Author: Dakin Hardwick

Single of the Week: “Too Much Too” by Emily Rose & The Rounders

“Too Much Too” is the kind of retro country that would’ve been all over country radio in the 1970s, but now it is somehow indie rock instead. I’m pretty okay with this because Rose’s honey-soaked vocals and reverb-drenched pedal steel would sound out of place alongside Morgan Wallen and Post Malone. So give us more of this spooky and forlorn sound, and we will happily give it a home alongside Nick Cave. 

Emily Rose is currently on the road in Orville Peck’s band, but expect more music and shows once she gets a break from Peck’s tour! More info can be found here. 

Garfunkel & Oates’ Riki Lindhome Announces Debut Solo Album

It’s been nine long, arduous years since the amazing Garfunkel & Oates’s last record, and their brilliant TV series did the “fade away” far too early. And Oates, aka Kate Micucci, has been bringing us TONS of great music, including last year’s best children’s album, My Hat. But Garfunkel? Ms Riki Lindhome? She hasn’t been silent, as she’s had a hit series and has gotten plenty of acting and writing work. But she’s finally putting out music again! And on March 14th, she’s releasing an album with the single most relatable title ever: No Worries If Not. And I am very excited. 

Preorder links are not ready yet, but you really should follow her on Spotify to keep in the loop. In the meantime, indulge in the brilliance of the first three singles below: Continue reading “Garfunkel & Oates’ Riki Lindhome Announces Debut Solo Album”

Ashe Announces A Return To The Road!

As a Bay Area music blog, we are always excited when one of our own overcomes something big. San Jose Native Ashe had to cancel the tour for her brilliant album Raye last year to deal with mental health issues. I honestly thought she was moving away from music in general. Instead, she gifted us with an amazing new record, Willson, and is doing a tour supporting her three most recent albums, making up for lost time while still touring the brilliant new record. 

Tour Dates are below, and everything goes on sale 11/1/24 at 10 am local time:

May 28—Variety Playhouse—Atlanta, GA
May 30—9:30 Club—Washington, DC
May 31—Royale—Boston, MA
June 3—Brooklyn Steel—Brooklyn, NY
June 5—Danforth Music Hall—Toronto, ON
June 6—Saint Andrew’s Hall—Detroit, MI
June 8—Metro—Chicago, IL
June 11—First Avenue—Minneapolis, MN
June 13—Ogden Theatre—Denver, CO
June 14—The Depot—Salt Lake City, UT
June 16—The Showbox—Seattle, WA
June 17—Revolution Hall—Portland, OR
June 19—The UC Theatre—Berkeley, CA
June 20—The Bellwether—Los Angeles, CA

How Did Jennifer Clavin (Dear Francis) Get Here?

Jennifer Clavin has been near the top of my interview bucket list since the inception of this site a whopping 15 years ago. (!) I’ve followed her career through Mika Miko to Bleached, watching her mature as a songwriter while I’ve matured along with her, with her music helping me navigate my life. She’s recently stepped out from behind the comfort of a band and has released three singles as a solo act under the alias Dear Francis. We discussed her career and craft and even hit on the joy of rescuing animals.

She’s been posting links to her new music here as it’s ready to share. She’s playing Heavy Manners Library in LA on Sunday, October 27th. This is her first solo show EVER, and I’m sad I can’t come down for it. But you should if you are in Southern California. Tickets here!

Single of the Week: “On Her Side” by Vaquita

Fun Fact: Bob Motherbaugh has a daughter in a punk band that doesn’t sound anything like Devo. Vaquita’s chops are closer to the classic pop-punk sound but aren’t afraid to toy with the listener’s emotions a bit and give a few surprise tempo changes. This leads to an awkward mosh but an enjoyable listen. 

“On Her Side” is the first single off Vaquita’s latest record, Secrets, on Real Gone Music today. 

Show Review: Nilüfer Yanya with Angélica Garcia at August Hall, 10/22/24

There is nothing I love more than music that doesn’t fit into a tidy little box. And on this late fall Tuesday Night, August Hall presented two very different performers: Nilüfer Yanya and Angélica Garcia, two artists whose only thing they have in common is that I have to look up how to type diacritics to write their names. Oh, and their 2024 albums, My Method Actor and Gemelo, respectively, are works of genius likely to end up on everyone’s EOY lists.  And when they came together at August Hall, they presented a thing of beauty.

Continue reading “Show Review: Nilüfer Yanya with Angélica Garcia at August Hall, 10/22/24”

Single of the Week: “SHELL (OF A MAN)” by Saya Gray

QWERTY II by Saya Gray is one of my favorite releases of 2024. It’s a sonic adventure that takes more twists and turns than expected in a single EP. But her psych prog soul jazz pop mega opus didn’t prepare me for “SHELL (OF A MAN).” All those elements are in play in this song, but if Gray landed in Nashville in 1976 and recorded the song with session players on Music Row. In a decade, Gray will be making music that strengthens your eardrums. 

“SHELL (OF A MAN)” is the first single of Gray’s first full-length, SAYA, coming your way on February 21st. Pre-order / pre-save here! 

Show Review: Hinds, The Happy Return at The Chapel, 10/15/24

As much as I’ve LOVED Hinds since they were called Deers, I feel like I’ve lost track of them. I missed their 2020 release, The Prettiest Curse, and haven’t seen them live since their 2016 appearance at the penultimate Treasure Island Music Festival. I kinda forgot about them, but their infectious single, “Boom Boom Back,” came up as a suggestion by the algorithm, and it hooked me in. Viva Hinds, their 4th full-length album (and first as a duo), is their most accessible record, and it’s fantastic. I made sure to clear my schedule to see them make their triumphant return to the USA.  Continue reading “Show Review: Hinds, The Happy Return at The Chapel, 10/15/24”

Single of the Week: “godheads” by dear francis

dear francis is the nom de plume of Jennifer Clavin, my personal favorite songwriter, possibly ever? She spent her teens and 20s co-fronting the legendary Mika Miko, then she broke off and put together the power-pop tinged Bleached, and now she’s gifted us with the third release as a solo artist, and it’s bloody intense. Produced by No Age’s Randy Randall, this song is about losing a dear friend to addiction and the complexities of the emotions involved. If you’ve been through this, the song will feel like a warm hug. If you haven’t, this track will get you a little closer to understanding someone who has. 

There’s exciting stuff on the horizon with dear francis. New tracks can be found here as they arrive, and for those in LA, she’s debuting this project live ON MY BIRTHDAY (10/27) and Heavy Manners Library! (I’m on the Bay Area and can’t make it, but you should!)

 

“In The Living Room”: New Maggie Rogers Single Ahead Of Arena Tour

Maggie Rogers will kick off her first-ever arena tour tomorrow night in Austin. To prepare for bringing a party to the biggest crowds of her career, she’s giving us… a haunting, tearjerker of a ballad that will force the entire arena into mutual tears! BRILLIANT! “In The Living Room” is an excellent addition to her canon, and I can’t wait to experience shared catharsis in a room with 30,000 other people.  

Tickets still available for *some* of her fall tour. You can find those here! It’s fitting that she’s giving us a song about lamenting those we lost while playing SF on Dia De Los Muertos.