Local Music Review: Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels

Sara 2 Comments

Band: Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels

Songs: As I write, the following seven songs are available for streaming on myspace. (Side note: sometimes I am able to stream the entire song, sometimes only 30 seconds worth)

  • “Until the Stars Came Out”: Swinging lowly like a cradle in an old prairie home. Rocking sweetly, this sweet song echos of the lonely rural skies or an empty small town bar (in the quaint sort of way). 
  • “I Awoke”: Take the train passed country towns through the mountains to the bustle of the city.  The snare beats like the pace of a train chugging along the open tracks.
  • “Pretty Little Self”: Mexican rhythmic undertones that carry this song through an old West saloon with the beautiful women.
  • “Left Coast Sunshine”: Take your skates and roll down the boardwalk with this gem. The 70s soul vibe breaks up the set, sharing Jesse and the Dime Novels’ diverse talents.
  • “The Rarest Form”: Beautiful ballad giving room for the slide guitar to sing alongside Jesse’s heartfelt lyrics.
  • “Clinched Broken Hearts on the Floor”: Jesse unwavering vocals, the tinkling ivories and a solid beat round out this distinctly country song. “Eleven Eleven”: I won’t be able to get this song out of my head, which is both a positive and pitfall. Unfortunately, after a few listens I only have the title lyric “Eleven Eleven” looping around up there.

Overall: Even if you don’t particularly like country, Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels brings a little something for everyone. The band’s ability to compliment the vocal gift endowed in Jesse while offering an array of melodies beyond one genre,  poises this group for success. Live, this band may offer an energetic and earnest performance, but the recorded expression hits you deep down, forcing you to really grasp the meaning of each lyric and note.

Albums: Until the Stars Come Out (2010) contains only the above 7 songs and is available for purchase at iTunes. “Clinched Broken Hearts on the Floor” and “Left Coast Sunshine”are both available to download for free in the Media section of the band’s website.

Calendar: This boy is a busy one. With shows at least twice a week around San Diego, there is no reason you can’t catch his stylings. Here is the rest of March, but check out his full schedule for future dates:

Local Music Review: The Midwinters

Sara 5 Comments

 

Band: The Midwinters

Songs: Currently, The Midwinters have the same three songs available on both myspace and ReverbNation for streaming.

  • “All There Is” (NEW prac demo): Curling guitar like that of an ocean wave twinkling in the sunset. Extremely soft vocals, but at least they stated it’s a demo (so forgiven). Catchy tune.
  • “Sunday Morning”: More rock than “All There Is.” Accenting keyboards with 90s-sort-of TV-show-theme-song melodies. Ends with lovely hang. 
  • “Hinges”: This song is when I realized I heard this band before years ago. The distinctive voice of Paul Donovan and rhythms of “Hinges” harks back to their Christian-rock roots of Dryve. The keyboards sound like drops of water in a barrel, sending ripples of color through the song.

Overall: Immediately (although it took time to determine the exact band), their music reminded me of my days sitting sipping a cup of mocha and popping chocolate covered espresso beans (the caffeine of which I have long since abandoned) on the floor at Zanzibar in PB. Dryve was an essential part of my high school days. Since it was Christian-rock, my parents approved and I had the chance to enjoy good music without lying about where I was going. The Midwinters brings a solid performance of the Indie/Americana variety with a bit of the 90s thrown in for good measure. I look forward to seeing them live and experiencing them in this re-energized incarnation.

Albums: Hinges (2010), a five-song EP which includes both “Sunday Morning” and “Hinges.” The EP is available to download for FREE at bandcamp.

Calendar: Currently, there are two shows on their schedule of which I am hoping to making it to the first. Perhaps you would like to join me!

  • Wednesday, March 9 @ Ruby Room with Canyon Sets
  • Wednesday, March 16 @ Soda Bar with the Bruises (SF) and Strangers

Local Music Review: a new series

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About a month and a half ago, I asked around to the masses of Twitter and facebook, “What local bands/artists should I be checking out?” I already know alot of bands and have a large local CD collection as it is, but the way this town recycles bands into new bands and spawns new talent makes it hard to stay on top of what’s happening.

So I’ve decided to add a series on local music reviews. These reviews will primarily cover publicly provided music streams from a band’s website, myspace, and/or you tube stream. Occasionally I will review CDs, but I like the idea of sharing thoughts on music these bands consciously put out there to promote themselves.

This is also perfect timing to start since CityBeat just published their Local Music issue. The issue’s Great Demo Review includes a significant number of critiques (sometimes of the harsh variety) for the veteran to inspired young musicians who had the guts to submit their music.

Starting tomorrow morning and each Friday, I will post a review of a local artist’s music. If you have any suggestions, feel free to contact me by email, facebook or Twitter.

Upcoming Show: Birthday Shenanigans, Whistle Stop 3/11/2011

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The poster really says it all. It will be a night of music, socializing, and drinking, and I hope you will join me. My birthday is technically on Sunday, March 13, but Robin offered up pairing my celebrations with this awesome show line up she already had going. Here are the links to all of the evening’s bands and DJs if you want to check them out for yourself. 

Swim Party > D/Wolves > DJ Robin Roth > DJ Jaime Ali

Make sure you RSVP to the facebook invite so I know if I will see your shining face or if I can make fun of you for not being there. Oh, and did I mention, it’s FREE. Easy peasy. Be there!

BTW: The poster art was a collaboration between myself and Thomas, with Thomas responsible for the watercolor background, while I took to the scissors and magazines for the collage portion.

4th Anniversary Show: 2/21/2011

Sara 3 Comments

Roger and I are so lucky to have an amazing life together with our son, Thomas. And once a year we bring it all back to the Casbah where we said our vows on stage, with 200 of our closest family and friends. Owner, Tim Mays lets us take over and book bands for the night, inviting the world to share the love. And last Monday, the love was felt by everyone present.

Patrick Dennis of Wirepony and Truckee Brothers kicked off the night with a solo set of songs of love. Well most of them where about love. Through a misinterpreted text, he believed I requested the most violent, brutal anti-love song, Right Hook of Love. I only had it stuck in my head at the time. It’s a great song, so I didn’t mind breaking the theme.  

I was a bit sad Patrick’s talented son, Aaron wasn’t able to make it, but we understand that playing with his own band, Tan Sister Radio takes priority. It doesn’t mean that he wasn’t missed.

During the breaks between bands in the Casbah’s Atari Lounge, Roger’s band, Listening to Rocks played two short sets. With a bit of practicing, the band sounded more solid than I ever remember. What once felt like 3 people each playing their own songs with their own styles, now sounds like one cohesive unit. I even had the chance to sing a bit including a Nada Surf cover, I Like What You Say and the debut of the song Roger and I cowrote, Can’t Wait.

Back on the main stage, Swim Party continued the love fest with beautiful music accented by colorful bubbles of light. The harmonies and rolling chords truly feels like you are riding the ocean current while the fishes and creatures of the sea move alongside you. During the set, Robin Roth proclaimed Swim Party’s show at the Whistle Stop on Friday, March 11 to be a celebration of my birth. Yay me!

After a second Listening to Rocks set, Rafter takes the stage sharing his set will be an “ode to love, marriage, sex, family and death”.  Death? Ok? Let’s do this.

Rafter’s 2010 release, Animal Feelings hit #1 in my top ten of last year. I cannot say enough good things about this guy.  A family man himself, and a purveyor of love, he pulled together a set of feel good songs including “Fruit” and of course, “Feel Good.” Funniest part? The banter between songs. I don’t think I’ve heard much more than a song name before, but prior to each song he gave a short awkward description on how it is connected to love. Best description came with “A-Frame,” where he described how his father taught him how an A frame house is the strongest house and relating it to two people leaning towards one another, supporting each other.

We want to thank a few friends who helped out promoting the show: Hilary and Tim Pyles at FM94/9 through the concert calendar listings on the Friday before and the locals only show on the evening before. Robin Roth wrote up an awesome posting on her website. We were also amazed that the show was even listed as alternate plans for both CityBeat and the Reader and SD Dialed In listed our show in her listings. Plus all of the bands that sent out the fb link to their mailing list. We thank you ALL for the extra mentions.

My favorite part of these evenings is meeting people who see a new band for the first time. For us, these events are not of selfish intentions. Sure we love seeing all of your awesome faces, but what we really want is to share the music we love with the world. And we are grateful for all who listen and come out to be engulfed by love.