Email Author Mike Rowell

2009 Stories by Mike Rowell

• mr. Gnome brings surreal sounds from Josh Homme's studio

  published November 18, 2009

  The new album by Cleveland duo mr. Gnome, Heave Yer Skeleton, is a surreal rock listen. Largely recorded at the Los Angeles studio of... More >>

• Melt Banana

  published October 28, 2009

  Since launching in 1992, Tokyo's Melt-Banana has become Japan's quintessential No Wave spazz-punk outfit. While effects-whiz guitarist... More >>

• Frisco Freakout

  published October 7, 2009

  San Francisco has seen a psychedelic renaissance in recent years, with a bumper crop of artists channeling styles from surrealist pop to acid... More >>

• Manna from MONO

  published September 30, 2009

  Tokyo’s MONO is one of those “ya gotta see 'em live” bands. Sure, the instrumental quartet’s recordings are lovely, filled... More >>

• On Land Festival brings sounds from the experimental periphery

  published September 16, 2009

  While San Francisco has no shortage of music fests, the artists performing at this weekend's On Land Festival are an especially unusual,... More >>

• Bent Brent

  published September 9, 2009

  Local comedian Brent Weinbach’s second full-length album, The Night Shift (on S.F. label Talent Moat), is a surrealist audio collage... More >>

• Cheap Musical Thrills

  published June 24, 2009

  Summer offers no shortage of ways to drop mad cash on musical diversions, from multiday festivals to hoary reunion tours. Consider the Outside... More >>

• Way Above Average

  published April 8, 2009

  Vancouver-based guitar and vocals twosome Mecca Normal has always had a political bent. Sure, the band serves up smartly written songs and... More >>

• The Crust Rises to the Top

  published January 21, 2009

  In the late '70s, Amebix was one of the first to meld together punk and metal, and has been cited as an influence by such acts as... More >>