Washed Out @ North Park Theater (10-16)–Weekly Music Recommendation

The creation of atmosphere through music is essential at least for those of us who love getting lost in a moment. Washed Out capitalizes on this theory with samples of nature noise including everything from the chirps of little creatures to the implication of blooming flowers. We’re brought to a scene of exploration in a dense nature; we’re in a jungle of wonder.

It would be the non-kitschy soundtrack for a less abstract, modern day Alice in Wonderland . This means the more acid you chomp  and the more doobies you inhale before the show the more you’ll understand –philisophically speaking that is.

What makes their sound particularly seductive is a feeling of duality between a world of nature and the inescapable impact of mankind. It’s like staring out the window on a train ride and continuously being wowed by the ecompassing view: between buildings you see trees, behind the skyline you see the moutains, out the left window you see the ocean and out the right you see industrial warehouses glinting with murals of graffitti. There is no better or worse, there is no inherent preference, there is only the acceptance that both exist together simulataneously with beauty threading through every path.

Washed Out formed in 2009 and blew up thanks to mass exposure when Fred Armisen selected “Feel It All Around” as the opening song for his show Portlandia. Ernest Greene is the man behind Washed Out creating an inspiring blend of synthpop, trip hop and chillwave. With two albums under his belt and the support of several record labels including Sub Pop, Greene has proven his eccentric style to be worthy of a listen.

Washed Out performs live tonight at The North Park Theater!

The Kooks @The House of Blues–Thursday Show Recommendation (9-25)

Signed to Virgin Records with other noteable acts like Lorde, Arcade Fire and Chvrches, The Kooks are an established band with a reputation for consistently craveable music. Only a few short weeks ago,  Listen, the fourth studio album, was released on The Kooks decade-long resume of music making.

Part of the ever-dominate British indie rock scene, from Brighton, East Sussex, the band has found a memorable sound in a competetive class of music where Arctic Monkeys and Franz Ferdinand have also always thrived. Their sound is special because it can’t be tied up in a standard genre definition as they swing around with playful pop melodies, harmonized choir soul, funky basslines, a widespread use of clipping percussion and vocals that scream out with seduction to all the ladies in the house.

The Kooks succeed in making fans smile with addiction and dance with abandon with generally feel-good beats.

See The Kooks live at House of Blues tonight!

The Black Cat Combo @Black Cat Bar–Thursday Show Recommendation (9-18)

I have to admit, I’m not a fan of cover bands. I love the heart and creativity that’s put into original work and rarely will I find a cover to live up to the original. Tonight’s recommendation is an exception to this sentiment. The Black Cat Combo successfully covers rock, blues and rockabilly singles from the 1950s and on. Some of their greatest work includes “Lust ‘N’ Love” a Stray Cats original and “That’s Alright Mama” by Elvis. What makes this band more than just another imitator is their crisp and swanky sound that takes over your body and brain making shivers roll up  and down your spine, has you dancing on the balls of your feet and grinning like a fool in love.

The Black Cat Combo is a German band that formed in 2009 by a bunch of young students with a passion for music. With a popular rockabilly scene in Germany it’s no surprise the lads connected with the genre and began mimicking what they love. What is surprising, is that the quintet formed during high school and managed to sound like legendary musicians straight from the get-go. Cat Lee King’s vocals are deep and drenched with grit as he belts out just as Elvis would with considerable wobble and vaunt. The stand up bass, guitar, piano and drums are all expertly played with ease making a sweet seduction of sounds. The band has one EP titled, Red Hot Scrapin which released a few years back. Newer work can be found on Soundcloud and after five years in the making, the band continuously improves and impresses.

See The Black Cat Combo live tonight at Black Cat Bar!

Waters @Soda Bar–Thursday Show Recommendation (9-11)

You may have heard the name Van Pierszalowski before, if not, that’s ok too. The former frontman for Port O’Brien who reluctantly dissolved the band back in 2010, found inspiration while living in Norway to dive back into his passion with a new name: Waters. The first album, Out in the Light, released in 2011 to great appreciation from former Port O’Brien fans. Now, coming up in a few short weeks on October 14th, It All Might Be OK releases on Itunes without a label.

The major differences, whether or not you’re willing to call them improvements, are a marked shift from lo-fi, indie rock into a rich, fluent indie pop. What was once a chorus of uniform chants and simple, but swift beats has evolved into a more refined and defined sound with rolling, rhythmic beats that have pep and perk. Pierszalowski’s infamous voice remains just that. However, his vocal styling raises the passion bar one notch which ultimately gives off the type of teenage angst perfect for scowling at mother or feeling the satisfaction of self-expression.  As a matter of fact, Waters does an excellent cover of the Cranberry’s “Dream” which perfectly resonates with their new sound. Waters is perfect for aimlessly roaming Sunset Cliffs at night or parasailing over Del Mar.

See Waters perform live tonight at Soda Bar!

Strand of Oaks @The Casbah–Thursday Show Recommendation (9/4)

What makes a band stand out usually boils down to human components; the ability to speak from an emotional standpoint. The band needs to take risks to surprise their audience, a display of honesty gives them relateability and a storyline through the progression of their work to create a consuming feeling. Strand of Oaks exemplifies these requirements, particularly in their latest album, Heal. The thoughtful manipulation of Showalter’s voice is a showcase of emotions as he can sound vulnerable with soft trembles, forceful with a barking grit and soulful with a humming melody. The instrumental talent is not overlooked as each instrument, chord progression, stanza and chorus have the definite feeling of purpose as the music drives you through an emotional dialog of owning your own pain so you can, hopefully, let it go. This rock is not melancholy or blues, but a surmounting sense of self-worth.

Timothy Showalter is the man who created Strand of Oaks. Goshen, Indiana, Showalter’s hometown, becomes an evident influence in his music as he creates a folk rock thick with soul and overcoming hardships. As a matter of fact, not one to be a downer or play the victim, Showalter has a magnetism for the type of bad luck that leaves you saying “whew, well, it could’ve been worse!” There’s an undeniable appreciation for irony and an ability to laugh in the face of adversity which makes this man so relateable. Strand of Oaks debut album, Leave Ruin released in 2009 forcefully launching the band from obscure to recognizable. With a total of four studio albums, endless touring, endless writing and a subtle change of consciousness– the evolution of the band has been made a noteworthy creep into awe-inspiring. With the release of Heal, earlier this year, we notice that Strand of Oaks leaves a lot of their previous music writing rules in the dust opting for more freedom in their self-expression by utilizing guitar solos and a deep pit of emotional rawness. The touching nature of Strand of Oaks realness makes them sweet, sincere and ultimately touching in their humanity.

See Strand of Oaks live tonight at The Casbah!

Nik Turner’s Hawkind–Thursday Show Recommendation

After seventy-four years of existence, the consumption of fistfuls of drugs, a laundry list of musical projects and the unending desire for self expression, Nik Turner creates a deep-seated curiosity for any music lover. English born Nicholas Turner started his participation in the music world with the clarinet and saxophone and was first inspired by free jazz which is what got him noticed by Hawkind; the band at that point had already been established. After seven years, the band kicked Turner out becasue his presence was dominating and assumably irrating to other members. Comically, he was asked to front the band two years later, large part thanks to his big stage presence, personality and orginality. Over the last few decades, Turner has participated in a multitude of projects, initiated his own musical endeavors and collaborated with other rockers.

What makes this man so memorable goes far beyond his reputation and experience. His free flowing, experimental music is a blast of off-beat rhythms that are unexpectedly fluid. It’s where the jam and the plan meet creating waves of heavy drum, seductive saxophone solos, atmospheric buzzing and the completely bad ass rock attitude. Live shows are notoriously wild with far out costumes, trippy lightshows and a completely involved musician showmanship creating the feeling that you’ve travelled to a different planet. This show is for those who love originality, the weird and lots of stimulation.

See Nik Turner’s Hawkind live at the Casbah tonight!

Woods–Thursday Show Recommendation

Woods has a distinct atmospheric sound. It’s ideal for all things folk and all things hippie including an afternoon picnic, an afternoon acid trip or the background music for an outdoor dinner party in the shade of a forest. Sounding playful while being a little eerie and uncanny makes their music intriguing. Listen to one of their latest tracks, “Moving to the Left” and you can imagine little gnomes frolicking through flower beds…or maybe that’s just me. Either way, there’s a happiness to the indie folk/folk pop sound that is never simple, but addicting making listeners want to drink the punch.

Formed in 2005, this Brooklyn-based band has a steady reputation for consistently quality albums. In total, they’ve made eight albums, the latest was released this past May titled, With Light and With Love. The band utilizes popping percussion, a saloon-styled piano, distorted psychedelic guitars with effects pedals, a chirping saw and other detailed, lo-fi sounds created just for you. Pitchfork consistently gives positive reviews of their work and gave their debut album the stamp of ‘Best New Music’ making them noteworthy in the music community. Woods has been touring for their new album since the end of July. They performed at this year’s Outside Lands and will be heading to the Woodsist festival shortly after they stop here in San Diego.

See Woods tonight at the Casbah!

Pulse Liberation–Thursday Show Recommendation

A psychedlic energy that washes between calm and swift with a dash of hopeless romantic and a crisp seal of indie melancholy. It’s a sound for sitting on a beach patio and people watching, for daydreaming under the sun or for being momentarily selfish. Pulse Liberation, an indie/acoustic rock quintet, features vocalist/guitarist Ricardo Vazquez, bassist Diego Gomes, vocalist/guitarist Christian Muñoz, drummer Xavier Martinez and keyboardist Jesse Barajas. The instrumental collaboration is big, creating a sound that pulsates and vibrates of walls, completely encompassing listeners. At times it can be theatrical. It’s like the moment in a movie when the underdog is about to give up, but is confronted with inspiration and at the last minute runs to save the day and do what’s right–maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but listen to “Under the Sun” and tell me you don’t feel the same. No matter how you listen to it, there’s something there that comes together uniquely.

Formed in 2010 in Chula Vista, Pulse Liberation is a continuously growing and evolving band. They’ve been playing live shows since their inception, but what’s weird is a lack of music for purchase online. Their Facebook implies they have an LP on the way, but no date for a physical or mp3 package release. Fortunately, they have five tracks they stream for free through Reverbnation to tide fans over. What’s also noteable, is their collaboration with Project Donate. This organization’s purpose is to raise funds for local charities through art and music. By participating, the band has been able to improve their sound through mentorship and increase their audience scope by booking major venues which is how they were able to perform on The Houes of Blues stage. The admirable intention only makes the band more charming as fans cross their fingers in hope of a near future explosion of success!

See Pulse Liberation live at the Tin Can Ale House tonight!

Some Ember–Thursday Show Recommendation

A ritualistic chant, an airy ambience, a dreary rumble and an industrial clank of time. Their sound takes the 80s synth from Cut Copy and blends it with the eriee, haunting sounds of electronic artists like the Crystal Method. It blends ethereal wave, new wave, dark pop, synth pop, minimal electronica and creates thrash pop. Some Ember is not of this world, creating extraterrestrial moments of escapism. It’s the perfect fit for a movie scene of the main character’s moment of self-discovery as she wanders and hallucinates through a jungle to seek enlightenment. Yes, it can be a bit strange and out there at times, but ultimately the rhythm to the music is addictive and progressive, continuously moving forward into a surprising surge of hyped energy.

Some Ember was formed by Dylan Travis and Nina Chase in 2012, right here in sunny California. The duo releases music on both Night-people and Crash Symbols, making their music a staple in the underground electronic scene. On May 27th, the band released their first non-cassette, full-length, self-titled album through Dream Recordings. The album has been well-recieved in the music community being compared to artists like Haunted Hearts and Crocodiles. Expect to see continuous success from this duo in the near future.

See Some Ember at the Whistle Stop tonight!

 

Ryat–Thursday Show Recommendation

A hallucination of time warp, an obligatory declaration of present-moment living and a trippy mind-mangler meant to shift consciousness; Ryat accomplishes this through her self-composed and recorded modern electronica. The most awe-evoking aspect of her musical style are her vocals which she samples, loops, layers and distorts until it becomes a chanting echo of wild woman outcries. The playfulness adopted in the vocals, reminiscent of Bjork, are accompanied by glitchy, jazz-influenced, electronic experimentation. The time signatures change with frequency leaving listeners to waver between melodic rythmic beats and quick, slivered jets of bpm-heavy effects and samples.

Christina McGeehan is an american producer, born in New Jersey and currently residing in LA. She took the moniker Ryat in 2006 and began making music. She’s on Flying Lotus’s label, Brainfeeder, with other experimental electronic artists like Thundercat, Tokimonsta and Mr. Oizo. Ryat has produced three albums, the most recent in 2012 titled, Totem. Earlier this year, Ryat collaborated with Brainfeeder comrade, Mast, on the track “Until You Are Sound.” The soft piano melodies emphasize McGeehan’s eerie, wailing vocal hum and the powerful waves of energy that come from the pit of her stomach. Gaining a reputation for consuming, atmospheric music, Ryat puts on shows that mesmerize and entertain.

See Ryat at the Kava Lounge tonight!