For this month's episode of Wiretap Music on BTR we decided to feature the bands who rocked our unofficial SXSW 2011 showcase, co-presented by BTR. We also play a handful of Bay Area bands who were down in Austin but didn't play our show. Enjoy!

You can listen via the mp3 player below, or click here to listen on BTR.

For this month's episode of Wiretap Music on BTR we decided to feature the bands who rocked our unofficial SXSW 2011 showcase, co-presented by BTR. We also play a handful of Bay Area bands who were down in Austin but didn't play our show. Enjoy!

You can listen via the mp3 player below, or click here to listen on BTR.

00:00 Wiretap Music! On BTR!

Agent Ribbons

The Sandwitches
Mar 31 - The Soda Bar - San Diego, CA
Apr 1 - The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
Apr 2 - Amnesia - San Francisco, CA

Social Studies
May 6 - Bottom of the Hill - San Francisco, CA
May 9 - Holocene - Portland, OR

Our show at the Liberty in Austin, TX on March 17th, 2011 was an amazing night all around. The bands were incredible, the bar and its staff were incredible, the crowd was incredible... The whole night could not have gone better, and Olivia and I were thrilled with how it all went down.

Thanks to everyone who was involved. Extra special thanks to the bands: You guys were all amazing and we feel very blessed to have had you all play.

Our show at the Liberty in Austin, TX on March 17th, 2011 was an amazing night all around. The bands were incredible, the bar and its staff were incredible, the crowd was incredible... The whole night could not have gone better, and Olivia and I were thrilled with how it all went down.

Thanks to everyone who was involved. Extra special thanks to the bands: You guys were all amazing and we feel very blessed to have had you all play.

Here's a few pics from the night. More can be found over on the Wiretap Facebook page:

Agent Ribbons

The Sandwitches

Exray's

Social Studies

Pancho-san

Mist Giant

I really dig the Fist Fam. They're a rowdy crew of rappers transplanted from Asheville, NC. There's like eight of them or something, and they all got mad skills. The beats are fresh, the flows are tight, and when you see them all on stage it's like they're having their own little party up there.

They're releasing their new album, Posted, on April 1st. It's streaming over at the Fist Fam Bandcamp if you wanna check it out before plunking down your cash — because believe me, after you hear it, you'll be plunking down your cash. ...

I really dig the Fist Fam. They're a rowdy crew of rappers transplanted from Asheville, NC. There's like eight of them or something, and they all got mad skills. The beats are fresh, the flows are tight, and when you see them all on stage it's like they're having their own little party up there.

They're releasing their new album, Posted, on April 1st. It's streaming over at the Fist Fam Bandcamp if you wanna check it out before plunking down your cash — because believe me, after you hear it, you'll be plunking down your cash.

Of course you can also catch them for FREE if you are lucky enough to be in Austin during the Wiretap Music Unofficial SXSW showcase this Thursday, March 17th, at the Liberty. (You can also catch them the day before at the day show being put on by our good buddy SFitall.)

To do the Fist Fam justice, I wanted to write some clever ass shit. But they already beat me to all the best lines. From their email:

Take 2 parts Carolina moonshine, 1 part San Francisco liquid acid, 3 parts 4-track rap, and a pinch of 60s punk and you have the Fist Fam's new record 'Posted', a far cry from what any other hip-hop act is doing this day and age.

Also:

Lyrics in the vein of early UGK, and D.I.T.C. Beats that sound like Keith Richards grew up on Gangstarr instead of Jimmy Reed and chose an MPC over a Gibson.

I couldn't have said it better myself, so why bother trying.

Also want to give a quick shout out here to the group's beatsmith, Al Lover. He's put out some a number of amazing mixes over the past year or so, including a remix of Captain Beefheart's first album, Safe As Milk, and another remix of several garage/psych bands on the Woodsist label, which includes many local Bay Area favorites. Hit up his site, Cool All Over, to download those.

I mean, who wouldn't, right? A noise rock dance party sounds awesome.

Well, you're in luck: Beloved San Francisco-based instrumental rockers/party-starters Microfiche are looking for a new keyboardist/synth player, and it could be you. Check out their Craigslist ad:

Keys/Synths sought for radness (Rock your face)

...

Read More

Well, you're in luck: Beloved San Francisco-based instrumental rockers/party-starters Microfiche are looking for a new keyboardist/synth player, and it could be you. Check out their Craigslist ad:

Keys/Synths sought for radness (Rock your face)

Thanks for reading about this exciting opportunity! You too can be a member of Microfiche! What's Microfiche?!

We are an established, well-seasoned band with a few years under our belt. We have a good relationship with the local clubs & music scene. We've recently recorded an instrumental EP which is about to be released on vinyl and we aspire to maintain our momentum playing shows and writing new material. We've played all around SF and Oakland as well as showcasing at the Maker Faire + South by South West.

We are laid back, have a blast playing music together, and we all have jobs & bills so we're are realistic about our goals (we do have goals). We don't attempt to emulate any genre of music nor abide by any song writing formats but rather write material that is both interesting and creatively challenging to us. Some bands we like: Q And Not U, Explosions In The Sky, The Faint, Tristeza, Fugazi, Cursive, fun*, Turing Machine, Trans Am, getting lost in the music man*, Art Brut, Thievery Corporation, Matt & Kim, Isis, Ratatat, The Clash, Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, music*, Clinic, godspeed..., Battles, The Octopus Project, Boards Of Canada, Firewater, Foals, reference materials*, No Age, Les Savy Fav, Pixies, platonic solids*, Gang Of Four, Grandaddy, G n’ R, Pinback, TVOTR, Enon, Architecture In Helsinki, Looper, post-things*, Braid, and so on in that fashion...

*not bands

you can hear some tracks at: http://microfiche.bandcamp.com/

Our keyboard player has recently moved to NYC so our immediate need is for a strong keyboard player but we are also interested in other instruments or those who are versed on multiple instruments. We are looking for those who are interested in becoming a true collaborator; a band member that wants to help drive the band forward, support our EP as well as write new material and help promote shows etc... A good attitude, quality gear and chops are required. A nerdy interest in music and pursuing all the sonic possibilities of your instrument is highly desired.

So if you like what you hear, don't be shy! All serious inquiries welcome!

One listen to the track in the video below — "Bumblebee" —and there's no mistaking the influence of French pop on Hélène Renaut's music. That's no mere stylistic choice on Renaut's part, however: the folk pop chanteuse was born in France, though she calls San Francisco home now. Her new album, "The Deer Convention," is now available on limited edition vinyl and non-limited edition digital. Order either (or both) on Hélène Renaut's Bandcamp. ...

One listen to the track in the video below — "Bumblebee" —and there's no mistaking the influence of French pop on Hélène Renaut's music. That's no mere stylistic choice on Renaut's part, however: the folk pop chanteuse was born in France, though she calls San Francisco home now. Her new album, "The Deer Convention," is now available on limited edition vinyl and non-limited edition digital. Order either (or both) on Hélène Renaut's Bandcamp.

But French pop is far from the only touchstone here. As the SF Bay Guardian once said, Renaut's work "often recalls the broodingly ornate songs of Love's Arthur Lee spiced with just a little dash of Revolver-era John Lennon."

Bumblebee from Helene Renaut on Vimeo.

Renaut has a big release party tonight at Cafe Du Nord with co-headliner Emily Jane White, who's making her first Stateside appearance in nearly a year. Opener is local "finger-picking maniac" Ed Masuga.

I had a chance to ask Renaut a few questions about her new album, the sound she was trying to capture, and the collaborators who helped it bring to life. Check it out:

WTM: What was the inspiration or concept or other creative spark that the album was born of (if there is any single thing you can point to)?

Well, yes it's a little hard to pinpoint. I started recording because I had a batch of songs that were getting...old. But if I look back, there was a time, after i moved back from the East Bay to SF, where i started to finish and write a bunch of songs. I had been idle for a while (writing-wise) and stuck in the recording process as well. Then someone asked me to write some music for a play — they gave me the lyrics and I was to put them into a song. I ended up writing it very fast, last minute, in one afternoon, but I think it unblocked me. After that I thought — why not use a poem I like to write a song? I think I was stuck with lyrics at that point, and I chose a Paul Eluard poem, it became "L'amour La poésie," which is on the record. Then I finished some songs that were halfway done, like "Orpheus" and "Silly," and wrote new ones, like "The Wisdom of the Dove," "Bumblebee," "To be a child." Some others were a little older, like "The Deer Convention" — although I think it really came together around then too. When I was ready to record, the option of working with Jason [Quever, of Papercuts fame] presented itself, and we just started doing it, one afternoon at a time. I was really excited that he was using tape.

WTM: What is the significance of the title, "The Deer Convention"?

The album is named after one of the songs. It was inspired by a very vivid afternoon dream where I was watching a flock of deer flying up a cliff — they had these deer-size wings, and were a sort of society, or tribe, each of them having a specific role in the community. At the same time, I was playing around with those arpeggios on the piano, that I transferred to the guitar, and they reminded me of the upward movement of the flying deer, so I started to sing about them over it. The rest of the lyrics came from other dreams, some of home. When it was time to start thinking of a name for that collection of songs, The Deer Convention seemed appropriate, because each one seemed to be an essential part of a whole, just as the deer were each to their tribe — a gathering of mystical forces of some sort, if you will.

WTM: Was there a particular sound you were trying to capture?

Yes, the live experience. I wanted to make it sound as immediate as possible, as if people were playing in the room for you. We did a lot of the takes like that, guitar and vocals at the same time, or guitar/vocals/bass. It was liberating, I learned to like the flaws in the takes. But I also wanted to capture all the backup vocals that live in my head, so I definitely had to overdub that! We went for as little effects as possible in general, trying to keep a natural sound.

WTM: What are some non-musical influences that went into the album/go into your music in general?

Like I said, dreams were one. Nature also, in general — it's apparent in the lyrics, but I also like to observe and soak in all the beauty and lessons it teaches us, that we are part of. One song was inspired by a Godard movie, "Bande à Part," and there is that one from the Paul Eluard poem. Another came after the birth of a nephew ("To be a child"). In general I tend to write about love, human relationships, the stories we make with our lives, the myths they create. I'm also influenced by poetry and literature quite a bit, I wrote on paper before I wrote songs, and what I read becomes a big part of me. All my experiences and emotions, the places I visit, the people I meet, they all shape what comes out of me, really. A lot of times I feel like the song already exists somewhere, that my role is to catch it as best I can — sort of like catching a baby I suppose. The less interference make for the best songs.

WTM: Where was the album recorded? I see you worked with a lot of impressive collaborators, how was that whole process? What was the best part about recording the album?

The album was recorded at PanAmerican studio, which is the studio Jason built in his house — so it's not like a professional studio, with impersonal walls and drink vending machines. It felt pretty homey. I had known and admired Jason and his work for a while and he ended up having a really good understanding of what I wanted the album to sound like. I felt very fortunate.

Matt [Montgomery, who has played with the Two Gallants' Adam Stephens] and I had been playing as a duo for a while, so we just translated that experience to the studio. I knew Jasmyn [Wong, of Skygreen Leopards] and had seen her drum, she has a very light yet dynamic approach, it's very rare for a drummer, and we were friends so it felt natural to ask her. Hmm who else — yes then Donovan [Quinn, also of Skygreen Leopard] wrote a song he wanted me to sing, so I did, and we were trying out playing music at that point so he came in to do that electric guitar part on it.

And then — the Mumlers, for "The Wisdom of the Dove." I had been trying to arrange that song on piano, but I started to hear a 20s or 30s jazz band sound for it, with horns,  but I didn't know anyone who could do that. Then I saw the Mumlers play at the Make Out Room, and I liked them so much I wrote them a fan letter, and ended up asking Will if it would be ok to ask his bandmates to play on it. Luckily they all liked my music and agreed. We rehearsed once, figured out the arrangement together, and recorded it. When we mixed, we tried taking out the guitar and it gave it this beautifully haunting sound, so we kept it like that. 

Some things came out the way they did by accident too, lucky accidents — like that brass arrangement, it doesn't sound like what I thought it should be, but it is much better, much more original. And the a capella folk song, "Keep Your Garden Clean," I did several takes and when we listened back we noticed that one of them was slightly behind the other one, but was catching up to it at the end — like the ghost of the other take. We tried several ways of mixing them together and came out with this, where one voice is just way in the background and echoes the other one. There's also the birds at the end of "Bande à part," from the garden. 

WTM: What didn't go as planned/go well? Any fun studio stories?

Inside stories? Jason whistles all the parts he hears, all the time, unconsciously. And I drink tea all the time, he made fun of me because I had this old thermos bottle with a picture of Madonna on it (totally random, it wasn't even mine) — he would put it up on the piano before a vocal take and tell me to look at it for inspiration! (FYI, I was never a fan — i was stuck in classical music world when all my friends were listening to her.)

WTM: What is the one thing you think people should know about you and your music if they're discovering you for the first time?

It might not be evident, but I've been told that my songs will stick in your head— so beware!

WTM: Anything else you'd like to add?

Maybe just a note about the show, since I will have a sweet little line up for it: Joe Lewis on upright bass, Russ Blackmar on percussion, and strings (Dina Maccabee, Carey Lamprecht and Deb Fox) for a few songs. Back up vocals by Chloe Roth also. I'm stoked on how it all sounds so far!