[Cheers to Amusement Parks on Fire’s Michael Feerick on his birthday.] Top 3 places I’d considering going were I not going to thoroughly enjoy Admiral Radley and the Happy Hollows at the free Also I Like to Rock show at the Hammer Museum (consider that an invitation to join me; we can karaoke the mock-Schwarzenegger […]
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: The Futureheads should be huge. In the interests of making incremental progress, I share Steve Smith’s cool video for “I Can Do That.” || Live: I’m still waiting.
The coolest video from an L.A. band this year? Probably … aw, hell what am I talking about? It is. Jonathon Narducci’s treatment of the almost seizure-inducing track from We Are the World, “Fight Song,” was likened to “Lovecraft-inspired Kabuki” when Stereogum debuted it, and that’s pretty apt. We Are the World has been breaking […]
One of indie-rock’s finest husband-and-wife teams, Mates of State, are stretching out a bit for the summer. Their recently released digital collection, “Crushes (The Covers Mixtape),” is a surprising tour de pop that features the Kansas-bred duo of Jason Hammel and Kori Gardener taking on songs by Daniel Johnston (“True Love Will Find You in […]
[Have a sane Fourth of July weekend, folks. Really. And if you go the Hollywood Bowl for any of those Vince Gill/fireworks shows, please mosh safely.] My favorite 5 reasons to mix some music with your pyrotechnics: ‣ Baths, the musical manifestation of L.A. wunderkind Will Wiesenfeld, celebrate the release of their Anticon debut “Cerulean” […]
[Happy July. Are we really halfway through the year already? Is it really Missy Elliott’s birthday? Should I really get on with this post?] Top 5 way to celebrate Canada Day, some of which may actually involve Canadians: ‣ I’ve told you all about Also I Like to Rock, right? Hammer Museum, 7 p.m. Free, […]
[Happy birthday, Patrick Wolf.] Top 3 ways to send June packing: ‣ Damien Jurado plays Spaceland behind his excellent new release “Saint Bartlett,” and he’ll be backed by an orchestra composed of members of the Seattle band Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground. That’s Jurado’s video for “Arkansas,” above. [Download the track here.] ‣ With […]
[Birthday greetings to Phantom Planet bassist Sam Farrar. Meanwhile …] Top 5 reasons to brave the environs tonight: ‣ Portland sextet Blitzen Trapper hits the El Rey Theatre behind the release of its fifth album “Detroyer of the Void.” ‣ Australian sensations-in-the-making Tame Impala play two sold-out shows at the Silverlake Lounge the night after […]
“There are more wishes than stars,” Harper Simon sings plaintively in the new single off last fall’s self-titled debut album. No kidding. Simon’s lovely slice of pop-Americana – which was co-written by novelist Ben Okri – gets an equally gorgeous video treatment from actor/director Joshua Leonard, who gets cameos from the likes of Money Mark, […]
[It’ll be blog lite here on Buzz Bands today as I am on assignment at a festival. I’ll have some goodies on the weekend. Meanwhile, enjoy Interpol:] Interpol returns to indie label Matador for its fourth album (self-titled), which is due Sept. 14. It’s been three years since “Our Love to Admire,” and “Lights,” the […]
