The amount of indie rock groups in the Bay Area music scene can be overwhelming at times. For some reason there is an unbelievable amount of 20- and 30-somethings who somehow find their way to starting an indie rock band. With this in mind, I swallowed my prejudices towards the genre and gave Geographer an honest chance. Fortunately for me, Geographer is great.

Geographer delivers two wonderfully indie songs with a level of musicianship that is scarcely found in the Bay Area indie rock scene. The first track, “Can’t You Wait,” begins with a four-on-the-floor kick pattern and an unbelievably catchy guitar melody. Shortly into the song come the lyrics. A sweet, full voice begins to tell a story with an engaging personal tone. The track builds, adding cello, keys, and layers of vocals which lead up to an incredibly catchy synth line/disco beat chorus. In indie fashion the song builds up and down on this same theme returning at the end for one last disco beat chorus. “Rushing In, Rushing Out”, the second track on the single, slows down the tempo slightly but continues on the same general path laid out by the first song. A sweet synth melody leads you through another personal and powerful vocal, filled out nicely by a steady and lush cello performance.

Geographer reminds me why I, and a whole lot of other people, fell in love with bands like Broken Social Scene. Geographer celebrates the release of their full length album at Cafe Du Nord on August 17 with Cotillion and Judgement Day.

Oh, deceitful memory! Every show seen at protean Bottom of the Hill leaves an entirely different impression. Bottom of the Hill is not the seedy den of patched woolens and greasy-headed rockulidge of Sebadoh shows past! It is not the brightly colored, enthusiastic pop brilliance of AC Newman and the yuppies, blazered and bangled, cheerfully listening, smiling, ecstatic! Bottom of the Hill could be anything to anybody.

Maldroid’s history would make any new band jealous: the quick courting by music industry honchos; the backing of local radio; the appearance on Good Morning America — all surfaced without a single recording or live show to speak of. Winning a YouTube music video contest in 2006 propelled the Oakland seven-piece into the national spotlight, leaving behind a trail of listeners eager to see just what these guys are made of.

With the April 15 unveiling of their debut full-length just around the corner, the Oakland Lad’s Club EP, released in September, offers a brief two-song, two-remix appetizer of pop anthems fit for rock airwaves. On “You Wanna Touch It,” Maldroid transforms into sexed-up robots, fusing a soaring Bon Jovi chorus (“Turn off the lights and take off your clothes/ I’ll show you mine if you show me yours”) with spaceship synth sounds and a thick ‘80s hair metal thump of guitars and drums. “Heck No! (I’ll Never Listen to Techno)” continues the band’s let’s-party spirit with a page taken from Devo’s deviant new-wave songbook in, oddly, a Radio Disney-friendly burst of bouncy keyboard blips.

The robot and tech overtones of lyrics and instrumentation transition well into remix treatment. Both reimaginings by fellow Oaktown artists — “You Wanna Touch It” by Scott Blonde (the Lovemakers) and “Heck No!” by Amp Live (Zion-I) — tender groovy beats that would shine brightly amid any dark nightclub dinge.

Led by frontman Ryan Divine who, in a thoroughly modern approach to the music biz, formed the group to focus more on creating artistically vibrant videos à la its YouTube hit rather than on the music itself, Maldroid still has some catching up to do, song-wise. The music-by-numbers, three-minute-length structures prove catchy enough, but lack the rawness and heart for the songs to stand on their own. They’re still developing, though, and the impending LP will likely provide a better clue about Maldroid’s sound.

But with energy that oozes fun and a compelling visual spectacle, Maldroid has certainly earned the cast of watchful eyes — and ears …

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 Tyler Corelitz

It seems like only months ago that I first heard about San Francisco duo the Dodos. I felt cool for listening to what I thought was an extremely awesome, but relatively obscure band, that just happened to be playing in my college’s cafeteria. Now, after a year on the road, these Bay Area starlets are gaining national attention on the eve of their sophomore full length release, Visiter, which comes out March 18th on Frenchkiss Records.

The Dodos’ passion for their music is undeniable by the amount of energy they put off in their live shows, which the band has tapped as a major influence for Visiter. Live, it can be hard to tell who is driving who, as the airy vocals and finger-picked guitar of Meric Long mesh with the hyper-rhythmic drumming of Logan Kroeber. Maybe Animal Collective covering Mississippi John Hurt or The Velvet Underground with chops? This formula is showcased on their single “Fools,” as the song alternates between pulsing rim clicks, catchy guitar riffs, and undeniable vocal hooks; all of which can and will be independently stuck in the listener’s head.

As an album, Visiter is truly a nod to the talent of Kroeber, who bills himself as an experimental percussionist. While the experimental nomenclature — for a drummer — can lend itself to self indulgent beats and sounds, Kroeber shows maturity in his ability to play for the song. For the Dodos, this often means creating moments of immense space and tension, by simply alternating accents or textures to highlight Long’s guitar and vocals. This attention to detail can be heard at the end of “Fools,” as Long begins chanting “I’ve been, I’ve been silent,” the listener realizes that the drums have suddenly stopped, only to return in a beautiful pop build that climaxes over Long’s continued chanting.

Through a twist of fate I ran into the Dodos as they were about to film for super-hip French video blog La Blogoteque. As my friends and I followed them through the relatively deserted streets of San Francisco, clapping and singing into a BART station, I realized that I was standing very near to Long; not out of lust or for lack of hearing, but because the Dodos have managed to make music worth getting close to.

Reviews originally published in the East Bay Express on 2/27/08.

Touch My Rash, Doomed from the Start, Pissed-off frustration can be therapeutic, and San Jose’s Touch My Rash delivers the goods with a subtle sense of humor. Lead singer Colin Kutch affects a snarl that’s just punk enough, while the music is reliably simple, fast, and catchy. What healthier way to spend 28 minutes? (Bittersick Records)

Fluorescent Grey, Gaseous Opal Orbs. Though GOO’s shapeless, heavily experimental electronic tableaus are pretty far out-there, Robbie Martin’s sophomore disc as Fluorescent Grey contains his most accessible compositions yet — which goes to show that perception is everything. (Record Label Records)

Gemini Soul, The Nefertiti Experience. Jazz doesn’t get much funkier, or perhaps it’s the other way around. Gemini Soul’s smooth, groovy fusion (they call it “cyber jazz”) rests on the poppin’ fingers of bandleader and bass-master Andre Ajamu Akinyele. (Pearl Jazz Recording Label)

Killian Garnet MacGeraghty, Celebration Songs. Gun & Doll Show frontman MacGeraghty recorded imaginative, quasi-pop theme songs for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and more, then threw them alongside a few non-holiday numbers. Even when repeated in five languages, his version of “Happy Birthday” doesn’t get old. (Mad Chatter Records)

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.

David Gans: Twisted Love Songs (Perfectible Recordings). Berkeleyites love quirky folk songs about corrupt conservatives (the enemy) and odd characters (a vision of themselves, perhaps), and Gans delivers on both fronts. All fine and dandy, but it’s the six instrumental tracks that truly impress.

Reviews originally published in the East Bay Express on 12/5/07.

Rademacher, Stunts (self-released). Malcolm Sosa sings like Stephen Malkmus, and that’s all right — though his lyrics aren’t nearly as sharp (or meaningless, depending on where you stand). Musically, Rademacher succeeds in its quest for playful indie rock that plain sounds good.

The Mighty Underdogs, The Prelude EP (self-released). Perhaps it’s a judgment call as to whether Gift of Gab, Lateef the Truthspeaker, and Headnodic are actually underdogs, especially when they work with DJ Shadow and MF Doom. But there’s no doubting the new trio’s dynamic debut and its promise of a great full-length follow-up.

Damon and the Heathens, Now That It’s Over EP (self-released). Four new songs — a teaser for next year’s debut full-length — from the big-band-with-an-attitude that dubs its sound “Oakland grit.” Live audiences dig the sextet’s energy and authenticity, though not everything translates seamlessly to the studio.

Le Fits, Sportif (UFI Records). The scattershot, experimental indie pop of Le Fits’ sophomore record isn’t really pop at all, but darkness and drama wearing bright clothes. How Oakland.

HYIM, Elation EP (Hippi Mafia). Pretty as hell, thoroughly uplifting, not really original: this is the music of talented Oakland artist HYIM (Hebrew for “life”), who — to the satisfaction of Sting, Ben Harper, and Santana fans — favors performance over innovation.

These big, dumb rock songs — almost parodies of the self-aware glam and goth Corgan grew up on — put such a grin on his face that we knew he was dead serious: about himself, about the Smashing Pumpkins, and about dying for rock and roll. But we weren’t fifteen anymore. When the group finally wrapped up its three-hour show just past 1 a.m., we knew we had to be at work in the morning.

In fairness, Corgan has changed, too. Despite the dark mood of the Pumpkins’ comeback album Zeitgeist, released July 10, he’s not as angry or depressed as he once was. Singing Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage without a hint of a snarl both castrated the lyric and suggested Corgan has moved on to a happier place. Other things haven’t changed a bit. As ever, Corgan was flanked on his right by a cute female bassist picking simple lines on a Fender P-Bass, and on his left by a stoic, slight-of-frame rhythm guitarist. That’s too creepy to be a coincidence.

The meat of the evening played like a Smashing Pumpkins jukebox. Devoted fans were rewarded with blazing renditions of fuzzed-out album cuts like “Starla” and “Hummer,” while the rest were ecstatic just to hear the opening notes of “Today.” The performance wavered between thrilling and listless, as Top-40 singles mingled with ultra-rarities and previously unheard demos. Surprisingly, the set pulled lightly from Zeitgeist, with the band emerging to the political centerpiece “United States,” plowing through metal singles “Tarantula” and “Doomsday Clock,” and all but butchering pop standout “That’s the Way (My Love Is).”

From the very beginning, the night was designed for serious fans. Cheap tickets and ultra-strict ticketing schematics attest to that. “It’s a little tedious,” said Live Nation San Francisco chairman Lee Smith of safeguards like eliminating in-and-out privileges and requiring customers to claim their tickets in person the night of the show. These practices were put in place for all eleven nights to prohibit scalping and ensure fan access. Indeed, a follower from the early days couldn’t have been happier to watch Corgan from a few feet away and to sing along to so many songs for only $25. Others less inclined to cherish the frontman’s every move may have considered the concert a sprawling mess.

But you gotta hand it to Corgan. Despite dissing his group early in the set (“Welcome to our band practice”), and passive-aggressively suggesting that only seven people had bought the new album, he did his best to make it a memorable night. Mostly he let his music do the talking. Throughout three hours he never left the stage, except for a brief break before the Pumpkins’ baffling, unrecognizable half-hour encore. When his band departed mid-set for a rest, Corgan stayed behind to do four acoustic songs. Later, after he was finally warmed up, he issued some severe screams and slick solos that recalled his brilliant apex as an alt-rock icon.

The Smashing Pumpkins are back, but stuck banking on the past to propel them into the future. If Corgan is to achieve relevance beyond his hardcore fanbase, he still must win over a skeptical public. On Sunday, there was no escaping that these are different times. Not a faded old Zero T-shirt was in sight.

(Originally published in the East Bay Express 7/25/07.)

When Neon Bible was released in March, ravenous fans and frenzied press had already deemed it the most anticipated new release of the year. Kids and critics clamored for an advance taste of a new track over file-sharing networks, while media from The New Yorker to Pitchfork employed all the metaphors and religious allusions they could to summon the majesty of the moment. In 2004, following the release of Arcade Fire’s spectacular first full-length, Funeral, Pitchfork made the band one of the most-hyped of the digital music era. The second, more urgent, wave of adulation propelled Neon Bible’s first-week sales to 92,000 units and the No. 2 slot on the Billboard 200, trouncing Funeral’s climb to No. 131.

Arcade Fire songs are about feeling something and running with it. Twice on Saturday night, members of the band scrambled up a fifty-foot latticed stage support with instruments in tow. One carried his drumsticks halfway up and rapped on the metal structure as if it were a drum: a display of arena rock showmanship infused with the childlike joy that characterizes the group’s live show. Arcade Fire is equally adept at sadness. Funeral is rooted in the deaths of family members, and Neon Bible, recorded and self-produced in a church in Montreal, feels even darker. Neon Bible, neon Bible/Not much chance for survival frontman Win Butler chants on the title track. Closing song “My Body Is a Cage” is expressly funereal, with gothic organs swarming over a shattered death march. Set my spirit free, set my body free, he sings.

Built on word of mouth and signed to sturdy independent label Merge, Arcade Fire embodies the future of an embattled industry. The musical mass market is disappearing, and the bond the band shares with its fans is the new real deal. A fervent, albeit niche audience cherishes Arcade Fire for the plain reason that its music is, almost without exception, rapturous, cathartic, and profound. That’s all fans and the band will ever need — not a major label contract or a new sound or the support of Bowie and Byrne or even Bono. “This is a song about how people believe in whatever shit they wanna believe in,” Butler said Saturday to introduce new track “The Well and the Lighthouse” — and much of the audience believed in him.

The entire crowd sprang to its feet for “Rebellion (Lies),” Funeral’s lead single. No one knew it yet, but this was the last song of the set, the moment the whole concert had been impeccably approaching. When it ended and the band left the stage, something extraordinary happened. Instead of clapping or cheering for an encore, without provocation the audience began to intone, in perfect harmony, the violin melody from the end of the song. It must’ve looped twenty times. The crowd plucked the tune from the air and claimed it as its own, as much in a call for the band to come back as in a spontaneous expression of joy and togetherness.

The musicians reappeared after a few minutes and the moment passed, yet in a sense it never really did. “Thanks for a very memorable night,” Butler said between the ensuing two encore songs. He was right again. It must’ve been the best show we had ever seen.

(First published in the East Bay Express 6/13/07.)