Kevin Bronson on February 28th, 2010

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Castledoor frontman Nate Cole says the remaining members of the L.A. pop band need to time to figure out what’s next in the wake of the departure of Gabe and Coury Combs. “We’re working out the next steps and considering the options,” he says. At the band’s final show as a six-piece Monday at Spaceland, Cole and crew weren’t overly emotional – it was merely typically big, earnest Castledoor pop. And in a way, it won’t be the last fans hear of Castledoor in that incarnation: The group is finishing mixes on a new five-song digital EP, “Flashlight,” that features contributions from the whole band.

Stream this: Eager to hear that new Gorillazs’ album, “Plastic Beach?” It’s going to be streaming on NPR on Monday. The video for the song “Stylo” (which features Mos Def and Bobby Womack) will premiere on YouTube on Tuesday.

Benefits: Charity events big and small this month – 826LA will be the beneficiary of the all-ages Chickens in Love Mini-Music Festival beginning at noon Saturday at the Echoplex. The Submarines, the Pity Party, Summer Darling and others will perform to celebrates the release of “Chickens in Love,” an album of songs written by 826LA students and recorded by the likes of Fiona Apple, Cold War Kids, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros and She & Him. … ’60s icon Donovan and his singer-songwriter daughter Astrella Celeste will be joined by an all-star cast for a benefit for the David Lynch Foundation on March 19 at the El Rey Theatre. … And Thee Invention and Electric Children will be among the groups at “Band With Haiti,” a benefit for Partners in Health’s relief efforts, on March 27 at the Tribal Cafe in Echo Park.

Oh, Annie: Interesting piece via the L.A. Times about the enigmatic Annie Hardy [pictured at Coachella in 2006] and her struggles to make Giant Drag music.

Only Natural: Deer Tick, which is coming to L.A. this week to play First Fridays at the Natural History Museum, just announced that its third album, “The Black Dirt Sessions,” will be out in June. Ex-Titus Andronicus guitarist Ian O’Neil has joined the Deer Tick lineup. Friday’s festivities include an opening set by Everest – expect to hear some material from the L.A. quintet’s sophomore album, “On Approach” (due April 20).

Back together: Andrew McMahon has done pretty well as Jack’s Mannequin, but I know some kids that will be pretty excited to see his original band Something Corporate reunited at the Bamboozle Left festival at Angel Stadium. “Leaving Through the Window” and “North” (2002 and ’03) still sound pretty fresh, especially compared to what’s out there now in the teen-oriented rock world.

Castledoor photos by Jeff Koga