The Smile (Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood and Tom Skinner), “Wall Of Eyes.” The collaboration between Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood with Sons of Kemet drummer Tom Skinner checked all the boxes on the debut album by The Smile, 2022’s A Light For Attracting Attention. It had cool retro…

One of the many rehearsal spaces at Music City San Francisco. Courtesy. Following a $20-million revamp, Music City San Francisco has opened and is offering free time at its rehearsal rooms through Friday, Jan. 19. The “Star Factory,” a 29,000-square-foot space at 1353 Bush St. in downtown San Francisco,…

Jerry Harrison and Adrian Belew perform during Mill Valley Music Festival at Friends Field in Mill Valley, Calif. on May 14, 2023. Courtesy. SAN FRANCISCO — With nearly a dozen musicians onstage, Talking Heads co-founder Jerry Harrison and guitar hero Adrian Belew‘s Remain in Light touring band got seriously…

Burner Herzog, courtesy Martin Bisi. For tens of thousands of years before Sigmund Freud and the advent of modern psychology, human beings struggled to maintain their sanity with the help of art and religion. This year Burner Herzog‘s latest album, Random Person, got me through some rough months. Like…

Peter Gabriel, “io.” A small subset of British prog rockers from the 1960s and ’70s lost their hair and wound up puttering about in their gardens. The list includes Brian Eno, Ian Anderson and now, Peter Gabriel (Yes’ Jon Anderson retains a wonderfully coifed mane!). Like a fine wine,…

André 3000, “New Blue Sun.” In a move almost no one had on their 2023 bingo card, OutKast rapper André 3000 released his first new record in 17 years—an album of instrumentals, with Benjamin playing flute. New Blue Sun Andre 3000 Epic Records, Nov. 17 9/10 Get the album on…

Nathaniel Rateliff performs at Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on Nov. 15, 2023. Karen Goldman/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — “It’s taken us four years to bring you this show.” singer-songwriter Nathaniel Rateliff said Wednesday night at Orpheum Theater. Dressed in a dark suit and collared shirt, Rateliff was flanked on stage…

Vince Clarke, “Songs of Silence.” In 1981, Vince Clarke left Depeche Mode just a year after the legendary synth band’s formation. The English keyboardist then went on to become the primary songwriter for Erasure with Andy Bell and scored a string of hits in the ’80s and ’90s. Songs…

L to R: Gerald Casale, Josh Hagar, Mark Mothersbaugh and Bob Mothersbaugh of DEVO perform at Way Out West Festival in Gothenburg, Sweden on Aug. 10, 2023. Photo: Rune Hellestad, Corbis/Getty. SAN FRANCISCO — “It’s not a farewell tour, it’s a welfare tour,” DEVO frontman Mark Mothersbaugh explains while…

Devo performs at the Golden Gate Theatre in San Francisco on Nov. 5, 2023. Steve Carlson/STAFF. SAN FRANCISCO — “Who here believes in devolution?” DEVO bassist Gerald Casale asked the crowd midway through the band’s set Sunday at the Golden Gate Theatre. “You don’t have to look far for…