During the last year, Vinnie Ferra has been keeping busy by touring across the nation in support of his 2010 debut “Man Vs. Machine.” But after traversing the East Coast and opening for Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – and collecting some attention for the song “Bad for Business,” which appeared in MTV’s “The […]
Florida-bred, Tucson-based songstress Tracy Shedd has been crafting her sometimes-fuzzy, always-piquant indie-pop for over a decade, releasing four albums (three on Teen Beat Records) and, in 2010, the “EP88” that saw her switch from the guitar to the piano as her weapon of choice. Shedd doesn’t get out much, though – her current U.S. tour […]
On her forthcoming fifth album, Sara Radle thinks big. Whereas 2010’s “Four” was notable for the kind of lush strings and orchestral sweep we heard in “Song For Adam,” Radle’s new “Same Sun Shines” (due out Feb. 21) introduces itself with the sharp power-pop number “The Pins.” The song features the declaration “I’ll do this […]
With each passing season, the music of psych-rock quintet Seasons gets more transcendent. That they’re scarcely a blip on anyone’s radar outside the insular Los Angeles Eastside scene is a curiosity, if not a downright crime – their beautifully arranged, cinematic rock and its arching sense of yearning seem part of the fabric of the times. […]
Synth-pop crooner Evan Voytas has been honing his falsetto- and reverb-laden electro-pop ever since he landed in Los Angeles four years ago, but with each release, R&B and soul elements have grown luxuriously richer. So it’s no surprise his forthcoming “Feel Me” EP (out Jan. 24 via Dovecote Records) turns out to be his most […]
New York-bred, L.A.-based songstress Tiff Randol makes sticky sweet pop songs with a chewy wryness and a thin frosting of soul. Randol’s myriad song placements in film, television and commercials testify to her ability to tap into the universal both melodically and thematically, but her new mini-album, “Strangely Familiar,” was cast in a different light […]
It’s easy to get a kick out of simple but clever wordplay, and most can probably agree that unexpected juxtaposition in music produces the same kind of amusement. Melancholic lyrics and upbeat electronica have become a popular mix-’n’-match, and considering the success of mega pop stars like Robyn or even local acts such as Kisses, […]
The few new songs L.A. heard from We Barbarians when they swung through town in September were impressive, but the indie-rock trio, which moved from Long Beach to NYC earlier this year, aren’t done promoting 2011’s “Headspace” EP yet. In Arms Race’s cool video for the anthemic “Chambray,” We Barbs take a licking from the […]
L.A. experimental pop outfit Fol Chen isn’t just developing new music, it’s developing a new music-making machine. The band fronted by Samuel Bing (aka Adam Goldman) has unveiled a device called the Tetrafol, a pyramid-shaped toy that emits electronic music (composed by Fol Chen) based on its physical orientation and movement. Strange, but true – […]
By Drew Fortune Jonathan Wilson may be the coolest guy in L.A., which would place him pretty high in the running for coolest worldwide. From his press photos, he’s usually clad in a denim work shirt, with shades, long hair and beard obscuring his disarmingly handsome face. Yet, none of it feels like an affectation, […]
