Welcome to Under The Stars, babe. A quasi-weekly column that presents new music releases, upcoming shows, still with the strong ass opinions, as always, this and everyweek, and other adjacent items. We keep moving with the changes and thinking outside the margins. We’ve been doing this for five years… Spend some time with us…
MADLIB, WLIB AM: KING OF THE WIGFLIP (BBE RECORDS)
Before Moonlight, Academy Award-winning director Barry Jenkins had the Bay Area on lock with his sloppy-sweet wet kiss to SF, race, and lo-fi romance debut Medicine for Melancholy.
Not here to explain it; go Google that black-and-white jawn for yourself and try to figure out if Black love in the 415 and hipster spaces can even exist.
But dig it. He used to frequent Dalva in the Mission, just hanging out on Fridays. Most times when he left, he’d dap me up for playing Tuesday records on a Friday night, if you get my meaning. Cool-ass dude. I just wish in one scene in the film he would have soundtracked “Yo, Yo Affair Pt 1&2” from WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip by Madlib. Not that it had anything to do with his movie, but the way the crowd at Madrone would respond to it anytime somebody threw it on? It had that low-end indentation, that feel, everybody was in rhythm.
You were just there with your girl, and nobody else in the room, or the world, mattered. What a time.
Originally released in 2008, like the previously mentioned movie, WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip by Madlib was like a deluxe mixtape with Lee Scratch Perry, Black Arc Love, and a crystal ball looking into the future. So many highlights between the comedic skits, the fake commercials, and the lovely dusty record textures. Georgia Anne Muldrow is giving us all the holistic sonic treats on “The Plan Pt 1,” foreshadowing her dynamic career 15 years in advance. She’s lovely here, folks.
And just for mixtape aficionados, “Blindfold Test #10 (He Don’t Play)” is the beat-digger three-card molly you’ve been waiting for. WLIB AM: King of the Wigflip by Madlib makes you want to jump back to 2008 and swim in all that audible warmth. Snag its vinyl return here.
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DIRECTIONS IN STEREO AT 540 BAR, JULY 25
Hold on to your butts!
It’s the last Friday of the month, again. You desperately need that extra boost of creative expression by way of those audible treats called vinyl. Come down to 540 Bar, where DJ night Directions in Sound, hosted by DJ Circuit 73, will be playing an eclectic, sonic backdrop for the evening with special guest Subtext. Both selectors will dip into their wax libraries to play “re-mixes, re-edits and re-rubs” spanning the last (gulp) 35 years! It’s an all-vinyl, variety mix to the max.
Grab a drink and listen, kiddos. Who’s remixing who? You’ll hear Tortoise, Stereolab, DJ Shadow, Radiohead, Steve Albini, Mouse On Mars, Jamie XX, The Cure, Thomas Fehlmann, Four Tet, Flying Lotus, Mount Kimbie, Jim O’Rourke, Prefuse 73, and Floating Points with emphasis on Chicago, Los Angeles, and London music scenes.
Come down and peep this human-curated, music listening event in the heart of the Inner Richmond at 540 Bar, purveyors of ice cold beer, seasonal cocktails, quarterly art shows, and blinking pinball machines. All things that make this city one of a kind. 540’s inclusive nature and community vision are a perpetual favorite for both residents and tourists alike. 7pm-11pm, 540 Bar, SF. More info here.
KENDRA MORRIS, “FLAT TIRE”
I’m always, what is it the kids say these days, “suss,” when a press release mentions that a tune is “reggae-tinged,” because if done incorrectly, that sucker could play all types of wrong. But if it’s Kendra Morris, the Florida-born, New York-based artist, singing a tune about being a dreamer, working 24/7, wondering when all her big dreams are gonna pay off, with a classic doo-wop element added to it, that song epitomizes this quintessential 21st-century vocal chameleon. Soundgarden covers, hip-hop soul vocalist, and now “’60s-tinged reggae” doo-wop- Kendra Morris finds a spot for that raspy storytelling voice in just about anything.
“My parents used to go to Jamaica and bring records back from their trips,” Kendra explained in a recent press release, “…so I found a love for reggae at a young age.” The song started simply with a little backwards guitar strum; the melody quickly came to her. She and [Leroi] Conroy worked together to incorporate doo-wop and lo-fi reggae references via the background vocals. They uniquely carry the tune. ” I knew that the voices of the guys in my band were exactly what the song needed. I wanted something imperfect and raw, and once they were incorporated, the song really took shape.” The cherry on top was then provided by Ray Jacildo (The Black Keys, Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos) on piano and organ, who keeps the tune moving right along.
It arrives after “If I Called You,” a Princely pop-hook song and vibe, that a YouTube post acknowledges Kendra having “90’s rock/country mama vibes”. And we all know YouTube posts always capture something authentic.
Morris is still that slept on underrated vocalist that people need to pay attention to. Having caught her performance at The Independent a couple of years ago, she’s the Swiss-Army-Knife vocalist who can snatch your heart away in one song. No matter the genre.
Her upcoming album Next, “I’ve been living in this record for over a year,” says Morris. “I’ve always been a writer, and [Next] was a chance to write a record from scratch on my own.”
You can pre-order here; it drops in September.
JAY SOM
It’s JAY SOM season, baby! When the project of Los Angeles-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer Melina Duterte, originally from the Bay Area, chooses to announce its first new album in over six years, it’s reason to celebrate. Listen. This right here? Is a new and different Duterte. Older, more mature, and a bit more seasoned, expressing—how can we say—just a bit more freely with “supercharged power-pop hits and hazy ballads,” teetering beautifully between digital excursions and indie-rock bangers, like never before. Taking a pause years ago and creating her circle of trust, fending off the weirdness of a crazy business has paid off with the right sonic dividends.
Belong, “her gripping 11-song set about self-definition,” slated to drop in October, sees the production and audio engineering powerhouse expanding her world by collaborating with outside musicians, writers, and producers. Duterte wrote, composed, performed, produced, engineered, and mixed the record with contributions from Joao Gonzalez (of Soft Glas), Mal Hauser (a collaborator to Mk.gee and Illuminati Hotties), Steph Marziano (producer for Vundabar, Hot Wax, Sir Chloe), and Kyle Pulley. She also welcomed guest vocalists for the first time on one of her albums, featuring Hayley Williams (of Paramore), Jim Adkins (of Jimmy Eat World), and Lexi Vega (of Mini Trees) on different tracks.
Be sure to get tickets for her August 16 performance at The Greek in Berkeley, in support of Lucy Dacus, and pre-order Belong here.
