There must be some sort of a curse associated with shows that are ridiculously inexpensive — or at the very least, the cheapness of a show must be proportional to the likelihood of mishaps. Continue reading…
Stream: Science Fiction on SoundCloud
For the past three years, Santa Maria transplants Science Fiction have been gracing their adopted home of San Diego with a funky, sauntering brand of jazz.
Comprised of brothers Aaron and Allen de la Rosa on guitars, Antonio Bravo on drums, and Jacob Miranda on bass, the talented troupe excels at both improv and composition, layering catchy fretwork over danceable bass lines and percussion. The band applies those sonic layers only to tear them down, then rebuild them in unexpected and refreshing ways. Because of this, Science Fiction’s live shows are captivating events that always leave you wanting more.
When the band joins Paris-based experimentalists The Kandinsky Effect at the Office tonight (September 28), you’ll have a chance to see for yourself. In the meantime, Science Fiction were kind enough to send us their Poetic Memory. With influences ranging from George Benson to 8-bit Nintendo, it’s a revealing look at what makes this quartet tick. Check it out below…
MP3: Minus the Bear – “My Time”
Going in, I had mixed feelings about seeing Minus The Bear perform at Philadelphia’s Electric Factory — one of the city’s largest venues — on Friday. Continue reading…
In today’s fickle, post-Pitchfork world, each new band can start to feel like the latest chillwave flavor of the month. In the ambiguous sea of lo-fi turned glo-fi turned back to shoegaze whatever, it is important to give certain bands the distinction they deserve.
Phantogram duo Joshua Carter and Sarah Barthel are a reminder that, behind the indie genre’s similarities, there are subtle but important shifts in influences and backgrounds. Conceived on an isolated farm in Upstate New York, their debut album, Eyelid Movies, is the lovechild of 90’s hip-hop beats and urban dream-pop.
Phantogram have already passed through San Diego twice this year — the first time opening for The Antlers at the Casbah and, more recently, opening for The XX at House of Blues, and we can’t wait for them to come back. We spoke with Sarah Barthel after their House of Blues performance, and we also caught up with her later via email. Continue reading…