Posts Tagged ‘guitarist’
Live Review: The Velvet Teen @ the Rickshaw Stop 3/19
March 23rd, 2008 | 
Author: By Camden Andrews
I knew the Velvet Teen rocked, but I didn’t know the Velvet Teen ROCKED!!!! In fact, they rocked so hard during their show at the Rickshaw Stop that I stayed and missed the last BART home, and I wasn’t even angry. I was humming the tune to “Radiapathy” all the way home on the transbay bus.
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Mister Loveless
MySpace (listen to “Port of Oakland,” “Scatterplot”)
Label site
Hometown: Walnut Creek
Next local show: 3/17, The Red Hat, Concord
Upcoming release: Two Words EP, Spring 2008
By Dasha Bulatov
Despite hailing from a suburban outlier, Walnut Creek-based Mister Loveless possesses a sound that is casually and darkly urban. Initially established by morose and reluctantly melodic guitars, the vibe is heightened by guitarist/singer Rob Miller’s Interpol-ish vocals and the sharp outfits that the band often wears onstage. Yes, the undeniable Interpol resemblance had to be mentioned immediately. Just listen, you’ll hear it. More derivative in earlier recordings, their sound has since grown and expanded its range. The tracks on Mister Loveless’ debut full-length album, My Share of Losing, are catchy and dynamic, exhibiting a maturity that previous releases seemed to lack.
Local Licks 12/12/07
Marquis Melody, Gyan Riley, Scene of Action, Karen Armstrong, and Stevedood
Reviews originally published in the East Bay Express on 12/12/07.
Marquis Melody, Straight from the Heart (Skank So). Across 78 minutes (at least twenty too many), Marquis Melody’s warbling vocals waver in effectiveness, though the underpinning roots reggae never loses its groove. Recorded at Tuff Gong in Kingston, Jamaica.
Gyan Riley, Melismantra (Agyanamus Music). The virtuosic music of Berkeley-based, internationally recognized guitarist Gyan Riley flows between flamenco, jazz, raga, classical, and Satriani-esque shredding without so much as a hiccup.
Scene of Action, Scene of Action EP (Pop Smear). Straight outta Cal, Scene of Action’s angsty, Muse-ish sound needs time to lighten up and develop beyond its influences. Still, not bad for a debut EP.
Local Licks 10/3/07
Unified School District, Nyles Lannon, Paper Tiger, Willow Willow, and Desoto Reds
Reviews originally published in the East Bay Express on 10/3/07.
Unified School District, Brokedown Palace (self-released). Emcee Super Ugly’s deep, sharp voice may hit some folks too hard, but at least they can’t say he’s biting someone else’s style. Ecto One’s proficient beats are unusual, too — part retro, part progressive, all choppy — making USD an alluring anomaly on the Oakland scene.
Nyles Lannon, Pressure (Badman Recording Co.). The former Film School guitarist sticks to striking out on his own: With few exceptions, Lannon wrote, performed, and recorded all of his sophomore effort, which nonetheless maintains a full, if overstuffed, plate of experimental folk-rock.
Paper Tiger, Bright Dreams of Cold Revenge EP (self-released). This four-song debut from the fledgling SF group offers a nostalgic take on lightweight alt-rock, with straightforward melodies that linger.
Willow Willow, Willow Willow (Mod Lang). Few will deny the merits of sunny, sweet British folk — but it’s a far cry from being in vogue. As Willow Willow, childhood friends Miranda Zeiger and Jessica Vohs don’t much care, and even wrote what’s likely the world’s first weed ode containing prominent use of the harpsichord.