Tonight’s recommendations, and more: ‣ The Henry Clay People, last spotted working up an afternoon sweat at Coachella, return to the cozy confines of the Satellite for the first of two nights celebrating the release of their new EP “This Is a Desert.” The great supporting cast includes Shadow Shadow Shade, Apex Manor and the […]
[It’s not only Cinco de Mayo, but it’s Adele’s birthday. Best wishes, and here’s what’s up tonight …] Great night ahead: ‣ It’s that time of the month: The Rumble hits the Echo tonight, topped by two SoCal bands who released fine debut albums already this year. Apex Manor’s pop-rock gem “The Year of Magical […]
Of legends and locals: ‣ Robert Plant and the Band of Joy, joined by North Mississippi Allstars, play the Greek Theatre. ‣ Prince does another night at the Forum. ‣ The Big Four – Metallica, Slayer, Megadeath and Anthrax – take over the Coachella stages at the Empire Polo Club for a collision of heavy […]
The South by Southwest Music Festival, our favorite annual music orgy, kicks off Wednesday in Austin, and Los Angeles will be well-repped. Besides a lot of the familiar names – Queens of the Stone Age, She Wants Revenge, Cold War Kids, the Airborne Toxic Event, Ariel Pink, Fitz & the Tantrums and, yes, even the […]
[Have we had enough of secret/surprise shows? Maybe …] Top show picks for Grammy eve: ‣ Ex-Broken West frontman Ross Flournoy, now doing business as Apex Manor, has a pretty magical album in “The Year of Magical Drinking.” The L.A. quartet’s West Coast tour stops at its home base tonight, the Satellite, supported by Jerry […]
[Recapping today’s noteworthy album releases:] x x x x x x Of local interest Apex Manor, “The Year of Magical Drinking” (Merge) – Jangly, earnest songcraft from ex-Broken West main man Ross Flournoy. [Video. Interview/download.] Recommended. Cold War Kids, “Mine Is Yours” (Downtown/Interscope) – The quartet’s third album offers a bigger, bolder and more direct […]
As evidenced on “The Year of Magical Drinking,” the new album by Apex Manor released today on Merge, songwriter Ross Flournoy doesn’t turn pop music into brain surgery. It can be hard on the heart, though, and Flournoy’s first post-Broken West outing effectively tugs those strings with effortless melodies and a plain-spoken sincerity that’ll settle […]
Ross Flournoy was bowed but not broken when his indie-pop band the Broken West disintegrated more than a year ago. “I had no idea what I was going to do,” he said of his year of stewing, soul-searching and, eventually, songwriting. “Being on Merge, it’s not like you break up your band and then you […]
