The Wisdom of Age

Our good friend, record broker, and resident Darrell-Hammond-impersonating-Sean-Connery-impersonator Age has posted a quick record check on Soulstrut. Age is a serious collector and if he's willing to give you a peek into his crates, it's a good idea to peep game. Please note that he has generously included an audio clip of the holy grail of San Jose gospel funk, Aposento Alto. Act quickly, they take the sound clips down as soon as they archive the features.

Cold Chillin' Villains

Our once-a-month gathering at Jack's Bar & Lounge takes place tonight. Come out for a drink and say hi. It's free, and only good jams get played.If you're on myspace, be sure to check out all Cold Chillin' news and updates here.

Cold Chillin' also got a shout out in The Metro this week, so be on the look out. See y'all soon, if not tonight. Peace.

The Mumlers release long-awaited debut

Our favorite local band The Mumlers release their debut album Thickets and Stitches on Galaxia Records today. It has been a supremely interesting experience watching the band grow over the past few years, and I believe they are headed for big things. Here's a one-sheet I wrote for their press package a few months ago:

Galaxia Records is proud to present Thickets and Stitches, the debut album from Bay Area indie rock ensemble The Mumlers. The band is comprised of seven talented multi-instrumentalists, including frontman and songwriter Will Sprott. Their sound is comprised of wry, witty lyrics and traditional rock instrumentation tastefully embellished by more unusual elements including swelling brass, plaintive slide guitar, and just a touch of accordion. Like most good things, the band began as a lark; Will recruited a few friends to help him demo some of his original compositions. The current lineup coalesced during these informal basement recording sessions, which became their charming self-released/self-titled EP. Low-key performances at dive bars and art galleries brought them local attention and overwhelmingly enthusiastic word-of-mouth praise. The band’s refreshing blend of lighthearted stage presence and seriously well-crafted songs soon won them fans all over the west coast, including accolades from the press and inclusion in the prestigious Bleeding Edge and Noise Pop festivals. They have played shows with such indie stalwarts at Yo La Tengo, Clinic, Money Mark, and label-mate Tommy Guerrero.
Thickets and Stitches is a portrait of a young band in love with music, exploring the various textures of the rock genre and creating something satisfyingly original. There are crowd-pleasing mid-tempo rockers ("Red River Hustle"), mesmerizing ballads ("The Hinge’s Lament"), call-and-response soul stompers ("Shake That Medication") and songs that defy easy categorization. The result is an entertaining, accessible work of art that music lovers of all stripes are going to fall in love with.
In an effort to maintain warmth and spontaneity, the album was recorded live to 2-inch tape with minimal overdubs. Though the writing and producing was handled within the group, they sought the singular talents of The Legendary Stardust Cowboy (bugle) and Sarah Jo Zaharako of Gojogo (violin) to flesh out their sound. The majority of tracks were recorded at Snowghost studios in rural Whitefish, Montana by engineer Brett Allen. Additional material was recorded close to home at the studio of Jarrod Dandrea. Some time later the tracks were mixed by Thom Monahan (past clients include Brightblack Morninglight, Devendra Banhart, and Vetiver) at the Hangar in Sacramento, CA. Mastering was handled by J.J. Golden (Calexico, Rachel’s, etc.) at Golden Mastering in Ventura, CA.

You can listen to tracks and catch up on band news at www.myspace.com/themumlers or purchase an album here: www.galaxia-platform.com

We're so willin to throw Cold Chillin

Cold Chillin is one of the regular events put together by the WTTM Crew. It's basically a free range DJ night at our neighborhood bar. We play whatever we feel like, and the drinks flow. The official CC lineup is Cutso, Misa, David "It's Alright" Ma, Gabe, and I on the tables with our good friend Dridge on live visuals. If you're in or around San Jose, there are worse ways to spend an evening.

Expect to hear some Cee-lo, Freddie Scott, Beatles, Zombies, Contortions, Breeders, Camera Obscura, Eugene Blacknell, Helene Smith, Freda Payne, Antibalas, Tribe, Serge Gainsbourg, East of Underground, Stooges, Organized Konfusion, Edan, Persuasions, and Beirut... and that's just my set.