Tag Archives: Rank/Xerox

The Bay Area absolutely smashed it in 2011, with some of our favorite artists releasing amazing albums, EPs and cassettes that we’ve been listening to endlessly this year. It was incredibly difficult to cull the past 12 months to our favorite 15 releases, but we did it anyway. Check them out below and let us know what you think in the comments.

15 The Sandwitches // Mrs. Jones’ Cookie

mp3:
The Sandwitches // “Lightfoot”

The Sandwitches // “Joe Says”

14 Bare Wires // Cheap Perfume

mp3:
Bare Wires // “Cheap Perfume”

Bare Wires // “Ready to Go”

13 King Lollipop // Woodland Whoopee Songs

mp3:
King Lollipop // “Cheeseburger and Fries”

King Lollipop // “You Will Never Find Me”

12 Pamela // Pamela is Hungover

mp3:
Pamela // “Lie Down (Eye Contact)”

11 Weekend // Red

mp3:
Weekend // “Hazel”

Weekend // “Sweet Sixteen”

10 Wet Illustrated // Wet Illustrated

mp3:
Wet Illustrated // “Gypsy Town”

Wet Illustrated // “Claws”

09 Ty Segall // Goodbye Bread

mp3:
Ty Segall // “Goodbye Bread”

Ty Segall // “You Make the Sun Fry”

08 Swiftumz // Swiftumz

Hunx collaborator Christopher McVicker managed to release one of the most understated albums of the year under the moniker Swiftumz. “Don’t Trip” is an immersive collection of hazy, moving jams that transcends the limits of bedroom pop.

mp3:
Swiftumz // “4EVA”

Swiftumz // “Angelita”

07 Rank Xerox // Rank Xerox

Rank/Xerox // “Sterile Regions”

Rank/Xerox // “Nausea”

06 Blasted Canyons // Blasted Canyons

Never before has an ode to weed and ice cream sounded so raw, explosive and all-together effortless.

mp3:
Blasted Canyons // “Ice Cream Man”

Blasted Canyons // “Death and a Half”

05 White Fence // Is Growing Faith

mp3:
White Fence // “And By Always”

White Fence // “Lillian (Wont You Play Drums?)”

04 Ty Segall // Singles 2007-2010

mp3:
Ty Segall // “Bullet Proof Nothing”

Ty Segall // “The Drag”

03 Wax Idols // No Future

The debut LP by Wax Idols features singer/songwriter Hether Fortune elevating the charming pop sensibilities found on her earlier work to a complete full-length, with lyrics veering from the lovesick to the macabre.

mp3:
Wax Idols // “Gold Sneakers”

Wax Idols // “Dead Like You”

02 Mikal Cronin // Mikal Cronin

This scuzzed-out compilation of pop songs marked a solid debut album from Moonhearts/Ty Segall collaborator Mikal Cronin. Unexpectedly wistful and incredibly catchy, this is a record we’ve been spinning endlessly.

mp3:
Mikal Cronin // “Get Along”

Mikal Cronin // “Apathy”

01 Thee Oh Sees // Carrion Crawler/The Dream

Thee Oh Sees scorched through 2011, releasing two mind-blowing full-length albums and a singles only double-LP all while maintaining a frenetic touring schedule that recently concluded (with Total Control). Carrion Crawler/The Dream was announced only a few weeks after Castlemania, and proved to be the “pummeling” record John Dwyer promised it to be. An instant classic and our unequivocal favorite record of 2011.

mp3:
Thee Oh Sees // “The Dream”

Thee Oh Sees // “Carrion Crawler”

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Posted in Lists, mp3

Tagged Bare Wires, Blasted Canyons, feature1, King Lollipop, Mikal Cronin, Pamela, Rank/Xerox, Swiftumz, The Sandwitches, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall, Wax Idols, Weekend, Wet Illustrated, White Fence

What’s going on this weekend?

Posted on 09/16/2011 by kevin | Leave a comment

Mission Creek Oakland Music and Arts Festival continues in Oakland tonight, with a Nectarine Pie/Bare Wires show at Eli’s Mile High Club later with Courtney and the Crushers, Lotus Moon, and Smokestacks. That’s at 9pm for six bucks.

The fourth (!) annual Rock Make Street Fest is all-day tomorrow (Saturday), starting at noon and featuring a bunch of local artists, food carts and more sprawled out across 18th and Treat Street. The event is free and all ages. More details – including the bands performing and a list of vendors –can be read over at TBB here.

Nick Waterhouse, who’s had a hand in producing some of the Allah-Las’ recent releases, plays a pre-party at Engine Works tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 6pm in advance of the Allah-Las show at Hotel Utah later that night (who are on tour). The Engine Works show is $5 at the door and will also be commemorating some recent Waterhouse releases, including ‘Is That Clear’ b/w ‘ I Can Only Give You Everything.’ He’ll be joined by The Tarots. Primo will be DJing early on, more details over on the facebook page (edit: link fixed). Tickets for the Hotel Utah show are available here.

Peter Hook may be ‘saddened and upset‘ that New Order has decided to reunite without him, but that hasn’t stopped him from going on a national tour to play Joy Division‘s seminal album Closer. Peter Hook and the Light play at the Mezzanine Saturday night at 9pm — will call tickets are still available.

There’s also a Rank/Xerox show at Hemlock Saturday night with Kitchen’s Floor (from Australia), Fat History Month and Yi. Listen to a cut off the excellent Rank/Xerox debut release over at Night Fog Reader (via Make a Mess). It’s their record release party.

And don’t forget, Lumerians play a saveKUSF benefit at Bottom of the Hill Sunday night with Naked Lights and Infinity Rider. Read our interview with the psych quintet that we did before their show at Great American Music Hall awhile ago. This one is $10 and is all ages. More details on the facebook event page, or you can buy tickets directly from the venue.

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Anything else? (I’m exhausted.)

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Posted in free, news, shows

Tagged Bare Wires, Lumerians, Nectarine Pie, Rank/Xerox