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).
Poetic Memory: The LeBarons (List)
If you’re looking for a new band to fall in love with this year, you’d be hard pressed to find a better one than The LeBarons.
The two-piece just released its debut album, Sounds From The Parallel Present, as a name-your-price download on its website. No matter what you choose to pay, the album is a steal. From the evocative opening track, “Black Adam,” onward, Parallel Present draws you into a world of rich melodies and finely-tuned compositions. The songwriting is built upon a foundation of classic rock greats like David Bowie and Led Zeppelin, but the end result feels fresh and timeless.
The Los Angeles duo plans on touring Southern California in the fall. In the meantime, you can read band members Nathan Berqvist and Daniel J Frankeberger’s Poetic Memory below. Continue reading…
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: Jail Weddings (List)
Photo credit: Sarah Morrison Photography
Jail Weddings‘ 2009 EP, Inconvenient Dreams, has spent the last few months in constant rotation at the Owl and Bear offices, waiting defiantly for a new record to oust it from its spot at the top of our playlist. Picking up where Phil Spector and his wall of sound left off, Jail Weddings fuse doo wop, rockabilly, and soul into catchy, theatrical pop. It’s a disarming and seductive combination, which is why their EP has been getting such frequent play.
But now, at long last, an album has toppled Inconvenient Dreams from its throne, and wouldn’t you know — it’s another Jail Weddings record.
Set for release on October 12, Love Is Lawless is the Los Angeles band’s debut full-length, and it contains all the ballroom waltzes and barroom brawls we’ve come to expect. From the sublime “I Thought You Were Someone I Knew” to the cathartic “Somebody Lonely,” Love Is Lawless is not only a passionate tour de force, but a rollicking good time.
Lead singer Gabriel Hart was kind of enough to share his top influences with us (in no particular order). We’ve done a lot of Poetic Memory features here at Owl and Bear, but this has to be one of the most fascinating and revealing ones to date. Check it out, along with the video for “I Thought You Were Someone I Knew,” below. Continue reading…
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…
Poetic Memory: Adam Haworth Stephens (List)
If you’ve heard Two Gallants, then you know how Adam Haworth Stephens‘ voice can stick with you. The singer/songwriter’s distinctive delivery and poetic lyrics have helped make the San Francisco duo one of indie rock’s most compelling acts, and now he’s venturing off on his own.
Stephens’ solo debut, We Live on Cliffs, is set for a September release on Saddle Creek. You can download the album’s first single, “The Cities That You’ve Burned” (MP3), from his website.
To celebrate the impending arrival of We Live on Cliffs, Stephens is taking his pop-inspired alt-folk on the road. And because no self-respecting tour is complete without a stop in America’s Finest City™, he’ll be headlining at the Casbah on Sunday, August 15th. Proving that two great acts are always better than one, San Diego’s favorite songbird, the always-charming Miss Erika Davies, will be opening.
Two Gallants may be on hiatus, but Stephen’s gallantry is still going strong — the scruffy musician was kind enough to share some of his influences with us. You can read his Poetic Memory, along with the rest of his tour dates, below. Continue reading…
Interview: Sleigh Bells
The first thing you notice about Sleigh Bells is how abrasive their sound is. The mangled notes of Derek Miller’s guitar come at you with all the volume and deadliness of helicopter blades, but beneath all the eardrum-shattering noise, the band’s pop roots take hold. Thanks to Miller’s carefully constructed riffs and Alexis Krauss’ delicate, ethereal vocals, Sleigh Bells’ high-energy, lo-fi rock is much more inviting than it is off-putting.
Miller recently took some time out of his crazy touring schedule — which includes stops at just about every major music festival on the planet — to answer a few questions for us. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Sonny and the Sunsets (List)
San Francisco-based Sonny & The Sunsets are preparing for the release of their new album. Out on August 31st through Fat Possum Records, the aptly titled Tomorrow Is Alright envelopes the listener in its soothing melodies and sun-soaked guitars, washing away even the smallest hint of pessimism.
Frontman Sonny Smith was kind enough to give us a glimpse of the influences that help him create perfect tunes for the endless summer romantic in all of us. Check out his Poetic Memory below. Continue reading…
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.
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).
Interview: Charles Yu
Owl and Bear met with up-and-coming author Charles Yu, who braved 8-foot Pikachus and zombie brides at Comic-Con International 2010 to talk with us about his new book, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe (Pantheon Books), due in stores September 7, 2010.
At first blush, Charles Yu’s How to Live Safely in A Science Fictional Universe is a classic science fiction comedy complete with a sobbing, suicidal time machine operating system and an ontologically ambiguous robot dog. But surrounding the dark humor of the protagonist, a lonely repairman of chronogrammatical vehicles with temporolinguistic architecture (read: time machines), is a small, sad universe that challenges the polarity of science and art through a unique narrative “technology.”
“I was trying to explore a fake science of storytelling,” Yu said, when asked about how his book collapses the barrier between science and language. “Reading a book itself is definitely a pretty advanced form of time travel, one we’ve had for a long time… I wasn’t so much trying to rigorously work through any kind of science about it, but just the idea that this is a really amazing technology we already have.” Continue reading…
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.
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…
Poetic Memory: Hotel St. George (List)
San Diego’s Hotel St. George recently premiered the excellent video for their song “Little Children’s Bones.” The video features a robot battling a wizard in Russian roulette, a dog with a cape, and various other serious things. It’s definitely in your best interest to check it out.
To enhance the viewing of their latest musical movie film, band members Matt Binder and Eric Visnyak provided us with their Poetic Memory. Watch the video above, and read their list of influences below. Continue reading…
Interview: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
In case you haven’t noticed, we are big fans of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros here at O&B.
Their breezy debut, Up From Below, topped our Best of 2009 list, and it’s still in heavy rotation here at O&B headquarters. The album has just been given the iTunes Deluxe Edition treatment, with three bonus tracks and two music videos added to sweeten the deal. You can purchase it here.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with messianic frontman Edward Sharpe, né Alex Ebert, to discuss his personal transformation, hadron colliders, and the new solo album he just finished recording.
Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Mammoth Life (List)
New bands can take a while to warm up to, but the art pop of Mammoth Life is instantly endearing. Resting somewhere between pop and folk, the Lawrence, Kansas band’s bouncy sound is sugary yet rugged, equally suited for dancing or riding a horse.
In addition to their musical prowess, Mammoth Life have an eye for style. They’ve got their own clothing line — aptly named Mammoth Life Apparel — and they recently released a seven-inch called Enlightenment: A Romantic Gospel on fancy, transparent blue vinyl. The gorgeous record is individually numbered to 250 copies.
You can snatch up a copy on Friday, June 2nd, when the band brings its catchy melodies and Midwestern charm to the Soda Bar. The Hot Moon and Flying Objects will be joining them, so don’t miss it.
Band leader/box guitarist/producer Nicholas Goss was kind enough to share his Poetic Memory with us, which you can find below. Continue reading…
Interview: Dr. Dog
O&B Best of 2008-ers Dr. Dog get more popular by the day, thanks to a solid discography and some of the best harmonies around. Despite their ever-expanding acclaim, the band wasn’t too busy to talk with us at this year’s Bonnaroo festival. We sat down with bandmates Toby Leaman and Zach Miller to discuss their latest release, Shame, Shame, and they even dropped some juicy details about new material that they have planned. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Alex Kemp (List)
Up and comer Alex Kemp has been in three bands — The Godrays, Small Factory, and Assassins — that have taken him from New York City to Rhode Island to Chicago and everywhere in between. Now, the nomadic Kemp has set up shop in Los Angeles — this time to pursue a solo career.
In a short period of time, Kemp has raised eyebrows with his smooth, breezy grooves and heart-on-sleeve lyrics. He is currently preparing a series of limited edition, hand-screen-printed EPs for release over the next year, to be followed by a debut LP. Kemp was kind enough to take some time out from all that recording to share a Poetic Memory with us:
There’s a lot songs, tied to a lot of moments, that make up a sort of weird musical mosaic of our own personal histories. Everybody’s is so different though, so I don’t expect that anyone would see these song/moments of mine and relate, necessarily. But maybe they’ll go listen to the songs again, which would be fine, because they’re pretty fucking great songs. And we would have that in common — I’ll go listen to them again too.
Alex Kemp’s list of songs that have inspired his love for music is below. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Audra Mae (List)
L.A.’s Audra Mae is not your average folk singer-songwriter. With pipes that approach Neko Case and a soul like Janis Joplin, she possesses a kind of sincerity that speaks to you but doesn’t succumb to the over-sharing that plagues the genre.
She might be best known for covering Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” (and it is an excellent cover), but you don’t really get a sense of what she’s capable of until you hear a song like “Cliche.”
In anticipation of her show with Good Old War and Yukon Blonde at the Soma side stage this Wednesday, June 9, we got a chance to hear her top ten moments to seize.
Stream: Audra Mae – “Cliche”
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Poetic Memory: Normandie Wilson (List)
Photo credit: MySpace
Fans of San Diego’s eccentric mariachi rockers Red Pony Clock have no doubt noticed Normandie Wilson, their fetching marimba player. The self-described “DIY Burt Bacharach-influenced pop” songstress is preparing her fourth solo album, The Flower Box, for release on July 1st. You can hear the first single, “Elevator,” on her MySpace page, or you can download the lovely “Goodbye” here (MP3).
It’s fitting that Wilson’s vocals soar like a bird over her swanky pop arrangements — she’s a member of the San Diego Audubon Society, and has dedicated herself to painting every single species of bird before she dies. We’re guessing that she also approves of (at least the first half of) our website’s name.
Wilson will be tearing herself away from the mixing board on June 23rd for a rare performance at the E Street Cafe in Encinitas, so be sure to catch her. In the meantime, be sure to check out her Poetic Memory below, in which she lists the albums and artists that ignited her love for music. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: The Miserable Rich (List)
When I listen to Brighton, England’s The Miserable Rich, I feel like I should be chasing a wheel of cheese down a cobblestone street somewhere in the South of France.
Well, not all of their songs make me feel that way. The song I speak of is called “Somerhill” — off the band’s excellent Of Flight and Fury LP — and it just has that old-timey, European feel to it. Their sound is typically referred to as chamber pop, but after a deeper listen, the plucky folk influence begins to shine through. If you’re a fan of Beirut or Fanfarlo, The Miserable Rich are a must-listen.
The band’s swirling, whimsical orchestral arrangements can feel lighter than air, but it is front man James de Malplaquet’s sincere, quivering croon that keeps the songs from floating away. De Malplaquet decided to create a list of the things that keep him grounded. His Poetic Memory is below. Continue reading…
