[File under People Who Impressed Us at SXSW, the Follow-Up:] What we saw at SXSW. Peace, the foursome of Harrison and Sam Koisser, Douglas Castle and Dominic Boyce, recall a whole slew of British guitar bands without leaning on any one influence too heavily. NME reacted predictably, giving them a “Best New Band” nod, and […]
“1996,” the first single from the new L.A. duo Haunted Summer, floats past like four minutes of French cinema, pensive and preoccupied (possibly by its own beauty) and completely lost in the moment. It’s the lulling and lovely first step for the girl/boy duo of Bridgette Moody (ex-Torches) and John Seasons (ex-Seasons), who have moved […]
Thursday, oh so eclectic: ‣Â Billy Bragg visits the El Rey Theatre behind his new album “Tooth & Nail.” Kim Churchill supports. ‣Â Jamie Lidell brings the funk-soul-electro fun of his new self-titled album to the Echoplex, supported by Empress Of and Ludwig and Persik. ‣ The new album (and, as it turns out, forthcoming graphic novel) […]
[File under People Who Impressed Us at SXSW, the Follow-Up:] What we saw at SXSW. Itchin’ for a good summer soundtrack? Wesley Bunch – aka Suburban Living – and his band already have an earful of those dream-pop fixings that should make any memorable sun-kissed playlist. Although Virginia already boasts big Sarah Records-influenced artists such […]
[With the new releases coming fast and furious in 2013, we’ve compiled six fresh tracks from notable artists here. Have at it:] Hanni El Khatib, “Penny” – Expanding from a two-piece to four and expanding his sound palette too, Hanni El Khatib will release his second album, the Dan Auerbach-produced “Head in the Dirt” on […]
The bulletin here is not that Cotillon went off to Mexico, had an adventure and lived to tell about it; it’s that the L.A. trio survived all the “beer, waves, tequila, Federales, mariachis, dancers, donkeys, drinkable water (or lack thereof), dogs, donkeys that looked like zebras, pot, prescription meds, mariachis, and street kids” to make […]
If you’ve ever seen the two-man terror that is El Ten Eleven, this will break your heart. All the duo’s gear – including Kristian Dunn’s prized Carvin doubleneck bass guitar, his Wal fretless bass and two boards filled with dozens of looping and effects pedals, as well as most of drummer Tim Fogarty’s drum kit – […]
Your wonderful Wednesday: ‣Â British glam-pop singer-songwriter Mika headlines the El Rey Theatre in support of his latest album “The Origin of Love.” That’s his video for “Underwater” above. ‣Â Former L.A. band/currently New York-based Spirit Animal teams up with the Mo-Odds and the Weeks at the Satellite. ‣Â It’s a solid lineup over at the Echo with […]
As anybody who’s spent time with Magnetic Fields’ 1999 opus “69 Love Songs” – or the rest of their catalog, for that matter – can attest, Stephin Merritt ranks as one of the most provocative and prolific songwriters of the past two decades. Only a year after releasing his main band’s 10th album “Love at […]
Los Angeles loves its rock ’n’ roll, and all its shades of pop, but the heart of the city mostly beats to Latin rhythms. And the forthcoming EP “Midnight Sands,” from the local quintet Sister Rogers, offers a sophisticated take on that pulse. The band – guitarist Samuel Aguirre, singer Ericka Sancé, keyboardist Carlos Vides […]
