LEOPOLD AND HIS FICTION
Leopold and His Fiction
(Native Fiction Records; 2006)


Leopold and his Fiction, the eponymous debut of a San Francisco rock and roll band, starts off right with some Rivers Cuomo feedback that lets you know how this ride is going to be.  The record kicks in with "She Ain't Got Time, " a raunchy, distorted number that eases you in to an aesthetic founded solidly in the Levon Helm school of American music, but with some Marc Bolan T-rex grime thrown in for good measure.  The boys of Leopold and His Fiction keep that vibe (earthy, dirty, and simple) going throughout the record by employing megaphone-style vocals and gnarled guitar licks that sound just that perfect amount out of tune in songs like "Go On And Have My Way" and "Deep Alleyway Blues." ...

WHO CARES
Thee Parkside
April 8, 2008

There are times when going to shows is painful. It's painful to see bands that blow, and even more painful to see bands that blow to a packed house when there are plenty of bands that don't blow who play to less crowded rooms. Then of course there’s the other type of painful show experience – when you see a band that is so wonderful playing to a small select few, and it makes your insides full of rage that there aren't more people to share the glory with. ...

There are times when going to shows is painful. It's painful to see bands that blow, and even more painful to see bands that blow to a packed house when there are plenty of bands that don't blow who play to less crowded rooms. Then of course there’s the other type of painful show experience – when you see a band that is so wonderful playing to a small select few, and it makes your insides full of rage that there aren't more people to share the glory with.

The latter is the pain I felt watching Sacramento/Reno hip-hop geniuses Who Cares play at Thee Parkside the other night. Myself, Will, and about 30 others were mesmerized by the brilliance this band brings to the stage. With an MC, a sample master, and two additional musicians/vocalists, the four guys in Who Cares bring such intelligence and mindblowing talent to their art that it's inspiring, to say the least... And, again, so painful that every person the whole world over doesn’t know about this band and their genius.

The intelligence behind their music comes in my favorite form: a discernable sense of history and awareness of their predecessors is woven throughout the innovativeness Who Cares brings to their craft. Songs about love and belonging are smoothly kicked out over addictive, thoughtful beats that leave no one free from head-nodding & rump shaking. Old school hip-hop beats merge seemlessly with downtempo trip-hop beats, and a smooth as silk voice rhymes above it all. Keyboards, saxaphone, beat boxing, and soul-driven vocals also fuel this band’s performances, which are a fresh breath of air wafting away the stench of all this crunk BS that the kids love so much nowadays. If I had the chance to see this band perform every night of my life, I would take that chance and never be bored - that's how good they are.

[Jen Chochinov]

[STREAM] Who Cares: "Magpie and the Scarecrow", "November"  

THE VELVET TEEN
Rickshaw Stop
March 19, 2008

The Velvet Teen packed the Rickshaw Stop, but kept a pretty low-key demeanor throughout their hour-long set. The Santa Rosa-based band played extended versions of songs from their three albums, jamming on tracks like "A Captive Audience" and "Chimera Obscurant" from their excellent Elysium record, and my favorite of the night, “Radiapathy” from 2002’s Out of the Fierce Parade EP. ...

THE VELVET TEEN
Rickshaw Stop
March 19, 2008

The Velvet Teen packed the Rickshaw Stop, but kept a pretty low-key demeanor throughout their hour-long set. The Santa Rosa-based band played extended versions of songs from their three albums, jamming on tracks like "A Captive Audience" and "Chimera Obscurant" from their excellent Elysium record, and my favorite of the night, “Radiapathy” from 2002’s Out of the Fierce Parade EP.

Singer/bassist/pianist Judah Nagler took some time to loosen up and settle into the songs, but about twenty minutes into their set they hit their mark on a sort of bluesy song that didn't have a strong lyrical feeling, but gave the band a chance to stretch out and start taking some risks. Nagler has a distinctive voice, like a roughened up Broadway singer, it’s tough and raw but with a fey Morrissey lilt to it, and he was breaking hearts of those crowding towards the stage. The bass and piano parts he plays aren't flashy but they have strong and subtle grooves with lifts and lulls built in so that at their best moments you don't notice the change you just feel the song get bigger or brighter or more intense. In some of their earlier material you can hear some annoyingly predictable patterns in the songwriting but they seem to be moving away from that on their newer tracks.

Guitarist Matthew Izen hung his shaggy haired head over the fretboard during most of the show. He seemed reluctant to indulge in any sort of rocking out and consistently played up the song's sonics by bringing up swelling piercing wails of distortion and lots of delayed crystalline plucks that were more atmospheric than tangible riffs.

The real highlight of the show was drummer Casey Deitz. He totally wailed all night keeping the songs pumping and the crowd on edge. Deitz pummeled his kit with jaw dropping accuracy and speed. His playing made me think of Stuart Copeland or that guy from Dave Matthews Band (I'm sorry, but that guy is REALLY good).

Overall, the show's energy was lacking, like they were on stage killing time before they got paid. The songs are strong and getting better but still a bit too emotional for me and I wouldn't recommend them unless you're interested in watching some off-the-wall drumming.

[Jeff Bissell]

[STREAM] The Velvet Teen: Various Tracks