The Sad Bastard Book Club - The Crow Nose Quartet's "Carrion, My Wayward Son" (2014)

The Sad Bastard Book Club are a San Francisco doom-folk band that has been playing their brand of depressing, climatic rock music for a few years now. More than willing to wear their literate hearts on their sleeves, I personally find this type of post-rock to be some of the best the city has to offer. While most bands regulate themselves to a specific scene and tone, the SBBC crafts music that can easily fit next to many of the competing genres rubbing shoulders in the Bay Area. Sure, the song titles are long as hell (I find myself having to go back over them a few times as I write this guarantee their correct wording), but the ideas presented in them are ones that are universal. Sadness, depression, death: few bands operating today weave together tales incorporating these concepts more competently than this group. In fact, even if no vocals were present, the music is so strong that the entire record could operate as an instrumental. Hard to say that about most acts.

Get it here:
The Sad Bastard Book Club - The Crow Nose Quartet's "Carrion, My Wayward Son" (2014)

Glitter Wizard - Hunting Gatherers (2012)

Rock'n'roll without a little devil worshiping isn't worth having. Nothing says fun like Satan! Trust me, I know the guy. He can throw back beers with the best of them (Hemingway does drink him under the table, mind you). He has Skip James and Billie Holiday as his lounge acts on nights where people want to relax, and he said he would send every member of Creed right up to heaven if they were sent his way. He is that kind of considerate guy.

Glitter Wizard are on a mission: to teach kids the awesome fun that is Satan. This San Francisco glam group has put out a few releases, but their newest is by far my favorite. Lots of flute solos mixed right to the front of the track, and infectious riffs that make worshiping the dark lord all that much better. "Worship the Devil" and "Blood of the Serpent" are two tracks you need to listen to as you order a copy of the vinyl. Paying homage to Satan just got more fun (than it already was).

Get it here:
Glitter Wizard - Hunting Gatherers (2012)

The Spyrals - ST (2012)

The Spyrals are from San Francisco have been making ever so small (yet persistent) ripples throughout the Bay Area music scene over the last year. They look the part, they have the sound, and as the cover to the right demonstrates, they come from another time. They rock out that lo-fi psychedelic garage rock sound that has been gaining prominence in the garage rock scene over the last year, and the Spyrals do it very well. "Disguise" is the standout track on their full length record, and warrants repeated listens, but there are few throw-aways on this 9 track adventure.

The digital download is not free, but it is worth listening to on their Bandcamp and then plopping down the 12 dollars for a slab of vinyl.

Get it here:
The Spyrals - ST (2012)

The Chaw - Selft-titled (2012)

San Francisco is a wonderful city to live near. I have sadly never called it home, but I have spent countless hours there at shows and digging for records. San Francisco may have gotten too expensive for your average guy to live in, but the greater Bay Area is still home to some of the best underground rock acts today. I know each region celebrates their local scene's quality, but if you have not visited the Bay Area, you really are missing out on some great psychedelic and experimental music.

A new act making waves in SF is a little group called The Chaw. They have some connection to The Sea Life, and have a show coming up at the quintessential indie venue in the city, Bottom of the Hill.

The group plays tight, slightly psychedelic garage rock, but what really stands out is the frontman's vocals. It's as if Jim Morrison rose from the grave, a bit more sober and on less acid, and decided to pick up where he left off. Morrison decided to then ditch the organ, and gave each member of the Doors a reverb and crunchy distortion pedal. The Chaw walk that perilous line between being out-there and challenging, while still maintaining the implacable enthusiasm and chops to bring an entire bar to attention.

Listen to it here:
The Chaw (2012)