Paper Roads, the fourth release by Bay Area locals Guy Fox, streets on July 15th. The EP follows the group’s debut full-length release Night Owl (2015) and maintains core elements of the band’s signature sound while taking on a new trajectory. While the band spent the better part of two years in and out of the recording studio crafting Night Owl—a heavily atmospheric recording—Paper Roads embraces, and more closely mirrors, the energetic live set for which the group has become known.

“Paper roads are roads that were approved by a town at some point in history, but have never been built--they just exist on paper,” explains songwriter Nate Witherbee. “We liked the idea as it hints of aspirations, ideas or dreams that haven’t become reality.”

This melancholy-tinged sentiment contrasts with the upbeat grooves and horn arrangements that are at the core of any Guy Fox record. “Let’s Move to Canada”, the EP’s penultimate track, perhaps best encapsulates the group’s ability to combine carefree, tongue-in-cheek lyrics that hint at deeper questions, while opening track “What Ya Say” demonstrates the group’s newfound ability to utilize space and broken down instrumentation.

Recorded at the new Tiny Telephone Oakland studio with long-time producer James Riotto (John Vanderslice, Merrill Garbus, Geographer), Paper Roads offers the most raw and genuine work produced by the group thus far.

Well, another year has gone by. Local music critic, Lindsay Stickney has made my job so much easier by using her discerning and well honed ear to choose her favorite Bay Area albums of 2015. A lot of these bands are friends and I am certainly fans of all of these artists so I was personally pleased with Lindsay's choices (which I had NO say in whatsoever).

I hope you will enjoy her picks as well. Congrats to every single band who put out music in the Bay Area this year. The Deli SF loves you all and we completely acknowledge that this was an amazing year for well produced albums and truly talented artists.

I love you all.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. May 2016 be more musically fruitful and inspiring!

The Deli SF Editor,
Jordannah Elizabeth

1. The Stone Foxes, Twelve Spells

Bursting, bluesy-rock vibes that make you feel less like you’re listening to a record and more like you’re singing along to gospel in a church of rock n’ roll, Twelve Spells delivers an experience. With tracks like “Cold Like a Killer”, we’re reminded of how good it feels to effortlessly sway our hips to a single-note piano and how refreshing a vibrating guitar riff can be for the soul.

2. Monophonics, Sound of Sinning

Kings of dark, slinky soul, The Monophonics’ Sound of Sinning is heavily influenced by the psychedelic rock vibes of San Francisco, providing a funky 60’s-70’s sound that takes you through a colorful ride of epic horns and funky, noir beats. Packed with gut-wrenching vocals, hazy harmonies and hammond organs, it’s easy to get lost in this record and drift away to tracks like “Falling Apart”.

3. Lee Gallagher, Lee Gallagher and The Hallelujah

Lee Gallagher’s typical folky, country roots are uprooted and replaced by a much more soulful sound layered with emotional instrumentation and howling vocals. In Lee Gallagher and The Hallelujah, we’re carried back to a delightful 70’s trippy wave of movement that prove that a simplistic sound is sometimes the most powerful.

4. Lila Rose, We. Animals.

Bass. Power. Killer vocals. Power. We. Animals. is like your sweetest nightmare induced with passion, heartbreak, manic, and complexity. With whimsical beats, haunting vocals, and tribal drums, Lila Rose delivers an intense, sexually-charged album that lays its foundation on raw aggression. Tracks like “Tracking” will abruptly awaken the pissed off, sensual warrior in you.

5. Growwler, Even Tenor

Easing in with delicate acoustics and finishing with an aggressive bluesy piano sequence, the opening song “Long Hair, Short Wits” is a true ode to the San Francisco rock n’ roll scene and is a testament to the effectiveness of brilliant, simplistic instrumentation. Even Tenor is like a nostalgic storytelling that makes us miss the moments that we never lived for.

6. Ice Cream, Ice Cream

Sweet, sweet, classic garage rock. Ice Cream’s self-titled album forces us to remember the reasons we fell in love with rock in the first place. Dirty, honest guitar riffs, quick, aggressive drum patterns, weaved into gritty barely-there vocals, Ice Cream is the perfect combination of garage sound and punk attitude that will pour gasoline on that flickering fire inside.

7. Al Lover, Cave Ritual

The great Al Lover does it again. Cave Ritual is in fact exactly how it sounds: eerie, tribal, smoky, and sensual to the extreme. Textured beats layered with staccato samples give the album an imaginative sound that catapults us into a contemporary, psychedelic rock trance. Every track will take you to the sun, the moon, and then back again. Twice.

8. The Union Trade, A Place of Long Years

The Union Trade are masters of melancholy and it couldn’t be more gorgeously displayed than in their album A Place of Long Years. The subtle, aching cello atop the fluid, chilling piano make songs like “Svalbard” an escape from reality into the ethereal landscapes of your most tragic, stunning daydreams.

9. Guy Fox, Night Owl

Guy Fox are a musical enigma: elements of funk, old-school jazz, indie, pop, and rock can all be traced at different peaks in their most recent album Night Owl. Whether it be the use of timely instrumentation or charming lyricism, Guy Fox delivers an indecisive yet addicting sound. Tracks like “The City Line” create a steamy, devious tone portraying San Francisco as a playground designed for the mischievous.

10.Toro y Moi, What For?

Light, energetic beats coupled with smooth, romantic vocals make What For? the soundtrack to your hazy, yellow summer nights. Toro y Moi is known for his synthy-pop sounds, but the release of his fourth album slayed all former musical confinement. Tracks like “Lilly” walk the perfect, delicate line of modern synth and 60’s psychedelic rock, transporting you to a blurry wonderland that you’ll want to lay in for a while.

It's an absolute pleasure for us to premiere the San Francisco based band, Guy Fox's new single, Antique Furniture! Guy Fox's brand of avant indie pop music is always well produced and encompasses unique electro-pop touches that raise the bar for emerging independent artists who yearn to stand out from the crowd. Their upcoming full length album, Night Owl will be released on August 21st! Night Owl embarks into evolutionary territory for the band. Staying true to their signature sound this record is a listenable version of the energetic live set for which they’ve become known for.

Peter Granquist can be found behind the drum lending vocals along Nate Witherbee who also plays host to synthesizer, guitar, piano and song writing. Greg Waters primarily contributes guitar and saxophones, while bassist Charlie Moore accompanies on vocals and synthesizer.

"This album is the labor of nearly two years of recording at Tiny Telephone Studios in Sand Francisco's Mission District. We sculpted each track over days of recording, using analog equipment to construct the most unusual, ear-catching sounds we could find and recording them to 2 inch tape. The album's theme is the aimlessness and endless reinvention that is a communal trait of today's 20-somethings. These themes are set to upbeat, dance grooves, trying to convince the listener that the answer to life's uncertainties can be found in the release of a good dance party." -Peter Granquist

San Francisco based alternative indie rock band, Guy Fox has released a new single entitled, The City Line. This quietly eerie, reverbed anti ballad is an ode to city living. The City Line breaks down with a funk style bass line and intricate atmosphere changes that brings a gritty and sensual feel to this well produced, dense song. This single, released on December 5th is a great segway to what Guy Fox will be bringing in the future. We’re excited to hear this new track and look forward to hearing new music, from this eclectically funky rock ensemble. -je

Oakland based indie rock ensemble, Guy Fox is celebrating the release of their upcoming EP, The Wild at the Independent in San Francisco. Tumbleweed Wanderers will also be performing at the show on April 26th. This is second album release of this electronic garage rock band, and we hope you can make it out to support a talented and eclectic local band!