6 Songs To Discover In San Diego In July

Speaker 1: 00:00 Summer is usually a time for open air concerts. Lazy hours spent discovering new music or blasting your favorite songs with the car. Windows rolled down something I would never do. But as the months of shutdowns stack up and live music venues have little hope of reopening. What are our options for getting a good dose of summer music? KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon Evans is here to recommend some new tracks to round out your summer and welcome Julia. Speaker 2: 00:30 Thanks Maureen. Thanks for having me. Speaker 1: 00:31 First step is a show that was originally scheduled this month at the Casbah. This is chances by the Bay areas, Speaker 2: 00:39 Not in phonics. [inaudible] so monophonic latest retro. So album it's only as came out in March. And for those of us keeping track March 13th was the release date. And the last day we did anything fun. This album would have been really great to hear life at the Casbah, but I think it's also perfect music to linger over morning coffee, or just suck out every drop of this Mary here in summary, chances is the opening track and it has a group that really pushes through all of the psychedelic soul elements. The lyrics are kind of a post breakup, good Britain's spine, and that is pretty universal right now. [inaudible] Speaker 1: 02:29 Up next? We have a new local single LA rev by Zhang Jules, Julian Speaker 2: 02:59 [inaudible]. So San Diego is John Jules. Julian had out this synth pop album earlier. That's here, the rag and Metro for work. It's really understated and mysterious, but doesn't sacrifice any Sonic adventurousness it's full of layers and the lyrics have this sort of cinematic, other worldly, uncertainty of a dream. It's perfect for putting your beds in and detaching from the real world. For a few minutes, John Jules, Julianne's definitely someone to have on your radar and local music. Speaker 1: 04:07 The San Diego music awards have been re-imagined into a virtual event happening tonight, and you've picked a few tracks from the categories that don't always get much attention. Let's start with another Saturday by Jake nature. And the moment of truth. Speaker 2: 04:53 [inaudible] chef drummer. Jake major is one of those people who's kind of everywhere in local. Music is 2019 record and the cat is that four best jazz albums tonight. The entire album is a steady of a as it is to first when I start to finish albums, but he has a bunch of guest artists. So every track fields fresh, my favorite is another Saturday with Jamie Al's or if I'm vocals, it kind of has a rainy day mood. So whenever you're feeling like he needs to escape the room went, the sunshine here, put this on. Speaker 1: 05:35 And another San Diego music awards nominee is multitalented local producer, songwriter and performer rafter. This is his song, colorful ghosts Speaker 2: 05:57 [inaudible] so rafter put out this album, a splitted battery in late October, it's nominated for the STMA best local recording category, which has kind of a catchall for genres. And it also includes a few out of town acts where their album was recorded here, that this category really spotlights the vibrant recording industry we have going on in town. And, um, a splitted battery is a really great example for all colorful ghosts is the album's opener. It has kind of a host punk catchy eighties edge to it, but it's melodically and emotionally complex, totally a Testament to rafters songwriting charts to it's also worth noting that rafters released four other albums. Since this one came out, it was very prolific. Speaker 1: 07:01 Yeah. Moving, not just out of San Diego, but out of the country, Grammy nominated Gaby Moreno collaborated with the artists known as Mexican Institute of sound on a track. That's hot off the press called Yama Ja Speaker 2: 08:01 [inaudible]. So Guatemalans finger songwriter, Gabby Marino teamed up with Mexico city based producer, Camilo, Lara. He's known as Mexican Institute of sound and they put out this new single that premiered on KCRW last week. Am I at is an Afro Cuban goddess of water and fertility. And in Miranda's work, she's a powerful woman of color taking all forms. And this track is about a love that's overwhelming Moreno has this striking voice and it takes on a sort of syllabary Ethereum quality and this music nice blend of pop and synth elements with a Latin soca music aesthetic, Speaker 1: 08:46 And finally local songwriter. Alfred Howard has joined forces with Mara Kay and Tim McNally to put out this truly very timely dystopian blues. Speaker 2: 09:42 [inaudible] exactly why this track is part of offered Howard's brand new one year of songs, project. He's putting out original songwriting stories and art twice a week for a full year. And I highly recommend checking out the art online that goes with the song and all the others. They're all by Alfred's mom, Mary Howard. So Mark his timeless evocative voice on this track feels somehow both delicate and kind of a force of nature at the same time. And the songs both boots have kind of in the Celtic wash to it. But these lyrics are pure 2020 Speaker 1: 10:23 Now for more music arts and culture coverage, including a playlist of these songs, go to kpbs.org/arts. And I've been speaking with KPBS arts editor, Julia Dixon Evans, Julia, thanks so much. Speaker 2: 10:38 Thank you, Maureen. [inaudible].