‣ Folk harmonizers the Civil Wars punctuate a big week in L.A. (shows at Largo, Amoeba, and an appearance this morning on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic”) by headlining the El Rey Theatre. Opener James Vincent McMorrow (that’s his video for “Sparrow and the Wolf”) is worth your early arrival. ‣ The Flaming Lips do another […]
[My overall Top 20 albums in a year informed by a mountain of good music and an avalanche of trying times, based purely on how much they resonated with me. I was lucky this year to have seen all but 4 of these artists live. With my 4-word reviews:] 1. Arcade Fire, “The Suburbs.” Sonically […]
Top 7 choices from the embarrassment of show riches tonight in Los Angeles (and a handful of recommended downloads to boot): ‣ Greg Dulli and Carina Round at the sold-out Troubadour. The Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers main man is doing his first-ever solo tour, and reviews have been great. “Dynamite Steps,” the first Twilight Singers album […]
The Thermals get into your head, even when your head is somewhere else. I think I spent a good part of 2006-07 waking up in the morning with “Here’s Your Future” (from the excellent “The Body, the Blood, the Machine”) echoing in my ear parts. It was the hook, and something in the way Hutch […]
[We wave deliriously to birthday gal Sheryl Crow as we dive into tonight’s deep, deep list of show options:] No matter what you think of Editors’ stylistic left turn – the U.K. quartet [pictured] set aside the rapturous post-punk dance music of its first two albums for gloomy synth-pop on its new record, “In This […]
“Sigh No More,” the debut album from London quartet Mumford & Sons that gets its U.S. release on Tuesday, is worth every bit of its substantial buzz. Theirs is folk music for rambunctious folks, with a spine that runs from clattering indie rock to dark, tender twang. Their show tonight at the Troubadour has long […]
I have only to glance at Stereogum’s post on the most anticipated albums of 2010 to be assured that next year will be better than 2009, when my most-visited album was the Stone Roses’ reissue. [Heartfelt thanks again to the person who gifted me that; you know who you are.] That said, ’09 had some […]
[I was fulfilling a previous obligation on Saturday and was not able to attend downtown’s FYF Fest, which, according to people I’ve spoken with in the past 24 hours, was either an unmitigated disaster or an unqualified success. Funny how experiences can vary on a 100-degree afternoon. I solicited Michael Bauer, frontman of the L.A. […]
The Black Lips, Lucero, No Age [pictured], Lightning Bolt and the Thermals will be among the acts playing Sean Carlson’s FYF Fest (formerly known as the F Yeah Fest), scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5, at Los Angeles Historic State Park in downtown. The lineup, announced today, includes locals such as Darker My Love, Dios, Avi […]
[Happy birthday to Neil Finn … Now on to a busy night on the circuit:] Big shows at opposite ends of the sonic spectrum: The Prodigy, behind their muscular new album “Invaders Must Die,” return to L.A., and if Soundcheck’s review of Wednesday’s show at the Grove of Anaheim is any indication, the Palladium will […]
