Showing posts with label band of the week. Show all posts
Showing posts with label band of the week. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

band of the week: The Amarylas


This is awesome. My Spoonful says they're for fans of T-Rex, The Libertines and of Montreal. I couldn't have put it better.

The Amarylas - Sadie [mp3, highly recommended!]

Just listen. This British band is going to get big.


They have a couple of London shows lined up. Click HERE for more info

The Amarylas on MYSPACE

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

band of the week: Bare Wires

Bare Wires make music like a raunchy, punk rock Kinks. They're from Oakland. The songs speak for themselves.

tour:

Aug 6th: SF, San Frandelic Summer Fest
Sept 5th: Vancouver, w/Thee Oh Sees
Sept 6th: Vancouver, Lucky Bar
Sept 7th-11th: Portland, Music Fest NW
Sept 9th: Portland, w/Thee Oh Sees

Bare Wires- Ready to Go [mp3]

Friday, April 15, 2011

band of the week: James Blake


What do you get when you take a talented British musician with a deep, soulful voice and dub beats all over his croons? You get James Blake. Blake has been well versed and educated in all things pertaining music for years now and currently is making his living as an electronic composer. How exceptionally convenient for us, that an extremely talented electronic artist gains attention right around the same time that James Murphey decided to retire. Blake’s music is less danceable than LCD Soundsystem, and by less danceable, I mean it’s a lot more like listen-to-indoors-while-it-rains-outside r&b music than it is dance-floor appropriate. Blake's songs are slow and powerful, and they strongly remind me of Antony and the Johnsons. Blake's music is extraordinarily beautiful, and it deserves your time.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

band of the week: Eels


who: Mark Oliver Everett (who goes by "E")
what: indie folk, oftentimes delightfully aggressive, with Beck-type vocals and idiosyncrasies up the wazoo. sometimes synthy, sometimes horn-section-y, always interesting.
where: er, So-Cal
since: 1995

listen: Eels - Flyswatter [mp3]
from the thoroughly excellent Daisies of the Galaxy (2000)

official website (with Euro tour dates)

Friday, January 21, 2011

band of the week: Smith Westerns


When was the last time a good indie band came out of Chicago? The lo-fi scene in particular has been dominated by kids from Brooklyn, LA, San Francisco and San Diego. But Smith Westerns are ready to change that once and for all, and radically alter your perception of what trippy lo-fi music can be. Going beyond MGMT in terms of psychedelia, Smith Westerns are like a more upbeat, Beatles-inspired Girls minus the Elvis Costello vox and rigidly melancholy stance. Fuzzy, skuzzy and carefree, the songs balance Kinks guitars with simply delightful keys revive the 60’s in all of its glory. Not yet old enough to drink legally, these boys really know what they're doing. Listen below and head out to a show!

Smith Westerns - Weekend [mp3, highly recommended!]


Smith Westerns - Dance Away [mp3]
from Dye it Blonde, their second LP which was released on Tuesday

Fri-Jan 28: Nashville, TN - The End*
Sat-Jan 29: Knoxville, TN - Pilot Light*
Sun-Jan 30: Chapel Hill, NC - Local 506*
Mon-Jan 31: Athens, GA - 40 Watt Club*
Tue-Feb 1: Atlanta, GA - Drunken Unicorn*
Thu-Feb 3: Orlando, FL - Backbooth*
Fri-Feb 4: Tallahassee, FL - Club Downunder*
Sun-Feb 6: Houston, TX - Fitzgeralds*
Mon-Feb 7: Austin, TX - Emos*
Tue-Feb 8: Dallas, TX - The Loft*
Thu-Feb 10: Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room*
Fri-Feb 11: Los Angeles, CA - Echo*
Sat-Feb 12: Costa Mesa, CA - Detroit Bar*
Sun-Feb 13: San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill*

(they're also playing a free instore show at Amoeba SF on the 14th)
Tue-Feb 15: Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge
Wed-Feb 16: Vancouver, BC - Biltmore Cabaret
Thu-Feb 17: Seattle, WA - Crocodile Cafe
Fri-Feb 18: Boise, ID - Neurolux
Sat-Feb 19: Salt Lake City, UT - Kilby Court
Mon-Feb 21: Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge
Tue-Feb 22: Kansas City, MO - The Record Bar
Wed-Feb 23: Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
Thu-Feb 24: Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
Fri-Feb 25: Madison, WI - The Frequency
Sat-Feb 26: Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
Mon-Feb 28: Toronto, ON - Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
Tue-Mar 1: Montreal, PQ - La Sala Rossa
Wed-Mar 2: Boston, MA - Great Scott
Fri-Mar 4: Washington, DC - Rock and Roll Hotel
^ = w/ MGMT
* = w/ Yuck

Smith Westerns on MYSPACE

Saturday, January 8, 2011

band of the week: Hanni El Khatib


"These songs were written for anyone who's ever been shot or hit by a train."
-from hannielkhatib.com

even though I've only heard a couple of songs so far (he's released a couple of 7"s but no full length yet), I love this guy for a few reasons.
he is raw and truly DOES NOT GIVE A FUCK unlike all the hipsters pretending that they don't care.
his music has an older feel yet it's immediate and fresh.
he is bluesy and punksy and I want to see him live NOW (sadly, he played Hemlock tavern while I was out of town).
but mostly, I love him because he has an Arabic name and I'm 90% sure he is an Arab gone wronggggg (comme moi!!)

so get a listening!

Hanni El Khatib - You Rascal You [mp3]

Hanni El Khatib on MYSPACE

Monday, October 11, 2010

band of the week: The Dig

The Dig are from NY. At times their songs are easy breezy like early Oasis and elsewhere, they employ a sonic heaviness that would do Josh Homme proud. Their music is intelligent; not like math rock, but rather there is a deliberate delicacy in the arrangements that displays a fine grasp on what people need to hear. Employing the perfect amount of distortion; The Dig’s debut Electric Toys is a tad intoxicating, yet nearly completely composed. It’s the aural equivalent of an otherwise reserved person who is emboldened by a few drinks, not sedated by them. Like Blur delivered through a post-grunge lens, The Dig’s music is intrepid and fresh. Check it out.

The Dig - Two Sisters in Love [mp3]
The Dig - You're Already Gone [mp3]

visit them on MYSPACE

They are currently on tour with MIE favourites The Henry Clay People. see you kids in San Francisco

Oct 12 – Atlanta, GA – The Drunken Unicorn
Oct 13 – Chapel Hill, NC – Local 506
Oct 14 – Washington, DC – Backstage @ Black Cat
Oct 15 – Philadelphia, PA – Kungfu Necktie
Oct 16 – New York, NY – The Mercury Lounge
Oct 17 – Cambridge, MA – T.T. The Bear’s
Oct 19 – Chicago, IL – Empty Bottle
Oct 20 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry
Oct 22 – Denver, CO - Larimer Lounger
Oct 23 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
Oct 25 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile Café
Oct 26 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge Patio
Oct 28 – San Francisco, CA – Bottom Of The Hill

Friday, September 24, 2010

Band of the Week: Bettie Serveert

Bettie Serveert are from Amsterdam and their lead singer Carol Van Dijk has an edgy attitude that gives Karen O a run for her money. The band began nearly two decades ago, releasing a debut album in 1992 and joining the Matador family. After releasing eight albums (including a Velvet Underground tribute record), Bettie Serveert have returned full force in 2010 with Pharmacy of Love, a dizzying collection of menacing punk and grime, doused with screeching, slightly distorted guitars—with a bit of cabaret thrown in for good measure (“Mossie”). They have that lust-for-life sound that is almost exclusively found in bands that are still relatively unknown, and they want to confirm all of your mother’s fears about the unbridled dangers of rock n roll.

Bettie Serveert - Deny All [mp3]


Bettie Serveert on MYSPACE

Tour Dates:
Sep 30, 2010: Magic Bag (Ferndale, MI, USA)
Oct 01, 2010: The Abbey (Chicago, IL, USA)
Oct 02, 2010: First Avenue & 7th Street Entry (Minneapolis, MN, USA)
Oct 04, 2010: Larimer Lounge (Denver, CO, USA)
Oct 06, 2010: Empyrean Coffee (Spokane, WA, USA)
Oct 07, 2010: Tractor Tavern (Seattle, WA, USA)
Oct 08, 2010: Biltmore Cabaret (Vancouver, BC, CAN)
Oct 10, 2010: Dante's (Portland, OR, USA)
Oct 12, 2010: Cafe Du Nord (San Francisco, CA, USA)
Oct 13, 2010: Spaceland (Los Angeles, CA, USA)
Oct 16, 2010: The Rialto Theatre 'Club Crawl' (Tucson, AZ, USA)
Oct 17, 2010: Launchpad (Albuquerque, NM, USA)
Oct 19, 2010: The Prophet Bar (Dallas, TX, USA)
Oct 20, 2010: Stubb's (Austin, TX, USA)
Oct 22, 2010: Blueberry Hill (St. Louis, MO, USA)
Oct 23, 2010: Exit / In (Nashville, TN, USA)
Oct 24, 2010: Earl (Atlanta, GA, USA)
Oct 25, 2010: Local 506 (Chapel Hill, NC, USA)
Oct 27, 2010: Brillobox (Pittsburgh, PA, USA)
Oct 28, 2010: North Star Bar (Philadelphia, PA, USA)
Oct 29, 2010: Bowery Ballroom (New York, NY, USA)
Oct 30, 2010: The Record Collector Store (Bordentown, NJ, USA)
Oct 31, 2010: Iota Club & Café (Arlington, VA, USA)
Nov 02, 2010: T.T. the Bear's (Cambridge, MA, USA)
Nov 03, 2010: Maxwell's (Hoboken, NJ, USA)
Nov 04, 2010: Daniel Street (Milford, CT, USA)
Nov 13, 2010: De Oosterpoort (Groningen)
Nov 21, 2010: Beauforthuis (Austerlitz bij Zeist)
Nov 26, 2010: Podium Asteriks - Blokhuispoort (Leeuwarden)
Nov 27, 2010: 't Beest (Goes)
Dec 03, 2010: De Waerdse Tempel (Heerhugowaard)
Dec 10, 2010: Muziekgieterij (Maastricht)
Dec 23, 2010: De Vorsting (Hilversum)

Friday, September 17, 2010

band of the week: Phantogram


What can one say about Phantogram? They are perhaps best embodied in the very context which got me into them. Months ago, my best friend was coming out of a bad breakup so I went over, picked her up and took her to Rickshaw Stop, my go-to place whenever I feel down in the dumps. There, we found a pair of electronica wizards, each outstripping the other in glittery prowess. The boy-girl duo from NY crafted a magical sound: hazy, fuzzy, shiny, soft, edgy. You know the term “black gold” for petroleum? Phantogram is the aural equivalent of it. They remind us singletons that there is beauty in solitude yet.

Phantogram – Mouthful of Diamonds [mp3]


Phantogram on MYSPACE

Eyelid Moves was released earlier this year and it is a trippppp

Friday, September 10, 2010

Band of the Week: The Lonely Forest

There are a handful of people in the music industry whom I trust unconditionally; Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie is one of those people. Having exposed Telekinesis in the past, Walla has formed a new label called Trans and The Lonely Forest are his very first signing band.

The Washington band will release their new LP, Arrows, early next year but a self titled EP will be available for purchase on Tuesday as the band embarks on a tour with Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

Opening song “Turn Off This Song” self-effacingly challenges the ridiculousness of indie hipster musicians, their better-than-thou attitude and odd combinations of “vintage shirts and hundred dollar pants”. The simple buildup is reminiscent of the humble proportions of Clarity-era Jimmy Eat World. This music is wonderfully detached from what is currently musically stylish, instead it embraces a dizzying, Sigur Ros-type approach to guitar. “Let It Go” finds common ground with the ethereal prog-rock nuances of Minus the Bear while the piano progressions on songs like “I Don't Want to Live There”, are unapologetic and self-indulgent in the way only songwriters like Jeff Buckley ever dared to be. The Lonely Forest even lament being too young, just like Buckley once did.

“I Don't Want to Live There”, which extols Northwestern “miles of tall evergreens/the smell of the ocean and cool mountain breeze”, does so via audaciously cheeky criticism of Los Angeles. But, knowing how unaffected the hipsters of LA are, they will probably embrace it in an unparalleled fit of self deprecating irony.

The Lonely Forest - I Don't Want to Live There [mp3]


The Lonely Forest on MYSPACE

The Lonely Forest EP
Track listing:

1. Turn Off This Song
2. Ramshackle House
3. Live There
4. Let It Go
5. Turn Off This Song (Acoustic)

Tour Dates:
w/Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s
Sept 17 – Minneapolis, MN 7th St Entry
Sept 18 – Milwaukee, WI Mad Planet
Sept 19 – Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
Sept 21 – Ann Arbor, MI The Blind Pig
Sept 22 – Columbus, OH The Circus
Sept 23 – Newport, KY The Southgate House
Sept 24 – Akron, OH Musica
Sept 25 – Pittsburgh, PA Brillobox
Sept 26 – New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Sept 27 – Cambridge, MA Middle East Downstairs
Sept 29 – Brooklyn, NY Music Hall of Williamsburg
Sept 30 – Philadelphia, PA First Unitarian Church
Oct 1 – Washington, DC Black Cat
Oct 2 – Asheville, NC Stella Blue
Oct 3 – Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Oct 5 – Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder
Oct 6 – Gainesville, FL Common Grounds
Oct 7 – Orlando, FL Backbooth
Oct 8 – Tampa, FL Crowbar
Oct 9 – Atlanta, GA Drunken Unicorn
Oct 10 – Birmingham, AL The Bottletree
Oct 11 – Nashville, TN Exit/In
Oct 13 – St Louis, MO Firebird
Oct 14 – Bloomington, IN The Bishop

w/Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
Nov 3 – Minneapolis, MN 7th St Entry
Nov 4 – Ames, IA Maintenance Shop
Nov 5 – Lawrence, KS Jackpot Saloon
Nov 6 – Denver, CO Hi Dive
Nov 7 – Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
Nov 10 – Nampa, ID Flying M Coffee
Nov 11 – Seattle, WA Neumos
Nov 12 – Vancouver, BC The Biltmore Cabaret
Nov 13 – Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
Nov 15 – San Francisco, CA Bottom of the Hill
Nov 16 – Los Angeles, CA SpaceLAnd
Nov 19 – La Jolla, CA UCSD – The Loft
Nov 20 – Phoenix, AZ The Trunk Space
Nov 22 – Austin, TX The Mohawk
Nov 23 – Dallas, TX House of Blues – Pontiac Garage

Friday, September 3, 2010

Band of the Week: Adam Haworth Stephens


In the magical woods of San Francisco, there lived a man named Adam Haworth Stephens who spun tales of fury and redemption, like a provincial Dylan. Purveyor and mastermind of the indie folk-rock duo Two Gallants, he decided to branch out into the icy waters of solo album territory, armed with unmistakable confidence and self assuredness. Consider We Live On Cliffs his very own take on “Veni Vidi Vici”, deliberate and composed yet overflowing with an impulsive spirit that cannot be tamed. Get listening below.

Adam Haworth Stephens - The Cities That You've Burned [mp3]

Adam will headline a CD release show in SF before embarking on tour with the Felice Brothers. We Live On Cliffs will be released on 28th September and it is absolutely mesmerizing.

visit him on MYSPACE

TOUR


October 2 The Independent San Francisco, CA

w/ The Felice Brothers
October 5 Doug Fir Portland, OR
October 6 Tractor Seattle, WA
October 7 Media Club Vancouver, BC
October 9 State Room Salt Lake City, UT
October 10 Larimer Lounge Denver, CO
October 12 Waiting Room Omaha, NE
October 13 Triple Rock Minneapolis, MN
October 14 Turner Hall Milwaukee, WI
October 15 Empty Bottle Chicago, IL
October 16 Magic Stick Detroit, MI
October 18 Mr. Smalls Pittsburgh, PA
October 19 123 Pleasant Street Morgantown, WV
October 21 Capitol Theatre York, PA
October 22 Rock and Roll Hotel Washington, DC
October 23 Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia, PA
October 28 Harper's Ferry Boston, MA
October 29 Met Café Providence, RI
October 30 The Chance Poughkeepsie, NY
October 31 MHOW Brooklyn, NY
November 1 Daniel Street Milford, CT
November 3 Jefferson Theatre Charlottesville, VA
November 4 King's Barcade Raleigh, NC
November 5 The Handlebar Greenville, SC
November 6 The Earl Atlanta, GA
November 8 The Social Orlando, FL
November 9 Club Downunder Tallahassee, FL
November 10 One Eyed Jack's New Orleans, LA
November 12 Emo's Austin, TX
November 13 The Loft Dallas, TX
November 14 Sticky Fingerz Little Rock, AR
November 15 Proud Larry's Oxford, MS
November 17 Headliners Louisville, KY
November 18 Southgate House Newport, KY
November 19 The Rumba Café Columbus, OH

Friday, August 27, 2010

band of the week: She & Him

When She & Him released their debut, Volume I, I wasn't too thrilled with it. Theoretically, the combination of Zooey's damn-near-perfect vox and M.Ward's double whammy guitar/production proficiencies would be an indie equivalent to the wetdream that is Them Crooked Vultures, but the songs on the album were too...whiny for my taste. Whiny isn't even a good word here. But anyways.

I love Volume II. It was released in March and kicks off with "Thieves"--a summery, Rilo Kiley inspired track that sets the bar for the rest of the album, which is much more positive than its predecessor. It's absolutely darling, there are no two ways about it. The cuteness gets close to being annoying, but not really. It makes me want to spend the rest of my days clad in a breezy dress twirling around in a sunny field. And I say this whilst wearing black jeans and a black Led Zeppelin shirt.

Regardless of where your music inclinations lie, She & Him will melt your heart. It took two albums, but they've definitely won me over.

Now pass me that tambourine.

She & Him - In The Sun [mp3]




visit them on MYSPACE

Friday, August 13, 2010

band of the week: Setting Sun


Setting Sun is a band from Brooklyn with all the right answers. They are like that art teacher who first told you that you could and should colour outside the lines, forever altering your perception of what is beautiful. Their new album, Fantasurreal, combines the delightful weirdness of MGMT with vocals that sound like a more mellow Wayne Coyne, all delivered in the powerful whisper of Snow Patrol or Bright Eyes. In songs like “Make You Feel”, they use horn sections tastefully, like Sufjan Stevens. Their incorporation of classical instruments leans towards the post-rock elements of Sigur Ros, but the execution is extremely subtle. Their music is thoughtfully arranged and displays a myriad of great influences. Give it a listen below.

Setting Sun - Driving [mp3]

Visit them on MYSPACE for tour dates and other stuff

Saturday, August 7, 2010

band of the week: Kid Cudi

I am not a big fan of the modern hip hop and rap scenes. I tend to be pretty old school when it comes to that kind of music, but one artist I’ve really been getting into lately is Kid Cudi.

Kid Cudi is from Brooklyn (originally Cleveland), and almost half the tracks on his album feature cameos by his indie counterparts, like Ratatat. Most importantly, his music sounds fresh amidst a ton of mundane rappers.

He has a very unique sound, which combines sensually deep vocal delivery and psychedelic electronica music. This creates a thrilling effect, because it makes Cudi sound like a smooth talking alien. He's like a modern, rapping Ziggy Stardust. His songs are never vulgar, they don't have to be. Cudi is a master craftsman. His lyrics reflect a vigilance to the dog-eat-dog world we live in, and his songs assure you that “this will be my world”.

Pick up his excellent 2009 album Man on the Moon: The End of Day and beat box against the machine.

Kid Cudi - Alive (ft Ratatat) [mp3]

Friday, July 16, 2010

Band of the Week: Monuments


Monuments are from Brooklyn. They make music that sounds like the rain. Steady but mysterious. Their slower, acoustic driven tracks (“I’m Here Now”) are like One by One era Foo Fighters whereas the rest of their songs are guitar heavy and experimental, like Pink Floyd. The chord progression in “Expectations” sounds suspiciously like “Paranoid Android” but they make it their own by building the suspense into a ferocious frenzy of an ending. I’d be more concerned if they weren’t drawing inspiration from Radiohead. The songs are dizzying yet satisfying, like Explosions in the Sky through the rock’n’roll looking glass. Their self titled album does not deliver any specific musical agenda: the band doesn’t sound like anything in particular, neither band nor genre. They seek refuge in their own brand of creativity, stubbornly independent like a sailor at sea.


Check it out:

Monuments – Ice Pick Lobotomy [mp3]


Monuments on MYSPACE

Friday, July 9, 2010

Band of the Week: Blackmarket


The members of Blackmarket hail from Lake Havasu, AZ and they have been writing songs together since their formative teenage years. When a band has been together since youth, it usually means one of two things: they are hopelessly stuck in adolescent hindsight and amateur songwriting or that they have impeccable chemistry and enormous potentials for growth. Luckily for us, Blackmarket falls into the latter category. Mixing Brit-pop darkness with American eagerness, the band delivers its effervescent tracks in the vein of a scratchier, less whispery Elliott Smith. Some of their songs echo early Coldplay (“To Say The Least”), but the majority of the tracks are the hyperactive, indie-dance club type. The young band is not afraid to push boundaries, throwing in George Harrison inspired experimental guitars here and there. The band joined forces with Sean Slade (Radiohead, Dinosaur Jr.) to produce their debut album, Elephant in the Room but are now supporting their second LP, St Vincent Décor, a fantastic collection of quasi-pensive Mando Diao-esque songs that pack a whole lotta punch into a few minutes.

You can stream the whole album at their WEBSITE

Visit them on MYSPACE

Blackmarket - Tongue Twister Typo [mp3]

Saturday, July 3, 2010

band of the week: Crocodiles


San Diego's Crocodiles have a lo-fi edge unparalleled this side of Black Lips. Cutting through you like a rusty knife, their songs perfectly meld essential noise rock elements with dizzying chord progressions that sound like they've been through a washing machine filled with absinthe. Their debut album, Summer of Hate (2009) bridges the gap between Hüsker Dü and T. Rex, and does it in such a careless flourish that you cannot help but be drawn into the séance-esque beats.

Crocodiles - Soft Skull (In My Room) [mp3]

from Summer of Hate

they are currently working on a new album with James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons, The Last Shadow Puppets)

here's a new track:
Crocodiles - Sleep Forever [mp3]

visit them on MYSPACE

Friday, June 25, 2010

band of the week: Silversun Pickups


what can I say about LA's Silversun Pickups? at first, I really didn't get their 2009 album Swoon. it all kinda faded into a blur to me, but I revisited it a while later and it hit me, hard. maybe it was circumstance. I think that Silversun Pickups are a band for a certain mood, and that may or may not be morose. certain elements need to align in order for the pieces to come together. but when they do, you're in for a real treat.

Silversun Pickups - Catch & Release [mp3]

I think loneliness can be useful at times--it can help you enjoy music that is often too complex for the emotionally content.

Friday, June 18, 2010

band of the week: The Growlers


The Growlers have a certain grime about them that is completely irresistible. They're like the aural equivalent of A Clockwork Orange-they leave you in a confused disarray, slightly appalled, but mostly pleased. Combining the winning voodoo charms of a heavy Doors influence with a thoroughly modern fuck-the-world attitude, The Growlers impeccable debut album Are You In Or Out will surely enchant as you slowly fall into the dizzying depths of the intoxicating seasaw guitars, the I-really-don’t-care vocals and the hum drum bass lines. The band, which hails from Costa Mesa, has a heavy drone not unlike a hangover before the obligatory caffeine binge, but it’s satisfying somehow. The super-lo fi songs are adventurous, like taking a bottle of tequila into some uncharted jungle. Take em out for a ride, you won’t be disappointed.

The Growlers - Something Someone Jr [mp3]

visit them on MYSPACE

Friday, June 11, 2010

Band of the Week: Transfer


Every once and a while, I find myself in the presence of a band that causes the whole room to feel spectral and surreal, simply by delivering what seems second nature to them. Transfer are one such band. Hailing from San Diego, they are the perfect meeting point between classic rock and psychedelic music. In the live setting, their lead singer Matt maintained an insane howl that was perfectly synchronized to the twinkling music. Add in menacing drums that could slice through a tundra and you will understand the impeccable power of this remarkable band. Their latest album, Future Selves, was released in November of last year and is equal parts Flaming Lips and The Who, with stunning violin solos toppling about where you least expect them (“Take Your Medicine”). Their songs have a morose undertone hiding beneath their badass exterior, like Echo and the Bunnymen stuck in a whirlpool of grunge. “Get Some Rest” is the black sheep of the bunch—a slung back, Sam Cookeian number drenched in ol’ gospel feel. There is no time to ask questions. Just let it sink in. And get your ass to a show, Transfer’s concerts are life changing.