NEW SOUNDS: THE BUILDERS & THE BUTCHERS - THE ANSWERING MACHINE - THE VOYEURS - OTHERS

I've been in babyland for some time now, but it doesn't mean the flow of music piling into FSHQ has diminished. The one nice thing of holding a baby for hours is that you can listen to a lot on your Ipod. There are so many really excellent releases lining up for 2009 that I've been hearing and it's my first chance to call some of these out.

First up, Portland's THE BUILDERS & THE BUTCHERS. I've tipped them quite a bit on how I think they should be a breakout act of 2009, but that was even before I got the new full length. Where this one ends up being released through is still TBD, but I'm immediately excited about "Barcelona" - a track we will be debuting on the Future Sounds show on WOXY very soon, as well as my early favorite "Golden and Green". The Pacific Northwest keeps cranking out these important folksie bands - FLEET FOXES, PORT O'BRIEN, LOCH LOMOND, etc. and TB&B are the next important point of light in that sequence. I'm not sure what the album is called yet, but I call it delightful.

This next act, THE ANSWERING MACHINE, are from Manchester, England and their full-length, 'Another City, Another Sorry" on Heist Or Hit Records, is brilliant from start to finish. My first impulse was to jump at the single, "Emergency". It's another song that WOXY listeners will get to first in the US soon enough, but then I spent more time in the nursery with headphones and The Answering Machine. Track "Lightbulbs" is the brightest light and a track that I think has big potential and "Oklahoma" is another instant favorite. When they slow it down for "The Information" is when they set the hook in my jaw and pull hard - I'm done. This record will make an impact in the UK, are we smart enough for it over here?
We recently got sent a full-length by the manager of A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS, not only are they a fantastic, ear-bleeding band, their manager happens to be one of the good guys in this business. His latest project is a band we've started playing on the FS show, SHILPA RAY & HER HAPPY HOOKERS, from Brooklyn, NY. Shilpa Ray was formerly in BEAT THE DEVIL, but now heads up the HH's with something twisted in a David Lynch/TRUE BLOOD kinda way. The track, "Filthy and Free" off their 'A Fish Hook An Open Eye' CD, we haven't stopped playing since it's arrival. Here's another act with a big upside for 2009 that I can't wait to see live. Steve, how can we make that happen???

Jumping back to the West Coast, we have Jax from ROCK INSIDER to thank for turning us on to the LA based group, THE VOYEURS. We debuted their track "Things People Say" on the FS show recently, but then received the full-length called 'Well Known Drag'. Again there is pleasure behind this arrival because it's yet another full record of great songs, not just your standard 2 good songs-10 fluff that seems to drip out of most acts these days. My new favorite here is "Something Sets Me Off", but I have the feeling that each track will have it's day in the sun. Their CD release party is set for January 27th at THE ECHO and it's FREE. They go on stage at 11pm.

Finally, hopefully you'll remember THE BOTTICELLIS from FS32 and the amazing track "The Reviewer". If not, you're missing out on this magical band from San Francisco. Fans of FLEET FOXES and BEACH HOUSE will fall into place with this act, and they're finishing up an EP called 'Sierra Songbook' and I got a sneak peak of the rough mixes. "Betrayed" is my early favorite but each one is warm and comforting. This is yet another band that should grab some serious momentum if it breaks out of the West and gets on more people's radar.

THE BOTTICELLIS ON DAYTROTTER/SF BAY GUARDIAN

Another band whose album has absolutely owned me since I've received it has been THE BOTTICELLIS "Old Home Movies" on Antenna Farm Records. You'll be hearing more and more about this band as the record drops May 13th and those wise owls at DAYTROTTER were smart enough to pull them in for a DT session during Noise Pop. Head over HERE to download tracks, read the prose, and view the artwork surrounding this visit.

While you're there, don't miss Daytrotter sessions by other former FS acts like
BIRDS OF AVALON (FS radio show April 7th)
LUKE TEMPLE (FS11)

Back to THE BOTTICELLIS, they also just received an excellent feature in the San Francisco Bay Guardian that you can read HERE. I recently caught them at The Echo in LA and they're BEACH BOYS meets THE BAND sound was magic.

TONIGHT IN LA: THE BOTTICELLIS @ THE ECHOPLEX

They may only be the opening band, but San Francisco's THE BOTTICELLIS are the targeted pick for this evening's lineup at The Echoplex. Their Antenna Farm Records release, "Old Home Movies" is excellent, highly recommended in fact. Get out early and see these guys!

TOUR DATES
21 Mar Echoplex Los Angeles, CA TONIGHT!!
18 Apr Cafe Du Nord San Francisco, CA
16 May Starry Plough Berkeley, CA
17 May Sophia's Thai Kitchen Davis, CA
...stay tuned for US tour dates in June

NEW FEATURE: GIMMIE 5

Friday's GIMMIE 5 - Five jams for your enjoyment

1. THE MUMLERS - Shake That Medication

2. SOCIETY OF ROCKETS - Time

3. CHESTER FRENCH - She Loves Everybody

4. THE ROSEWOOD THIEVES - Silver Gun

5. THE BOTTICELLIS - The Reviewer

NEW SOUNDS: 4 CALIFORNIA GEMS

Normally I get stacks of CD's sent this way for review that pile up and are sometimes a challenge to get through. You go on streaks where nothing is very promising, and then every once in awhile you get a string of gems that make it all worth it. Recently I hit the jackpot with four releases from California bands that delivered excellent albums.

First up, a band from Bakersfield called THE GRIZZLY OWLS. The husband and wife team of Jenny and Joseph Andreotti have self-released 'By Night On My Bed' that is a pure delight. It's like a Western LUNA, and after further reading it seems they were inspired by the stories of their grandparent's journey from Oklahoma to Bakersfield during the Dust Bowl. They have grown up with the Bakersfield sound (BUCK OWENS, MERLE HAGGARD) and have taken that, added a touch of DAVID LYNCH, and impressed me with favorite tracks, "Rifles and Hemlines" and "What's A Girl To Do". They'll be in LA on March 3rd at MR. T's Bowl, see you there.


The second fantastic release to come way is from San Francisco's BIRDS & BATTERIES. A five piece that reminds me of classic THE BAND (or as Tom Hanks likes to call them, The Bang). In fact, this feels like it should've been the third BAND album, after the S/T release and picks up where "Unfaithful Servant" left off. This is an album so gorgeous I find myself playing it over and over again because it lulls you into magic. It doesn't do much for your motivation I can tell you. It's hard to pick a favorite, but it would probably be "After A Flood" with "I'll Never Sleep Again" and "Soft Surveillance" close behind. Highly recommended.


If BIRDS & BATTERIES are THE BAND'S 3rd record, Fullerton's MY PET SADDLE might be straight out of MUSIC FROM BIG PINK. They also sound like what would've been the follow up to that great BEACHWOOD SPARKS album, "Once We Were Trees". Their entire EP is an absolute throwdown, a raucous foot stomper. Favorite tracks here are "Il Fait Beau" and "Alaskan Sun". They're playing out at the Gypsy Lounge this Friday with other FS favorites like LEMON SUN and VOXHAUL BROADCAST. Worth the drive.

The final release I want to talk about is from another San Francisco band called THE BOTTICELLIS. Their release, "Old Home Movies" on Antenna Farm Records (another young SF indie label on fire) is another CD I can't seem to stop playing. This band has a sound similar to BIG STAR or THE POSIES sometimes, but that would be pigeonholing them if that's all they are. It's BEACH BOYS sometimes, and at other times it's just gorgeous. "Old Home Movies" drips with something lush, and my favorite track is "The Reviewer", which has a chorus that screams "i'm only talking down to the people looking up". A fantastic band.