Tag Archives: tom waits

Poetic Memory: Brent Green (List)

Sundance-honored multimedia artist Brent Green will bring his film Gravity Was Everywhere Back Then to San Diego’s Museum of Photographic Arts this Sunday.

Green is a self-taught animator whose unusual tales explore the nuances of life, death, and everything in between — even Santa Claus. Gravity is his latest work, and it’s based on the true story of Leonard Wood, a man who built an entire “healing house” for his cancer-stricken wife. For the film, the ever-creative Green constructed a full-scale town in his back yard: “five houses, a handmade working piano, a huge glowing moon, and a giant, wooden, fully functioning God.”

And just as Gravity isn’t your typical film, Sunday night won’t be your typical screening. As an added bonus, Green has put together an all-star band — including Brendan Canty (Fugazi) and Howe Gelb — to play a live soundtrack to the film. Having seen Green perform on multiple occasions, I can say with certainty that the show will be like nothing you’ve ever experienced.

In anticipation of the performance, Green also told us a bit about his influences. Brent Green’s Poetic Memory is below.

James Apollo to Play Soda Bar on 10/7

If you’re on the lookout for some lush Americana, it doesn’t get much better than James Apollo. The Arkansas native’s desolate lyrics and gnarled vocals have invited comparisons to William Faulkner and Tom Waits, and that ain’t bad company to keep. His songwriting chops have earned him recognition in England, but US stardom has so far eluded him. That might change on October 12th, when Apollo drops his latest album, the quietly evocative ‘Til Your Feet Bleed, on The Orchard.

To celebrate the release, he’s embarking on a cross-country tour that kicks off at San Diego’s own Soda Bar on Thursday, October 7th. Local country artist Bill Cardinal and Carlsbad honky-tonk band Trouble in the Wind will open. The show is only five dollars, and is sure to be worth your while and the whiles of all your friends.

For a taste of Apollo’s new material, check out the somber ballad “How Hard” and the slithering shuffle “Happiness” on his Myspace page. Non-San Diegans can peruse the rest of his tour dates below. Continue reading…

Interview: Seabear

If you haven’t had a chance to hear Seabear, drop everything and go purchase their new LP. Aptly titled We Built A Fire, it’s the perfect album to keep you warm on a chilly night. With its lush arrangements and soothing vocals, you can’t help but be whisked away to “Seabearia” on a wave of trumpets, strings, and pianos.

Sindri Már Sigfússon is the creative force behind the Icelandic band’s beautiful melodies and heartfelt lyrics. He took some time out from mixing the new album for his solo project, Sin Fang Bous, to answer some questions for us. Continue reading…

Album Review: The Paddle Boat – ‘I Wonder if the Water Ever Tires of the Sea?’

The Paddle Boat

When The Paddle Boat first began to play shows in San Diego, no one knew quite what to make of them. Their hushed aesthetic tended to be too quiet for bars and their century-spanning influences too diverse for easy categorization, but the band nevertheless built a reputation as one of the city’s finest live acts. Seasoned performers though they might be, the band’s recorded output has until now been sparse, consisting of only the four songs from the self-titled EP they released earlier this year.

In its eleven brief minutes, the EP demonstrated that The Paddle Boat were able to flourish within the recorded idiom, utilizing savvy production to add dimension to their already rich sound. But it remained to be seen how the band would fare over the course of an entire album. Now, the group has released I Wonder if the Water Ever Tires of the Sea?, their full-length debut and the true test of whether The Paddle Boat can be as enthralling a recorded band as they are a live one. Continue reading