There are bands you passively enjoy, and then there are those whose music, for whatever reason, fits like key to lock in that musical sweet spot deep within your brain. Heartless Bastards have always been the latter type of band for me, and I don’t know whether it’s their gritty Southern influences, lead singer Erika Wennerstrom’s bluesy alto, or some mysterious combination of the two, but I’ve been proselytizing them to the world since I first heard their music. Continue reading…
Craig Finn makes for an unlikely rock star. It’s partly his anti-hipster look, always sporting novelist eyeglasses and either a button-down shirt or a Twins T, but more than that it’s the vibe. Continue reading…
The lineup at Mr. Smalls on Tuesday night was a confusing one, with Here We Go Magic sandwiched between garage rockers Tokyo Police Club and grunge-punk band The Edukators. Here We Go Magic’s brand of psych rock was the stylistic opposite of the other two acts, and I was curious as to how they would handle their odd placement. Continue reading…
Erika Davies has a voice like a butterfly. It flutters about, agile and light as the air, clearing entire octaves with no visible effort.
Her performances are distinctly old school, from her vintage microphone to her penchant for evening gowns. Even her voice is retro — evoking Ella Fitzgerald and Édith Piaf but never paling in comparison — and it wouldn’t be surprising if her vocal chords were made out of vinyl. She’s one of the brightest diamonds in the San Diego ruff, and at Saturday’s monthly Sight and Sound event at Queen Bee, she was allowed to shine. Continue reading…
It was after 11 on a Saturday, but the Casbah was relatively empty. The only people in attendance at the usually crowded venue were those who had stayed in town instead of venturing out to Coachella, but weren’t too tuckered out from excessive Record Store Day vinyl consumption. Continue reading…