comp: In A Cloud- New Sounds from San Francisco

"Dropped in Shades of White"

Port towns are always prime for musical stew, with songs washing in from the sullen water, rocking against rotting docks and planting themselves like barnacles on lazy barges. Of course, it's snowing in Greenpoint right now and I'm pretty jealous of anyone with even a semi-desirable sea view. And, in the middle of this longing, Secret Seven Records was nice enough to pass along the new In A Cloud- New Sounds from San Francisco compilation, a collection of SF local treats as potent and savory as any medical edibles from the Bay Area. (Chris recently noted the exceptional Sandwitches track "Grey Wizard.") One of my personal favorites comes from Dylan Shearer, an artist I was introduced to this summer via RTSB, who is truly one of my favorite songwriters working today. If a more sullen Ray Davies sounds your up alley, get excited. Another highlight is Tim Cohen's (Fresh & Onlys) "I Come Alive," a minimalist piano led lullaby with a snap-bass drum beat that keeps it uptempo enough where a vampire woman sounds like a genuinely pleasant companion to guide you toward the light.

Dylan Shearer- 4 In the Morning House(taken down upon request)
Tim Cohen- I Come Alive

bobkast #29: A Sunflower Earth

"Some People Chew Gum for Fun"
(hand drawn cover art by cuti ballve)
The humidity is fading like a bad tattoo. The days don't seem to drag all that long. And all of the sudden I keep finding myself reaching for a cardigan. That's right kids, summer is slowly sinking into fall. Fortunately for all you sun seekers, summer ain't going away overnight. Instead, its a prolonged transition, with nights hitting wooly lows and days scorching Umbro highs. It's a bit bi-polar, but in the end it makes sense. One season gives way to another and so on, and so forth. This mix is meant for those days that run the gamut; chilly morning breezes sweep through apartments until giving way to swampy lunch breaks that melt your PB&J making the whole wheat a bit too soggy for premium enjoyment. By nightfall things have calmed down. The wind picks up a little and all of the sudden your reaching for the wool blanket, the one your grandma knit you when you were born. It's a good feeling, ya know, seasons, change, evolving, etc. Of course, if ya don't like it, you can always move to San Diego. They say it's lovely there, but I don't buy it.

I should also note that this is the first Bobkast that will be available in a very limited quantity on cassette tape. Yep, cassette tape, that obsolete medium that the kids can't seem to get enough of. The tape, of which only one will be produced for each Bobkast, comes with handmade art and will be produced and packaged with loving hands at home. To acquire said tape, pictured here, email me your favorite wild flower at mcgregor{AT}me{DOT}com. Contest will be open for one week starting....now.

Bobkast #29: A Sunflower Earth
1. Takeshi Terauchi & the Bunnys- Tsukuba-San
2. Paralyze Humanity Sequence- Hammock
3. Pill Wonder- What We Know
4. Henry Pedro- Midnight Sun
5. Sunnybrook- Big Waving Hands (demo)
6. jj- Are You Still in Vallda?
7. Pure Ecstasy- You're In It Now
8. Alex Bleeker & the Freaks- Prisoner
9. Mountain Man- Animal Tracks
10. The Fresh & Onlys- Arm's Advice
11. Jana Wenderen- Drifts
12. Atlas Sound- Walk the Thin Line (Fleetwood Mac Cover) [over "Drifts"]
13. Taken By Trees- Watch the Waves (Memory Cassette remix)
14. Nancy Sinatra- Sundown Sundown
15. The Olivia Tremor Control- "Various bits " (McG's OTC sound collage)
16. Grateful Dead- New Potato Caboose
17. Julian Lynch- Waiting Music
18. Desolation Wilderness- Boardwalk Theme
19. Galaxie 500- Here She Comes Now
20. Woods- Rain On Radio
21. Liam the Younger- Beneath the Weeping Willow Tree
22. Ganglians- To June
23. White Antelope- Silver Dagger (traditional)
24. Marissa Nadler- Cortez the Killer (Neil Young cover)
25. Kurt Vile- Nicotine Blues (Live on WFMU)

Download Bobkast #29: A Sunflower Earth (direct download)

mp3: The Fresh & Onlys "Peacock & Wing"

"Smile For A While"
If you've seen a young man schizo-dance-walking down Nassau Ave every morning for the last week or two, there is a good chance said young gentleman is been listening to the Fresh & Onlys "Peacock & Wing." Opening like a New Order track shot through 20 years of dirty needles and falling in love with every cute girl on the subway, "Peacock & Wing" is the snuff tobacco of the melodic garage revival. It's dirty and sweet, pungent and makes your face rattle like bobblehead addicted to benzedrine. "You should really be my fresh and only, you got a smile on your face that I can always see only."

The Fresh & Onlys- Peacock & Wing

"Peacock & Wing" Live at the Market Hotel shot by Bill.