AltWeeklies Wire
Hottub Brings Old-School Heatnew
The girly emcees of the Oakland electrorap group push '80s nostalgia to the forefront.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
04-17-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Hottub
The Music Industry: Not Just for Grown-Ups Anymorenew
In an earlier era, the success of young bands like Panda and Please Quiet Ourselves would have hinged on the connections, finances, or unfulfilled desires of their parents.
East Bay Express |
Nate Seltenrich |
04-10-2008 |
Music
You Can Take the Boys Out of the Country ...new
Eschewing their hard-rock beginnings, the Avett Brothers find success sticking to their roots.
East Bay Express |
Matthew Green |
04-03-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: The Avett Brothers
Sonny Rollins, the Homecoming Kingnew
The tenor saxophonist returns to the town that helped make him a titan.
East Bay Express |
Andrew Gilbert |
04-03-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Sonny Rollins
Jose Gonzalez, the Minstrel of Melancholynew
It's hard to imagine what an audience does during a Jose Gonzalez performance, especially when the club doesn't provide floor space or pillows to recline on. Calling his stark, spiraling ballads mellow would be an understatement; trancelike is far more accurate.
East Bay Express |
Matthew Green |
03-27-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: In Our Nature, Jose Gonzalez
The Heavenly States Return to Earth With a New Albumnew
After a much-hyped trip to Libya, the indie-rock band refocuses on the music.
East Bay Express |
Matthew Green |
03-05-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Delayer, The Heavenly States
UrSession Is the New MySpacenew
A new musical online network hires some old Oakland pros to give it street cred.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
02-28-2008 |
Music
Gyan Riley is a Rare Birdnew
The virtuosic guitar player plays a mesmerizing mix of classical, rock, jazz, and traditional Indian music on his latest.
East Bay Express |
Tom Chandler |
02-20-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Gyan Riley, Melismantra
Songs from the Cryptnew
A toxic sugar factory and YouTube video inspire Oakland's eccentric band Cryptacize.
East Bay Express |
j. poet |
02-20-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Cryptacize
Return of the Axenew
Black music's six-string revival comes to Oakland.
East Bay Express |
Eric K. Arnold |
02-14-2008 |
Music
Or, the Whale Navigates Sea of Twangnew
Or, the Whale still has that fresh, new-band smell going for it, the quality that's provided a small but committed fanbase and allowed it to craft a unique niche in a growing sea of young twanging bands.
East Bay Express |
Matthew Green |
02-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Being an Only Child Was Appropriate Trainingnew
Even with the backing of Sub Pop these days, Kelley Stoltz is still waging an uphill battle for recognition.
East Bay Express |
j. poet |
02-06-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Circular Sounds, Kelley Stoltz
Cass McCombs' Album is Perfect Companion for Alone Timenew
While the overall mood is exceedingly pensive -- imagine a Posies or Ron Sexsmith album titled Songs for Brooding Lovers -- McCombs' tales have a comforting rather than wallow-in-it ambiance.
East Bay Express |
Mark Keresman |
01-30-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Cass McCombs, Dropping the Writ
Piano-less Plays Monk Shouldn't Be Taken Literallynew
The idea is to take everything that made Monk humorous and unpredictable -- the wrong notes, altered changes, train whistle sounds, syncopated rhythms, and autistic-looking dance moves -- and try to capture the groove, albeit with a completely different setup.
East Bay Express |
Rachel Swan |
01-30-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Plays Monk
It May Take a Few Listensnew
Even if this isn't wildly new territory, Distortion contains the same effortless range of songwriting styles and charmingly misanthropic lyrics for which the Fields are beloved.
East Bay Express |
Sean Bottai |
01-30-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Distortion, Magnetic Fields
