The nouveau psych rock band, Psychic Jiu Jitsu has released their debut full length, self titled album. The thing about Psychic Jiu Jitsu is that they don’t fit anywhere near a "genre check box" where you can neatly explain and entertain yourself with a number of comparisons to bands of the past, present or future. The album is refreshingly "out there", kicking the ten track collection of songs off with the female vocal infused opening track, Yulia’s Capture at the English Front starring the band’s long time friend and muse, Yulia Gorman. The next track, Dreamachine is another oldie, but goodie deriving from early jams and recordings, becoming sketched out and perfected by a number of live performances of the song.

If you’re looking for a friendly rock record in this album, you’re not going to find it. The next songs: Berlin Space Party, World of Warldorf and Don’t Bore Us are unapologetic, youthful, fast paced and experimental. Anyone who doesn’t have a sense of humor, a love of experimental music and/or a young spirit won’t get these songs and will never make it through the entire album. You’ll get a pastiche of musical styles with the second cluster of songs as Slow Ringing in My Dreams is a funk infused track while Golden Hair of the Sweet Sea Heir is a whimsical country/folk influenced song that moves right into the space ambient sounding song, Something Glistens. Otto Vom is the 9th song of the album and is appropriately (sort of appropriately) 9 seconds long. The final song, Black Marketeers of WWIII is a post apocalyptic track ending the album with an almost 8 minute ode to futuristic doom. You’ll either like the Psychic Jiu Jitsu album or you won’t. It’s not wise to make a chore out of listening to the album, but you should go into it with the determination to venture into uncharted psych noise territory. This is a good debut effort from the band. If they choose to record another album, you should listen to that too, just to see how far out they plan to get over time.

One of Oakland’s premiere live music clubs, The Night Light has been going strong for three years, and the venue wants to celebrate with a massive party! The Night Light has booked over 650 live performances and is gearing up to throw a three day bash that includes 25 bands, 12 DJs, 6 comedians and whatever else they may have up their sleeves to make sure you know they appreciate your business and attendance!

A party: If you want it, we advise you to go and get it.
We have a link to the full line up right here for you.

The popular San Francisco based garage noise band, Wild Moth will be supporting Domino Records artist, Alex G at Bottom of the Hill on May 24th. As the micro scenes of the Bay Area begin to grow smaller and smaller, we’re happy that Wild Moth and their long time scene mates, Happy Diving will be sharing a bill with one another yet again. Some bands just go together like chocolate and peanut butter. So, if you’re into yummy treats like that, you should head down to BOTH and support a couple of cool local bands.

Headlinging the show will be the Philidelphia based musician, Alex G’s music is weird, loud and seemingly lofi if not simply recorded to give you that "bedroom recording" effect. If it has been a while since you’ve attended a decent avant-noise show, this would be the one to check out!

San Francisco based psych gospel rock band, Lee Gallagher and the Hallelujah have a show coming up tomorrow night at Brick and Mortar Music Hall in San Francisco. They’ll be performing live with psych band, Triptides, mod revivalist band, The Electric Magpie and surf metal band, Father Howl! This is guaranteed to be a mind melting rock experience presented by psychedelic visual artist and promoter Mad Alchemy. Make sure you support local music and build up as much psych rock enthusiasm your mind, body and soul can muster!!

San Francisco based avant noise band, Impuritan will be performing live at Brick and Mortar Hall on April 21st. Do your best to mosey down to the mission district after baking (we assume) all day on 4/20! Desert indie rock band, The Arabs will bring a mellow and creatively angelic style of rock to the stage after The Family Flaw play their revivalist vintage rock to open up a night of pure underground rock and roll.

Have a fun Tuesday night out at Brick and Mortar Music Hall and support independent bands!

Oakland based R&B soul pop band, Antique Naked Soul will be performing tonight at New Parish in support of the Oakland based soul band, Fantastic Negrito. You might have heard about Fantastic Negrito as he and his musical outfit recently won NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Contest, winning him a lot of media adoration and music industry attention. You can check out why Fantastic Negrito was able to beat out over 7,000 other bands and musicians for NPR’S winning title TONIGHT.

Get there early to check out the San Francisco based soul music and "chakra rock" artist, Nikki Borodi. This may be one of your last chances to see Fantastic Negrito perform in an intimate venue because his career is rising to new heights! Don’t miss this show!

The San Francisco based neo psych revivalist band, The Spiral Electric has recently released their debut EP entitled, Upon Your Shore EP. The album opens with a heavy washed out stream of sound that creates waves of low end that includes a bass line dancing around a droney intro before morphing into a new movement of music that resembles the melody style of The Small Faces and The Dandy Warhols. The album meanders into the third track, Take the Drop which draws from a Latin psych style and moves away from highlighting the lead vocals of Clay Andrews, and showcases the band’s instrumental psych rock compositional skills. Never Forget is a classic Spiral Electric song that has been played live a number of times. The slow ballad is sure to bring comfort and nostalgia to the band’s loyal music community and fans.

The album’s final song, Envy takes on the classic Paisley Underground sound mixed with Spiral Electric’s subtle flare and their uncanny Brian Jonestown Massacre influence. Upon Your Shore EP is a great debut release that opens a lot of doors for the band to build upon what is already a strong and focused musical foundation.

Oakland based avant classical folk musician, Michael Bang will be performing with his band at Awaken Café in Oakland on April 24th. Michael Bang is a unique string based musician that will surely awaken your appreciation for experimental string music. Even Taylor is much more of a traditional acoustic musician, creating beautifully written folk ballads that are drenched with a smooth melodious voice. Pelicanopolis has a bit of a laid back Lou Reed-esque acoustic style, rounding out this eclectic acoustic line up that will intrigue you if not totally inspire you to make music that is very far left from the mainstream.

Oakland based indie pop artist, Day Wave (also known as Jackson Phillips, who moon lights as one half of the popular electro pop band, Carousel) has released a new single entitled, Drag. This daydreamy modern pop ballad has a light and airy vibe to it, but its lyrical content is basically about being in a bad mood and not wanting to ruin other people’s day.

It takes a lot of talent to be able to write about gloomy subject matter and still make a song listenable and likable. Day Wave is very good at that. Take a few spare moments to listen to this new track below:

The San Francisco based psych blues band, Tumbleweed Wanderers have released a new single entitled, Into the Mines. In our humble opinion, Into the Mines is a turning point in the sound of Tumbleweed Wanderers. This crisp, ethereal track is very different from their past collection of music which has a sound that is mainly infused with heavy blues rhythms and psych folk anthems. Into the Mines takes on an experimental indie sound, touching on elemental styles that can be compared to Panda Bear and the early music of The Shins. This is not an insult. In fact, the full and potent production of this new track and the new creative take on the band’s general style is impressive and transformative.

Into the Mines is a refreshing track that’s going to cleanse your musical palette like orange sorbet on a hot summer’s day! This song is the second single from the band’s upcoming album, Realize, due out on June 9th. You can receive Into the Mines as a free track if you pre-order the full album, Realize here.

Jean Jeanie, the lead singer of the San Francisco based soul-gaze band, Future Twin will be playing an intimate solo show at Artist Television Access in the Mission District of San Francisco on April 29th. She’ll be performing a set of "aleatoric / chance-controlled music" (music in which some element of the composition is left to chance or is left to the determination of its performer) at 8 pm, so make sure you get there early!

We’re always keeping an eye out for unique events around the Bay Area, and if you love Jean Jeanie’s confident, soulful voice, you should certainly experience her in a new artistic element. This upcoming show is a charitable event and closing reception for "Better Homes and Gardens Today", an art show featuring: Megan Wilson & Christopher Statton in collaboration with the Gubbio Project and Coalition on Homelessness

If you’re completely attached to the "tried and true", Future Twin is playing TONIGHT at Rickshaw Stop. Click here for our coverage of tonight’s gig! 

Oakland based indie folk music project, Known to Collapse just released a super well done music video. Music project creator and musician, Kevin Lehner and his crew did not skimp on production value with this imaginative narrative that is the music video for his single, Circulated Undercover Ground.

Circulated Undercover Ground takes you on a trippy ride by displaying strong storytelling through great acting and clear imagery. Putting together a great music video is not as easy as it looks, but Known to Collapse makes the feat look effortless.

If you’d like to help the band realize more of their goals, you can contribute to their Indiegogo campaign.