The heartbreak that ensued when Thee Oh Sees announced their indefinite hiatus last December reverberated throughout the music industry like a washed-out fuzz pedal on overdrive. Many saw it as a watershed moment symbolizing more than just the direction of the local music scene, but as indicative of the state of San Francisco overall. Reputable sources report that these gargantuans of garage are releasing a new album, Drop, April 19th on microphone-swallowing frontman— John Dwyer’s own Castle Face label. Guests include locals like Mikal Cronin and the seemingly omnipresent Greer McGettrick (formerly of The Mallard). You can listen to the album’s opening track, “Penetrating Eye” here. [via Consequence of Sound]
Speaking of Greer, we recently saw her moonlighting in Oakland as a special, one-night-only added bassist for Bad News (in fact their lineup included two bassists that night). For Valentine’s Day she combines forces with the indomitable one herself, Shannon Shaw of Clams fame, for an art show at Vacation SF. You can peruse this pair’s new drawings, original paintings, and woodcuts among the wares upstairs at this Tenderloin vintage boutique (there’s a small stash of vinyl and cassettes too). But in the basement, the East Bay will be well represented, as Violence Creeps, Danny James, and Pookie and the Poodlez lurk before live musical performances.
While on the topic of VD, it won’t get much more intimate than an evening with Hether Fortune (Wax Idols), who’s performing a special solo set at Oakland’s The Night Light for an installment of REPLICANT Presents. Sir Hether returns to old stomping grounds after her band opened a show for Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds earlier this week at Slim's. She recently endured somewhat of a freak accident when apparently an amp wrecked her finger during load-in at a show. Let’s hope she powers through her set with minimal pain. Other support on this bill, which features Ensemble Economique, includes Vestals and a DJ set by Barn Owl. [via The Bay Bridged]
Personal & the Pizzas refuse to be topped by Macauley Culkin’s Pizza Underground. Last month we talked about the pizza wars and the former child actor’s turf invasion when his band plays Neck of The Woods, March 5. With their thunder nearly stolen, SF’s original pizza-themed punks fired back by announcing they’d play a free show the same night at the Hemlock Tavern. If that weren’t enough, their special delivery of a good ol’ fashioned diss track, complete with Home Alone references, serves like a side of proverbial ranch dressing. Necessity indeed is the mother of invention. [via emusic]
Finally, the writer from emusic who covered the escalating pizza-food fight, looked back at some other notable rock & roll feud songs, including the Blur track “Charmless Man” allegedly written with Morrissey in mind. And what a charmless thing to do by leaving your adoring fans in the lurch, like Moz has done in recent years by cancelling Bay Area appearances (apparently due to health reasons). SF Weekly reports you should maybe or maybe not get excited since the former Smiths crooner has announced he’s kicking off his U.S. tour with a San Jose show scheduled May 7th. [via SF Weekly]
