After a week off, The Well-Played List returns to help you get your Friday groove on. The ongoing listening series features the most listened-to, jammed-out songs, albums and artists of the week as submitted by the CL Music Team along with a rotating crew of tastemakers — local music promoters, record store and venue owners, music fans and scenesters, DJs, musicians, and a radio personality or two; check the past several week’s worth here. Audio, video and a Spotify playlist included along with any applicable show information. To check out past Well-Played Lists, click here. And on that note, what are you jamming this week? Tell us in the comments…
LEILANI
Morgan Delt, Morgan Delt (2014) Definitely going on my shortlist for Best of 2014. My favorite sort of weirdo bizarre psychedelia, heaving and weaving in tie-dyed patterns of instrumentals, these direct from the '60s, but also calling to mind Bollywood, spaghetti westerns, gypsy caravans, and Caribou. The Canadian artist, not the reindeer. I feel like I should be dancing along to it, playing castanets, swirling around in my flowy skirt and wearing, like, flowers in my hair. Groovy.
Metronomy, Love Letters (due out March 10, 2014) So far, two full listens through, I'm rather disappointed. Obviously I had high expectations, being the synth pop group's The English Riviera was a favorite of 2011. In fact, just writing this made me have to go back and hear it again ... and yes, it's as good as I remember. While Love Letters, sadly, has one great standout amid nine, obviously the first single they released in 2013: "I'm Aquarius." I dunno, I guess I hope it's a creeper. I'll try and get through it a few more times before committing to my general dislike...
Aan, Amor Ad Nauseum (2014) — I'm having a hard time hearing this as one full-length effort, since four of its nine songs were previously released on two amazing Aan 7" releases. The tracks that are new to my ears balance the band's twisted, churning, about-to-explode-out-of-my-skin experimental rock with more groove-oriented pop fare and dreamier, easy-striding passages, all of it tied together by the distinctive high-octave-hitting vocals of frontman Bud Wilson.
ALASTAIR ST. HILL | Local musician, Gentlemen Please&Early Forms; WMNF host, Grand National Championships.
Tobacco, "Lipstick Destroyer" (2013) Tobacco, the "singer" and frontperson for Black Moth Super Rainbow, has a new album called Ultima II Massage coming out on May 13. "Lipstick Destroyer" was released as a single last year and is on the LP's tracklist. I don't know if any other artist makes me as happy as Tobacco/BMSR. It's music that's so right-on that I can't react to it in any way except to wheeze with laughter.
Permanent Makeup, Gibbering 7" (2014) A new 3-song release from Permanent Makeup. They're just outtasight.
Vertical Scratchers, Daughter of Everything (2014) This is the new band of John Schmersal (from Enon and Braniac), who has a name that is very fun to say. The album is full of neat little unpredictable melodies that tend to have a hastily thrown-together quality about them. The desire to learn to sing along with them has kept me listening repeatedly. "Memory Shards" below.
DEBORAH RAMOS
Chvrches, The Bones of What You Believe (2013) I've been completely obsessed with this album for the past few weeks, after finally making it past the hit single "Recover" to give the rest of the release a spin. Bones deserves every bit of hype it received from critics last year, scoring a belated spot on my personal Best of 2013 list. Everything I adore about M83 and Purity Ring is re-interpreted with a fresh clarity: shimmery synth-pop with soaring synthesizers, intoxicating hooks, and just the right tinge of lyrical darkness. Lauren Mayberry's achingly gorgeous vocals carry the majority of the album, anchored by distinctly danceable tracks that don't seem to lose their punch with repeated listens. "We Sink" is one of the cheeriest songs about a dysfunctional relationship you'll ever hear, its chorus jabbing over and over, “I’ll be a thorn in your side, ‘til you die / I’ll be a thorn in your side, for always.” Check out "The Mother We Share" below.
GABE ECHAZABAL
Kelley Stoltz, Double Exposure (2013) I was just hipped to this modern-day pop genius/producer, and I’m making up for lost time by discovering his catalog at warp speed. The album I keep returning to, though, is his most recent. Stoltz is a multi-instrumentalist who writes, records and produces his own music; he also produces the work of other artists in his San Francisco garage studio. Double Exposure is his latest and first on Jack White’s Third Man Records roster after his long tenure with Sub Pop. Stoltz brings a whimsical, airy breath of pop freshness to the Third Man party. While the influence of Brian Wilson, Harry Nilsson and Alex Chilton is obvious, Stoltz never comes across as a blatant imitator or a copycat. His catchy, infectious, sometimes luminous offerings are well-written, expertly produced and are all mini aural masterpieces. Double Exposure bears repeated listenings. You’ll find yourself wanting to spin it over and over every time it comes to its all-too-quick conclusion. The title track alone is one of the catchiest and most earworm-y tracks I’ve heard in years. "Kim Chee Taco Man" video below.
INFINITE SKILLZ | Emcee; promoter/owner/main dude, B.A.S.E. Inc. Music
Solo 350, In My Dreams - She Loves Me, She Loves Not Vol. 2 Mixtape (Feat. imagiin360) (2014) I was much more impressed with the whole roll-out for this Valentine's Day-related release than I was by anything Kay Jewelers came up with. Download it for free right here.
Tech N9ne ft. Krizz Kaliko & Stevie Stone, "Nobody Cares" (2014) It's Tech N9ne. I shouldn't have to explain why you should listen. Check it here.
BIGREC, "Bullseye" (Produced by Diamond D) (2014) I'm a big fan of scratched hooks and lyrics that are aggressive AND intelligent. This RHHIB architect delivers.
KEITH ULREY | owner, Microgroove, New Granada Records
Solids, Blame Confusion (2014, Fat Possum). I'm soooooooo digging this. Very '90s-ish guitar-driven indie rock. If you were (or are) into say, bands like Chavez, Swervedriver, Dinosaur Jr. or even the post-emo stuff like Giants Chair or Christie Front Drive, this is for you. More info here.
ALEX FEDELE | Local musician in Auto!Automatic!!, Poetry n’ Lotion, The Fix Up, The Apes.
I've been rocking the future 2014 album of the year, Temples, Sun Structures, as well as Seu Jorge's new album, Carolina.
JERRY DUFRAIN | DJ Lazy, Orpheum co-owner
Tides of Man!!!!
PHIL BENITO | Brokenmold Entertainment; Gasparilla Music Festival President | Talent Buyer
Can't get enough Black Angels!
ROBBY MCDONALD | Mojo Books & Records
The Vibrators, Punk - The Early Years (2006) Classic throwback for anybody like me who still enjoys wallowing in teenage angst from time to time (pretty much everyday).
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Wig Out at Jagbags (2014)
"Cinnamon and Lesbians" below.
JACK SPATAFORA | Founder, aestheticized presents; DJ, Soft Rock Renegades.
Super excited for Friday night's show with Drag The River&Chris Wollard And The Ship Thieves, so I've been cramming for the test!!! You can hear a coupla songs from both acts, and a bunch more upcoming aestheticized >>> artists here.
Also, the Metronomy leak!!!
NIKKI SMITH | Writer, music connoisseur.
Black Moth Super Rainbow, Cobra Juicy (2012) As I sat in front of my computer at work for the fourth consecutive week working on reformatting spreadsheets, I was in dire need of something new to listen to, as I'd already cycled through all of my saved playlists. Then, with one day left, I was given some new (to me) artists to check out, and amongst the list was Black Moth Super Rainbow. My spirits were lifted. This daunting task was coming to an end and I had some serious chill out music to listen to while the last of the spreadsheets were finished. With their funky, groovy beats and overall psychedelic sound, Black Moth made for great music to have on in the background, not only to motivate me to finish, but also to help me focus well enough to meet deadline! "Windshield Smasher" below.
SARAH GECAN | Daddy Kool Records and No Clubs Entertainment
I'm on a 1990's kick this week but am still able to live in 2014 thanks to Speedy Ortiz and Solids.
Speedy Ortiz's Major Arcana (2013) reminds me a bit of Veruca Salt. Interesting musical changes randomly taking place making you pay attention to what's going on. The lead singer's voice leads you by the hand down the winding hallways of the songs. She looks at you, smiles, and you know she's leading you to trouble, but it is exciting, so you follow along...
Part two of my '90s kick lead me to the 2014 album Blame Confusion by Solids. Musically they sound like The Thermals or Archers of Loaf. Their vocals are fuzzy, hollow, and remind me of Cheatahs (one of my favorite finds of last year).
SHAE K.
Hurray for the Riff Raff, Small Town Heroes (2014) I vote for Hurray for the Riff Raff as the next Great American Band. Leader Alynda Lee Segarra grew up in the Bronx, moved to New Orleans and sings music about San Francisco that sounds like it was birthed in Appalachia, so there's that transcontinental pedigree. It doesn't hurt that Small Town Heroes is a great album, after a string of great albums, and I've been listening to it nearly non-stop since NPR started streaming it prior to its February 11 release. Much like the U.S., it's got a bit of everything: Segarra's smoky voice, banjos, fiddles and keyboards, and songs about seeing car crashes while out on tour.