The Black Heart Procession
The Black Heart Procession's new album, Six, will be released 10.6.9 on Temporary Residence Ltd. Listen to Rats

Barnaby Monk's Club Crawler
Thursday 2
Reggae’s dancehall duke Junior Reid makes his home nearest the genre’s roots in Kingston, Jamaica. Recording and touring since he was 15 years old, the 44-year-old former Black Uhuru vocalist doesn’t spend much time there but says his worldliness informs his dub riddims. Reid’s a vibrant performer who’s remained relevant by working with the likes of Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, and the Soup Dragons (!?). Check out last year’s Live in Berkeley CD/DVD for a primer. Reid appears at Bay Park’s Brick by Brick alongside High Tide and Without Papers.... Hardcore head-trippers Long and Short of It’s CAW: An Unkindness of Ravens has been a steady listen around Reader offices this year for its Jesus Lizard juice and '80s art-core audacity. Ben Johnson’s the new David Yow. Question is: what do we do with the old David Yow? (Not to worry, Jesus Lizard is back at it and will be here in October, buds!) In the mean, get geared up at Radio Room tonight with Long and Short, Mount Vicious (SF), and the Archons.... More blippage: Heavy Cessna lands at the Ken with Revenge Club and Snake Babies...and bad-ass song-and-dance man Ben Vereen checks in at Anthology for two nights. Seriously, the cat’s a Broadway institution.

Friday 3

Supersuckers, hit the beach at Canes Saturday night. Rock-rolling cow-punk style for nigh on 20 years now, the Suckers make their hay onstage and are indeed an act to be reckoned with. Couple them with Stray Cat bass slapper Lee Rocker, who sets the seaside stage, and you’ve got the ingredients for an all-out barn-burner. Check out Rocker’s Alligator debut Black Cat Bone. Dude rules the rockabilly roost.... She doesn’t care about her bad reputation, and why should she? Joan Jett and the Blackhearts have had so many chart-toppers — “I Love Rock ’n Roll,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Do You Want to Touch Me,” just to name a few. Ms. Jett and the rest’ll ride the midway at the Del Mar Fairgrounds Friday night.... Else: well-aged SanFran punk band Samiam plays the Ken with North County warblers Tiltwheel...groove-oriented garage rockers Ded Pigeons drop on Soda Bar with dynamic duo the Dabbers...she-rockers Stone Foxes and Anna Troy join L.A. alts the Tender Box at Ruby Room...one-man band Pant Hoots and alt-pop act Thin Man split a bill at Bar Pink...and Casbah does its dance deal Jivewire for your pre-Fourth fling. more

Lights - Rites (Drag City) Eric Nielsen 6.27.9 Release date 7.21.9

This Lights album Rites kicks ass in a genre that doesn't kick too often. The first song on the album, Heavy Drops, sets up with gently saturated guitars with Richard Thompson keys driving Thelma and Louise up to and off the cliff, where suddenly you're floating, flying, with female soothings by Sophia Knapp and Linnea Vedder, slowly floating down to the river rocks shimmering. You veer up off the bottom with the rich "Heavy Drops Fall Down" chorus backed with some psychadelic wah wah guitar, punctuated by some great Jerry Garcia runs pushing the out with heavy Indian Jewelry tones. Suffice it to say the guitar playing on the entire album is delightful without being dickish or smarmy pop. more

Listen to Bjork's Voltaic
All is Full of Love
Declare Independence

MP3
Elizabeth & The Catapult - Taller Children
Sakura - Bannister
Bachelorette - Mindwarp (2009)
Magik Markers - Don't Talk In Your Sleep (2009)
Akron/Family - River (2009)
Senkay - Soon the Worms (2006)
thuja - untitled
spoelstra - i got issues the shape of italy
Neko Case - People Got A Lot of Nerve
High Mountain Tempel - The Glass Bead Game - The Ascended Master Moves On (Hang Gliding in Heaven)
The Sword - How Heavy This Axe

School of Rock Bulletin Board
School of Rock Story 6.16.9
M Sits in a Jam / Works In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida at Band Practice Over the weekend, we jammed with a drummer-friend, and Maya sat in for about 10 minutes on the set while he played some heavier guitar. At first, she was a bit intimidated to play in front of a drummer (besides her teacher), but after a bit, jumped on the set and started right up with confidence. more

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