Raw Geronimo’s platter of goth-y surf-pop comes with side orders of audacity and whimsy, all captured in Jacob and Clyde Blunt’s video for the sextet’s new 7-inch single “Faustine.” Raw Geronimo is the brainchild of Laena Geronimo, aka Laena Myers-Ionita, the bassist for the Like and a multi-instrumentalist who plays or has played with Swahili […]
This is one of those times a band’s description of its own music fits: “Like swimming in soft flannel,” Derde Verde says of the tunes on its new “Moon/Mirror” album, and it’s true. The Los Angeles trio of Jon Schwarz, Dylan McKenzie and Matthias Wagner trade in the subtle melodicism and warm textures to craft […]
By Erik Ehlert I’ve been more than a casual Cure fan, but I was not an adolescent that wore make-up, dressed in all black, burned candle wax into my forearm while I cried myself to sleep listening to the band’s music. I have never worshiped at the altar of Robert Smith, although the Cure has […]
The feast on Thanksgiving eve: ‣ Quite a night ahead on Hollywood Boulevard – Morrissey plays the first of his three SoCal dates at the Music Box, and less than two blocks away the Cure closes out its three-night stand at the Pantages Theatre. ‣ Lucinda Williams does the second of her two nights at […]
Eyes closed, head slightly bowed, hands clasped, Bob Mould stood silently for better than a minute at the conclusion of Monday night’s tribute concert at Disney Hall, letting the crowd’s warm ovation wash over him. The 51-year-old singer, guitarist and author had to be thinking something along the lines of: What a long, strange trip […]
Earlier this year, Geoff Geis, solo artist and principal provocateur in the band Pizza!, launched his own (cassette/digital) label, Vanity Projects, to release his album “Princess.” Future plans include releasing music by many of his friends in the L.A. underground, including Magick Orchids, the Monolators, Nima and Geoff (his collaboration with Nima Kazerouni of So […]
[File under: Random transmissions that have caught my ear.] Tennis, “Origins” – The Denver trio of Patrick Riley, Alaina Moore, James Barone recently announced that their sophomore offering of mood-elevating pop, “Young and Old,” will be out in February on Fat Possum. “Origins” will brighten any wintry day. Tennis plays the Satellite on Dec. 7. […]
Good shows big and small tonight: ‣ Lucinda Williams plays the first of two nights at the El Rey Theatre behind her powerful new album “Blessed.” ‣ Manchester’s Wu Lyf hits the Troubadour behind its Pitchfork-approved debut release “Go Tell Fire to the Mountain,” with Crystal Antlers supporting. That’s Wu Lyf’s video for “Dirt,” above. […]
Ever since she hit L.A. on the circuitry of her band Electrocute, songwriter/producer Nicole Morier has had a lot of irons in the fire. She juggled collaborators in Electrocute, putting out two albums and handful of other releases, and segued into the songwriting world, co-authoring tunes for the likes of Britney Spears, Tom Jones, Junkie […]
Just an Animal’s debut album “Lonely Hunter” (out Tuesday) marks a radical turn for the Los Angeles quartet formerly known as Red Cortez, and it’s almost all for the better. Gone is the self-conscious, guitar-heavy rock ’n’ soul of the foursome’s early recordings, which (first under the name the Weather Underground) produced a series of […]