Posts Tagged ‘Los Angeles’

ALYESKA – ” Lose My Place “

Posted: January 23, 2017 in MUSIC
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Alyeska are a Los Angeles-based trio, led by front-woman Alaska Reid. Citing influences as wide-reaching as Nick Drake, Captain Beefheart and Dinosaur Jr., Alyeska’s sound blends twitchy electric guitars with Alaska’s powerhouse vocal chords, they could be just the band for people waiting to hear something new from Forth Wanderers.

Whilst details of their upcoming album are yet to be fleshed out, recent single, Lose My Place, was an exciting taster. The track lyrically dealt with social disconnection and Alasaka’s own struggles to find a place to call home, either in her native Montana or her adopted home of Los Angeles. Musically it is energetic and complex, shifting rapidly from one great melodic idea to another – fuzzy enough for the indie-kids, melodic enough for the pop-kids, Alyeska are on the verge of something wonderful.

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Alyeska is both the archaic spelling of Alaska and the name LA-based Montana native Alaska Reid chose for her band. The quartet make retro-leaning, guitar-powered alternative rock fronted by one of the most unique and powerful female voices out there today.

Just this last year, Alyeska finished their debut LP with producer John Agnello at The Magic Shop in NYC, whose credits include Dinosaur Jr, Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth and Phosphorescent– all artists that inspire the band.

CHERRY GLAZERR – ” Apocalipstick “

Posted: January 22, 2017 in MUSIC
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Cherry Glazerr

Society would deem a prodigious girl can’t be in a progressive rock band while also being in complete control of its creative vision, business plan and social messaging. Society is wrong. Clem, a 19 year old teen Queen dreamed up Cherry Glazerr in her hometown L.A. bedroom alone and is perhaps more capable of figuring a music career out than anyone who attempts this treacherous life path.

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Back in 2014, much-loved Californian imprint Burger Records released their intoxicating debut Haxel Princess and Suicide Squeeze released the Had Ten Dollaz 7”. On Apocalipstick the band worked with “rock ‘n’ roll wizard” Joe Chicarelli (White Stripes, The Shins, The Strokes) and Carlos de la Garza (Bleached, M83, Tegan and Sara). With their help and the band’s newfound self-discipline and motivation, Cherry Glazerr has evolved into a wildly complex, hugely guitar heavy, and unapologetically loud machine. Its vintage riot girl stuff via Pixies-style bittersweetness and big angular riffs.

LA HELL GANG – ” Out Of Place ” EP

Posted: January 22, 2017 in MUSIC
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Chilean rock trio La Hell Gang‘s early EP release “Out Of Place” is the soundtrack to this strange new land.

Earning high praise from their debut, 2010’s Just What Is Real, La Hell Gang have traded in the cleaner, ’60s-indebted sonics which populated that record with something more complex, a murkier palate that instills these songs with languid mystery.  Their second album “Thru Me Again” wades through these danger-infested waters with otherworldly grace, hanging back in the frame while their brand of laced blues wander fills the room with an unassailable vibe of concentrated lust. Providing a counterpart to the sounds of fellow travelers in their home base of Santiago, such as Watchout! and Föllakzoid, Thru Me Again was the product of a band mastering its own language, and learning that the tender moments of their music can go as deep as their proverbial paint-peelers. You might be visiting this new world, but La Hell Gang lives there, knows every crater, all the flora and fauna, and have generously offered to take you on a journey of their architected existence. You would be wise to follow.

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ROY ORBISON and Friends – ” Black And White Night ” Released 30 Years Ago

Posted: January 19, 2017 in MUSIC
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'Black & White Night 30'

It’s 30 years since Roy Orbison’s iconic ’87 comeback gig and you can finally experience the show from hundreds of unseen angles with ‘Black & White Night 30’, reissue out February 24th.

Originally shot on seven cameras at the Coconut Grove Club in Los Angeles and broadcast as ‘Roy Orbison & Friends: A Black & White Night’, Roy’s son Alex and co-editor Luke Chalk have re-edited the entire performance from all the previously unseen angles. Almost every shot is brand new.

‘Black & White Night 30’ will be available on Blu-Ray, DVD and CD

Extras include a whole host of unreleased material, much of which was only rumoured to even exist. Previously unseen versions of ‘Oh Pretty Woman’ and ‘Blue Angel’ and footage of the subsequent ‘secret concert’ where Roy and the band returned to the stage to play five songs after the audience had left! All tracks have been freshly remastered by Richard Dodd.

There’s also a 33 minute documentary featuring rehearsal footage and interviews with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, k.d lang, Elvis Costello and more

FOXYGEN – ” On Lankershim “

Posted: January 16, 2017 in MUSIC
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I found Foxygen’s last album to be an ambitious, in parts brilliant, sometimes frustratingly long album. With a duo like Sam France and Jonathan Rado, two insanely talented musicians; there’s bound to be an album like that in their catalog. They’re back here with Hang out via the fine folks of Jagjaguwar Records and by the looks of it, the album appears to be more focused in nature. Here’s some info from their PR machine.
On their first proper studio record, the Los Angeles pair once again present their uncanny knack for pulling together myriad strands of influences to an elaborate, uncompromising vision. And this time, they’ve gone true big band! Every song on Hang features a 40-plus-piece symphony orchestra arranged and conducted by Trey Pollard with additional arranging from Matthew E. White. Additionally, Hang was recorded with the brother rhythm section duo of Brian and Michael D’Addario, also known as the Lemon Twigs, and features Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips on select tracks. Written and produced entirely by Foxygen, Hang was recorded on 2” tape at Electro Vox Studios in Los Angeles.

The REGRETTES – ” Feel Your Feelings Fool! ” Best Albums Of 2017

Posted: January 16, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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The Regrettes‘ debut album, Feel Your Feelings Fool!, is in no danger of the bad vibes associated with its Friday the 13th release, and if this is the first you’re hearing of the Los Angeles band, just know that it won’t be the last. Frontwoman Lydia Night offers an unfiltered manifesto over the course of 15 unforgettable tracks (plus a secret song ). Night and Genessa Gariano (guitar), Sage Chavis (bass) and Maxx Morando (drums) manage to draw from genres like garage rock, ‘60s pop and punk rock, while delivering a deliciously cohesive and catchy debut. Oh yeah, and they’re still in their teens.

But if you think their age is relevant, Night will quickly disavow you of that notion in the garage rock-tinged, “Seashore.” Backed by Nicole’s slinky bass line, Night addresses sexism, ageism and condescending assholes everywhere: “You’re talking to me like a child/ Hey I got news/  I’m not a little girl, and no I won’t give you a little twirl.” And with a chorus like, “I’m like nobody else, so you can just go fuck yourself,” you’re kidding yourself if you think you won’t be singing along to this anthem on the way home from your next shitty Monday at work.

In the sarcastic, fast-paced punky tune, “LadylikeWHATTA Bitch,” Night mocks the kind of judgmental peers most women are familiar with. Though its chorus is just Night, Gariano and Chavis singing “wa-oooo wa-wa-wa-oooo,” it will be stuck in your head, all freaking day. Fueled by power chords and Morando’s frenetic drumbeat, Night jeers at her haters in first person, “Lydia got asked out by this cute boy at my school gym/ But apparently she said no ’cause she was just not into him/ But clearly that’s not true and she is just a lesbian.”

The Regrettes, Feel Your Feelings Fool!

The Regrettes fit love sickness in alongside calling out the patriarchy with the melodic “Juicebox Baby.” You can almost feel Night’s light headedness when she sings,“My mom tells me I’m lazy/ Well it’s ‘cause you make me hazy/ My head’s spinning like crazy.” Morando’s breakneck drums, Gariano’s fevered guitar melody and Nicole’s frenetic bass line, combined with Night’s rapid-fire lyrics about being smitten to the point of dizziness, make the song feel like a musical footrace—in a good way. As the band mates race to the end of the song, it’s no surprise that Night finally confesses, “I think I’m falling, falling for you darlin’/ It’s really quite alarming.”

If their freshman album is any indication of what’s to come from The Regrettes, then we can all look forward to a bright future for these 21st century Riot Grrrls.

The REGRETTES – ” Hot / Seashore “

Posted: January 16, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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Regrettes

Pop punk outfit The Regrettes may just be teens, but they are completely for real, immersed in and committed to their music. The group first caught our attention while performing at the Burger A-Go-Go pool party, we were enamored and gave these girl rockets a band to watch Alert . With a new lineup, and now their debut album Feel Your Feelings Fool! slated for a January 13th release, this fierce foursome is ready to kick some serious ass in 2017.

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It didn’t take long for 2017 to bring a great record, and thinking of what’s happening at the end of this week it couldn’t have come at a better time. The LA-based The Regrettes have culled 15 songs that feel universally relevant. If you’re old like me, or young like the band, the themes of Feel Your Feelings Fool! should be something to which you can relate.

Musically, I think the band is far ahead of where most their age should be. They seem to understand the difference between paying homage and ripping something off, and they do a good job of nodding to their influences without copying. There is a lot of garage rock and 60’s bubble gum pop getting mixed together. That’s nothing new, really, but they also bring a real punk energy to the songs, so it feels like The Ramones and Strawberry Alarm Clock decided to collaborate.

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Lyrically, and I think more importantly, they talk about a lot of issues that plague so many. They talk about identity and misogyny in songs that can be a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the point gets across. The band’s voice does seem a bit inconsistent at times, where individual songs are good, but don’t fit in with some of the other tracks on the album. Nothing wrong with that, but I think if it were more consistent the record would be even better than it already is.

The vocal performance by Lydia Night on “Picture Perfect” has a very 90’s kind of flow, so it’s no surprise they count Hole as a reference point. The manic guitar work by Genessa Gariano adds a punch of verve that makes the brilliance of the tune undeniable.

The SMOKING TREES – ” Home In The Morning “

Posted: January 16, 2017 in MUSIC
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The Smoking Trees album 'TST' Vinyl

The Smoking Trees come from Los Angeles and you can feel the sunshine in nearly every groove on their brand new record ‘TST’. Comprising of two members – Sir Psych and L.A. Al they both bring their love for hip hop and all round good vibes to make some of the warmest, psychest pop around. Think MGMT or a more soft bottomed Flaming Lips and you get the idea. Highly recommended.It’s wonderful,  We do not normally be so bold, but having tested this album out on all terrains from dog walking to nights out at the psychedelic shack, we have come to a modest conclusion that it is a most complete listening sensation. Excellent quality vinyl, plus free MP3 code .

HAND HABITS – ” Sun Beholds Me “

Posted: January 15, 2017 in CLASSIC ALBUMS, MUSIC
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From Meg Duffy’s Hand Habits Debut LP out February 10th, 2017 on Woodsist Records.

Meg Duffy, aka Hand Habits, is a singer, songwriter and guitarist from Upstate New York. She has been putting her time in on the road and in the studio over the past two years with pacific northwest band Mega Bog, and the Kevin Morby Band, making an impression on everyone she comes across with her natural charisma and uncharted talent as a multi-instrumentalist. But let Wildly Idle (Humble Before The Void) be her open invitation to the world to step inside and take a much deeper look into who Duffy actually is. Tracked in an Upstate New York living room, then finished in her current home in Los Angeles

It is appropriate that this album was recorded by Meg herself – for Meg, who has an acute ear for detail, has touched every corner, has seen every vision ’til its end. Because of this, Wildly Idle feels incredibly intimate, like a secret between her and the listener. It hits soft, like warm water, and before you know it it is all around you – a bath, and Meg’s whisper has made its way inside you. Like many bedroom debuts before it (Microphones, Jessica Pratt, Little Wings, Grouper) let this be the first of many to come, for Meg has music in her touch  and this is only the beginning. But let us not look to the future now, but instead stand alongside her, our trust in her will, both humble before the void, with her first chorus as the mission statement; ‘hold you like a flower, hold you like an hour glass’.”- Kevin Morby

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FOXYGEN – ” On Lankershim “

Posted: January 15, 2017 in MUSIC
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Foxygen, the duo of Sam France and Jonathan Rado, have shared the brand new video  ‘On Lankershim’, the latest track taken from impending new album ‘Hang’, out 20th January on Jagjaguwar Records.

On their first proper studio record, the Los Angeles duo once again present their uncanny knack for pulling together myriad strands of influences to an elaborate, uncompromising vision. And this time, they’ve gone true big band.

Every song on “Hang” features a 40-plus-piece symphony orchestra arranged and conducted by Trey Pollard with additional arranging from Matthew E. White. Additionally, “Hang” was recorded with the Lemon Twigs brother rhythm section duo of Brian and Michael D’Addario, and also features Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips on select tracks. Written and produced entirely by Foxygen, “Hang” was recorded on 2” tape at Electro Vox Studios in Los Angeles.

The video, a lo-fi VHS-style excursion across Foxygen’s LA, comes after lead single ‘Follow The Leader’ and a sold-out London showcase at Oslo, Hackney.

Foxygen – “On Lankershim” from ‘Hang’ out on January 20th, 2017 on Jagjaguwar Records

The band will return to the UK on Feb 27th, for a show at KOKO, after a short run of European dates.

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