Founded in 2012 by Jayk Gallagher, Hobart W Fink describe themselves as slightly nerdy, ironic indie rock with a soupçon of grunge. The band’s co-lead singers, Gallagher and Marie Bollinger, blend razor sharp harmonies atop their eclectic stew of rock influences. Their debut single, “Hundred Dollar Bill,” is gutsy, grungy, and raw. A fast-paced and edgy rock tune that never takes itself too seriously. The band has a release show at The Satellite May 30 followed by an EP release in July at Casey’s Pub. - Jacqueline Caruso
What is merely a tease to his upcoming full length release, “Remind Me,” is the first single off of experimentalist Lee Noble’s ‘Ruiner’ LP. With a touch of drone-y atmospherics, the song dishes out a heavy does of mood while managing to maintain a sense of rhythm and melody that is more often neglected in this genre for the sake of boundary-pushing. Crunchy guitar swells drift atop lo-fi drum machine loops and ambient sound design as Noble moans with the emotional inflection found on Thom York’s ‘Eraser,’ and the affected lethargy of early Atlas Sound. Dappled with homespun distortions and hiss, “Remind Me” never ambles too far out of reach yet stays rooted in the authenticity of it’s derivatives. ‘Ruiner’ is set for release September 5 on Bathetic Records. - Jacqueline Caruso
Bestial Mouths create dank, uncompromising onlsuahgts of noise that are as seductive as they are disconcerting. The trio nudges the fearless behavior of no wave, piercing together swaths of synth goop and subtle tribal motifs that enact a distressing feeling of claustrophobia. Singer Lynette Crezo is a force to be reckoned with, a tall, spidery vixen that bellows a cry of war with an impassioned vehemence. On June 25th, they return with their self-titled follow-up to Hissing Veil, produced by electronic Toronto DJ Egyptrixx. Presence all the chaos unfold at 5 Star Bar on May 23rd, followed by a performance at the Troubadour on June 23rd.
This past March, we unveiled the first single from psych-pop duo Honeymooon. As they continue to work on their first full-length effort, they've just released a new potential tease in the form of "Sure Stuck", a limpid, lush pop tune with a chugging motorik groove that pays homage to the minimalist melodies of Krautrock duo Neu! It's fitting with what they're hoping to achieve as a whole, which they decribe as "Todd Rundgren crawling through lost 70's albums".
Hot off their Harvard & Stone Residency, The Black Apples have released the video for their cheery surf pop tune, “Tales and Truths,” off of their EP of the same name. The video showcases the band playing live while a beautiful woman wanders in the dappled sunlight of an unknown wilderness. It’s almost a video within a video, and while there isn’t much of a narrative, the charisma of frontman, Campbell Scarborough, is sure to hold your attention. Rife with delightful harmonies, and bordering on both the anthemic, and at times, the bubblegum, their sound is always rooted in that ever present garage rock sound that’s permeating the LA atmosphere. The band is currently working on their second LP, ‘Patio.’ - Jacqueline Caruso
Brothers, Giovan and Mario Polanco, have been making music together for over a decade. Their latest project, Moons of Mars, is pop at it’s best, mixing cleverly crafted hooks with intelligent electronic production. “I Want You Here” is an emotionally-driven mid-tempo tune sprinkled with indie pop touches and an R&B-style melodic groove. It’s got the charm of the bedroom, but the impact of the studio. A full length is expected later this year. Catch them live at Hotel Cafe this Friday, May 17. - Jacqueline Caruso
Up-and-comers, KG Bird took traditional Americana and baked it in the SoCal sun. There’s is a looser, more relaxed approach to blues and folk that gives it a rebellious edge. With arrangements that are constantly in motion, riding the line of disorder in a way that tantalizingly pushes and pulls, this is a ride you’ll want to take. Haunting and psychedelic at times, eclectic and sparse at others, the six piece, helmed by brothers Chris and Tim James, manage to blend something fresh into a what can easily become a staid and predictable style. Their debut, “Morning Weather” EP is available on bandcamp for pay what you want. Catch them live May 17 at Taix in Echo Park. - Jacqueline Caruso
On March 25th, Los Détroit released their debut EP The Killing, which channels the drift of modern post-rock into something completely their own. The four-member band, comprised of Marian McCarthy(lead singer and former member of Silent Violent), Michael Carian, Jill Marklin and Michael Lloyd, began in LA with "the icy winds of the Detroit River pushing the final members of the group together", creating one rich discrepancy that fuses the minimalism of post-rock and the ethereal sensations of dream pop ambiance. McCarthy's tranquil voice is an abstract version of Amy Lee from Evanescene and Grace Potter from The Nocturnals, richly layered in echo-delayed, electronic melodies and bittersweet-introspective lyrics that create dreamy soundscapes drenched in atmosphere. Picture this: you’re laying in bed, the lights are off and the ambience of their new song, "Conditions", creeps slowly through your speakers and floods your room with psychedelic, mind-bending music. As a whole, The Killing feels like a a spiritual, uplifting experience that exceeds the limit of one's thought. So get lost, lose your mind and relax your body, because Los Détroit is an out of body experience. - Kayla Hay
There's currently a lot of mystery surrounding Los Angeles duo Boardwalk. According to their skimpy facebook bio, they formed in the summer of last year, and in the midst of writing songs they were joined by Mark Noseworthy on lead guitar, better known as one of the members of merry collective Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros. The first track to come out of this project, "I'm to Blame", is a quite the charmer, an alluringly mesmeric number that gently sways with a droning keyboard as Amber Quintero's lush vocals ease through the underlying tension. Local label Stones Throw just released the single as a flexi disc, which is part of a 4-part series in collaboration with LA Record.
Fronted by Dum Dum Girls’ Drummer, Sandra Vu, SISU blends gloomy synth-pop, shoegaze and electronic rock. Their latest effort, ‘Light Eyes’ EP, will be released on cassette by Burger Records this month. The opening song, “Two Thousand Eyes,” layers lo-fi drum loops, gritty guitars, sparkling synth leads and ghostly harmonies that swirl like ordered chaos. The title track, “Light Eyes,” grabs you right away with it’s catchy hook and tribal groove. The soundscapes ebb and flow throughout the EP, and descend into more experimental territories at times, while still maintaining the doom-like moodiness juxtaposed with hopeful pop melodies. SISU is currently on tour supporting Marnie Stern, with a full length expected later this year. - Jacqueline Caruso
