Wednesday, January 31, 2007
We've been lucky to catch Minipop since the first L.A. shows they did a few years ago, all the while snatching up as many of those Precious EPs as we could in prep for what we predicted to be bigger things to come. The band has been getting a bit of a buzz in recent months with this demo album they've been shopping around and so we made sure we caught the band once more before things get kinda hectic. A little BMI showcase at the Troubadour felt like the appropriate place to get reacquainted since there's nothing like a performance under industry pressure on a big stage with lots of suits folding their arms pretending to listen to you. "Precious" is and will probably always be their best song (it's just too good), but we are also madly in love with "Ask Me a Question", "My Little Bee", and "Odyssey". On record, one might notice a finer production touch than their previous recording which could be accredited to the magical ear of co-producer Chris Manning (yes, that Chris Manning). Still, this is all for naught without the delicate whisper of Kanne who posseses one of the sweetest voices this side of Karen Peris.
Minipop performs 2/7 and 3/3 at the Troubadour. Their new album A New Hope comes out sometime within the decade.
Minipop on MySpace.
Minipop - "Precious" (MP3)
Labels: you're precious so selfless
Monday, January 29, 2007
Thought we'd lend a helping hand to mention some friends' shows coming up this week...
Beautiful lineup with Castledoor, The Black Pine, The Breakups, and I Make This Sound at the Echo tonight. However, if you're around the South Bay this evening, you'd best be going nuts for PRS HLTN, MTHRFCKRS!! and The Monolators down at the Prospector... SoftLightes and Amy Cooper are joined by San Francisco's Rykarda Parasol at the Silverlake Lounge on 2/1... And on Friday (2/2), The Airborne Toxic Event and The Deadly Syndrome make sweet love at the Echo. And over on the Westside, Dina Waxman does a solo set opening for the one and only Dengue Fever.
One word: allovetheabove.
Also, if you've got a few bucks to spare be sure to re-up during KCRW's winter pledge drive. However, don't do it for MBE or anytime when Ruth Seymour is on the mic. It's all about Anne Litt and Garth Trinidad, two of the few reasons to still listen to the station.
Castledoor - "Fall Apart" (MP3)
The Black Pine - "Some Will Come With Flowers" (MP3)
PRS HLTN, MTHRFCKRS!! - "OC Rox" (MP3)
SoftLightes - "Heart Made of Sound" (MP3)
The Deadly Syndrome - "Eucalyptus" (MP3)
Labels: friends forever
Friday, January 26, 2007
Can't get rid of this cough and clubbers hate coughers so we stayed home most of this week to catch up on episodes of "Maui Fever" on our free cable glitch. But don't be surprised if you hear suppressed coughing at these fine shows...
Jon Brion's legendary Fridays have turned into monthlies and tonight is the first of the new year and you know he's itching to flex that poor left hand of his. E, Benmont, and Zooey joined him in December so what will January bring?... The Starlite Desperation and Lion Fever attempt to pull off something that not very many bands have done successfully and that is getting away with playing The Smell (1/27) and The Viper Room (1/29)... Aloe Blacc and Will-I-Am mix it up at Soundlessons at the Echo on 1/27... January Mondays end with the biggest and best lineups of the entire month. We hit all of them this past week and each were impressively packed... And there should be pin-drop silence when the delicate piano work of Dustin O'Halloran finishes off his two-weeker at The Derby on 1/30.
Apparently, big news this week was Coachella. Yeah, we're going, but probably just to see Bjork and J&MC. But our insider peeps have been screaming to get us to cover this George Michael/Freddy Mercury incarnate Mika for a long while. The gay chorus on "Grace Kelly" almost had us packing for three days. Almost... Circle/star February 25 in your planners.
The Starlite Desperation - "The Thing" (MP3)
Dustin O'Halloran - "Opus 23" (MP3)
Mika - "Grace Kelly" (MP3)
Labels: cough cough cough
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Why we're posting something for Texas, we don't really know other than that we try to support all of Mr. Wolfinsohn's endeavors. High School Record, proclaimed by pretty much only us as one of the best films of 2005 (noted here), is being made into an MTV reality series and is being shot in Austin, TX. Actors/non-actors send your performance reels in. More info here.
Sad to say, the film still doesn't have a release to video anytime in the near future. Perhaps with any success from this series, a distro deal can be struck.
Labels: high school record player
Thursday, January 18, 2007
This past week the sickness epidemic hit us a bit so we've been taking it easy. We were doing okay until that one show at Il Corral with all the sweaty bodies clamoring about. We were sneezed on a few times as well but, alas, we survived and were still able to make it out to a few shows, because we promised. And we don't like breaking promises.
Tonight we promise to be at the Echo for our final goodbye to Ninja Academy's assassin Donkey Punch as well a sad farewell to Louie and Johnny from The Mormons who we understand are leaving the band to join the folk duo The Latter-day Saints. By the way, thanks to the Ninja's Indo for being at the SLL on Wednesday. Also, you should hit up The Mormons MySpace to download tracks from their future full-length... Before heading out, we promise to listen to Great Northern on KXLU's "Demolisten"... David Lynch and Donovan are doing something strange and beautiful at the Kodak on Sunday for free. Just wait and see... Also, PhotoL.A. is this weekend where you maybe, possibly could see some photos we've done on display... Finally, be sure to check out a couple of good, free -- good that it's free -- in-stores happening with Tom Brosseau at Amoeba (1/23) and The Broken West at Sea Level (1/23).
Ninja Academy - "Bounce" (MP3)
The Mormons - "Karaoke Death Machine" (MP3)
Tom Brosseau - "Plaid Lined Jacket" (MP3)
L.A.'s best mod rockers reflect...
GLISS
performing Monday 1/22 at the Viper Room
1) Album: The Dears - Gang of Losers
2) Event: GLISS naked in Norwich, England Oct 2006
3) film: "The Green Butchers"
4) Art: Moca - Skin and Bones
5) Drink: Tetley Tea w/ cream and sugar - HOT !
GRAN RONDE
performing tonight (1/18) at the Troubadour
1. St. Vincent De Paul: old books, and bicycles. furniture if you're lucky.
2. Motorcycles: 2000 mile trek. LA to Sequoia-Yosemite-Tahoe-Monterey-Big Sur-LA. Next year LA-NYC
3. "Touching From A Distance" - Deborah Curtis. the bittersweet story of Ian Curtis
4. 16mm film + bolex + downtown at night
5. Netflix: I finally discovered that my life had been empty, until now..... old movies galore
6. Interpol live: the weird Sony Playstation private launch party at some movie stage. only in hollywood.......
7. Elf Cafe: new vegeatrian spot in Echo Park. ran by the cool kids in Viva K. 5 stars. on sunset a couple doors down from American Apparel. no sign
8. Foreign Born- best local band and best album out of LA in 2006.
9. Part Time Punks- dance dance dance, drink
MIGHTY SIX NINETY
The Sunshine Underground -- Raise The Alarm (City Rockers/UK)
Klaxons -- 9 song demos (Polydor/UK)
Lilly Allen -- Alright, Still (Regal/Parlophone/UK)
The Blood Arm -- Lie Lover Lie (City Rockers/UK)
The Kooks -- Inside In Inside Out (Virgin)
Uffie -- "Pop The Glock" *single (edbanger records)
Morrissey -- Ringleader of The Tormentors (Sanctuary)
TV On The Radio - Return To Cookie Mountain (Interscope)
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
So some friends are playing at the Silverlake Lounge on Wednesday 1/17. This really isn't our show although we're happy to be apart of any lineup this good. The night features a battle between L.A.'s Masterslave and S.F.'s Master/Slave (pronounced with the slash, as in Mastersslashslave), The Shark That Ate My Friend's long-awaited CD release, and the soon-to-be much blogged about The New Motherfuckers. Damn, this is going to be good.
Los Angeles Loves...
MASTERSLAVE (L.A.)
MASTER/SLAVE (S.F.)
THE SHARK THAT ATE MY FRIEND CD release
THE NEW MOTHERFUCKERS
Silverlake Lounge
2906 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90026
21+ / $8 / 9pm
Master/Slave - "Flaws" (MP3)
The New Motherfuckers - "Hotlanta!" (MP3)
Labels: master vs master
Monday, January 15, 2007
More still coming in...
MOZELLA
My top 10:
1. Volcano Tea (on Sawtelle and Olympic)-best shaved Ice ever!
2. Andrea LaHue- an AMAZING local painter/artist.
3. Le Saigon (in West LA)- The best Vietnamese food in LA.
4. Regina Spektor- really cool music.
5. El Cochinito- Rockin' Cuban food in Silver Lake!
6. MAC makeup
7. 'Little Miss Sunshine'.
8. Fresh tortillas that cook on the stove (they have them in ziplocks at Whole Foods- YUM!).
9. Tea Lattes from Coffee Bean.
10. Michael Sunga- Photography.
GHOST TOWN JENNY
1.LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE. I have been learning Icelandic for almost 4 months now, and am going to be going to school this summer in Reykjavík. Learning a new language makes me look at the languages I already know in different light. It's refreshing and inspiring in all apsects of my life, especially my music.
2. LEARNING A NEW INSTRUMENT. I am learning how to play the saw...its beautiful. Writing songs with it is like writing with two voices.
3. GETTING A NEW JOB. I teach ukulele and beginning piano at a music school in costa mesa called the music factory OC. (http://www.themusicfactoryoc.com/)
4. PLAYING SHOWS AT THE PORTFOLIO CAFE IN LONG BEACH. There is something about that place. I dont know if it's the sound, or the location or what, but me and my friends love to play there...the long beach club scene in general has nice places to play.
5. Medúlla by Björk (i know it came out in 2004, but i only really discovered it this year.)
6. Meeting and working with Matt adams (creator/writer of the blank tapes). He is very inspiring to me. His general approach to music is very calm, and his end results are amazing.
7. MY MOTHER. She is very strong. I think (or hope) it's rubbing off on me.
MIRANDA LEE RICHARDS
"Hmmm....I sort of laid low in '06, but I did manage to make it out for some 'strategic events,' as I call them.
I saw the Pretenders @ The House of Blues this year and that was hands down one of the best shows I have ever seen. I also heard Roger Water's live version of 'Dark Side of the Moon' float over the hill to my Beachwood Canyon home from the Hollywood Bowl. While I wasn't there, that was supposed to really be the best show ever.
The Downtown Art Walk, which is the second Thursday of every month, is also worth going to. I checked out some great galleries in the 'revitalized' downtown area. Just make sure you finish before dark.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Hi.
Not that we have to mention it, but the Cold War Kids begin the west coast leg of their bi-coastal residency series. There's much debate in the underground that CWK could be one of the most overrated bands in the scene. While we disagree, let's just say that if your elitist indie music friend is using words like overrated, underwhelming, and non-transcendent then you should find new friends. Listen kids, you either like the music or you don't. No need for a hate parade (Scott Stapp-related reviews, notwithstanding). That said, even if you don't like them, you must acknowledge the fact that they're probably one of the most brilliantly managed bands of the last five years. And that Maust is a genius... Tons of kids will be doing the centipede tomorrow at the Girl Talk show. Not because it's a hip thing to do now that Carson Daly is all over Mr. Gillis like Valderrama on child stars, but because it isn't a party until there is some serious centipedinal action on a dancefloor... Shiny Toy Guns are doing a last-minute late show at Viper on Tuesday. Try not to get your mica makeup on our spandex leggings... And, oh man, how underground is Paul Gilbert playing two sold out shows at the Viper Room next week? Mr. Gilbert, the man that probably inspired half the shredding universe to stick guitar picks on power drills only to be devastated when he went from speed metal (Racer X) to Aqua Net pop (Mr. Big) and even more stunned when we actually kinda liked it. Anyway, his new album Get Out of My Yard is out now on (oh damn) Shrapnel Records and joining him onstage will be (holy shit) Bruce Bouillet. This is an MI wet dream... Oh yeah, we're helping with a show at the Silverlake Lounge on Wednesday 1/17. Don't worry, it will be so non non-transcendent.
Cold War Kids - ... um, you probably own everything.
Girl Talk - ... yeah, you probably have these too.
Shiny Toy Guns - ... ditto.
Paul Gilbert - "Haydn Symphony No. 88 Finale" (MP3)... doubt it.
Mr. Big - "To Be With You"
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Damn, we're behind. We've been busy (mostly with MIDEM/Sundance). Anyway, we absolutely love these bands' lists and we completely agree with them (pretty much). Health is going to kill 2007 and Clipd Beaks were fantastic last Sunday.
THE MAE SHI
BEST NEW BAND WE DISCOVERED IN 2006
Health. This band is like if Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, Dennis Rodman and James Worthy got together when they were 21 and listened to shitloads of This Heat, Public Image Ltd, Can and Kraftwerk and decided to fuck the NBA and start a band. Everyone would have told them they were crazy, that there was millions to be made in ballin'. These guys are so driven, so ambitious, so single-minded of focus. If they took an ounce of their drive and applied it to something profitable (like forming a Fall Out Boy-style band or starting a dry cleaning business) they'd be rich by now. Instead they are playing to 40 kids at Il Corral.
BEST LA BAND THAT WE MISS BECAUSE THEY BROKE UP/WENT ON HIATUS/LEFT LOS ANGELES
Tie between Holi Buffaglo and Child Pornography. Bill from Holi Buffaglo moved to Idaho, and so our favorite Los Angeles punk band pretty much ceased to exist. Luckily you can still see the other three members of the band in the 14 Year Old Girls and Jon is the new singer for our band. As for Child P -- Erin finally got out of Riverside and moved to San Francisco to study art, which of course we are really happy about because he's an amazing artist whose talents were being wasted in his civil service job. I'm glad he and Brizzah still play shows in LA once in a while.
BEST VENUE THAT ISN'T THE SMELL
Fort Cool II, which for a few months in 2006 made Adams and La Brea a really fun place to be. RIP.
BEST RECORD BY AN LA BAND
Mika Miko -- CYSLABF (KRS)
BAND THAT IS GOING TO MURDER 2007
Abe Vigoda
HEALTH
BEST OF 2006
1. Sean Carnage Monday Nights
2. il Corral
3. The Smell
4. Coughs/Dynasty US Tour
5. Crystal Castles
6. Glass Candy/Chromatics US Tours
7. 20jazzfunkgreats
8. Captain Ahab - After The Rain My Heart Still Dreams
9. Anavan - s/t
10. Italo Disco Revival
INDIAN JEWELRY
2006 was pretty easy on us. The less we worked the better off we were. May that be a lesson to the calvinists and marxists alike. that said, 2007 will likely blow up in our faces.
anyhow, keeping close track of time is a big waste of it. many of these records may have slipped out somewhere in late 2005 or early 2012. also, we toured a little bit this year, so many of these bands are from different places.
esg, live at the arthur fest.
jana hunter, live at the echo, los angeles, at the furniture records house in austin at sxsw, and on her record "blank unstaring heirs of doom."
psychic ills, live all over u.s and canada (we were lucky enough to tour with them) and also on record, "dins" and "early violence"
ariel pink, "the doldrums"
growing live at the smell 2006.
metalux live at the smell 2006.
a pink cloud, live in houston at the magnolia ballroom 7/29 and walter's on washington 11/30 2006
wicked poseur, cd-r, to be released early 2007
clipd beaks, preyers cd/ep and live at sxsw, in oakland, and in la at the mountain bar with celebration, also incredibly good.
rua minx live at superhappyfunland houston, texas november 2005
the wiggins, live in houston at the magnolia ballroom 7/29/2006
genders at sxsw
bubonic plague at the penny-ante book release party at little radio, and also the whole event in general.
movies
borat was a waste of time.
rize was pretty sweet.
nonetheless, once again nothing came out that could hold a candle to aguirre: wrath of god
otherwise
museum of jurassic technology is still the best place to visit in los angeles.
the ecstacy show at the moca had more high points than dead points.
bad painting and tendentious photography still ride ragged on the arts.
israeli armed forces pulled a hussein from the 90s move and invaded lebanon while amping up their time-worn and us-backed policies of brutalizing palestinians within and without.
there is a war.
Labels: colors are for crayons
Friday, January 05, 2007
January is usually a gray month, a slow ramp-up period of time used to recuperate from the holidays and prepare for industry events like Sundance (1/18), MIDEM (1/21), and of course all the red carpet galas. So we're usually home in bed by 8 this time of the year. This year, however, clubs are denying Los Angeles their beauty sleep with thirty one phenomenally congested nights. Por ejemplo: Tonight, 400 Blows and The Bronx are at Safari Sam's. We all know the chaos that occurs when these two bands join forces. Also tonight, Miss Derringer, The Clean Prophets and The Shakes are at the KF; Bloodcat Love, Black Palms, and Minutes Til Midnight are at Spaceland; and Ferraby Lionheart, Charlie Wadhams, and Erin Armstrong are at El Cid. Decisions, decisions... Tomorrow, The Ditty Bops get intimate at McCabe's; Eagle & Talon claw their way to the KF; and The Shark That Ate My Friend and The Monolators snort it up at The Cocaine... January residencies begin next week with The Pity Party at the Silverlake Lounge, The Broken West at Spaceland, The Submarines at the Echo, The Colour at Spaceland, The Procession at El Cid/Silverlake Lounge, Get Set Go at the Key Club, and us doing our weeklies in front of the tv watching new episodes of ER.
The Clean Prophets - "Tambourine Crown" (MP3)
The Pity Party - "The War Between 8 & 4" (MP3)
EAGLE & TALON - "Werewolf" (Live)
Labels: a poem for january
Thursday, January 04, 2007
More best of 2006 lists from bands we love. Feel free to send yours in and we'll post it for all of our three readers to chew on.
BODIES OF WATER
best movies: idiocracy, thank you for smoking, for your consideration, borat.
best records: beneath waves - karl blau, st elsewhere - gnarls barkley, the life pursuit - b&s, the complete guide to insufficiency - david thomas broughton, gulag orkestar - beirut, love songs of the hanging gardens - kelley polar
KEVIN POUSH (FIELDING/PULL YOUR PANTS UP IT'S TUESDAY NIGHT)
top 5 moments of 2006- no particular order
1) Going solo to the Dodgers final home game of the season and watching Nomar hit that game winning walk-off grandslam.
2) Seeing The Last Waltz for the (forgive me. please forgive me!) very first time. Subsequently, watching the shit out of it.
3) Repeatedly listening to Sufjan Stevens' "Illinois" on the way to and back from South by Southwest.
4) Sharing a near death-by-heat-stroke-and-or-dehydration experience with some friends at magic mountain in the middle of summer... it topped out at a mere 120 degrees. Tatsu was totally worth it.
5) Getting Richard Swift's "Dressed Up For the Letdown" a few months early. Holy crap is it good.
MIA DOI TODD
#1 party: dublab 7 year anniversary, downtown LA
#1 movie: Science of Sleep
#1 concert: Alice Coltrane, UCLA Royce Hall
#1 sunrise: Botswana in the bush
#1 album: Extra Golden, OK-OYOT System
Labels: these words are meaningless
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
So it's the end of 2006 and with that comes our year-end wrap up, which has become a bit of a bore for everyone involved. Still, we look forward to reading all the hatemail we get for omitting any given life-changing music release or putting a band undeservingly below a lesser one. So in the next few weeks we'll try to remember the year that once was and post a thoroughly unentertaining recap. Until then, you can check out our silly list from last year or better yet read what our favorite locals loved in 2006. Of course, we'll post all the responses we got over the next few weeks so that it looks like we update a lot. Enjoy.
THE PARSON RED HEADS
Top 10 albums 2006:
10. Ben Kweller - "Ben Kweller"
9. Court and Spark - "Hearts"
8. Yo La Tengo - "I Am Not Afraid..."
7. Comets on Fire - "Avatar"
6. The Mountain Goats "Get Lonely"
5. El Goodo - "El Goodo"
4. Destroyer - "Rubies"
3. Vetiver - "Find Me Gone"
2. Joanna Newsom - "Ys"
1. Belle and Sebastian - "The Life Pursuit"
DIE PRINCESS DIE
(*disclaimer - not neccesarily reflective of entire band...)
best movies of 2006 (in order):
inland empire
what is it?
little miss sunshine
borat
jackass 2
worst movie of 2006:
wassup rockers
HENRY THOMAS
The Pogues' show at the Wiltern (amazed by the functional alcoholism of Shane MacGowan)
Nouvelle Vague's show at the Henry Fonda.
The Robert Rauschenberg exhibit at the MoCa
Borat
David Lynch and his cow in Hollywood.
Oh yes, crashing the Victoria Secret after party at the Roosevelt Hotel. Just couldn't be helped.
