It’s almost like a Bay Area buzzfest if you ask me. All these acts have been making a name for themselves over the past year or so and seem to be getting more and more attention as of late. Whether it’s with Geographer’s recent album Innocent Ghosts; which is a textured and intelligent brand of honest indie-pop. Or with Michael Zapruder and his latest release Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope; a carefully crafted record filled with what you’d expect from a lofty San Franciscan who really knows what it means to be creative. And there’s Harbours, a lovely throwback to 60s and 70s melodies and psychedelic pop.
I’ll be at the sold-out Dan Deacon show tonight at the Great American Music Hall (my first DD show), but if you’re looking for something to do tonight. I’d suggest heading over to Cafe du Nord tonight.
More on the Dan Deacon show tonight after the show…if I’m not too tired.
I’ll be blogging (hate that word) on the road this coming week. In fact as you read this, I’ll already be in Boston drinking heavily and celebrating my friend’s birthday. Good times. Anyway, I have quite a few reasons why I’ll be in Boston. Here are my top 5…
1. Opening Day at Fenway with the Red Sox vs. Tampa Bay Rays! Courtesy of my good friend Katie. GO SOX!
2. Friend’s crazy Birthday pub crawl. Maybe a drunk post tonight…who knows what could happen?
3. Mates of State / Black Kids / SUNBEARS! show at the newly renovated House of Blues. Good to finally see my boys in SUNBEARS! perform.
4. Zombie parade on EASTER DAY! Will I bring a camera? Yes. Will there be a shitload of Zombie Jesus’? I’m guessing yes on that one.
5. Boston Pillow Fight Today! I don’t know where it’s going to be (yet) but I’ll definitely be there.
Mates of State – My Only Offer
Moving on…
To celebrate the new releases of Michael Zapruder ‘Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope‘ and 1090 Club ‘Natural Selection‘, SideCho Records are giving away an exclusive package to one lucky person! You will receive a copy of ‘Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope’, ‘Natural Selection’, Michael Zapruder Tshirt, Posters from Michael and 1090 Club, and more. All you have to do is sign up for the SideCho Records Newsletter by emailing contests@sidecho.com.
Hey! You know that band theSTART? Probably not, but you might want to get to know the band’s side project, Normandie. A very dark 80s-ish mix of Blondie and Portishead. You like the sound of that? Well then download this low quality demo and tell me what you think.
Normandie – Little Sister (demo)
Some interesting new releases this past Tuesday. First off is the wonderful Great Lake Swimmers with Lost Channels. I seriously love this album and can already tell you that I will be listening to this album over and over on the plane. It’s very solid release, go buy it. Peter Bjorn and John return with Living Thing. Not as many catchy tunes as I would have expected, but it’s not bad. The Whitest Boy Alive’sRules is growing on me a bit. Oh and the new Yeah Yeah Yeahs album, It’s Blitz, came out. I love this album so much. I’m so glad these guys went in this direction, it suits them well.
The Whitest Boy Alive – Island
No this isn’t the cover of the new My Chemical Romance album. I wouldn’t do that to you after my little April Fools gag. This is the cover of Cage’s new free E.P. I Never Knew You. He says it will be available soon, but I’m not sure when that exactly is. But here’s the dark El-P produced title track from the upcoming and much anticipated E.P.
TONS of new releases this week to talk about. First off I’ve been listening to The Decemberists‘ new album, Hazards of Love and so far…it’s…uhh…okay? I seriously need to spin this a few more times to get a real opinion about it, but it doesn’t suck. It’s obviously no Castaways & Cutouts, but it’s a grower. Catch The Decemberists on tour this spring here.
In addition to the plethora of new releases are Dan Deacon’s wonderfully bizarre masterpiece, Bromst. (Dan Deacon Kuestionnaire)
DOOM’s (MF Doom) Born Like Thisbrings back that dark production I love so much; giving me a reason to listen to his whole catalog all over again.
The Knife’s Karin Dreijer Andersson’s project Fever Ray releases her debut. Highly recommended for Knife and Bjork fans (like me).
Mastodon slaughters your senses with Crack The Skye. I find it annoying that fans of the band are not embracing this change in style. Time to grow up kids!
Fresh off a breakout trip to SXSW this past week, including a spot opening for Jane’s Addiction at the exclusive Playboy / C3 party, LA’s Kenan Bell will be playing with +1 Records label-mates Illinois at Rickshaw Stop on Saturday, March 28th.
Illinois
w/ Kenan Bell, The Toy Soldiers, & DJ Set by DJ Amplive
Saturday, March 28th
@ Rickshaw Stop
155 Fell St.
$12 Adv. / $15 Door
Want to find a reason to get out of the rain and into some amazing live events? I give you Noise Pop 09! The Noise Pop Festival, which runs this Tuesday, February 24th through Sunday, March 1st, 2009, is an ambitious iteration of San Francisco’s favorite indie music, arts and film. For their 17th anniversary, Noise Pop 2009 will honor what’s made it the best-loved celebration of indie music and culture since its humble birth in 1993. This years music will feature such indie superstars like Antony and the Johnsons, Martha Wainwright, Stephen Malkmus, Deerhunter, St. Vincent, A.C. Newman, French Kicks, No Age, The Submarines, and Ra Ra Riot, among many many others. Noise Pop also features a long list of artist/photographers whose work is currently being displayed at the Mini Bar at 837 Divisadero St in San Fran. Also, there are some great films being showcased this week including Wilco’s Ashes of American Flags, Andrew van Baal’s Largo (a movie I’ve been waiting to see for months), and independent record store documentary I Need That Record. Of course I’m leaving out a whole bunch more but that’s what I’m looking forward to. I plan on catching one or two films and hopefully see Kool Keith (Dr. Octagon vs. Dr. Dooom) at the Mezzanine. All listed Noise Pop shows will be highlighted in blue; so go grab a badge and have fun this week.
As for non-Noise Pop events; today is quite busy for the Bay Area. You’re got Far (live video below) at Slim’s, Modest Mouse at the Fox Theater, and Michael Zapruder at the Bottom of the Hill tonight. See you out there!
Time to ring the new year with the first Kuestionnaire of 2009. Michael Zapruder! This San Francisco singer-songwriter is becoming increasingly well known due to his hypnotizing and extremely enjoyable new record, Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope. The record itself is similar to what you would happen if Leonard Cohen was born 30 years later. Dragon Chinese Cocktail Horoscope is a brilliantly arranged and the eleven songs are filled with exceptional melodic structure, incomparably beautiful harmonies, and poetic lyrics.
You can buy the special edition of the album here. It includes a t-shirt, buttons, stickers, posters, and signed nude picture of himself *
1. Of all the bands/artists in your CD/record collection, which one is
your most cherished?
Tough one. I guess maybe it’s a vinyl version of a Brahms piano piece called
Intermezzo in Eb. It’s a great piece and a great performance, but mainly I
cherish it because I had to really search the web for it. A second choice
would by Cat Stevens’ Greatest Hits – the vinyl copy I had in high school.
2. What have you been listening to lately?
The Road to Perdition soundtrack, Lookout Mountain Lookout Sea by Silver
Jews, Bee Gees First, Construcao by Chico Buarque.
4. What was the last show you attended?
I saw Conor Oberst and the Mystic River band a little while back and it was
pretty great.
5. What was the greatest show you’ve ever been to?
It’s a toss-up between Cornelius at Bimbos, Os Mutantes at the Fillmore, and
Boris at SxSW a few years ago. If I had to choose, I’d go with the Os
Mutantes show.
6. What show are you looking forward to?
Andrew Bird at the Fillmore.
7. What musician would you like to hang out/work with for a day?
I think the best living songwriter is David Berman of Silver Jews. That
would be interesting.
8. What four albums you would bring to a deserted island?
Remain in Light by Talking Heads, The Best of Leonard Cohen, In a Silent Way
by Miles Davis, and Goldberg Variations by Glenn Gould (#1)
9. Would you call yourself a music geek?
I might well do that.
10. Any favorite music-related videos/DVDs you own?
I like Jandek on Corwood. I have that.
11. What’s the last book you read?
Bob Woodward’s “Plan of Attack”
12. Do you prefer live performances or recording in the studio?
They both have great things about them – I suppose if I had to choose one,
I’d keep making recordings.
13. Any embarrassing moments on stage you’d like to share?
I once told a rabid crowd of Tennessee Volunteers fans the score of a
7-overtime game that was in progress, then confessed that I didn’t really
care. They turned on us then. Also, we played an all-ages show in Southern
California on election night this past November, and I had the honor of
announcing that Obama had been declared the winner – to our utter shock and
dismay, nearly every kid in the crowd booed. I was not embarrassed, but I
feel that they should have been.
14. Any favorite tour locations?
I like lots of places we go, but I guess Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Tucson,
New York, Washington DC, and of course Oakland and San Francisco stand out.
15. Lastly, what have you done today?
I took out the recycling.
Michael Zapruder – Happy New Year
Scott Pinkmountain & The Golden Bolts Of Tone – You Gave Me This
It’s Friday and I bring gifts of musical awesomeness to your ears. Behold!
Michael Zapruder - Ads for Feelings: The Bays Area is always blooming with creative energy and this track is concrete evidence of that. Michael Zapruder has done quite well at showing how he can comfortably combine Belle and Sebastian-like magic with the uniqueness of Andrew Bird. The force is strong with this one.
Donny Hue and the Colors – Good Time Happening: Sometimes the best songs are the ones that try to take you someplace. What Donny Hue wants from you is a clear mind and willingness to be see his musical vision. His folk-blues style makes for any easy journey that you’ll want to share with friends.
Grey Anne – Adelaide: Oh Portland, Or; do you ever stop giving this world wonderful music? Grey Anne is coffeehouse dream music for the soul. Her beautifully damaged tunes are soothing yet raw, which make for an interesting late afternoon listen.
Kata Rokkar is a place where you can download free mp3 from artists and bands that I currently love and listen to. They are only for sampling purposes and to influence you to go out and support these artists by purchasing their records and going to their concerts. If you are a record company or an artist that is displeased with a song being displayed, feel free to contact me and I will remove it ASAP. Thank you and enjoy!
Geographer – Rushing In, Rushing Out 
No this isn’t the cover of the new My Chemical Romance album. I wouldn’t do that to you after my little April Fools gag. This is the cover of Cage’s new free E.P. I Never Knew You. He says it will be available soon, but I’m not sure when that exactly is. But here’s the dark El-P produced title track from the upcoming and much anticipated E.P.
TONS of new releases this week to talk about. First off I’ve been listening to 
Fresh off a breakout trip to SXSW this past week, including a spot opening for Jane’s Addiction at the exclusive Playboy / C3 party, LA’s Kenan Bell will be playing with +1 Records label-mates Illinois at Rickshaw Stop on Saturday, March 28th.
Want to find a reason to get out of the rain and into some amazing live events? I give you 
