French Cassettes:

2013 was a good year for French Cassettes. Not only did they win over Deli readers for the Artist of the Month Poll earlier this year with their exhuberant style of indie-pop, but they also managed to release a full length album called, Gold Youth, produced a music video for their song “Boys” and held down the stage alongside Black Cobra Vipers for a November residency at San Francisco dive bar Amnesia. They have gained a toehold in the burgeoning San Francisco music scene, delivering their brand of sunshine-pop to the masses. If you haven’t seen them live, be sure to catch them at Brick and Mortar Music Hall February 3 with Waters and Social Studies. – Erin Dage

 

Sea Dramas

What do you get when you mix ‘60s surf rock, pop and folk? You get Sea Dramas, a local quintet that wowed readers voting for the Artist of the Month Poll last year. Featuring dreamy harmonies from vocalists Scott Pettersen, Marlaina Rae and gentle folk instrumentals, the band has their sound down to a science. This is shown in the bands debut album Soft Wake, released in early 2013. With tracks such as “Summer Dies” and “This is What We Know”, it’s no wonder they won the much-esteemed artist of the month poll. Be sure to see them perform at the Converse Store in San Francisco January 23rd. – Erin Dage

 

Art Elliot

If one thing’s for sure, it’s that Oakland singer-songwriter, Art Elliot has the post-apocalyptic pop market covered. Confronting the public with piano-based alternative pop, Elliot won himself honors for the Deli’s Artist of the Month Poll in 2013. This singer, songwriter and survivor has been making music for years, and released an EP entitled Goodbye last year. With a voice, unique and all his own, he amazed audiences with stand-out tracks such as “If My Home Remains” and “Postcard”. Keep an eye out for future shows with this artist! We know we will. – Erin Dage

 

Major Powers & The Lo-Fi Symphony

Self-proclaimed “adventure rock” band Major Powers & The Lo-Fi Symphony, is a trio of exceptionally talented weirdos with a flair for the theatrical. Combining epic rock guitar riffs with bouncy piano driven sections and flawless three part harmonies, the group showcases a technical virtuosity that is matched only by their twisted sense of humor. After listening to songs like “93,000,000 Miles” and “Were All Gonna Die!”, the band might be best described as a demented version of Queen. Since releasing their first full-length album, We Became Monsters in 2012, the group has gained a reputation as one of the most exciting new acts in the Bay Area. We’re excited to add them to this year’s list! – Ethan Varian

 

Devin Farney

Composer and pianist Devin Farney won a spot on this year’s list by creating a wide range of music that is truly distinctive. Borrowing elements from electronic, indie-rock, jazz and neo-classical music, Farney’s compositions takes the listener on a sonic journey that is both unexpected and completely enthralling. Whether it is a sprawling orchestral piece, ambient meditation or introspective indie-folk song, Farney’s music is far-reaching while retaining its own unique continuity. In addition to his compositions, you can check out Farney performing with a number of local indie bands including The Love Dimension and with local comedy-improv groups Big City Improv and The Secret Improve Society. – Ethan Varian

 

Agony Aunts

Psych-pop charlatans, Agony Aunts find their way onto our list thanks to an undying devotion to all things psychedelic. The Bay Area supergroup, made up of members of a number of local bands including The Corner Laughers and The Orange Peels, boasts a catalogue of well-crafted pop songs backed by lush, kaleidoscopic arrangements. Drawing on influences ranging from Big Star to Syd Barrett to Jesus Christ Superstar, Agony Aunt’s music is decidedly retro without getting stuck in the 60’s. Fresh from the release of last year’s Big Cinnamon, the group has quickly established itself as one of SF’s most accomplished pysch groups and is poised to make a big impact on the local scene in 2014. – Ethan Varian

 

Owl Paws:

Sometimes the flowers must die to make way for a new beauty to emerge. Since 2011, Owl Paws (aka Derek Schultz) has been releasing captivating folk records. Originally, the name Schultz recorded solo material under, Owl Paws has since expanded into a quartet including two guitars, percussion and upright bass. Owl Paws is full of haunting but not daunting folk whimsy. They have a certain style of mellow melody that gently carries you through their tender tales of trial and pursuit. It’s as though they are asking us to trim back the branch and brush of humanity to let in more natural light for us to breath and be inspired by their benevolent spell. Owl Paws is to headline Bottom of the Hill with James Riot and Cave Clove on January 25th. – Hunter Stroope

 

Chris Klippel:

With an impassioned voice reminiscent of Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Ruban Nielson, Chris Klippel leads his one man band victoriously. No instrument is off limits within his compositions, as he makes intelligent sonic designs with the guitar, clarinet, violin, up-right bass, the human voice and even trombone. Klippel tickles notes of gypsy and dixie jazz, but his songs can range from rock n roll to R&B, baroque music and ’50s soul. With cheeky album titles such as ”So Sioux Me” and “Blacktivism,” we can tell he’s clearly having a good time. Chris Klippel is keeping our city funky and colorful, a bright contrast beneath the machine grey cloud of the tech-age. if you haven’t noticed, he’s hard to classify, so just catch him on BFF.fm (Best Frequencies Forever) on January 31st and feb 1st. –Hunter Stroope

 

Fritz Montana:

Fritz Montana, a three-piece, blue colored, rock n’ roll ensamble is fronted by the vehement voice of David Marshall. He’s vocally akin to The Black Key‘s Dan Aurbach. He sings of classic themes, denoted in such titles as "She Just Don’t Know" and "A Girl Like You," all while standing in the foreground of amplifier’s with volume knobs hovering near ol’ number 11. A deep grooving bass is provided by Kevin Logan, who often references the golden years of Motown, whilst drummer Matthew Hagarty, keeps everything in-time with a flawless rhythm. They own a sound that fits in with the club scene but has successfully filled an arena as Fritz Montana keeps rock n roll’s backbone strong here in the Bay Area. Currently, they’re hard at work on a new EP at The Panda Studios. -Hunter Stroope

Local San Francisco trio DSTVV dub themselves as "grungegaze" among many, many other things. With hollow-sounding, subdued vocals layered over powerful, industrial riffs, they have developed an eclectic and almost eccentric sound. Such sounds can be heard on their latest EP, Underground Product (Wormhole Records).

When people usually think of Los Angeles based French-American post-punk trio DTCV, they think of Guided By Voices, simply because the former Guided By Voices bassist James Greer is a member of this band. DTCV, as an agent separate from GBV, and offers airy pop-infused post-punk tunes. Greer, sharing vocal responsibilities with the multi-talented Guylaine Vivarat, both differ in vocal stylings. While Vivarat’s voice can be compared to Debbie Harry of Blondie, Greer maintains rougher monotone vocal stylings, and trading off responsibilities has proved effective in their latest full length album, Hilarious Heaven (Xemu Records).

For those interested in catching DTCV, DSTVV and a solo set from Tommy Dietrick of Sky Parade, they’ll be playing TONIGHT at the El Rio in San Francisco. –Erin Dage

Seventeen Evergreen – the name just flows from the tongue and flits away leaving a smile on your stereo’s face. SF based duo Caleb Pate and Nephi Evans have returned to the scene with a follow-up to their 2007 debut, and it certainly does not disappoint. The 2012 release, “Steady On, Scientist!” features eight tracks ranging in sound from something you’d hear reverberating and rattling a hardwood dance floor, to a perfect backing track for star-gazing. "President Clavioline" leads with an upbeat, intricate drum and bass vibe while the vocals bellow like anti folk prince, Adam Green. The next track, "Wasting Time/Castlefield" mellows out but still entertains with a trancy beat that tells a story from underneath a light show. "Fluorescent Kind" sounds like exactly what the title promises, beginning with vocals that sound straight out of Apollo 13 (minus any system failures) that smoothly transitions to an alien discotheque style, where poetic lyrics take over…. “Steady On, Scientist!” is an instant staple for any experimental music collection. –Kat Collins

UPCOMING S.E. SHOWS:

Feb. 21 – The Chapel (SF)*
Feb. 22 – Crepe Place (Santa Cruz)*
Mar. 12 – Brick & Mortar (SF)+
*with R. Stevie Moore +with Carsick Cars and White + from Beijing

Here’s a sneak peak at Seventeen Evergreen’s 2014 upcoming release, Bonne Annee.

SEVENTEEN EVERGREEN – BONNE ANNEE 2014!! from seventeenevergreen on Vimeo.

Painted Palms’ newest album out on Polyvinyl is lushness exemplified. Though Forever was just released in what some may consider the dead of winter, the album gives off a Summer vibe. With light and airy pop tunes such as “Too High” and “Soft Hammer,” the San Francisco duo comprised of cousins Christopher Prudhomme and Reese Donohue gives nods to the Beach Boys. Making sure that they aren’t another ‘60s pop revival band, the band brings electronic elements into their sonic stylings. All of these factors come together to form the cohesive pop duo that is Painted Palms.

So, if you’re interested in seeing what Painted Palms has to offer, be sure to see them at their album release party TONIGHT at Rickshaw Stop with Soft Metals and Melted Toys. –Erin Dage

The first phase of the Deli San Francisco’s Year End Poll has come to an end – and we have the results. The Open Submissions leaders are a testament to the diversity of talents in the New England area, ranging from genres like Surf Rock to Ambient and Prog Metal.

Of course, the Deli San Francisco editor wasn’t eligible to vote for the bands in the Bay Are scene. Instead, the submissions were voted on by three other editors, including Deli Editor-In-Chief Paolo De Gregorio.

Acts advancing to our Readers/Fans Poll with a ranking above 7.5:

French Cassettes (8.5)
Sea Dramas (8.5)
Art Elliot (8.3)
Devin Farney (8.3)
Major Powers & The Lo-Fi Symphony (8)
Agony Aunts (8)
Owl Paws (8)
Chris Klippel (7.8)
Fritz Montana (7.8)

Honorable Mentions (ranked above 7.0):

Tall Sheep (7.5)
Bonnie & the BANG BANG (7.5)
The Trims (7.3)
Lee Gallagher & The Hallelujah (7.3)
North Home (7.3)
The Galloping Sea (7.3)
Cazadero (7.1)
Feral Fauna (7.1)

Total submissions from the San Francisco scene: 60

WHAT’S NEXT: Now that the first stage of the poll has come to a close, the next step is to unveil the artists nominated by our local jurors: venue promoters, bloggers, etc. (In other words, the people who know the scene best.) Then, our readers and writers will get a chance to vote on the poll.

A big thanks again to all of the bands who submitted their music. We hope to see you all continue to write the music that makes Bay Area such a rich and diverse local scene.

The Deli Staff

Are you yearning to see an awesome psych rock show this week?? This Wednesday, Bay Area darlings Disappearing People and Faux Canada will be joining New Zealand psych-pop act Connan Mockisan at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. Opening the show is indie-pop trio, Faux Canada, who embrace synthesizers and give an electronic update to indie rock bands of yore. Oakland’s duo, Disappearing People will change the pace of the show, blending elements of psych-rock and fuzzed-out lo-fi music to create durational musical compositions. This band is nothing short of trippy. And last but not least, there’s the headliner Connan Mockisan who has made it to California from across the pond. Mockisan crafts slowly building, twee-like, psych-pop. The artist has been making waves with his most recent album, Caramel. That said, catch Mockisan before he flees the states! –Erin Dage

Do your best to make it out to the Boom Boom Room in San Francisco to check out the Bay Area’s premiere Hammond B3 organ player Wil Blades. By combining a vintage soulful feel and prodigious technique, Blades has become a staple of the SF jazz scene, performing with jazz legends like, Charlie Hunter, Billy Martin and Dr. Lonnie Smith. This Saturday, he’ll be playing with his new trio comprised of guitarist Jeff Parker from the post-rock band Tortoise and New Orleans drummer, Simon Lott.

For a night of feel good grooved out music at John Lee Hooker’s storied Boom Boom Room, we recommend you hang out and soak in the warm cosmic vibrations of the B3 organ of at one of the best night clubs in the city. –Ethan Varian

Are you ready for a night of ’60s influenced rock n’ roll? If so, we’ve got an event in mind! This Friday, the Uptown in Oakland will host a show with the likes of Alamoon, Down Dirty Shake, Style Like Revelators and Buzzmutt. Here’s the lowdown on the bands: Alamoon is a female-fronted psych rock project with lyrics that give nods to Jefferson Airplane, but with a contemporary twist. San Francisco based, Down Dirty Shake posesses a heavily influenced 60s soul and rock n’ roll vibe. Style Like Revelators, a fuzzed-out blues rock outfit coming from the Central Valley, plays their own style of heavy-hitting, long-form compositions. And last, but certainly not least, Buzzmutt is a psych-tinged, noise rock band hailing from San Francisco.

They’re all amazing bands with an awesome sound. If you’re up for a night of vintage rock n’ roll fun, let these bands be your guide for the night. You’ll have a great time! –Erin Dage

Congratulations to the Bay Area based punk band, Unstrung for winning The Deli Magazine San Francsico Artist of the Month Poll! It was a very close competition but Unstrung, with their fuzzed out punk pop style wooed the voters. We’re incredibly happy to see them enjoy success and wish them the best on their future musical endeavors.

Unstrung Upcoming Shows:

1/21: Brick & Mortar Music Hall in SF w/ Vision, O Presidente & Cobalt Cranes
1/31: Butter Dungeon in Berkeley w/ DTCV (ex-Guided By Voices/on tour), Twin Steps & Sad Bitch

Something sweet has landed at our feet, in the form of San Francisco based group, New Cadence. Reminiscent of San Cisco’s cheery vocals and Phoenix’s smooth, saccharine melodies, their sophomore EP includes six tracks, all of which are bursting with emotion and musical talent. “Hummingbird,” features smile-inducing vocals by Hilary Hanselman and an overall feeling of carefree gaiety, as well as a flute and ukulele cameo. “Changing Tide” shows off the group’s more lyrically melancholy side, while still maintaining a hopeful, positive sound and showing off their skilled utilization of slide guitar. A delightful breath of fresh air and a source of some much needed positivity in the modern world, New Cadence has produced an EP that will leave you begging for more. –Kat Collins

Whoever said psych rock should have stayed in the ‘60s? Certainly not us. The newest split between San Francisco’s own Electric Shepherd and  Fox and The Law is a musical collaboration that has definitely caught our eye. At over 7 minutes, Electric Shepherd’s side featuring “ Glass Devil Blues is epic. The heavy, psych-infused garage rock track is powerful in its execution. Like many psych bands, the song wouldn’t be complete without getting a sludgy jam session or two in. The guys in Fox and The Law may know a few things about heartache, as indicated by its song Drops of Water. The bands portion of the split rings in as loud yet fuzzy, with gut wrenching blues vocals layered over. Needless to say, we’re digging this split.

Give this free download courtesy of the Funk Farm music collective a listen! –Erin Dage

Don’t have any plans yet for New Year’s? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. From small rock clubs to thousand seat theaters, here is a quick guide to the best New Year’s Eve concerts around the Bay Area.

Everyone is Dirty – The Night Light – $10
Oakland’s Everyone is Dirty bring their grunge influenced indie-pop to The Night Light with local bands El Elle, Light Thieves and Electric Magpie. Lead singer Sivan Gur-Arieh’s haunting vocals and violin playing are strangely mesmerizing—imagine Jenny Lewis’s evil twin.

The Melvins and Redd Kross – Great American Music Hall – $40
The seminal Seattle sludge metal band, The Melvins will be performing at the GAMH along with power punkers Redd Kross. King Buzzo and company will definitely be playing the heaviest music going down anywhere this New Year’s

The Devil Makes Three – The Catalyst – $35 in adv / $40 at the door
The stomp-folk string trio will perform their whiskey soaked brand of americana at a New Year’s run at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz. Known for their raucous live shows, The Devil Makes Three are the perfect house band for a night of drunken revelry.

The Fresh & Onlys and Vetiver – The Chapel – $25 in adv / $30 at the door
These two local indie favorites are booked for a double bill along with local opening acts Sun Araw and Pure Bliss. It’s been a while since Vetiver has performed in SF and this New Year’s show will be the perfect homecoming.

Danny Brown – The Mezzanine – $45
If you’re looking to get truly ‘effed up to ring in the New Year, then this is the show for you. The audacious, drugged-out rapper has a reputation for his insane live sets and this New Year’s at The Mezzanine should not disappoint.

The Brothers Comatose – Slim’s – $30
The Brothers Comatose is a local string band who combine their legit bluegrass chops with an infectious folk-rock energy. The band treats each show like a house party and is sure to make the Slim’s dance floor feel as intimate as their living room.

Calexico – The Fillmore – $65
The desert rock troubadours will be performing at the sacred ground of The Fillmore Auditorium with LA’s Las Cateras. Fresh off the release this fall’s Algiers, the band has added to their catalogue of epic ballads of the southwestern borderlands.

Glitter Wizard – Hemlock Tavern – $12 in advance / $15 at the door
The intimate Hemlock Tavern is one of the coolest local music venues in the city. Psychedelic glam warriors Glitter Wizard along with fellow rockers Pins of Light and Ovvl look to melt your face at this tiny rock club.

The Generationals – Bottom of the Hill – $22 in adv / $25 at the door
Hailing from New Orleans, The Generationals combine jangly guitars and synth sounds to craft immediately catchy indie-pop songs. They’ll be performing with local opening acts The Frail and Nova Albion.

Primus – Fox Theater – $65
Primus and the Frog Brigade Ensemble explore the music of Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory. Enough said.