I still don’t *really* understand what this site is or who uses it, but they gave me a (pro-bono) chance to shout out my favorite places for food, music, booze, caffeine, etc. in Los Angeles. Plus, they promised to call me an expert. To see my picks, go to Utrip, click “See Itinerary,” and then enter an arbitrary date (you’re not going to do this, I know, it’s okay). From there (ha), click on the little “Overview” tab above the map. FINALLY, you can scroll down Continue reading
Hanni El Khatib = Black Keys + Shangri-Las on "Dead Wrong" (Chris Martins)
“These two songs suggest a real mastery of a long-lost craft. It stands up in the face of modern day girl-group remakes and indie blues duos alike, and hints at a highly promising full-length to come.”
A photo! Streaming tunes! A review! A chart! Get over to INCHES!
It’s true. Four more primes slabs of virgin wax from L.A.’s extremely fertile independent music scene. Among this week’s crop are my favorite release of the year, the Dublab super-project Secondhand Sureshots, some rabid avant blues courtesy of Oxbow (Hydra Head’s return to the column!), another dreamy psych offering from the kids at Not Not Fun (Topaz Rags), and some post-rock tastiness from Red Sparowes (on Sargent House).
Oxbow, 'Songs For The French'
Friends, INCHES011 exists. Featuring fresh wax from L.A.’s favorite Eritrean-Hebrew Afrobeat outfit, Fool’s Gold, a limited 10-inch platter from beat music maker Samiyam (via Poo-Bah Records), some experimental goodness from the Not Not Fun label (SF’s Inca Ore), and an incredible international psych/funk/rock/soul comp put together by Stones Throw general manager, Eothen “Egon” Alapatt. Can I get a Twit-ness?
Egon's "Forge Your Own Chains: Heavy Psychedelic Ballads And Dirges"
The LA Weekly‘s annual “Best Of” issue is on stands now — in theory at least, they usually disappear pretty quickly. But whether you’re in-town or out, near the paper product or not, you can read all about our favorite things (300 of them) here. I contributed a handful of writeups on local people and places that I hold dear, all music-skewed of course, and you can go direct to each below.
More after the jump.
Man alive, it’s number five! The West Coast Sound vinyl column rings in a brand new prime number with INCHES005, featuring some truly glorious wax courtesy of The Mars Volta (Rodriguez-Lopez Productions), Glasser (True Panther Sounds), Kissing Cousins (Velvet Blue Music), and Wet Hair (Not Not Fun).
Wet Hair, "Glass Fountain"
Also inside: trippy video of the Glasser 12-inch package being assembled, free music to download, and a fresh top-ten from Vacation Vinyl.
Ladies and gentlemen: INCHES003. By journalistic law, this column now qualifies as a trend. Installment number three is actually the first “regular” edition, an unthemed collection of just-released L.A.-relevant vinyl reviewed (with original photos and free MP3s, of course), accompanied by a top ten vinyl sales chart from one of our local record shops. This week, you’ll find a new Flying Lotus EP, some incredible throwback bossa nova by Triorganico, seven inches of Adam Payne jamitude, and a killer Dublab release compiling work from the best of this city’s beat music scene. Plus, see what Vacation Vinyl’s been selling (hint: rhymes with “meth kettle”).
Flying Lotus, "L.A. 3 X 3 EP"
Stay tuned for much, much more, and if you’ve got ideas, reach out.
Last night east side big boys Foreign Born played their record release gig at the relatively newly opened Vacation Vinyl on Hollywood near Vermont. It was a cozy, warm show and the fellas ripped it as a sax-weilding seven-piece, despite how tiny the room was. Read about it here (via LA Weekly‘s West Coast Sound).
Chris Writes Things 