Highlands like things big and mysterious, dark like the Black Angels, strange like A Place to Bury Strangers. The Long Beach quartet of Scott Holmes, Chris Figlewicz, Beau Balek and Travis Cheney, bonding over a mutual of love My Bloody Valentine (of course), pile on layers of guitar, distortion and reverb in the best shoegazer […]
Your shows for Wednesday: ‣ Singer, songwriter, provacateur and online sensation Amanda Palmer, her new album “Theater Is Evil” due Sept. 11, swings through L.A. for two events this week. Tonight, Amanda Palmer & the Grand Theft Orchestra play to a sold-out Roxy Theatre, and on Thursday she’ll appear at the Pop Tart Gallery, where […]
Oh, those thorny power chords from the 1990s. They roar on in the music of L.A.’s Diamonds Under Fire, the collaboration between singer-guitarist Vanessa Silberman and drummer Jessica Goodwin. Diamonds Under Fire surfaced with a full-length album last year that recalled myriad favorites from that decade, in all its angst-y glory, and their post-grunge pop, […]
Monday’s fun: ‣ American Royalty’s residency at the Echo has been going great guns, and tonight the L.A. trio is joined by late addition Sahy Uhns, as well as Ahh G and zAK-MATIC. That’s American Royalty’s video for “Blood Keys,” above. ‣ Terraplane Sun continues its residency at the Satellite, with support from the Mowgli’s, […]
Any fan of legendary 1970s psychedelic cartoon “The Point” will appreciate AM‘s first offering from his forthcoming album. The L.A. singer-songwriter adds his own brushstrokes to the Harry Nilsson classic, “Me and My Arrow,” with his signature beat-driven folk – and speeds it up just a tad for a modern flourish. AM’s soaring falsetto is […]
Frequent Echo Park visitors may recognize the settings for the new Rainbow Jackson music video. In the Justin Bell-shot clip for “Rings” off of the band’s recently released “Rippin’ Off the Rails” EP, you get a glimpse into its real-life abode as well as the neighborhood record store Origami Vinyl. The only thing is, most […]
The Blank Tapes describe their sound as “beach party,” and who are we to throw sand in their faces when the San Francisco quartet led by Matt Adams are providing sunny tunes such as their new 7-inch single “I’m Back” (out now on 20 Sided Records). Currently fleshing out the live band with Pearl Charles, […]
Too much of a good thing on this Friday the 13th: ‣ Aesop Rock headlines the El Rey Theatre behind his new album “Skelethon” (that’s the video for “Zero Dark Thirty,” above), with Rob Sonic and DJ Big Wiz supporting. ‣ L.A.’s Sea Wolf, San Francisco’s Geographer and all manner of games and fun are […]
Having Neil Young take a shine to your band from the get-go must be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s Neil Young and holy crap he wants us to open for him. On the other (and I only intuit this), you’re writing your second or third or fourth album and you’re thinking WWND (What […]
