It’s the second week of February, and we here on The Rising Tide are going to heat things up with a trio of performers that are sure to match the warmth of this indian winter we’re having up here in sunny Santa Cruz.

First off, we’ll be hearing from one of San Francisco’s most prolific artists, John Vanderslice.

With a career spanning nearly two decade, John has recorded with the likes of The Mountain Goats, Death Cab for Cutie, Beulah, Spoon and Mates of State, and also fronted the band MK Ultra. Aside from that, he has steadily put out solo records since 2000′s Mass Suicide Occult Figurines, most recently releasing his collaboration with the Magik*Magik Orchestra titled White Wilderness (you can listen to a preview of the record here).

John is also a major musical force in the city, not only constructing one of the city’s most treasured recording locales, Tiny Telephone studios, but serving on the board of advisers for The Bay Bridged and teaching songwriting classes for grade school children at a local non-profit organization.

We’ll be talking with John before he takes the stage tonight at The Crepe Place (with Hod opening) about White Wilderness, how he views his role as a stalwart of San Francisco’s independent music scene, and what the future holds for him and his music.

After that, we’ll welcome our first of two live local acts, Skeletal System.

This two piece from San Francisco have been quickly making a name for themselves, exhibiting their own take on murky darkwave shoegaze very much in the vein of artists like School of Seven Bells, Memoryhouse and Tan Dollar, while having shared the stage with artists such as Sunbeam Rd., Woodsman and Maus Haus.

Skeletal System released a 5 song EP and single for Small Talk / Static Eyes last year that you can listen to here on their bandcamp page. Make sure to tune in and hear the group perform some of their songs and talk about what 2011 holds for Skeletal System.

To round out the show, we’ll be welcoming in Santa Cruz’s own Audiafauna into the studio.

This local six-piece has taken it’s indie folk-meets-electronic music sound all over the country, and is just coming off of a successful Kickstarter campaign to finance their debut full-length record that will be out sometime in the new year! Kelly Koval’s vocals recall Cat Power‘s Chan Marshall, and the band’s fusion of traditional folk instrumentation and electronic beat-making technology set them far apart from the rest of the field. You can listen to their three song EP, The Leaflet, on bandcamp by clicking that link.

Audiafauna will enter our studio on friday night to talk about their band’s whirlwind-like rise to the top of the local scene, and what 2011 has in store for the group.

This and much, MUCH more on The Rising Tide on KZSC, this friday night at 8:30pm. Tune in to 88.1fm or log in to www.kzsc.org to listen.

John Vanderslice, Skeletal System & Audiafauna on The Rising Tide is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Jónsi – Go Do from Jónsi on Vimeo.

Jonsi! is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Casey and Shawn in an ice palace

Really really really. If you don’t remember le grand White Hinterland, their last album “Phylactery Factory” came out in 2008 and featured a lot of boring piano-based songs sprinkled with a few gigantic gems (“Napoleon at Waterloo” and “Dreaming of the Plum Trees” are so overly gorgeous that it makes the whole album close to incredible). So histories aside, WH came out with a new album this month: “Kairos”. It’s shockingly better than the last album. Lead singer Casey’s voice is similar to Lykke Li’s, and the music is a crystalline ice palace of electronic beats and Casey singing like bird-meets-wind.

Amsterdam from Michaela Copikova on Vimeo.

Since listening to the new album, I’ve visited their myspace and website and am hideously impressed with their interests and style. This stuff is great, please sample! AND if you really like it, call in tonight for Pocket Full of Seahorses and request it!

White Hinterland’s “Kairos” is to die for. is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

“Revenge” by The Rollercoaster Project is currently my song of the week. Why? It’s a five-minute long Fuck Buttons-esque trailing piano driven atmospheric song with beautiful screaming. No really, beautiful, and I never though I’d say that about calls from the underground. You can listen to the track at Lala and then please tell me what you think. It’s good for concentrating on things that are far away, I think.

Track of the week: “Revenge” is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

Friends!

KZSC is gonna throw out the old and bring in the new– The new winter program schedule starts on Monday January 11th! Get ready for some exciting new shows, plus some of your old favorites. I have absolutely no knowledge of what new good  eats listens are in store for you, so get ready for some surprises!
Love,

KZSC!

New shows start next Monday! is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz

A warning is in store for those of you who have warmed up to some new shows this quarter: it is finals week here at UCSC, so many of your favorite programmers may be taking of for winter break! What’s that mean? It means listen in this week to say your goodbyes, and for the weeks to come expect the old shows with a twist: new DJs! It’s pretty exciting to see how themes change when someone else takes over. Expect the unexpected, love the twisted new changes. If you’re feeling very into the holiday mood, remember: KZSC’s second webstream is playing nonstop holiday music!

All the best in finals and holiday travels!

KZSC

Winter cozy time at KZSC is a post from: KZSC Santa Cruz