The Morning Benders – ‘All Day Day Light’ (Video)
The Morning Benders just released the handclap-heavy video for “All Day Day Light,” the latest single from their well-received album, Big Echo. As directed by Jack Ferry, the clip’s concept is simple yet elegant, showing the band playing as the seasons rapidly change around them. Given The Morning Benders’ whirlwind year, that intense passage of time is surely something they can relate to.
As 2010 barrels to a close, the band is showing no signs of letting up. They’ve got a slew of tour dates on their schedule, including a stop at the Belly Up on October 13th. The full list of dates can be found below. Continue reading…
Califone – Giving Away the Bride (Video)
The video for the lead track of Califone’s excellent 2009 album, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers.
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…
Roadside Graves to Play West Coast Tavern on Monday
In a shocking report, the Surgeon General just revealed that Americans aren’t getting enough rowdy folk in their diets. If you’re among the folk-deficient, bleary-eyed masses, look no further than Monday’s Roadside Graves show at West Coast Tavern to get your life back on track. (NOTE: The show was originally to be held at the Tin Can Alehouse, but was canceled. Thanks to SD Dialed In, the show has found a new home at West Coast Tavern.)
I can’t think of a better way to start your week than experiencing Roadside Graves’ joyous, knee-slapping live set. The band is currently touring in support of the critically acclaimed EP, You Won’t Be Happy With Me, out now on Autumn Tone Records. Continue reading…
Florence and the Machine – ‘Dog Days Are Over’ (Video)
Florence Welch isn’t shy. The lead singer of Florence and the Machine has a powerful set of pipes, and she uses it to belt out notes with abandon. As a child, Welch was frequently reprimanded in school for impromptu singing, and got her break by serenading Mairead Nash of British DJ duo Queens of Noize during a chance bathroom encounter. Welch’s outgoing personality is also evident in her lyrics — her band’s first hit was “Kiss With a Fist,” a stunning ode to passion and violence.
Florence and the Machine’s video for “Dog Days Are Over” is currently nominated for Best Rock Video and Video of the Year at the MTV Video Music Awards. Both honors will be decided by fans, so you can help the band win by voting here and here. With its Eastern imagery and soulful vocals, the video is a great demonstration of Welch’s quirky charm and tenacious talent.
After you vote, head on over to the band’s Facebook page for a free download of “Cosmic Love (Short Club Remix).” And, if you feel like “liking” the page while you’re there, don’t be shy.
‘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…
Villagers – ‘Becoming a Jackal’ (Video)
Sometimes when you hear a song, it casts a spell on you that can only be broken by continuously listening to it for days on end. “Becoming a Jackal” by Villagers still has me in its whimsical grip, and I suspect the only way that the spell can be broken is if I pass it along to the O&B collective consciousness.
Actually, after listening to the Irish band’s debut LP — also titled Becoming a Jackal, out now on Domino Records — I fear the spell won’t go away until the rest of you fall in love with the entire album, just as I have. But for starters, have a look-see at the above video. I must warn you, though — it may conjure emotion.
Lullabies in Nerdland
Comic-Con International 2010 came and went, leaving behind all its star-studded blockbuster buzz and its traumatic encounters with cellulite precariously wrapped in spandex hot pants (my Wonder Woman fantasies are forever destroyed). We’ll be bringing you our take on the world’s largest comic convention in the coming days, but in the meantime, here’s a video that captures the live-action fever dream that the folks at Owl and Bear got lost in this weekend.
Also, look below for some custom made owl, bear, and owlbear sketches by some generous Comic-Con artists. Continue reading…
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.
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…
Billy Bragg Covers Joanna Newsom
This is pretty cool:
We made plans to catch up with Billy at his hotel room during a layover in London. Just watching this again realizing that some plonker outside the hotel is saying “I have to apologize for my wife.” No idea what that’s about. Billy was awesome, he’s really funny, self deprecating, smart, sweet…which is cool because, let’s face it, the guy’s a legend.
Bonnaroo 2010, Part 2: Friday & Saturday
Friday kicked off with an acoustic set by Dr. Dog — a good start to any day. O&B favorites Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros put on a standout performance that had the entire crowd singing and foot-stomping along to “Home.” Unfortunately, their set was unusually short — clocking in at just over half an hour.
Continue reading…
Contest: Win a One Eskimo Prize Pack, Including Tickets to Anthology 7/1, T-Shirt, & CD
London-based four piece One Eskimo gained prominence last year after touring with Tori Amos and dropping a well-received debut LP, and they’ve been getting major airplay in England ever since. The band is now on a U.S. tour, and they’ll bring the indie rock to Anthology on July 1.
In anticipation of their show, we have here a One Eskimo prize pack, and it quite possibly has your name on it. The prize pack includes two tickets to the 7/1 Anthology show, a One Eskimo t-shirt, and a copy of their self-titled debut LP. For a taste of their sound, check out the above video for “Kandi,” the single from the album.
To enter the contest, send an email to contest@owlandbear.com. In the email, include your name, phone number, and mailing address. (The information will NOT be shared for marketing purposes.) The winner will be chosen at random on June 28, 2010.
Fanfarlo – Fire Escape (Video)
U.K. five-piece Fanfarlo will release their new, digital-only “Fire Escape” EP on July 13th. In addition to its unadulterated title track, the EP features remixes by TV On The Radio’s Dave Sitek, The Horrors, Toro Y Moi, and Tom Elmhirst.
Lady Gaga – ‘Alejandro’ (Video)
There’s a fine line between postmodern pastiche and corporatized pop rehash, but Lady Gaga — who just released the epic-length music video for her latest single, “Alejandro” — has heretofore stylishly and successfully danced on that tightrope wearing a myriad of medical fetish gear, latex bodysuits, and Alexander McQueen heels. Yet “Alejandro,” with its didactic investments in Madonna-esque blasphemy and fascist military imagery, fails to provide Lady Gaga’s brilliant, trademark pop derivations or her meta-corporate critiques. Continue reading…
Theresa Andersson – “Oh Mary” (Video)
Theresa Andersson is one of music’s most engaging and innovative performers. The spritely, one-woman band has amazed us in the past with her incredible live shows and engaging music videos. Now, the clip for “Oh Mary” combines the two, capturing Andersson on stage as she cobbles the bouncy spiritual together one blissful loop at a time.
The video is an excerpt from her new concert DVD, Theresa Andersson: Live at Le Petit, on sale exclusively through her website. The performance in question was recorded on February 8, 2010 at Le Petit Theatre in her hometown of New Orleans. Directed by Bridget Palardy, the concert film showcases Andersson’s boundless talent and unassuming charm.
If you think it’s amazing how much mileage Andersson gets out of a violin and some pedals, check out Live at Le Petit to see what happens when she throws all those guitars and drums into the mix.
Review: Frightened Rabbit; May 22, 2010; Casbah, San Diego
“The Casbah has always been a special place for us,” Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchison informed the enthusiastic, sold-out crowd.
It was his band’s third appearance at the quintessential San Diego venue — which he claimed had given them their first headlining gig — and you could tell that his professed love was genuine. The show was the second to last stop on Frightened Rabbit’s US tour, but the smiles on their faces made it clear that it was far from just another gig. Continue reading…
New Bill Withers Documentary: ‘Still Bill’ (Video)
Even if “Lean On Me” has been played a billion times, it doesn’t change the fact that it’s a great song. And even though Bill Withers basically retired from music in 1985, the fact that he’s a great songwriter remains.
Aside from the numerous Grammys Withers has won since his retirement (thanks to re-recordings and samples taken from his songs), little news has come from the Withers camp — until now. On May 11, filmmakers Damani Baker and Alex Vlack released “Still Bill,” a documentary about their quest to track him down. Continue reading…
