Oh man, we’re pleased to have found The Pendeltons' funky sweetness. What is going on with these keys, these snapping fingers, the harmonies? Solid goodness. Pendeltons (on Bastard Jazz) are perfect to jam with after a long day or at a start of a fresh one: they bring that shoulder moving, positive feeling that we appreciate. They’ve got that soul, boogie vibe while keeping that modern feel. Highly recommend. -Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

We're pleased to share some tunes from San Francisco's own Mr. Andrew. Aptly described as folk punk, Mr. Andrew embodies a lot of things we love: laughter, sarcasm, frustrations. He seems like a cool dude to go camping with. For enjoyers of the Mountain Goats, Neil Young, Mac DeMarco and some early 2000's alternative. Listen for yourself and hey, Mr. Andrew, we're ready for more shows! - Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Oakland's Bam! Bam! just released a video for their song "Literary Hoax" and it is old school style with weird imagery that matches well with their vibe. Energy, slamming guitars and all the glory of post punk and pop punk, these ladies are holding it down. They are playing Bandcamp’s Oakland record store and performance space on Friday, September 13. Check them out. - Lucille Faulkner

“Contact,” the latest from San Francisco-based alt hip hop artist Morsifire, is a painful song about loss and coping. Raised with a mother suffering from addiction and in a household full of trauma, the artist wrote “Contact” as an emotional reaction to the loss of his sister. He says, "This song is about the immediate aftermath of my sister’s death and everything that came with it. By the end of the song I’m actually addressing her, wherever she is. It’s a raw song, an open wound..."

The track features indie pop singer Emily Afton, who helps infuse and soften the song with her spellbinding voice. "Contact" reminds us of that Eminem track with Dido, and accomplishes a similar feat: a wounded rapper’s anger and pain softened by powerful female vocals. Stay tuned for Morsifire’s live shows in San Francisco and beyond.

-Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor

Boy Scouts just released their latest video for "Hate Ya 2" and it's a captivating animated creation. What an amazing blend of visual mediums that pairs so nicely with the sad and lovely tune. Shout out to that fly, the balloon, all of it. Boy Scouts' new album Free Company is out September 30 on Anti Records. Fall tour dates (with Jay Som!) start September 11. 

Says Vicks, "”Hate Ya 2” is about trying to grapple with conflicting feelings. When you still have love for someone who can also make you feel undervalued and hurt, and how confusing that experience can be. The process of recording this song felt very cathartic. Stephen [Steinbrink] and I drove out to my parent’s house with my friend Rose Droll to have her record piano on a few songs from the record, and when she played along to this one we tracked a few takes of her improvising. It added such a beautiful melancholic element, in true Rose Droll fashion.” 

When we asked Boy Scouts' front person Taylor Vicks why their music has a "golden retriever" classification on Bandcamp, they said, simply, "I really like golden retrievers." A fine, fine reason. Well, we really like you. Give this tune a listen and be damned if you don't listen to the rest of the album, too. 

- Michelle Kicherer, Associate Editor