Poetic Memory: Tobacco (List)
Photo credit: MySpace
Tobacco, also known as the mastermind behind the O&B Best of 2009 band Black Moth Super Rainbow, is an interesting fellow. From both his personality (evidenced below) and music, one gets the sense that his brain is unlike yours or mine.
We’re eagerly awaiting Tobacco’s March 24 show at the Casbah, and you should be too. To tide you over, here is Tobacco’s Poetic Memory — a list of influences that includes everything from amusement park rides to grotesque puppets. Continue reading…
Interview: Darwin Deez
Between songs on stage, Darwin Deez and his band have been known to break out in choreographed dance routines. To some, that alone would be worth the price of admission. But Deez is much more than just loose feet: his saccharine pop bounces around in your head and leaves you with a dizzying sugar high.
His self-titled debut is set for release in April on Lucky Number Music, and it’s a winner. We caught up with Deez as he prepared to embark on an opening gig for the 2010 NME Radar Tour with Hurts and Everything, Everything. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Generationals (List)
Generationals‘ 2009 album Con Law made our Best of 2009 list. For me, it’s the perfect example of everything I look for in a good pop-rock album: upbeat, catchy, light-hearted, and above all, fun. What made it exceed my expectations, however, were the varying styles from song to song. One minute I’m hearing Motown or Gary Numan, and the next I’m listening to…arena rock? Generationals’ unabashed experimentation with different sounds has helped to set them apart from the rest of the indie pack.
In addition to releasing great albums, they’ve been gallivanting around the U.S. spreading the rock-and-roll cheer nonstop. So, needless to say, I’m extra pleased that Grant Widmer took some time out of his busy schedule to send us a list of his influences. His Poetic Memory is below. Continue reading…
Poetic Memory: Judgement Day (List)
Photo credit: Riki Feldman
Everyone worth talking to agrees that Terminator 2: Judgment Day is one of the best action movies ever made. It can be no coincidence, then, that Oakland cinephile musicians Judgement Day chose the name they did. With rapid-fire drumming and laser battle synths, their music is the perfect soundtrack for your post-apocalyptic uprising against the evil machines.
Judgement Day are no strangers to action films. In fact, the string metal band spent years sifting through everything the genre has to offer, and have kindly compiled a list of the absolute worst for us.
You can check the band out live this Saturday, March 13th, at Soda Bar. They’ll be playing alongside The Burning of Rome, Battlehooch, and Boyscout in a special show curated by San Diego: Dialed In. It’s rare for San Diego: Dialed In to put together a show themselves, but the prospect of assembling such an action-packed lineup proved irresistible.
Now, without further ado, here are Judgement Day’s Top 5 Favorite Bad Action Movies of All Time… (more…)
Interview: Slow Club
If you need a little more U.K. folk-pop in your life, join the club.
Sheffield, England duo Slow Club are currently touring to support the stunning Yeah So, an album that would’ve been a shoo-in for our Best of 2009 list if I hadn’t discovered it too late. Over the course of the record’s twelve tracks, bandmates Charles Watson and Rebecca Taylor masterfully walk the line between sincerity and playfulness. As far as adorable rock duos go, they just might be Britain’s answer to the White Stripes. (more…)
Interview: The Morning Benders
The Morning Benders are still coming down from the success of Talking Through Tin Cans, their 2008 album that earned them Alternative/Indie Album of the Year on iTunes.
For their sophomore effort, they have teamed up with Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear to create Big Echo. Taylor’s fingerprints are all over the album; instead of three-minute pop songs, the band has opted for more sprawl and experimentation. The result is a more mature album, both in its lyrics and musical composition.
The band is currently trekking across the country on a tour that includes a stop at The Casbah on March 26th. We recently had a chance to catch up with singer/guitarist Chris Chu to discuss what it was like working with Chris Taylor, and what we can expect from the new tunes. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Langhorne Slim (List)
A few weeks ago, Langhorne Slim and his ridiculously good band played the Casbah. We loved it, and as with many who’ve seen him on this tour, an obsession was born.
We recently asked Langhorne and his band — Jeff Ratner, David Moore, and Malachi DeLorenzo — to reveal their Poetic Memories, and they came back with a wide-ranging and reliable list that sheds light on what they’re reading, watching, and playing. Check it out below. (more…)
Interview: Ray Manzarek
Photo credit: Getty Images
For music fans young and old, Ray Manzarek needs little introduction. In the late 60s, Manzarek co-founded and played keyboards in The Doors, who to this day remain one of rock and roll’s most influential bands. He’s written novels, directed films, and, at the age of 71, he’s still cooler than you are.
Manzarek’s salad days are the subject of the upcoming, award-winning documentary When You’re Strange, and, on February 28th, he’ll be bringing his roadhouse blues to San Diego for a gig at Anthology.
We sat down with Manzarek to discuss everything from fine wine to YouTube, and from Iggy Pop to Weird Al. (more…)
Poetic Memory: The Clientele (List)
Photo credit: Andy Willsher
London’s The Clientele are coming back to the U.S. and Canada to support their new album, Bonfires on the Heath, and The Casbah is on their itinerary.
Their songs have been described as “dreamlike suburban landscapes” with a “trippy sense of menace,” and the album has been featured on year-end lists at The AV Club, Pitchfork, and elsewhere. It’s good stuff, and we’re pretty excited to see them play.
The Clientele’s Alasdair MacLean recently provided us with a fitting list of “5 Recommended Hallucinatory Children’s Books” — which is, without a doubt, the most creative Poetic Memory we’ve ever received. Full list of tour dates and Mr. MacLean’s Poetic Memory are below.
You can pick up Bonfires at the Merge store; it’s available in CD, LP, and MP3 formats. For samples of their music, check out “Harvest Time” and “I Wonder Who We Are” (MP3s).
Interview: Shapes of Future Frames
Shapes of Future Frames may be a new band, but their faces are familiar. Featuring members of local powerhouses Scarlet Symphony and the Old In Out, the band’s epic arrangements and space-age guitar effects have already earned them a reputation as one of San Diego’s most exciting and innovative live acts.
The group recently finished recording their debut EP, The Minds of Tomorrow, Gone Today, and we caught up with band members Jamie Pawloski and Gary Hankins to talk about the record, the importance of brevity, and what an acoustic Shapes might sound like. (more…)
Poetic Memory: April Smith and the Great Picture Show (List)
April Smith at the Casbah - February 8, 2010
If I was only allowed to say one thing about April Smith, it’s that she can sing. Fortunately, there’s plenty of space here to gush about the Brooklyn-based belter: she also has an electric presence, she writes damn good songs, and she’s pretty much destined for greatness.
When I recently saw her perform with Langhorne Slim, I wanted to find her after the show and say, “What are you doing here? You should be on Broadway.” I never got a chance to have the conversation. However, she was nice enough to provide us with a wide-ranging list of influences.
If you’re even remotely interested in April Smith, definitely check out her song Colors (MP3), download her recent Daytrotter session, and catch her on tour. It’ll be worth your while. Her first album, Songs For A Sinking Ship, is out February 23rd. Tour dates and her Poetic Memory are below.
Poetic Memory: The Old In Out (List)
San Diego’s music scene offers plenty of options. Want gorgeous jazz vocals shimmering with old-timey charm? We’ve got Erika Davies. Need a mainlined dose of fast, endlessly catchy powerpop? We’ve got The Powerchords. Have a hankering for exquisitely depressing tales of heartache, complete with eerie saw-playing? We’ve got Black Heart Procession. But if you’re looking for a band that rocks so hard they’ll shatter your pint glass, you need look no further than The Old In Out.
Blending the raunchiest elements of blues, garage rock, and psychedelia, The Old In Out are a hailstorm of loud guitar, sledgehammered beats, and sneering swagger. We recently had the opportunity to pick drummer Christopher James Carrol’s brain about what inspires him:
“I’ve found that inspiration comes from within and without. Everything and anything from a cool movie to seeing a great art show to watching the sun set, or reading a good book on a rainy day afternoon. The things that truly influence me are the things that create whole new worlds to peer into: worlds of mood, color, and shape that challenge and unlock new doors of understanding.”
We’ve been fortunate enough to obtain Poetic Memory lists from lots of musicians in the past, but his is definitely one of the more eclectic ones we’ve seen. Carrol’s multifaceted nature is also apparent in his music; in addition to his work with The Old In Out, he also drums for up-and-coming prog monster Shapes Of Future Frames. Carrol’s Poetic Memory can be found below. (more…)
From the Archives: Beach House Interview
Since Teen Dream, the new record from Baltimore-based Beach House recently received a 9.0 rating and coveted Best New Music badge on Pitchfork, I thought I’d resurrect this 2009 interview with Alex Scally. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Boomsnake (List)
MySpace
Gabriel Rodriguez of San Diego’s Boomsnake initially met our Poetic Memory request with skepticism. In his own words, “I naturally become enthralled or influenced by the artist more than a record…I like becoming immersed in the creator: to view the world from their perspective, whatever it may be.” He adds, “The major influences of my life are probably those of most music listeners. Yes, I delve deep into the obscure, but those are not ‘life’ influences.”
For Rodriguez, though, the bottom line is this: “I enjoy music. All forms of music. If you put on ‘Thriller’ at a party, I’ll be dancing; ‘War Pigs’ at the bar, I’ll be drinking happily; ‘Sex in the Kitchen’ while making out, I’ll get freaky.”
Rodriguez’s list chronicles records that “strike the very being of the listener; records that play as if they were written for you.” His Poetic Memory is below. (more…)
Interview: Kurt Vile
Kurt Vile - December 29, 2009 at the Howlers Coyote Café
Psych/folk singer-guitarist Kurt Vile (yes, that’s his real name) has been enjoying some serious buzz since the October release of Childish Prodigy on Matador Records. We recently had the chance to sit down over a cold beer with Mr. Vile before a packed show in Pittsburgh, the first on a two-month U.S. tour. Here is how the conversation went. (more…)
Interview: Fanfarlo
Fanfarlo have had a whirlwind year. They’ve played giant festivals and toured Europe, and then headlined in the United States in support of their terrific debut LP, Reservoir.
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with multi-instrumentalist Cathy Lucas and drummer Amos Memon before their intimate December 12th performance at the Brillobox in Pittsburgh. In the wide-ranging interview, we talked about David Bowie, burglary, and bladder control. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Tristeza (List)
San Diego post-rockers Tristeza are coming home to the Casbah this Saturday, December 12, and we can’t wait. In anticipation, we asked longtime drummer—and all around friendly guy—James Lehner to detail his Poetic Memory. Lehner writes:
In the past year, these albums have influenced me deeply, but more than that, have been quite symbolic and ironically synced-up with my life.
Tristeza’s new album, Fate Unfolds, was just released on 12/1. For a flavor of the new disc, check out the excellent tracks “Manitas” and “Tension Futura” (MP3s). You can buy it here. You can also check out their mesmerizing video of “Tension Futura” above. Below, you will find James Lehner’s Poetic Memory.
Poetic Memory: Fruit Bats (List)
Fruit Bats at The Casbah, San Diego - February 3, 2009
The Ruminant Band, Fruit Bats‘ first release in four years, is undoubtedly one of the best releases of 2009. We recently sat down with Eric to talk Poetic Memory, and he listed the records most influential to him from the 1990s. Check it out below. (more…)
Poetic Memory: The Moviegoers (List)
In the 1960s the average band enjoyed fame for a couple of months, if that, before people’s attention shifted to the next rising (and soon to be falling) stars. Being a one-hit wonder wasn’t a failure, it was the norm, and accomplishments by bands like The Beatles and The Kinks were rendered all the more impressive by the fact that any kind of longevity was exceptional, and enjoyed by only a small percentage of groups.
Not much has changed since then: nowadays most bands—particularly in the realm of indie rock—still amount to little more than passing fads, soaking up their proverbial fifteen minutes of fame before succumbing to irrelevance. But one thing that has been accelerated by the internet is that entire genres seem to rise and fall in the space of a few months, leaving up-and-coming groups scrambling to tap into the next sound du jour and ride the Wavves waves of recognition before they fizzle out.
Then there are bands who are content to just create great music. Unfazed by meaningless trends, they place emphasis on great songwriting, captivating melodies, and a distinctive but inviting sound. They may not get drooled over by Pitchfork (and if they do, it’s only so long until P4K’s drool runs dry and the inevitable backlash begins), but they do create a body of work that speaks for itself, and will outlast the one-MP3 wonders that permeate the blogosphere. San Diego’s The Moviegoers are one of those bands, and though they may not auto-tune their vocals or mangle their guitars with lo-fi crunch, they do create moving and memorable songs accented by rich harmonies and understated confidence. And that never goes out of style. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Anna Ternheim (List)
Anna Ternheim recently won Swedish Grammys for “Album of the year” and “Female artist of the year,” and she just released the Bjorn Yttling (of Peter, Bjorn, and John)-produced Leaving on a Mayday on August 11, 2009. Ternheim’s lyrical confidence and directness make he songs particularly refreshing in a climate often dominated by bands looking for someone else’s sound. For a sample of her style, check out this MP3 of “What Have I Done?”
Ternheim is currently finishing up a North American tour, with four nights on the eastern seaboard through this Saturday. See below for her Poetic Memory and tour details. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Chris Hickey (List)
Chris Hickey has recorded with musical luminaries like Joe Henry, Michael Penn, and Indigo Girls, and he’s a former member of the bands “Uma” and “Show of Hands”. Now, he’s released Razzmatazz, his third solo effort.
One highlight of Razzmatazz (among many) is Hickey’s tribute to Jack Kerouac. He says, “I’ve only recently discovered Kerouac and I agree with Allen Ginsberg when he said that Kerouac’s work is ‘The most sincere and holy writing I know of our age.’” Hickey does the man justice with “Kerouac” (MP3).
The album was written in song-a-day fashion over the course of three weeks, and the result is “16 songs, vocal & guitar, recorded on a hand-held voice recorder…so, for better or worse, it’s sketchy, low-fi, quirky…but it might be charming or something.” It’s been listed listed as a New and Noteworthy on release on iTunes. You can purchase it here (iTunes).
We recently sat down with him to talk Poetic Memory (below). He used his own formatting when he sent us his list, and we decided that it works best that way. Enjoy! (more…)
Poetic Memory: Frank Turner (List)
English punk turned folk singer-songwriter Frank Turner just released Poetry of the Deed, his third solo record. To celebrate the occasion, he sat down with us to talk Poetic Memory.
For a taste of Turner, check out this MP3 of “Front Crawl“. He’s also currently on tour, traveling everywhere from the midwest to the southwest. Dates are at the end of this post.
Poetic Memory is a regular Owl and Bear feature in which musicians disclose their influences—whether it’s albums, songs, artists, or something random. If you’re interested in being featured here, send us an email. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Cougar (List)
Cougar, Madison Wisconsin’s all-foxy-grandma-instrumental-post-rock band, just released their sophomore effort, Patriot. Along with it came two starkly different—yet excellent—singles,”Stay Famous” (MP3) and “Foil Épée Sabre” (MP3, EP only). “Stay Famous” plays with old-school indie dynamics, while “Sabre”, a meandering folky piece, may or may not have something to do with fencing. You can check out their catalog at iTunes, as well as other places.
We recently got together with Cougar to talk Poetic Memory, and after listening to the two songs above, it should be no surprise that their influences range from Timbalada’s “boobs” album (whose cover is NSFW, by the way), to Bach, Hendrix, and Tortoise’s TNT. If you are surprised, it’s all explained below.
They have one gig in their hometown of Madison, Wisconsin before they embark on a European tour. Tourdates are at the bottom of the post. (more…)
Poetic Memory: Local Natives (List)
Silver Lake-based Local Natives just completed a U.S. tour with Ben Kweller, then went to London, then stormed barns across the midwest. They even blog. Needless to say, these guys (and occasionally girl) are both creative and busy. They’re also great musicians who put on a rewarding and fun show. They have a new album called Gorilla Manor coming out soon.
Recently, the band recorded an acoustic version of their song “Camera Talk” (MP3) for the website Aurgasm, who pretty aptly summed up our feelings for the band:
The quintet’s unique brand of indie folk highlights their tight vocal harmonies without sacrificing on rolling guitars, keys and percussion or sharp lyrics. Their laid-back and layered folk is a perfect way to wind down the rest of summer.
Local Natives are also currently touring extensively in the west through late September, with a stop Thursday (9/3) at San Diego’s Casbah, and then they’re moving on to Europe for six weeks. Complete list of tourdates is below.
Meanwhile, we caught up Ryan Hahn, Taylor Rice, and Kelcey Ayer to talk Poetic Memory. Check it out. (more…)
