Rachel Goodman’s top alt-rock and alt-pop songs of 2020. L to R; Row 1: Tame Impala, Caribou, Washed Out, Trace Mountains, The Big Moon, Future Islands. Row 2: Strfkr, Surfer Blood, Surf Rock Is Dead, Of Montreal, Hazel English, Suburban Living. Row 3: Jack River, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever,…

Let’s get this out of the way first: Mordechai, the third album from Khruangbin, is very good. It’s better than the trio’s first two for a variety of reasons we’ll get to in a bit. First we have to attempt to describe the band and its sound. Mordechai Khruangbin Dead…

The Kills perform at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on Oct. 6, 2018. Photo: Chloe Catajan. It is rare that I am ever in a camp of “bigger is better” when it comes to concerts, but sometimes, I really am. And sometimes, everything really is bigger and better in…

Khruangbin performs at the Fox Theater in Oakland on Nov. 9, 2018. Photos: Shawn Robbins. OAKLAND – Khruangbin transported the Fox Theater audience of youthful millennials and older crate-digging record store nerds to a relaxed place Friday night. Bassist Laura Lee, guitarist (and birthday boy) Mark Speer and drummer Donald Johnson walked…