Now into their second decade, L.A. quartet The 88 has pretty much done it all: The foursome of Keith Slettedahl, Adam Merrin, Anthony Zimmitti and Todd O’Keefe have been next-big-things (ah, that Spaceland residency) and major-label shoulda-beens;Â they’ve released five full-lengths; they’ve scored movies; they’ve been serial contributors to films, TV shows, video games and […]
“I’ve been starting over for a long time / I’m not ready for the second wave / The weight of seeing through,” sings Mikal Cronin on the MCII’s opening track “Weight.” However, Cronin’s delivery is chipper on this track and, for that matter, most of the rest of follow-up to his self-titled debut. Cronin’s first […]
Next-gen indie-pop fans, meet the old school: The Ocean Blue’s atmospheric music came on the radar more than two decades ago, their early albums drawing comparisons to the Smiths, Cocteau Twins, New Order and Aztec Camera. Now the Pennsylvania-bred quartet of David Schelzel, Bobby Mittan, Oed Ronne and Peter Anderson has released its first-full-length in […]
L.A. quartet the Shakers covered a lot of well-trodden ground on their debut full-length “Oh So Loud,” which boasted heavy-metal riffage straight out of the Sunset Strip’s past, thunderous rhythms and a singer, Jodie Schell, intent on making it sound urgent and fresh. Schell and bandmates Chris Lee, Kyle Kozlowski and Nick Woods have been […]
New York City-born, UCLA-educated singer Gabrielle Wortman launched her career as rock frontwoman before segueing to the electronic project Tempest (aka TEMP3ST). However, upon meeting fellow New Yorker Jason Rosen – the ex-keyboardist and guitarist for the pop-rockers Honor Society – things took a turn. And from the sound of their new side project Smoke […]
Sonny & the Sunsets‘ forthcoming record “Antenna to the Afterworld” Â bounces back and forth between twee boy-girl verses reminiscent of Saturday Looks Good to Me and chugging rock chords echoing the Feelies, making it the most charming record yet from Sonny Smith and his San Francisco-based posse. Much of this charisma comes from the innocent […]
Everybody who heard the soulful first volleys from Jillian Banks – doing business simply as Banks – figured there’d be more good things to come from the L.A.-based songstress. Indeed, Banks’ second single, “Warm Water,” arrived this week with a tingle, and with production courtesy of U.K producer Orlando Higginbottom, aka Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. […]
Based out of Los Angeles, the quartet WALLA formed amid turbulent circumstances, yet soon recognized a chemistry during the early stages of their collaborative process. Due June 4, the band’s EP “Nature” is the result of the disparate tastes of members Ian Charlie, Alessio Balsemin, Mauricio Carcamo, Jonathan Hoonch Kim and Gabriel Nava Rodrigues – […]
Run River North, the San Fernando Valley-bred ensemble who last fall enjoyed a “Candid Camera” moment and ended up performing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” has signed to Nettwerk Records. Formerly known as Monsters Calling Home, the folk sextet of singer-guitarist Alex Hwang along with Daniel Chae, Jennifer Rim, Joe Chun, John Chong and Sally Kang […]
The Orwells’ campaign to save rock ’n’ roll – well, that’s what it seems like every time they step onstage – has a new backer. The young suburban Chicago quintet of Mario Cuomo, Grant Brinner, Henry Brinner, Dominick Corso and Matt O’Keefe worked with TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek on the title track of […]
