Tag: Darto

Last Week’s Jams, Today (1.17 – 1.20)

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We got some great music last week, either in single form, or in album form, so we’re grateful for last week. We collected all the jams from last week and put them on your doorstep in this light little playlist. We start off with the great new Say Eyed Beatniks tune, which incidentally is not called Hysterial Roosters, but rather “Hysterical Rooters.” Plus, our friends in Good Looks announced an LP with our other friends, Keeled Scales, so double win there. And, there’s a few jams from great records from Artsick, Good Good Blood and Jana Horn, so sit back and enjoy the day. P.S…I thought I was clever bookending it with Bay Area hits.

Darto Prepare Tolting LP

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You’ve to got to trust your friends when it comes to their musical suggestions, so when a friend sent me over this Darto compilation, grabbing tunes from years of hard work, I realized I’d be remiss if I didn’t give it a little mention out there. This particular tune is sort of a musical meditation, toying with various genres; you get this slowcore build that erupts providing this cavernous realm the band utilizes to usher in their sance. But, at the 1.5 minute mark, the tune twists, evolving into this stripped down bit of oddball folk, textured with striking arrangements that carefully allow the tune to crawl under your skin. The Tolting LP compilation will be out on February 4th.

Nicholas Merz Is My Indie Rock Spirit Animal

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Admittedly, writing about music consistently for the past 10 years occasionally wears you down; it’s never forgiving, and you run across the same sound more often than you’d like to admit…depending on the current trends. Then you stumble across something like Nicholas Merz, who spent a lot of time writing music in Seattle outfit Darto. Now he’s out there on his own, crafting this brand of literary rock n’ roll that’s far too uncommon; it’s like a spirited version of Leonard Cohen, empowered by the song’s arrangement. This track makes me think of tons of references to other great artists too, be it the National or Patrick Wolf; it just creates this sounding board for my life at the moment. This tune will appear on his album, out June 1st via Aagoo Records.

Show Preview: Wand @ Barracuda (TONIGHT) 10/13

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So if you’re not going to that ACL thing that’s going on in our city or attending an after show related to the fest, it’s time to make your Friday night a slam dunk. LA’s Wand are coming down to Barracuda with their psych rock in tow, and you should be there. Their latest effort,Plum, which came out last month, showed the band headed down a slightly different direction than the past, with more focus on the vocals of front man Cory Hanson and in creating more in depth song structures. The result is an excellent release, and I’m stoked to see how the band fleshes them out at Barracuda. Doors are at 9, and make sure you get there early to catch openers Darto, Hidden Ritual and The Maples. Tickets are only 15 bucks– scoop ’em here. Also fall in love with the band’s new stuff with “Blue Cloud” below.