I'm very proud to present the first of two possible "Best of 2014" shows. Starting the day after Thanksgiving, it took me over two months to gather the responses I needed from respected local musicians and also to collect the piles of good music they suggested in order for me to make my playlists.
Over two dozen artists from Oakland, SF, San Jose, Stockton and Sacramento nominated over 35 recordings from 2014 (or late in 2013) by their favorite local artists. Notable participants include Shannon Shaw of Shannon and the Clams, Sonny Smith of Sonny and the Sunsets, Dave Dondero, Bart Davenport, Hot Lunch, Tom Heyman, Hard Girls, Tony Molina, Cocktails, Happy Diving, A Million Billion Dying Suns, Songs for Snakes, Peace Creep, and Doctor Popular!
Nominees included Sun Kil Moon, Christopher Owens (ex-Girls frontman), Wilde Eyes SF, Once and Future Band, Cables & Arms, Void Boys, Cool Ghouls, Musk, Paula Frazer, James Finch, Jr., Virgil Shaw, Davey (Berkeley), Monster Treasure, The Croissants, and more! There was so much overlap and mutual love, it gave me warm fuzzy feelings all over.
My only question is this: Is there anything good happening in Marin?!?
My personal favorite discoveries were:
- Hard Girls "A Thousand Surfaces" on Asian Man Records
- Cool Ghouls "A Swirling Fire Burning through the Rye" on Empty Cellar Records
- Happy Diving "Big World" on Father/Daughter Records - with a LOUD/great live show
I'm particularly surprised that current resident Bob Mould did not get any shout-outs for "Beauty and Ruin" on Merge.
The show starts off mellow and proggy, and then gets more raucous, heavy and noisey as things progress. I STILL have a pair of tickets to give away for Tony Molina's Noise Pop Show at the Rickshaw Stop on Thursday, February 26th , so hit me up via Twitteror Facebookand tell me "Gimme those Tony Tix!" before February 19th for a chance to win!
Playlist
-
Front of the House by Davey on Front of the House -
Heavenly Bodies by Once and Future Band on Brain EP (Mouth Magazine Records) -
Drug Vision by CREEPERS on CREEPERS (All Black Recording Company) -
Keep the River on Your Right by Tom Heyman on That Cool Blue Feeling (Bohemian Neglect Works) -
ugly love by James Finch, Jr. on The Low Road (self released) -
Winter's Morning Sun by Virgil Shaw and the Killer Views on New Mid City (self released) -
It Comes Back to You by Christopher Owens on A NewTestament (Turnstile Music) -
I Can't Live Without My Mother's Love by Sun Kil Moon on Benji (Caldo Verde) -
Duskrunner by Swanox on Duskrunner (Not Not Fun) -
You Can Get Hurt by Hank Richardson on Stuck Lonesome (self released) -
Anomaly by Kitten Grenade on Kitten Grenade (Breakup Records) -
Dazzler (EN Cowell Remix) by Doctor Popular on Dazzler (Monobomb) -
The Mile by Cool Ghouls on A Swirling Fire Burning Through the Rye (Empty Cellar Records) -
Don't Come Back by Tony Molina on Dissed And Dismissed (Slumberland Records) -
Word of the Day by Joyride! on Bodies of Water (Salinas Records) -
(I'm A Star) In Outer Space by Violent Change on A Celebration of Taste (Melters) -
Last Stand/Soft Rot by Musk on Last Stand/Soft Rot (Holy Mountain Records) -
Take it Out On Yourself by Culture Abuse on The Day Dreams of Nothing (Big Cartel) -
Mood Ring by The Croissants on The Croissants/Union Harts (Hella Mad) -
Salt by Monster Treasure on Monster Treasure (Harlot) -
A Perfect State by Songs For Snakes on Songs For Snakes (Self Released) -
November Gales by Cables & Arms on November Gales (self released) -
Go Niners (As Told by Telegraph Hill) by Great Apes on Playland at the Beach (Asian Man Records) -
Chinaski by Black Map on ... And We Explode (Minus Head) -
New Distortion by Lecherous Gaze on Zeti Reticuli Blues (Tee Pee) -
Get Into It! by Wild Eyes on Get Into It! (Who Can You Trust Records) -
Small World by Happy Diving on Happy Diving (Father/Daughter) -
Adult Life by Cocktails on Adult Life (Father/Daughter) -
Starfish by Void Boys on Starfish (Pretty Penny) -
cult of personality by Generation Loss on ... (Cut Rate) -
Die Slow by Hard Girls on A Thousand Surfaces (Asian Man Records)