Archive | April, 2011

Band of the Day (4.27.11) (David) Vandervelde

27 Apr

Unique vocal falsetto brings shivers down your spine and Loggins memories - Vandervelde


Band of the Day (4.27.11) (David) Vandervelde

There was a time when I could watch the first 8 minutes of Caddyshack and it would put me in a good mood. Maybe it was the “Danny’s in the bathroom” scene, or the bike scene or maybe even the parent dynamic. It dawned on me that it was a simply the song. Kenny Loggins was the shiat for a moment in time. Probably for about three years, he was the lead maestro of every single movie that meant anything to us kids of the 80’s. I’m not looking for a hipster revival of Loggins, but hell Hall and Oates are having one. But, maybe just maybe his sound will have a revival. In 2007, Secretly Canadian Records released the first David Vandervelde solo album, The Moonstation House Band. Vandervelde, a Chicago/Nashville/Brooklyn native pulls from the vocal closet of Kenny an the rock vibe of T-Rex. He’s a folky hipster, but he’s got that poppy vibe. I loved his 2007 record and his new one, More Than You Can Feel , is quite brilliant. Hear three tracks below oh and hey he’s just made the Lollapalooza line-up. Vandervelde recording with the much missed Jay Bennett.

Vitals:
Hometown: Nashville, TN, USA
Members: David Vandervelde
Sonic Soulmates: T-Rex, Lindsey Buckingham (minus the virtuoso guitar), Benjy Ferree, Ferraby Lionheart, Cool Caddyshack Kenny Loggins
Trackables:
“More Than You Can Feel” – Lead single from the new record!

“Checking Out My Baby” – it’s a little Scissor Sistery.

“Learn How to Hang” – This is my fave from Mr. Vandervelde. Caddyshack anyone?

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Band of the Day (4.26.11) Jeniferever

26 Apr

Swedes rule again. Love this record.

Band of the Day (4.26.11) Jeniferever

Well I was and still am but soon to be outed closet fan of Smashing Pumpkins. Many bands have attempted to rewrite the dueling lead guitars or the searing solos of Iha and Corgan. Jimmy’s anthemic drum beats were one of kind. I miss the Siamese Dream version of SP, it all fell apart when they decided that ego and bravado was more important then writing and producing a good record. Melancholy can suck it, it’s greatest value was it’s Lenny Kravitz like karoke tracks, but we’ll always remember the perfection of Siamese. It wasn’t a surprise to hear several bands ripping off the early SP sound, CandleBox, etc, but rarely did you see a band that literally named themselves after a demo track. Jeniferever is a band from Uppsala, Sweden formed in 1996. Their music is ambient indie rock, it’s melodic, and each track drives to anthemic finishes. They’re Sigur Rós in English. They’ve released several EPs, a two full lengths with the third that just hit stores last week. Silesia, is triumphant and it’s brilliance is why we feature the boys of Jeniferever. We love the “Waifs and Strays” and you little buzzers will too. Listen and love like we did. By the way JE is our first Swedish band of 2011. We featured almost a dozen last year…LET’S GO NORDES!!!

Vitals:
Hometown: Uppsala, Sweden
Members:
Fredrik Aspelin
Kristofer Jönson
Olle Bilius
Martin Sandström
Sonic Soulmates: Sigur Rós, My Vitriol
Trackables:
“Waifs and Strays”

“A Drink To Remember”

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Jeniferever.com
MySpace
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Band of the Day (4.25.11) Crystal Stilts

25 Apr

It's a Rock. Get out from underneath it and try something good Crystal Stilts


Band of the Day (4.25.11) Crystal Stilts

Call me old fashioned…how dare you age me like that…whatever, but I have an affinity for the lo-fi. The lo-fi guys that keep it authentic, Jack White style, when they enter the recording studio. The mics, the drums, the guitars, even the strings, whatever, just to know that a band respects history is worth the listen. To be frank. which I am clearly not, but ProTools can suck a dick in my mind. Bands who employ drummers that play in the vertical stand-up position deserve a fucking high-five and my $20 for the vinyl. Crystal Stilts is cool 1st Wave new wave reborn under the stripped down garage genre. It’s like taking Jesus and Mary Chain, replacing the shitty electronics and giving them heavy amplification. These guys are not “New” per se, but this new album, In Love With Oblivion, catapults their hipster 2008 status to a new stratosphere. Alight Of Night, their first album after a string of here-today-gone-tomorrow singles and EPs, was good and it captured the hearts and minds of the DUMBO crowd. In Love With Oblivion, stretches them to new areas, good songwriting/crafting, organs, guitars and melody. Good record and good guys. Now go buy the damn thing and spread the word bird.

Vitals:
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Members:
JB Townsend
Brad Hargett
Andy Adler
Miss Frankie Rose – Was featured on NBD in July of 2010.
Kyle Forester
Sonic Soulmates: The National, Jesus and Mary Chain, Joy Division
Trackables:
“Flying Into The Sun”

“Through the Floor”

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Best New Band of 2011 Band of the Day (4.21.11) Slowness

22 Apr

SF based and ready to gaze - Slowness


Band of the Day (4.21.11) Slowness

Okay okay okay okay….if you read NBD every day you’ve noticed that I’ve been dormant. Well I apologize. My MacBook died. Literally. Photos, music, documents, all locked away behind my hibernating Mac. It was my good friends at Keane Mac repair that 7xed my Mac and brought NBD back to life. So happy today and so happy that I met a place that does something well! Cheers to you my friends!

Coincidently, I’ve been waiting almost a week to post about our new favorite Arizona Turk derived obsession….SLOWNESS! Yes it explains my posting strategy for April, but their music was well worth the wait. You know we love the local music scene in SF, but we’ve never put limits on our posts. We just find it fun to feature bands from our own music backyard, this market for some reason took a shit in the 90’s and 00’s and it’s just now having it’s moment…again. Drone rock can be fun, the shoegaze theme hasn’t really worn thin, but it’s the hipster version of a jam bands. It’s just darker arenas, less patchouli, and heavier distortion. We like to stick our nose down to our shoes to the Phishes of the world, but let’s be honest if you give them an amp and hair in their face you have Phish goes shoegaze. That being said Slowness takes the best of the genre and delivers a perfect EP. Harmonies, wailing whining guitars and eerie vocals. I liken their sound to one of our faves The Raveonettes, even Autoluxie a bit. Really a great band and I’d expect to hear Geoffrey Scott, Julie Lynn and Scott Putnam bouncing around the country and on the festival circuit very very soon.

We’re back, we have a new hard drive and we’re ready to rule the world.
Vitals
Hometown: SF, CA, USA
Members: Geoffrey Scott: guitars, vocals, loops Julie Lynn: bass, keys, vocals Scott Putnam: drums, vocals
Sonic Soulmates: My Bloody Valentine, The Raveonettes, Autolux
Trackables:
“Slowboat”

“Black & White”

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Band of the Day (4.12.11) Code Pie

13 Apr

Who are we fooling, no one, these guys are amazing. Code Pie


Band of the Day (4.12.11) Code Pie

Ready from a new record from a band you’ve never heard but you should have been anticipating since 2007? Are you antsy, anxious but yet unaware of what the hell I’m talking about? Good, because you should curious about Code Pie. Code Pie is a Canadian indie rock band founded in the early 2000’s in Montréal by singer and guitarist Enzo Palermo. Other band members are Salvatore Ciolfi (guitars), Michel Semienchuk (bass), Vince Varano (drums), Eva Boodman (trumpet) and Rebecca Lessard (cello). They’re part Broken Social Scene, with the layered melodic noisy mess all accompanied with a subtle horn. They could also be confused with Architecture From Helsinki, but no matter what you say or how you compare them, Code Pie is a stand-out and they deserve your hopeless Facebook post for more music. So get with the program and follow your new favorite band.

Vitals:
Hometown: Montreal, CN
Members: Enzo Palermo. Other band members are Salvatore Ciolfi (guitars), Michel Semienchuk (bass), Vince Varano (drums), Eva Boodman (trumpet) and Rebecca Lessard (cello)
Sonic Soulmates: Broken Social Scene, Architecture in Helsinki, South, Lord Huron
Trackables:
“Morning After”

“Love Meets Rage” – The title track and quite possibly my favorite track of 2011. SO f’n good.

Grab the new record Love Meets Rage …you won’t be disappointed…promise it’s full of songs culled from 2-3 years worth of jam sessions.

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Band of the Day (4.11.11) Early Winters

11 Apr

Great new global artist of 2011 Early Winters


Band of the Day (4.11.11) Early Winters

Maybe it’s the anticipation for our NewBandBaby or it’s our Spring mood, but we’re in the mood for some fun loving soulful folk sounds. The Civil Wars were our last post, soft, acoustic XX/XY duetables. Today we have Early WInters, with Carina Round sounding a whole heck of a lot like Norah Jones, Stevie Nicks or even a little Dolly Parton with a strong backing band. The members of Early Winters are not college bandmates, or from the same town, they’re British born singer-songwriter Carina Round, Canadian artist Justin Rutledge, L.A. Producer Dan Burns and Pedestrian bassist Zac Rae. They decided to form this group, they had to figure out a way to get everyone in the room at the same time…Skype was the answer.

Vitals:
Hometown: Los Angeles / Toronto / England
Members:
Carina Round
Justin Rutledge
Dan Burns
Zac Rae
Simon Smith – Bass
Scott Seiver – Drums
Sonic Soulmates: Norah Jones, Cardigans, Fleetwood Mac, Dolly Parton
Trackables:
“Spanish Burn”

“Tough Love”

Grab the new album

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Band of the Day (4.6.11) The Civil Wars

6 Apr

The Civil Wars are a duo in harmony. No War Here.


Band of the Day (4.6.11) The Civil Wars

Sometimes fate does get involved when it comes to hearing you favorite new band. This morning it was Facebook and one of my trusted music mavens to introduce me to The Civil Wars. They’re a combination of The Swell Season and some of our favorite XX/XY duos. WIth a classic folk slant that would make our Southern roots happy, hence the band name. The two started as strong solo artists, but it was a chance meeting, fate, that brought the two together. Though, I wouldn’t say that attending a song-writing camp is fate. “We actually met at what’s considered a songwriting camp,” Williams laughs. They were actually assigned roommates, that’s the fate part. They have a strong melodic harmony, but they shine better when they sing to one another. It’s very Starsesque, but add in a little Swell Season emotional sexual tension.

Vitals:
Hometown: Santa Cruz, Calif./Florence, Ala.
Members: Joy Williams and John Paul White
Sonic Soulmates: The Swell Season, Buddy & Julie Miller, Ray LaMontagne. Stars
Trackables:
“Barton Hollow” – Title track, a little

“Poison and Wine”

Watchable:
“Poison & Wine”

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Band of the Day (4.1.11) Goblin

1 Apr

Tyler the Creator is Goblin is cool is ready to take over the hip-hop world


Band of the Day (4.1.11) Goblin

Seriously this is no April Fool’s joke. Tyler, the Creator, is amazing, he is a founding member of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), the 10-person hip hop collective that are roaming around your inbox. Tyler, the Creator, has made a splash of his own. On December 25, 2009, Tyler self-released his first album, Bastard. The album, quickly buzzed for its dark energy and punishing beats and eventually ranked 32nd on Pitchfork Media’s list of the Top Albums of 2010. In early March Tyler released his new single “Yonkers” and since that time, Kayne obsessively called it the video of 2011, and Diddy has called him the future of the music industry. Now it’s your turn to be the judge, watch the video of “Yonkers”, listen to a few tracks and grab his new vinyl here.

Vitals:
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Members: Tyler the Creator AKA: Wolf Haley, Ace
Sonic Soulmates: Seriously, it’s deep dark and unique enough to say, can’t find one. MellowHype? Maybe?
Trackables:
“French (Toro Y Moi Remix)”

“French” – Great track from TTC Goblin’s first record.

Watchables:
“Yonkers” ‘

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