Califone – Giving Away the Bride (Video)
The video for the lead track of Califone’s excellent 2009 album, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers.
Ted Leo Plays Ché Café on 9/2, Casbah 9/3
Ted Leo, the intellectual leader of indie rock, will play two shows in San Diego on September 2 and 3, and you’d better be there. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: JBM (List)
Jesse B. Marchant, also known as JBM, is a singer/songwriter from Montreal. A classically trained guitarist, he only recently began to write lyrics, sing, and record. His debut album, Not Even in July, was written in Los Angeles but recorded in New York’s Adirondack mountains, and it proves that he’s capable of sitting with other indie favorites like Bon Iver and AA Bondy.
JBM will open for AA Bondy at the Casbah on September 1. His Poetic Memory is below.
Poetic Memory: Gun Runner (List)
After returning to San Diego from Berklee School of Music, Sean Davenport wanted to get a band together, so he got in touch with his old friend Diego Rojano. In late 2009, Davenport and Rojano recruited local songwriter Tommy Graf (guitar) and Carlos Ortiz (drums), and they formed Gun Runner.
Since then, they’ve drawn from a variety of influences — including Wilco, Pavement, and Sonic Youth — to create a unique sound. This year, they released the excellent EP Bad Neighbors, an interesting work that evokes the psychedelic blues of Bob Dylan’s 2007 masterpiece, Time out of Mind.
Davenport’s soulful voice isn’t much like Dylan’s though, and that’s a good thing. Tracks like “Zelda” find him repeating “I can make this all better for you,” as if he’s been telling it to a few beers. Meanwhile, the reverb-laden instrumentation frames his half-drunk delivery. On the nostalgic “2 out of 3,” where choral intro harmonies are juxtaposed against Rojano’s lilting bass and Davenport’s voice, Gun Runner creates a kind of zombie R&B. It’s well worth a few listens, and you can stream it on MySpace or purchase it on iTunes.
Gun Runner will open for Maren Parusel at the Belly Up Tavern on Tuesday, August 31. While you wait, check out their Poetic Memory (below).
Contest: Win Tickets to See The Black Keys on 9/25 (San Diego)
Photo credit: MySpace/Jeremy Weiss
San Diego’s favorite indie-bluesmen The Black Keys will play Soma on 9/25, and we have two tickets with your name on ‘em.
These hard rockin’ Ohians just released Brothers, their latest album, in May. They’ve also played San Diego many times, and have never let us down. Case in point: this show is already sold out, so if you don’t already have tickets, you’re not going to get them (ungouged) — that is, unless you enter this contest. As an added bonus, if you win, you’ll get the tickets for free. “Pop noir” singer/songwriter Nicole Atkins will open.
To enter the contest, just comment below with your favorite Black Keys song, and why, and include your email address in the form (your email won’t be visible to the public). The winner will be chosen at random on September 17, 2010.
Just to reiterate: if you want to win this contest, you must name your favorite Black Keys song, and say why.
Poetic Memory: Bazile (List)
Photo credit: Caroline Poe
Bazile is a solo artist from Austin, TX who writes music that he calls “Space Folk.”
Originally from Mississippi, Bazile grew up listening to film scores, and that appreciation has greatly contributed to his style of songwriting. And although his songs are often cinematic, Bazile truly shines when it’s just his voice and guitar.
Bazile took two years to record his debut album, The Sojourn of Professor Narducci, and it was a long, deliberative process. The end result, however, is a captivating work that succeeds in balancing the music with his often melancholy lyrics. For a sample of the album, check out “Solder City” and the Sufjan Stevens-esque “Life of Particles” (MP3s). Bazile’s Poetic Memory is below.
Poetic Memory: HoneyHoney (List)
Venice, California’s HoneyHoney — everybody’s favorite folkybluesyrockpop band with a foxy lead singer — will be opening for Xavier Rudd tonight at the Belly Up Tavern.
For evidence of the duo’s talent, you need look no further than the cover of Smashing Pumpkins’ “1979″ on their afore-linked MySpace page. Suzanne Santo’s vocals are simultaneously world-weary and light as air, effectively erasing any memory of that Billy Corgan guy. And that’s just a cover — their playful, sauntering originals have enough soul and fire to keep your toes tapping through the night.
As you anxiously await the Belly Up’s open doors, check out HoneyHoney’s top 10 mind-blowing life experiences, located below. Continue reading…
The Owl and Bear Podcast vol. 139
I was only reminiscin’ on the love I believed we’d shared.
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Poetic Memory: The Henry Clay People (List)
Photo credit: Drew Reynolds
L.A. guitar rockers The Henry Clay People just released their third full-length, Somewhere on the Golden Coast. It follows in the footsteps of their previous releases, but this time around, the album has a more freewheelin’ feel. When recording the album, producer Aaron Espinoza wanted to capture the band’s renowned live show, so he encouraged them to do away with the headphones and overdubs, drink some beers, and record live to tape.
It’s clear that they were thinking about sound when recording Golden Coast, so it should come as no surprise that they sent us a list of “Best Sounding Guitars.” The Henry Clay People will open for Silversun Pickups and Everest tonight at Soma. Their Poetic Memory is below.
Califone’s Tim Rutili Lends Support to Song+Stories Project, You Should Too
Independent radio artists Elizabeth Meister and Dan Collison are working with acclaimed Califone songwriter Tim Rutili on a documentary called Journey of the Asian Carp.
For the uninitiated, the Asian carp is a destructive non-native fish that has wreaked havoc on Midwestern waterways by crowding out native fish and uprooting plants. Notorious for their jumping ability, they also pose a physical danger to fishermen and their feeding habits make them hard to capture.
Meister and Collison hope to weave the documentary with Rutili’s music to create something that is more than the sum of its parts. Rutili’s music will supplement the documentary’s narrative as it follows the invasive carp’s slow migration from the American south ”to the brink of Lake Michigan, focusing specifically on communities along the Illinois River that already have been invaded.”
If all goes well (more on that later), Meister and Collison will visit some of the small American communities that depend on their waterways and native fish but have been devastated by the Asian carp’s invasion.
Click here to learn how you can help…
Poetic Memory: Dinosaur Feathers (List)
Dinosaur Feathers have made a bit of a name for themselves back East. With a sound often compared to Animal Collective and the Beach Boys, these Brooklynites have received rave reviews from music fans everywhere, including Paste magazine:
When asked what…generated a bit of blog-buzz in recent months, Sullos demures: “The more you play, the more people talk about it.” True, but it likely has a bit more to do with the band’s melange of Latin and African-infused drum machine beats — plus the fact that these guys can really sing. Sullo and his bandmates use their voices like instruments, stacking and weaving them into a textured sonic tapestry that drips with 60s nostalgia.
We’re excited to see them at The Rumble this weekend, and you should be too. For a taste of their sound, check out “Fantasy Memorial” (MP3). Then, read their Poetic Memory (below).
Stop, Drop, and Rumble at Bar Pink – This Saturday
Click to enlarge
To quote our friends at Future Sounds, “Whatever show plans you have for Saturday night, get rid of them.”
August 7 marks the next Rumble, the multi-band, multi-drink, multi-month music showcase at Bar Pink. Last month’s event featured indie up-and-comers Harlem, What Laura Says, and San Diego’s own Sunday Times. Our friends Indigenous also celebrated their birthday, so it was quite the shindig. There aren’t any officially associated birthdays this time around but, if the lineup is any indication, attendees will still find plenty of cause to celebrate.
Opening the show will be Lesands, America’s Finest City™’s favorite electro-synth rockers. They’re relatively new to the local scene, but they’ve already received positive feedback from KCRW and elsewhere.
Next will be Brooklyn-based Dinosaur Feathers, a band that has exploded in popularity and won’t be playing places like Bar Pink for long. Future Sounds call them “Beach Boys meet Animal Collective,” a band that boasts “amazing vocal harmonies coupled with tropical beats.” Since Animal Collective are already half Beach Boys, that should make Dinosaur Feathers at least two-thirds Beach Boys, and that’s never a bad thing. Paste magazine has praised their use of harmonies “like instruments, stacking and weaving them into a textured sonic tapestry that drips with 60s nostalgia.”
After all that beachy, boyish goodness, Rumspringa will take the stage. They’re headlining the Rumble through August, and will carry it through to Las Vegas. Their upcoming full-length, set to be released on Cantora (not to be confused with Cantore) Records, and live shows have put audiences in “sacrificial trance-like states.” Cool. Click here for downloads and additional info…
‘Obama’s Making the Most Hideous, Hackneyed Racial Stereotypes in Here’
Stephen questions Laura Ingraham about the hackneyed racial stereotypes President Obama makes in his diary.
Poetic Memory: Zoo Seven (Interview)
Irish-born San Diegan Del Currie, also known as Zoo Seven, has been writing music and working in the industry since the 90s, but he only recently released his debut solo album. Called Lifesaver, the album is a rich and layered work that easily showcases his talent and self-professed love for melody and harmony. You can download the entire thing for free over at his website.
We asked Del to tell us about his influences, and he happily obliged. It’s a little different from what you might expect, but it’s nonetheless interesting. Check out Del Currie’s Poetic Memory below. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Mark Olson (Interview)
Photo credit: Ingunn Ringvold
Mark Olson co-founded The Jayhawks with Gary Louris back in 1985, and even though he split from the band 10 years into its 25-year existence, he left an indelible mark on one of the first great alt-country bands — and on lots of great bands that followed in the Jayhawks’ footsteps.
Olson hasn’t stopped working, either. Between 1995 and today, Olson has released seven albums with The Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers, a celebrated 2008 reunion album with Gary Louris called Ready For The Flood, and (soon to be) two solo albums.
Olson will release Many Colored Kite, his second solo album, on July 27. The album was produced by Beau Raymond (engineer for Devendra Banhart) and features collaborations with Jolie Holland, Vashti Bunyan, and Neal Casal of Ryan Adams’ band the Cardinals. For a sample, check out “Little Bird of Freedom” (MP3), the Jolie Holland-collaborated first single from the album.
In anticipation of Many Colored Kite, we asked Mr. Olsen to send us a list of his influences. He obliged, and even though it’s not exactly a list, it’s still awesome. Check it out below.
Poetic Memory: Charles Yu (List)
Excerpt from How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, by Charles Yu
Charlie Yu is the author of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, surely my favorite book about “a son searching for his father…through quantum space–time.”
Yu is also the author of Third Class Superhero, an excellent collection of short stories. You should pre-order How to Live Safely (out Sept. 7) and pass the time by reading Third Class Superhero immediately.
And if you’re going to Comic-Con on Saturday, you’ll have a chance to meet him. After reading Charlie Yu’s Poetic Memory, we’re really looking forward to it. Check it out below.
Sarah Jaffe Announces Tour (MP3)
Sarah Jaffe at the Casbah - June 10, 2010
In May, Texas songwriter Sarah Jaffe released Suburban Nature, her excellent sophomore album. She also just completed tours with the likes of Norah Jones and Lou Barlow. Now, she’s heading out on her own.
Jaffe’s brand of stripped-down introspection is a breath of fresh air in an age of muddy music. Her well-developed, resonant lyrics and songwriting are reminiscent of old Moon Pix and Knock Knock-era Cat Power and Smog, respectively. When I saw Jaffe open for Barlow in June, her set might’ve been the highlight of the night.
It doesn’t look like she’ll be stopping in San Diego this time around, but there is a conspicuous gap between her stops in Phoenix and Los Angeles, so you never know. If you get a chance, check out her show. In the meantime, download “Clementine” (MP3) from Suburban Nature. Tour dates are below.
Contest: Win Electric Tickle Machine’s ‘Blew It Again’ on Vinyl
NYC psych garage rockers Electric Tickle Machine debuted Blew It Again in October, and they’ve been accumulating fans ever since. The album, produced by Matt Boynton (Gang Gang Dance, Bat for Lashes) is a multi-faceted piece of work, ranging from compulsive singalong pop (“Part of Me”) to modernized Highway 61-esque tracks like “Bones.” Blew It Again is a hoot to hear, and the band’s energy on record implies that their live shows are a hell of a time.
Electric Tickle Machine also just participated in a wide-ranging interview with ABC news. In the interview, band mastermind Tom Tickle explains that their odd moniker is “a reference to the evolving relationship between humanity and technology and the vessels through which we process our culture, our art, our entertainment, and how we can look at doing something artistic within the context of a world where we already know the output.” If that hurts your brain too much, maybe simply consider Mr. Tickle’s disclaimer that Electric Tickle Machine “is not a euphemism for a vibrator.”
We at Owl and Bear are proud to offer a vinyl copy of Electric Tickle Machine’s debut album, Blew It Again. For a sample of their work, check out “Gimme Money” (MP3). Then, follow the instructions below.
To enter the contest, just comment below and include your email address in the form (your email won’t be visible to the public). The winner will be chosen at random on August 1, 2010.
Poetic Memory: Big Tree (List)
Regarding Brooklyn’s Big Tree, the live MP3 site Daytrotter.com says it best:
[They] harbor tree houses and nests in their heads, places that they shy away to when they need to feel things in their lives getting easier, even just for a second, for a half hour.
Kaila McIntyre-Bader leads this escapist ensemble, singing songs to help us envision our lives outside of urbania. In case that’s not enough for you, the band has taken the next step and actually recommended five places that will make Owl and Bear readers “Feel Really Good.”
The band is also on tour — with stops in San Diego on July 14 and 15 — so even if you can’t get to Redwood Forest in the near future, you’ll be able to travel with Big Tree from the comfort of your own fair city.
Big Tree’s Poetic Memory is below.
Contest: Win Tickets to see Robyn on 7/22 (San Diego)
Swedish electronica chanteuse Robyn will play the Belly Up Tavern on July 22, and we have two tickets to give away.
Known for her late 90s singles “Show Me Love” and “Do You Know (What It Takes),” Robyn is set to release three records this year. The first, the 8.5 Pitchfork-rated/Best New Music’d Body Talk Pt. 1 was released in June. The next two (try guessing their titles) will be released in September and December.
We have here two tickets to see Robyn on July 22 at the Belly Up Tavern. For your chance to win the tickets, send an email to contest@owlandbear.com with your name, phone number, and mailing address. The winner will be selected at random on July 20.
Interview: Phantogram
Photos by Eleanore Park
In today’s fickle, post-Pitchfork world, each new band can start to feel like the latest chillwave flavor of the month. In the ambiguous sea of lo-fi turned glo-fi turned back to shoegaze whatever, it is important to give certain bands the distinction they deserve.
Phantogram duo Joshua Carter and Sarah Barthel are a reminder that, behind the indie genre’s similarities, there are subtle but important shifts in influences and backgrounds. Conceived on an isolated farm in Upstate New York, their debut album, Eyelid Movies, is the lovechild of 90’s hip-hop beats and urban dream-pop.
Phantogram have already passed through San Diego twice this year — the first time opening for The Antlers at the Casbah and, more recently, opening for The XX at House of Blues, and we can’t wait for them to come back. We spoke with Sarah Barthel after their House of Blues performance, and we also caught up with her later via email. Continue reading…
July Rumble: Birthdays, Beers, and Bands
Click to enlarge
It seems like only yesterday that San Diegans gathered at Bar Pink for the June installment of the Rumble to watch Maren Parusel, Chasing Kings, and Drug Wars. The truth is, it’s been a month, which means it’s time once again to lace up your stampeding shoes and direct yourself toward the North Park watering hole.
Saturday’s lineup starts strong and get better from there. Tempe-based three-piece What Laura Says will set a high bar with their bluesy, poppy Americana. Next up will be San Diego’s Sunday Times. Not much is known about this enigmatic group, but the few videos on their MySpace page show promise. Texas trio Harlem will headline, fresh off the release of their Pitchfork-acclaimed sophomore album, Hippies. Described by the bipolar music mag as “bubblegum…flavored with booze and cigarettes,” Harlem will undoubtedly put on a Rumble-worthy set. Finally, FM 94/9 music director/DJ Michael Halloran will keep your toes tapping between sets.
July 10 also commemorates the birthday of Rumble sponsors Indigenous, so it’s an extra-special event. Instead of three-dollar Trumers and free Trumer tastings, this time there shall be free Trumers for all (while supplies last)!
The San Diego Rumble collective includes Future Sounds, Indigenous, San Diego:Dialed In, M-Theory, Bar Pink, artists-rights organization BMI, Trumer Pills, and — oh yeah — Owl and Bear. To make your intentions known, RSVP on this month’s Facebook event page. See you there!
MP3: Harlem – Friendly Ghost
MP3: What Laura Says – I’d Dance With You
Photos from last month’s Rumble:
