Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The Wunder List - August 18th, 2010

The Tin Can Alehouse:: 

Just about two years ago, I stepped foot into the Tin Can, shortly after some new owners took over what was formerly known as Brothers. I was wary, to say the least: the Tin Can's first face lift took place on a dimly lit and very vacant block in Banker's Hill - around the corner from the sketchiest part of Balboa Park, one of the last-functioning homeless shelters in San Diego, and a few doors up from the weirdest tranny bar in all of downtown. I was skeptical, at best. But - despite my fear of a dark street in an unknown part of town, the Tin Can changed the minds and hearts of many in an otherwise strange sub-culture of San Diego.

In just a short amount of time I've watched this place flourish. Kelsey Breunig & Paul Remund have taken over since those first strange days of being in business, and just in the last 6 months alone, they have put the Tin Can on the map of places you want to hang out at and be seen at - a full-fledged music venue, a crafty organization of beers (not to mention Lunchables & Gummy Bears), and a DIY remodel where many friends and lovers of the Tin joined together to polish it up and make even better. A lot of fucking love was created in a formerly run-down hole in the wall where only 60-something war vets and local storytellers once came in to guzzle Old Milwaukees, watch baseball, tell dirty jokes and eat greasy sandwiches. (I wish some of those guys would still show up every once in awhile, but I will stress the "once in awhile" part.) What exists now is something pretty remarkable, and I've heard through the grapevine that it's quickly becoming everyone's new "bar crush."

With a recent sold-out Album Leaf show, the Tin gears up for the next big thing - Stereo Total, on September 7th. Tickets will be going on sale very soon, and hopefully you're not too stupid to wait until the last minute to try to score one.

Visit here for a complete update on everything Tin:   http://www.thetincan1.wordpress.com



Wavves :: "King of the Beach"

I am not easily impressionable. But the new release from Wavves - King of the Beach - blew my mind from the very first moment I heard only the title track. And I can honestly say that it's been YEARS since I've been able to feel that good about "new" music. After listening to this record, I felt like it was 2001 all over again and I had just heard the Strokes Is This It album. No fucking joke.

There's no need to write anything else regarding this record. If you're smart, you'll pick it up immediately, if you haven't already done so. Gone are the days of San Diego being known for producing such shit as P.O.D. - Wavves now joins rank alongside Pinback, Album Leaf and Black Heart Procession as some of the best music to come out of this sleepy little dusty gem by the sea.

 


Jeans Wilder :: "Nice Trash"

Part two of my dedication to new music coming out of San Diego goes directly to Jeans Wilder, who, in my opinion, is possibly the second-coming of the now-defunct Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Jeans reminds me of the old days back in the small, smoky, cramped bars of Brooklyn, watching my friend Owen Ashworth create beautiful sounds from several casiotones placed around him in no particular order, like a mad scientist. Jeans has a similar feel - performing only with a laptop and a guitar, along with a ghostly yet angelic voice - CTFPA is lingering somewhere in the vicinity, but instead of lyrics embodying the harsh winters and cold hearts of the Midwest, Jeans puts a warm spin on his music, indicative of a Southern Californian upbringing. But the pain of love and humanity is still there, slightly masked by ethereal sounds and distortion. His stage presence is minimal, and quirky at best, and when he's performing, you have no choice but be drawn into the modern vibe of a solo act with the sound of a complete band.

Jeans will take to the road for a US tour in November, followed by a European leg in early Spring 2011. The US tour dates will be listed here as soon as they are announced. Please don't miss this....it's different and fresh at best, and if there's something missing from the current music scene, it's the word "fresh."

Pick of the Album: Be My Shade

 
http://www.myspace.com/hereliesjeanswilder

Friday, August 13, 2010

::welcome to wunder::

In an attempt to speak to the masses, The Wunder Factory has been created. We live in, well, a fucked up society where the simple things in life are overlooked half the time. The pure pleasures of the creative world were once an escape, and we need to fight to keep this idea alive.

Writers, designers, artists, musicians... these are the people who have made life worth living. They put a smile on your face, they make you laugh, they make you think, they overwhelm you, they make you emotional. They make you feel human, while living in a time of inhumanity.

Welcome to Wunder.