Primavera—our live music showcase with Sue Problema, Louda, and Juanny Depp—is tomorrow!
Primavera—our live music showcase with Sue Problema, Louda, and Juanny Depp—is tomorrow!
Listen to Mae Powell perform live on Lower Grand Radio; rock out to Wander, one of the Bay's best post-rock bands; space out to the fantastical piano of Headboggle
A bit of a different newsletter this week…
FIRST THINGS FIRST: PRIMAVERA
We’re throwing our first live music showcase of the year tomorrow! If you appreciate rare cumbia, delightful and danceable Latin jazz, and/or expansive clubby reggaeton and dembow, then come celebrate with us: Primavera will feature the incredible talents of local DJs Sue Problema and Juanny Depp in support of a full live band performance by Louda y los Bad Hombres. Hit us up for the address.
P.S. Yes, we see the little rain icon in our weather app too. But the full forecast says it’s just a sprinkle in the morning, and should be clearing up for a sunny SF day :)
THE MAGICAL MAE POWELL
If you missed last week’s airing on Lower Grand Radio, you can now listen to the wonderfully dreamy SF-based indie pop artist Mae Powell performing live in the studio. She plays a handful of songs new and unreleased, and then shares her musical background and thoughts on the universe in a sweet little interview. As someone said in the online chat: “What is your relationship to magic?” should be included in every interview ever. Listen here.
HUMMING, THUMPING SLOWCORE
“It's a lot more like absurdism than nihilism.” So don’t call it sadcore. Duster, a band formed in the South Bay and now based in Santa Cruz, released their fourth album Together on Chicago-based record label Numero Group. It’s slow and whole, minimal and meditatively rhythmic—as if a humble singer-songwriter with simple sounds boarded a spaceship to slowly sail the cosmos.
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON ZAPPA
Did someone listen to their parents’ Frank Zappa records too much? I love when that happens. Surrealist Oakland art rock trio Gumby’s Junk released Apple House, a 30-min album of chaotic, give-no-fucks post-punk poetry. More danceable than the best dance party, more honest than the best self-given tattoo. Grab a beer, treat yourself to a deliciously juicy BBQ sandwich, and see the band play the album’s release show tonight at Stay Gold Deli in West Oakland.
SOLO PIANO FIT FOR THE MUSEUM
“If you listen to most of what Derek Gedalecia has performed or published previously, you will always find an undercurrent of devotion to melody and the well-ordered truths of conventional music.” Gedalecia, who releases music as Headboggle, apparently recorded himself playing a Steinway Grand Piano at SFMOMA in 2019, mixed it, and published it last month as Dual Piano. It’s a shift from the artist’s typical experimental electronic sounds, but the promotional material assures us that this should come as no surprise. But one thing is certain: You don’t need any background to appreciate the stunningly lovely, strikingly bare piano pieces contained here.
MASHUPS TO SET YOUR NIGHT AFIRE
Tom Tom Club meets Sister Nancy? That’s one way to secure my love from track one. Released in February, EDIT POWER VOL. 1 features 11 new edits and mashups from King Most, colliding Jeremih, Amber Mark, BIA, Cardi B, Doja Cat, Saweetie, and other recent artists with classic sounds and newer club vibes.
ALL FILIPINO, IMPECCABLE POST-ROCK
Whether you’ve got an exam to study for, a business report to write, or some tricky program to code, here’s a great soundtrack for the next time you need to be industrious. Home is the fourth LP from Wander, a massively talented all-Filipino rock quartet based in the Bay, and because the music’s constantly driving (and always instrumental) it’s the perfect thing to rock on headphones while cranking out work. Then go see them open for Slow Crush at the Independent on May 1.
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As always, thank you for reading.
Peace,
ronny