Wednesday’s wonders: ‣ The 88 celebrate the release of their new album “Fortune Teller” with a headlining show at the Troubadour. We think very highly of this record. We also love magician Rob Zabrecky in the video for “I Saw the Light That Day,” above. Gliss and Aaron Embry open tonight’s show. ‣ Radar Bros. […]
Incoming: Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Bjork, the 88, Radar Bros., Parson Red Heads, Snowden, Caifanes, Tijuana No, Beth Orton, Fall Out Boy, Cyndi Lauper, Alkaline Trio, Emily Wells, Brent Amaker & the Rodeo, Barry Manilow, the Dandy Warhols, CSS, Cold Cave, Ozma, Nightmare & the Cat, Robert DeLong, Robert Earl Keen, the Bats, Peter […]
You’ve been on those long drives where it feels as if the car is actually being propelled by the stereo and not an internal combustion engine, right? So it is with the seen-better-days Honda in director Steve Hanft’s video for the Radar Brothers’ “If We Were Banished.” Inspired or inhabited by the song, the […]
February goes out like a lion on this Thursday: ‣ Australian electronic dance-rockers Gold Fields [pictured] – impressive last fall when they visited for Culture Collide and with their new album “Black Sun” out this week – headline the Troubadour, supported by A Silent Film and Royal Teeth. ‣ The albums of Matt Pond – […]
Jim Putnam is no stranger to loud, dynamic music – he was once in popgazers Medicine, who were known to turn things up to 11, after all – but his music as Radar Brothers has been known for its nuance and narrative. The Silver Lake veteran stretches out on “Eight” (due Jan. 29 from Merge, […]
There’s no propriety in writing a serious review of a show that turned into my birthday celebration. Besides, after two decades and still at the top of their game, Scottish rockers Teenage Fanclub would almost have to try mount a show I considered lousy. On Monday at the El Rey, the Scotsmen played loud and […]
Top 1 show for a special occasion if were in charge of the special occasion: ‣ Teenage Fanclub and this blogger go way back. Not quite to when I was teenage, but I got “Bandwagonesque” early and never hopped off. Tonight, the Scottish quintet visits the El Rey Theatre behind their new album “Shadows,” supported […]
Happy to report the folks at Merge Records seem to have been struck by same spring fever that’s raised the temperature at Buzz Bands HQ. The label’s new digital sampler offers freebies from 14 bands, Spoon, the Clean, She & Him, Superchunk, the Clientele and L.A.’s own Radar Bros., among others. It’s available through Amazon.com, […]
[Happy birthday to Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor, who hits the big five-oh today. It’s just a number, y’know …] Aqualung, the nom de tune of British singer-songwriter Matt Hales, last week released its sixth album, “Magnetic North.” It sounds a bit like Beck-as-a-piano-man in places, Chris Martin-as-Beck in others and Mark Everett-as-Chris Martin in others; […]
Radar Bros., “The Illustrated Garden” (Merge) – “I want you, I need you / Right now, my life’s on a cereal box,” Jim Putnam sings on “Quarry,” and you’re not sure whether he’s entranced in a moment of morning reverie or fretting over his bio. It’s probably not the latter – Putnam has been making […]
