All posts by j. walkos

listen, san diego, video

Roadside Graves to Play West Coast Tavern on Monday

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In a shocking report, the Surgeon General just revealed that Americans aren’t getting enough rowdy folk in their diets. If you’re among the folk-deficient, bleary-eyed masses, look no further than Monday’s Roadside Graves show at West Coast Tavern to get your life back on track. (NOTE: The show was originally to be held at the Tin Can Alehouse, but was canceled. Thanks to SD Dialed In, the show has found a new home at West Coast Tavern.)

I can’t think of a better way to start your week than experiencing Roadside Graves’ joyous, knee-slapping live set. The band is currently touring in support of the critically acclaimed EP, You Won’t Be Happy With Me, out now on Autumn Tone Records. Continue reading…

contests

Contest: Win Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs on Vinyl

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“The Month of May” is a standout track on Arcade Fire‘s stellar new album The Suburbs, but it ain’t got nothing on the month of August.

So far this month, the indie rock sensations have played two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden — one of which was webcast under the direction of film auteur/Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam — and their performance at last weekend’s Lollapalooza was the festival’s most talked-about event (ok, second most talked-about). Oh, and did I mention that The Suburbs just beat out some guy named Eminem for the best-selling album in America?

Not too shabby, and the month isn’t even halfway over yet. To keep the awesomeness going for the rest of August, our friends over at Merge Records are giving away a copy of The Suburbs to one lucky Owl and Bear reader. And this isn’t some CD or 8-track or whatever format you kids listen to nowadays — this is a freshly pressed double-LP of pure vinyl goodness. Top that, Slim Shady.

For your chance to win Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs on vinyl, send an email to contest@owlandbear.com with “Arcade Fire Contest” in the subject line and your name and mailing address in the body. The winner will be selected at random on August 30th.

interviews

Interview: Sleigh Bells

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The first thing you notice about Sleigh Bells is how abrasive their sound is. The mangled notes of Derek Miller’s guitar come at you with all the volume and deadliness of helicopter blades, but beneath all the eardrum-shattering noise, the band’s pop roots take hold. Thanks to Miller’s carefully constructed riffs and Alexis Krauss’ delicate, ethereal vocals, Sleigh Bells’ high-energy, lo-fi rock is much more inviting than it is off-putting.

Miller recently took some time out of his crazy touring schedule — which includes stops at just about every major music festival on the planet — to answer a few questions for us. Continue reading…

interviews

Poetic Memory: Sonny and the Sunsets (List)

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San Francisco-based Sonny & The Sunsets are preparing for the release of their new album. Out on August 31st through Fat Possum Records, the aptly titled Tomorrow Is Alright envelopes the listener in its soothing melodies and sun-soaked guitars, washing away even the smallest hint of pessimism.

Frontman Sonny Smith was kind enough to give us a glimpse of the influences that help him create perfect tunes for the endless summer romantic in all of us. Check out his Poetic Memory below. Continue reading…

video

Villagers – ‘Becoming a Jackal’ (Video)

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Sometimes when you hear a song, it casts a spell on you that can only be broken by continuously listening to it for days on end. “Becoming a Jackal” by Villagers still has me in its whimsical grip, and I suspect the only way that the spell can be broken is if I pass it along to the O&B collective consciousness.

Actually, after listening to the Irish band’s debut LP — also titled Becoming a Jackal, out now on Domino Records — I fear the spell won’t go away until the rest of you fall in love with the entire album, just as I have. But for starters, have a look-see at the above video. I must warn you, though — it may conjure emotion.