It’s here! Another super sweet installment on your favorite column focusing on L.A.-area vinyl from the underground on up. New vinyl releases reviewed include 7-inches from Mayer Hawthorne and The Anasazis, and 12-inch EPs from Railcars and Robedoor. Awesome stuff. Don’t sleep, or the teeth’ll get ya. (via LA Weekly‘s West Coast Sound)
'Introducing The Anasazis'
Print ain’t dead, it just shrunk. To wit, Blink Media has just started up a brand new, free L.A.-circulated magazine dubbed Poptimist. It just so happens that said mag could fit into one’s back pocket, and without the classic rolling method that’s loosened so many perfect bindings. I haven’t held a copy in my hand yet, but I do have experience with these things, and I’d guess Poptimist‘s specs to be roughly 10 inches high by 6 wide. Though, if you click here, it can be however big you’d like it to. Once you’re firmly ensconced in those digital pages, you may want to turn to:
– Page 24, for an update from Chicago hipster hoppers The Cool Kids.
– Page 26, to explore the fabric of Compton’s fashion-forward U-N-I.
– Page 45, for a critical take on Anti-Pop Consortium’s Flourescent Black.
– Page 47, to read an overdue lauding of Themselves’ latest, CrownsDown.
On Friday, I had the weird and esteemed honor of attending the kick-off event for the mall tour put together by Hot Topic and the good folks of The Twilight Saga: New Moon. Of course, if all you came for was the eight-minute performance by Death Cab For Cutie, you might not have known Hot Topic was involved — all logos were hidden and banners rolled up for their micro set. Then again, considering the presence of the über-dreamy cast — not too mention longer performances by Anya Marina, Sea Wolf and Band Of Skulls — I’m sure the subtler details went to the wayside.
Read about it here (via Spin). Bad quality, but proof they actually showed:
The legendary Pixies began the U.S. wing of their Doolittle tour last night in Los Angeles, kicking off back-to-back nights at the Hollywood Palladium. No Age opened, and all told, it was a pretty magical night. Read about it here (via LA Weekly‘s West Coast Sound).
A short list of recommended L.A.-area shows for the coming week (plus videos for instant gratification). Click “details” for descriptions.
It’s true. This week’s installment of the INCHES L.A. vinyl column focuses entirely on the output of local indie , Dangerbird Records. I hand-picked a combination of the label’s best-for-listening and most innovative releases, including stuff from all of the bands mentioned above — flagship players like Silversun Pickups, Sea Wolf, Darker My Love, and Eulogies. MP3s from all four are included, along with the requisite photos, reviews, and recommendations, plus a Top Ten chart from Origami Vinyl.
Darker My Love's 2008 7-inch series
Last night Devo surprised the hell out of the Henry Fonda Theater’s sold-out crowd. In short, the ancient New Wave innovators slayed, proving with grandly nerdy fanfare that, truly, age ain’t nothin’ but a number. They do it again tonight, except performing their 1980 LP, Freedom Of Choice, front to back, whereas last night’s show featured all of the band’s Brian Eno-produced debut, Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!. Read about it here, and check out the excellent photos from Andrew Herrold.
Last week I broke the news (via West Coast Sound) that Long Beach band-of-teens Avi Buffalo had signed to Sub Pop. This week, the LA Weekly has published my feature on the band, which goes a bit more in-depth on the group’s extremely talented leader, Avi Zahner-Isenberg. Read “Young, Gifted and Slack” here, and watch Zahner-Isenberg perform “Jessica” below.
The latest edition of INCHES is up! Click here to read reviews of records by Lambo (AutoTune funk on Stones Throw), The Marshmallow Ghosts (featuring members of Black Moth Super Rainbow and The Appleseed Cast), The Pink Noise (Canuck punk on Kill Shaman Records), and Bipolar Bear (local crew whose latest is on Mexican Summer). Good, free tunes. Good, free photos. Good, free words. You’ll like it. Check out older installments here.
Lambo's "Computer Bagel"
If you live in/around the L.A. area, seriously consider attending these:
* read “Balls Deep In The R&B,” a feature about Dirty Projectors, here.
** listen to Little Wings’ “Boom!” on the Now Hear This sidebar
Chris Writes Things 