Indie Rock and Indie Pop

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New Dodos Record Due This Fall

Big news from the Dodos camp this morning. The local indie pop act finished up work on its third full-length, Time To Die, which will come out September 15, while also expanding its membership by one. Time to Die was recorded in Seattle with famed producer Phil Ek, the man behind many of the big Nor ... More >>

Treasure Island Headliners Leaked: Girl Talk, Flaming Lips, MGMT

J. Michelle MartinThe Flaming LipsThis year's Treasure Island Music Festival should be another one for the weekender history books, if the early leaked acts booked to perform are any indication. Unofficially on tap to perform Oct. 17 and 18 are MGMT, MSTRKRFT and Girl Talk (Sat) and Flaming Lips (wh ... More >>

King Sunny Adé's legnthy reign

J. Michelle MartinThe Flaming LipsThis year's Treasure Island Music Festival should be another one for the weekender history books, if the early leaked acts booked to perform are any indication. Unofficially on tap to perform Oct. 17 and 18 are MGMT, MSTRKRFT and Girl Talk (Sat) and Flaming Lips (wh ... More >>

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart stock up for indie stardom

J. Michelle MartinThe Flaming LipsThis year's Treasure Island Music Festival should be another one for the weekender history books, if the early leaked acts booked to perform are any indication. Unofficially on tap to perform Oct. 17 and 18 are MGMT, MSTRKRFT and Girl Talk (Sat) and Flaming Lips (wh ... More >>

Last Night: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Girls at the Rickshaw Stop

Sandy KimGirls: None of those females are actually in the bandThe Pains of Being Pure at Heart, GirlsTuesday, July 21, 2009Rickshaw StopBetter than: Being at Popscene in the late '90s.There's a point in every great band's career when its hometown crowds realize something has changed, and definitely ... More >>

Treasure Island: Indie-rock elders move forward

Sandy KimGirls: None of those females are actually in the bandThe Pains of Being Pure at Heart, GirlsTuesday, July 21, 2009Rickshaw StopBetter than: Being at Popscene in the late '90s.There's a point in every great band's career when its hometown crowds realize something has changed, and definitely ... More >>

Built to Spill’s struggles to capture its signature sound

Sandy KimGirls: None of those females are actually in the bandThe Pains of Being Pure at Heart, GirlsTuesday, July 21, 2009Rickshaw StopBetter than: Being at Popscene in the late '90s.There's a point in every great band's career when its hometown crowds realize something has changed, and definitely ... More >>

December's best holiday music events

Sandy KimGirls: None of those females are actually in the bandThe Pains of Being Pure at Heart, GirlsTuesday, July 21, 2009Rickshaw StopBetter than: Being at Popscene in the late '90s.There's a point in every great band's career when its hometown crowds realize something has changed, and definitely ... More >>

Coachella Brings Pavement, Jay-Z, Them Crooked Vultures, Thom Yorke, and Girls Together

PavementMarcus Roth © 1999​Pavement's first West Coast date of its 2010 reunion tour was announced today, as the Coachella lineup went live with the indie rock giants as Sunday's big headliner. The news will likely send the group's many geeked out fans into organizing the So Cal caravans for the ... More >>

Sasquatch! Music Festival Lineup: Pavement, Dam-Funk, Girls, Massive Attack, the XX

Joseph SchellEdward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros: festival favorites​More music news today for festicationers: Sasquatch! Music Festival laid out its lineup last night at a party at Seattle's Crocodile Cafe. This Memorial Day Weekend (May 29-31) the indie rock caravans will head to Washington's ... More >>

Hear MGMT's Second Album Streaming Online

​MGMT's last break-out single, "Kids," inspired the kind of ecstatic love usually reserved for prepackaged boy bands or massive pop stars. The group's popularity increased as its 2008 album Oracular Spectacular climbed up best-of lists--and music charts--worldwide. So it's an understatement to say ... More >>

New MGMT Video: Flash Delirium

The new MGMT record, Congratulations, isn't out until April 13, but word on the street is all about how the band resolved this round to forgo the usual step of releasing singles. The duo is, however, releasing videos, and this madhouse clip for "Flash Delirium" is great for all its creepiness.&nbs ... More >>

Zion I Brings the Live Show Home Tonight

​In action since 1997, Zion I has become one of the Bay Area's finest hip-hop acts, releasing six albums that have consistently shown off the duo's versatility. But in these times of rampant piracy, MC Zumbi and producer AmpLive know that their studio prowess alone won't butter their toast. Workin ... More >>

Concert preview: MGMT

​In action since 1997, Zion I has become one of the Bay Area's finest hip-hop acts, releasing six albums that have consistently shown off the duo's versatility. But in these times of rampant piracy, MC Zumbi and producer AmpLive know that their studio prowess alone won't butter their toast. Workin ... More >>

What To Do? Monday's Pick: MGMT

 MGMT @ the Fillmore MGMT's Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden willed themselves to fame with "Time to Pretend," the biggest movie-trailer indie crossover hit since "Paper Planes." Now they want us to know that they can play with that popularity. The chewy new Congratulations isn't at all ... More >>

Last Night: MGMT at the Fillmore

Gretchen Robinette ​MGMTMonday, April 12, 2010The FillmoreBetter than: Watching a band that's stuck making formulaic radio (or blogger) hits.MGMT had barely taken the stage at 8:15 last night, and a female party train was already whoo-whooing its way to the front, girls a half-dozen deep cong ... More >>

Yeasayer pushes into new weird pop

Gretchen Robinette ​MGMTMonday, April 12, 2010The FillmoreBetter than: Watching a band that's stuck making formulaic radio (or blogger) hits.MGMT had barely taken the stage at 8:15 last night, and a female party train was already whoo-whooing its way to the front, girls a half-dozen deep cong ... More >>

Last Night: Vampire Weekend and Abe Vigoda at the Fox

Photo of a previous Vampire Weekend show by Moses Namkung​Vampire WeekendThe Fox TheaterApril 19, 2010Better Than: getting bitten by a vampire wearing high-tops, skinny jeans, and shaggy bangs.Last night, the Columbia grads of Vampire Weekend, led by frontman Ezra Koening and his impressive falset ... More >>

Sic Alps is the opening act of choice for indie elder statesmen

Photo of a previous Vampire Weekend show by Moses Namkung​Vampire WeekendThe Fox TheaterApril 19, 2010Better Than: getting bitten by a vampire wearing high-tops, skinny jeans, and shaggy bangs.Last night, the Columbia grads of Vampire Weekend, led by frontman Ezra Koening and his impressive falset ... More >>

Videos of the Day: Ukulele Covers of MGMT and Train (by an 8-year-old)

I have a new rule when it comes to Train songs. I only want to hear them as covered by this cute little 8-year-old on his ukulele. Otherwise, I don't want to hear them at all.    There's a whole YouTube genre of uke covers--some of which are actually good songs to start with. MGMT' ... More >>

Over the Weekend: Yo La Tengo and Sic Alps at the Fillmore

Yo La Tengo, Sic Alps April 24, 2010 The Fillmore Better than: Art rock is supposed to be. "All I can say is that I hope you all get an opportunity to play this place," Ira Kaplan gushed at one point Saturday, acknowledging the tour-de-force conclusion to Yo La Tengo's three-night stint at the Fil ... More >>

The Ghosts of Outside Lands Past

Now that this year's Outside Lands lineup has been released in full and stayed true to its lil-bit-hippie-lil-but-hip-hop roots and the folk vs. funk vibe, will you be forking over some coin when the tickets go on sale tomorrow? How do you think this year's lineup fares with those of previous years? ... More >>

Last Night: Local Natives at The Rickshaw Stop

Photo by Chris Stevens​Local Natives @ The Rickshaw Stop June 2, 2010 Better than: Cavil at Rest Local Natives might just be the most hyped band since...that last overly hyped indie band. Thanks to a stellar performance at this year's Coachella music festival and media comparisons to Arcade Fi ... More >>

LCD Soundsystem, Belle & Sebastian, The National, Broken Social Scene Top Treasure Island Lineup

Christopher VictorioJack White with the Raconteurs at Treasure Island 2008​The lineup for the 2010 Treasure Island Music Festival was unveiled earlier today, and it's every bit as drool-worthy as we had hoped. First: the rumors were right, and Belle & Sebastian is headlining the second day's s ... More >>

Best Albums of 2010: We Roundup the Lists

Jason NocitoBeach House tops many critics' Best of 2010 lists​Music publications love to compile their personal (though not always eclectic) tastes into easily digestible lists of loves, hates, bests, and worsts, and that's largely because music fans love reading them. While some tastemakers wait ... More >>

Built to Spill and Fauxbois at Slim's

Joseph Schell​Built to SpillSlim'sJuly 15, 2010Better than: if Paul McCartney went indie (yup. I went there)When Doug Martsch sings, it's unclear whether he wants to woo the mic or eat the mic. Either way is fine with his fans -- as long as he's singing, and as long as the band keeps playing. At l ... More >>

MGMT and Francis and the Lights at the Fox Theater

Jen Cash of Calibree PhotographyMGMT Francis and the Lights July 21, 2010 Fox Theater, Oakland Better than: Hearing "Time to Pretend" out in the world for the 765th time.​ A great many MGMT listeners wondered what the hell the band was thinking when it followed Oracular Spectacular -- a debut al ... More >>

How to Succeed in Indie Music? Five Formulas For a Blog-Worthy Band

Maybe you won't admit it -- at least to your would-be fans -- but we all know it's the truth. No matter how stunning your lack of ambition may be, no matter how much you say you like sharing a one-bedroom with four guys and perfecting lattes for corporate assholes to pay the rent, you want that indi ... More >>

Album That Time Time Sort Of Forgot: Desaparecidos' 'Read Music/Speak Spanish'

Bill Sitzmann​Today sees the stateside release of the Arcade Fire's third full-length album, The Suburbs, which supposedly kicks ass. Not having heard it, I will instead ruminate on another album about suburbs: Read Music/Speak Spanish, the first and only record by Omaha's Desaparecidos. The ye ... More >>

10 Bands To See at Outside Lands This Weekend

A stage at Outside Lands 2009​It may not be the greatest Outside Lands lineup ever, but this weekend's big-honkin' music (and wine and food!) festival packs a bicycle basket-full of bands we're stroked (heh, we mean stoked) to see. Here, in no particular order, are 10 of them, plus a few honorable ... More >>

Siren Sings Again

A stage at Outside Lands 2009​It may not be the greatest Outside Lands lineup ever, but this weekend's big-honkin' music (and wine and food!) festival packs a bicycle basket-full of bands we're stroked (heh, we mean stoked) to see. Here, in no particular order, are 10 of them, plus a few honorable ... More >>

Saturday Night Fever Indie Division

How the hipster set learned to shake their skinny jeans.

Music-based dating site Tastebuds doesn't work for the iPod generation

How the hipster set learned to shake their skinny jeans.

Treasure Island Day 2: Belle & Sebastian and the National Turn Wet Misery into Rock-Out Joy

Christopher VictorioBroken Social Scene's Kevin Drew crowd-surfs at the end of his set.​Treasure Island Music Festival, Day TwoOctober 17, 2010Better than: Listening to '90s alt-rock on your Walkman during a damp walk to school.Well, it rained. But other than that wet little nod from Mother N ... More >>

Stopping piracy: How ultracheap downloads could save the music industry

Christopher VictorioBroken Social Scene's Kevin Drew crowd-surfs at the end of his set.​Treasure Island Music Festival, Day TwoOctober 17, 2010Better than: Listening to '90s alt-rock on your Walkman during a damp walk to school.Well, it rained. But other than that wet little nod from Mother N ... More >>

Weekend Lets Its Noise Do the Work at the Independent

Weekend last night at the Independent​The Pains of Being Pure At HeartWeekendNovember 9, 2010@ The IndependentBetter than: Plenty of other local bands.It says something about both the talents of San Francisco's Weekend and the generosity of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart that the latter ban ... More >>

Bear Hands: Show Preview

Weekend last night at the Independent​The Pains of Being Pure At HeartWeekendNovember 9, 2010@ The IndependentBetter than: Plenty of other local bands.It says something about both the talents of San Francisco's Weekend and the generosity of the Pains of Being Pure at Heart that the latter ban ... More >>

Friday Night: Ra Ra Riot & Givers Unleash Sound and Fury at Great American Music Hall

Ra Ra Riot at Great American Music Hall on Friday​Ra Ra RiotGiversJanuary 21, 2011@ Great American Music HallBetter than: The Sound and the Fury, which haunts my forgotten-homework dreams.In the one-for-all, all-for-one spirit that defines the Ra Ra Riot working philosophy, we interrupt this regul ... More >>

Noise Pop 2011 -- The Films: Arcade Fire, Feist, José González, the Making of Noise Pop, and More

The Flaming Lips in This Is Noise Pop​S.F.'s annual Noise Pop Festival is mostly known for bringing a week of awesome indie music shows to the city. But the fest usually pulls in a pretty good selection of new films for music nerds -- and this year is no exception.With film subjects including the ... More >>

This Is Noise Pop: What Not to Miss at S.F.'s Signature Indie Music Fest

The Flaming Lips in This Is Noise Pop​S.F.'s annual Noise Pop Festival is mostly known for bringing a week of awesome indie music shows to the city. But the fest usually pulls in a pretty good selection of new films for music nerds -- and this year is no exception.With film subjects including the ... More >>

A Stoned Moan with J Mascis and Several Shades of Why

​ This week's joint: J Mascis' Several Shades Of Why ​Behind the Buzz: To Dinosaur Jr. fans, the idea of a J Mascis acoustic album fails to spring unbidden into the mind's ear. On blunderbuss masterpieces like 1987's You're Living All Over Me, mainman Mascis founded a durably influential heavy ... More >>

Outside Lands 2011: Phish, Muse, Arcade Fire, Black Keys, Deadmau5, and More

Three days of this for 2011!​As promised, Outside Lands' avatar Ranger Dave announced the lineup this morning for the festivals fourth incarnation, to be held August 12-14, 2011. Your headliners: Phish, Muse, and Arcade Fire. Also playing: the Black Keys, Deadmau5, MGMT, Girl Talk, Decemberists, a ... More >>

Yeasayer Provide A Memorable Departure From Indie Rock Monotony, Smith Westerns, Not So Much

Joseph SchellChris Keating of Yeasayer​Yeasayer Smith Westerns May 26, 2011 @ The Fillmore Better Than: Every other afternoon set at the Pitchfork Music Festival Indie rock bands like Yeasayer are a dime a dozen on the modern touring circuit. Feel like augmenting the typical guitar, bass and ... More >>

5 Things to Like About the Outside Lands Festival Schedule

Outside Lands: Now without (hopefully) the painful decision-making!​ The schedule for this year's Outside Lands festival hit the web earlier today. But you can stop gritting your teeth and clutching the edge of that desk: Although many festival schedules are an exercise in painful decision-mak ... More >>

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2011: Robert Plant, Thurston Moore, Broken Social Scene, and More

Broken Social Scene is one of more than 90 acts playing Hardly Strictly Bluegrass this year.​ The lineup for this year's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival is out, and good luck figuring out whom to call the "headliner." For the festival's 11th year, organizers have put together another insane ... More >>

Saturday: Broken Social Scene Brings Out Issac Brock and Stars for an Epic "Final" Show at the Fillmore

Matt SmithStars' Amy Millan and Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew at the Fillmore Saturday night.​ Broken Social Scene Oct. 1, 2011 The Fillmore Better than: All but a handful of other '00s-era indie rock bands. It was billed as the last Broken Social Scene show for a long while -- maybe for ... More >>

Treasure Island Day One: Chromeo and Cut Copy Get the Wild Crowds Moving

Christopher VictorioChromeo at Treasure Island on Saturday​ Cut Copy Chromeo Death From Above 1979, Battles, Dizzee Rascal, YACHT, The Naked & Famous October 15, 2011 Treasure Island Music Festival Better than: Any wanna-be Studio 54 club experience The genius of Treasure Island Music Festiv ... More >>

Treasure Island Day Two: St. Vincent, Beach House, and Explosions in the Sky Successfully Suspend Reality

Christopher VictorioSt. Vincent​ Death Cab for Cutie, Explosions in the Sky, the Hold Steady, St. Vincent, Beach House, Friendly Fires, Wild Beasts, Warpaint, the Antlers, Weekend, Thee Oh Sees October 16, 2011 Treasure Island Music Festival Better than: The other typical yuppie Sunday activi ... More >>

Noise Pop 2012 Lineup: The Flaming Lips, Sleigh Bells, Bob Mould, and More Added

The Flaming Lips: Ringing in Noise Pop's 20th year.​ The final More additions to the lineup for Noise Pop's 20th Anniversary festival were released moments ago, and they were worth the wait: Topping the 2012 bill are the Flaming Lips -- who also played Noise Pop in '98, just before finding a ... More >>