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Thao Off Tour and Other Musical Notes

Sylvie Kim - July 14, 2011

I'm scrambling to get a table for a guest DJ set at an Italian restaurant/pasta classroom in September. I realize that this statement -- uttered outside of the Bay Area -- may prompt in someone the desire to punch me in the face. But after I explain that Thao Nguyen -- Vietnamese American lead singer of Thao and the Get Down Stay Down and, in my opinion, the nation's leading indie goddess -- will be spinning [1] her favorite songs at said Italian restaurant/pasta classroom, perhaps you will lower that fist and allow me continue. Having recently wrapped a tour promoting her side project Thao + Mirah [2] (with fellow San Francisco-based artist Mirah) and their self-titled album, the Falls Church, VA-raised singer-songwriter also recently composed the music for the Dave Eggers-produced, Matt Damon-narrated documentary American Teacher [3]. My heart, of course, is most loyal to her 2009 album Know Better Learn Faster [4] and 2008's We Brave Bee Stings and All [5].

Thao and the Get Down Stay Down [6] "When We Swam"

I'm steadily creeping toward 30 so it's difficult enough for me to stay abreast of music that is considered to be … good. Once a voracious music collector, I now rely on peers and loved ones to spoon feed me new music because scrolling through Pitchfork just makes my eyes cross and I can no longer muster the energy to plow through the vast amount of Asian American YouTube music videos. Research handicap aside, I still have the ability to be excited about music, even more so when I discover that a critically acclaimed and smug music snob-approved band has Asian American members. How excited? Well, enough to be emotionally distraught that I can't get reservations at the Italian restaurant/pasta classroom DJ set and enough to prepare to wait in line that night to see if I can elbow my way in. On a Monday night.

But luckily, my excitement (excitement, obsession, however you want to say it) isn't limited to Thao. Check out some other fine-sounding Asian Americans below and let this old-timer know who else is on your radar. I'm serious. Compiling this short list was exhausting for me.

The Morning Benders [7] "Virgins"

Best Coast [8] "Gone Again"

We are Trees [9] "Sunrise Sunset"

Rocky Rivera [10] "Slick Talk"

Dumbfoundead [11] "Are We There Yet"

 

Categories: 
Music [12]
Columns [13]
Tags: 
we are trees [14]
the morning benders [15]
thao nguyen [16]
rocky rivera [17]
dumbfoundead [18]
best coast [19]

Source URL:https://hyphenmagazine.com/blog/2011/7/14/thao-tour-and-other-musical-notes

Links
[1] http://sfist.com/2011/07/08/guest_dj_nights_at_flour_water.php [2] http://pitchfork.com/news/38602-mirah-and-thao-to-tour-together/ [3] http://americanteachermovie.org/ [4] http://www.amazon.com/Know-Better-Learn-Faster-Thao/dp/B002NACYJK/hyphenmagazin-20 [5] http://www.amazon.com/We-Brave-Bee-Stings-All/dp/B000ZOSMYC/hyphenmagazin-20 [6] http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-verizon&ei=a38cTvCKDNuptgf6z6T2AQ&q=http://thaomusic.com/&ved=0CBQQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNECBdAgAr8oB8JVvBueLqr917zlDw [7] http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-verizon&ei=hX8cTrD7JYKrtgfd0cTrAQ&q=http://www.themorningbenders.com/&ved=0CBQQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNHW8rkLl_yM2Sf4iVKTdEMlrW2LUQ [8] http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-verizon&ei=tH8cTuDcKoiTtgek7MXrAQ&q=http://bestycoasty.blogspot.com/&ved=0CBQQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNECDiKpVQliRFeGFj2tABa1zRIVtA [9] http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-verizon&ei=n38cTriQLNjHtgfu9dfrAQ&q=http://wearetrees.bandcamp.com/&ved=0CBcQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNG3V1sglmYJnx2hDi4QhXKu5MgowQ [10] http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-verizon&ei=Jn8cTqjaI8iotgeMhsLzAQ&q=http://rockyrivera.tumblr.com/&ved=0CBQQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNFL_KxlsCP295FyayJGeH94OLiTHQ [11] http://www.google.com/m/url?client=ms-android-verizon&ei=UX8cTqD1DYyXtgf2q8PrAQ&q=http://dumbfoundead.com/&ved=0CBQQFjAA&usg=AFQjCNG50B8e75NRKkZQbBJo6NpsL37CqA [12] https://hyphenmagazine.com/categories/music [13] https://hyphenmagazine.com/categories/columns [14] https://hyphenmagazine.com/tags/we-are-trees [15] https://hyphenmagazine.com/tags/morning-benders [16] https://hyphenmagazine.com/tags/thao-nguyen [17] https://hyphenmagazine.com/tags/rocky-rivera [18] https://hyphenmagazine.com/tags/dumbfoundead [19] https://hyphenmagazine.com/tags/best-coast