With the amount of music coming from mainstream artists, it’s easy to forget about the local ones. Discover something new with this KFOG compilation of recent releases from singers and musicians found in the Bay Area.
Normies by Normies
One might say the Normies arrived with a bang, opening their sophomore self-titled album with heavy guitar and cymbals. Softer vocals lend themselves to establish a balance in the album. The punk sound intervenes to varying degrees; while one song may lean toward the heavier side of the spectrum, another might entice an indie-rock fan.
Songs to listen to: “40 Plus to Nowhere”
ITSJUSTTHELETTERB by Bobbi Rohs
San Francisco-based singer, writer, and producer Bobbi Rohs opened the summer with new album ITSJUSTTHELETTERB on June 2. Her dreamy opening loops harmonize with thumping choruses. However, it’s Rohs’ strong voice that stands out on this record. She parades through her songs with a sense of purpose and determination. Loss and heartbreak fuel her breakthrough vocals, and narrate the empowering nature of her album.
Songs to listen to: “A to B,” “Unreachable,” “Credits Roll”
drink the wind by IDHAZ
Released May 29, IDHAZ’s drink the wind brings the experimental and R&B together. Ethereal vocals simmer behind dominating beats. IDHAZ dedicates the album to the Indigenous People of North America for showing the artist what it means to be strong. The reflection of that strength comes through in the precision and organization of the tracks.
Songs to listen to: “Full Moon”
Live From Tiny Telephone by Deep Well
Tiny Telephone Oakland served as the home base for indie rock band Deep Well’s fourth album. And the studio sound allows listeners an insider feel to the band’s songs. Listeners receive a seventeen minute escape from reality with the help of Elijah Beher’s vocals and guitars along with Jordan Sperry on bass and Sam DeMello on drums. The trio work in tandem to produce an evocation of 90’s rock and roll powered by the bass and drums. The anger and sadness fueling the music found on this album create the perfect playlist for an off-day, to be enjoyed with a side of melancholia and heartbreak.
Songs to listen to: “Comfort over Fear”
Some Professional Help by Some Professional Help
Scott Alexander’s self-titled album truly functions as a multi-faceted work of art. The album’s six songs act as completely different rooms constituting a home of an album. Entering each room, the listener is welcomed by completely different dominating instruments, which follows Alexander’s music philosophy: collaborators playing along with him are helpers who decided their own involvement. The song-writing nods to a folksy David Bowie with the self-described orchestral pop. Lyrics do not dominate music and vice versa; Alexander’s album exists in a harmony of sound and words.
Songs to listen to: “Small Doses,” “Nadja,” “Lise Meitner”