Eleven L.A. artists cover Paul (and Linda) McCartney on the new charity compilation “RAM on L.A.,” being released digitally on Monday through local blog Aquarium Drunkard’s Autumn Tone Records. Justin Gage, the man behind the blog and the label, explains that as he hatched the idea for a compilation of local bands last year, he […]
By Monica Alvarez Dennis Lluy must feel as if he has gone home again. The man behind Koo’s Arts Cafe in Santa Ana (1994-2002), who spent the past five years struggling to make a go of his non-profit in Long Beach, has come back to the Orange County seat. With his Koo’s Inc. in control […]
[So flipping radio stations on the way home last night I heard Van Halen’s “Jump” for the trillionth time and thought, ‘How old is that song, anyway?’ Turns out that 25 years ago this week, it was No. 1.] I wanted to find out which of the estimable performers at tonight’s “A Tribute to Scott […]
NPR nails it again – they have an exclusive stream of Neko Case’s sixth album, “Middle Cyclone,” due out March 3. I heard some of the music at a recent noon-hour showcase in Hollywood, and Case has never been in finer form. It’s as if when she opens her mouth your conscience assumes physical shape. […]
[I’m going to ratchet up the frequency of Ears Wide Open, my series of quick-hits on the new L.A. music that reaches my ears – and laptop. Here goes:] Ventura three-piece the Spires have been spreading their Anglophile wings in SoCal for a about five years, their” sweet indie-pop recalling the days of C86 and […]
Unless you’re British, or an American of a certain age, chances are you don’t know Scott Walker. Oh, you may have heard the voice – the soaring, tremulous baritone behind the ’60s hit “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” and some other gems from that era. To most, Walker’s name, if it was recalled at […]
[Happy birthday to Abe Vigoda – not the band, silly, the actor. Abe’s 88 today, and we love him as much as Conan O’Brien does.] The pride of Issaquah, Wash., Modest Mouse [pictured], hits town tonight for a show at the Palladium that, as of early this morning, was not sold out. Mimicking Birds (signed […]
Here’s a comforting midday treat: the new video for Obi Best’s “Green and White Stripes.” The dreamy song, from the L.A. artist’s album “Capades,” gets a matching treatment by director Max Goldblatt. Obi Best is currently touring the country; next L.A. sighting is a March 13 appearance on KXLU-FM.
It was bad enough that Nico Vega had to postpone its hometown album-release show at the 11th hour on Feb. 5 – the aftermath caused some heartache too. “You get pictures from people, ‘This is me, standing outside the Roxy after driving two hours in the rain,’” singer Aja Volkman says. “Honestly, it was hard […]
Cincinnati two-piece Bad Veins, who spent much of last year recording their album (some of it in L.A.) and played some impressive dates around town (including a September gig at the Viper Room), are signing to Dangerbird Records. The L.A.-based indie, home to Silversun Pickups, the Dears, Sea Wolf and Darker My Love, will probably […]
