THE MUMLERS
Thickets & Stitches
Galaxia; 2007

The Mumlers are one the best kept secrets of San Jose, and I was very excited when I heard that they were going to have a new full length album coming out. Two copies of Thickets & Stitches have already been stolen from me, so Will Sprott had to kick me down a third disc to write this review.  ...

THE MUMLERS
Thickets & Stitches
Galaxia; 2007

The Mumlers are one the best kept secrets of San Jose, and I was very excited when I heard that they were going to have a new full length album coming out. Two copies of Thickets & Stitches have already been stolen from me, so Will Sprott had to kick me down a third disc to write this review. 

Now to the point: The Mumlers'Thickets & Stitches is a masterpiece. It has the scent of a soon to be classic. Yes, I'm willing to throw down that opinion about this album. I would also add that you should consider hearing them pull it off live. The Mumlers are an experience not to be missed, both on tape and live.

"Red River Hustle" has been my favorite Mumlers song for quite some time now.  I'm just a sucker for proper horn arrangements, but frankly the song is great from beginning to end and top to bottom.  The version of "Red River Hustle" on Thickets & Stitches is the icing on the cake for me, and goes well over a tall glass of milk and chocolate chip cookies. 

I also have to say that "The Whale Song" is really growing on me too. Mr. Sprott has a very comforting delivery, and the guitar work, aside from being the thread that holds the entire piece together, is amazing. 

I hate to try and pigeonhole them, but several tracks remind me of Mark Mothersbaugh if he had a hint of classic Neil Young and Tom Waits. Okay, I'm done namedropping. You should pick this album up. You won't regret it.

[Will Cline]

[STREAM] The Mumlers: Various Tracks

You can hear the Mumlers live in the KWTM edisode 1 podcast!

SCATTERBRAIN JAMBOREE
Thee Parkside
02/22 and 02/23/08

Enjoying the completely killer bands at the 2nd annual Scatterbrain Jamboree was even easier because of the fact that the whole festival was benefiting such a great cause. This year, according to the man who makes it all happen – Will Cline, ladies and gentleman – $2400 were raised for the SF AIDS Foundation. It’s just incredible to me to see a bunch of scrappy rockers getting together to do something like this. Thank you Will, and thank you to all the bands that played on Friday and Saturday night. I feel honored to have been there. ...

SCATTERBRAIN JAMBOREE
Thee Parkside
02/22 and 02/23/08

Enjoying the completely killer bands at the 2nd annual Scatterbrain Jamboree was even easier because of the fact that the whole festival was benefiting such a great cause. This year, according to the man who makes it all happen – Will Cline, ladies and gentleman – $2400 were raised for the SF AIDS Foundation. It’s just incredible to me to see a bunch of scrappy rockers getting together to do something like this. Thank you Will, and thank you to all the bands that played on Friday and Saturday night. I feel honored to have been there.

Almost all of the bands can be heard in the two KWTM podcasts I have put together. Check ‘em out: KWTM Episode O1 and KWTM Episode 02 .

There were so many bands those two nights, I’m not even going to attempt to think of something original and compelling to say about them all. So I asked Wiretap’s writers to tell me about some of their favorites.

Schande took the stage Friday night in a power formation with singer/guitarist (and Wiretap writer) Jen Chochinov standing center stage in front of the band. She brought a mountain of feeling and strength to her performance, which outshined the technical difficulties she experienced during the set. The band was tight but relaxed as they chugged through their sometimes melancholy, sometimes abrasive rock n' roll songs.

Bad Touch opened the Scatterbrain Jamboree's Saturday show with a buzzing detuned guitar over a funky, laid back drumbeat. The duo launched into a Black Sabbath riff, only to swerve into their own song when the vocals came in. Among several original tunes, they offered up medleys of barely recognizable covers that included a terrifying version of "Give Peace a Chance."

The Bug Pedals played their heavy and off-kilter behemoth rock songs with a smirk. Their darkened and hard edged sounds and playful attitude came across most clearly when they sang "I don't like you" over and over in unison while smiling and laughing to eachother between each refrain.Thunder Thighs turned the night weird and wonderful. The five-piece punk rock band led by a sequin-speedo wearing AJ burned through their set with thumping beats and lots of overdriven guitar riffs. AJ got the party started by mixing in the audience, getting in people's faces, and challenging them to not dance.

[Jeff Bissell]

Top Critters are a refreshing version of indie-americana – no overkill, just mellow goodness & really great musicianship.

Shitkickers were the best surprise act of the night.

Settler

I’m a sucker for post-rock (or whatever you want to call it) bands, so as long as they could pull off a decent live set, I’d have given Settler a good review. And they did, so here’s the review: good.

These guys pulled off all the post rock tricks: subtle arrangements which give rise to heavy intense builds, rich effecting bass, engaging drums, strong but dreamy guitars, soaring, near orchestral treble notes, and some singing, to boot (although the sound wasn’t mixed well and you really couldn’t hear the guy, sadly).  They have it all, and they do it well.  I guess that’s the thing, they have all of the old tricks down but not really any new ones.  

Other than the fact that they’re from San Jose and their myspace page claims they are human beings, there’s not much info on them out there.
 
In the end: a good show, one I would see again.

Something was bothering me about A.J., the vocalist for Thunderthighs: I knew him from somewhere and just couldn’t place it. I chalked it up to just seeing him at other shows and events, but it kept lingering.

Straight-up punk with an over the top in your face vocalist. And I mean in your face: he was right in the crowd, screaming, dancing (or convulsing), crawling on the floor, challenging the audience, blowing snot rockets, and generally putting on a very intense performance. And I mean over the top: he was dressed in a red sweater draped like a cape, silver sequined bikini shorts, thigh high socks, ankle high white leather boots, spider web printed gloves, and had black nails, eyeliner, and waxed legs. Yeah, it made for a very entertaining show.

Thunderthighs' AJ

French Miami

 
Check out or Facebook group for even more photos!  

EVACUEE
2to32
Self-released; 2007

Evacuee 's new four-song EP 2to32 is a mixture of smooth textures and abrasiveness. It's a fun, angry, poppy, sarcastic, and intelligent CD.

The disc opens on a buzzing droning guitar over a galloping pulse that sets up the singer's sweet raspy singing. His snarled, croaked voice can feel off-putting at first, but it became sweetly charming the more I listened. Evacuee's raw shouted vocals and walls of guitar remind me of bands like the Pixies or the Replacements. Through the walls of distortion and shimmering cymbals, you can hear a sing-song quality to the melodies that holds tension against the rougher dynamics. The album is driven with guitars, bass and drums, with Miles, Stephen and Travis sharing singing responsibilities. ...

EVACUEE
2to32
Self-released; 2007

Evacuee 's new four-song EP 2to32 is a mixture of smooth textures and abrasiveness. It's a fun, angry, poppy, sarcastic, and intelligent CD.

The disc opens on a buzzing droning guitar over a galloping pulse that sets up the singer's sweet raspy singing. His snarled, croaked voice can feel off-putting at first, but it became sweetly charming the more I listened. Evacuee's raw shouted vocals and walls of guitar remind me of bands like the Pixies or the Replacements. Through the walls of distortion and shimmering cymbals, you can hear a sing-song quality to the melodies that holds tension against the rougher dynamics. The album is driven with guitars, bass and drums, with Miles, Stephen and Travis sharing singing responsibilities.

2to32's first track, "6pm8pm," starts out with an amped-up, blown out Joy Division riff that pulsates towards the song's chorus. The tight and aggressive dynamics of the hugely amplified guitars remind me of Weezer, and the chorus swells like the Velvet Teen and gives a shadowy glimmer of hope - "somehow we're gonna make it right/while we still have time" - while maintaining the dark sound of the verse.

The second song, "Webster Groves," is more of a groover done in a style similar to Ambulance Ltd, but with a looser garage rock feel. On this track the band occasionally loses my attention when the song seems to drift for a minute without a strong feeling of direction. But on "Croakies: helpful 4 keep attached," they are at their most focused, shouting out for a return to the ocean while drowning us in a sea of distortion. As the song's final chords ring out over and over, the dynamic shifts and an acoustic guitar takes us home.

On 2to32, Evacuee evoke memories of the harder side of 1990s indie rock, where band dynamics outshine personalities, and the smartness and wryly vitriolic lyricism is left for the audience to take or leave.

[Jeff Bissell]

[STREAM] Evacuee: "6pm8pm", "Webster Groves", "Everyday", "Croakies: helpful 4 keep attached"  

SOCIETY OF ROCKETS
TOUCHED BY A JANITOR
NAKED
The Hemlock Tavern
Feb. 17, 2008

So this is kind of embarrassing, but I had it in my mind that I was gonna go see The Dry Spells, Leyna Noel, and Foot Foot at the Hemlock on February 16th. For some reason, I had it in my head that the 16th was a Sunday. Yes, insert snickers here, as the 16th was in fact a Saturday. I realized this on Sunday morning, the 17th, no less... Sigh... ...

SOCIETY OF ROCKETS
TOUCHED BY A JANITOR
NAKED
The Hemlock Tavern
Feb. 17, 2008

So this is kind of embarrassing, but I had it in my mind that I was gonna go see The Dry Spells, Leyna Noel, and Foot Foot at the Hemlock on February 16th. For some reason, I had it in my head that the 16th was a Sunday. Yes, insert snickers here, as the 16th was in fact a Saturday. I realized this on Sunday morning, the 17th, no less... Sigh...

So, I checked the Hemlock website, saw that some local bands were playing anyway, and decided fuck it: Why not? The show could be a fortuitous discovery of new bands I would've never heard otherwise.

As it turns out, my hope of joyous new finds was only partially met. But I was at the Hemlock, so I had a great time regardless. God I love that bar.

Society of Rockets

Touched by a Janitor

THURSDAY NIGHT BINGO
The Knockout
Feb. 14, 2008

Every Thursday night at The Knockout, from 8-10 PM, the Mission bar many of us know and love offers fun, drink-fueled rounds of Bingo. There are those that call it Drunk Bingo and others that call it Hipster Bingo. As for me... I call it fucking awesome. Although you probably will see at least 1 or 2 ironic mustaches while there, it's an undeniably good time.

THURSDAY NIGHT BINGO
The Knockout
Feb. 14, 2008

Every Thursday night at The Knockout, from 8-10 PM, the Mission bar many of us know and love offers fun, drink-fueled rounds of Bingo. There are those that call it Drunk Bingo and others that call it Hipster Bingo. As for me... I call it fucking awesome. Although you probably will see at least 1 or 2 ironic mustaches while there, it's an undeniably good time.

I had been to Bingo night at the Knockout a little over a year ago and have been itching to play more often. Memories of the entire bar loudly shouting the recently called Bingo numbers in unison, and the drinks and the good times that just kept on flowing, beckoned me to return. But living on the other side of town coupled with some slight/extreme laziness often prevented me from doing so.

Now that I have just moved into a new place that is under a 10 minute walk to the Knockout, I decided to seize the day and drag my friend Dave to the bar for some Valentine's Day Bingo. Normally, Bingo night is pretty packed - this is because loads of people come out for Bingo and also the fact that the Knockout has shows that start right after Bingo and therefore by close to 10 the bar is usually really full. That night, however, it was less crowded - apparently drinks & Bingo was not on the mind of many when it came to romantic Valentine's Day plans. Weird, go figure.....

There isn't any cover to get into the bar during Bingo and for every drink you purchase between 8-10, the bartenders hand you a Bingo card. This does get tricky after you've ordered more than 2 drinks for a variety of reasons, but blurred vision really never has been so much fun. Most rounds are the single line in any direction version of the game, but the last round is the all-time favorite blackout game where every single number on a player's card has to be called in order for there to be a successful Bingo.

All I can say is that it's one of the dorkiest ways to have drunken fun on a weeknight that doesn't involve video games. One of the rules of Bingo is that every time the MC announces a Bingo Number, the crowd has to repeat the number out loud - very much in call and response fashion. After a few drinks this is actually really fun and the whole bar gets really into it. Bingo winners get a free drink ticket and get to pick prizes out of a grab bag. Dave and I both were lucky Bingo winners that Thursday night so alongside walking out the door with a 40 Trick Balloon set (Dave's) and a package of Tiaras (mine, naturally), we also got to redefine nerdiness with "Hey, we got lucky on Valentine's Day" jokes. Perhaps not our proudest moment, but a little glorious... (Just a little.)

So for anyone who has not heard of Thursday night Bingo at the Knockout, or any of you who have heard of it but have not got around to going, do yourself a favor and mark your calendar for next Thursday. Oh, just as a tip, I'd recommend getting there before 8 if having a place to sit is important to you

[Jen Chochinov]