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…
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.
Every July the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and my heartbeat quickens. I can sense the gathering of nerds from all over the globe. It’s a mecca for the most hardcore geeks. I’m talking about San Diego Comic Con. It is the Super Bowl for the sci-fi/fantasy/horror/pop-culture fan in all of us. Between the days of July 22-25, the San Diego Convention Center houses thousands of vendors selling toys, statues, costumes, video games, movies, memorabilia, and of course comic books. Continue reading…
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 “Tour dates are below.
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.
