News bits: Autolux, Castledoor, Flying Tourbillons

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Could the long wait finally be over? I hear that L.A. art-rock trio Autolux is close to signing a deal and that the album “Transit Transit” will be released this summer. It would be the first album from Eugene Goreshter, Carla Azar and Greg Edwards since “Future Perfect” in 2004.

castledoor-sept09Castledoor plays its final show with its current lineup tonight at Spaceland. Frontman Nate Cole announced Sunday via the band’s blog that longtime bandmates Gabe and Coury Combs would be departing the band, which recently finished recording a new EP, “Flashlight.”

Acknowledging the “slow progression of our band as a career,” Cole said that the remaining four members of the band – including his wife Lisa, Joel Plotnick and Brandon Schwartzel – would continue to make music together, but that “the Castledoor chapter as we know it is coming to a close. … I always thought we would be the band that would survive anything. Most of us were actually feeling optimistic about things lately. … Regardless of the frustrations we had we always valued the fundamental joy of playing music with each other.”

Walking Sleep is the new moniker for the band formerly known as the Flying Tourbillon Orchestra. The L.A. indie-pop sextet has a batch of new recordings in the works; the three new songs that appeared on their MySpace page last week are anything but sleepy. The name? The band – which will call its album “Measures” and has the April residency at the Echo– apparently tired of having to explain it to everybody except watch enthusiasts. They had some fun with the announcement, though.

Dangerbird Records’ empire continues to grow. The L.A. label recently announced the signings of Seattle indie-rockers Minus the Bear (new album “Omni” is coming May 4) and Codeine Velvet Club, the new project featuring the Fratellis’ Jon Lawler and singer-songwriter Lou Hickey (self-titled debut out April 6). There also are rumors an ex-major label act might find a home on the Silver Lake-based imprint. Stay tuned.

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