It’s weird the kinship you can feel by having long-distance musical “relationships” with people as their careers progress and meander. I feel that way about Midwesterners Headlights, whose third album “Wildlife” was just released on Polyvinyl. Headlights principal songwriters Tristan Wraight and Erin Fein were in Absinthe Blind, who put out two albums (“The Everyday […]
[Hey, it’s Sam Sparro’s birthday on Saturday; shouldn’t there be a dance party somewhere? Here’s how the weekend shapes up …] Today: Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas starts his monthlong Friday night residency at downtown’s Palace Theatre to showcase the music from his solo debut “Phrazes for the Young.” The synth-heavy material, with its big pop […]
By Viktor Phoenix Comparisons to Nine Inch Nails are probably going to plague I Will Never Be the Same for a while, but let’s get real here: It’s not such an odd proposition that in 2009, 20 years after the release of “Pretty Hate Machine,” a talented and passionate songwriter such as Josh Atchley can […]
[How did I never notice that Ryan Adams and Bryan Adams share the same birthday? Ryan turns the big three-five today, and Bryan the even bigger five-oh … meaning he was 9 in the “Summer of ’69.” Celebrate by hitting a show …] The Pixies aren’t the only iconic band from the 1980s making the […]
[As a public service, and in the interest of knowing your Lissys from your Lissies:] Lissie Maurus, who performs as Lissie, makes the kind of big-hearted Americana that springs from the loam of this country’s midsection – in her case, Rock Island, Ill. Her debut EP, “Why You Runnin’” is out next week on Fat […]
[Birthday cheers go out to Cedric Bixler-Zavala today as we take a look at a busy midweek show lineup …] The album-as-concert concept gets realized at two L.A. venues tonight – the Pixies start a three-night run at the Palladium with their 20-year-old masterwork “Doolittle” on the menu (L.A. duo No Age opens), and Frank […]
[Let’s see now, which direction is Universal City? …] Silversun Pickups have been piling on the miles since they released their sophomore album “Swoon” – the L.A. quartet has played 33 shows since the middle of September. They’re back on their home turf for today’s inaugural LA 101 event at the Gibson Amphitheatre, headlining a […]
Six months after a growth spurt that saw the band play a residency at the Echo, Long Beach wunderkinds Avi Buffalo return to the venue this week for a show that celebrates the quartet’s first proper release, the 7-inch of “What’s In It For” b/w “Jessica.” It’s their first effort for Sub Pop Records – […]
[It’s a new month and a new week, and I’d like to take a moment to wish Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla a happy birthday before previewing Monday’s slate of residencies and other fine fare …] The Happy Hollows kick off their Spaceland stint tonight, and if you haven’t fallen under their undeniable debut […]
[People apparently will be dressing up this weekend. I will not be one of them. Party safely. Here’s a very abbreviated list of my favorite shows this weekend. For a much more comprehensive list, check out LAist’s Week in Rock.] Today: Amy Millan has followed up 2006’s “Honey From the Tombs” with September’s new release […]
