IR: San Francisco #54 – Psychedelic Celebration, Pt III (MP3)

It’s time once again to celebrate the modern psychedelic. Some say the psychedelic aesthetic was born here in the SF Bay Area. Others will argue it started in Orange County with the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds, while others still will argue that Liverpool’s own The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band started it all.

No matter… while Brian and Paul were having their pissing contest back in the 60’s, they nonetheless helped jump-start off a movement that obviously resonates today. Enjoy!

Luminous Orange: Every Single Child
The Most Serene Republic: Sherry and Her Butterfly Net
Solar Powered People: Commercial Flight
Eux Autres: Molly
Jake Mann: Daytime Ghost
Dengue Fever: Seeing Hands

Write to me at scott [at] insomniaradio [dot] net if you’re so inclined.

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IR: San Francisco #50 – Fiftieth Festivus

Welcome to Episode 50 of the show! I’m switching up the format slightly here, as I don’t do any real talking until the very end. Instead, I’ll let other show hosts and artists do the talking for me! Enjoy the silly, the serious, and the seriously awesome music featured here today.

The Billy Martini Show: Relax (Be Yourself) | Leo @ The TLP
Starving Millionaires: Givin Up
Denver Harbor: Picture Perfect Wannabe | Michael @ IR: San Diego
Pensive: Live Fast | Charles @ IR: SoCal
You, Me and Everyone We Know: I’d Be More Interested If You Were Already Spoken For | Tim & Don @ IR: Baltimore
Recliner: Hey Mister Tourmaline: One Chance | Jason @ Insomnia Radio
Inkwell: The Tragedy of David Gribble | Marci @ IR: Orlando
The Matthew Show: Office Suite, Part 1 | Jack @ Wander Radio
Slashed Seat Affair: Forget You | Stuart @ IR: UK
The Thermals: Here’s Your Future | Phill @ The Philler
Chance: Life & Life Only | Video

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IR: San Francisco #49 – More Mellow

Feelin’ in a mellow mood this week, y’all. Enjoy these eight great tracks from San Francisco and beyond.

Andy Scisco: Only Laughing
The Cloves: A Million Reasons
Jonah Matranga: So Long
You Said Saturday: Stray Bullet
Ill Lillies: Baby Diego
Sentinel: All Her Ways
Plunkett: The River
Palomar: Alone

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IR: San Francisco #48 – Of Canada, the 80’s, and Murphy’s Law

Why such a weird title?

1. Three of the bands featured on this week’s show hail from the Great White North.

2. All the music has a distinctly 80’s new wave/post-punk type of feel. To me, at least.

3. NOTHING WENT RIGHT.

Let me clarify the latter: Oh, the show got recorded all right (obviously, or you wouldn’t be reading this). However, my normally faithful Garageband crashed, resulting in re-recording. The phone rang in the middle of the show. I accidentally inserted the same song twice, resulting in lots of post-production work, cleaning up edits, insert points, volume levels, and artwork for the Enhanced version. And as usual, I fumble and stumble and tumble all over my words. [Sigh...]

I hope it was all worth it! (scott at insomniaradio dot net)

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THE TRULY AWESOME
Elizabeth: War Is Beautiful | eMusic
American Music Club: Rise | eMusic
Bottom of the Hudson: Handwriting | eMusic
The Dudes: Dropkick Queen of the Weekend | eMusic
Harbours: Not the Same | Fast Atmosphere | iTunes
And The Winner Is: Ice Cream Is Not the Final Answer | Buy from label
Red Sea Station: The Streets Are Whispering | .mp3
Stars: The Night Starts Here | eMusic

HONOURABLE MENTION
IODA Promonet
Absolutely Kosher Records
Stuart @ Insomnia Radio: UK (introduced me to ATWI, which I mentioned during the first recording but forgot in the second one; what an asshole am I)

IR: San Francisco #47 – The John Sellers Interview

Last week I had the incredible fortune to sit down for a couple of hours and innumerable pints with John Sellers , the author of the hilarious, frank, and amazing book Perfect From Now On: How Indie Rock Saved My Life . In the interview, we discuss his book, indie music over the past 25 years, and our mutual obsession over Dayton, Ohio, band Guided By Voices. To round out the interview, I chose six tracks (not five as I stupidly said in the intro), all of which are reminiscent of the type of music that GBV recorded throughout their long and storied history.

If you like what you hear, check out the bands in this week’s episode, check out GBV’s back catalogue (sad to say, they’re now defunct), and by all means: BUY THIS BOOK!

DOWNLOAD HERE

The Hot Freaks:
Thunderhawk: Computer Science Department of Justice Alliance vs. Robots
One Light Out: Takes the Edge Off
Magnetic Health Factory: Cool to Sad
Cronkite: Leonard’s Final Countdown
Hallelujah the Hills: Wave Backwards to Massachusetts*
Mission 5: I Know, You Know

*Personally requested by Mr. Sellers himself!

I Am A Scientist:

John’s Website
John’s Blog
John’s MySpace page
The book at Amazon.com

IR: San Francisco #46 – Alternate Takes

On this week’s show, I feature alternate takes of four tracks. The bands may have originally recorded these as demos and then later fleshed them out for full-lengths, or they just wanted to take the songs in a different direction. Whatever the reason, I hope you enjoy this unique episode.

I also am joined by my cohost, Miguel of the TLP. I neglected to talk about the TLP during the show as initially promised, so check out the link to their site to find out what they’re all about.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Alternate Takes:
Little Yellow Perfect: Television (demo & album versions) | Buy direct from artist
Loquat: Swingset Chain (Garageband & album versions) | eMusic | Buy direct from artist
The Winter Sounds: Oblivion (EP & album versions) | eMusic | iTunes | LiveWire Recordings
Cult of Sue Todd: Burn Tampa (original version) & Tampa (EP version) | eMusic | Buy direct from artist

Check Out:
The TLP

IR: San Francisco #45 – Road Trip

Sorry for the long absence, guys. I hope to regain my once-frequent schedule of releasing a show about every week. But hopefully the wait will have been worth it.

In this show, we start off in San Francisco, fly across the country for a stay in Boston, dive south to Athens, GA, take a quick trip up to Chicago, head back to the West Coast and visit L.A., then head up north, back home to the Bay Area.

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The Honorable:
Music for Animals: Worry | eMusic | iTunes | Amazon
The Blizzard of 78: Give | eMusic | iTunes | Killing Floor Records
Hallelujah the Hills: Wave Backwards to Massachusetts | eMusic | iTunes | Misra Records
The Winter Sounds: Gone to Save Mankind | eMusic | iTunes | LiveWire Recordings
The Race: Feathers | eMusic | iTunes | Flameshovel Records
Amestory: The March, The Parade | eMusic | iTunes | Portia Records
Sweet on Stereo: Rooftops | SnoCap
Everything Gone Green: Headshot

Honorable Mention:
www.thephiller.com
IODA Promonet
The Chillcast with Anji Bee

IR: San Francisco #44 – F.U.E.L.

OK, so maybe I did crib the title of this episode from a certain 90’s post-grunge album, and as ironic as its namesake, it is anything but Sugary-sweet or “easy listening”. Featured in this week’s episode are 12 tracks of high-octane, energy-driven, testosterone-f.u.e.l.e.d . kick-ass music. And a bit of lunacy now and again. So if you’re at work, don’t even bother (including if you drive long distances for a living: you just might get caught speeding). Save this one for a workout session, intense lawn-mowing, or a near-hour public transit commute in which you’re sitting next to a heavily cologned/perfumed person, and you want to piss him/her off just as much, if not more, than he/she is pissing YOU off. (Not that I have experience with that… nah… not really.)

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THE MELTING:
East of Western: Freezing Rain | CD Baby | iTunes
Inkwell: Drop It | Smartpunk | iTunes
The Billy Martini Show: Red Carpet Boogie | CD Baby
Letterhead: Bored
Fuser: The Rules | digiRAMA
Black Furies: No Money Down | eMusic
Dead City Sunday: Sex Ed | eMusic
PicketLine: Arizona | Amazon
One Dying Secret: A Lapse In Conception | CD Baby | iTunes
Switchblade Riot: Switchblade Love | iTunes
Solid State Logic: It’s Not Over
Private Nation: Something About You

THE PRAISING:
Join the Indie Army!
Tequila

IR: San Francisco #43 – Out of Exile

Well, I was never really in exile–just extremely busy at work and in my personal life. I’m back though with a fresh batch of killer music that you’ll want to run out and buy. Or at least listen to again and again.

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The Eight:
Sky the Music: My Morning Headache
Get Him Eat Him: 2 x 2 | eMusic | iTunes
Honeycut: Shadows | eMusic | iTunes
Sean Hayes: Flowering Spade | eMusic | iTunes
Company Car: Sitcom | cdbaby
The Arrogants: Easy | iTunes | Buy directly from the band
Eloise: Kill You
Parcourse: The Ballad of Betty and Billy

The Thanks:
Phill Ramey at www.thephiller.com
IODA Promonet

Contact: scott [at] insomniaradio [dot] net

IR: San Francisco #42 – Liberated!

Energy level: Up. Enthusiasm level: Up. Talking quotient: Down. Music quotient: Kick. Ass. And be sure to hit me up at Virb!

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Eight Reasons to Drain Your Wallet:
Recliner: Float Away | eMusic | iTunes | CD Baby
The Exploding Hearts: (Making) Teenage Faces | eMusic | iTunes
The Coral Sea: Look At Her Face | eMusic | iTunes | CD Baby
Wire Graffiti: Object | CD released May 19!
Sir Salvatore: Hooray This Projector | Buy directly from the artist!
The Old Soul: River Of Daughters | eMusic | iTunes
Sentinel: Diamond Bows | CD released June 2007!
Eloise: Wondering

Useful Links:
IODA Promonet
Recliner Videos
Contact:scott@insomniaradio.net
www.virb.com/irsf

IR: San Francisco #41 – Pop Rocks

The episode is named not only after one of the tracks in the setlist, but by the sheer fact that all of these songs are cranium-lodgers (i.e. catchy as hell). So they have that in common, for sure. There’s one more thing all these bands have in common, though I don’t mention it in the show. E-mail me (contact info below) to let me know what it is, and I’ll send you some special prizes. We’re talking multiple CDs here, so it’s definitely worth an e-mail!

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The Pop & The Rock
Eloise: Substitute
Band of Horses: The Great Salt Lake | .mp3 | iTunes
Johan: Oceans | iTunes
Elliott Smith: Between the Bars | eMusic | iTunes
David Vandervelde: Nothin’ No | eMusic | iTunes
Saturna: Pop Rocks | CD Baby | iTunes |
Clair De Lune: Assisted Living | .mp3 | eMusic | iTunes

Major Props
IODA Promonet
IR:SF on Virb.com (like MySpace on steroids, and much better looking)
Contact: scott (at) insomniaradio.net

IR: San Francisco #40 – This Title Space For Rent

Forty episodes in, and I feel like I’m just gettin’ warmed up. (Though I couldn’t think of a clever title to save my life.) Enjoy music from 10 bands brand spankin’-new to this show, and all from SF or the surrounding area. The music on the show blends slammin’ rock, pop punk, math rock, art rock for films, and shoegaze. In other words, a perfect example of IR:SF genre bleeding.

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The Music:
The Billy Martini Show: Like No Other | .mp3 | album
Goodbye Gadget (formerly Inspect Her Gadget): I Wanna Be | Interpunk
Candy From Strangers: Strange Ride | .mp3 | CD Baby |
Josh Funk: Turn It Away | CD Baby | iTunes
Pebble Theory: Animal | .mp3 | iTunes
The Lovely Public: Pick Your Noose | Aquarius Records (search for band name)
The Union Trade: Strings Break | Amazon | iTunes That Man
Fantastic: Second Skin | CD Baby
French Disco: Sugar | CD Baby | iTunes
Under: Under | CD Baby | iTunes

The Shouts:
Insomnia Radio
Dave’s Lounge
IR 24/7 (Internet radio streaming all the time. Seriously. Stream it on your desktop. At work. Makes the day go by just a tad bit quicker.)
Contact: scott (at) insomniaradio.net

IR: San Francisco #39 – Slide Rules

The title of this episode refers to the predominance of slide guitar in the music. Introducing an IRSF first: an all-Americana episode. I also blather on incessantly about the 1 year anniversary of this show, which began exactly a year ago today. But as always, it’s about the music, and I hope you enjoy!

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10 Reasons to Celebrate:
The Attachments: Karla-la | Buy CD
Limbeck: People Don’t Change | iTunes | Buy CD
Warm in the Wake: Ironworkers | iTunes | Buy CD
Sweet Crude Bill&the Lighthouse Nautical Society: Rock Bottom | CD Baby
Love Not Dead: Misogynist Blues | Reviewed Here | CD Baby
Hubcap: Perfect | iTunes | CD Baby
Steve Gollnick: Face Down in the Dressing Room | Buy Directly from Steve | CD Baby
The Bye Bye Blackbirds: How I Knew It Wasn’t Love | Buy CD
Customer: Happy Days
American Drag: Inside | iTunes | CD Baby

Contact: scott (at) insomniaradio.net

IR: San Francisco #38 – Around the World in Seven Songs

Would have been eight songs but for that $*&#@! DRM that is part and parcel of the lovely iTunes Music Store. (For more on that, read this.) No ranting and raving in the show, just a scratchy throat and miscellaneous interruptions from the neighborhood. Enjoy this collection of music from the SF Bay Area, LA, Athens GA, and Canada!

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The Travelers:

• Vegas de Milo: Teenage Pornstar | CD Baby
• Adam Freedman: Official Explanation | CD Baby
• Uncut: Kiss Me | Buy CD
• Keating: Black and White | CD Baby | iTunes
• The Winter Sounds: Sound Forged Like Spine | Listen
• The Slicks: Maybe | .mp3s
• Foxtail Somersault: Escalator | Buy EP

Contact: scott (at) insomniaradio (dot) net

IR: San Francisco #37 – Jackpine Social Club

This week the spotlight is on the Jackpine Social Club label, who keeps its home in San Francisco. I’ve featured many of these artists on previous shows, which only goes to show that these guys have been on my radar for plenty of time. Thanks also go to IODA Promonet, from which all of these songs were made available.

DOWNLOAD HERE

The VIPs:

• Kelley Stoltz: Jewel of the Evening
• Oranger: Eggtooth
• Loquat: Take it Back
• Jesse DeNatale: Shine Your Light
• Tom Heyman: Deliver Me
• The Herms: The Organization
• Parchman Farm: Chosen Child

The Club:

Jackpine Social Club
IODA Promonet

Contact: scott (at) insomniaradio (dot) net

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