Mixtape: Bay Area Artists, Remixing and Remixed (Podcast #304)
April 17, 2013
Mixtape: Bay Area Artists, Remixing and Remixed (Podcast #304)
All too frequently, remixes are just okay, but when they are great, they’re really something special. A truly great remix can shed new light on the original artist’s work and stand on its own as a unique creation. That’s no easy feat, either, given the tension between staying true to an original song’s components and a reworker’s desire to create something new and personal.
These days, it feels far too easy to get remix fatigue. Reworkings seem to pop up almost immediately after original songs are released, and they can come in such a volume that it can be a challenge to separate the excellent from mediocre.
This mixtape attempts to do just that, highlighting twenty recent songs showcasing San Francisco Bay Area artists getting remixed, Bay Area artists doing the remixing, or, in most cases included here, both. It’s a freewheeling collection that includes a wide variety of exciting local talents.
Subscribe to The Bay Bridged Podcast!
Track Listing:
Related Posts:
Video Premiere: The Tambo Rays – “Night Feel”
February 21, 2013
San Francisco chill-pop outfit The Tambo Rays just released a new single that comes with a video already in tow, and we’re premiering the Thomas McGovern-directed short right here on The Bay Bridged.
“Night Feel” – the band’s first release since their debut EP, July 2012′s kaleidoscope – is an entrancing blast of mellowed out, lo-fi rock, the head-turning next step in the four-piece’s catalog. The video matches the track’s vibe, with a hypnotic and kaleidoscopic (sound familiar?) journey to a tripped-out campfire dance party in the middle of the forest. It’s a stunning visual crafted by McGovern, who is making his first foray into music videos with this solid effort. Check it out:
You won’t have to wait long to see how “Night Feel” sounds live – The Tambo Rays play the Hemlock Tavern in the City tomorrow night, and they’ll no doubt be a celebratory mood in the wake of this new release. Fellow San Francisco denizens Sunbeam Rd. and Thralls open.
Stream and download audio of “Night Feel”, and get full details on The Tambo Rays’ gig at The Hemlock tomorrow night, below. The new track is also available on Bandcamp.
Related Posts:
Sunbeam Rd. talks new album ‘Breathers’ and remix collection (Win release show tix and the new album!)
January 25, 2013
Yes, it’s cold. Yep, everyone’s sick. We hear you and, luckily, The Bay Bridged is all about solutions: crank up the space heater (or if you’re lucky, one of these), pour the hot toddies, and throw on some shimmery and crescendo-ey goodness. Might we suggest a little Sunbeam Rd.?
Completely independent of even independent labels, this band has released material entirely on their own, including a couple of cassettes and digital releases to start out, followed by the lovely 2012 Breathers LP — crowdfunded through Kickstarter — and their most recent digital release, a Breathers remix album.
Sunbeam Rd. are embracing a time when bands take control of their careers via The Mighty Internet and are oftentimes in cahoots with their fans and supporters. These guys are really into things like collaboration and, of course, crowdsourcing. Take their video for the Breathers album opener, “Lucy”, for example — a trippy kaleidoscope of shadow and light, reminiscent of the color screens from the discovery museums of our youths.
Originally meant to be used as the visuals for live shows, it is a collection of crowdsourced submissions run through a digital filter of the band’s mascot — a cat. What started as an experiment to engage friends and fans became a musical narrative by adding the dreamy band shots to the imagery. “In the end, it might be sort of confusing to the viewer but it represents some sort of world in our imaginations that we’d like to visit one day.” Can we tag along?
To win a pair of tickets to Saturday’s album release show at Thee Parkside and your own copy of Breathers to pickup at the show, be the first person to email contest[at]thebaybridged.com with the subject line “Sunbeam Rd. Giveaway.”
While most of the songs and lyrics on Breathers were written by guitarist/vocalist Trevor Hacker, “we are a pretty democratic band, so all of the instrumentals are thoroughly worked through as a group,” they tell me. And while Harrison Pollock plays bass in the band, he also wrote one of the songs. “We were interested in changing up the dynamic and transforming the songs, by having different songwriters come through one voice on the record. Singing someone else’s lyrics or melody seems to bring out another quality in the song that we weren’t aware of previously.”
Related Posts:
Sunbeam Rd. record release party at Thee Parkside, 1/26/13
January 23, 2013
Sunbeam Rd. is playing a record release party at Thee Parkside on January 26th for new album Breathers. You might recall last year when we told you about the Kickstarter for this album. Well, it’s now a reality, and Sunbeam Rd. wants you to enjoy the fruits of their labor (and perhaps also the fruits of your support). Other than requesting your presence at the record release show so they can regale you with the fine indie-pop tunes to be found on Breathers, Sunbeam Rd. posted several download codes over on the release show’s Facebook event page, codes you can use to download the album for free. (And if that’s not enough free music for you, the Breathers Remixed album was still available as a free download last I checked – stream it below.)
At Thee Parkside, Sunbeam Rd. will be joined by Sad Bastard Book Club and Casey Chisholm.
Sunbeam Rd., Sad Bastard Book Club, Casey Chisholm
Thee Parkside
January 26, 2013
9pm, $7
Related Posts:
Sunbeam Rd. releases ‘Breathers Remixed’
December 21, 2012
“Get ready…get ready…get ready…get ready…for some SUNBEAM RD….SUNBEAM RD….in the mix! Coming straight out of an electric cave, with wall sockets and all.”
That’s right, San Francisco pop rockers Sunbeam Rd. released Breathers Remixed, a remix compilation of tracks from the band’s 2012 LP. Breathers Remixed is available digitally through Bandcamp, where it can be streamed or downloaded for free. Check it out here:
The remix album features contributions from three members of the band under the guise of their respective solo projects: equators (Trevor Hacker), Magic Triangle (Clive Hacker), and Bubblegum Crisis (Harrison Pollock). Other remixers include Oakland producer Laura Couture a.k.a. Micron Diamond, as well as Roommate, Alecks, Gold Leaf, Coolzey & K Rose, Ecto, Velvet Glacier, Cyclopian, Shape2, Polar B and the Rhombus. [More...]
Related Posts:
Help Sunbeam Rd. let you hear their new album
June 21, 2012
Sunbeam Rd. has recorded a new album, BREATHERS, and they think it’s pretty good. They really want you to hear it. But they could use your help to make that happen, and they’ve started a Kickstarter so you can help them help you to their swirly psych pop sounds.
Of course, they don’t expect you to take their word for it that the album is good. They’ve provided proof: Check out the first single from BREATHERS, “Pro Wave Rider,” below, and the video for “Lucy” above.
Your generous donation will help them master the record, print album covers, and get it pressed on vinyl — which, if you just listened to “Pro Wave Rider”, you no doubt realize is the preferable way to experience BREATHERS. As a bonus, donate $15 or more and you get a set of exclusive remixes that are already in the works by the likes of Coolzey, Micron Diamond, Roommate, and more.
Related Posts:
Recommended, 9/27-10/2: Dominant Legs/Nurses, Active Child, Jacuzzi Boys, White Cloud/Sunbeam Rd.
September 27, 2011
Every week, we’ll be offering you early picks for some of the week’s best concerts. Do you think we omitted something worthwhile? Let us know in the comments! Be sure to visit our Local Concert Calendar for an expanded set of daily listings.
Dominant Legs release Invitation, celebrate tonight at Cafe Du Nord
Dominant Legs‘ debut album is out today and the band is kicking off a US tour tonight with Nurses at Cafe Du Nord (9pm, $10). Speaking of Nurses, like DL, they’ve also got a compelling new experimental pop album — Dracula, out now on Dead Oceans.
Active Child and Chad Valley at Bottom of the Hill
Active Child‘s show at Bottom of the Hill on Wednesday, September 28th is sold out, but it’s worth seeking out tickets to catch Pat Grossi’s finely-crafted electronic pop. Chad Valley and SF’s Silver Swans support.
Active Child – Playing House (Ft. How To Dress Well) by Vagrant Records
Related Posts:
Sunbeam Rd. – “Basements” / “Passed Lives” single out now
February 10, 2011
Sunbeam Rd. - Basements
Sunbeam Rd. - Passed Lives
Sunbeam Rd. is keeping busy with new material in 2011, rolling out yet another EP in the spring/early summer. But for now, enjoy their new single out this week: a pair of clean, uplifting tracks titled “Basements” and “Passed Lives.” The single is available for download on Sunbeam Rd.’s Bandcamp site.
Another fun fact: this single was recorded at New, Improved Recording in Oakland with Juan Carlos Arredondo, who assisted on several of the NI,L sessions the studio has done in collaboration with The Bay Bridged.
Sunbeam Rd. is scheduled to play the Hemlock next Wednesday the 16th with Spiro Agnew and Red Blue Yellow (event details).
