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Yousif Kassab on January 24, 2018
Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at RCA when it was first proposed that Kenny Rogers pick up a song originally penned for Marvin Gaye by the Bee Gees. One imagines that conversation raised some eyebrows. But “Islands in the Stream,” Rogers’ 1983 hit duet with Dolly Parton, is…
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I saw you—well, I saw your letter, to I Saw You—ranting about getting exact change back at a coffeehouse, which meant extra pennies to put in your pocket. I’m glad this is evidently the worst thing you’re experiencing. It seems clear that you’ve never worked at jobs where you were expected to…
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Joey Pisacane on January 19, 2018
The Soft White Sixties are true rock & roll revivalists—employing snappy drums, slick guitar and bass lines, and melodic vocals delivered with charisma and precision. Formed in San Francisco by vocalist and lyricist Octavio Genera, the band released their first full-length album, Get Right, in 2014. Since moving to L.A., they have…
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I was there when the fellow on the power wheelchair was hit in Japantown. The only skill I had at my disposal was the ability to call 9-1-1. While I answered a seemingly endless string of questions from the dispatcher, you went over to help the man. You calmly persuaded him not…
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Yousif Kassab on January 17, 2018
Ray Scott is a good, old-fashioned country boy. Starting his career at 19, he noodled about in a few bands before finding success writing songs for the likes of Randy Travis and Clay Walker. His newest album, last year’s Guitar For Sale, saw Scott use his rich baritone to denounce some of…
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Bill Kopp on January 12, 2018
When it comes to what was known in the rock era as “adult” music, there exists a pantheon of vocalists who enjoyed both critical success and staggering commercial achievements. British pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck is among the few to achieve that rarefied degree of notoriety. With a recording career that began with the…
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Yousif Kassab on January 12, 2018
Pepe Mogt, founder of the Tijuana-based electronic music collective Nortec, found his way into music like so many do these days—by messing around with found sounds on his computer. However, rather than digging through bargain record crates searching for break beats and horn punches, Mogt pulled many of his earliest samples scouring local…
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Camille Miller on January 11, 2018
Tonee Hayes—better known by his regal stage name, Nef the Pharaoh—is making a major mark on the Bay Area’s hip-hop scene. The young Vallejo rapper has been melding the hyphy influences of his youth with a decidedly modern sound since his 2015 breakout single, “Big Tymin”—now a well-loved regional anthem. His latest…
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You greeted me with a vacant stare from behind the cash register at my favorite local coffeehouse. It was like you were stoned or sleep deprived or both, but clearly you weren’t all there. I handed you a $10 bill for my $5.02 purchase, expecting to get a five dollar bill in…
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Kevin N. Hume on January 10, 2018
Calling all material girls and boys! Get “Into the Groove” and “Express Yourself” with a live tribute to the Queen of Pop. Featuring members of Oakland-bred indie-dance duo The Lovemakers and El Elle—Lisa Light’s solo follow-up to her turn fronting The Lovemakers. Supporting acts include L.A. Girlfriend, the alt-electro brainchild of Sydney…
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