SF Bay Area singer/songwriter Zoe Boekbinder, formerly one half a the duo Vermilion Lies (with her sister, Kim), recently released her second solo effort, Darling Specimens. Her record shouldn't be lost in the end-of-the-year lists, etc. (why does anyone release a new, all-originals record in the Winter Holiday Season?). It's a wonderful step up from her debut solo, Artichoke Perfume. Darling Specimens is still filled with quirky pop, folk, heavily influenced by musical theater and vaudeville. It ain't campy, however, and in some cases, subtle comparisons to fellow Bay Area artist resident, tUnE-yArDs, can also be heard.
BOY WONDER'S HOT CIRCLES/ 10PM-MIDNIGHT
Dead and Gone/ THE BLACK KEYS (’11, El Camino)*
Mystery Achievement/ THE PRETENDERS (’79, self titled)
Caught in One/ DUM DUM GIRLS (’11, Only in Dreams)
The Unsinkable Fats Domino/ GUIDED BY VOICES (’12, Let’s Go Eat the Factory)*
Come On Baby Grace/ BOSTON SPACESHIPS (’10, Our Cubehouse Still Rocks)
Wilco (The Song)/ WILCO (’10, live, Paramount Theatre,
Art of Almost/ WILCO (’11, The Whole Love)
Suzanne & I/ ANNA CALVI (’11, self titled)
Riotriot/ TUNE-YARDS (’11, whokill)
Serpents/ SHARON VAN ETTEN (’12, Tramp)*
Serve the People/ HANDSOME FURS (’11, Sound Kapital)
This Here Giraffe/ THE FLAMING LIPS (’95, Clouds Taste Metallic)
Shade and Honey/ SPARKLEHORSE (’06, Dreamt For Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain)
What Difference Does It Make?/ JOY ZIPPER (’11 compilation, Please Please Please: A Tribute to The Smiths)*
Surf’s Up/ THE BEACH BOYS (’11 issue, The Smile Sessions)
Surfer’s Hymn/ PANDA BEAR (’11, Tomboy)
Summer Fun/ TAMMAR (’11, Visits)
Knots/ LISA HANNIGAN (’11, Passenger)
Artichoke/ ZOE BOEKBINDER (’11, Darling Specimens)*
Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want/ WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS ('11 compilation, Please Please Please: A Tribute to The Smiths)*
Lord Help My Poor Soul/ FIONN REGAN (’10, Shadow of an Empire)
Picture of a Bird/ FRUIT BATS (’11, Tripper)
The End/ THE LOWER 48 (’11, Where All Maps End)*
Hear the Grinder Creak/ FAUN FABLES (‘10, Light of a Vaster Dark)
Raphael/ COCOROSIE (’07, The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn)
City Bird/ JESCA HOOP (’11, Snowglobe EP)
The Magic Place/ JULIANNA BARWICK ('11, The Magic Place)
*new or recent release
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