Earlier this month Jakob Battick, the Berkeley-based musician (originally hailing from the great state of Maine) released Tour Tape 2019, digitally and as a limited edition cassette. For fans of quiet psych folk who appreciate a touch of drone and drifting off into spacey realms. A personal favorite off the collection, “Lilac Bloom” showcases more melodic moments and a lovely female vocal accompaniment. Props to Liam Herb for the crystal wine glass work on these tunes and just the right amount of mystical synth. Feels like just the right kind of tunes to stargaze to. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

San Francisco punky alternative group Pardoner is set to play El Rio on November the 6 with New York’s Bethlehem Steel and World Smasher. Pardoner’s most recent album, Playin’ on a Cloud, was a self-released collection of songs with Weezer and Green Day influences and some Fiery Furnaces thrown in for kicks. They’re fun and loud and happy and ready to roll. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Praise be, what a lovely discovery. Oona Ruin’s vocals echo with folk notes, a unique raspy strength, combined with soothing finger picking. A haunting and catchy song that is leaving us hoping and searching for more. Stay tuned for more releases and Bay Area shows. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Photos by Isadora Sales

Oakland-based Pendant (the musical project of Christopher Adams, of noise-rock group Never Young) released the first two singles ahead of their forthcoming album Through a Coil (out November 8 on Tiny Engines). Title track is alternative reverberating rock with enough poppy touches to keep things interesting and extra sweet. We’re staying tuned for more shows on the horizon and the full album release next month. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Photo credit Andrew Paynter

Berkeley-based Sis is playing Amnesia tonight to celebrate the release of their sophomore album, Gas Station Roses (Native Cat Recordings). The band, led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Jenny Gillespie Mason, has a soulful psych rock feel with Peter Gabriel and Talking Heads influences alongside Afropop and Japanese pop. Sis is composed of Mason and two members from the band Meerna, Carly Bond (electric guitar, flutes, vocals) and Rob Shelton (synths, programming) who help bring this album into the new dimensions. Come check them out tonight with Lalin St. Juste and Sitka Sun.  – Lucille Faulkner

Country-twinged rock group Oakland’s Half Stack just released their latest EP, Aw Hell. The collection features four tunes that showcase the group’s lovely picking, twangy guitars and lyrics that are at times sad, at times funny. Self-described “choogle” and psychedelic rock, Half Stack is worth a good listen. –Lucille Faulkner

You know someone’s album will be good when you hear their demos and think, oh well now that’s sounding pretty solid. That said, Affectionately just released a wee little collection of demos–some of which you may have heard on other albums before–and it’s a true delight of a listen. “Bedroom Waltz” is a personal favorite, but they’re all impressive with fun with disorienting distortions and pure, pleasing vocals. It’s always fun to hear a little gentler behind-the-scenes of one of the Bay Area’s finer secrets. Check ‘em out and don’t wreck ‘em out. Stay tuned for the full album out, comin’ in soon. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Bear Call’s latest single, “Harsh” was just released as an end of summer jam and the title is oh-so deceiving. The smooth chill of “Harsh” is a jazzy mellow jam with warm strums and some nice key action with lyrics that are secretly funny. Oh la la, take a dive. Bear Call will be back playing in San Francisco in December playing with Goon at The Knockout. ’Til then, jam on. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Oakland-based duo Brijean just released their latest single, “Crushing on You” and it’s another sexy warm jam. Bongos? Check. Sweet lady voice? Done. And it’s got those spacey warm disco vibes and all the things Brijean’s budding fan base craves. Just when we were thinkin’ summer was over, “Crushing” heats it up a little longer. Check it out and if you’ve not yet dived into Walkie Talkie, the duo’s 8-song EP, well. Dive, friend. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Album photo by Ginger Fierstein

Who do we have here? Funky soul fellow Otis McDonald (moniker of Joe Bagale) is kind of rockin’ our world. He’s got a new album coming out, People Music, that we’ve got our hands on and we are dazzled. The strength in his vocals is enough to make you shed a happy tear. McDoland’s moniker is an homage to both Shuggie Otis and Michael McDonald. He says, “Even though I am a modern artist, I always pay reverence to all of the greatest artists that have come before me. Call it tangibly rooted in nostalgia while pushing forward. I want to make popular music something that is meaningful again." We’re sharing this cover of “A Day in the Life” because it’s not what we were expecting at all, and that basically sums up our entire listening experience to this fellow. We’d like to think that he’s making our dear Prince proud; there’s D’Angelo vibes, and modern-meets-old school funky jazzy moments with fascinating, solid compositions. McDonald is having a record listening party at Bar Shiru tomorrow night for the release of his vinyl (which goes out nationally this November) and we’ve gotta say that there is no better place to listen to anything vinyl than at Shiru. Production nerds know what I’m talking about. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Oh yes, a little sweet bossa-vibbed beach pop tune is just what we were looking to find. What a delight! Single “Estrangers” (Topshelf Records) is a perfect little taste off No Vacation‘s forthcoming EP, Phasing. We know No Vacation as their former San Francisco selves, who released Amo Xo and Summer Break mixtapes back in 2015. And we know they’ve since relocated to Brooklyn, rebranded as No Vacation, and certain songs have busted out millions of listens (“Yam Yam” is a jam worth checking), but hey we’re still holding onto a tad of our Bay Area claim to these purities. Stay tuned for upcoming shows and that sweet new EP. – Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Oakland-based Al Harper is what we can only describe as delightful. Songs like “Paradise” and “Sunny Somewhere” have just the right amount of surfy guitars and sweet lyrics to put you in a fine little mood. Even finer is their video for “Sunny,” (directed by John Snapp) which features Harper encountering a sweet little dog a huggable friends. There’s kind of a modern day No Doubt feel and we’re digging it. They’re playing at The Rite Spot Cafe on September 21, and El Rio on the 25th. –Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor