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.
INCHES009 is the first installment of the column to focus entirely on one label. In this case, it’s local indie Manimal Vinyl, who are throwing a bacchanal in the desert this weekend at the always awesome Pappy And Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. Inside this edition you’ll find an interview with Manimal founder Paul Beahan, and choice wax from Warpaint (featuring Shannyn Sossamon), Hecuba, Rainbow Arabia, and The Chapin Sister/Winter Flowers.
See you in the desert. Just be sure to leave the vinyl at home.
Warpaint's "Exquisite Corpse" EP
Eight weeks straight of original photos, MP3s, videos, charts, reviews of L.A. music, and, most importantly, gorgeous vinyl. INCHES008 has arrived, featuring a killer box from The Doors (Rhino Records), a great new album from WHY? (Anticon), some interactive cover art from Wallpaper on the duo’s debut full-length (Eenie Meenie), and a 7-inch that captures Dâm-Funk as a youngin (Stones Throw). Dig in!
Wallpaper's "Doodoo Face," modeled by Andre Hyland (Blond Chili)
INCHES007 is live! Check it out here, via LA Weekly, of course. New MP3s, photos, reviews, video, chart and, most importantly vinyl.
The Widow Babies, "Jet Packs"
Don’t miss out. Read more here (via LA Weekly).
Another INCHES hit! #006 went up this morning (a day late — apologies), featuring a super-limited clear platter from HEALTH (Lovepump United), a vinyl-only release from the hardcore punk-rawk supergroup White Shit (PPM), and four inches of glory from Mayer Hawthorne. Not to mention, MP3s from all three, a video, and a fresh chart from Origami Vinyl.
HEALTH, "Get Color"
Stay tuned for much, much more, and if you’ve got ideas, reach out.
Some combination of nasty airborne particulates, awful heat, ill-advised all-nighters, catching up on FAIL Blog and various little stressers has resulted in a full week without updates to Funny Ha Ha. And yet, much has happened in that time. There’s a new installment of INCHES (number 5!), new show picks (including a night of indie rock from the Far East!), some bad news for vinyl heads (or good, if you’re in the market), and also, I suck all of the fun out of a local semi-super group called Music Go Music (here). These entries are being retroactively added to the site so as to hide my (lack of) tracks. And speaking of tracks, here’s what I purchased at Amoeba this week. (More after the jump.)
Bob Dylan – “Visions Of Johanna”
[replacing a lost copy of Blonde On Blonde Remastered]
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.
It’s true, but not for the reasons you’d think. Read about it here (via LA Weekly). It’s both sad news and glad news for collectors of rare records — Music Man Murray‘s got to move some units.
Murray Gershenz: all wrapped up in wax-a.
INCHES004 has landed over at LA Weekly‘s West Coast Sound. Installment number four picks off where last week left off, an unthemed collection of just-released (this week!) L.A.-relevant vinyl reviewed, photographed, and MP3’d, accompanied by a top ten vinyl sales chart from one of our neighborhood record shops. Inside, you’ll find a Velveeta-yellow slab of wax by Bygones (Zach Hill + Tera Melos’ Nick Reinhart), the latest from Division Day, the premier Anticon/Dublab release (featuring music by Hecuba, Lucky Dragons, Julia Holter, matthewdavid, and four others), and the long-delayed vinyl version of Nosaj Thing‘s Drift. Plus, check out the local-friendly list from Origami Vinyl.
Bygones, "by-"
Stay tuned for much, much more, and if you’ve got ideas, reach out.
Chris Writes Things 