"Little gay music renaissance"—Hear Asha Wells performance and interview at Lower Grand Radio
In addition to our weekly Bay Area show recommendations, check out new psychedelic beats by A.W.I.P. (ft. Poolside Nightmare) plus country whimsy by Ismay
Thank you to everyone who tuned into our first live studio recording of the year, featuring the alternative, uniquely enchanting sounds of Asha Wells.
It was the perfect rainy night to cozy up inside with the Korg keyboard, which Asha played and sang to for a freely flowing 20-minute set. They also joined us for an interview, in which they discuss their musical life in the East Bay, where they have noticed and appreciated the blossoming of a “little gay music renaissance.” Nearly a year after their last full album, they return today with three-song EP, Tears of a Clown.
If you missed the live session, listen to the recording and interview here.
— White Crate
PSYCHEDELIC DREGS
“Post-everything. Sounds of apocalypse, the leftovers of music & culture as a vapor, smoke gets in your eyes.”
A psychedelic ambient album for all times, Chasing Down Demons is a new full-length work by A.W.I.P. aka Another World Is Possible, a collaboration by Oakland’s Trae Casey (Poolside Nightmare) and Melbourne’s Nicholas Ives (NC Ives). The drifting collage meanders at a walking pace, picking up pieces and setting them down, eyeing horizons and stooping low to inspect interesting artifacts. Piano delay, hypno boom bap, hazy lazy guitar, and a multitude of other sounds each take their space in the sequence, pulling together the dregs of a littered world to assemble an ethereal midday dream.
You can order the album on limited edition transparent purple cassette from San Diego label Addendum.
— Ronny Kerr
SWOONING RURAL WHIMSY
When I first heard “When I Was Younger I Cried” off of Ismay’s debut record, Songs of Sonoma Mountain, it stopped me in my tracks. I’ll never forget that totally stunned feeling it gave me; it was haunting and desperately lonesome in the way that every quality American folk song is.
On their second full-length, Desert Pavement, Ismay (Avery Hellman) reaches for a sound more upbeat and forward-looking, but still swooningly beautiful. While Songs of Sonoma Mountain was a gentle masterpiece paying tribute to the rural expanse of Sonoma County where Ismay lived, Desert Pavement inches toward the city with rock and roll and even power pop influences, as well as a healthy dose of whimsy – most notably in “I Called You Up,” with its fuzzy ‘90s guitars, and the fun, imaginative romp of “Stranger in the Barn” (check out the utterly delightful video here).
There are still plenty of references to the natural beauty Hellman surrounds themselves with (palominos, doves, rams) in the North Bay, but with Desert Pavement expect a record that is a little more produced and polished from an artist giving themselves a little more—wait for it—free rein. (I’m so sorry.)
— Jody Amable
SHOW RECS
Our top show recommendations for the coming week:
[experimental] The Fugue of the Cicada Songs ft. transcriptions01, Amma Ateria, Gabby Wen, Joel St. Julien, Sholeh Asgary, Jerod S. Rivera — Feb 2 at Kadist
[rock] The Umbrellas (album release), The Softies, Meat Market, Figure Eight — Feb 2 at Rickshaw Stop
[hip hop] Radio Immaterial, Ricky Lake, Young Tuscon — Feb 2 at Thee Stork Club
[punk] Homesick Festival ft. julie, SPELLLING, Superchunk — Feb 2-3 at Regency Ballroom
[jazz] Underground Jazz Cabaret ft. Danny Glover, Rhodessa Jones, Idris Ackamoor & the Pyramids — Feb 2-3 at the Lab
[indie] Tony Jay (Perfect Worlds live) — Feb 3 at Green Apple Books on the Park
[experimental] Corsano/Orcutt Duo, Evelyn Davis, Expires — Feb 3 at Thee Stork Club
[metal] Frolic, Viscelator, Bruja, Hellbound Pound — Feb 3 at Neck of the Woods
[alternative] Asha Wells (EP release), Indianna Hale, Marika Christine, Dani Offline — Feb 3 at Santo Recording
[punk] Lethal, The Losers, The Government, Firecamp, U.H.D., Mentor, Willow House Records — Feb 3 at Makeout Room
[club] Hot Chip, Jeremy Castillo, Infinite Jess — Feb 3 at 1015 Folsom
[club] Bored Lord b2b RITCHRD, Farsight, HOLODEC, Tomu DJ, Soeneido, Taraneh b2b FINISHHER, Agropol b2b Zero Idea, Tom Marsi, Lonald J. Bandz, DJ Buck, SAMMI, SOULOX — Feb 3 at F8
[club] Sun Ra Arkestra — Feb 6-8 at Great American Music Hall
[rock] Fantastic Negrito & Friends, Mia Pixley, Genie Love, Tylawave & James Wavey — Feb 8 at the Chapel