Amoeba

For the full list of their picks, visit: http://www.amoeba.com/whats-in-my-bag/index.html#/detail/2009-11-09_tortoise

Long heralded as the poster band for post-rock, Tortoise took a daunting array of influence and crafted a unique sound that astonishingly avoids any sense of pastiche. All of Tortoise’s founding members ...come from punk and indie rock scenes, but by fusing together their love of '70s German psych, electric jazz, minimal composition, dub, progressive rock, hip-hop, avant-garde electronics, film music and traditional American music, the band deftly crafts a sound that is hugely unique and instantly recognizable.

Doug McCombs and John Herndon opened up their shopping bags recently at Amoeba Hollywood!Read More

One of my most memorable memories of Amoeba Records was going to Amoeba Records in LA and seeing a "little" band I was unaware of at that point perform live in store...it was "Ozomatli" promoting the release of thier album "Don't Mess With The Dragon"...and I have been a fan ever since! Oh! And the store was pretty awe...some too! (Reminded me a lot of when I use to go to Tower Records as a kid in the Bay Area)Read More

Known for their literary smarts and bookish charm, Fanfarlo, the UK five-piece, create a heart-wrenchingly beautiful world on their debut album, Reservoir. Produced by Peter Katis (The National, Interpol), Reservoir employs an array of instruments to create each lushly arranged track, including saws, clarinets, cellos,... mandolins, ukuleles, and melodicas. Named for French poet Charles Baudelaire’s fictional dancer, the group takes us on a journey filled with misfits, savants, and dreamers, where each sentiment is accentuated by the keening of a saw or the crying of a cello.Read More