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Posts Tagged ‘artist’

MySpace (listen to “Daydream,” “Get at Me”)
Official site
Hometown: San Jose
Next local show: None planned
Recent release: The M Album, 2008

By Stamati Horiates

Born and raised in the South Bay, Montage is a rising young artist you’d better get to know soon. Currently in the midst of recording his second album, The O Album, Montage has performed in clubs throughout the Bay Area as well as at the ESPN Summer X-Games, and has made an appearance on The World Famous Wake up Show with Sway and Tech. He’s also in the process of shooting a music video for the song “Get at Me.” There’s no question this rapper’s journey has taken flight. But how has he come this far? If you ask him, he will tell you straight up: “Persistence.”

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If you’re a local band or musician, please consider sending us a copy of your latest work. It’ll get farmed out to one of our writers and reviewed forthwith (or forthwith enough…). We’re looking for independent and underground music from the BAY AREA ONLY (that means no Sacramento, Santa Cruz, etc.). Please read this first, then send me an email so I can give you our address and keep an eye out for your package. I prefer that over blind submissions.

Likewise, if you’re a BAY AREA artist with an upcoming local show that you’d like us to check out, drop me a line with the info and I’ll pass it on to our contributors to see if anyone’s able and interested.

Hopefully you won’t have to twist our arm too much. We WANT to hear your music.

Thanks and happy music making,

Sean Smith, Chinese Bookie, the Hipwaders, and Liz Kennedy

Reviews originally published in the East Bay Express on 2/6/08.

Sean Smith, Eternal (Gnome Life Records). Like the best poetry, Eternal engages from the start and expands with each pass. Built upon Smith’s Eastern-influenced acoustic guitar and sparing contributions from four fellow instrumentalists, the disc explores both the form and sound of music through seven joyous, contemplative tracks.

Chinese Bookie, Is That You Behind Those Foster Grants? EP (self-released). It’d be a shame if the best song on here were a cover, and while Chinese Bookie — née San Francisco’s Viola Keeton — does a wicked awesome version of New Order’s “Age of Consent,” this five-track electro-pop debut also features three winning originals.

The Hipwaders, Educated Kid (self-released). Kids’ music that doesn’t drive adults nuts is a trend to get behind. The Hipwaders have been at it since ‘04, even performing at Lollapalooza last year. Their third album offers a thoroughly tolerable batch of pop songs about behaving well with siblings, using the Dewey Decimal System, and falling asleep.
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Big Vik, The Grannies, DJ True Justice, and David Gans

Reviews originally published in the East Bay Express on 1/2/08.

The Grannies: Incontinence (Wondertaker). A decade’s bounty of suitably sloppy punk rock outtakes and demos from a rotating cast of eight dudes shamelessly adorned in gaudy dresses, ragged wigs, and copious tats. Dig the cover of “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding.”

Big Vik: Intro (self-released). Brent “Bik Vik” Victory wants to make it big as a songwriter and producer. To showcase his skills, the still-underground Oakland artist composed this so-so sampler of status-quo urban and pop sounds. Time will tell if it’s enough to propel Vik to the next level.

DJ True Justice: True Justice (self-released). DJ True Justice’s taste is commendable, though not quite as hot as the scratching he cuts through this satisfying set of underground Bay Area hip-hop and R&B.

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