdate – “Pyramids”
5. Jake Mann & the Upper Hand – “Days Are Long”
6. The Dodos – “Don’t Stop”
7. B. Hamilton – “Me and Margaret Counting Countdowns”
8. Man/Miracle – “Meditations on Nothing”
9. Waterstrider – “Constellation”
10. Ganglians – “Drop the Act”
11. Wet Illustrated – “Gypsy Town”
12. Dominant Legs – “Where We Trip The Light”
13. WHITE CLOUD – “Drag”
14. Religious Girls – “OG”
15. Appetite – “Tussy”
16. Girls – “Vomit”
17. Deerhoof – “The Merry Barracks”
18. WATERS – “For The One”
19. Brilliant Colors – “How Much Younger”
20. Weekend – “Hazel”
21. Seventeen Evergreen – “Angels”
22. Lilac – “Cathedral”
23. Ghost & the City – “The Devil”
24. The Heavenly States – “Model Son”
25. Zodiac Death Valley – “La Razon”
26. Mist Giant – “What With”
27. il gato – “Watching Cars Drive By”

Part 2:

1. Garrett Pierce – “Everybody Breaks”
2. John Vanderslice – “Sea Salt”
3. Thao & Mirah – “Eleven”
4. Foxtails Brigade – “The Bread and the Bait”
5. Vetiver – “Wonder Why”
6. The Sandwitches – “Lightfoot”
7. Trails and Ways – “Chills”
8. Hélène Renaut – “Bumblebee”
9. Lady Lazarus – “The Eye in the Eye of the Storm”
10. Little Wings – “How Come?”
11. Extra Classic – “Give Them The Same”
12. Painted Palms – “All of Us”
13. The She’s – “Jimmy”
14. Tim Cohen – “Don’t Give Up”
15. Papercuts – “Do What You Will”
16. The Northern Key – “Soak”
17. The Ian Fays – “Everyday, Airplanes”
18. Big Eagle – “Anywhere The Wind Blows”
19. That Ghost – “Calls”
20. Cannons and Clouds – “River Parade”
21. Sonny Pete – “On That Day”
22. Tim and Nicki Bluhm – “Unforgetaboutable”
23. Winter’s Fall – “Anyways”
24. My First Earthquake – “Nice to See You”
25. The Attachments – “I Wish I Could Always Be As Excited As I Am Now”
26. Rin Tin Tiger – “Ghost Door”
27. Debbie Neigher – “Evergreens”

2011-in-Review Mixtape: Another Winning Year for SF Rock and Roll (Podcast #266)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 18:30:13 +0000

The Bay Area has long been a leader in garage rock — see the annual Budget Rock Fest, which celebrated its tenth and final installment this year — and, from our perspective, that doesn’t seem likely to slow down any time soon. Put another way, there’s a reason so much of the national media spotlight has focused on SF garage bands.

Folks like Ty Segall and Thee Oh Sees have developed into two of indie’s most reliable acts based on an astonishing mix of volume and consistency: playing tons of shows and putting out tons of records, and doing both with a commitment to intensity and quality. Beyond those two, there were plenty of important releases from SF rock bands in 2011. Shannon and the Clams, Bare Wires, and Mikal Cronin all put out some killer full-lengths, as did a number of the bands below, and new groups like Terry Malts, Poor Sons, and Twin Steps suggest that there is plenty more great local rock and roll to come.

This hour-long mix captures twenty Bay Area rock and roll, garage, lo-fi and punk bands that released new records this year. Follow each link to look back at our coverage of these artists in 2011.

Mixtape: SF Rock and Roll in 2011

Track Listing:

1. Shannon and The Clams – “Sleep Talk”
2. Thee Oh Sees – “Carrion Crawler”
3. Terry Malts – “Distracted”
4. White Fence – “Get That Heart”
5. Grandma’s Boyfriend – “Jellyyyyyyyyyyy”
6. Twin Steps – “Wave of my Emotion”
7. The Wrong Words – “What Went Wrong”
8. Sonny & The Sunsets – “I Wanna Do It”
9. Bare Wires – “Cheap Perfume”
10. Blasted Canyons – “Death And A Half”
11. High Castle – “Crustaceans Demise”
12. Street Eaters – “Nation Builder”
13. Wax Idols – “Gold Sneakers”
14. Poor Sons – “Cool Buzz”
15. Pamela – “Lie Down”
16. Mikal Cronin – “Get Along”
17. Nodzzz – “Heyday Past Heyday Due”
18. POW! – “Cyberattack!!”
19. Ty Segall – “You Make The Sun Fry”
20. Hunx & His Punx – “Too Young To Be In Love”

2011-in-Review Mixtape: Highlights from SF Psych, Drone, and Shoegaze (Podcast #265)

Ben Van Houten — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:00:18 +0000

The San Francisco Bay Area’s psychedelic legacy leaves big shoes for modern bands looking to get weird, but 2011 saw no shortage of heady, trippy music from locals, with Wooden Shjips, Lumerians, and Magic Leaves leading the psych rock pack. Barn Owl, The Drift and Moholy-Nagy headed in more ambient directions, while Jonas Reinhardt and Phil Manley explored the reaches of the synth-based universe. For those who prefer their drones more shoegazer-influenced, The Soft Moon, Young Prisms, and Moonbell crafted soaring textures from echo and distortion.

This 90-minute mix captures twenty-one Bay Area and Northern California artists who released new records this year in the diverse, but related, areas of psych, drone, shoegaze and post-rock. Follow each link to look back at our coverage of these artists in 2011.

Mixtape: SF Psych, Drone, and Shoegaze in 2011

Track Listing:

1. Phil Manley – “Life Coach”
2. Permanent Collection – “Let It Go”
3. The Drift – “Horizon”
4. Wooden Shjips – “Lazy Bones”
5. Jonas Reinhardt – “Eos, The Dawn”
6. Magic Leaves – “You Wanna”
7. Al Lover – “Black Magick Starter Jacket”
8. Barn Owl – “Turiya”
9. The Alps – “For Isabel”
10. Sic Alps – “Do You Want To Give $$?”
11. Magic Trick – “Daylight Moon”
12. Sean Smith – “The Real”
13. Lumerians – “Gaussian Castles”
14. Moholy-Nagy – “Brute Neighbors”
15. The Soft Moon – “Total Decay”
16. Moon Duo – “Mazes”
17. Beep – “Wolf Pantolones”
18. Metal Mother – “Shake”
19. Young Prisms – “Sugar”
20. moonbell – “Figurine”
21. Form & Fate – “When The Streets Caught Fire And We All Walked Through The Flames”

2011-in-Review Mixtape: A Great Year for Bay Area Electronic Pop (Podcast #264)

The Bay Bridged — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:30:54 +0000

Until the end of the year, we’ll be launching a series of mixtapes capturing a whole bunch of the great Bay Area releases from the past year. We’re kicking it off with this look at electronic pop.

As we first observed a little over a year ago, the Bay Area is a fertile place for musicians exploring the wide world of electronic pop. From bands like Exray’s, Mwahaha, Melted Toys, and Phantom Kicks, to one-man projects like Speculator, Parentz (a reader informs us Parentz is now a two-person group), Tycho, and Swiftumz, synths played a big role in the sounds emanating from many corners of the Bay this year.

This 90-minute mix captures over twenty Bay Area and Northern California artists who released new records this year, and showcases exciting, envelope-pushing work in a number of diverse sounds. Follow each link to look back at our coverage of Bay Area electronic pop in 2011.

Mixtape: SF Electronic Pop in 2011 (Podcast 264)

Track Listing:

1. Antonionian – “Into The Night”
2. James & Evander – “Constellating”
3. Mi Ami – “Hard Up”
4. Phantom Kicks – “Cut From A Different Clay (Feat. Cameron Spies)”
5. Muscle Drum – “Compromise”
6. Pregnant – “Letter To A Friend”
7. Jib Kidder – “Cruising 1″
8. Raleigh Moncrief – “Cast Out For Days”
9. Speculator – “Jenny Says”
10. Water Borders – “What Wiwant”
11. THEMAYS – “High Noon Walker”
12. 13 & God – “Old Age”
13. Tycho – “Hours”
14. Swiftumz – “Angelita”
15. Melted Toys – “Come On”
16. Parentz – “Big”
17. ChuCha Santamaria Y Usted – “Fiebre Tropical”
18. Giraffage – “LUV”
19. Fops – “Cheater Carolina”
20. Mwahaha – “Rainbow Diamond”
21. Exray’s – “Hesitation”
22. Part Time – “I Wanna Take You Out”
23. Magic Touch – “Clubhouse (feat. Honey Owens)”
24. Yalls – “Germs”

Mixtape: Twelve Bay Area Highlights from 2011 (Podcast #263)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:30:38 +0000

Mixtape: Twelve Bay Area Highlights from 2011 (Podcast #263)

We might be biased, but, from this vantage point, 2011 reconfirmed that the Bay Area continues to have the most vibrant music community nationwide. The SF scene cranked out a ton of amazing albums this year, and our final podcast of 2011 highlights twelve great releases from Bay Area artists over the past twelve months. This isn’t a “Best of” list per se, but these acts did create some of our favorite music in 2011. We’ll be doing more year-in-review coverage over the next few weeks, but, for now, enjoy this collection of great songs from this year.

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Track Listing/Notes:

Lumerians – Atlanta Brook”

Lumerians’ debut album, which was released in March, fulfilled the promise of the band’s impressively heavy live shows. The Oakland/SF psych group is currently working on a new album.

Dominant Legs – “Where We Trip The Light”

We’d been awaiting Dominant Legs’ full length for a while, and Invitation did not disappoint. The SF band created a unique world of buoyant, shimmering pop on the album, with Ryan Lynch and Hannah Hunt’s vocal interplay a particular highlight.

Mikal Cronin – “Get Along”

Before this year, Mikal Cronin had collaborated with Ty Segall on Reverse Shark Attack, and released records with Moonhearts, but his self-titled solo album allowed his unique psych-pop talent to take center-stage.

Exray’s – “Hesitation”

Released in January, Exray’s saw Jon Bernson and Michael Falsetto-Mapp shaping dense pop songs from layers of synths and samples. You might also recognize this song from The Social Network.

Part Time – “I Wanna Take You Out”

As Part Time, David Speck released a collection of synth-pop gems on Mexican Summer in July. He’ll be following up What Would You Say? with a new 7″ soon.

tUnE-yArDs – “Powa”

Does this one even need any observation? tUnE-yArDs’ profile skyrocketed with the release of the universally-acclaimed w h o k i l l, and we couldn’t be happier.

Girls – “Vomit”

Girls’ third release, Father, Son, Holy Ghost, beat the expectations set by the band’s previous work with a lush collection of heart-on-sleeve compositions that also sound great live.

Nodzzz – “Heyday Past Heyday Due”

In May, local trio Nodzzz released Innings, an album full of insistent jangle-pop songs paired with smart lyrical reflections on family and getting older. It’s highly recommended.

Ty Segall – “Goodbye Bread”

Ty Segall has been cranking out great records at a feverish pace over the past few years, but 2011 saw him break out with the psych-referencing Goodbye Bread and reliably exuberant live sets.

Magic Trick – “Daylight Moon”

Even though The Fresh & Onlys didn’t release much this year, Tim Cohen stayed busy with two albums, first as Tim Cohen’s Magic Trick, and then just Magic Trick. In four epic songs, Magic Trick’s The Glad Birth of Love reveals some of Cohen’s most ambitious songwriting yet.

Little Wings – “How Come”

Black Grass is Kyle Field’s latest album as Little Wings, and it’s another winner from the folk-pop troubadour. It’s no surprise that Field’s heartfelt songs and moving voice have earned him a devoted cult following.

Raleigh Moncrief – “Cast Out For Days”

Sacramento’s Raleigh Moncrief has been recording and producing other people’s music for years (including 2011′s strong Appetite and Ganglians albums), but he also found time this year to release Watered Lawn, a wonderful collection of soulful electronic pop with an experimental bent.

Live This Month: December 2011 — an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #262)

The Bay Bridged — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:30:27 +0000

Live This Month: December 2011 (Podcast #262)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area.

For a month when few new records are coming out and music journalists spend a lot of time meticulously crafting numerical lists of their favorite albums of the year, there are still a wealth of great live shows hitting the San Francisco area in December. Bands that had big years in 2011 – including Other Lives, Cass McCombs, and Baths – are making return visits, while locals like The SHE’S, Trails and Ways, and High Castle celebrate recent releases with nearby concerts. Finally, we highly recommend you attend The Bay Brewed, a rock and roll beer festival we’re pleased to be throwing at the Verdi Club on December 3rd.

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About the bands:

Marc Bianchi is currently on his final tour as Her Space Holiday (“Ghost in the Garden”). The band heads to Bottom of the Hill on December 16th. Silver Swans and City Light open the show.

The Baths (“I Just Saw”) song we’ve included in this podcast is a cover of tourmate/labelmate Raleigh Moncrief. Both electronic pop craftsmen perform at Slim’s on December 15th with the equally-skilled Dntel.

Tamer Animals, the second LP from Stillwater, Oklahoma’s Other Lives (“For 12″), is a lush, moody record that’s one of the year’s standout releases. The band headlines Cafe Du Nord on December 6th.

SF dream-pop band Papercuts (“Do What You Will”) top a compelling Rickshaw Stop bill on December 3rd. Dominant Legs and Tim Cohen perform in support.

Local indie-pop band The SHE’S (“Jimmy”) has been winning crowds over at live shows for a while now, but the band’s first LP just arrived in November. The quartet’s record release show is December 3rd at Bottom of the Hill with Tijuana Panthers and Melted Toys.

In support of A Turn in the Dream-Songs, Jeffrey Lewis (“Cult Boyfriend”) and his band are headed on a West Coast tour in December. On the 6th, he’ll play at the Rickshaw Stop with SF’s The Yellow Dress and Tortured Genies.

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin‘s (“Yellow Missing Signs”) new album, Tape Club, collects 26 rarities and B-sides from the Missouri indie-pop band. The band plays a sure-to-sell-out show at Hotel Utah on December 8th.

Trails and Ways (“Chills”) is a newer Oakland band crafting some dynamic, layered pop songs. Catch the group on either side of the Bay this month, at The Stork Club on December 1st and Kimo’s on the 7th.

Cass McCombs (“The Same Thing”) released two terrific albums this year. He’s returning to SF for a December 4th show at the Great American Music Hall with White Magic and Liza Thorn.

Singer-songwriter Marissa Nadler‘s (“The Sun Always Reminds Me of You”) new self-titled album has received uniformly strong reviews. On December 18th, she will be performing alongside Emily Jane White at Cafe Du Nord.

Races (“Big Broom”) is a young Los Angeles band set to release a full length on French Kiss Records next year. You can see the group December 14th, supporting the terrific White Arrows at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall.

White Fence (“The Pool”) performed one of our favorite sets this year, and rock and roll fans should seek out the chance to see them live. The band caps off 2011 at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall on New Year’s Eve with The Fresh & Onlys.

Young Prisms (“Weekends and Treehouses (acoustic)”) has been touring like crazy over the past several months. The local shoegaze-pop band’s latest jaunt is a series of dates with Ganglians that arrives at The Independent on December 8th.

East Bay art-punks High Castle (“Crustaceans Demise”) perform at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records on December 17th with Uzi Rash and Lenz. The show follows the recent release of the band’s debut LP, Spirit of the West.

Synth-punk band Total Control (“Retiree”) includes members of Australian acts Eddy Current Suppression Ring and UV Race. The group’s US tour with Thee Oh Sees concludes at The Verdi Club on December 4th.

Mixtape: Music to Drink Beer to (Podcast #261)

The Bay Bridged — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:30:14 +0000

Mixtape: Music to Drink Beer to (Podcast #261)

Think of our latest mixtape as something of an hour-long indie music/beer pairing, inspired by our upcoming The Bay Brewed rock and roll beer festival. On Saturday, December 3rd, we’ll be at The Verdi Club, for performances by Weekend, Sleepy Sun, Extra Classic, and Terry Malts, and unlimited local craft beer samplings from 21st Amendment, Anchor Steam, Beach Chalet, Drake’s Brewing, Lagunitas, Magnolia, Marin Brewing Company, Social Kitchen & Brewery, and Speakeasy. In this mixtape, we’ve collected music from 21 local indie rock, garage, lo-fi and psych bands whose rocking tunes serve as great beer-drinking music. Seriously, give this mix a try with a pint and we think you’ll agree.

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Tracklisting:

1. Lilac – “So Young”
2. Weekend – “Hazel”
3. The Mantles – “Cascades”
4. Sonny & The Sunsets – “I Wanna Do It”
5. Sic Alps – “Breadhead”
6. Magic Leaves – “You Wanna”
7. Wooden Shjips – “Lazy Bones”
8. Burnt Ones – “Do the Spell”
9. Terry Malts – “Something About You”
10. The Wrong Words – “Summer’s Gone”
11. Kelley Stoltz – “I Remember, You Were Wild”
12. Personal & The Pizzas – “I Don’t Wanna Be No Personal Pizza”
13. Ty Segall – “You Make The Sun Fry”
14. Sleepy Sun – “Open Eyes”
15. Extra Classic – “Congo Rebel”
16. Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound – “By the Ripping Green”
17. The Fresh & Onlys – “Be My Hooker”
18. Shannon and the Clams – “The Cult Song”
19. Thee Oh Sees – “I Was Denied”
20. Bare Wires – “Cheap Perfume”
21. Wax Idols – “Gold Sneakers”

Live This Month: November 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #260)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 23:30:49 +0000

Live This Month: November 2011 (Podcast #260)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. The November concert schedule offers a chance to check out the artists behind some big recent releases, as bands like M83, Wild Flag, and Real Estate arrive in support of well-received new albums. Locally, a diverse assortment of acts are launching new releases of their own, including the classic-leaning rock and roll of Zodiac Death Valley, The Northern Key’s singer-songwriter pop, and the raucous art-rock of Wet Illustrated.

This podcast episode includes songs from thirteen artists all performing in the Bay Area during November. Take a listen and then go see some shows!

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About the bands:

The excellent SF band Wet Illustrated (“Gypsy Town”) released 1x1x1 last month on True Panther. The band opens what should be a terrific show at Amnesia on November 17th, with Tim Cohen’s Magic Trick and Devon Williams.

Gauntlet Hair‘s (“Keep Time”) self-titled album is the Denver band’s debut LP. The group’s West Coast tour with Unknown Mortal Orchestra finds them at the Rickshaw Stop on November 3rd and The New Parish on November 7th.

Wild Flag (“Romance”) includes members of Sleater-Kinney, Helium, and The Minders, and the band’s self-titled debut lives up to the promise of those previous groups. On November 4th and 5th, Wild Flag and Drew Grow and the Pastors’ Wives play at the Great American Music Hall.

SF’s Zodiac Death Valley (“La Razon”) and LA’s The Icarus Line are holding two joint record release parties at Cafe Du Nord on November 5th and 6th. Local bands The Tambo Rays and Nectarine Pie open the Saturday and Sunday shows respectively.

Formerly the leader of Dear Nora, Katy Davidson’s new band is called Key Losers (“Bi-Focal”). The band brings California Lite to the Hemlock Tavern on November 20th. Lesbians and Nora Roman and the Border Busters support.

Oakland electronic pop artist Metal Mother (“Shake”) performs live infrequently, but she’ll be at Cafe Du Nord on November 29th. She’ll be joined by The Horns of Happiness, Mortar and Pestle and Birdseye.

Minneapolis band Peter Wolf Crier (“Right Away”) explores complex prog-pop on its new record, Garden of Arms. On November 4th, you can see the group at Cafe Du Nord with Birds & Batteries and The Curious Mystery.

Local psych-pop band The Spyrals (“Sunflower Microphone”) have a new 7″ out November 15th. Michael Beach and Hypatia Lake support at the Hemlock Tavern on November 17th.

Days is the sophomore album from New Jersey band Real Estate (“It’s Real”). The trio headlines Slim’s on November 11th.

Led by singer-songwriter Andrew Galluccio, SF band The Northern Key (“Soak”) has a new album called Wedgewood. The band joins Ash Reiter for a double record release show at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall on November 3rd.

Our Own Dream is the new EP from electronic pop duo Keep Shelly in Athens (“Lazy Noon”). The Greek band’s touring comes to The Independent on November 9th, with Kisses and a DJ set by Blackbird Blackbird.

M83‘s (“Midnight City”) new album, Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming, finds Anthony Gonzalez merging his interests in epic soundscapes and melodic synth-pop. Gonzalez performs at the Mezzanine on November 10th with the similarly lush Active Child.

Before Merrill Garbus started tUnE-YarDs, she was in a band with Pat Jordache (“Get It [I Know You're Going To]“). Jordache’s band is now touring with tUnE-YarDs, playing at the Regency Ballroom on November 23rd.

Mixtape: 2011 Treasure Island Music Festival Preview Mixtape (Podcast #259)

The Bay Bridged — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:30:04 +0000

Mixtape: 2011 Treasure Island Music Festival Preview Mixtape (Podcast #259)

As we’ve probably said repeatedly by this point, the annual Treasure Island Music Festival is one of our favorite events every year, a chance to see two dozen buzzworthy bands over two days at a historic local landmark. This mix includes eleven potential highlights at the coming festival (and we’ll be posting a bonus TIMF mix featuring even more music later this week).

Our TIMF preview coverage continues all week, culminating in our annual live-blogging from the festival. Enjoy!

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Tracklisting

1. St. Vincent – “Surgeon”
2. Explosions In The Sky – “Trembling Hands”
3. Flying Lotus – “…And the World Laughs with You (feat. Thom Yorke)”
4. Aloe Blacc – “Femme Fatale”
5. Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – “Senator”
6. Weekend – “Hazel”
7. Death From Above 1979 – “Romantic Rights”
8. Chromeo – “Don’t Turn The Lights On”
9. YACHT – “Dystopia”
10. Friendly Fires – “Blue Cassette”
11. Warpaint – “Undertow (Edit)”

Live This Month: October 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #258)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:00:33 +0000

Live This Month: October 2011 (Podcast #258)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. While the Treasure Island Music Festival is the month’s biggest draw — and we’ll have a separate mixtape soon showcasing TIMF’s many great bands — there are plenty of great shows this month. Girls cap a national tour with two big hometown shows, while The War on Drugs brings an acclaimed new album to SF. Meanwhile, EMA and Hooray for Earth return to the City, while locals The Soft Moon and Garrett Pierce have release shows for new EPs. Those are just a handful of the dozen-plus great bands in this mix.

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About the bands:

Calgary singer-songwriter Chad VanGaalen (“Peace on the Rise”) is touring behind his fourth album, Diaper Island, which is out now. VanGaalen performs with Gary War at Cafe Du Nord on October 11th.

Nobunny (“Blow Dumb”) is teaming with Ty Segall for a Halloween weekend show on October 28th at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall. The fuzz pop talent will also be MCing and performing “Budget Rock Hits of the 90s” at Bottom of the Hill on October 21st.

Melted Toys (“Rose Again”) will be performing at “Buried Treasure,” our free Treasure Island Music Festival Popup Concert and Mixtape Exchange, taking place on October 7th at the San Franpsycho Store (1314 Grant Avenue, San Francisco). ChuCha Santamaria Y Usted also performs, and there will be a DJ set by Elephant and Castle.

Santa Barbara’s Gardens & Villa (“Star Fire Power”) have crafted a sharp indie pop sound blending electronic and acoustic instrumentation. On October 13th, the band headlines Bottom of the Hill, with Young Man and Waterstrider.

Megafaun (“These Words”) is a psych-folk band from Durham, North Carolina, with a new self-titled double LP. See the trio at Cafe Du Nord on October 7th with Jessica Pratt and Doug Paisley.

Garrett Pierce (“Everybody Breaks”) is one of our favorite singer-songwriters, and his new EP, Everybody Breaks, comes out this month. He’s performing at the Hemlock Tavern with Himalayan Bear on October 25th.

The War On Drugs (“Baby Missiles”) is a Philadelphia band led by Adam Granduciel. Slave Ambient is the name of the group’s new LP, available on Secretly Canadian, and they’ll perform with Purling Hiss and Carter Tanton at The Independent on October 23rd.

In their first local show since Outside Lands, The Fresh & Onlys (“I Would Not Know the Devil”) will be at the Great American Music Hall on October 7th. SF/LA band Tamaryn co-headlines, with locals Wax Idols opening.

Girls (“Vomit”) return to SF for two homecoming shows in support of the band’s new album, Father, Son, Holy Ghost. Catch them and Sonny and the Sunsets at the Great American Music Hall on October 8th and 9th.

Pure X (“Dry Ice”), from Austin, bring their shoegazey rock to the Brick and Mortar Music Hall on October 13th. SF’s moonbell opens the show.

Erika Anderson of Gowns now performs as EMA (“Milkman”), and her debut album, Past Life Martyred Saints, is one of 2011′s many highlights. Sister Crayon and Alexis perform with Anderson on October 12th at The Independent.

SF post-punkers The Soft Moon (“Total Decay”) have a new EP called Total Decay, and they are headlining a Halloween night show at The Independent. Led Er Est and DJs Michael Stock (Part-time Punks LA) and Josh Cheon (Dark Entries Records SF) will join them.

True Loves is the highly recommended first LP from NYC synth-pop band Hooray For Earth (“No Love”). Tourmates Cymbals Eat Guitars and local band The Dandelion War also perform at Bottom of the Hill on October 8th.

Mixtape: 2011 Rock Make Street Festival Preview Mix (Podcast #257)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 15:00:01 +0000

This episode is sponsored by Audyssey.

Mixtape: 2011 Rock Make Street Festival Preview Mix (Podcast #257)

As we noted in the last episode of our podcast, we’re extremely exited about our fourth annual 2011 Rock Make Street Festival, taking place at Treat Avenue at 18th Street in San Francisco on Saturday, September 17th from 12pm to 7pm (RSVP on Facebook). Rock Make is a free, all ages, all day event, featuring tons of local arts and crafts vendors showcasing their wares between two stages of great local indie bands. There will also be local food vendors and a local beer and wine garden for you to enjoy throughout the day.

Rock Make is a wonderful celebration of the best of SF DIY and independent arts and culture, and we hope you’ll join us there.

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Tracklisting

1. Tartufi – “Dot Dash”
2. Bare Wires – “Cheap Perfume”
3. Birds & Batteries – “Strange Kind Of Mirror”
4. Cannons and Clouds – “River Parade”
5. Battlehooch – “Joke (Live)”
6. Sean Smith – “The Real”
7. Phantom Kicks – “Cut From A Different Clay (Feat. Cameron Spies)”
8. James & Evander – “Constellating”
9. ChuCha Santamaria Y Usted – “Bright Young Light Pt. 2″
10. Mist Giant – “What With”

Live This Month: September 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #256)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 17:43:26 +0000

Live This Month: September 2011 (Podcast #256)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. Two big local-focused events top this month’s calendar. First, we’re pleased to be co-producing the free, all ages 2011 Rock Make Street Festival, taking place on September 17th at Treat Avenue and 18th Street in the Mission District. Additionally, the Mission Creek Music Festival returns to SF and Oakland for its fifteenth installment this month. Beyond those fests, the September concert calendar seems heavy on out-of-town acts playing can’t-miss shows in SF, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a whole lot of great local bands accompanying them.

We’ll be serving up a Rock Make mixtape in the near future, in the meantime, hear new music from Pepper Rabbit, Devon Williams, Man/Miracle, Jens Lekman and more.

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About the bands:

LA duo Pepper Rabbit (“Murder Room”) just released Red Velvet Snow Ball on Kanine Records. The band’s North American tour with BRAIDS and Painted Palms comes to Bottom of the Hill on September 27th.

Devon Williams‘ (“Your Sympathy”) new album Euphoria came out this week on Slumberland Records. Williams’ West Coast tour behind the record comes to the East Nile on September 3rd and the Rickshaw Stop on the 4th.

Swedish singer-songwriter Jens Lekman (“An Argument With Myself”) will be performing at the California Academy of Sciences on September 29th. The show is a Nightlife event that is doubling as a Treasure Island Music Festival pre-party.

Local indie pop trio Dreamdate (“Pyramids”) is one of our longtime favorite bands. You can see Dreamdate twice this month: at 1-2-3-4 Go! Records on September 3rd and at Thee Parkside on September 29th.

September 27th is a big day for SF band Dominant Legs (“Hoop of Love”). That’s the day the band’s first LP, Invitation, comes out, and, that night, the group performs at Cafe Du Nord with Nurses.

Active Child (“Hanging On”) is LA musician Pat Grossi’s electronic pop project. Chad Valley and Silver Swans perform alongside Grossi at Bottom of the Hill on September 28th.

Unfortunately, after the recording of this show, Tennis‘ (“Is It True?”) tourmates The Vaccines cancelled the bands’ upcoming tour due to illness.

Pamela (“Lie Down”) consists of two members of The Splinters, and the duo just released the Pamela is Hungover tape on Whoa Whoa Records. The band celebrates the release at Thee Parkside on September 15th, with Part Time, Surf Club, and Permanent Collection.

The Ladybug Transistor (“Clutching Stems”) heads on a West Coast tour this month, landing at the Hemlock Tavern on September 8th with Red Pony Clock and Sea Lions. Clutching Stems is out now on Merge Records.

Oakland’s Man/Miracle (“Meditations on Nothing”) finishes a US tour at Bottom of the Hill on September 23rd. The Vacant Lots and Hiking also perform.

You can see PS I Love You (“Leftovers [Featuring Diamond Rings]“) on September 10th at the Hemlock Tavern with Balkans and Bad Bibles. Also, Diamond Rings will playing at the Great American Music Hall on September 25th.

Heavy Cream (“Watusi”) is a Nashville punk band currently touring with RTX. Both bands are at Thee Parkside on September 3rd and The New Parish on the 12th.

True Widow (“Skull Eyes”) performs at the Rickshaw Stop on September 3rd, and at Oakland’s Merchant’s Saloon on the 7th. The Texas “stonegaze” band released As High As The Highest Heavens And From The Center To The Circumference Of The Earth earlier this year.

SF’s Mi Ami (“Hard Up”) has not performed locally in almost a year, as both band members have been pursuing other projects apart. The duo unveiled the Dolphins LP in March, and will be at Public Works on Saturday, September 4th.

Mixtape: The Ones That Got Away (Podcast #255)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:23:22 +0000

This episode is sponsored by BottleRockIt.

Mixtape: The Ones That Got Away (Podcast #255)

Our recent Regional Bias fundraiser concert featured the final local performance by Royal Baths before the band relocates to the East Coast, a fact that got us thinking about the many active artists who have left the Bay Area for other pastures in recent years. As an organization founded to champion local music, we focus on bands while they live here, but there’s always a lingering feeling that great bands that depart are “the ones that got away.” This podcast is a mix featuring thirteen bands and artists that no longer call San Francisco home, but that we’ll always consider respected Bay Area alumni, with all of the attendant rights and privileges that status confers.

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Tracklisting and Notes:

1. Craft Spells – “From the Morning Heat”
Although the band relocated to Seattle from Stockton earlier this year, Craft Spells are performing at the Rickshaw Stop on August 25th.

2. WATERS – “For The One”
After moving to Oslo, Port O’Brien’s Van Pierszalowski formed WATERS. WATERS performs at The Independent with Mister Heavenly on August 22nd

3. French Miami – “Older”
French Miami headlined our first Regional Bias fundraiser, but the band is now based out of Brooklyn. The trio is currently working on new material.

4. Deerhoof – “The Merry Barracks”
Although the band’s members have now scattered around the country, we’ll always consider Deerhoof a local band at heart. The group performs at the SFMOMA on September 15th.

5. Moon Duo – “Mazes”
Moon Duo (Sanae Yamada and Wooden Shjips’ Ripley Johnson) are now based in Colorado. The band’s latest album, also called Mazes, arrived in March.

6. Tamaryn – “Sandstone”
Tamaryn’s debut album, The Waves, was one of 2010′s great records. The singer recently moved to LA but she’ll be performing at the Great American Music Hall on October 7th.

7. Lemonade – “Lifted”
Brooklyn-via-SF electronic pop band Lemonade has been working on the follow-up to 2010′s Pure Moods EP. Lemonade performs at the Rickshaw Stop on August 18th.

8. Teen Witch – “I Don’t Mind”
Teen Witch didn’t relocate to New York as a band, but members Tyler McCauley and Caroline Partamian have Bay roots. He used to be in SF band Tempo No Tempo and she is a member of bi-coastal band The Splinters. Their new band’s self-titled cassette EP is out now.

9. Royal Baths – “Nikki Don’t”
As we noted above, Royal Baths are relocating to New York. The band has a new album already recorded and will be performing some East Coast shows with Dum Dum Girls.

10. WHY? – “This Blackest Purse”
A long time Oakland resident (and Anticon collective co-founder), Yoni Wolf of WHY? returned to Cincinnati last year. WHY? will be previewing new songs (due on an album in 2012) at the Great American Music Hall on October 5th.

11. The Mommyheads – “Spiders”
Indie pop pioneers The Mommyheads were one of San Francisco’s cult bands before the group broke up and several members moved away. The band has recorded a new album that will be released in the fall.

12. Nick Jaina (featuring Jolie Holland) – “You Were So Good To Me”
Jolie Holland wrote some of her new album, Pint of Blood, while she still lived in San Francisco. This song, which features Holland singing, comes from Nick Jaina’s new album The Beanstalks That Have Brought Us Here Are Gone.

13. Citay – “Careful With That Hat”
Citay’s Ezra Feinberg recently moved to New York, but he’s planning on heading back to California soon to record the band’s next album with Tim Green.

Live This Month: August 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #254)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 17:06:05 +0000

Live This Month: August 2011 (Podcast #254)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. For us, August hits a high point early, as August 6th we’re throwing our annual fundraiser, Regional Bias, at the Verdi Club. As we discuss on the podcast, with four great local bands on the bill — Little Wings, Royal Baths, White Cloud, and Sea of Bees — as well as DJs, local artists, and more, it’s a really special event, and we hope to see you there.

After Regional Bias, is there anything else of note? How about the Outside Lands Festival, which returns to Golden Gate Park with a really strong lineup full of local bands and big name headliners from August 12th through the 14th? Meanwhile, the ongoing Total Trash Fest hosts a ton of great garage rock shows. Finally, as usual, there is no shortage of exciting bands celebrating the release of new albums, including Tim Cohen’s Magic Trick and Ganglians, or touring with new records coming soon, like Mikal Cronin and Wooden Shjips.

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About the bands:

Moonhearts’ Mikal Cronin (“Apathy”) has a self-titled solo album coming out on Trouble in Mind Records on September 20th. Before heading on tour with Ty Segall, Cronin will be performing at the Hemlock Tavern on Sunday, August 28th with Mouthbreathers and Cosmonauts.

Little Wings (“How Come?”) is on of our favorite local bands, and we’re really excited to have Kyle Field co-headlining our Regional Bias fundraiser show at the Verdi Club on August 6th. Royal Baths, White Cloud, and Sea of Bees also perform.

Vetiver (“Wonder Why”) hasn’t performed locally since releasing The Errant Charm on Sub Pop. Andy Cabic and his band are performing at Outside Lands and also playing an Outside Lands night show at the Rickshaw Stop on August 12th.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah‘s (“Same Mistake”) third full length, Hysterical, comes out in September. The recently regrouped band is performing at Outside Lands and at The Independent on August 10th.

Chicago rock and roll duo White Mystery (“Blood & Venom”) released Blood & Venom earlier this year. Burnt Ones and Mrs. Magician round out the Hemlock Tavern’s bill on August 25th.

SF band Lilac (“Cathedral”) recorded their debut EP at Different Fur Studios, and they’ll be performing at Different Fur’s 43rd anniversary party at Cafe Du Nord on August 26th. Also playing: Tragik, Grillade, and Dirty Ghosts.

Sacramento’s Ganglians (“Sleep”) are playing at the Hemlock Tavern with Bright Archer on August 21st. Still Living comes out on August 23rd via Lefse Records.

Tim Cohen‘s band Magic Trick (“Daylight Moon”) has a new album of lengthy, ambitious songs called The Glad Birth of Love. On August 24th, the band performs alongside Magic Bullets, PreTeen and Tambo Rays at the Rickshaw Stop.

Before Wooden Shjips (“Lazy Bones”) release West in September, the band’s embarking on a free West Coast tour with Night Beats. The tour stops at Bottom of the Hill on August 18th.

Local psych-rock band Howlin Rain (“In Sand and Dirt”) has been working on a new album for some time. See them for free at The Uptown this Friday, August 5th.

Mia Doi Todd (“Summer Lover”) is a Los Angeles singer-songwriter whose ninth album, Cosmic Ocean Ship, came out in May. She’ll be appearing with Holcombe Waller and Garrett Pierce at Bottom of the Hill on August 16th.

Local duo Water Borders (“What Wiwant”) release their first LP of dark electronica on Tri-Angle Records on October 10th. The band’s performing at Tri-Angle’s label showcase at 103 Harriet on August 19th.

Mixtape: The New Wave of Bay Area Shoegazers (Podcast #253)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:05:25 +0000

Mixtape: The New Wave of Bay Area Shoegazers (Podcast #253)

Amidst its various other micro-scenes, San Francisco has long fostered bands incorporating the dreamy and noisy sounds of shoegaze. Over the years, groups like Film School, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Stratford 4, and others emerged from the Bay Area, employing dense, melodic distortion to much acclaim. Recently, it seems, a new crop of shoegaze-influenced bands has begun to emerge, led by breakout acts like Weekend, Young Prisms, and The Soft Moon. You’ll recognize some common threads among these bands, but there’s a diversity of influences and approaches here that suggests a bright future for Bay Area shoegazing.

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Tracklisting:

1. Tamaryn – “Mild Confusion”
2. Young Prisms – “Breathless”
3. Tied to the Branches – “Walls”
4. Permanent Collection – “Let It Go”
5. Moonbeams – “Oh Anna”
6. Weekend – “End Times”
7. The Soft Moon – “Breathe the Fire”
8. Whirr – “Leave”
9. Slowness – “Black & White”
10. Here Come the Saviours – “My Eyes Are Shining”
11. moonbell – “Figurine”
12. Thralls – “Pomegranates”

Live This Month: July 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #252)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:37:25 +0000

Live This Month: July 2011 (Podcast #252)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. As summer touring heats up, a bunch of buzz bands are coming through town this month, and the arriving Iceage, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Cold Showers have all received strong praise for their debuts. Meanwhile, several locals, including Release the Sunbird, Form & Fate, and Painted Palms, all have new records they’re supporting with SF shows. Last, but not least, we’re gearing up for our free Phono Del Sol festival this month, and our latest Regional Bias event in August. We hope to see you at both!

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About the bands:

Mirah (“Gone are the Days”) co-headlines our first Phono Del Sol Festival, a free, all ages daytime event that takes place in Potrero Del Sol Park on July 16th. Also playing are Aesop Rock, Man/Miracle, Magik*Magik Orchestra, Religious Girls, and Appetite. More details here.

Branching out from Rogue Wave, Zach Rogue releases Come Back to Us as Release the Sunbird (“Always Like the Son”) later this month. Prior to performing at Outside Lands, Rogue’s new band will be at the Swedish American Hall on July 28th.

Before heading to Big Sur for the sold-out Woodsist Fest, Woods (“Pushing Onlys”) teams up with The Fresh & Onlys, The Mantles, and DJ Britt Govea for a show at The Independent on July 29th. The band’s latest album, Sun and Shade, came out in May.

Thurston Moore‘s (“Circulation”) new solo album, Demolished Thoughts, is a thoughtful collection of songs that ranks among this year’s highlights. Moore and Kurt Vile are co-headlining a tour this month that stops at The New Parish on July 25th, and the Great American Music Hall on the 26th.

SF R&B revivalist Nick Waterhouse (“Just Want To Buy You Some Maracas, Girl”) has been making waves with a compelling live show. Waterhouse and his band The Tarots perform with Allah-Las at the Elbo Room on July 22nd.

Fat Possum recently released Unknown Mortal Orchestra‘s (“How Can You Luv Me?”) psych-funk-rock debut LP. UMO supports Yuck at The Independent on July 26th and 27th.

Unnatural Helpers (“Sunshine / Pretty Girls”), from Seattle, are led by Dean Whitmore (of The Intelligence). The band will be performing at the unbelievably packed 1-2-3-4 Go! Records Anniversary weekend at the Oakland Metro on July 22nd, and at the Hemlock Tavern on July 28th.

LA’s Cold Showers (“I Don’t Mind”) features former members of Mika Miko and Woah Hunx, and recently put out the Highlands 7″ on Mexican Summer. On July 27th, the band performs at Thee Parkside, with Grass Widow, Dunes, and Petals.

Copenhagen quartet Iceage (“Broken Bone”) has received high praise for the band’s debut album, New Brigade. The band will be performing at the Elbo Room on July 25th, with Cult Of Youth and DJ Omar.

Four years after the band’s last release, SF instrumental rock group Form & Fate (“When The Streets Caught Fire And We All Walked Through The Flames”) has returned with Sol Invictus. Form & Fate’s record release show is at the Hemlock Tavern on July 16th, with Shuteye Unison and Glaciers.

Painted Palms (“All Of Us”) is the San Francisco/Baton Rouge duo of cousins Reese Donohue and Christopher Prudhomme. With the release of the project’s Canopy EP on Secretly Canadian, Painted Palms will be opening for Memory Tapes and Sleep Over at Slim’s on July 21st.

Chicago indie rock band Yourself and The Air (“Trampolines”) heads on a West Coast tour this month. The band headlines the Rickshaw Stop on July 19th, with Angel Island and Jake Mann & the Upper Hand.

Jonathan Richman (“I Was The One She Came For”) holds his latest Make-Out Room residency this month, performing three shows from July 12 through the 14th. The SF indie legend turned 60 in May.

Mixtape: Fifteen great songs by Ty Segall (Podcast #251)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:10:09 +0000

Mixtape: Fifteen great songs by Ty Segall (Podcast #251)

Our latest podcast episode surveys the music of San Francisco’s Ty Segall, an artist whose prolific and acclaimed solo output hit a new peak with the release of Goodbye Bread yesterday on Drag City. The album is being hailed as a new chapter for Segall, one that finds him successfully employing cleaner sounds in a batch of melodic psych-rock. That the new album is excellent isn’t a surprise for long-time fans: over the past several years, Ty has put out a legion of terrific records incorporating elements of lo-fi, surf, punk, garage and psych-pop. This mixtape captures fifteen great Ty Segall tracks in a survey of the artist’s solo career so far. Goodbye Bread is likely to establish Segall as a bigger name, but this mix confirms that he’s been releasing exciting music for quite a while now.

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Tracklisting:

1. “You Make The Sun Fry” (from Goodbye Bread)
2. “Girlfriend” (from Melted)
3. “Skin” (from Live in Aisle Five)
4. “It #1″ (from Lemons)
5. “The Drag” (from Ty Segall)
6. “Hey Big Mouth” (from In A Cloud – New Sounds from San Francisco)
7. “Can’t Talk” (from Lemons)
8. “Imaginary Person” (from Melted)
9. “SWAG” (from Ty Segall/Black Time Split)
10. “I Wear Black” (from Reverse Shark Attack with Mikal Cronin)
11. “I Don’t Know My Name” (from Horn the Unicorn)
12. “Caesar” (from Melted)
13. “The Slider” (from Ty Rex)
14. “California Commercial” (from Live in Aisle Five)
15. “Pretty Baby (You’re So Ugly)” (from Ty Segall)

Live This Month: June 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #250)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:00:46 +0000

Live This Month: June 2011

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. June kicks off the summer touring season, which means a bunch of acts coming through SF and locals heading out on tour. Not coincidentally, a bunch of the bands included here have new records out this month, including My First Earthquake, Matt Bauer, The Wooden Birds, and Black Lips. Enjoy this mix and then go check out some shows!

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About the bands:

Local band Phantom Kicks (“Better Days Of”) released the Tectonics EP for free download earlier this year. See them perform on June 18th at El Rio, with Blackbird Blackbird, Old Arc, and Yalls.

John Vanderslice (“The Piano Lesson”) is reuniting with the Magik*Magik Orchestra for a one-time-only performance of White Wilderness with a full orchestra and choir. Find out more here about this special show on June 17th at the Herbst Theatre.

Andrew Kenny (of American Analog Set) leads The Wooden Birds (“Two Matchsticks”), whose second album, Two Matchsticks, comes out June 7th. The band plays with The Definite Articles and White Cloud on June 25th at Bottom of the Hill.

This month, Crossbill Records will release The Jessamine County Book Of The Living, the latest from former SFer Matt Bauer (“Blacklight Horses”). Bauer performs at Viracocha on June 23rd, with Chloe Makes Music.

The US tour in support of Dancer Equired, Times New Viking‘s (“Ever Falling in Love”) first album on Merge Records, hits the RIckshaw Stop on June 14th. King Tuff and Spencey Dude & The Doodles open the show.

Long-running New York garage rock band The Fleshtones (“Bite of My Soul”) released their latest album, Brooklyn Sound Solution, on Yep Roc earlier this year. East Bay Grease performs with the band at Bottom of the Hill on June 28th.

LA’s Jail Weddings (“I Thought You Were Someone I Knew”) head to San Francisco for two shows at the Hemlock Tavern on June 25th. Andre Williams will be headlining both shows.

Thao & Mirah (“Little Cup”) conclude the duo’s national tour with a hometown show this month. They’ll be at the Great American Music Hall on June 23, with BOBBY and Led to Sea.

Berkeley band Winter’s Fall (“In Your Head”) mixes Americana and indie rock on its latest album, At All Angles. The band joins Velvet Blue Music labelmates Mike Sempert (of Birds & Batteries) and Kissing Cousins, as well as Mist Giant, at the Rickshaw Stop on June 5th.

Friction is the new album from SF’s My First Earthquake (“Nice to See You”), out June 7th. The band’s release show, with Le Vice and DJ set by Bortvan Ltd, is June 8th at Cafe Du Nord.

Unfortunately, San Francisco’s Part Time (“Night Drive”) is no longer scheduled to be performing this month, but you should definitely check out this new wave-leaning band, which has a release forthcoming on Mexican Summer.

Black Lips‘ (“Modern Art”) new album Arabia Mountain comes out next week. The Atlanta garage rock band is touring the West Coast this month, playing at the Great American Music Hall on June 11 and June 12.

Mixtape: Twenty-One Bands Playing the 2011 San Francisco Popfest (Episode #249)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 18 May 2011 18:00:01 +0000

Mixtape: SF Popfest 2011 (Episode #249)

Over the past several years, the San Francisco Popfest has emerged as a highly anticipated annual treat, a weekend-long celebration of indie pop music that mixes a bunch of exciting out-of-town names with some of the best local bands. This year’s Popfest, taking place from May 25-29, features over 30 bands in six shows around the City, with a wealth of potential highlights. From out of town, we’re especially excited for a rare SF performance by legendary punk-pop band The Undertones, London’s Allo Darlin’, and Captured Tracks bands Catwalk and The Beets. On the local front, Slumberland Records is hosting a showcase featuring the label’s many exciting acts, and, in other shows, local favorites like The Mantles, Blackbird Blackbird and Dominant Legs will all be performing.

We’ll be counting down to Popfest with some more in-depth previews and features over the next week. For now, sample over 20 Popfest bands in this hour-long mixtape and check out the full schedule of events below.

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Tracklisting

1. Allo Darlin’ – “Dreaming”
2. Phil Wilson – “Three Days”
3. Eternal Summers – “Prisoner”
4. Neverever – “Young And Dumb”
5. Terry Malts – “Distracted”
6. Sea Lions – “Good Feelings”
7. Catwalk – “One By Words”
8. Wolf Feet – “Dead Hand”
9. The Art Museums – “S.H.O.P.P.I.N.G.”
10. Dominant Legs – “About My Girls”
11. Blackbird Blackbird – “Overboard”
12. The Beets – “Time Brought Age”
13. Let’s Whisper – “California Girls”
14. White Arrows – “Coming or Going”
15. Seapony – “Dreaming”
16. Sweater Girls – “Pretty When You Smile”
17. The Mantles – “Cascades”
18. Kids On A Crime Spree – “Sweet Tooth”
19. Brilliant Colors – “English Cities”
20. The Undertones – “Teenage Kicks”
21. The Black Ryder – “Let It Go”

Wednesday, May 25
The Black Ryder (co-headline)
Blackbird Blackbird
White Arrows
Wolf Feet
The Rickshaw Stop
8pm, $12, All Ages

Thursday, May 26
Dominant Legs
Aberdeen
The Motifs
Sweater Girls
CafÃ© Du Nord
8pm, $12, 21+

Friday, May 27
The Undertones
Allo Darlinâ€™
The Mantles
The Smittens
The Rickshaw Stop
8pm, $15/17, All Ages

Saturday, May 28
Slumberland Records Showcase:
14 Iced Bears
Phil Wilson (of The June Brides)
Neverever
The Art Museums
Devon Williams
Brilliant Colors
Terry Malts
Sea Lions
Kids on a Crime Spree
English Singles
The Rickshaw Stop
5pm, $15/17, All Ages

Sunday, May 29
Acoustic Picnic Show at Dolores Park
2pm, Free, All Ages
Let’s Whisper
Mark Monnone (of The Lucksmiths)
The Motifs
The Panduhs
Potion
+ more special guests!

Sunday, May 29
Eternal Summers
The Beets
Catwalk
Seapony
Hemlock Tavern
8pm, $12, 21+

Live This Month: May 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #248)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:13:43 +0000

Live This Month: May 2011

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. May features a couple of local festivals — S.S. Records’ ten-year anniversary celebration and SF Popfest (which we’ll be discussing later this month in a separate mixtape) — as well as the usual slate of touring bands coming through town. Veterans like Cass McCombs and The Raveonettes both recently put out what might be the best albums of lengthy careers; others, including Craft Spells and No Joy, are enjoying strong reviews for their recent debuts. Enjoy this mix and then go check out some shows!

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About the bands:

Nashville duo JEFF The Brotherhood (“Diamond Way”) gained a reputation as a great live band by playing over 230 shows in 2010, and the band’s new album, We Are The Champions, comes out in June. They will be at Bottom of the Hill on May 14th with The Greenhornes and Midnight Snaxxx.

King Lollipop (“Cheeseburger and Fries (demo)”) is a new project from Cody of Shannon and the Clams, whose debut album is called Woodland Whoopee Songs of Ol, Callowhee! On May 18th, King Lollipop performs at the Hemlock Tavern with X-Ray Eyeballs and Burnt Ones.

The Mantles (“Raspberry Thighs”) are one of our favorite SF bands right now, and you have no excuse not to see them in one of three (!) local shows this month. See them at the Rickshaw Stop on May 7th and May 27th, and at the Hemlock Tavern on May 22nd.

Danish duo The Raveonettes‘ (“Forget That You’re Young”) new album Raven in the Grave finds the band exploring dynamic dark pop. The band’s US tour with Tamaryn comes to Bimbo’s on May 10th.

Redeemer is the new album from Fred Thomas’s City Center (“Cookies”), out May 10th on K Records. The Saturday Looks Good to Me leader will be at Milk Bar on May 19th, alongside Thomas’ other band Swimsuit, as well as Secret Twins and Alright.

After getting laid off, Chicago’s Houses (“Soak It Up”) headed to Hawaii, where the duo recorded what would become the album All Night. Houses headlines at Bottom of the Hill on May 18th. The One AM Radio and Jhameel open the show.

SF’s Melted Toys (“Come On”) recently released the Washed & Dried EP on Underwater Peoples. You can see them at Slim’s on May 5th and at The Depot at SFSU on May 11th.

On Ghost Blonde, their debut album, No Joy (“Heedless”) blend shoegaze and rock and roll. Vivian Girls and Lilac perform with them on May 4th at the RIckshaw Stop.

S.S. Records‘ first release was from Seattle’s A Frames (“Galena”), and now the band’s final show is part of the label’s ten-year anniversary celebration. Friday, May 20th, the band headlines at Bottom of the Hill, with Liquorball, Hank IV, Charles Albright, and DJ Mitch Cardwell.

While Oakland experimental electronic rock group Clipd Beaks (“Hard Daze”) works on new recordings, they’ve been posting a bunch of great rare stuff on their Soundcloud page. See Clipd Beaks, Weekend, and Jealousy at The Independent on May 19th.

Seattle-via-Stockton band Craft Spells (“You Should Close the Door”) concludes a US tour at Slim’s on May 5th, with Beach Fossils and Melted Toys. Idle Labor is the band’s excellent debut record, out now.

Wit’s End is Cass McCombs‘ (“The Lonely Doll”) fifth full length record, and it’s really a beautiful album. McCombs and Frank Fairfield perform at the Swedish American Hall on May 5th.

Mixtape: Only the East Bay (Podcast #247)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 16:26:36 +0000

Mixtape: Only the East Bay (Podcast #247)

This podcast episode is part mixtape and part mea culpa. Even though our name is The Bay Bridged, we periodically get people calling us out on our SF-centric coverage of Bay Area indie music. In recognition of all of the great music coming from the other side of the Bay, this mix features only East Bay artists–15 of them–spanning a wide variety of styles and sounds. The collection shows that, just like in SF, there’s a diverse batch of talent in Oakland and beyond that’s well worth checking out.

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Standard disclaimers here: obviously, this mix is not intended to be comprehensive, and we’ve omitted a few artists who have been showing up in a lot of our podcasts lately (sorry Shannon and the Clams, tUnE-YarDs, and Bare Wires!). If you’re curious for more of the East Bay music scene, in addition to our blog, you should also check out Ear Bud, Bay Area Bourgeois, and Mapzzz as well.

Tracklisting:

1. Lumerians – “Atlanta Brook”
2. Man/Miracle – “Don’t Waste It”
3. Wax Idols – “All Too Human”
4. The Horns of Happiness – “Light On Our Hands”
5. Religious Girls – “Color Wheel”
6. BEEP – “Robopup (Elephant & Castle Remix)”
7. Forest Floor – “Let It Remind You Every Day”
8. SAFE – “Carolina”
9. Yalls – “Please”
10. HOTTUB – “Lokos Only”
11. Antonionian – “Into The Night”
12. James & Evander – “Turtle Two”
13. Michael James Tapscott – “Sunny California Theme”
14. The Heavenly States – “Model Son”
15. Winter’s Fall – “Anyways”

Live This Month: April 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #246)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 20:46:16 +0000

Live This Month: April 2011

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. April has a number of big artists with recent albums coming to town, including Kurt Vile, The Rural Alberta Advantage, and Akron/Family. Meanwhile, some great local artists are either concluding tours (like Papercuts) or kicking them off (like tUnE-yArDs). All told, it’s another busy month for rock and roll in the Bay Area. Enjoy this mix and then go check out some shows!

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About the bands:

In support of his excellent new album Smoke Ring For My Halo, Kurt Vile (“Jesus Fever”) and his band The Violators are traversing the US. RTX joins them on April 22nd at Bottom of the Hill.

SF’s The Wrong Words (“Summer’s Gone”) just released the band’s first full length on the terrific Trouble in Mind Records. The band celebrates at The Knockout on April 8th, with The Mantles, Lenz, and Wet Illustrated.

Akron/Family‘s (“So It Goes”) latest album is S/T II: The Cosmic Birth and Journey of Shinju TNT, available on Dead Oceans. The band performs at The Independent on April 8th and The New Parish on April 9th

The Rural Alberta Advantage (“North Star”) bring their consistently excellent live show to SF for two nights this month, as part of a tour with Lord Huron. See them April 12th and April 13th at Bottom of the Hill.

London’s Banjo or Freakout (“Go Ahead”) concludes a tour with Papercuts at Cafe Du Nord on April 9th. Alessio Natalizia’s first album, Banjo or Freakout, is out now.

Parasite Paradise, the latest from LA’s Superhumanoids (“Malta”), is out next week. The band performs at the Rickshaw Stop, with Dominant Legs and Dirty Ghosts, on April 27th.

Catch SF’s Royal Baths (“After Death”) on April 11th at Bottom of the Hill. They’ll be joined by Moon Duo and Lilac.

Oakland’s tUnE-yArDs (“Bizness”) release w h o k i l l on April 19th, before kicking off a national tour at the Great American Music Hall on April 26th. Buke & Gass and Man/Miracle also perform.

Little Wings‘ (“How Come?”) new album is called Black Grass, and it’s another winner from Kyle Field. Field is part of an all-local bill at the Great American Music Hall on April 15th. Rounding out the lineup: The Blank Tapes, Kacey Johansing and Rad Cloud.

Yoni Wolf (“Shoot the Singer [1 Sick Verse]“) returns to SF for a solo show previewing new WHY? songs and offering up some classics and covers. The show is on April 23rd at the Swedish American Hall, with support from The Moore Brothers and Becky Wolf & Amy Miller (F.A.B.).

Trans Am’s Phil Manley (“Life Coach”) released his first solo album earlier this year. You can see him open for Spectrum and Sleepy Sun at the The New Parish on April 24th.

San Francisco at South by Southwest: The Mixtapes (Podcast #245)

The Bay Bridged — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:52:45 +0000

Download Mixtape 1 | Download Mixtape 2 | Download Mixtape 3

San Francisco at South by Southwest: Mixtape 1 (Podcast #245)

San Francisco at South by Southwest: Mixtape 2

San Francisco at South by Southwest: Mixtape 3

Every March, thousands of bands, industry types, and music fans converge on Austin, Texas for the annual South by Southwest Music Festival. This year’s fest takes place from March 15th-20th in venues all over Austin, and, as is the case every year, a large number of Bay Area/Northern California bands are making the trek to Texas. As the mixtapes below indicate, the bands performing range from SF indie legends to talented up-and-comers, and a number of them — including The Dodos, Tune-Yards, Shannon and the Clams, and Hunx & His Punx — have highly anticipated albums coming out later this year.

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We’ll be doing coverage before, during, and after the madness of SXSW 2011. For now, enjoy these tapes showcasing the breadth of Bay Area talent participating in the year’s fest. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be heading down to Austin to enjoy these collections of great local talent. In fact, attendees and non-attendees alike can consider these tapes a sampling of many of the Bay Area bands that will be (and, for some, have already been) receiving national attention in 2011.

Tracklisting for SF at SXSW Mixtapes

Mixtape #1 (The Podcast)

[Intro]
1. The Dodos – “Black Night”
2. Social Studies – “Time Bandit (The One AM Radio Remix)”
3. Blackbird Blackbird – “Give You Everything”
4. Tune-Yards – “Bizness”
5. John Vanderslice – “The Piano Lesson”
6. Foxtails Brigade – “The Bread and the Bait”
7. Sea Of Bees – “Wizbot”
8. Papercuts – “Do You Really Wanna Know”
9. American Music Club – “All The Lost Souls Welcome You To San Francisco”
10. Exray’s – “Hesitation”
11. Moon Duo – “Mazes”
12. Bare Wires – “Ready To Go”
13. Weekend – “End Times”

Mixtape #2 (Web Only Bonus)

1. Apache – “Jam Pusher”
2. The Fresh & Onlys – “Do You Believe In Destiny?”
3. The Soft Moon – “Tiny Spiders”
4. Shannon and the Clams – “The Cult Song”
5. Personal and the Pizzas – “Brass Knuckles”
6. Ty Segall – “California Commercial”
7. Thee Oh Sees – “I Was Denied”
8. The Ferocious Few – “Kathleen”
9. The Wrong Words – “Summer’s Gone”
10. Hunx & His Punx - “Too Young To Be In Love”
11. Grass Widow – “Fried Egg”
12. The Sandwitches – “Lightfoot”
13. Magic Bullets – “Sigh The Day Away”
14. Vetiver – “Everyday”

Mixtape #3 (Web Only Bonus)

1. Ash Reiter – “Ishi”
2. Thao with The Get Down Stay Down – “The Give (New, Improved LIVE session)”
3. Or, The Whale – “Datura”
4. The Mumlers – “Coffin Factory”
5. Birds & Batteries – “Panorama”
6. Geographer – “Original Sin”
7. Sister Crayon – “Anti-Psalm”
8. Sugar & Gold – “Bodyaches (Single Version)”
9. OONA – “Shhhhout!”
10. The Limousines – “Very Busy People”
11. HOTTUB – “1-2-3-GO!”
12. Zion I & The Grouch – “Rockit Man (ft. Silk E)”
13. Eskmo – “Cloudlight”

Live This Month: March 2011 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #244)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 20:00:16 +0000

Live This Month: March 2011 (Episode 244)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. As South by Southwest approaches later in March, bands are hitting the road, crisscrossing the US before converging on Austin.

What this means for Bay Area music fans is a ton of buzz-backed touring bands stopping in SF, and equally promising locals playing some final shows before heading out on the road. Enjoy this mix and then go check out some shows!

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About the bands:

PS I Love You (“2012″) are a spirited noise pop duo from Kingston, Ontario. The band’s tour with Diamond Rings arrives at the Rickshaw Stop on March 7th. A B & The Sea opens.

SF’s Nodzzz (“Time [What's It Going to Do]“) is about to head out on a European tour with The Mantles. Before that, the band will be at The Knockout on March 2nd with Personal & The Pizzas and Tim Cohen’s Magic Trick.

OC/LA/SF band Moonhearts (“I Said”) are one of the many great garage bands playing at the Burger Boogaloo festival later this month. Catch them at El Rincon on March 25th with Strange Boys, Ty Segall and many more.

Local surf punks The Traditional Fools (“Davey Crockett”) are reuniting for a show at the Burger Boogaloo. They’ll be at Thee Parkside on March 26th, with Audacity, Culture Kids and several more bands.

The Sandwitches (“Lightfoot”) celebrate the release of their new full length, Mrs. Jones’ Cookies, at the Make-Out Room on March 6th. Also performing are Suicide Dragons and Carletta Sue Kay.

Wye Oak‘s (“Civilian”) new album, Civilian, comes out next week on Merge Records. Callers and Sands round out the bill at Bottom of the Hill on March 25th.

Local artist Ash Reiter (“Paper Diamonds”) will be releasing a new 7″ this month, with a new album coming later this year. See her, Wave Array, and Buckeye Knoll at Cafe Du Nord on March 10th.

Toro Y Moi‘s (“Still Sound”) new album, Underneath the Pine, is receiving widespread critical acclaim. Chaz Bundick and band will be at the Great American Music Hall on March 24th, with Cloud Nothings supporting.

Oaklandâ€™s Jordan Dalrymple (Subtle/13 & God) is about to release his debut album as Antonionian (“Into the Night”). He’ll be joined by fellow Anticon collective members Doseone and Jel at the Rickshaw Stop on March 23rd.

LA disco pop duo Kisses (“Kisses”) have a new single, “Midnight Lover,” out now. They’ll be at the Rickshaw Stop on March 8th, with Altars and The Actors.

Native Speaker is the debut album from Montreal’s Braids (“Lemonade”). The group’s North American tour hits the Rickshaw Stop on March 4th, with Baths and Gobble Gobble.

Bonus Mixtape: Nineteen More Bands at Noise Pop 2011

The Bay Bridged — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:26:40 +0000

Bonus Mixtape: Nineteen More Bands at Noise Pop 2011

So the podcast earlier this week really just scratched the surface of the many bands playing at next week’s Noise Pop Festival. To rectify that, here’s a bonus mixtape featuring nineteen more Noise Pop bands! We’ll have a ton more Noise Pop coverage coming up in the days leading up to the fest, with reviews and photos to follow thereafter.

Tracklisting:

1. The Black Ryder – “Gone Without Feeling”
2. Melted Toys – “Come On”
3. Telekinesis – “Car Crash”
4. Jake Mann & the Upper Hand – “Days Are Long”
5. Nobunny – Live It Up”
6. The Growlers – “Sea Lion Goth Blues”
7. Best Coast & Wavves – “Got Something For You”
8. Young Prisms – “Sugar”
9. Sister Crayon – “Still The Same Person”
10. Chelsea Wolfe – “Moses”
11. Rank/Xerox – “Muscle Dogs”
12. Battlehooch – “Somersaults”
13. Voxhaul Broadcast – “Leaving On The 5th”
14. Funeral Party – “Giant Song”
15. The Stone Foxes – “I Killed Robert Johnson”
16. Alexi Murdoch – “Towards The Sun”
17. The Concretes – “Good Evening”
18. Altars – “Slowly Falling”
19. Gregory & The Hawk – “Landscapes”

Mixtape: Previewing the 2011 Noise Pop Festival (Podcast #243)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:00:05 +0000

Previewing the 2011 Noise Pop Festival

This episode is presented by KQED.org.

Long before we started The Bay Bridged, we’d look forward to February’s annual Noise Pop Festival, and now, in the fest’s nineteenth year, things are no different. That’s a remarkable achievement, and this year’s week of events brings together buzzworthy out-of-town bands and talented locals for stacked four band bills sampling some of the best in contemporary indie rock.

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The Noise Pop Calendar, while extremely helpful, might also be a little staggering, which is why we’ve compiled this mix of sixteen bands for your listening pleasure before the concerts begin on February 22nd. No matter what your pleasure, there’s plenty of great music to check out in the festival’s six days, and we’ll be documenting a whole lot of it on our web site.

Tracklisting:
1. Hunx & His Punx – “Lovers Lane”
Performing at the Regency Ballroom on February 26th

2. How To Dress Well – “Decisions”
Performing at Cafe Du Nord on February 26th

3. Typhoon – “White Liars”
Performing at Bottom of the Hill on February 23rd

4. Silje Nes – “The Glass Harp”
Performing at the Swedish American Hall on February 25th (The Bay Bridged Presents!)

5. Versus – “Gone to Earth”
Performing at Cafe Du Nord on February 23rd

6. Shannon and The Clams – “Sleep Talk”
Performing at Bender’s on February 25th (The Bay Bridged Happy Hour!)

7. The Wrong Words – “Summer’s Gone”
Performing at Bottom of the Hill on February 27th

8. Craft Spells – “Party Talk”
Performing at Bender’s on February 23rd

9. Geographer – “Age of Consent (New Order cover)”
Performing at The Independent on February 23rd

10. The Soft Moon – “Breathe the Fire”
Performing at Cafe Du Nord on February 25th

11. Wet Illustrated – “Born Stoked”
Performing at Bender’s on February 25th (The Bay Bridged Happy Hour!)

12. Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – “Even Heroes Have To Die”
Performing solo at Bottom of the Hill on February 24th

13. Apex Manor – “Under the Gun”
Performing at Cafe Du Nord on February 24th

14. Birds & Batteries – “Strange Kind of Mirror”
Performing at the Rickshaw Stop on February 25th

15. Admiral Radley – “I Heart California”
Performing at Bottom of the Hill on February 23rd

16. Psychic Friend – “Once a Servant”
Performing at the Rickshaw Stop on February 25th

Live This Month: February 2011 â€” an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #242)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:19:24 +0000

Live This Month: February 2011

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. February can only mean one thing in Bay Area indie music: the annual and much celebrated Noise Pop Festival, now in its nineteenth year. There’s so much good Noise Pop stuff that we’ll be devoting a separate podcast to it in a few weeks.

Before the fest, too, there are plenty of great shows to occupy your time, including Beach House, The Radio Dept. and MINKS on tour, and locals Sic Alps, Exray’s and Sugar & Gold celebrating recent releases. Enjoy this mix and then go check out some shows!

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About the bands:

The debut self-titled album from SF’s Exray’s (“You Forgot”) is out now, an engaging collection of experimental lo-fi pop songs. On February 3rd, the band celebrates the record’s release with a show at Cafe Du Nord, with Tim Cohen’s Magick Trick, Fiveng and DJ Cyclyst.

The Radio Dept. (“The One”), from Sweden, recently collected singles and B-sides for the two-disc Passive Aggressive: Singles 2002-2010 compilation. The band’s playing two nights at The Independent with Young Prisms, on February 14th and 15th.

On February 14th, Chloe Makes Music‘s (“The Duel”) Chloe Roth releases her first album The Puppeteer, which was produced by Chris Chu of The Morning Benders. That night, she’ll be at Cafe Du Nord alongside Honeycomb and Magic Leaves.

Ben Schneider’s Lord Huron (“When Will I See You Again”) project released two well-received EPs in 2010. Tennis and Air Waves round out the bill at Bottom of the Hill on February 3rd.

Captured Tracks just released the first LP from New York indie pop band MINKS (“Cemetery Rain”). See them on February 16th at Bottom of the Hill with Dum Dum Girls and Dirty Beaches.

LA’s Puro Instinct‘s (“Stilyagi”) new single features Ariel Pink, and it’s the first offering from Headbangers In Ecstasy, out 2/22 on Mexican Summer. You can catch them at the Great American Music Hall on February 24th, with Holy Shit, Tim Cohen’s Magick Trick, and Sam Flax & Higher Color.

Sic Alps (“Do You Want To Give $$?”) just released the acclaimed Napa Asylum double-LP and are launching a U.S. tour at the end of the month. Locally, the trio will be at the Great American Music Hall on February 9th and on the 21st, and at The Eagle on February 24th.

After releasing one of 2010′s best albums in Teen Dream, Beach House (“I Do Not Care For The Winter Sun”) are touring this month with Papercuts. The two bands will be at The Fillmore on February 18th.

Michael Beach (“The Exhilarating Rise”) is now San Francisco-based, following several years in Australia with the band Electric Jellyfish. He’ll join Lazarus and Colossal Yes at the Hemlock Tavern on February 8th.

Fuzzy-pop band Smith Westerns (“Weekend”) is heading on a cross-country tour in support of the brand new album Dye It Blonde. On the tour, the band’s stopping at Bottom of the Hill on February 13th. Also performing: Yuck and Grand Lake.

SF’s Sugar & Gold (“Bodyaches”) headlines the Three Kinds of Stupid party — at the Rickshaw Stop on February 5th — as part of the band’s national tour with Yip Deceiver. The electronic pop group also just released the Bodyaches EP on Antenna Farm Records.

Norwegian electronic disco artist Lindstrom (“Baby Can’t Stop (Aeroplane Remix)”) will be holding a rare live performance in SF this month. He’ll be at the Mezzanine on February 12th with Jonas Reinhardt, Corinne, BT Magnum and Pickpocket.

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

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 17:16:01 +0000

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

We love psych rock, garage, folk rock, singer-songwriter stuff, and a variety of other musical genres here at The Bay Bridged, but our first love was, and will forever be, indie pop. From the jangly to the synthy, an uber-catchy, clever pop song is something to be treasured. After what felt like a few slightly lean years for the genre (from our perspective, anyway), we’re now in the midst of a real fertile time for great indie pop. This month’s mixtape collects over an hour’s worth of great new and recent indie pop songs, including tunes from almost a dozen Bay Area-based artists. Enjoy!

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Tracklisting:
1. Eux Autres – “Queen Turner”
2. Tennis – “Seafarer”
3. Craft Spells – “After the Moment”
4. Papercuts – “Do What You Will”
5. Allo Darlin’ – “My Heart is a Drummer”
6. Shugo Tokumaru – “Lahaha”
7. Spectrals – “Peppermint”
8. Magic Bullets – “Everything Flows” (Teenage Fanclub cover)
9. Still Flyin’ – “Victory Walker 2am”
10. Wild Nothing – “Golden Haze”
11. Social Studies – “Holler Boys”
12. Dominant Legs – “Clawing Out At The Walls”
13. Dream Diary – “Bird In My Garden”
14. The Ian Fays – “Everyday”
15. Girls – “Heartbreaker”
16. Twin Shadow – “Slow”
17. Sun Airway – “Oh, Naoko”
18. That Ghost – “To Like You”
19. A B & The Sea – “Baby You”
20. The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Say No To Love”
21. So Cow – “Ain’t No Fun”

Live This Month: January 2011 â€” an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #240)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:00:39 +0000

Live This Month: January 2011

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. After a quiet December, a number of local bands are already lining up some high-profile CD releases this month, including Deerhoof, Young Prisms, and Jake Mann. Enjoy this mix and then go check out some shows!

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About the bands:

White Fence (“Lilian (Won’t You Play Drums?)”) is a project led by Darker My Love’s Tim Presley, who has a new album out on Woodsist out next week. On January 9th, White Fence will be at the Hemlock Tavern with The Babies, Grass Widow and Bad Back.

Deerhoof‘s (“The Merry Barracks”) first album for Polyvinyl Records is Deerhoof vs. Evil, arriving on January 25th. The band’s US tour starts this month, and they’ll be at the Great American Music Hall on January 28th.

Khaela Maricich hasn’t released a new album as The Blow (“Pile of Gold”) in some time, but we’re excited to see her return to the Bay Area. She’ll be at the Great American Music Hall on January 30th, with Sonny Smith.

Indie-rock-meets-experimental-jazz trio Beep (“Wolf Pantolones”) release City of the Future on January 18th. Catch them at the Hemlock Tavern with Dinosaur Feathers and The Careerers on January 23rd.

Peter Wolf Crier (“Hard as Nails”) is a Minneapolis folk-rock duo currently touring the US. The band stops at Bottom of the Hill on January 20th. Retribution Gospel Choir and Cannons and Clouds support.

Bird By Snow‘s (“Across The Water”) 2010 album Common Wealth is full of wonderfully moody experimental folk-rock. The band will be at Bottom of the Hill on January 5th and the Elbo Room on January 31st.

San Diego post-punk band Crocodiles (“Sleep Forever”) return to SF on January 15th. See them at Slim’s with locals The Fresh & Onlys and Magic Bullets.

A member of Black Moth Super Rainbow, Tobacco (“Fresh Hex”) brings his solo work to The New Parish on January 20th. Local band Seventeen Evergreen opens the show.

With several buzz-building releases behind them, SF indie-shoegaze band Young Prisms (“Sugar”) release their debut full-length album Friends For Now on January 18th on Kanine Records. On January 19th, you can see them at Bottom of the Hill, joined by Ganglians, Melted Toys and Speculator.

Midwestern Minutes is the latest album from Ohio folk-punk band Defiance, Ohio (“Hairpool”). The group’s West Coast tour hits Thee Parkside on January 18th. Kimya Dawson and Songs for Moms are also on that bill.

Jake Mann & The Upper Hand (“Days Are Long”) release their latest album Parallel South on Crossbill Records this month. Mann’s CD release show is on January 23rd at Bottom of the Hill with Grand Lake and il gato.

The Sandwitches (“Back to the Sea”) headline one of Folkyeah‘s Winter Residency shows at Slim’s this month. Their date is January 25th, with supporting performances by The Art Museums, The Soft Bombs and Rachel Fannan.

Live This Month: December 2010 – an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #239)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 20:00:33 +0000

Live This Month: December 2010 â€” an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #239)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the coming month in the San Francisco Bay Area. Although things get a little quiet around Christmas, December’s got plenty of concert highlights. For some, like Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, this month’s show marks the end of a long run, while others, like Sic Alps and Millionyoung, already have big releases planned for early 2011. Enjoy this mix and then go check out some shows!

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About the bands:

Portland’s Hosannas (“When We Were Young”) have two Bay Area shows in support of their new album, Together. They’ll be at The New Parish on December 3rd and Showdown on December 5th.

Austin-by-way-of-Sacramento duo Agent Ribbons (“I’m Alright”) released Chateau Crone this year on Antenna Farm Records. They’re playing at Bar 355 on December 16th, the Crescent Hotel on the 17th, and Amnesia with The Trifles on December 21st.

Please Stand By is the third album from country-rock band Brent Amaker and the Rodeo (“Pocket Calculator”). The band heads to Bottom of the Hill on December 4th for the Terrorbird holiday party, with Maus Haus, Fol Chen and Exray’s.

Sonny Smith (“Throw My Ashes From This Pier When I Die”) caps off a busy year with a New Year’s Eve show in SF. Sonny and the Sunsets and The Fresh & Onlys are performing at Amnesia on December 31st.

Brilliant Colors (“Never Mine”) have released a bunch of 7″s this year. They’ll be performing with several other Slumberland Records bands at a birthday party for Mike Slumberland at Amnesia on December 3rd.

Having relocated from the Bay Area to Brooklyn, French Miami (“Older”) are back with a brand new EP called Motor Skills. The band is at the Hemlock Tavern on December 2nd and The Uptown on December 3rd.

Sic Alps‘ (“Message From The Law”) latest record, Napa Asylum, comes out in January on Drag City. They’re at the Rickshaw Stop on December 4th for a benefit show for Big Eagle singer/songwriter Robyn Miller’s mother.

Owen Ashworth finishes his run as Casiotone for the Painfully Alone (“Young Shields”) with an SF show marking the 13th anniversary of his first live performance. On Sunday December 5th, he’ll play at Bottom of the Hill with The Donkeys and The Ian Fays supporting.

SF’s The Actors (“First Date”) are part of an all-local bill at the Rickshaw Stop on December 1st. They’ll be joined by Phantom Kicks and Sunbeam Rd.

Florida’s Millionyoung (“Calrissian”) is touring in anticipation of Atmospheric Beast, out in early 2011. Teen Daze and The Great Mundane support at the Rickshaw Stop on December 9th.

LA’s No Age (“Fever Dreaming”) wrap up some recent touring with some California dates. They’ll be at The New Parish on December 8th and the Brookdale Lodge on December 9th.

Thrill Jockey put out Ancestral Star, the latest from SF drone-rock duo Barn Owl (“Light From The Mesa”), a few months back. Barn Owl is performing at The Independent on December 16th with Om and Lichens.

Mixtape: The Many Sides of Tim Cohen (Podcast #238)

The Bay Bridged — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 22:00:18 +0000

Mixtape: The Many Sides of Tim Cohen (Podcast #238)

Our latest mixtape showcases the many sides of one of San Francisco’s best and most prolific musicians, Tim Cohen. Cohen’s latest band, The Fresh & Onlys, have been seemingly unstoppable as of late, with a series of terrific singles culminating in the acclaimed Play It Strange. As prolific as The F&Os are, it’s insane that the band’s released so many great records. This mix reveals that the same principle–quality and quantity–extends to Cohen’s other work as well. No matter what sound he’s tackled in recent years, from the experimental collage-pop of Window Twins to Cohen’s solo psych-folk, he’s able to create a multitude of compelling, offbeat tracks. Here’s a sampling of Cohen’s diverse musical output over the last half-decade.

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

Tracklisting:
1. Tim Cohen – “Haunted Hymns” (from The Two Sides of Tim Cohen)
2. Black Fiction – “I Spread The Disease” (from Ghost Ride)
3. Window Twins – “Maybe It’s Time” (from I’m This Tall City)
4. The Fresh & Onlys – “Troubling Vision” (from the “Impending Doom”/”Troubling Vision” 7″)
5. Tim Cohen – “Oh, Oh, Oh” (from Laugh Tracks)
6. Black Fiction – “Magic Hands” (from Ghost Ride)
7. The Fresh & Onlys – “Dude’s Got A Tender Heart” (from Grey-Eyed Girls)
8. Window Twins – “4th Place” (Unreleased)
9. Feller Quentin – “Slim, Poker Dog of Paintings” (from I Am Not a Monster)
10. The Fresh & Onlys – “Peacock and Wing” (from The Fresh & Onlys)
11. Tim Cohen – “Take Aim Goliath” (from The Two Sides of Tim Cohen)
12. The Fresh & Onlys – “Waterfall” (from Play It Strange)

The guys of Weekend talk Sports, punk, and shoegaze (Podcast #237)

The Bay Bridged — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 17:20:39 +0000

Weekend (Podcast #237)

Our latest podcast showcases music from and conversation with Weekend, a San Francisco trio whose first full length, Sports, is out now on Slumberland Records. Although its members have known each other for much longer, Weekend formed in 2009 and quickly gained a lot of buzz for the group’s intense live shows and a two song 10″ on Mexican Summer. “All-American” and “Youth Haunts” offered an early indication of the push-and-pull that continues to inform the band’s uncompromising sound, as melodic gloomy rock and abrasive riffs collide, unleashing an energy betraying the band members’ punk and hardcore roots. The guys developed that combination of elements intuitively in early practice space jams and shows, making Sports more fully realized than most debuts by young groups. In total, Sports is a compelling record from one of the Bay’s most promising new bands.

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

We sat down with the band a few months ago to discuss Sports and the band’s unique sonic intensity. We’ve also included four tracks from the new album in the show.

Upcoming Shows:

Tuesday, November 9th
The Independent
with The Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Grave Babies
8pm, $15

After their SF show, Weekend head down to LA, then across the country. Find all of the upcoming dates at their MySpace page.

Links:

- Visit Weekend on MySpace and on the band’s blog.

- Purchase Sports from Slumberland, and on iTunes.

- Watch Weekend’s recent video for “Monday Morning/Monongah, WV.”

Live This Month: November 2010 — an audio guide through SF concerts this month (Podcast #236)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:25:27 +0000

Live This Month: November 2010 (Podcast #236)

In Live This Month, we sample some of the great local and out-of-town bands performing in the next 30 days in the San Francisco Bay Area. November’s got a ton of great shows, with multiple bands from Denver (Tennis, Gauntlet Hair) and Philadelphia (Sun Airway, Kurt Vile) making noteworthy appearances, while a bunch of locals celebrate the release of new CDs (Eux Autres, Faun Fables, The Definite Articles, The Parties). Enjoy the mix and then go check out some shows!

Subscribe to The Bay Bridged Podcast to get every new episode!

About the bands:

Nocturne of Exploded Crystal Chandelier is the debut album from Philadelphia art-pop band Sun Airway (“Put the Days Away”). On November 5th, they’re opening for Bear in Heaven and Lower Dens at The Independent.

SF band Eux Autres (“Go Dancing”) celebrate the release of their latest album, Broken Bow, at El Rio on November 18th. Writer and Sporting Life round out the lineup.

Denver indie poppers Tennis (“Marathon”) have built a strong buzz on some extremely catchy singles. They’ll be at the Hotel Utah with Eulogies on November 14th.

New Yorker Elizabeth Harper makes electronic disco-pop as Class Actress (“Careful What You Say”). She’s performing along with Small Black and Young Prisms on November 6th at The Independent.

SF band Wet Illustrated‘s (“Born Stoked”) debut single, out now, was recorded by Tim Cohen. They join Honey and Burnt Ones at Amnesia on November 4th.

Jangly pop band The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (“Say No To Love”) have been working on a new full length recently. The band joins labelmates Weekend and Seattle’s Grave Babies at The Independent on November 9th.

Kurt Vile‘s (“In My Time”) new 7″ debuts a cleaner sound from the songwriter and a hint of what might be to come on his next full length in 2011. The Soft Pack and Purling Hiss join Vile at the Rickshaw Stop on November 9th.

Bay Area retro-pop practitioners The Parties (“Let’s Call It Love”) released their latest work, Coast Garde, yesterday on Rainbow Quartz Records. They’re part of an all-local bill at the Hemlock Tavern on November 19th, alongside The Love Dimension and Trevor Childs & the Beholders.

Personal Life is the new album from indie pop-rock band The Thermals (“I Don’t Believe You”). They’ll be at The Independent on November 15th and The New Parish on the 21st.

Pomegranates (“50′s”) return to the Bay with One of Us, their third album. They’re performing at the Rickshaw Stop on November 15th. Oh No Oh My and Big Tree are also playing.

Denver duo Gauntlet Hair (“I Was Thinking…”) have released a steady stream of exciting, noisy pop songs over the past year. Epicsauce presents Gauntlet Hair, Woodsman, Craft Spells, and Melted Toys at Milk on November 11th.

The Definite Articles (“Bumbershoot”) are a local chamber pop band whose first full length, King Merriweather, comes out this month. The band’s celebrating with two release shows at 32 Ocean on November 19th and 20th.

Oakland experimental folk artist Faun Fables (“Parade”) releases Light of a Vaster Dark on Drag City this month. They’ll be at The New Parish on November 14th with The Cairo Gang and Lasher Keen.

A Bay Area electronic pop mixtape, featuring Blackbird Blackbird, Electric Sunset, oOoOO, and more (Podcast #235)

Ben Van Houten — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 16:29:03 +0000

A Bay Area Electronic Pop Mixtape (Podcast #235)

In compiling this mix of new and recent music from eleven San Francisco Bay Area-based artists, I’ve searched in vain for a singular theory to explain the recent proliferation of local electronic pop. Does the tech-heavy business climate here mean techier indie musicians, geeking out on synth sequencing and effects? Or are the Bay’s bedroom pop songwriters employing more electronics as it continues to get easier to manipulate software synths to create satisfying layers of sound?

Most likely, there’s no single answer to explain the catchy melodies and experimental approaches employed by the collection of new and emerging artists on this tape. Indeed, while synthesizers may unify them, the sounds in this mix are diverse, including hazy dance pop, intimate bedroom gems, and much more.

Download Mixtape

Subscribe to the The Bay Bridged podcast to get each new episode downloaded to your iTunes!

Tracklisting
1. Blackbird Blackbird – “Starlight (Feat. Steffaloo)”
2. The Spirit Spout – “October”
3. Electric Sunset – “Soda”
4. Exray’s – “Ways To Stop Time”
5. Eskmo – “Cloudlight”
6. oOoOO – “Burnout Eyess”
7. Elephant and Castle – “The Look”
8. Fiveng – “Easy”
9. Fops – “Maple Mountain”
10. James & Evander – “Turtle Two”
11. Wallpaper. – “Indian Summer”

Kelley Stoltz talks about home recording and To Dreamers (Podcast #234)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 20:20:52 +0000

Kelley Stoltz (Podcast #234)

This week, our podcast features the amazing Kelley Stoltz, whose latest album, To Dreamers, is out now on Sub Pop Records. Stoltz’s latest work is another winning batch of eclectic rock-pop from the home recording wizard, but it might be a little surprising to hear a rawer, slightly lo-fi influence also permeate some of the songs. Chalk that up in part to Stoltz’s presence in and around the Bay’s lo-fi scene, as the drummer in Sonny and the Sunsets and an early champion of The Fresh & Onlys via Stoltz’s Chuffed Records. Kelley Stoltz hasn’t abandoned the great Kinkseque pop he’s known for, but it has a bit more nerve this time around.

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

We sat down with Kelley a few months ago to talk about To Dreamers, his early days in the Bay Area scene, and his affinity for solitary song recording.

Upcoming Shows:

Friday, October 15th
Cafe Du Nord
with The Fresh & Onlys and Carletta Sue Kay (To Dreamers/Play It Strange record release show)
9:30pm, $12

After his record release show, Kelley Stoltz heads up and down the West Coast. In November, he heads to Europe. See all of his upcoming dates at his MySpace page.

Links:

- Visit Kelley Stoltz on MySpace.

- Purchase To Dreamers and Kelley’s previous albums on Sub Pop and on iTunes.

- Watch Kelley’s recent video from Yours Truly.

Birds & Batteries (Podcast #233)

The Bay Bridged — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 18:30:11 +0000

Birds & Batteries (Podcast #233)

Our podcast this week spotlights Birds & Batteries, a San Francisco band mixing electronic and acoustic elements into dynamic indie rock. The band’s latest album, Panorama, comes out October 12th on Spune/Velvet Blue Music, and it finds the quartet reincorporating some of the alt-country/Americana elements that weren’t present on 2009′s funky, synth-focused Up To No Good EP. This is Birds & Batteries the rock band, with compelling guitar hooks and a heartfelt twang complimenting bandleader Mike Sempert’s thoughtful lyrics. The layers demonstrate Sempert’s skill as a sonic craftsman, committed to transforming the unique melding of sounds into winning, honest music. Lucky for him (and us), he’s surrounded by bandmates with the talent and determination to pull it off.

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

We sat down with Mike and and Jill to discuss the long process of crafting Panorama, and the band’s mixture of electronic and acoustic elements. We’ve also included four songs from Birds & Batteries, including three from Panorama, in the episode.

Upcoming Shows:

After their record release show in SF, Birds & Batteries hit the road again in November. See all their upcoming dates at their web site.

Friday, October 15th
Bottom of the Hill
with Geographer and The Holy Rolling Empire (Panorama record release show)
10pm, $10/12

Links:

- Visit Birds & Batteries at their web site, on Facebook and MySpace.

- Panorama comes out October 12th on Spune/Velvet Blue Music. Purchase past B&B releases and other merch from their web site and on iTunes.

- Listen to the band’s recent Daytrotter session.

- Check out Birds & Batteries’ Chasing the Moon session and other videos.

The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music

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