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Music
What's in a Name?
Starfucker, currently hosting a contest to help rename themselves, may be changing their image, but not their uplifting electro-pop sound. Known for their cross dressing antics, and non-stop dance parties, the group just wants to have fun. With big names like Target, the "Weeds" TV series, and IBM using the group’s music, it’s safe to say they’re on the rise. SF Station spoke with keyboardist and producer Josh Hodges before a show of theirs in Brooklyn, about having fun, names, and starfuckers. More
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Music
Something With Horns
Two parts Swede pop and one part New York hip, Miike Snow emerged in the form of a blinged-out jackalope -- a mythical bunny with antlers -- but this band is no joke. The trio has the musical pedigree to match the buzz that has led to sold-out stops on its current U.S. tour. Pontus Winnberg and Christian Karlsson are the Swedish production duo behind Britney Spears’ hit “Toxic", along with tracks from several other top-tier pop artists. Andrew Wyatt has produced and recorded with numerous indie rock bands throughout his career and served as an in-house producer for Downtown Records. Together they mix the best of both worlds... More
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Music
Old Questions, New Answers
Nobody likes going back to work after a vacation, and Victoria Hesketh, better known as UK-electropop sensation Little Boots, is no exception. SF Station caught up with her during a phone interview from a London hotel, where she found herself swamped in promotional duties after a weeklong holiday. She returns San Francisco for a show at The Independent on September 19th. Her debut EP Illuminations was released in June and her first LP Hands (already available in the UK) is set for release in the U.S. later this year. More
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Music
More Than a Handful
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, the latest band to rise in short order from obscurity in Brooklyn to darlings of the internet, have the sincere, fuzzy indie-pop thing down. The band returns to San Francisco less than two months after its last gig here for a show September 18th at Great American Music Hall. Kip Berman (vocals/guitar) spoke with SF Station during a phone interview from New York about the band’s quick jump in popularity after the February release of its self-titled LP, his love of Girls (the San Francisco band) and Jay Reatard’s recent Twitter tirade. More
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Music
Fresh, rather than Retro
For as many people that have called Mayer Hawthorne "retro", he’s not. While his falsetto voice draws comparison to Smokey Robinson, and his Detroit upbringing is a reminder of Motown, “retro” is too restricting. Mayer Hawthorne, born Andrew Mayer Cohen, is as Smokey as he is James Dewitt Yancey (J Dilla). Call Mayer Hawthorne “fresh", because he not only is soulful, he’s hip hop, he’s a skateboarder, and he’s surprising people with a voice he never knew he had. SF Station chatted Mayer before he embarked on his first US tour. More
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Music
Bring on Da Funk
Funk is alive and well with Dam Funk, a L.A. cat who got his music industry chops in the 90s working with artists in the then-thriving G funk scene. Now solo, the keyboardist is putting his own stamp on funk with breezy, electric instrumentals tailor made for the Bay Area’s Indian summers. Dam Funk returns to San Francisco for a set of original material and classic funk at Poleng Lounge on September 11th. He spoke with SF Station during a phone interview from L.A. More
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Music
Released by Filter US Recordings, AM Sounds, 8/11/09
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Hold on to your sunflower and your rose colored glasses because they’ll come in handy when digging through the nuggets of Future Sons & Daughters by AM. Mixing an airy vibe and psychedelic, classic rock rhythm crystallizes this album in its own vinyl groove. “A Complete Unknown” rings of bongos and organs mashed with lyrical intellectual sensibilities. “It’s Been so Long” could fit between Jefferson Airplane and the Beach Boys on radio rotation and you wouldn’t bat an eye. Chalk full of timeless harmony and resoundingly spacey vocals your ears will feel like they are brushing through... More
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Music
Released on 4AD, 8/17/09
Merrill Garbus, the woman behind Tune-Yards, never wanted to be a musician. She studied theater and was a puppeteer for years before discovering that it was the songwriting elements of her chosen field that she was truly drawn to. What to do then but run about, from Martha’s Vineyard to Montreal, recording kitchen-made beats and homemade instruments on low-fi gear until, two years down the road, Bird-Brains is born. More
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Music
Unusual & Unexpected
Mew’s brand of rock, with its multiple layers, time changes and unconventional arrangements, is hard to categorize. Perhaps that’s why the Danish band found it hard to name its fifth album with a simple word or phrase. The group returns to the U.S. on the eve of the release of No more stories, are told today, I’m sorry, they washed away, No more stories, the world is grey, I’m tired, Let’s wash away for a string of solo gigs and dates opening for unlikely bedfellows Nine Inch Nails. See Mew in San Francisco at The Independent on September 4th. Jonas Bjerre (vocals/guitar) spoke with SF Station during a phone interview from Copenhagen. More
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Music
The Best of the Fest
After a brief scramble following the cancellation of the Beastie Boys’ headlining appearance, the Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival planners are making final preparations for the three-day event, which starts August 28th. Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews Band and Tenacious D anchor the concert each night, respectively, while a far-reaching mix of acts fill the bill each day. In addition, associated night shows are planned at local venues, and a new tent on festival grounds hosted by local theatrical-circus group Vau de Vire Society that will feature a variety of music acts and other attractions. SF Station’s top picks for the festival are below: More
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