I wanted to post some newsworthy stuff. I'm stoked that 4 of my favorite local bands are releasing or have released albums in March/April/May. YES!!! Check them out by clicking on their names. The music is stellar.

Battlehooch - Battlehooch (self-released)

Grand Lake - Blood Sea Dream (Hippies are Dead Records) ...

This past Friday, April 23rd was an epic night of music for me, full of truly memorable bands from the two cities I consider home, LA and SF.

First, I had tickets to see Avi Buffalo (Long Beach) at The Independent. They played with Pepper Rabbit (LA) and Japandroids (BC). I missed Japandroids 'cause we left early to go to a house party (this is where the local bands come in), but openers Pepper Rabbit literally knocked my socks off. Their music is mesmerizing, and their frontman, Xander Singh, really impressed me with his pure breadth of talent. Jumping from keys to guitar to clarinet to voice looping, he pedal manipulated everything right at the best moments and in a super tasteful way. Definitely check out this band. ...

This past Friday, April 23rd was an epic night of music for me, full of truly memorable bands from the two cities I consider home, LA and SF.

First, I had tickets to see Avi Buffalo (Long Beach) at The Independent. They played with Pepper Rabbit (LA) and Japandroids (BC). I missed Japandroids 'cause we left early to go to a house party (this is where the local bands come in), but openers Pepper Rabbit literally knocked my socks off. Their music is mesmerizing, and their frontman, Xander Singh, really impressed me with his pure breadth of talent. Jumping from keys to guitar to clarinet to voice looping, he pedal manipulated everything right at the best moments and in a super tasteful way. Definitely check out this band.

Avi Buffalo were good, but I prefer their recordings. (Which, as of this week, you can now own! The band has signed to Sub Pop and its self-titled full-length debut was just released on Tuesday.) Lead man Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg has a really sweet and interesting voice, and there are moments of high energy that are captivating in Avi Buffalo's live show—but I think they haven't quite found their groove yet. They are oh so young! And seeing this you can tell that, in time, this band will go places. I bought the tickets to see Avi Buffalo but left the show in love with Pepper Rabbit.

Then it was off to a house show where microfiche got the party going right, playing their synthy/mathy/dancey instrumental jams and making it impossible not to shake some boootay. They are always a good time and made me super happy.

Next, I had the pleasure of seeing our very own Mike G.'s new band hit the house party floor. They really did impress me—thank GOD!!! How horrible does it feel to lie about liking a friend's music (or at least come up with something positive to say) when it's not really something that moves you?! This was not the case with Color Chasm. They really need to start playing "real" venues with good sound systems that can capture the extent of what they do. Two samplers, a drum machine, live drums, multiple synths, bass, guitar, and stellar vocals—all mastered and navigated seamlessly by only three members! That's always fun to watch. They have just hit the SF music scene so check them out, and if you're a band ask them to play! They are awesome.

This time around on Wiretap on BTR we feature an interview Olivia did with Sacto's Agent Ribbons! ...

This time around on Wiretap on BTR we feature an interview Olivia did with Sacto's Agent Ribbons!

Plus, we have so much new music these days we couldn't even play it all. Seriously. But we played some choice cuts for you, no doubt, including a Grand Lake track so new it's not even out yet! Plus new Battlehooch, The Splinters, The Blank Tapes and Sugar & Gold. Enjoy!

Playlist follows. Click here to listen to Wiretap on BTR for 04/26/10.

00:00 Wiretap on BTR: Featuring Agent Ribbons
00:59 Louise - Grand Lake
04:12 Contraption - Thee Oh Sees
07:33 Other People - MAN/MIRACLE
11:41 Diamond in the Dark - The Fresh & Onlys
15:46 Human Ram - Battlehooch
17:17 Black Hair - The Blank Tapes
20:04 W iretap on BTR: Featuring Agent Ribbons
 21:45 Don't Touch Me - Agent Ribbons
24:17 The Boy With the Wooden Lips - Agent Ribbons
27:53 Interview with Agent Ribbons
34:55 Birds and Bees - Agent Ribbons
39:08 W iretap on BTR: Next up, The Splinters
39:57 Sea Salt Skin - The Splinters
42:44 When We Swam - Thao With the Get Down Stay Down
45:37 Feels Like Fire - Sugar & Gold
49:37 Excuses - The Morning Benders
54:32 This Grand Show Is Eternal - Grayceon
59:57 Wiretap on BTR: Thanks for listening!

Facts on File formed in 2006 in San Francisco and relocated to LA in 2008. They're currently touring the West Coast in support of their two-song 7” “Keep it Together,” which neatly showcases the band’s dynamic and feels like the perfect way to be introduced to these pop rockers.

The title track is a warm organ/bass/drums thumper that matches a nonchalant Yo La Tengo rhythmic feel with a big Cars hook. They keep the track simple, while maintaining a nuanced balance between the urgency and the bubblegum, with singer Joseph White’s voice becoming unraveled as if he is frantically trying to hold on till the end of the song. ...

Yeah yeah, I'm a week late in posting this. My bad.

To make up for it, this month we feature some of our favorite sets from the 2010 Scatterbrain Jamboree: Sleeptalks, Top Critters, and Evacuee! Then we play an old recording of Clipd Beaks, just for the hell of it. ...