Category Archives: interviews

interviews, san diego

Poetic Memory: Gun Runner (List)

Leave a comment

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).

interviews

Poetic Memory: The LeBarons (List)

Leave a comment

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…

interviews, listen

Poetic Memory: Bazile (List)

Leave a comment
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.

interviews, video

Poetic Memory: Jail Weddings (List)

Leave a comment
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…

interviews, video

Poetic Memory: HoneyHoney (List)

Leave a comment

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…