Hailing from Encintas, Calif., the Jade Shader brings together parts of popular San Diego bands, Boilermaker, No Knife and Tanner.
Chris Prescott (of No Knife) and Terrin Durfey (Boilermaker) got together in 2003 while on hiatus from their respective bands. That was the genesis of what would be become a seven-song EP released this month: Curse of the Tuatara (out now on Seattle’s Sonic Boom Recordings).

There are traces of the members’ roots in previous bands. But — and I can only compare to my fondness of No Knife — the Jade Shader has a more open-ended feel to it: great tempo shifts, stops and starts and layered guitars. “Dissonant while tuneful,” is how the band’s bio puts it.

Visit the Jade Shader My Space page here to stream two songs. Buy Curse of the Tuatara here for $8 (that’s only 800 pennies, people).

The Jade Shader | Eraser

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By the way, thank you to all who took part in the sound test for me. You all were correct: The No. 1 tracks were recorded using the M-Audio device. In other words, Griffin’s iMic is shoddy at best, although I see now it has been updated.Whatever, I did some more digging and bought this precious piece of machinery from XPSound through Blaze Audio. RIAA-calibrated preamp? USB? With Bias SoundSoap software? Sold. I’m eagerly awaiting shipment, and I’m predicting much better sound quality on the vinyl-to-digital conversions.

It’s been a few weeks for a flashback post, and I’ve been meaning to pull out my Lucy’s Fur Coat for some time now.

In retrospect, I’m not really sure what drew me to this San Diego group. I suppose I was coming off an early 90s grunge high, trying to keep with those thick guitars and and strained vocals. But there was some melody hidden in there, I swear.

Anyway, the band’s debut, Jaundice, is one of those I owned on cassette and then — if only for nostalgia’s sake — had to track down on CD years later (OK, so it was like, um, last year). I even have a couple of the group’s indie releases on 45.

Regardless, I like Jaundice because, even if the music hasn’t stood up for the past 10 years, it always takes me back and puts me in a different place. It’s one of those albums that I’ll likely be able to recite some of the lyrics no matter how much time passes in between listens. I think we all have some albums like that.

Lucy’s Fur Coat | Treasure Hands
Lucy’s Fur Coat | Elementary

My wife and I just finished watching the Death Cab for Cutie DVD Drive Well, Sleep Carefully. It was good: lots of interviews and great live footage. We have yet to tackle the bonus material, which includes an acoustic set.

A small part of the doc showed Death Cab guitarist Chris Walla at his Hall of Justice recording studio in Seattle, where he recently recorded and produced Nada Surf’s The Weight is a Gift, among others.

Walla blogs on his Hall site and has a few mp3s stashed there as well, including two he just posted on Tuesday. One is The Rhone Occupation, a “superhereo theme song” in honor of Nada Surf. Pretty funny stuff.

He also keeps a MySpace page.

Chris Walla | The Rhone Occupation
Chris Walla | Note to Self

I’m having issues with Blogger uploading my final ACL photos. So, I’ll just scrap that and send you to Dodge for photos. Be sure to check out Kaiser Chiefs pics; they rocked. And, hey, if you were kind enough to pocket one of my cards at ACL and not toss it on the ground, I thank you.

In the meantime, my trip to Austin got me listening to David Garza all over again. I’m not really sure what happened to him after he released Overdub on Atlantic; I know he released a four-disc set A Strange Mess of Flowers. But I got pumped when he made a cameo with Hairy Apes BMX at ACL. So I checked his Web site and he’s offering a download of a five-song EP Chuy Chuy Yall.

Check the EP, but This Euphoria is a great introduction to Dah-veed.

David Garza | She’s My Ocean
David Garza | Float Away (from This Euphoria)

With our trip to Austin oh-so close, I figured there’s no better time to post on one of the city’s favorite sons: Alejandro Escovedo.

Escovedo’s biography and body of work are too prolific to detail here. But if you’re looking for a place to start, alt-country bible No Depression named Escovedo its “Artist of the Decade,” which is quite an honor considering the genre’s growth and the artists it spawned.

Regardless, I was taken aback the first (and only) time I saw him live, close to 10 years ago at a club in Tempe on a bill with Richard Buckner. There are shows you leave and think, “Huh. That was good, I had fun.” Then there are shows that just leave you emotionally charged and drained at the same time. Escovedo’s performance definitely fits the latter category.

If he comes to your city, you would do well to see him. In April 2003, he collapsed after a performance in Phoenix and was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver caused by hepatitis C. His illness brought musicians together for benefit concerts and the fantastic double CD Por Vida: A Tribute to the Songs of Alejandro Escovedo, which includes covers by artists like Calexico, the Jayhawks and Son Volt (to name only a few). Proceeds helped pay Escovedo’s mounting medical bills.

This Washington Post story details Escovedo’s battles with his illness and the medicine and how he found his way back to music.

He’s playing Continental Club in Austin on Saturday night after all the ACL festivities, and as I write this I’m leaning more and more toward wanting to see that show.

Alejandro Escovedo | I Was Drunk

Alejandro Escovedo | As I Fall

BONUS
Alejandro Escovedo | Wave
Calexico | Wave

Although No Knife appears to be broken up, the San Diego quartet is one of my favorite bands. So I was more than excited to come across Three, Four, the solo debut EP of No Knife guitarist/singer Ryan Ferguson.

Where No Knife was all jagged guitars and cryptic lyrics, Ferguson takes a decidedly more straightforward approach, founded on acoustic-based melodies. In fact, just on Monday he won best pop album at the 15th annual San Diego Music Awards (No Knife won in 2003 for best alternative album for Riot for Romance and in 1999 for best punk album for Fire in the City of Automatons).

Outside the confines of a group setting, Ferguson’s songwriting is honest and introspective … words and music to which we can all relate.

Nice guy that he is, Ferguson gave us his blessing via e-mail to post a couple tracks. You also can check his page at Pure Volume. Buy the EP (only $6) here or at iTunes. He’s also featured on the compilation My Favorite Song Writers.

Ryan Ferguson | Suddenly
Ryan Ferguson | Windshield (feat. Rob Crow of Pinback)