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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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Music
Released by Ghostly International, 6/23/09
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Maybe the answer can be found in the uncertainty surrounding our economy, the disillusionment facing recent graduates, or the intrinsic need for answers to all our questions. Any one of these would explain why Deastro’s Moondagger feels perfect. This is more than an album. More
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Music
The Icing on the Cake
The buzz surrounding Love is Chemicals has settled to a din lately, but the San Francisco band recently reached two major milestones. A year after the band self-released its sophomore album, Song of the Summer Youth Brigade was re-released by SF-based label Three Ring Records. It also recently completed its most extensive tour to date -- a weeklong trek around the Pacific Northwest. But don't expect any great changes with the group. Nate Grover (vocals/guitar) is content juggling band duties and his multiple day jobs. He spoke with SF Station during a phone interview from his cubicle during a break. Love is Chemicals performs at Bottom More
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Music
Out of this World
With the 40th anniversary of the moon landing just weeks behind us, San Francisco gets a landing of its own when production duo N.A.S.A. touches down with its Intergalactic Circus tour on August 15th at The Independent. The group’s debut LP The Spirit of Apollo was released earlier this year with a star-filled list of guest appearances, including David Byrne, Karen O, the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Santigold and several others. SF Station caught up with Squeak E. Clean, who forms N.A.S.A. with DJ Zegon, during a phone interview before a recent show in Berlin. More
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Music
A Bright Spot in the Foggy City
Since leaving San Francisco, Eric Rachmany went on to receive a degree at UC Santa Barbara, and now returns as the lead singer of Rebelution. With their debut album Courage to Grow, Rebelution had jumped into the forefront as one of the most promising reggae groups, after being awarded by iTunes with the "Best Reggae Album of 2007". On August 5th they will be stopping on their Bright Side Tour at the Great American Music Hall promoting the upcoming release of their second album Bright Side of Life. SF Station spoke with Eric as he kicked back in Santa Barbara before starting their national tour. More
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