More than five years passed between the first time we saw IO Echo – shout-out to the long-ago Indie 103.1 series at the Viper Room and the late photographer Andrew Youssef, who documented the night on his Amateur Chemist blog – and the release of their debut full-length “Ministry of Love” last year. The wait […]
As the son of guitarist and former Syd Vicious collaborator Steve Dior, Los Angeles artist Jez Dior played in bands in his youth, but it wasn’t until a cousin introduced him to Eminem’s “The Eminem Show” that his attention turned to hip-hop. His first mixtape was 2013’s “Scarlett Sage,” released on his 21st birthday and […]
L.A. quintet Milo Greene are teasing their sophomore album “Control” by unveiling one song per month leading up to the Jan. 27 release, as if to gradually introduce the notion that their folk days are behind them. Their explorations in indie-pop find a sweeter spot – at least, sweeter than the first sampling – with “Lie […]
Singer-guitarist James Poulos and drummer Mark Reback constitute one-half of the glam-punk-indie-rock quartet Black Hi-Lighter, who have released two full-length albums since the spring of 2013. In an audacious display of prolificacy, Poulos and Reback have detoured to form Brooklyn Pets, the latest L.A. band to be named for a New York City borough. Brooklyn […]
As noted in last weekend’s review of the Regent Theater’s opening, it’s never just about the disco with disco-pop band YACHT. For instance: As an ancillary statement to their new EP “Where Does This Disco?,” Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans created a limited-edition CD that was a commentary on the obsolescence of CDs – even […]
The dynamic duo of El-P and Killer Mike continued their world tour as Run the Jewels on Thursday night at the Echoplex, plowing through the bulk of their two albums, including the recent “Run the Jewels 2,” and keeping the basement venue bouncing the whole time. ||| Photos by Carl Pocket, courtesy of the Echo […]
In February, the L.A. quartet known as Wise Cub released an EP of elegant, heartfelt folk-pop titled “Gallows,” conspicuous for the youthful vocals of singer-guitarist Scott Goldbaum, its boy/girl harmonies and the string flourishes provided by Molly Rogers. The quartet, which includes Nick Chamian on bass and Mike Musselman on drums, has reloaded under the […]
The debut EP from L.A. trio Midnight Cities rewinds to gravitas-laden days of post-punk, dark new wave and alt-rock, roaring toward catharsis with pummeling rhythms and atmospheric guitars. The band is fronted by singer-guitarist-keyboardist (and photographer-videographer) Simon Cardoza, joined by bassist Martin Avelar and drummer Nick Roumeliotis. “Ignite” was co-produced by Simon and Sean Tallman; […]
Los Angeles-based duo Phantoms is composed of Kyle Kaplan and Vinnie Pergola, both of whom come from musical backgrounds. Kaplan’s uncle toured with Michael Jackson and played keys, stirring Kyle’s interest in bass, while Pergola’s father was a rhythm guitarist who helped encourage Vinnie’s interest in drumming. Inspired by artists such as Daniel Avery, Justice, […]
The last time L.A. indie-rockers Busy Living unveiled the song “Lie Better,” the first to emerge from the band’s recording sessions with Jim Eno of Spoon. Two weeks ago the band – singer-guitarist Mike Moonves, bassist Tim Hutton and keyboardist Matt Leddy – issued a newer new single, “LYD.” Also produced by Eno, it’s a pretty […]
