Summer touring season is in full swing and Wednesday night I caught two great bands, Oh Pep! and DonCat live on the Rickshaw stage.  Through my headphones I’ve been blasting two new bands of 2016 that I can’t recommend enough – Whitney and Jamila Woods. For those looking for a nostalgic summer soundtrack there is always Day of the Dead: a new 59-song Grateful Dead tribute album featuring The National, Lucius, Courtney Barnett, Wilco, The Flaming Lips, and many others. So much good summer music to be had, buckle up and start singing folks!

On Stage

Oh Pep! 
Wednesday night I was back at one of my favorite little venues, the Rickshaw stop, for a night of new music. Headlining the show were Aussie indie darlings – Oh Pep! Originally from Melbourne this duo of Olivia Hally and Pepita Emmerichs stood on stage in sparkly dressesand charmed the audience with their accents and perfectly executed pop-folk sound. They professed their love for San Francisco and their blatant distate for coffee (despite a misleading lyric, but “hot chocolate just doesn’t sound as cool”). Lying lyrics aside, Oh Pep!’s mandolin solos and beautiful harmonies won over the local crowd pretty quick. They just released a debut album Stadium Cake, with the catchy single “Doctor, Doctor” below.

DonCat

Opening for Oh Pep! last night was a completely different band – DonCat. This local San Francisco band brought shoe-gaze ballads and surfer rock melodies to the stage. Some songs, like “Give it Away” (below) could be described as California cowboy folk, but other songs had heavy metal infused rock – with such a wide musical range this band could go a lot of directions, it will be fun to see what’s next. Kudos to lead singer and songwriter Duncan Nielsen who injected a lot of heartful mystery into the set with a swoop of black hair and many a soulful stare.

In Stereo

Whitney
The debut album “Light Upon the Lake” by Whitney is by far my favorite album of the summer. I discovered this group out of Chicago thanks to my fellow music nerds at NPR Music ( one time Bob Boilen gave me a fist pump in response to my comment about a Beirut album, so yeah, we’re pretty much besties now. Stop getting so jealous). They are playing at Outside Lands on Friday – so check them out if you’re going! This album is  both joyful and bittersweet – the perfect lazy summer soundtrack . Just try to watch the video for their title track “No Woman” and NOT bliss out in this indie daydream…

Jamila Woods

Also a debut from a Chicago-native, Jamila Woods’ record Heavn is an R&B powerhouse album that that combines beautiful Black Lives Matter protest rhetoric with intoxicating beats. I just can’t stop dancing and singing this album.  HEAVN features songs with many of Woods’ friends Chance the Rapper, Noname, Saba, Lorine Chia and Donnie Trumpet. The album is truthful and honest in a way that I haven’t heard put to music in a long time. The message she tells is an important one of equality and justice that is incredibly relevant with today’s violence.  For the album’s single “Blak Girl Solider” Pitchfork notes “…Woods champions freedom fighters, feminists, and writers as being “déjà vu of Tubman,” noting that even a young black girl “scares the government…The theme is one of defense in the face of oppression, not vengeance… It’s a “Black Lives Matter (Too)” treatise, not an “(Only) Black Lives Matter” one.” Definitely make some time to listen to Woods’ new album Heavn, you won’t regret it.

Day of the Dead 

Aaron and Bryce Dessner of The National have curated an epic tribute to the music and the artistry of the Grateful Dead in their new album Day of the Dead. Featuring 59 songs and over 5 hours of music this album is a jam-band soliloquy created by a diverse group of modern musicians who pay hommage to the Dead’s musical influence. Don’t listen to this album expecting pithy covers of the Dead’s work- but rather provocative reinterpretations by artists ranging from Lucius to Courtney Barnett, The Flaming Lips to Lucinda Williams, Mumford and Sons to Wilco. The whole album is up on Spotify so explore a bit to see how your favorite artists reconfigure these classic Dead anthems. Courtney Barnett’s cover of New Speedway Boogie is an early favorite of mine:

Thanks for reading,  hope you enjoy all this new summer music!

In a sunny corner between the Mission and Potrero neighborhoods lies Potrero del Sol park, a patch of greenery that most San Francisco residents rarely notice.  During the city’s foggy months this little park is a summery respite;  a community oasis that is poised to host local musicians and delicious food. This weekend is such a celebration, my favorite little music festival – Phono Del Sol .

This non-profit music festival is hosted by The Bay Bridged,  a group of local music nerds that have hosted this refreshingly small festival since 2011. It is neither too crowded nor overpriced, which is a true gem these days. Phono Del Sol is the perfect mid-summer celebration for those looking for new music the old fashioned way (aka not just via Spotify’s algorithms). So join us this Saturday as we boogie to local indie grooves, celebrate some birthdays, and sip a beer in the park.  Cheers!

Preview the full Phono Del Sol  lineup via this Spotify playlist & music videos below:

 

“Ch-Ching” by Chairlift. This avant-pop duo hails from Brooklyn and helped Beyonce with her 2013 self-titled album (what?!). With catchy beats and haunting vocals they’ll be a great headliner for the Phono Del Sol crowd.

“Archie, Marry Me” by Alvays. Toronto-based Alvays brings a sugary retro-pop sweetness to their classic rock sound. I first heard about this band on the NPR show “All Songs Considered”, so it can be assumed that liberal public radio fans will be equally in love with their work.

“Needle” by Born Ruffians. This Canadian based-band brings playful guitar riffs and shifty hooks to their unique brand of indie music. The sound is infectious and will surely be a crowd-pleaser this weekend.

“Runaway” by Mr. Little Jeans. Having seen Mr. Little Jeans perform a great set at Rickshaw Stop last year, I’m definitely amped to see front woman Monica Birkenes rock the stage again with her melodic, strong vocals.

“Tomorrow Land” by Adam Vida

“Oblivion” by The Sheshen

“Dream Girl ” by The She’s

“Gutter Girl” by Hot Flash Heat Wave. Think of them like  a younger, grittier Weezer that films their music video in Golden Gate Park montages with sepia-toned filters.

“This is What I’m doing” by Dick Stusso