Born to be ‘Wild’

November 12, 2010 chris maroulakos Leave a comment

Since Sleater-Kinney‘s breakup in 2006, fans of the trio have held out hope for a reunion. The Olympia, Washington band dissolved at the height of its creative powers, having just released its seventh album, the classic rock-influenced The Woods.

The group had originally emerged out of Olympia’s mid-90s riot grrl scene, but quickly differentiated itself through its use of sharp guitar hooks, distinctive harmonies, and politically savvy lyrics. By the time of their breakup, Sleater-Kinney were more than just critical darlings — they were fiercely cherished by fans in a way that few bands come close to achieving. Now, at long last, those fans will be treated to a Sleater-Kinney reunion — well, sort of. Continue reading…

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Poetic Memory: Rumspringa (List)

November 11, 2010 owl and bear staff Leave a comment

MP3: Rumspringa – “Criminal Love”

L.A.’s Rumspringa just released Sway, their debut full-length. Produced by Mannie Nieto (The Breeders, Los Lobos), the album works well to showcase the band’s brand of psychedelic-surf-garage-punk. And though Sway is reminiscent of David Bowie, T-Rex, and the Stones — with a little bit of The White Stripes thrown in for good measure — Rumspringa’s sound is wholly their own. With an abundance of original melodies, great lyrics, and solid musicianship, they are clearly going places.

MTV News has called Rumspringa “One of the best LA bands […] in a really long time,” and RCRD LBL has commended them for “running feverish, fast-paced rock-n-roll trails in our head.” We saw them at The Rumble back in August and had a hell of a good time.

Rumspringa will play the Soda Bar on 11/15, and Bar Pink on 12/4. In anticipation of the shows, lead singer Joey Stevens sent us a list of influences. Check it out below.

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Contest: Win Tickets to see Clinic at the Casbah (San Diego)

November 9, 2010 owl and bear staff 9 Comments

U.K. post-punks Clinic are coming to San Diego, and we have a pair of tickets to give away.

The band is on a rare fourteen-city tour in support its excellent sixth album, Bubblegum, and the November 21 show at the Casbah will be the final stop. Revered by fellow musicians, Clinic have a wholly original sound, and since the late â€™90s, theyâ€™ve beamed their brand of psychedelic pop into stereos across the world.

San Francisco’s The Fresh & Onlys will open the show, along with San Diegoâ€™s Lights On and The Loons. This year, the Fresh & Onlys released a handful of 7-inch singles, an EP, and — to cap off the year — a new LP called Play It Strange. DJâ€™s Mikey Face and Cory Casey will also be on hand to spin vinyl between sets.

This show will almost certainly sell out, so if you’re not a gambler, you can get tickets here.

Otherwise, to enter the contest, just comment below and include your email address in the form (your email wonâ€™t be visible to the public). The winner will be chosen at random on November 19, 2010.

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Blonde Redhead Get Back on the Horse

November 9, 2010 chris maroulakos Leave a comment

Getting your jaw stepped on by a horse doesn’t do wonders for your singing career.

Just ask Kazu Makino, vocalist for New York-based post-rockers Blonde Redhead. In 2002, the Japan-born equestrian was thrown from her horse and trampled. The ensuing recovery forced the band into a hiatus, but it returned in 2004 with the excellent Misery Is A Butterfly (the video for album closer “Equus” provided a surreal depiction of the accident’s aftermath). Continue reading…

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