Monday, September 21, 2009
Congrats to Cobra Lilies on the release of their new EP "In the Key of Bicycle Bell." What began just a few years ago as a humble little folk side project of Mary and Eli Monolator has grown to a circus parade of costumes, kazoos, and clog dancing. It's also grown into more of a communal gathering of friends than they probably ever imagined, as members of Ema and the Ghosts, Smells Like Flan, Cat Hair Ensemble, Divisadero, Kissing Cousins, and Shiloe have all joined in the Lilyfest. As a result, "Bicycle Bell" (produced by Wendy Wang of The Sweet Hurt), is filled with all the lovey dovey feel-good sentiment you'd expect from a band made up of such a collective of musicians and friends. But as silly and chaotic as their shows can sometimes be (as seen above), these recordings are surprisingly much more rich, focused, and accessible than we thought they could be. The ghostly harmonies playfully haunting the choruses on "She Grows Wings At Night" float like apparitions off a Gris Grimly illustration. And the tap dance/trumpet duet on "There's Always Love" might be closest link between indie folk and The Charleston we may ever see. It's a great little record so be sure to pick one up at shows or at various local record stores.
So what's up this week...
Nels Cline and G.E. Stinson do an in-store at Fingerprints tonight. Captain Ahab, The Monolators, Odd Modern, and Basses Loaded for Carnage Mondays at pehrspace. Lucy Woodward and Michelle Lewis at The Mint. boxViolet and others at Dragonfly. Erin McCarley returns to town for a show a the Troubadour. And of course Monday residencies... Tuesday, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros homecoming show at the El Rey with LA Ladies Choir and Frank Fairfield. IO Echo, Funeral Party, and Rainbow^Arabia at the Troubadour. Soko, Penelope Fortier, and Chris Garneau at the Bootleg. Xu Xu Fang opens for Pink Mountaintops at The Echo. Seaspin, White Arrows, and others at the Silverlake Lounge. The Watkins Family Hour at g'net. And The 88 continue their residency at Spaceland. Also, on Tuesday catch Taryn Manning of Boomkat appearing and performing on that night's episode of "Melrose Place"... Wednesday, The Entrance Band and Night Horse open for Amazing Baby at the Troubadour. Boh Runga opens for One Eskimo and Haley Bonar at the Hotel Cafe. La Santa Cecilia celebrate dos años at Mucho Wednesdays. Annie Stela opens for Harper Simon at g'net's Little Room. OohlaLA Festival begins at the Music Box. Martyrs, Prayer, and In Heat at Boardner's. And some special guests open for the lovely Mary Anne Hobbs at LET... Thursday, Toys That Kill opens for Dillinger Four and Riverboat Gamblers at the Knit. Vanaprasta, Actress, and others at the Silverlake Lounge. The Monolators, Blue Jungle, UV Lights, and Mister Loveless at L'KEG. Warm Climate opens for MV & EE at Sync. And Free Moral Agents and others at Alex's.
Full calendar listing here.
Happy belated birthdays over the weekend to Lauren Dukoff and Jessy Moss. Happy birthdays this week to Stacy Clark, Blake Sennett of Rilo Kiley, Skot Alexander of 400 Blows, and "Sea Level" Todd Clifford.
We over-indulged on lobster this weekend. The mere mention of any one of those sea cockroaches makes us want to vomit.
