© 2024 KSUT Public Radio
NPR News and Music Discovery for the Four Corners
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

San Cisco: An 'Awkward' Upstart From Down Under

Getting San Cisco to the U.S. airwaves was a serendipitous event. Early in the summer of 2012, The Current's local-music producer (Jon Schober) was watching the YouTube video for Metronomy's "The Look," and saw San Cisco's video for "Awkward" pop up as a recommended follow-up. The charming song, with its back-and-forth vocals between drummer Jordi Davieson and guitarist Josh Biondillo, stuck.

The following week, Schober was updating The Current's program playlist for Passport Approved (a terrific around-the-world rock show from erstwhile KCRW DJ Sat Bisla) and saw "Awkward" on that show's list, too. When he brought it to the weekly music meeting, everyone was hooked. After the song was added to rotation, listeners — and labels — started to take notice.

On the strength of San Cisco's lo-fi garage-pop sound and debut Australian EP, Golden Revolver, Fat Possum secured U.S. distribution for the young band and released the Awkward EP.

When asked about the origins of the band's name in a 2011 interview, Biondillo said, "The reason we went with San Cisco was because it is nothing — like a blank canvas."

Although still relatively new, the band has already begun filling that canvas. It played CMJ and then kicked off its U.S. tour in earnest by starting where Americans first heard it: in St. Paul. Naturally, San Cisco stopped by for a session at The Current along the way.

Credits

  • Photo/Video: Nate Ryan
  • Audio: Michael DeMark
  • Copyright 2012 The Current

    Scott Olstad