Crime and the Times, Crime and the Times EP. Not only
did Oakland’s Adam Gonsalves write, perform, and record everything, but
he did it using amps, cabinets, preamps, mikes, cables, and effects
pedals of his own making. His low vocals recall Ian Curtis, and while
the songs themselves dabble in darkness, jaunty synths and lyrics
sparked with easygoing angst ultimately pull them into the light.
(self-released)
Heartsounds, Until We Surrender. Imagine all the
melodic Nineties punk-rock bands you used to love — Face to Face,
Pulley, Saves the Day, most anyone from Fat Wreck Chords — rolled
into one. As with Heartsounds’ forebearers, the songs are fundamentally
pop and the lyrics often personal or emotional in nature. An aggressive
rhythmic section helps the forty-minute album chug along to a
satisfying finish. (Creator-Destructor Records)
At Thee Parkside (1600 17th St., San Francisco) on Oct. 13. 8 p.m.,
$10
Sean McArdle, Northern Charms. Bay Area native
McArdle, formerly of Lookout! Records post-punk band the Cost,
re-emerges as a solo artist on this intriguing debut. Hatched in
Washington, DC, where he spent the last five years, Northern
Charms finds McArdle returning to his roots both literally and
figuratively with a thematically deep yet ultimately resigned take on
contemporary indie-folk. (self-released)
At Amnesia (853 Valencia St., San Francisco) on Oct. 10. 7 p.m.,
free
Andrew Solomon, Something More. Sometimes doing
nothing wrong means doing everything wrong. Solomon’s earnest,
uplifting piano-pop is sweet, but too straight for its own good. Even
the unjaded among us may find it bland; the songs are simply too
smoothed-over to provide any traction. The San Francisco
singer-songwriter’s light touch on the keys provides the album’s sole
bright spot. (self-released)
