Takka Takka: Migration

One of the nice things about having an eMusic subscription is that it lets you explore musical avenues that might not otherwise be taken. Such was the case for us with Takka Takka's latest, Migration. The disc is from a Brooklyn band who have been around since 2004, and apparently (at least according to wikipedia) got their first taste of fame opening for Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. This association (along with the fact that they're from Brooklyn) has left many reviews actively trying to find Takka Takka's place amongst the neu-Brooklyn elite. Right.

All trends aside, Migration holds up where it's most important for a record. It has a solid dose of experimentation, and a sonic flavor that is unique enough to create real auditory interest. Moreover, it manages to temper the sonic artistry with melodies that are appealing and memorable with lyrics that are abstract and open to interpretation. To our ears it emotes the same vague space as The Sea and Cake, who, as you know, are a house favorite here at H.A.D. While these guys don't have any West Coast dates booked at the moment, we can assure you that it's worth your time to check out the record in the meantime.

mp3: Takka Takka - One Foot In The Well (Yousendit, Click Through)

Deerhunter Coming To GAMH

We here at H.A.D. had been a tad concerned that the only opportunity to see Deerhunter in the Bay Area this year might be by buying a ticket to their slot opening for Nine Inch Nails at Oracle Arena. Thankfully, such is not the case, and the band will be gracing the GAMH with their presence on Monday November 24th. By all accounts, the Deerhunter live experience is not to be missed. Details of tickets forthcoming...

Kings Of Leon Returning To The Warfield

This October the Kings Of Leon will be returning to San Francisco for two nights, October 17th and 18th, at The Warfield. They're sharing the bill with The Stills and We Are Scientists, so we're guessing this may be some sort of co-headlining deal. The Kings put on a fantastic live show and it's absolutely worth putting in an appearance... No details on tickets as of yet.

David Byrne Davies Pre-Sale Today @ 10 AM

Earlier this week we mentioned David Byrne's upcoming Bay Area shows had yet to go on-sale. Well, now the time has come: This morning at 10 AM there will be a pre-sale for the Davies Symphony Hall Show. You can get to the pre-sale here - the password is "eno". Enjoy.

Mission Of Burma Performing Signals, Vs. At The Independent

Seminal indie-rockers Mission of Burma will be gracing San Francisco with their presence on the 26th and 27th of September at the lovely Independent. The band will be performing two of their classic records, Signals, Calls And Marches and Vs. for the two night appearance. Word inside the band is that these will be the last of the "album" shows for a while, so get 'em while they're hot, kids! Tickets are on-sale now.

mp3: Mission Of Burma - That's When I Reach For My Revolver

Soundtrax: The Beach

We here at H.A.D. have an admitted soundtrack addiction problem. The discs make up a good 25% of our record collection, and we keep on coming back for more. Soundtracks offer up a real sense of place, and give you a vibe that's a lot like a good mixtape: they focus on sequencing, emotion, and flow. Today we're going to have a look at the soundtrack to The Beach.

Let's start off by saying that we know we're going to get a lot of eye rolling on this one: the film has a reputation for being a Leonardo Dicaprio vanity piece, and not a very good one at that. Well, we beg to differ. To start, the source material (read: book) is unassailable in quality and interest. On top of that the film sports Danny Boyle (he of Trainspotting) as director, and most importantly: William Orbit produced the soundtrack.

The film came out in 2000, just as Orbit had finished working with Blur on their brilliant 13. As such, the record features a who's who of late 90's rock/electronica crossover artists: Underworld, Blur, Moby, and Unkle, to name a few. However, the piece that is most intriguing to us are the two tracks by unexpected artists: All Saints and Sugar Ray. Both of these bands managed to put aside their poppy sensibilities and release tracks that are mind blowingly good.

The first is an All Saints track entitled "Pure Shores". It's produced by Orbit, and manages to somehow take all that is good about girl pop bands, while using none of the bad. It's a fantastic piece of poppy indulgence. Even better is the track by Sugar Ray. Completely out of left field, it's a cover of a tune from the Brian Eno/John Cale collaboration Wrong Way Up entitled "Spinning Away". We're hesitant to admit it, but we like the cover better than the original. It's that good.

These two tracks exist among a fantastic selection of pieces by Orbit, and the whole disc fits together seamlessly. The first and last tracks also tie in some sound bytes from the movie, but do so in a way where they manage to create atmosphere, rather than kill it. This disc has been on our consistent rotation list since it was released in 2000, and has surprisingly stood the test of time. Give it a go, it's good fun.

mp3: All Saints - Pure Shores

H.A.D. Has A Muxtape

We finally decided to break out that new-fangled internet invention and add a little streaming fun to your life. Head to http://hippiesaredead.muxtape.com to get a taste of what we've been listening to lately. Updated fortnightly!

Conor Oberst Played Bottom Of The Hill

There can be little doubt that Conor Oberst has a thing for Bob Dylan. Whether it be his emphasis on lyrically driven song writing, a backing band that apes aggressively on The Band, or a cover of "Corina, Corina", there's always a strong Dylan vibe in the air. The real question is: is this a bad thing? If the show last Friday at The Bottom Of The Hill is any indication, the answer is a ubiquitous "No", not in the least.

Oberst and his "Mystic Valley Band" played a show that was primarily a showcase of their forthcoming "Conor Oberst" record. The show was far less "emo" than one might expect from Oberst's street cred, both in musicianshp and lyrical content. It seems that Oberst is continuing the trend of lightening things up that began with the last few Bright Eyes albums. For the band's part, they delivered a fair dose of good old fashioned rock and roll, completely with searing guitar solos, and massive organ sounds.

So, is Oberst aping a bit of Dylan? Sure, but he's doing it well. Moreover, it seems more than probable that he's wrestling with some of the same demons that vexed Dylan as his career expanded in the 60's: escaping his serious, folky, former self; testing new musical waters while still keeping the bar for quality high; putting on a show that rewards the artist as well as the fans. It's nice to see that Oberst is willing to head to new places, and we're anxious to hear this band again in October after they've had a few months on the road.

More pics over at the H.A.D. Flickr feed.

Joe Jackson To Play Warfield

Joe Jackson, he of awesome song writing, cynical relationship perspective, and general critical acclaim, will be playing the Warfield on October 15th. To be frank, we've never seen him live, but always heard good things. Moreover, his early 80's output is basically legendary ("Is She Really Going Out With Him", "Steppin Out", etc.). He's touring in support of his new album, Rain, and San Francisco is the first night on the tour. From the sound of some recent videos his voice may be a little worse for wear, but that doesn't really account for his stage presence, and by all accounts this show is worth checking out. Tikcets are on-sale now.

David Byrne: Free mp3, Playing Bay Area 3-Fer

Fresh on the heels of a new release with sometimes collaborator/producer Brian Eno, David Byrne will be making three October Bay Area appearances in Santa Rosa, San Francisco, and Saratoga. The Santa Rosa appearance will be at the Wells Fargo Center For The Arts, the San Francisco show will be at Davies Symphony Hall, and the Saratoga appearance will be at the Mountain Winery. Frankly, if we had our pick, we'd recommend the winery. Sure, it's a bit of a drive, but the venue is a stunning outdoor treat that's not to be missed. The dates in question are October 6th, 8th, and 9th, which leaves us wondering if there's not room on the 7th for a smaller (Fillmore?) show.

The tour is being billed as the "Songs Of David Byrne and Brian Eno Tour". The setlist will include "music from the new album as well as music from our previous collaborations - 3 Talking Heads albums, Bush of Ghosts, etc." If you've seen Byrne in concert before, you know his live show's not to be missed. Ticket on-sales have not yet been announced, so keep your eyes peeled. Meanwhile, the duo is offering up tunage for free on the album's website. Click below for fun times...

mp3: David Byrne and Brian Eno - Strange Overtones (Click Through)