Still Flyin'

MySpace (listen to "Coupla Smokies," "Mystery Tent")
Official site

Hometown: San Francisco
Next local show: 2/18, The Makeout Room
Recent release: Time Wrinkle, 2006

Who said young white dudes and dudettes from San Francisco can't play real reggae? It was you, wasn't it? Still Flyin' aren't rastas (nor do they pose to be), and their style is more indie-rock-meets-rocksteady-and-dub than straight-up roots, but it's reggae nonetheless. And boy do they jam it out. So shut it! (more >>)

Still Flyin' want you to reach the same hodgepodge nirvana -- that freaky-deaky higher consciousness -- sought by groups like Architecture in Helsinki (buddies of the band) and Polyphonic Spree. Reggae influences come from the likes of Toots and the Maytals and U-Roy, and the rest is noise plucked from the indie rock atmosphere. Lead singer and songwriter SA Rawls' voice is nasal and uneven -- a sometimes welcome, sometimes jarring departure from the warm, steady tones of more traditional reggae singers. A chorus of backup singers occasionally evens him out and adds some punch to the vocals.

Time Wrinkle's sleeve names no less than 18 people who "made it to the jam" (i.e. appear on the record) and 17 "spiritual members who sadly could not join us" (ghosts, dealers, and influences?). The recording (released this past July on Oakland's Antenna Farm Records), is Still Flyin's debut and includes only six songs. Thus far they've been primarily a live entity, all about messy reggae energy and unfettered fun. But the beautiful chaos of their live show doesn't translate to the CD as well as one might hope. Maybe before the next recording, they can take more time to work on songwriting. After all, the record's strongest hook (the horn riff in "Coupla Smokies") was lifted from OutKast's reggae-liscous "Spottieottiedopaliscious" -- a killer song in its own right -- then slowed down and lo-fi'd just a bit.

TOTAL HAMMJAMM!
-In April, the group heads off to Europe for another tour including shows in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.
-Time Wrinkle was recorded by Jason Quever of SF indie pop group Papercuts. He has also worked with Portland's uber-sensitive Casiotone for the Painfully Alone.
-The record was also released on vinyl. Its B-side contains six dub versions of Still Flyin' songs.
-Click here to see a cool homemade music video for "Rope Burn" at YouTube.