Not only have the ranks of Silver Lake rockers Le Switch thinned, so has the viscosity of the band’s music. The band’s 2008 debut “And Now … Le Switch” roared with boozy, Dr. John-inspired rock ’n’ soul, but on the follow-up “The Rest of Me Is Space” (due Nov. 16), singer-guitarist Aaron Kyle and mates […]
On their debut EP “C25” that came out this summer, Deep Sleep Ops proved they could get inside your head, and maybe bounce around a little bit. The new project from Mike Hayungs, Jerami Mennella and Taylor Kennedy – carrying on the general aesthetic they had a couple years back in the Golden Ratio before […]
By Ben “Mouse” McShane Physical Forms – the new quintet featuring Regan Farquhar and the Mae Shi’s Jeff Byron – made their live debut Monday night at Pehrpsace, and even the most hyphenated genre names won’t do their sound justice. Power-chamber-electro-pop-arena-funk, we hardly knew ye. Farquhar (known in indie hip-hop circles as the motormouthed rapper […]
Regrets & Brunettes poured some pretty nifty indie rock into our ears with 2009’s “At Night You Love Me,” but now comes word from frontman Richard Bivens that the quartet has parted ways amicably. This week, however, they’re releasing one final single, posthumously and free. It’s a muscular, soulful number, reminiscent of Spoon, and ordinarily […]
KCRW is in the middle of its summer pledge drive, and, yes, Buzz Bands will be picking up the phone again. But we’re not sure bloggers have this kind of jack: Subscribers who donate at the “Archangel” level – that’s $1,000 or more – are eligible to request a pair of tickets to a special […]
The L.A. Times Pop & Hiss blog is all over this news, but the HARD L.A. festival scheduled for Saturday at Los Angeles State Historic Park has been canceled for security reasons. The cancellation comes about a year after another event from DJ/promoter Gary Richards, HARD Summer, was shut down after crowds at the Forum […]
[The man born Curtis James Jackson – 50 Cent – turns 35 today.] My top 3 reasons to leave Buzz Bands HQ tonight: ‣ Marina & the Diamonds (that’s Marina Diamandis’ video for “Oh No!,” above] play a sold-out show at the Troubadour behind her debut album “The Family Jewels.” ‣ Art-pop ensemble Fol Chen […]
Television’s 1977 album “Marquee Moon” is recognized as one of the greatest debut albums of all time. The quartet’s follow-up, “Adventure,” was excellent (if less rough around the edges) in its own right – and now L.A. blogging luminary Aquarium Drunkard has cast a spotlight on it with the release of “L’Aventure,” a digital compilation […]
[Cyndi Lauper blows out birthday candles today, the same day her new covers album “Memphis Blues” hits the shelves:] Top 5 reasons to get up and go tonight: ‣ The Brian Jonestown Massacre ends a long transcontinental tour at the Fonda Theatre. BJM’s new album “Who Killed Sgt. Pepper?” came out back in February. Famously […]
[Happy birthday to Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor, who hits the big five-oh today. It’s just a number, y’know …] Aqualung, the nom de tune of British singer-songwriter Matt Hales, last week released its sixth album, “Magnetic North.” It sounds a bit like Beck-as-a-piano-man in places, Chris Martin-as-Beck in others and Mark Everett-as-Chris Martin in others; […]
