(photo: Collin McClain)

Earlier this year, Jacob Aranda released his debut album Great Highway. Aranda, whom you may recognize from his guitar and pedal steel work in China and Paula Frazer and Tarnation, created a lovely album of folk songs centered around a tough period in his life. In 2015, Aranda was newly divorced, unemployed, and became homeless, sleeping on friends' couches and in his old truck. As if that wasn't enough, he was working on his truck when his legs were crushed in what he calls a "freak accident."

At the time of his accident, Aranda and his band (Tarnation) had recorded a couple of songs with Kelley Stoltz in San Francisco, but the incident not only inspired him to write the title track of the album, but he also says it "room to even consider" making a full album. Five additional songs were recorded by at Elliott Smith's old Studio, New Monkey in LA, rounding out the album.

The end result is full of beautiful, mellow country soundscapes, with Aranda consistently sounding like a guy who is, quite frankly, going through some shit. And even if he isn't going to find pure redemption, he's going to learn from the pain and come out a little stronger and wiser on the other end. Give it a listen below, and see Aranda at the Lost Church Friday night, or at Brick and Mortar in July.

The Real Sarahs, Jacob Aranda
The Lost Church
June 1, 2018
8pm, $15

The Barefoot Family Caravan, Jacob Aranda, Kevin Patrick Radley
Brick and Mortar Music Hall
July 10, 2018
8pm, $7

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Oakland's Cougar on a Meth Binge has never sounded like their name might lead you to believe, and now they're hoping to lead you about as far from their name as possible. Tomorrow night, they'll be hosting "Dream Lovers: an immersive musical experience inspired by dreams" at the Savvy Rest mattress store in Berkeley. COAMB will be debuting material from their forthcoming EP The Dreamy Pea, which was arranged and recorded in the same store and incorporates cassette recordings from lead singer Lauren Alegre's dream diaries.

For now, you can stream a couple tracks from the album below.

Cougar on a Meth Binge, Maria Jose Montijo, My Proper Skin
Savvy Rest Store Berkeley
June 6, 2018
8pm

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If you don't yet have weekend plans, I suggest you head north to Hickey Fest, one of the coolest little festivals around. Curated by former Oaklander Ash Reiter (Sugar Candy Mountain), it's jam-packed with Bay Area talent, including Bill Baird, Cool Ghouls, Curls, Meernaa, and TONS more.

There's camping, swimming in the river, Showga, Mad Alchemy Light Show, and I'm sure a whole lot of fun. Despite being around for several years and having a loyal following, tickets are still a steal — less than $150 gets you three days of music and a campsite. If you still need convincing, check out this lovely review from 2015 attendee Will Butler (Social Work). Do it!

Hickey Fest
The Peg House (Leggett, CA)
June 15-17, 2018
$53 (day pass)-$140 (3-day pass)

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Oakland's Bill Baird released Nightly Never Ending last week, and by my count, it's his SEVENTH album since 2016.

Bill, quite simply, has an ear for mellow pop music, and Nightly Never Ending delivers all the sweet harmonies and melodies appropriate for activities such as laying in the grass or skipping. The album's available on vinyl via Super Deluxe and all the streaming places you could want. Listen below and check out his video for "Happiness is Forgetting" starring a PC from the '90s.

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All too often in this age of music journalism centering on the newest and hottest, gems sometimes slip through the cracks and unfortunately miss that magic window of coverage when it's "new."

Paula Frazer and Tarnation's What is and Was turned a year old last month, and it's a gem I don't want to let slip through the cracks any longer. I'm not entirely sure why we missed it when it was "new," but luckily our coverage of Jacob Aranda's debut led me back to it.

Throughout What Is and Was, Tarnation sets up a world where Paula Frazer's soaring harmonies lead to lots of goosebumps. I don't have much to add, but it would have been one of my favorite local releases of 2017 if I'd listened to it in 2017.

So celebrate the birthday of What is and Was with a fresh spin below, and maybe purchase some vinyl while you're at it. And don't be afraid to listen to those albums that are neither brand new nor quite old enough to be considered a classic. You just might find some future classics if you do.

Tarnation, Vega Victoria, Yea Ming (solo)
The Lucky Horseshoe
July 21, 2018
9pm

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Landline, the duo of Oakland's Matt Ferrara (Toyota) and LA's Zoe Zag (Shirley Mistaken), just released their debut full length on Discontinuous Innovation. The two met in Chico in 2011, had a brief falling out, but reconnected in 2017 and started making an album over the internet, coordinated over late-night phone calls.

Unlike more famous long-distance collaborations, this isn't some sort of sappy sentimental project; these songs evoke an air of a couple that kinds of hates each other but they know they've got too much chemistry to quit making music together. Landline's self-described genre of "New Wave Punk Rock" is definitely appropriate, but it's clear these two don't really give a shit about genre boundaries. It's energetic, it's harsh, it's fuzzy, it's laid back, melodic, and clean. Hopefully these two can stick it out for a few more albums.

Look for live release shows with a full band featuring members of Toyota and Violence Creeps in LA and the Bay later this fall, and listen or purchase the cassette via Discontinuous Innovation below.

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Photo: Michael Bordelon

San Francisco's Pat Thomas is best known around town for his work in Cool Ghouls, the joyful throwback rock and roll quartet who has been cranking out great albums for a few years now. Thomas already has a solo EP under his belt, and he recently announced his debut full-length, I Ain't Buyin' It, available for preorder via Empty Cellar. You can stream the debut track from the album, "The Money Guys," and despite the laid-back soul and jazz-influenced horns, you can tell Pat ain't cool with the way things are today. Give it a listen below and see him perform at Amnesia tonight.

Pat Thomas Band, Beauty Queen, Rugs
Amnesia
September 7, 2018
9pm, $5

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(photo: Fernando Rodriguez Photography)

Gilberto Rodriguez y Los Intocables is a side project led by Almas Fronterizas vocalist Gilberto Rodriguez. When a few members of Almas couldn't make it to a recording session for the project, Rodriguez brought in a bunch of musicians from the Mission to record, and their creation feels like it was made for the San Francisco neighborhood.

Sabor Maracuyá Desnuda is first and foremost defined by the pulsing rhythm at the heart of every track. Rodriguez sings plenty, but he also chants, shouts, and becomes as crucial to the rhythms as the percussion. Fittingly, the album is available via Mission-based label Empty Cellar. I recommend you buy the record, put on some headphones, and take a nice long stroll down 24th Street while you listen. And then head over to Oakland for Los Intocables' debut Bay Area show at the Legionnaire Saloon October 19.

Gilberto Rodriguez y Los Intocables, DJ Sin Amores
The Legionnaire Saloon
October 19, 2018
9pm, $10

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Oakland's Desiree Cannon has just released her debut LP Beach Sleeper on Long Road Society, a fairly new (and by early indications, wonderful) label, also based in Oakland. Mixing elements of country, folk, and love songs from the '60s, Cannon's wise-sounding alto shines on every song.

Beach Sleeper was produced by Cannon and Nate Mahan of Shannon and the Clams, and recorded to 1/2" tape by Long Road Society's Kit Center in an old Oakland living room. The instrumentation walks a narrow line that conveys an intimate, bedroom recording feel while managing to sound quite professional. Give it a listen, followed by a video of Cannon singing "Mountain Lion Mama."

Desiree will have a pair of record release shows over the next few days in Oakland and La Honda, followed by an opening set for The Easy Leaves and Karl Blau at the Starline.

The Deslondes, Desiree Cannon, Doc Tari
Starline Social Club
October 18, 2018
7pm, $12

Desiree Cannon, Kit Center & the Hollow Bones, Dawn Riding, Mikayla McVey
Apple Jack's (La Honda)
October 20, 2018
4pm, Free (donations accepted)

The Easy Leaves, Karl Blau, Desiree Cannon
Starline Social Club
October 25, 2018
8pm, $15

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China, who I can only assume is everyone's favorite Bay Area folk-rock band, is back with their vinyl debut on Royal Oakie Records, And Then Nothing Happened. Lead singer Michael James Tapscott sings sad songs with the best of 'em, and his talented bandmates, (who are all stellar musicians in their own right), always seem to find just the right harmony, rhythm, or whine from a pedal steel.

Like previous China records, this album isn't background music for a lonely drive or something, it's a collection of songs suitable for staring at a wall, listening intently, and thinking long and hard about what the hell you've been doing with your life. The full album's out February 22, but for now you can enjoy the video for "Marnie" go get you ready.

If you're in need of a little contemplation, what better place than under the glittery ceiling of the Make Out Room on a Sunday night? China will be there selling albums and singing songs with Assateague and Younger Youngest. They generally make you a little more sad in person, but you can preorder the album if you can't make it.

Assateague, China, Younger Younger
The Make Out Room
February 17, 2019
7pm, $8

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