You probably have to be of a – ahem – certain age to remember Miracle Legion, the Connecticut college-rock band (1984-97), whose quavering jangle-pop got a lot of comparisons to R.E.M., or Polaris, the band also fronted by singer Mark Mulcahy that did the music for the ’90s Nickelodeon program “The Adventures of Pete & […]
[Happy birthday, Joan Jett …] People still ask me what the deal is with Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and whether I believe Alex Ebert’s transformation from dance-rocker to hippie guru. Here’s the story I wrote for the L.A. Times in May [I snapped the photo during the Times shoot] in which Ebert talked […]
The 2009 Lobster Festival at the Port of Los Angeles offered a weekend of fun and frolic in a county-fair atmosphere, with a handful of L.A. indie-rock bands making the trek to San Pedro to partake (as did the Happy Hollows’ Sarah Negahdari, top photo) and play (with Gram Rabbit, above, turning in a particularly […]
[French Invade U.S. No, it’s really happening. The three-night OohLaLA Festival starts Wednesday at the Fonda, and to mark the musical feast, here’s a couple of hors d’oeuvres from Buzz Bands favorites:] [Update: It was just announced that Emilie Simon has canceled her appearance because of “major personal reasons.” Soko will replace her in the […]
Seven months after releasing its most recent album “Run With the Faithless,” Lemon Sun resurfaces with a new track, the first that singer-guitarist Rob Kolar has made with the quintet’s new lineup. Kolar, who says the song is inspired by Graham Hancock’s “Supernatural,” steers the band in a more psychedelic direction here, his eyes to […]
[Hearty 75th birthday wishes go out today to Leonard Cohen. Here’s how to start off your week:] If you are a Weezer fan, you should follow the Roxy Theatre on Twitter today. I’m just sayin’ [Update: Show is at 2 p.m.] … Rival Sons are an quartet of veteran L.A. guys – singer Jay Buchanan, […]
[Here’s Chapter 4 of the journal Jonneine Zapata is sharing while on tour with Soulsavers:] Sept. 16 After a $1.99 scrambled egg taco breakfast, and a $30 oil change (not a bad deal for a 15-passenger van), we say sayonara to Austin and head to the House of Blues Dallas). Load in, grab some catered […]
Hard to believe that the guys in Hollywood punk quartet Orange are barely old enough to drink. Even harder get your mind around the notion that the foursome is already three albums into its career. Orange’s newest, “Phoenix” (out this week on Hellcat Records), is vintage West Coast pop-punk, and if you like that sort […]
Chris Garneau’s quirky pop music seems to float through midair, his tinkling piano and gentle strings carrying a voice so featherweight at at times it seems like the Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter doesn’t want to wake his neighbors up. His sophomore album, “El Radio” (just out on Absolutely Kosher), was recorded in the sticks in New Hampshire […]
In two short years, Everest has gone from nice-local-guys-making-warm-and-fuzzy-Americana to full-fledged touring rockers, who, through their affiliation with Neil Young’s Vapor Records, gained slots opening for the likes of Young, Wilco and My Morning Jacket and played festivals such as Bonnaroo and Bumbershoot. It’s been a period of revelation and growth for frontman Russell Pollard […]
