On its first batch of recordings, L.A. quartet Plus aims to capture the moxie, danger and fun of a lot of post-New Wave artists, in the way a lot of third-wavers like Passion Pit have done. The results are little predictable, but the synth-wielding foursome of Dave Farina, Cameron Gharaee, Paul Hiller and David Powell […]
The new single from Bleached picks up right where the L.A. rockers’ first three left off – “Next Stop” rides propulsive guitars and the piquant girl-group vocals of sisters Jennifer and Jessie Clavin straight outta the garage and into your sweet spot. The peppy/prickly demeanor of their singles recalls the Dum Dum Girls, who started […]
From the moment we heard “Refugees,” it was apparent the New Limb was going to go a different route with their new material. Although 2010’s “Sounds People Can Hear” EP offered beguiling boy-girl harmonies and buoyant indie-pop melodies, their forthcoming album has come a long way from “Birds and Stuff.” Their “Inconsistencies” mixtape also showcased […]
Songwriter Jack Burnside has been laying relatively low since the popgazing quartet Mezzanine Owls went away, but now his creative juices are flowing again and Western Lows are his new outlet. The trio, which includes Michael Orendy on bass and Julien Bellin on drums, metes out hazy-but-not-lazy sonics commingled with Burnside’s contemplative lyrics. As with […]
The Deadly Syndrome has passed away, and far too soon. The L.A. indie-rock quartet, who exploded onto the scene around 2007 with jagged but beautiful guitar songs, a fascination with ghosts and a famously chaotic stage show, announced today they were calling it quits. “If everyone on the planet could feel, just for a moment, […]
You’ve seen those movies where some actor is lost and dehydrated in the desert only to hallucinate some outrageous scenario. “Vicious Cycle” by Blackfeet Braves sets a similar mood. With Tony Malcara’s raspy vocals, and additional ’60s-influenced psychedelic chops from Julian Ducatenzeiler, Shane Stotsenberg, Tomas Dolas and Cameron Gartung, the L.A. quintet has you go […]
When she fronted the dance-happy L.A. outfit Love Grenades, Liz Wight embraced the more obvious influences of ’80s New (and newer) Wave. Her new collaboration with San Franciscan Drew Marcogliese (Afghan Raiders), Silver Hands, is electro made for 2013, with Wight’s beguiling vocals wrapped around and echoing through her producer’s peripatetic beats and woozy textures. […]
There’s perhaps a tinge of irony in the title of the first single from Hunter Hunted. The duo of Dan Chang and Michael Garner sprang from the ashes of Lady Danville, the UCLA-bred trio that included percussionist Matt Frankel, who departed the band last fall. Never mind the facepaint in the new band photo, though […]
Is it still fashionable to refer to guitars as “crunchy?” Is it still fashionable to make crunchy power-pop? Thorcraft Cobra is doing it, and anybody who rekindled a romance with guitar-driven pop by latching on to Redd Kross’ 2012 album would do well to check out the L.A. duo’s full-length debut “Count It In” (out […]
Sky Ferreira’s face has been seen in plenty of movies and perfume ads. Those are the kind of gigs you get when you’re a model. However, fans will have to wait a little longer to hear her debut album “I’m Not Alright” (originally titled “Wild At Heart”). Much of this had to do with Ferreira’s […]
