Hey You Listen Up

Angus & Julia Stone

2010-03-20T13:13:00.001-07:00

Siblings Angus and Julia Stone's sophmore album, Down The Way, is pure folk sweetness. Angus' vocals could be compared to Colin Meloy of Decemberists at times, while sister Julia channel's Corinne Bailey Rae - together it's reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkle and The Swell Season's simplistic poetic harmonies.

Download:
Paper Aeroplane

www.myspace.com/angusandjuliastone

If I WAS going to SXSW

2010-03-16T00:46:00.001-07:00

Yet another year is passing by that I am not going to go to SXSW....sigh.

IF I was GOING, here are some of the bands I would try and attend. Some I have seen, some I have wanted to for years....If you are going, go and enjoy them for me.

Holly Miranda
Black Angels
Temper Trap
Toro Y Moi
Band of Skulls
Russian Futurists
Voxhaul Broadcast
Local Natives
Metric
Fanfarlo
Broadcast 2000
Princeton
Mayer Hawthorne
Neon Indian
White Denim
Miike Snow
Walkmen
Adam Green
Spoon
Frightened Rabbit
Dr. Dog
The Veils
Findlay Brown
The XX
Bajofondo
Oh No Ono
Jeremy Jay
Born Ruffians
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
The 88

Harlem

2010-03-15T22:22:00.000-07:00

Texas garage band Harlem bring lo-fi goodness to your collection. I checked them out, played them for a fellow coworker, and he liked them so much he made them a music video that should be released soon. Silly fun with a flip camera, as silly fun as they are to listen to. On par with San Francisco band Girls or youngin's Smith & Western.

Download:
Friendly Ghost

http://www.myspace.com/harlemduh

She & Him

2010-03-15T22:14:00.000-07:00

Volume 2 is finally out! My girl crush Zoey Deschanel and M.Ward have finally released their second album together of nostalgic tunes. He plays, she sings. She plays, he plays, they sing. Together they write, together they make beautiful melodies and cover oldies worthy of being new again.

While I primarily love her in movies where she sings (Elf, Yes Man) and other she doesn't (500 days of Summer) - her style and sweet voice are so adorable you just want to put a bow on it.

Download:
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here

http://www.sheandhim.com/

Shout Out Louds

2010-03-15T21:43:00.001-07:00

I think when I first heard of The Shout Out Loud's, was around the time that Say Hi To Your Mom and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah all came out. I remember a friend mentioning these band names over IM and I was so confused what she was trying to telling me. I was clapping my hands and saying "yeah", I was like, ok, sure - I'll say "hi" to my mom. You want me to shout out loud? Well, I have since falled in love with their past albums Our Ill Wills and How How Gaff Gaff, and now their latest album Work has sealed it for me.

I just adore the Swedes. How is it that such a small country with such cold weather and creators of Pipi Longstocking could bring such great music to me? (I digress, but I was a HUGE Pipi fan...and even she too had a great catchy song!)

Ok. So if you are a fan of Swedish bands, (Jens Lekman, Lykke Li, Peter Bjorn & John, The Knife, The Teddybears, The Cardigans, etc etc) and you REALLY love Phoenix - well then You'll fall hard like their song for their latest effort. Asked by someone which songs out of the album did I like and I stated rattling off the numbers on the cd...it turned out I listed about all of them. Muah - can't wait til they come so I can dance and sing with them. Happy happy, joy joy.

Download:
Walls
Fall Hard (Passion Pit Summertime Radio Remix)
Tonight I Have To Leave It

http://www.myspace.com/shoutoutlouds

Princeton & Kisses

2010-03-15T21:20:00.001-07:00

So long overdue. I have been talking about posting about Princeton for months now, that it almost felt ridiculous to do anything - but that wouldn't be right as I have really taken a liking to this local Santa Monica band. What pains me is that they had a residency for the month of February at Spaceland and I missed 4 Mondays. I was busy with work. Oh, and they would go on at 11PM on a Monday. Sorry boys, I'm just unable to do that for you. Too old I guess for these youngsters who all grew up on Princeton Street in Santa Monica. Cuter? Lucky for me, and I better fricken make it this time, to their show with Active Child at The Troubadour, another favorite I blogged about.

Their Sound naturally caught my attention with their Jens Lekman-like sound...or if Jens wasn't born in Sweden, but instead in Southern California.

Oh, and if you happen to love their hand clapping pop songs like I do, check out Kisses, from Princeton's singer Jesse Kivel and girlfriend Zinzi Edmindson.
http://www.myspace.com/blowkissess

Download:
Calypso Gold

http://www.princeton-band.com/music/
http://www.myspace.com/princetonmusic

Broken Bells

2010-03-15T20:46:00.000-07:00

Broken Bells in two parts.

Part one: Experiencing the listening party of a lifetime...or at least of 2010. On a rooftop in downtown LA, Music Supervisor's and a select few of other music guru's gathered to take a listen to the release of Broken Bells. A drive in/laser show complete with 3-D glasses and a station for people to snuggle in their car to tune into, and chairs for those wanting to sit under the stars and gaze at the swirly images accompanied by the bands release. Apparently they gave out limited edition lithos....I didn't get one. WAH.

Part two: A week later performing their second show for the album, (first time was at the Bootleg Theater for friends and family). But, I got lucky enough to score myself ONE ticket to their sold out Troubadour show. Aside from the chatty Cathy's around me (rude), they were solid with a backdrop of psychadelic images inspired from their album cover. THAT time I picked up their print, not numbered. Double WAH. Oh, but they did hand out matchbooks with their logo. Not a bad gift with purchase.

The project with Danger Mouse and James Mercer of The Shin's, has different peaks and valleys. Some songs resembling a song Air would have produced, to mysterious tracks that could have come off of The Last Shadow Puppet's album to a song Thom Yorke could have released. A magnificent album getting lots of attention.

Download:
The High Road

Buy Stuff:
http://www.sonymusicdigital.com/broken-bells/pages/5437030/

http://www.myspace.com/brokenbells

Holly Miranda

2010-03-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Boys, this girl likes girls. So don't get too swept away by her beauty and her gorgeous voice and think she's yours. Detroit girl, and now Brooklyn girl, Miranda's newest album, The Magician's Private Library is dynamic with lush songs to go to sleep to.

My favorite track of the album is Forest Green, Oh Forest Green. Her sound feels like a cross between Sia, Florence & The Machine and Thao Nguyen.

Download:
Forest Green, Oh Forest Green
Waves

http://www.myspace.com/hollymiranda
http://www.themagiciansprivatelibrary.com/

Spoon

2010-01-19T09:11:00.000-08:00

Last night Spoon played a "secret show" at El Cid. I have never been to El Cid...and I have never been to a "secret show". I'm never on top of hearing about secret shows and acting on them...that sort of information tends to miss me usually. Thankfully the label let me know it was happening - so I was able to have two firsts in one night, and it was great fun.

Transference is officially available to the public to buy as of today, but last night music insiders and fans got a peak at what the fuss is all about for their latest album, following the success of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. This time around there is less of the horns and claps, replaced with an echo effect. There are some gems on the new album - and while I only own three at the moment, they deliver what I want from the 16 year old band.

Download:
Is Love Forever (live)
Written In Reverse (live)

http://www.myspace.com/spoon

Hockey

2010-01-19T07:11:00.001-08:00

The last time I saw Hockey they were opening at The Troubadour for The Friendly Fires. The young band had us dancing...and when I saw them on Saturday headline at Spaceland, that was all I wanted to do. Dance.

In reading reviews online and trying to find out more about them than their Oregon roots, I keep seeing comparisons to the Strokes. ???? There's a bit more Phoenix mixed with LCD Sound System - new wave pop songs with an electronic back beat that take you on a wild roller coaster. They start big, dipping low and taking you back up. There is never a lull. With each twist and turn their songs have an energy that lead singer Ben Grubin conducts his audience into a frenzy with. He's flamboyant light, sporting a feathered earing,and his high pitched voice that makes me wonder is he even old enough to have hit puberty?

http://www.myspace.com/hockey

Sonic Youth

2010-01-10T09:49:00.000-08:00

The '90's returned yesterday for 2 hours, and two encores last night at The Wiltern where Sonic Youth played. Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore and the rest of Sonic Youth rocked the stage with their grungy fuzz noise that increased in volume throughout the show so that by the end of the night everyone went - did it get louder??! I heard one guy in back of me say loudly "Oh my god" cause he was in grunge heaven.

There were no complaints after the show except for the heckler. The "Play Goo" guy. PLAY GOO he kept screaming. PLAY GOO. Play Goo guy was standing right in front of me and looked like he stepped out of Clerks with his stringy hair and foot long goatie that was braided. I am NOT joking. Goo, the title of the 1990 album, and song titled "My friend Goo". I don't think they played it.

Am I a magnet for jackasses at shows? At the Julian Casablancas show I was standing next to a group of Frat boys who kept boo-ing. AND at the Jarvis Cocker show the heckler that kept screaming PLAY PULP was standing in back of me. Why do people go to shows and get so demanding? If you want to hear something specific, go put the album on at home. You go to a show to see the band perform as they are. If you don't like it, please don't go.

But if you are like me and my friends - we really dug the show. My favorite tracks from the newest album, The Eternal are Antenna and Anti-Orgasm.

http://www.myspace.com/sonicyouth

Download:
Sacred Trickster

Active Child

2010-01-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

I didn't expect to be so connected at first listen to Active Child. Sent to me for consideration in a future spot, I gave it a go. The sender mentioned the album had gotten a few nods of approvals from Sterogum, Guardian and RCRDLBL, and the album wasn't coming out til April. Amazing - naturally this buzz sounded very enticing.

So What's I'm about to share with you is Active Child. Moody atmospheric tracks blending tones of some of my favorites - Joy Division/Interpol, Animal Collective and Bon Iver. Click away to the links below to download some of the tracks - It's not on playlist.com yet, so I can't add it to my player, but you can listen yourself in your itunes after you click on the free downloads. You can thank me later.

The most surprising part of the band to me is that he's from LA. Know what that means for me and all of you LA fans? More opportunities to catch him live. Too bad I noticed this evening that he was playing at Bar Lubitsch. That would have been a great space to see him.

rcrdlbl
stereogum
http://myspace.com/activechild

Surfer Blood

2009-11-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

OK. I posted about Surfer Blood two weeks ago. I professed my love for the album. I did.

Naturally, I had to go see them play at The Echo even though I swore no more shows there. Their sound there has turned me off to great bands in the past....but I just HAD - TO - GO, and I am so glad I did!

I changed my mind on who they remind me of. I'm revising my original notes. I still think they have a little Modest Mouse but more Weezer mixed with Silversun Pickups and a dot of Vampire weekend.

These young guys are going to be big with more shows. They are so catchy! It was their first time in Los Angeles, and it was the lead singer's 19th birthday - what a way to celebrate. My favorite touch of the show was when they brought the big drum down to the audience and gave sticks to the fans to drum with. Loved it. Hoorah!

Julian Casablancas

2009-11-21T10:36:00.000-08:00

On August 12 NME announced information on Julian Casablanca's solo tour. I remember reading this quote from Casablancas: "Ideally, I'm going to try to put on some over-the-top, amazing, Disney shows." Naturally, I was intrigued to find out what that meant.

Albert Hammond, Jr. and Fabrizio Moretti (Little Joy) already have released albums outside of The Strokes, and they are distinct. Casablancas who was the primary writer for The Strokes, is the only one of the bunch to have maintained the The Strokes sound.

So - the show - awesome. I was so curious what this Disney like show would be like - and it wasn't about animal costumes like The Flaming Lips - but it was more like a large art installation continuously changing in the background, setting a look to Casablanca's demanding vocals. Instead of a encore performance, Casablancas announced they were taking a 10 minute intermission - when they returned there was a costume change from black leather to white suits and a whole set change. That was a first!

While the Palace theatre downtown was decadent in it's own time - the owners have let it down. I'm not sure if it was the acoustics of the old building or the beginning of the tour but Casablanca's vocals were especially muffled and buried under the instrumentation.

One thing is for sure - the show as a whole was a entertaining piece to watch, even though the frat I guys I was next to kept yelling BOO.

www.myspace.com/juliancasablancas
http://www.juliancasablancas.com/

Julian Plenti

2009-11-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

Julian Plenti is Paul Banks of Interpol. In his solo album Julian Plenti Is...Skyscraper, Banks has not abandones his Interpol sound. It's familiar yet a bit more simplistic in some of the lyrics - sometimes a bit too simplistic and repetitive. What makes Julian Plenti so appealing is his voice. It's so distinct and controlled. It's a solid album I just became so aware of the minimalism in the lyrics when I saw him live. The best part of the show was the encore. Not because it was the end, but he sang a verse of Let It Snow and then covered America's Horse With No Name. Try not to think about it and just enjoy it.

Favorite songs - Only If You Run, Fun That We have, Games For Days, Girl On The Sporting News, Madrid Song, No Chance Of Survival, Only If You Run, Unwind

Download
Fun That We Have
Games For Days

www.myspace.com/julianplenti

The Big Pink

2009-11-21T09:34:00.001-08:00

The Big Pink has a big sound. No joke. Loud. My first instinct on the original posting a few months ago held up. The dark, gothic like band was just as large and present as I imagined they would be. For their first official tour in the US, the band kept the stage dark with dramatic back lights to enhance the songs. Overall good show, but the band delayed making the crowd anxious and then waited until the last song of the night to play their hit Dominos.

Download:
Velvet
Dominos
Too Young To Love

http://musicfromthebigpink.com/
http://www.myspace.com/musicfromthebigpink

Vampire Weekend - Cousins Video

2009-11-20T12:03:00.001-08:00

Landon Pigg

2009-11-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

Seeing Landon Pigg was not on my radar two weeks ago. I had no idea who he was, nor had I ever heard of him. I was dying to see Whip It, and there he was. This adorable guy playing opposite Ellen Page. I developed a school girl crush on him. A week later I received an invite to see him play at The El Rey...and well...I had to see him live. I still hadn't even heard his music. As I started researching his album and listening to the tracks, I heard a very familiar tune - Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop from the AT&T spot that has been in heavy rotation. Even though that spot plays like crazy with such a memorable track, I still liked it. So, the adventure of finding out about Landon Pigg continues.

I find out that a new friend knows him from growing up in Nashville, so we went to the show together, and yes girls, he is just as dreamy in person as he was in Whip It. Sigh. His set was short and sweet, but he worked it. Chatting up the audience asking what they want to hear - Rock or Folk...and he decided to split up the set.

Influenced by Rufus Wainwright, The Beetles and Radiohead....I heard some Bono in his vocals. It's sweet. I enjoyed it.

Tracks I like from the album: Blue Skies, A Ghost, Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop

Download:
A Ghost

http://www.myspace.com/landonpiggmusic

The Mountain Goats

2009-11-18T10:41:00.000-08:00

When I told my parents I was going to see The Mountain Goats my dad asked me if that was a title of a movie..um, he was confusing it with Men Who Stare At Goats. A few differences..like The Mountain Goats were actually enjoyable!

The Mountain Goats have been around since 1991. And they have proven they aren't going anywhere. Once known as a lo-fi band they are now growing as a full band, even incorporating a violin into songs and their stage set.

Their live set was long. I'm not going to lie. And their newest album The Life Of The World To Come isn't in my top list, but the history of their work still holds a dear place for me. AND - they happen to have a great stage vibe which is a huge plus for me. Seeing too many shows I really appreciate the effort a band puts in to connect with their fans. Front man Darnielle works the audience into a giggle fit with his stories of how his songs came to be, and just really seems to feel at home on that stage, even though they appear like they are the nerd crew that happened to stumble upon a very cool group of listeners.

Download:
Genesis 3:23

http://www.myspace.com/themountaingoats

Wale

2009-11-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

With influences like Big Daddy Kane, Jay-Z,Rakim, Camp Lo, Mark Ronson, Common and Digable Planets among many others, Wale is making a splash with music geeks everywhere. Seriously - he is getting written up from everything from rap magazines and blogs to the indie music reviews and The New York Times. The Washington, D.C.-based rapper Wale (pronounced "wah-lay") was born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin.

It's hearing a album like this that makes me want to incorporate more rap into my music diet.

My favorite tracks: 90210, Chillin, Let It Loose, World Tour, Momma Told Me

Download Some Of His Mixtape Gems:
Back To The Feature
Mixtape About Nothing

http://www.myspace.com/wale

Surfer Blood

2009-11-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

The second I heard the track "Swim" by Surfer Blood, I needed more. What was that sound? A combination of so many beautiful things going on at once, that it's got to become a hit. Got to.

Let's see - somewhere in the world of Animal Collective and Band of Horses with their choir vocals and a little Modest Mouse with their distorted guitar, a dab of Vampire Weekend in their playful vocals...oh and apparently none of them surf. Ugh. Love it. Love it.

They're so fresh, that they don't even have a video....Get into them before they explode and you can say you heard them when...

If you're sticking around LA for Thanksgiving go out and support them at The Echo on November 27. I hope they are bringing their own sound engineer though - god bless the space, the sound just wrecks it for me every time.

Thank you Florida for giving us this gem.

Download:
Swim (To Reach The End)
Floating Vibes

http://www.myspace.com/surferblood

Paper Route

2009-11-13T13:36:00.000-08:00

Listening to Paper Route, I would never guess they come from Nashville. Electronic, rock, emotional, synth...what else can I throw into the salad bowl to make up the sounds of Paper Route? Well, when I hear them - I hear The Verve, The Doves, and Coldplay. It's still new to my collection, but songs like Dance On Our Graves, Gutter, Be Healed, and Carousel, are becoming quick additions to my repetoire.

www.myspace.com/paperroute

Shwayze & LMFAO

2009-11-08T09:19:00.000-08:00

[Shwayze]

It doesn't get more fun than seeing Shwayze & LMFAO in one night. The Party Rock tour brought me back to when groups like Salt N Pepper and Rob Base could bring the party to their feet with their poppy rap.

[LMFAO]

LMFAO - I'm In LA Trick from Marisa Wasser on Vimeo.

I'm In LA Trick!

Vampire Weekend - Contra

2009-11-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

Vampire Weekend has a new album coming out. YAY. I got to listen to some of the forthcoming tracks and preview what's to come...and you won't be disappointed. I hope you won't at least. More fun poppy, energetic songs to bop around to.

To kick start the tour to promote their new album Contra, Vampire Weekend played two free shows this weekend. One on Halloween for 30 people, and one today at a Park in Boyle Heights. Lucky me that I have friends who keep up to date with the Vampire Weekend, or else we would have missed their announcement of the show posted a day prior.

Vampire Weekend - Horchata from marisa wasser on Vimeo.

On the most beautiful day, sitting on the green lawn, the band performed 4 tracks from their upcoming album, (Cousins, Holiday, Horchata, California English) along with their entire first album. It was epic.

Download Horchata:
http://www.vampireweekend.com/

Cobra Killer

2009-10-31T16:14:00.000-07:00

The Cobra Killer are German girls Gina V. D'Orio and Annika Trost.
They have been described as vintage, new wave, garage, electroclash, alternative....well whatever it is that you hear, it's definitely good. Since 1998 the girls have been putting out albums and touring with bands like Peaches, Sonic Youth and Jon Spencer. The biggest flaw on the album is the cover art - but the biggest draw? Collaborations with Thurston Moore and J. Mascis. "..better than the Beatles or Nirvana any day of the millennium" - Thurston Moore

http://www.myspace.com/cobrakiller1

Florence & The Machine

2009-10-31T10:17:00.000-07:00

The fiery red head Florence Mary Leontine Welch of Florence & The Machine performed a jaw dropping show at The Troubadour last night. Her dramatic and theatrical performance matched by her powerful vocal strength had the audience falling deeper in love with her. With a mix of Lilly Allen, Heart and Sia....they won't be playing venue's like The Troubadour for much longer. A major player in the UK already, the should be on your radar if it isn't already.

Downloads:

http://www.myspace.com/florenceandthemachine

The XX

2009-08-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

The XX. They are sexy. They are dark. With simplistic instrumentation - and while this might sound weird.....the guitar at times is so simple it's like combining a track from Chris Isaac with the new wave darkness and sometimes electronic sound of Interpol, but with the vocals of Massive Attack, Lykki Li and My Bloody Valentine. Complicated, right?

Don't expect to put the album on and start dancing. This is a sick album. One that at first listen will have you wondering who they are and where they came from.

http://www.myspace.com/thexx

Download:
Basic Space
Crystalised

The National

2009-08-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

What makes The National so amazing? Two things. One, Matt Berninger. His vocals are deep and controlled. He happens to be really attractive as well, which doesn't hurt - but he has a way of using his vocals that grabs your attention. Second? Their instrumentals alone are so dynamic. They are what I call anthemic rock. Similar to what U2 does, where the song builds and uses the drums for inspirational and dramatic results.

The Dead Weather

2009-08-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

The Dead Weather killed it. Killed it. But then again, does anything that Jack White involves himself in ever flop? He has some sort of magic dust on him that no matter what it is he touches is a instant success.

The Dead Weather, if you haven't heard of them are a supergroup comprised of Alison Mosshart (of The Kills ), Jack White (of The White Stripes and The Raconteurs), Dean Fertita (of Queens of the Stone Age) and Jack Lawrence (of The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes). Jack White & Alison Mosshart take the lead on the vocals. While I am not a Kills fan, Alison can't help but capture your attention when she mimics Jack White's style...or just bops about the stage. The stage is her playground as she climbs, crowd surfs, jumps, kicks and belts it out to the audience.

Girls

2009-08-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

Last night I saw Girls perform at The El Rey. Girls, but with boys, with girl hair. The shoe-gazer Rock n Roll band swooned the audience with their debut album Hellhole Ratrace.

Check out this in depth interview from Faq Magazine.

http://www.myspace.com/girlssanfran

Download:

Sondre Lerche

2009-08-21T20:28:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in between Harry Conick Jr. and Stephen Malkmus/Pavement, Is Norwegian singer Sondre Lerche. Smart lyrics told in a speaky - yet crooner style...Sondre's latest album Heartbeat Radio will be released September 2009. First single is Good Luck.

http://www.myspace.com/sondrelerche

Download:
Good Luck

Wolf Gang

2009-08-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

I may only have two tracks from Wolf Gang for now, but I love it so much, I had to share. Upbeat, dance ridden, it's totally and unbelievably fun. The one man 80's synth pop band has gained lots of comparisons to the Talking Heads. Is that your toe tapping I hear? Yes, it is....dance it out.

http://www.myspace.com/thisiswolfgang
Download:
Pieces Of You (remix)

Monsters of Folk Feat. Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, & Jim James

2009-08-20T08:11:00.001-07:00

Find and buy Monsters of Folk Feat. Mike Mogis, Conor Oberst, M. Ward, & Jim James Tickets at Ticketmaster.com
They're playing The Santa Barbara Bowl October 22nd. While I have never been to that venue, what I hear of it....it could be one spectacular show. Or, The Greek Theatre October 18 ain't so bad either...

Monsters Of Folk
Ticketmaster For Santa Barbara Bowl
Ticketmaster for The Greek

Download:
Say Please

The Big Pink

2009-08-13T08:33:00.000-07:00

The Big Pink, whose name was inspired by years of listening to The Band with their parents - The Big Pink are UK's Robbie Furze and Milo Cordell.

They mix genres and have elements of multiple music genres. A little classical in moments, new wave, grunge, noise rock, electro-rock, goth, with dark lush vocals.

Self Produced by the Duo and mixed by Rich Costey, who also worked on Interpol, New Order and The Muse the album is a strong debut with tracks like Dominos, press on this band has been building and it can only be an explosive win win for your ears.

www.myspace.com/musicfromthebigpink
Download:
Dominos
A Brief History Of Love

Where Fashion Meets Music

2009-08-12T12:08:00.001-07:00

Bad Veins

2009-08-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

Ben Davis, Sebastien Schultz and a 1973 Pioneer reel to reel recorder make up Cincinnati's Bad Vein's. Their fuzzy vocals remind me of Julian Casablancas signature sound that brought The Stroke's to fame, while the anthemic instrumentation is in the realm of post-punk band, The Bravery.

Check them out when they play Spaceland Wednesday September 2, 2009.

http://www.myspace.com/badveins

Download:
Gold and Warm
Afraid
Fake Baby

Y△CHT

2009-08-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

"Yacht rock" is a name for the popular soft rock that peaked between the years of 1976 and 1984 from Bands like Toto and Kenny Loggins. This is not Yacht rock. I repeat. This is not Yacht rock. This is YACHT.

"YACHT is a Band, Belief System, and Business conducted by Jona Bechtolt [of The BLow] and Claire L. Evans of Marfa, Texas and Portland, Oregon, USA." Check out the rest of their mission statement here from their clever website: http://www.teamyacht.com/mission/

The first track I heard from their new album was Psychic City (Voodoo City). Full of hand claps, grunts and reptetitive lyrics of "ayayayayayay (grunt)", has become my summer anthem song.

YACHT is a conceptual band starting with the triangle in their name, "a concept map between three points". They don't follow - they lead. While it's artsy dance music at it's best - it's approachable. Think Talking Heads. I mean, after all - they were interviewed in Teen Vogue.

www.myspace.com/yacht
Downloads:
Loads of free stuff from YACHT website
Download Psychic City & Summer Song:
http://rcrdlbl.com/artists/YACHT/music

FYF : Save Our State Parks

2009-08-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

This year’s FYF Fest (Formerly the F Yeah Fest). All the details are below.

FYF Fest Presents:
Save Our State Parks
At the Los Angeles State Historic Park
On Saturday, September 5th 2009
In downtown L.A

Black Lips
Lightning Bolt
Tim & Eric
Lucero
Converge
F* Up
The Thermals
No Age
Matt Skiba from Alkaline Trio
Japanther
Times New Viking
Darker My Love
Carbonas
Peanut Butter Wolf
Crystal Antlers
Har Mar Superstar
AA Bondy
Mika Miko
Nobunny
Glass Candy
Telepathe
Cold Cave
The Strange Boys
Katie Stelmanis
Dios
NinjaSonik
Kurt Vile
Eat Skull
Avi Buffalo
+ More to be artists and comedians to be announced

FULL DETAILS AT www.FYFFEST.com

Tickets are $20 and are sale now. We highly recommend buying in advance being that this year will sell out. There are list of locations in Southern Cali selling tickets and you can purchase tickets on ticketweb.com at the link below: http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=2415904

The Los Angeles State Historic Park is located in Chinatown just north of downtown L.A.

$1 of every ticket to two organizations making positive change within the community on a daily basis, Homeboy Industries and Harvest of Hope.

www.homeboy-industries.org

www.harvestofhope.net

This is the 6th year that the festival is taking place and is curated by Sean Carlson, Keith Morris and friends.

Please check www.fyffest.com for full details.

If you have any questions please send an email to fyffest@gmail.com

They are also looking for volunteers to be involved with the festival. Send them an email if you are interested

Jack Peñate

2009-08-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

Combining a great pop vocal and a steady dance beat, Jack Peñate has major potential to be on par with my other favorite dancy bands Datarock, Passion Pit and Friendly Fires. It's no wonder that his sound would be attractive to me, signed to XL Recordings, the same label as Friendly Fires, Vampire Weekend, Peaches, The Cool Kids and M.I.A.

His song Tonight's Today is instantly addictive.

Catch him on tour with other HYLU favorite Miike Snow October 7th at Spaceland.

Download:
Tonight's Today

The Boat People

2009-08-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

If you like energetic pop bands like Fountains of Wayne, Ben Lee, and Phoenix, you'll find yourself a new band to take interest in. I have had the album on my ipod for about a month, and every time it comes up in the shuffle, I feel a happy familiarity with it - as if it belonged there all along.

Favorite Songs:
Hours & Hours, Born In The '80's, Light Of Love (You Got A), Panic, Destination

http://www.myspace.com/theboatpeople

Nouvelle Vague : 3

2009-08-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Re-interpreting popular songs into cool, new arrangements of Bossa Nova is what French band Nouvelle Vague does...and they do it well. Since their first album in 2004, they re-introduced a whole new generation to the Bossa style....and inspired other collections of unlikely cover songs, like the Bossa n' Stones, a personal favorite of mine.

In the third ablum, titled 3, inspiration came from bluegrass and American country music than their prior discs. The album features guest
vocalists who sang the original versions of their songs, including Martin
Gore (Depeche Mode), Ian McCulloch (Echo & the Bunnymen), Terry Hall (Fun
Boy 3) and Barry Adamson.

http://www.myspace.com/nouvellevague
Download Album

The Dodo's - Time To Die

2009-07-28T10:21:00.000-07:00

San Francisco, psychadelic folk band The Dodo's have just released their latest album, Time To Die.

In response to the leak, the band launched a dedicated website - timetodie.net - where you can listen to a high-quality version of the album, get a free download of The Dodo's first single 'Fables' and watch a video message from Long and Kroeber explaining why they’re bumping the digital release date up to this week!

Download the album for $2.99 from Amazon for a short time!

Catch them in LA Sep 27 2009 at The El Rey Theatre
http://www.myspace.com/thedodos

Jarvis Cocker At The Wiltern

2009-07-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

Jarvis Cocker is a rubbery figure. He's built like a Slim Jim with the energy of Gumby trotting around the stage with a force of energy that is hard to match. The funny thing is that he prances around the stage, kicks his legs around, thrusts his pelvis, and swings his arms all about to even the slowest of songs.

Not all of the audience was as thrilled as myself on what I was listening to....or should I say one very belligerent guy. Screaming at the top of his lungs during songs "What is this a funeral? Play Pulp!" blah blah blah. Really? Really? Sure - do we all want to hear a little Pulp? And were we hoping, maybe he would play just one? Maybe Common People or Disco 2000? Sure! Of Course...but Dur, we were not at a Pulp show, we were at Jarvis Cocker - who is not Pulp anymore. No more Brit Pop.

Instead a more mellow side of Jarvis is available for us - but not lacking the energy nor clever lyrics. While his Sheffield accent might be difficult for me to understand when he tells the audience interesting stories about the venue's decor, being on the road and scientific facts about our retina....his lyrics come across clear once a beat backs him.

Truth be told, I wish Jarvis would bring back the Brit Pop days - they were fun...but I do think he is one of a kind, rubbery and what not.

www.myspace.com/jarvspace

More Reasons To Love LA Summer Nights

2009-07-26T12:19:00.000-07:00

Free shows! Being outdoors! Great bands! People watching galore. 'Nuff said.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS
Another event produced by Spaceland are Wednesday nights in Pershing Square, Downtown LA, through August 22.The nights are titled Spaceland Under The Stars.
http://whiteskymedia.com/clientprojects/pershingsquare/events/downtownStage/spacelandUnderTheStars.php

THURSDAY NIGHTS
Grab a blanket, a picnic and some friends - head to the Santa Monica Pier at sundown to hear music of all types, and ending with my favorite, Patti Smith on September 3.
http://www.santamonicapier.org/fun.html#1

FRIDAY NIGHTS
Jazz at LACMA. Walk around the light sculptures and listen to some Jazz. Indulge.
http://www.lacma.org/programs/FridayNightJazz.aspx

SATURDAY NIGHTS
Check out the free shows at The Getty, Saturday nights which has already had Chairlift permorfm, and last night was Cut Chemist and next week has The Dodo's playing. Produced by Spaceland and sponsored by The LAWeekly - Not to be missed!
http://www.getty.edu/visit/events/saturdays_405.html

SUNSET JUNCTION
August 22nd & 23rd is the annual Sunset Junction Fair. This year there is an amazing line up of bands performing including Conor Oberst, Built To Spill, Les Nubians, Arrested Development, Delta Spirit, Nicol Stai, and more.
http://www.sunsetjunction.org/

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks At The Echoplex

2009-07-26T11:52:00.000-07:00

I would be a liar if I said that Stephen Malkmus' latest album,his fourth titled Real Emotional Trash, was my favorite.

I am a fanatic for Malkmus and all that has to do with him. A friend gave me my first Pavement album, Slanted & Enchanted, for my birthday in college, and I attribute my interest in indie music to that album. Defunct since 1999 when Malkmus went on to his solo projects, but carrying on the tone of what I loved about Pavement. Quirky lyrics sang in a spoken form.

Real Emotional Trash lacks a lot of the hooky happy tracks. Gardenia is the one track that I've globbed onto. The album is dark and heavy with lots of guitar on guitar. Maybe Stephen is going through something. It feels very late 70's, and so was the video backdrop at the show at The Echoplex.

So what I did I get out of the show? Seeing Malkmus, (boy is he greying!, do I feel old?) Learning that when you stand up front at The Echoplex you may not hear the vocals well as the speakers are pointing towards the back. You can have Two Boots pizza while you watch the show (bonus!). I saw Malkmus. Still a fan, just yearning for more upbeat Malkmus. The end.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros At The Hammer Museum

2009-07-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

There has been a tremendous amount of hype for Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, so naturally I just had to see it for myself. Like myself, I don't think the
Armand Hammer Museum in Westwood knew that the hype would create quiet the draw that it did.

For the last of the July free shows under the stars, the museum had to turn away music fans. I waited almost 2 hrs in line, and the only reason I was able to get in before the headliner went on was because I ran into a friend who was in between the door and the end of the line - so I cut. Uh ha, I did. Sorry guys - but I had to. Two hours later I was in.

Standing next to me was Australian singer Sia, singing along to the songs. The crowd was overpowering the singer as they sang along and clapped to the colorful band that reminded me of bands like Polyphonic Spree, The Flaming Lips and MGMT with their psychadelic and folk vibe.

This is only the beginning for Edward and his Zeros.

Download 40 Day Dream here.
www.myspace.com/edwardsharpe

The Cave Singers

2009-07-24T10:02:00.001-07:00

Dare I say I didn't think I was a fan of The Cave Singers. Was I mental? When I got the newest album from Seattle's Cave Singers, Welcome Joy, I thought hallelujah - and was I cookoo banana pants for not ever listening to their first album? Bad Marisa. Good Marisa for listening this time and falling for their lovely, simplistic, tambourine, folk melodies. Better late than never?

Pete Quirk reminds me of David Grey's beautiful vocals, but without the shine, and a truckload of pretty trees and leaves. I kind of want to shrink them, put them in my pocket and listen to them around a fire in the middle of the woods....

Don't make the same mistake I made - Catch them live in LA Thursday, 10/1 at The Echo.

Download:
Beachouse
At The Cut

Upcoming Shows

2009-07-24T09:49:00.000-07:00

From Oh My Rockness Los Angeles
http://losangeles.ohmyrockness.com

///////////////////////////////////////////
THE BEST OF THIS WEEK'S SHOWS
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

7/24 Girl Talk, Brother Reade @ Fox Theater Pomona
7/24 The Jakes, The Union Line, Venus Infers @ House Of Blues Anaheim
7/24 De La Soul @ Key Club
7/24 Tender Skulls, Best Coast @ L'Keg Gallery
7/24 Vaudeville, Seasons @ Pehrspace
7/24 Mike Watt, The Hangmen @ Redwood Bar
7/24 The Glitch Mob @ The Roxy
7/24 Semi Precious Weapons @ The Viper Room
7/24 LA Roux, IO Echo @ Troubadour
7/25 Lemon Sun @ Bootleg
7/25 Seasons, Marvelous Toy @ Echo Curio
7/25 Handsome Family @ Spaceland
7/25 Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks @ The Echo (Echoplex)
7/25 Cut Chemist @ The Getty
7/25 William Fitzsimmons @ The Hotel Cafe
7/25 Free Moral Agents @ The Prospector
7/25 Semi Precious Weapons @ The Viper Room
7/26 Pam Shaffer, The Blank Tapes @ Echo Curio
7/26 Grace Jones, Of Montreal @ Hollywood Bowl
7/26 Handsome Family @ McCabe's
7/26 The Mekons @ McCabe's
7/26 Chin Chin @ The Roxy
7/27 Ash Reiter, Pierre De Reeder @ Bootleg
7/27 Tiny Vipers, Lazarus @ Echo Curio
7/27 Andy Clockwise, Ebony Bones @ Spaceland
7/27 The Mekons @ The Echo
7/27 Japanese Motors, The Blank Tapes @ The Echo (Echoplex)
7/27 The Victorians, Ribbons @ The Prospector
7/27 Jarvis Cocker, Little Joy @ The Wiltern
7/27 The Starlight Mints @ Troubadour
7/27 60 Watt Kid @ Women (++moved from Pehrspace++)
7/28 Obi Best @ Bootleg
7/28 Regina Spektor @ El Rey Theatre
7/28 Glasvegas, Ida Maria @ Henry Fonda Theater
7/28 Band Of Skulls @ Spaceland
7/28 Magnolia Electric Co., The Donkeys @ The Echo
7/29 Mika Miko, Crystal Antlers @ Alex's Bar
7/29 Watts Ensemble @ Bootleg
7/29 Glasvegas, Ida Maria @ Henry Fonda Theater
7/29 Themselves, [Post-foetus] @ Spaceland
7/29 Bedouin Soundclash @ The Roxy
7/29 Trashcan Sinatras @ Troubadour
7/30 Kevin Greenspon, Mega Wand @ Echo Curio
7/30 The Seizure, Strange Waves @ L'Keg Gallery
7/30 Castanets, Warmer Milks @ Spaceland
7/30 Gram Rabbit, Oliver Future @ Troubadour

Amanda Blank

2009-07-19T09:26:00.000-07:00

She's tough, crass and can whip out your favorite hip hop-pop song all at once. Amanda Blank has cred in the rap electro pop world having collaborated with friends Spank Rock, Santigold, and Diplo. Mimicking male rappers and covering LL Cool J's " I need Love", retitled as "a love song", along with Santigold, you'll soon add her to you dance play list on your ipod. In the course of her album I love You her songs range from hip hop, rap, pop, electro, dub. There's a little somethin' for everyone.

Free Download c/o rcrdlbl.com :
Might Like You Better

Check out her blog:http://littleamandablank.blogspot.com/

Mayer Hawhorne - Funky White Boy

2009-07-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

White boys can have soul. Mayer Hawthorne is proof of that. From Motown city, Detroit, Hawthorn's album A Strange Arrangement takes you back to a time when you probably weren't even a blip on your parent's mind. When men opened doors for ladies, and listening to music meant putting on a record in the family living room, or driving around in a big Cadillac. It's nostalgic and retro in all the right ways.

Free Energy

2009-07-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

You know how some bands come out with a album that seems to represent a moment in time - summer, love, depression..OK - well, Free Energy maybe be your answer to one of those. Summer 2009!. With songs like "Bang Pop" and their single "Dream City" they deliver what like Fountain's Of Wayne, Ben Kweller, and Sloan, do - A great pop hook with lots of hand claps, that's easy to sing to with a steady rock beat.

BTW - if you like them, you will love their former band, Hockey Night, another great pop band.

Free tracks posted:
Dream City
Free Energy

More Summer Mash Ups : DJ Cobra

2009-07-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

Thank you DJ Cobra. Thank you for the 48 tracks of mash up "iller" goodness. You have given me and my friends a new pre, party and post party soundtrack for the summer.

Mashing up Phill Collins with Notorious BIG is just one example of what you will experience. Download a continuous stream or individual tracks here.

Monsters Of Folk : Folk Supergroup

2009-07-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite lyrics from The Silver Jews is "Why can't monsters get along with other monsters"....but apparently they can now! Conor Oberst, M. Ward, Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes are Monsters of Folk. Think it sounds like a dreamy concept? Hold out your hand and say PLEASE on their website and get a track for free. Yes, free. Look out for the full length September 22.

http://www.monstersoffolk.com/

Warpaint & Foreign Born At The Hammer

2009-07-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

You still have one more Thursday to enjoy music under the stars and in the courtyard of UCLA's Hammer Museum with Indie 103.1.

Bands that have performed in the last month were:
July 2 - Amazing Baby, Band of Skulls and Dazzler
July 9 - Everest and Red Cortez
July 16 - Foreign Born, Warpaint

and next week....
July 23 - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and Eskimo Hunter

You'll find a mixed crowd of college kids, parents with their underage kids, music fans, picnic-ers, art lovers and the entire summer collection from Urban Outfitters - The museum and Indie 103.1 are helping expose small bands to Angelenos on these fabulous July nights....for FREE.

First up last night was Warpaint, a trio of girls rocking it out garage style. Mash up's are my new favorite thing - taking two different songs from different genres and splicing them together as if they were always one song. Warpaint was the ultimate mash-up band, but in a completely different way. They are rock 'n roll...but the mash ups come from their vocals - one singer singing in a Bjork style, and the other in a Patti Smith style. Together, the two opposing vocals mesh so nicely, especially when harmonized. The best song of the night that I heard was "Stars"
Art rock in a art setting.
Download "Stars" by clicking here.

Foreign Born, based out of Los Angeles (WHAT!? Yes, Los Angeles, not Brooklyn) proudly use the cowbell and maraca's to the beat of their songs. With hints of David Byrne, darker and slower BPM Vampire Weekend with some Caribbean essence, the band performed songs from their newest album "Person To Person". Download "Early Warnings" thanks to boostmobile at www.thisisbrandx.com

Dirty Projectors

2009-07-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Let's do this one backwards - from the time the show ended last night, at The Troubadour, with my visit to the merchandise table. Or should I say my attempt to reach the table. Wowzers. It was bonkers. A fat line was swelling out past the front bar with fans trying to pick up goodies - a shirt, a tote, and limited edition cassette tapes to name a few. I really wanted to see it all myself, as the art work on The Dirty Projectors new album Bitte Orca is reminiscent of John Baldessari's work.

Back to the show. Amazing. Three female vocalist singing at different pitch levels along with Dave Longstreth, the leader of the Dirty Projectors. Prior to going to the show I kept saying - eh, not really into the album, but I hear they are great live, so I should go. I'm glad I did. I was able to really focus on their unusual sound. They use their vocals like instruments as another layer to their already quirky sound. While Longstreth's vocals are somewhat similar to Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, who once was a part of the band, he takes it to different heights with less poppy hooks. The arrangements are so unique, they feel like a hybrid of experimental/art school rock and African beats. It really took going to the show to understand the genius and beauty of the Dirty Projects are.

Look out for Rise Above, a somewhat Black Flag cover album Longstreth recorded from memory, which now is being covered by Black Flag. Interesting? Yes.

New Pornographers, Tegan and Sara, Death Cab - Hollywood Bowl, July 5

2009-07-09T09:39:00.000-07:00

A few interesting twists happened Sunday, July 5th at the Bowl. Let's start with The New Pornographers. Well, OK. I would have thought Tegan & Sara would have started the night off with The New Pornographers following up....but no, the opposite happened. The New Pornographers were the opening band!

I am so glad I was there early enjoying my picnic style meal with friends so I could see them...or squint and see them. I thought Neko Case was there playing with them, and that maybe she chopped her bright red hair - but I was told later that it wasn't her...and then I wondered, I don't think Daniel Bejar was there either! So the only same main vocal performer might have been Carl Newman. Am I wrong? Could this be why they opened, or is it that Tegan & Sara have become much more popular than The NP's?

Tegan & Sara were surprisingly chatty. Last time I saw them I don't remember as much back and forth discussion and stories told to the audience. They were fantastic. Those girls could have their own sitcom. Hey.....That's a great idea. Two funny, stylish, musician twin sisters with alternative lifestyles? I think I'm onto something. They made me laugh. For real. Hello CAA? ICM? WM?

The headliner, Death Cab, were actually not who I was going to go see - but I surprised myself. I actually knew 99% of the songs without realizing it. Ben Gibbard was so entertaining to watch. Sporting a new svelt look, I was so aware of his nervous bopping energy which was entertaining in itself. The last few songs were performed with the LA Philharmonic...and a great surprise of fireworks coordinated to the song. It was a superb finale to a amazing Fourth of July weekend. Salud.

Mixtapes & Mash-Up Downloads

2009-07-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

It's 4th of July, and you may be looking for a good mix to play on your road trip, party, or workout...So enjoy the mixes below:

Jesse
You can find June's Satori mix here, available to stream live, or
download the whole thing for free and play thru itunes:

http://mixable.net/wkheucpqrv/

In it you'll find some alt versions of tracks, two songs which Vampire
Weekend's singer Ezra Koenig adds vocal chops to, no less than three
hiphop tracks that Kanye had a hand in (including one called "Death of
Autotune" which must be the definition of irony, no?), and a probably
familiar instrumental in its full-length glory to close things out.
Oh, and there is a "hidden" (read: last) track from Long Island's
finest that was brought back to my attention in the form of a
show-stopping Will Ferrell sketch in the finale of SNL. Fun summer
stuff all round.

Follow him on TWITTER. He tweets about music, film, fashion, and other hopefully-not-too-pretentious stuff. Fun, snarky, and fresh. You can follow him here
http://twitter.com/jessedir or just add me @jessedir

Nicole
http://mixable.net/fpigaymvjw/

Some new stuff here including singles from Grand Archives, Major Lazer (diplo + switch), Foreign Born, a song from a baby band called The xx, a Santigold remix from King Britt - plus a cut from Wale's mixtape that (finally!) dropped in June. (psst grab his full mixtape here: http://nahright.com/news/2009/06/19/lrg-presents-wale-9th-wonder-back-to-the-feature-mixtape)

Follow her here: twitter.com/cifanic

Mash-Ups
http://www.bootieusa.com/bestofbootie2006/index.htm
http://www.bootieusa.com/bestofbootie2007/index.htm
http://www.bootieusa.com/bestofbootie2008/index.htm

Cymbals Eat Guitars

2009-07-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

I have been sitting on this album since January and I have been holding back - and for that I appologize. Cymbals Eat Guitars are yet another band from Brooklyn....but they are following their own path. Unlike so many of the bands I tend to side with that are influenced by 60's bands - Cymbals remind me of the time I first heard Modest Mouse in the 90's.

It's raw, noisy, experimental, and then it hits - a big explosive anthemic build. The album delivers a range of peaks and valleys of energy.

My favorite songs: Share, Indiana, Wind Phoenix, Some Trees

Cotton Jones

2009-07-03T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Cotton Jones sound like a sunny Topanga Canyon day. Whistling, breezy pop tunes, and moody harmonies recorded in that beautiful chamber sound, Michael Nau and Whitney McGraw make a lovely pair. Evoking the sound of M.Ward and Mazzy Star, with a bit of country folk twang at times, the duo also perform in the band Page France together.

If only I had listened to my friend Jason 6 months ago when he told me about Cotton Jones, I could have been enjoying them for that much longer...but it's summer now - so I think right now is as good of time as any!

Listen to their Doytrotter Session here.....and check them out when they come play Spaceland September 26.

Human Highway

2009-07-03T10:18:00.000-07:00

Neil Young fans will recognize the name, as it was the title of a 1982 comedy film starring and co-directed by Neil Young under his pseudonym Bernard Shakey.

Human Highway is a collaboration of Unicorns & Islands’ Nick Thorburn and singer/songwriter Jim Guthrie. "Moody Motorcycle" was recorded in one week in Guthrie's house in Toronto. The album is filled with 60's downbeat harmonic pop tracks somewhere in the genre of Simon & Garfunkle, The French Kicks and a little bit of Peter Bjorn & John.

The album is so soothing I took my first nap in two years listening to their hypnotizing lullaby's.

Songs I love (basically the whole album): All Day, Duties of a Lighthouse Keeper, Moody Motorcycle, My Beach, The Sound, What World

Amazing Baby & Phoenix @ The Wiltern

2009-07-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

Amazing Baby is getting a strong push from their label, and a spot as the opening band for Phoenix's LA show couldn't have been a better placement for them. They then headlined the Hammer Music night with Band Of Skulls and the PR train keeps chugging away with a live performance this week on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic. Not bad for the young Brooklyn band.

Ok. Phoenix. Do they need an introduction? Well, I think they might only because when I mention Phoenix to people I tend to still get a confused look on their face like "huh"? I think, really? People still aren't clued into them? I almost look at them as a mega force already exposed....but I must still be in the minority. I mean...I started hearing about them when Sofia Coppola put them in her movie/soundtrack for "Lost In Translation". She even put them as the court band in "Marie Antoinette"....and well, Thomas Mars, the lead singer is the father of her baby.

So what's the connection other than her loving the band, (as should everyone) with their electronic, synth-pop deliciousness...Well ok so follow this - Coppola, friends with the band AIR, composed the music to her debut film "The Virgin Suicides", (and were also used in the Lost In Translation movie/soundtrack) had Phoenix as their backing back before they released their first album. See how it all connects?

Phoenix's pop energy had the crowd screaming after every song - so much so that every time Mars opened his mouth you couldn't make anything out. They were so tight that my friend looked at me and said "they sound like they are lip-synching", and not in a bad way...they just sounded SO good. They could have played all night, with so many songs not performed...but don't worry - they are coming back to play The Greek with Metric. Now if that isn't a dance party show, well I dunno.

My two favorite parts of the night? Mars taking a rest and lying down on stage while the band played a instrumental piece. Second? When the show ended Michael Jackson came on the loud speaker. No one left their space - it became a dance party. Fun times. Third? Well Phoenix, DUH.

Girls - Hellhole Race

2009-06-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

With twangy guitars and poppy rhythms, garage rockers Girls are really getting under my skin. The album was recorded in a "variety of bedrooms and rehearsal studios" around San Francisco giving it that lo-fi quality that I love. They have a 50's nostalgic sound to them of innocence but with less naivete and a lot more feedback.

Favorites: Curls, Darling, Hellhole Race, Lust For Life

Here is the video for their first single Hellhole Race.

The album doesn't come out until until September 22 on True Panther/Matador.....

Halloween Alaska

2009-06-25T21:05:00.001-07:00

Halloween, Alaska has nothing to do with either Halloween, or Alaska, nor is there a city in Alaska called Halloween. And just like their name that I can't explain, so goes their sound. While mostly melancholy their sound ranges from Guided By Voices to Sun Kil Moon and some mix of Peter Gabriel.

I like to read what others write when talking about a album and a lot of the time I get some interesting insight into the band, but this time there were the oddest comparison's to bands that I don't even want to mention because it will be too damaging and might turn you off. Just know this - the band is from Minneapolis, the songs are smart, light and best while relaxing or working away - this is not your get ready to go out and go clubbing, music.

**no new songs have been posted on playlist.com....here is a link to listen on songza:http://songza.com/~upozak

Michael Jackson : August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009

2009-06-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

Today Michael Jackson was brought into UCLA hospital, and soon after was pronounced dead at 50 years old. At work everyone came out of their offices and cubes and sort of stood there confused. How could our child hood icon, The King Of Pop die? Yeah - he was a freak, but he became a freak after I was at an age where I didn't really listen to him anymore.

Did I condone his weird behaviors? The bizarre stories of child molestation charges and his children that he named Blanket & Paris? Yeah - he became a total freak! I know! But, but, but - He's Michael Jackson! A legend. Off The Wall & Thriller are still amazing albums, and the memories he gave me with those two albums are enough to say "RIP MJ".

PS. I had that poster - it came in my ET record.

Pete Yorn At The Roxy

2009-06-24T23:44:00.001-07:00

Celebrating his newest album, which was released this week, Pete Yorn played to a packed show at The Roxy. This being his second project this year and the other one with Scarlet Johanson....Yorn's been a busy boy.

I never really listened to Yorn, but I was on a island in the ocean of fans. The crowd sang along to every song he played. These were his FANS and I really appreciated his effort to connect with the them. Before each song he told a little story about how each song came about, or what he thinks about when he plays them. Isn't that great?

Once in a while you hear a cover at a show and it's so great to hear another band taking on a new interpretation...in this case, York played New Order's, Bizarre Love Triangle. Yay - I got to sing along as well.

If you know the Roxy, you know that stage is small - and at times there were up to 10 band members on stage, which included a horn section....and don't forget cousin Goldblatt on the tambourine! He was rocking harder than anyone with that tambourine. One day cousin Goldblatt, I will rock out with my tambourine too.

Catch him in August play The Fonda.

Dinosaur Jr. , Grunge is alive and kicking

2009-06-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

Dinosaur Jr's newest album Farm was just released this week. It's the first album in 20 years with all three original members - J. Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph.

It's what you would expect from Dinosaur Jr, distorted guitars, J.'s gravely voice, and the feeling that you have been transported to your dorm room from the 90's. That's how it felt at last night's show at The Troubadour - as if time went backwards and I was in some sort of time capsule that I didn't really want to end. Sure - I had my ear plugs in, so I was a little more prepared and responsible that I was in my early 20's. At one point there were 2 adults and one (roughly) 13 year kid crowd-surfing....at THE TROUBADOUR.

I loved that they were selling their classic Dinosaur Jr. shirts at the Merch table. Ah, memories.

The two songs that have stood at to me are "I want you to know" and "Over it". Check out the band skateboarding through their video for "Over it".

Santigold/Femi Kuti

2009-06-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Ok. So is it even possible to see a bad show at The Hollywood Bowl? Seriously. I have been going to the bowl since I was a kid, and it didn't matter if I had to sit through classical music, I had the best time ever that night...and it's no different now. There is a energy that comes from the people who go - everyone is in a good mood, drinking, eating, dancing or chilling to whatever music is playing under the stars.

I happened to witness a incredible show though. While I missed Raphael Sadiq, I was able to catch Santigold, formerly Santogold, and Femi Kuti. I have seen Santigold perform before and I was a little (yawn) bored by her last time, but amazed by her dancers. This time around, she had a band with her and she brought her A game. She was connecting with the crowd, telling stories of her youth and getting the crowd to groove with her. Her boyfriend Trevor Andrew even came up and sang a song with her. I wonder what her new sound will be like now that she has been in the studio working with JayZ. Santi, we are ready for it.

By the time Femi came on, people were high and drunk and moving to the Afro beats...or leaving the venue. It was a interesting grouping that the Bowl put together and while I am not normally a World Music listener, it was a good follow up to the high people got from Santi.....riding out the energy and ending it on a high note.

Akron Family : Set 'Em Wild, Set 'Em Free

2009-06-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to formulate words to describe The Akron Family, yet another Brooklyn band. They are a cross breed of folk and experimental rock - I don't know if I would see them opening for Band of Horses or Animal Collective. The only two songs that I haven't grasped onto are Gravelly Mountains of the Moon & MBF, as I am not into noise rock - but I can guarantee that the rest of the album is soulful and inspirational. As soon as the album ends, I have to press repeat to go back through again for another experience.

*No songs have been posted to playlist.com from their new album. Sorry.

Wilco At Pomona's Fox Theatre

2009-06-21T09:53:00.001-07:00

Wilco and I had something in common last night - it was a first time for both of us going to Pomona for a show. Wilco has just begun their tour, and before their three night gig at The Wiltern, they played Pomona's revamped Fox Theatre.

The theatre's art deco style is comparable to the Wiltern in size, but The Fox has a few more pluses....executive style seating upstairs, a outdoor bar area similar to The Fonda's, and free parking. For those of us driving to LA, it makes up for the gas money we used to get over there. The trip was probably about 40 minutes, but when you think about it getting to any show in LA with street lights holding us back, it probably takes the same amount of time.

Wilco opened up the set with Wilco The Song. An hour and a half into the show, and they were still rocking - and continuing with a long encore, Wilco fans should be happy with the show. A technical hick-up with Tweedy's guitar, became one of the highlights of the night with a long guitar solo from one of the members (whose name escapes me). Happy accidents do happen.

I wonder if a happy accident will happen again, and I'll be able to see them play The Wiltern...time will tell.

Grizzly Bear

2009-06-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

The most notable thing I can mention about the Grizzly Bear show, while they were tight in their performance, is that their lighting guy seriously deserves the applause. A simple set up of the 4 members in a line playing the Wiltern Friday night - but when the lights switched colors and movement, it played up the songs rhythm and flow acting as an additional instrument to the showcase. If you have seen the online video for The Cold War Kids, I've Seen Enough - it was a similar look. Inspiration? Who knows, but I loved it and was vibing on it when the slow songs had me dozing. My favorite song off the new album is Two Weeks. Check out the video here.

Descriptions of the band that were mentioned during the show: Motown, My Bloody Valentine, Fleet Foxes, Crosby Stills & Nash,My Morning Jacket, Tears For Fears.....Now if that isn't a interesting group of band names to describe The Grizzly Bears, well...

The Subjects & The White Rabbits

2009-06-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

The Troubadour Thursday night started with a light crowd, while The Subjects opened the evening. The Brooklyn band which is unsigned (someone pick them up!), is somewhere in the world of The Deadly Syndrome and Dr. Dog. Great sound, good energy and with band member nick names like Matty Pickles, Cobra, Mr.Splif, Shanky, I see them getting some notice...I did, and I picked up a cd at the merch table.

By the time The White Rabbits came on stage, the venue got so full that I realized once again, my favorite spot is starting to be a bad spot. I was so far back that I couldn't see the band killing it. I heard it, I saw the audience liking it, but I saw very little boo-hoo. One of my favorite parts of their show is when there were multiple people playing the drums. I love that. My only complaint? The only thing they said to the audience was at the end "Thanks Los Angeles". Blah. Speak to me people....speak to me.

alife / arkitip / shepard fairey

2009-06-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

At the opening reception + release of Arkitip No.0051 with Shepard Fairey's work, the artist played DJ for the hip LA scenesters at the alife store and courtyard. For more info about the show, click here.

Datarock : I had the time of my life

2009-06-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

There aren't many bands that I can see multiple times...in a year, or ever unless they have a new album out. What's the point most of the time? My past experiences disappointed me in seeing the same set up every time. But there are two bands that anytime they come around I MUST see. MUST. And so should you. Friendly Fires are one, but Datarock, oh my. I can not put into words the love I have for these Norwegian boys in red matching custom sweat suits (that I am dying to have one) and Yoko Ono sunglasses.

The majority of the crowd was not prepared for the new songs off the just released album Red, so Datarock stuck mostly to their older songs with a few new ones sprinkled in. They could have played all night long - at least I was wishing they would.

Their songs and stage presence get the crowd to a delirious state. Stage diving through the crowd, sing-alongs, dancing the running man, and ending every show with the Dirty Dancing song "time of my life" to show their appreciation to the crowd, just works me up into a frenzy of excitement every time. It's a high. How do I get these guys to come back more often? That was time 4 for me.....I can't wait for 5,6,7,8.

Camera Obscura, without camera

2009-06-13T10:06:00.001-07:00

This might be one of my only posting without a photo. Either the venue (The Music Box/Henry Fonda), or Camera Obscura did not want photographs taken. What a dissapointment. Did it crush the night? No, but I would have liked to have a shot of the band.

What I didn't know was just how big their following was. Often compared to Belle & Sebastian, the Glasgow band now touring to promote their newest album "My Maudlin Career". Every track they put out is likable - with their 60's sweetness that makes even a grumpy person swoon and sway.

The Music Box was packed. Full. Indie kids, boys kissing boys, and even a 10 year old boy who knew every song. What a great achievement for them, but bad for someone like me who likes to move around a little bit more and not feel stuck in spot, (all the way in the back because I can't figure out how to navigate through the crowd). Wah for me. And because I was stuck so far far away from the stage, I lacked the emotional connection to the band even though they did perform a flawless set.....only to have missed a few songs I would have really loved to have heard, like "Number One Son".

Otherwise great show.

Metric : Killing It At The Wiltern

2009-06-09T07:28:00.000-07:00

I kept hearing from people - "The new Metric album is awesome", "I love Metric", "Metric is awesome live" and so on and so on...but I wasn't a big believer. I have some songs from each album, and I couldn't get into it. Partially because Metric has a female singer and I am a little put off on a lot of girl vocals. So, even after a full day of flying with a Xanax hangover, and a few cups of coffee, I went to the show to check them out.

Wow. Talk about changing my whole perspective on a band. I felt transformed into a major Metric fan. Where Their live show had so much energy and Emily Haines worked it. I have never seen anything like it, well with the exception of Madonna, who I saw last year and could not believe someone can really bop around a stage with that enthusiasm....and then I saw Emily. What a force! Her vocals are stronger live along with her band mates. Asked later in the evening how she kept it up through a show - she answered the crowd's enthusiasm keeps her going....and the crow was going NUTSO.

Their synth-pop sound was so reminiscent of Ladyhawke and the Yeah Yeah Yeah's (Haines roomed with members of The Yeah Yeah Yeah's in the 90's), which had me immediately but their songs kept me hooked. Now when I listen to their new album Fantasies I'm drawn in....Loving Stadium Love & Sick Muse.

If you have a chance to see them live....get a ticket - you won't be dissapointed!!!

Datarock : Red - Red, Red Hot

2009-06-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

The much, much much anticipated follow-up to Datarock's first album is FINALLY here. When I need some energy, a good song to dance to, to cheer me up, to push me on the treadmill, or a go to when I am lost in the shuffle of my ipod I always have Datarock...but there were only a few songs. Now, I have Red.

The Norwegian Dance-punk are back in their red Jumpsuits and Yoko Ono sunglasses.Their first single/video Give It Up can be viewed here, Resembling Michael Jackson's Beat It. The album has a few more rock songs vs. straight dance songs then I would like...but it's still gonna be on repeat for a while. Let's hope it's not another four years until the next album!

Stand-out songs:Not Me, The Pretender, Amarillon, Molly, and of course Give It Up.
Download the remix of Give It Up here and here.

So now that I have the new album, and my cynical ear still loves them, I think it's time to invest in the red Datarock suit, soon to be available for around $160 here. (I prefer the non re-mix but don't see it posted for free anywhere)

Boom Kat : Never Wonderland

2009-06-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight I went to the theatre. I went to support my cousin who is in her Senior year at USC for Stage Management and who is Stage Managing the show NeverWonderland.

Put on by a group of USC students who started the non profit group Boom Kat Dance Company three years ago, their mission at "Boom Kat Dance Company is a group of like-minded performing artists dedicated to telling stories through compelling and accessible dance-theatre. Through the intermingling of this communicative dance style and other media, the group strives to create art that both expresses and illuminates."

I knew I was going to see something in a theatre but I had no idea what I would be experiencing. I was there to be supportive, so I bought the tickets, but never thought what it was that I would see. NeverWonderland was a striking dance performance combining aspects of Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan, but told through contemporary dance. Why am I writing about this? Well not only was it a great performance but I was so impressed by the music choices that brought the show to the next level. With song selections ranging from artist like DJ Spooky, Radiohead, Tom Waits, Fleetwood Mac, Bjork, Jon Brion, among others, I was excited to see what each new dance would look like with the music.

You won't be dissapointed - and it's almost the same price as a movie ticket - $20. You still have plenty of time to catch the show, as it runs through June 14 at The Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica. Get tickets here.

John Vanderslice

2009-06-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

Before listening to John Vanderslice's new album, I Wiki'd him. I did. I read he was from Gainesville, Florida....Gainesville I thought - the same place that brought us Tom Petty who I adore. But, you won't find any swampy blues sounds in Vanderslice. Instead Vanderslice bring a different type of blues - his songs are sad in a beautiful touching way. I imagine if Wilco had made an abum with Elliot Smith, and sprinkled a little bit of Nada Surf in there it would probably sound something like his latest album Romanian Names.

The album is mostly melancholy...but has a few poppier songs like C &O Canal for when you're feeling less blue and need a harmonized song to get you going. I'm quite taken with Hard Times. I don't know if it is the state we are in, in the world - but it's quiet, and lush at the same time.

Scarlett Johansson and Pete Yorn

2009-06-01T10:08:00.001-07:00

It seems like a great formula - take a respected artist and mesh the vocals and talent with a sexy and likeable movie star. Hey, it worked for M.Ward & Zoey Deschannel....so it should be a smash with Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson.

Yorn, inspired by Serge Gainsbourg’s 1960s collaboration with Brigitte Bardot brought Scarlett in to record the album. So far I have only heard Relator....but I like it so far!The album The Break Out won't be released until September....in the meantime enjoy the track in the playlist on the site and pre-order here!

Casiokids

2009-05-31T09:18:00.000-07:00

Knowing that Casiokids are inspired by fellow Norway band Kings of Convenience, are fans of Jens Lekkman, and were Of Montreal's opening band, my crush is growing stronger with every listen. With their analogue-synth-dance-pop sound, these guys are gaining a lot of fans with their rythem based tracks.
While most bands sing in English, Casiokids choose to sing in their native tongue.
I love this instrumental track Fot In A Hose which translates to Puff In A Stocking. Go figure. Buy their music here.

The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart

2009-05-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

New York band The Pains of Being Pure At Heart is a instant win win. Mostly melancholy but with a nostalgic vibe, check out A Teenager In Love but listen on the playlist to The Tenure Itch (I couldn't pick ONE). While TPOBPAH have a 80's sound to it, they captured a sound that isn't kitsch - it feels genuine - with the garagy fuzz their songs could have easily been in a John Hughes film along with OMD and New Order....I want to toe tap like Molly Ringwald, oh, and I am.

Passion Pit At The Troubadour

2009-05-29T08:36:00.000-07:00

Last night's show at The troubadour restored my faith in music fans. For a while now, with the economy being in a state of flux, shows at The Troubadour have been full, but not sold out...and I mean packed. The VIP Lound, The Loft, has been closed most of the time since there hasn't been a need for a overflow bar. That was not the situation at the Passion Pit show.

The young Cambridge band sold the venue out, to a point where I wondered...is the fire department going to come and shut it down? I couldn't move, I couldn't squeeze my way through the crowd and I worried. I found my spot (I won't tell you where!) and my friend liked it but wondered where the nearest escape was if someone screamed FIRE. I knew how to to duck and cover. That's the greatest thing about the Troubadour - It's like a tree house. There are stairs and passages throughout the space.

The set was 45 minutes - and if I hadn't heard the bartender telling someone else the story I would have been bummed, but I get it. The label/management was protecting the band for the next two shows in and around the LA area. Tonight's show at The Echoplex, and Saturday night's show at The Glass House in Pomona. They are a young band - the lead singer is 22 and they already have such a great following!

My only regret is not getting up by the stage and dancing it out...but I needed to protect myself in case someone actually did scream FIRE.

SOAPANDSKIN

2009-05-27T10:24:00.000-07:00

How many 19 year old's out there do you know making intellectual intricate music? Seems like it's far and in between...that more 19 year old's are looking to make a big splashy pop album. Not Austrian Anja Plaschg of Soap&Skin. She instead can be lumped into a altered world of female singers like Cat Power, Bjork, and Tegan & Sara. Not your usual teen music. Haunting, languid and delicate are words I not only use to describe her voice, but the instrumentation as well. Check out Spriacle from her album Lovetune From Vacuum.

The Builders And The Butchers : Mountain Music

2009-05-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

The Builders & The Butchers are not your average band. All of their songs are written around death, or as they have said, funeral songs. Originally from Alaska, singer Ryan Sollee sounds alot like Colin Meloy from the Decemberists. It's undeniable...but their songs couldn't be more different. The Builders & Butchers songs sound like old mountain music. Old folk ballads sung in the mountains in the 1800's. Sollee was inspired by old country and blues, but I hear pure mountain blue grass....ya know - swampy, dirty music with beer flowing endlessly into frosty mugs. Can't you see it? The track Vampire Lake could even be a great replacement for the opening theme song in True Blood.

The Papertiger Sound

2009-05-26T16:05:00.000-07:00

Be still my beating heart. I have fallen in love with a swoony album of sweet shoe gaze songs from UK band The Papertiger Sound. it only took one listen too! You know how sometimes it takes a few rounds, but the whole album immediately captivated my ears. They remind me the band My Bloody Valentine, Jeremy Jay, Kevin Sheilds and Young & Sexy. It's so deliciously sweet I can just eat them up. Take the song Wrap Yourself In Light for example. Chomp chomp.

The Dears At The Echoplex

2009-05-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Why is it that Canadian music just does it for me? I mean, so do the Swedes and the Brits...but there are so many times I go - where is the band from and the answer is Canada. They already have comedy...and music too? Lucky kids.

Saturday night, (May 23) The Dears performed at The Echoplex along with Great Northern and The Eulogies. I missed the first two bands (oops...well caught some of Great Northern), because I was enjoying my dinner so much with my group at Cafe Stella. It was fitting that our waitress there would be Canadian too.

I never really thought about who the Dears sounded like, and I never really explained what they sounded like until that night when a non music friend joined us and asked what they were like. I said, like The Doves meets Radiohead. That probably didn't help him since he doesn't know who The Doves are, and probably only knows the song Creep by Radiohead. So, we get to the show and we're being silly. So much so that I didn't focus so much on the band as much as I did o the fun time I was having hanging in the back laughing so hard....but I heard so many more bands in them than I ever did before. The Swell Season, Bloc Party, Arcade Fire, and even some Seal. Yes, Seal. The singer sort of sounds like him! They were great. I thoroughly enjoyed them, even though my friends were a huge distraction, but a pleasurable distraction.

Ben Folds....Ben Folds Five

2009-05-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 20th, I was invited with some friends to go see Ben Folds. My friend a fan since his college days in North Carolina, where Ben formed the band Ben Folds Five, thought it would be fun to go relive some of those days. I never really did get into Ben Folds for no reason other than....I just had other things playing around me - but I went to the show with a open mind and wondering if I would join the Ben Folds Fanclub after.

I had really only known his song Brick and You Don't Know Me...or so I thought when I got to the show - but surprisingly I knew others. You know when you start singing along to songs and go, where in my brain was that hiding? Well, it happened to me. His song You Don't Know Me that he sings with Regina Spektor on the album, was sung with Sara Bareilles at the Palladium.

I couldn't help but hear MAJOR comparisons to Elton John (he even looks like Elton John from the 70's, minus the crazy wardrobe), and Elvis Costello. His band was a site to see. It looked like he kidnapped his high school band class and put them on stage. Nerds. I love nerds...really I do. But OMG - they really are band geeks. Hey, band geeks can be rock stars, right?

Nico Stai & Youth Group Play The Troubadour

2009-05-20T09:04:00.000-07:00

Tuesday May 19, at The Troubadour Nico Stai opened for Youth Group. Two very different sounding bands with two very different audience's.

Nico Stai whose influences must range from Bruce Springstein to Counting Crowes - were the opener for Youth Group, but somehow drew a bigger crowd than the Australian band Youth Group.

Love old Youth Group with songs like Skeleton Jar & Shadowland. Sadly - the newest album has be a bit down with the lack of hooks they shared with us in albums past. What I never realized until I saw Youth Group live though was how similar they are to fellow Aussie Ben Lee. It may have something to do with lead singer Toby Martin's style of singing. Like Ben Lee, they both sing with a noticeable accent. I like it. I like that they don't cover their accent for a generic sound. But please guys, give me a good double cap or pop hook on the next album, k?

Doves At The Wiltern

2009-05-17T10:00:00.000-07:00

Last night's show of the Dove's performance in LA was epic. A fan since their first release in 2000 "Lost Souls", I had never seen them live. Their newest album that came out in April, "Kingdom Of Rust" has yet to replace my favorite's from albums past...but I just haven't given it the time it deserves to soak in. Lucky for me and the audience who have stuck around as fans, they played a majority of their older songs, with a encore lasting 4 songs. A set time of 10:15-11:45 at The Wiltern. It was a great live show that upheld my love for them not only as great studio musicians, but amazing live musicians.

The High Strung and the Unstrung Guitar

2009-05-15T19:20:00.000-07:00

There's something about a choir of of voices that always makes people so happy - maybe that's why people like going to church, and bands like The Polyphonic Spree and I'm From Barcelona are so adored....and maybe that's why I can't help but love the track "Standing at the door of self discovery" by Detroit's The High Strung. The weird thing is that while the track seems like there are 30 people singing - there are only three members in the band. I love when a band can make so much out of a small group.

That track may have grabbed my attention but it's songs like "Anyone" and "In the middle" that have me hooked.

Recently, the band painted some little wooden guitars, which I was a happy recipient of one.

Detroit Sprinkes Is The Cure For Cancer

2009-05-14T18:52:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to make everyone aware of a great cause Detroit Sprinkeles is supporting. A really close childhood friend of theirs was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma a few years back. Today he is living healthy and cancer free but is still fighting the good fight to wipe cancer off the planet. Next month Benji Salter and his brother Robbie are biking 100 miles through Lake Tahoe with Team in Training to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. To support their cause they designed a limited edition shirt to help raise money for them and are donating half their proceeds to the cause. They are selling the tees exclusively on detroitsprinkles.com. Feel free to pass it on.

In case you didn’t know....

www.detroitsprinkles.com

And here is a link to their team in training page:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/ambbr09/rsalter

Anathallo

2009-05-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

Blending two of my favorite bands sounds (Mates of State & The New Pornographers), Anathallo's layered pieces and harmonies is quickly becoming a new addition to the favorites club. On their album "Canopy Glow", that came out last year, the Michigan band has received nothing but great reviews. I particularily love the playful nature of their song "Italo".

Boy In Static

2009-05-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in between Lightspeed Champion and Antony & The Johnsons are Boy In Static. Easier on the ear (for me), with a little bit of the quiver that Antony brings to his songs, but with the whimsical quality that Lightspeed Champion has - Alexander Chen and Kenji Ross bring a mixture of sounds to formulate a solid top to bottom album in Candy Cigarette. With plenty of handclaps and twinkly instruments I was hooked. Check out Young San Francisco.

It Just Is, The Uglysuit

2009-05-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

I have had The Uglysuit in my list of music to get, for some time. This weekend on a shopping trip to Amoeba I finally found it and I am so glad I did. You ever get a album that ust plays so nicely you forget you are listening to it? It just feels so natural to be in the background - not just ambient texture, but a whole lot of good energy filling a room.

The Oklahoma band's album, is filled with uplifting space rock. Soothing, yet happy and so refreshing. Somewhere in between The Flaming Lips, Band of Horses and Jason Schwartzman's Coconut Records...errr?? Yeah - I guess I would have to stick to that. Check out "And We Became Sunshine".

Oh My Mama, Alela Diane

2009-05-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

McCabes seems an unlikely place to see a concert, but it just might be the hidden gem that folk fans are keeping to themselves. With a history of shows that include Tom Waits, Beck, T-Bone Burnett, Joni Mitchell, M.Ward, P Harvey, Jackson Browne, etc etc and the subject of this post Alela Diane have all graced the back room with filled with folding chairs and walls filled decorated by expensive and unique guitars of all shapes and sizes.

Twenty-six year old Alela Diane has a soulful yet haunting voice that kept the audience captivated and wanting more. I haven't been that entranced by a show in a very long time. Touring with her father on guitar (many, many types of guitars and accompanied on harmony). His look and vibe resembled that of Tom Petty's - it was as if Tom Petty's daughter became a Folk artist and he went on to perform with her, and it was a quite lovely to watch.

Ending with Oh My Mama in honor of Mother's Day was a magical closing to her show.

Bell X1 - Breaking Sound Barriers

2009-05-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

I Posted a song by Bell X1 about a year ago that I fell in love with, Rocky Took A Lover from their last album Flock. On their newest album, Blue Lights On The Runway, a more upbeat song from the Irish band has grabbed my attention - "The Great Defector". It's catchy and there is something of a David Byrne quality to his voice....or I could be crazy as I am hearing influences in so many bands these days from David Byrne. Could there be a new name for this category? Like the Byrne affect?

Contribution Lab - Variety Lab

2009-05-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

A thin disc showed up on my desk with a colorful design and it sat around for a while... At first glance I thought it was a compilation cd since it mentions a label's name on the cover and it had a lot of artsts featured on the tracks.

When I read into it a bit more, I came to realize The Variety Lab is a French band who along with some friends contribution to the album, have put out their latest release Team Up With Variety Lab. I found a few gems inside. Two songs that I immediately wanted to pay on repeat "Money (that's what I want)" featuring Mona Soyoc and"Is This The Last Time" featuring Donovan.

A Night At the Roxy : Krista & Shwayze

2008-11-25T07:04:00.000-08:00

Last night I was invited to come check out J Records newest signing,Krista. A young angsty singer who is a mix of Avril Lavigne, Kid Rock, and Evanescence all combined into one small package.

Her story is told on her myspace page that her half Puerto Rican, half Italian background, raised by her old school grandmother in Brooklyn shaped her into the woman she is today.

The young Hot Topic girls that need something to release to will flock to her. She's a tough girl with a soft exterior. Bopping around stage the girl has a wild ball of energy as her struggles and stories are told through her songs.

After Krista's spunky opening, Shwayze, who is Shwayze (Aaron Smith) and Cisco Adler, drove the crowd wild.I went with the hopes of a good laugh. I mean, they are reality stars, and Cisco is son of legendary Producer Lou Adler....but mostly known to people through his affiliation with stars like Paris Hilton and Mischa Barton. What I didn't expect was how much I would actually enjoy their music.

Similar to Mickey Avalon, Shwayze has a infectious style to their rap, that it's the perfect recipe for spring break or summer anthems.

A great ending to the night of young things at The Roxy? Spotting Lou Adler, 75, (who also happens to own The Roxy) outside the Roxy leaning up against a Jetta with a few guys, in all white, a white beanie hat, and white sun glasses with his long white hair. I guess daddy has seen Cisco a few too many times - but at least he was there in support.

Stage Performance : Health & Of Montreal

2008-11-23T20:01:00.001-08:00

A noise band opening for Of Montreal...I get it I guess because of the performance quality? Well - Health, from Los Angeles have a great graphic for their merchandise, but personally, noise just ain't my 'thang.

Of Montreal on the other hand - not noisy, but more avante garde, theatrical pop.
A band who continues to evolve through the years from 60's off beat pop to abstract dance music. With each new album which follows with a tour, the band, fronted by Kevin Barnes, becomes a more grand stage performance than the last.

With a numerous costumes changes, or should I say layer of costumes that peeled off through the time of the show, Kevin ended up in his panties....

But woops - the stage performers painted him red! Then a studded jacket is back on (ala Neil Diamond), to then comeback off to reveal his lanky figure dancing around for the audience.

They are one entertaining band that must be seen.

The Muslims & The Breeders At The Wiltern

2008-11-18T09:02:00.000-08:00

Going to see The Breeders brought back the days of high school...the good moments.

Opening up for them was The Muslims, a San Diego band that formed in '06 and are already in the middle of the line-up at the Wiltern!? An enormous amount of buzz has been developing over SXSW & CMJ for this band and I saw why. While they look like they are 18, they are old enough to have at least completed 2 years of college...making them - what, 21?

Subdued on stage but obviously influenced by The Pixies and The Velvet Underground, I can see this band developing a large fan base.

Who isn't a Pixies fan? Who wasn't around in the early 90's and dissed The Breeders? Haters maybe...grunge was big and it's back. It is. Or maybe Kim and Kelly Deal are trying to bring it back. Still in their old flannels and baggier style jeans, the girls rock. There is no denying after all these years, even after all the band break ups, reunions, and rehab stints - they can really bring it.

The Breeders played a few covers. One from fellow Ohio band Guided By Voices, one from The Beetles, "cause [they're] classy" and one from another Ohio band The Tasties.

While the girls appear to be tough, their voices are so soft and sweet - like their stories. You can tell the sisters really love each other and with that comes teasing. Kim making fun of Kelly and each standing as an audience member in front of each other on stage while they had solos.

It was an entertaining show of Kim talking to the audience through songs like their new "Here No More" a throwback song in the Carter Family style about a heirloom that Kelly has from their mother.