MUSICAL RELIEF: Last Friday, the Mad Caddies’ Graham Palmer released his new EP, Relief, under the name Kinothek. Unlike the Mad Caddies — whose raucous fun made Santa Barbara County, and Solvang-Buellton specifically, known worldwide as one of the ska-punk capitals of California —
Palmer’s poppily melodic solo effort is breezy, smooth, and indeed relieving at points, but with licks of alt-rock distortion and edge. For fans of sing-along-worthy radio rock, his new work will appeal. Palmer is a bit of a Renaissance man, in that he’s also the person behind the wine label Sforzando, which specializes in cabernet franc, sauvignon blanc, and grenache. What would a wine-country musician be without a wine label?
OVER AT SOHO: As summer winds down, SOhO Restaurant & Music Club (1221 State St.) welcomes back a few local favorites. Starting this Thursday, August 24, and continuing through the weekend, the venerable venue will host several concerts as part of the Santa Barbara Acoustic Instrument Celebration, a summit of guitarists and luthiers rejoicing in all things strung-and-strummed [see last week’s Independent for more in-depth coverage]. On Sunday, August 27, Venice, the harmonically entwined band from Venice, California, will do an album-release concert for Into the Morning Blue. The new album features numbers such as the wistful, gracefully acoustic “Sunrise (August of ’69).” With tones evocative of that legendary summer, many listeners will be transported to their musical youth. Later in the week, on Wednesday, August 30, the illustrious Glen Phillips plays again in the city he’s happy to call home (and we are all the luckier for it). For those yet to walk down the mournful musical roads of his newest, Swallowed by the New, it is a journey in which you ought to be enveloped. Joining Phillips at SOhO will be New York pianist and singer-songwriter Julian Velard, who allegedly has a cult following in the Netherlands.
