AltWeeklies Wire
The Dutchess and the Duke Break Hearts on Acoustic Stringsnew
Sunset/Sunrise is permeated by a much darker mood than the band's debut, She's the Dutchess, He's the Duke, but the follow-up succeeds by using the same simple arrangements.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
11-04-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jay Farrar, Ben Gibbard, and a Bad Actress Pay Tribute to Kerouac's 'Big Sur'new
On the One Fast Move or I'm Gone soundtrack, Farrar and Gibbard trade off singing 12 songs with lyrics taken from Big Sur, including lines from the poem "Sea" that closes the novel. Farrar admits to being intimidated at first to use Kerouac as his lyricist, until he settled into a stream-of-consciousness songwriting style.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
10-22-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Unagi Keeps Hip-Hop Reference-Richnew
Unagi takes hip-hop on a maximalist ride that jells with his geography. He talks up living in the birthplace of Del the Funkyhomosapien, Hieroglyphics, and DJ Shadow, and his drive to "go for more obscure references than [sampling] the obvious song."
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
07-15-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Toshio Hirano, the Tokyo Yodelernew
Hirano is a poorly kept secret who nonetheless provokes the protective nature of his followers. The night I was at Amnesia, one young fan showed concern that I would increase Hirano's exposure, shaking his head and saying, "But he's our local treasure."
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
06-17-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Toshio Hirano
The Units Punked the System, Played JC Penneynew
I've been dwelling on San Francisco's punk roots a lot lately after stumbling into an excellent new collection of out-of-print material by San Francisco's original synth punks. The group's music and mantra provide interesting angles from which to view an era of rapid technological and artistic progress -- much like the one we're in now.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
06-10-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Animal Collective: Live from Big Surnew
There wasn't a couple getting hitched, but Animal Collective's show in Big Sur felt more like a hippie wedding than a concert.
Green Day Breaks Down 21st-Century Politicsnew
21st Century Breakdown proves that Green Day still has the power to rally the troops, even without a specific enemy to fight against. The band has been vaulted to mainstream punk's socially conscious mouthpiece, and the trio's Bay Area lefty ideals are as lofty as its songwriting gestures.
Jamie Stewart's Infinite Sadness Is Exhaustingnew
Jamie Stewart is a morgue-serious songwriter. And yet it's impossible to take the Xiu Xiu frontman seriously. The ache in his indie rock takes introspective moping to such an exaggerated extreme it's difficult to endure with a straight face.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
04-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
LiveNation Battles Neighbors Over Big Concertsnew
LiveNation is re-envisioning the landmark landscape of San Francisco's Nob Hill to include a more regularly booked concert hall.
Pop Residencies Gain Traction in S.F.new
Residencies by local indie-rock and pop bands, however, haven't quite taken hold in San Francisco like they have in other cities, despite efforts from clubs over the years. But now they are gaining traction.
Von Iva Hits the Big Time with Jim Carreynew
How do you amass a large audience from outside the traditional music industry? If you're San Francisco's Von Iva, the answer has moved from labels to licensing -- a direction that recently landed the group in the onscreen company of Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
12-03-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Windsurf's Beach Blanket Disconew
The pair's newly released debut, Coastlines, evokes the carefree surf 'n' sand lifestyle its title suggests, with echoing synths, dubby basslines, and lush songs that stretch out to luxurious lengths.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
11-19-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: coastlines, Windsurf
Frisco Freakout Makes a California Scenenew
Our state may be flush with wild guitar tamers, but the factors cementing a true sonic landmark -- connections among bands, clubs, and labels defining a specific sound -- are lacking in the Bay Area.
Banned in the UK: The Ghosts in Agent Ribbons' Atticnew
With its satin headbands, lacy-collared dresses, and affinity for bluesy ballads, Sacramento duo Agent Ribbons is a modern band yearning for an old-fashioned era.
SF Weekly |
Jennifer Maerz |
10-02-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Davila 666 is Puerto Rico's Answer to the Black Lipsnew
Disparate patches of Radio Birdman, the Dead Boys, and rudimentary jangle pop are all threaded onto the album, the charms of which are multiplied by the fact that Davila 666 sounds like it was recorded live at a basement birthday party.
Tags: Davila 666
