Sound of San Fran, the

Pretty Ok collection of bands on the Alive Records label. Mostly an alterna-based sound. Pop punk rock with psych influences. At times, it gets annoyingly poppy. Is this really the sound of San Francisco? I am not sure. This is kind of hit or miss. The tracks I have highlighted are the only ones worth your attention. The rest is mostly “miss”. Some of these bands show promise. BOYSKOUT is one of them. Low flying Owls, the Holy Kiss, Black Cat Music and Nagg follow right behind.

PLAY: *3*, *4*, *7*,*15*, 9, 11

1. Pop punk. Catchy.
2. Noisy pop punk.
*3. Dark and sexy! Retro. Siouxsie and Blondie. Great synth melodies. Goth and dancy.
* 4. This rocks! Garagy, mid 70s seminal punk feel. See Patti Smith Group and Television. Got that CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City feel to it. GREAT!
5. Catchy with early 90s alterna guitar work and 60s psych backing vocal harmonies
6. Pop punk – 70s rock.
*7. Epic track… droning vocals… Love the synth hooks. Got some of that Manchester Factory records feel
8. Average pop rocker. Nice bass lines. Not my cup of tea, though.
9. Noisy surf garagy and a taste of Nick Cave in vox
10. Frat rock
11. Rowdy garage punker
12. No! Alterna crap. Sucks!
13. This is kind of zany!
14. Another track by the same band (Boyskout). This one less dancy. More dissonant, but still dark
15. Grrrl pop punker with some guitar riff edge! 60s garage influences
16. Heavy bass… bad lyrics.
17. Pop punk with that 70s commercial rock feel that makes me go “Yuk!”