MUSIC: Tempo No Tempo

I've had my eye on this Berkeley-based band for a while, and now is as good a time as ever to introduce Tempo No Tempo to the Macktronic faithful. Their debut EP (The Get Down) is as good a collection of dance/rock/goodness as anything I've heard in a while. Now they're set to release a new EP (Repetition), and they'll be celebrating this with a release party at Bottom of the Hill on November 15th along with The Donts, The Lovely Public, and DJ Pasternak (of Lemonade). Hosted by the good folks of The Deli SF, it promises to be a good time.

::: Tempo No Tempo - A Different Weapon (f/ The Get Down EP)

You can buy the EP's through their myspace page for only 7 bucks (shipping included).

[Tempo No Tempo on myspace.]
[Current Macktronic Contest.]
[Download Music from eMusic; free 25 song free trial.]
[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to sansonic.]

Tags: mp3, music, tempo no tempo, deli sf, berkeley, rock

MUSIC: Spoon (Get Nice EP)

I'm loving the recent trend of including digital file downloads when one purchases a (real) full album, especially for folks like me who buy vinyl LP's but want the digital versions as well (thanks MERGE!). The recent acquisition of Spoon's new album (Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga) upped the proverbial ante with an EP full of outtakes and alternate versions. It's beautiful, sparse, strange, and a perfect compliment to the brilliant proper release. Check out this track.

::: Spoon - I Can Feel It Fade Like An AM Single

Buy the album in either CD or LP, you won't be sorry.

[Official Spoon website.]
[Current Macktronic contest.]
[Download Music from eMusic; free 25 song free trial.]
[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to hrsj.]

Tags: mp3, music, spoon, get nice, rock

MUSIC: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

I first got turned onto this band at the High Sierra Music Festival a couple years back. Now they're about to release their major label debut This Is Somewhere on August 7th. Here's a track off that release which shows the extremely talented Grace Potter at her best.

::: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Ah Mary

You can stream to entire album here. You'll probably be able to order the album soon over at her online store. Also, their lives sets are pretty amazing, you can find a number of them through archive.org by clicking here.

[GP&tN official website.]
[GP&tN on myspace.]
[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to friedpixphoto.]

Tags: mp3, music, grace potter, nocturnals, folk, rock

MUSIC: The Press

Caught wind of this great band through their label, Goodnight Records, and was immediately impressed. The Press, a Brooklyn via Atlanta via Boston four-piece, are certainly planted in the angular indie rock sounds so popular these days, but they bring an energetic approach that calls back to some of my favorite bands (touchstones such as The Talking Heads). Here's a track off their upcoming EP.

::: The Press - Krab Teeth

Currently, you can buy their previous EP and 7-inch from Goodnight Records. The new EP titled "Milk, and the Times that Never Were" will be released on September 18.

[The Press official website.]
[The Press on myspace.]
[Current Macktronic contest.]
[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to polifemus.]

Tags: mp3, music, rock, the press, goodnight records

MUSIC: The Tunnel

Recently caught a set by a new local (SF) band called The Tunnel at the most interesting Eagle Tavern. This two-person set-up (Jeff Wagner and Patrick Crawford) played an electric set in what was apparently their first show. Their sound immediately made connections to the work of Nick Drake, with lurching dark powerful tracks. Although it's a minimalist set-up, the sound is anything but. Here are some tracks.

::: The Tunnel - Drop Dead Delilah [highly rec'd]
::: The Tunnel - Nicely Done
::: The Tunnel - Shifty Shambles

These are the first three songs off their new EP. If you want a copy of the whole thing, just go on over to their website and email them to get one for yourself.

[The Tunnel official website.]
[The Tunnel on myspace.]
[Current Macktronic contest.]
[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to blackscoota.]

Tags: mp3, music, tunnel, san francisco, rock

MUSIC: The Clutters

This nice little track from Nashville band The Clutters caught my ear recently. I've always been fascinated with the Nashville scene, and obsessed with the band Forget Cassettes, so it's no surprise that I'm enjoying the heck out of these guys.

::: The Clutters - 9999 (Ways to Hate Us)

You can buy their new album Don't Believe A Word from Chicken Ranch Records.

[The Clutters on myspace.]
[Current Macktronic contest.]
[Gold Robot Records on myspace.]
[Buy music from Insound.]
[Find/Listen/Download music at The Hype Machine.]
[Photo credit goes to Yusuke Moreno.]

Tags: mp3, music, clutters, rock, nashville