Back in my San Francisco-livin’ days, I used to go to Paradise Lounge quite a bit (no link, because I think they’ve closed… and possibly re-opened). It was one of my favorite clubs because they had two stages at opposite sides of the room. So, when one band took their break, another one kicked up.

One night, I was there to see Bud E Luv, a pretty fun vegas parody…

When his first set came to a close, a band called Spencer the Gardener came on. I was blown away. Not because they were the best live show I’ve ever seen. But because in a time when it is so easy to go to a club and see four guys – guitar, lead guitar, bass and drums – playin’ some kind of rock, Spencer was totally different.

They’re from Santa Barbara, and they’ve been around awhile. Unfortunately, they don’t appear, from their lack of presence online, to be very good at marketing themselves (which is why they probably never “made it”). But their music is one-of-a-kind for club fare.

Their sound is latin/salsa/alternative pop/party/beach music. It is a really great mix, and everyone I’ve ever passed on their CDs to has thanked me.

Go to their website and click through the player on the home page. Or, check out their MySpace page, and play the first song – “And Go Crazy”. It’s not their best song. In fact, their most recent CD isn’t their best. But it is a good indicator of what they’re like.

An even better indicator is not to play their video (again, not that good at marketing themselves). It’s for a whimsical Thanksgiving song they did that is somewhat goofy and not at all like they normally sound or perform.

If you’re feeling lucky, though, check out their first CD “The First Two Albums”. It’s two albums on one disc, available on iTunes or CDBaby, and it’s fantastic.