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.

There’s something special about the Velvet Teen that’s hard to put your finger on. There’s drummer Casey Deitz’s whirlwind of carefully complex beats, singer Judah Nagler’s baroque-style vocals hitting even the highest of notes, and guitarist Matthew Izen convulsing along with strangely melodic chord progressions from outer space. All three come together to form a triad of awesomeness with far too much energy to contain itself.

The minute Deitz’s glasses came off from wailing too hard on the drums in the second song of the set, I knew I was in for a ride. The band held nothing back, and all the intensity bottled up in Cum Laude, the band’s previous release, was brought with full force live. The entire place was moving in some way, and not even the hippest of the hipsters were able to deny the force. Without even blinking, I would much rather miss the last BART again then miss these guys the next time they come to town.

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.

Either way, it is heartless to dismiss Mister Loveless on the principle of imitation. Like all bands, even those who vehemently deny it, Mister Loveless falls into a number of closely related genres: post-punk, new wave, indie, and plain old rock ‘n’ roll. If you’re into those styles, or just willing to give them a chance, there is a high probability that Mister Loveless will become a regular on your playlists.

In September of 2006, after the first album had been recorded, principle songwriters Rob and Charlie Koliha (bass) announced a separation from their drummer, which resulted in a nine-month hiatus. During this time, two new members — Sean Gaffney on guitar and Rachael Travers on drums — were added. Work on a second full-length was planned to follow the band’s last show of 2007 on October 27th. However, singer Rob suffered a serious head injury after leaping off the stage and hitting a pipe. Despite postponing the album, the incident seemed to revitalize the band and unify its fans. Now the band is back, playing gigs all over the Bay. And, if they continue to exhibit the same energy (in a safe way, we hope), then the shows are definitely worth attending.

MORE REASONS TO LOVE MISTER LOVELESS:
-Consistently cool and mellow indie rock. You really can’t go wrong with that.
-Members don equally rad threads that seem to pay homage to the mod era (a refreshing break from American Apparel).
-They were so kind as to release the tracklist for their upcoming EP to us: 1) “Hardly Young;” 2) “Good Story;” 3) “Just Thoughts;” and 4) “It’s Missing.”
-Hear them on the radio! Mister Loveless performed live on 90.1 KZSU and has appeared as a guest DJ on Live 105.

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.

Caren Armstrong, Everything (Wildplum Recordings). These sincere, middle-of-the-road country-tinged tunes from singer-songwriter Armstrong (and friends) neither offend nor particularly impress, but could be just the thing for the right time and place.

Stevedood, Source Domain (Hella Baked Tapes). A song- and beat-based sound collage sourced from original material (local musicians on upright bass, drums, violin, and electric guitar, plus Stevedood on djembe, synth, and a jar of mayonnaise) that remains listenable throughout.

]]> http://www.nascentmag.com/2007/12/local-licks-121207.html/feed/ 0 http://www.nascentmag.com/2007/10/local-licks-10307.html http://www.nascentmag.com/2007/10/local-licks-10307.html#comments Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:35:00 +0000 admin http://localhost/nascentmag/?p=84 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.

Desoto Reds, Bernadette and the Hundred Devils (self-released). In a region so blessed with gifted groups maintaining absurdly low profiles, it can be risky to sort the winners from the losers. Still, we’ll place our bets on Oakland’s little-known Desoto Reds, who show heaps of promise through a rare blend of cerebral pop and garage rock.

Hometown: San Francisco
Next local show: 10/19, 12 Galaxies
Upcoming release: Trumpery Metier, 2006

[This post originally published 8/22/06.]

Ahhh…beautiful. Instrumental prog-rock. Crime in Choir play it as well as anyone you’re likely to hear — anywhere. NASCENT got its hands on the band’s upcoming 10/31 release, and it’s a doozy: a cinematic, technical, aggressive, utterly imaginative and flawlessly performed doozy. Trumpery Metier is the band’s third full-length in six years and first with Gold Standard Laboratories.

On the surface, Crime in Choir may seem like just one in a gang of instrumental prog/post-rock groups in San Francisco. The passive observer may struggle to avoid pat comparisons to local standouts like Continental, the Ebb and Flow, the Rum Diary, and Audio Out Send. But that’s a big mistake. The new album, which improves upon an already strong formula, contains not a dull moment — a certain accomplishment in the genre, achieved through creativity that knows no limits. Drawing heavily on math-rock and avant-garde jazz, Crime in Choir deftly violate the already broad boundaries of instrumental prog- and post-rock. And they do it with an energy that is instantly contagious. Grand, baroque, and utterly pretentious: we fuckin’ love it.

INCESTUOUS A-LIST LINE-UP:
-Famed Hella drummer Zach Hill co-founded and just recently departed from Crime in Choir.
-New drummer Tim Soete also plays in the equally rad Fucking Champs.
-Pianist/keyboardist Kenny Hopper, the other CiC co-founder, also co-founded At The Drive-In.
-CiC Guitarist Jarrett Wrenn was another founding member of At The Drive-In.
-Fucking Champs guitarist and local studio maven Tim Green produced Trumpery Metier.

Hometown: Oakland
Next local show: 11/28, The Stork Club
Recent release: The Sleepyboy Moe Tapes, 2006

When it comes to homegrown East Bay music, Sleepyboy Moe is the real deal. Shaun Wargowsky, the man behind the name, moved to Oakland in 2005 and immediately became active in the local scene. The singer/bassist/guitarist began performing solo and with drummer Lindsay Cooper (of nicely named Oakland band Espionage a Trios) at small venues including Epic Arts in Berkeley. He recorded his debut CD, The Sleepyboy Moe Tapes, entirely in analog in Oakland and Berkeley. And his CD release party will take place Tuesday at The Stork Club in Oakland.

As for the sound? It’s been called sludge-folk, but that doesn’t begin to convey the hiss, fuzz, and noise captured in songs like “Nice Try, Nice Guy.” Most of the album sounds like a third-generation copy of a lo-fi cassette tape. Wargowsky’s droning (yet enchanting) rhythms and possessed (almost feminine) vocals compliment the recording perfectly (or maybe it’s the other way around), making this release more art than cheap reproduction of a live performance. You can find it at Aquarius Records in San Francisco (22nd and Valencia) and Amoeba Records in Berkeley (Telegraph and Haste), as well as online at CDBaby.com and iTunes.

CLEVELAND ROCKS:
-Before moving to Oakland, Wargowsky sang and played keyboards, bass, and guitar in a number of groups in the Akron/Kent/Cleveland area (Ohio, of course), where he attended school at Kent State University.
-These groups include the Stool Creak Circus (alternative rock), the Flavor Cat Hairparticles (ska, punk, Latin), and the Kent State African Ensemble (gospel choir).

Ready for the heavy shit? Totimoshi can bear all manner of sludgy, stoney weight upon you. This despite having only three members and not being the slightest bit Japanese. Maybe the title of the new record (“thief” in Spanish) is a better indicator. Japanese, Latino, or Martian; Totimoshi is for real. The band’s been hand-picked to open for the Melvins and Helmet, godfathers of modern heavy. With nine years and four albums to its name, it’s poised to — any day now — become the next buzz band in the new hipster/indie metal scene led by groups like Mastodon, the Sword, and Isis. To be fair, Totimoshi are much closer stylistically to those indefatigable Melvins, who copped Black Sabbath’s slow chug 20 years ago and never looked back. If there’s any young band ready to introduce that sound to new ears, it’s this one.

Ladrón, which was just released Oct. 24 on Crucial Blast Records, begs to cranked. New drummer Luke Herbst pummels his kit when he plays, but is never overzealous. Lead guitarist Tony Aguilar (who also sings, in a voice that’s sometimes a little more overtly metal than it needs to be) delivers the all-important sludge factor, metal riffage, and psychedelic solos (and even some acoustic in “These Meanings”). Bassist Meg Castellanos keeps the low end heavy and full and steps into the spotlight when called for. Despite having played together as Totimoshi since 1997, Aguilar and Castellanos keep their interplay raw and loose; a little more grooming and tightening would improve their sound and send more fans calling. In the meantime, it’s enough to keep current fans’ heads banging. As well we all know, that’s the peak concern. Lose that and you got nothing.

TOTAL MOSHING:
-A few more heavy bands Totimoshi may call to mind: Clutch, Blue Cheer, High on Fire, Nirvana, Mudhoney.
-Ladrón was produced by Helmet’s Page Hamilton.
-The group is currently on tour on the East Coast. On Nov. 2, for the annual CMJ Festival, they play the Knitting Factory in NYC with a revived Blue Cheer. In December, they head to the UK for a few dates.

Hometown: San Francisco
Next local show: None planned
Recent release: Right and Wrong, 2006

Is that a cowbell we hear? The leadoff track on the May Fire’s debut disc is loaded with it — bangin’ out the quarter notes a la “Don’t Fear the Reaper” through every verse. Many purport to love the cowbell, but few have the guts to feature it in their official “Hello” to the world.

Fans of Elastica may appreciate the verse bassline and rhythm in the next track, “Nothing Today.” The song wraps up with a guitar solo that screams White Stripes. This is good, mind you — as they say, sometimes innovation is overrated. And if you’re looking for something unique, try their backstory. Singer/guitarist Catty Tasso hails from Chile, while drummer El Pipe is from Colombia. The two met in Los Angeles in 2004, then moved to San Francisco. Needless to say, they have a strong Latino following.

Cat’s lead guitar work throughout the record is stellar — front and center, technically sharp and on the mark, and always bathed in some degree of distortion. Very immediate and raw; definitely got a fire under its ass. And her vocals follow suit. The comparison to Elastica holds true, as her voice carries a similarly punk timbre.

The May Fire’s heady mix of blues, garage rock, and punk is held together by El Pipe’s drumming. He sounds like he was trained in a bar band with a great repertoire, jamming for hours on everything from Hendrix to Skynyrd. His strength is not in complexity, but suitability; expert drumming is about more than fills and solos. Pipe and his partner Cat know how to make rock that sounds good and feels nice.

FIRESTARTERS:
-The May Fire recently played the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco, either wearing leather chaps or simply rocking them off audience members. We’ve received conflicting reports….
-Right and Wrong was recorded primarily in Alhambra (Pipe’s garage, aka Rock Whores Studios), plus a little more in Los Angeles (Le Boot), and — following the move up north — our very own Berkeley (Chabola Studios). Mixing and mastering remained a Bay Area affair.