Inflight At Night

Yesterday I was doing a little window shopping on TeePee Records website to see what they have recently released and what they have coming up. Up until now I hadn’t been really paying attention to what the label was up to until I saw that Earthless was releasing their next album through TeePee, which is what spurred my visit.

While browsing I came across a band I had never heard of called, Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, and yes I know, I said the exact same thing, “What the fuck kind of name is that?”. But lucky for you I wasn’t thrown off and proceeded to check out their psyched out jams (someone tell me how many times I’ve used the word “psyched” on here), which led me to pick up their new full length, “Ekranoplan”, that was just released last week and was produced and engineered by Tim Green (Melvins, Comets on Fire, Earthless). Even though I have only made it through the album twice so far, I can already recommend it to you, especially if you are down with the bands listed below.

AHISS hails from San Francisco and is built around a core of three musicians, Jefferson Marshall, Sunburst 3 (M.I.K.E. Lardas) and Charlie Saufley and they describe their sound as somewhere between Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Saucerful-era Floyd, Blue Oyster Cult, and the 13th Floor Elevators. I say it sounds like Comets On Fire, and since I do love me some Comets On Fire, this was easy to get on board with.

Download Rudy On The Corner (mp3) from “Ekranoplan”.

OUT NOW: buy it at insound! | download it from iTunes | download it from emusic

There’s so much good stuff this week, that when putting this list together it was really hard to decide on which show each night will demand my attention and attendance. There are a lot of great local bands playing this week that I have to forgo due to some great touring acts coming through. Like Midnight Movies at the Viper Room and the all killer no filler local line up at The Echo on Monday as well as El-P at the Troubadour, who will be backed up by Mr. Dibbs. Read Jeff Weiss’s review of El-P’s new album and grab a couple of tracks. In addtion to Anti-Flag playing an incredibly small room on Tuesday, The Watson Twins will be playing an even smaller room in Long Beach, called The Prospector. The Husbands are also in town this week with shows at The Scene Bar and Alex’s Bar, they just didn’t make my picks because I have seen them many times before and they come through town every 3 months it seems. Also TV on the Radio are playing back-to-back sold out shows at The Fonda on Friday and Saturday, if you have tickets, lucky you.

Also for those of you who like free stuff, Los Anjealous is giving away a pair of tickets to Datarock at Safari Sams on Tuesday. Datarock is my Wednesday pick at Spaceland.

Sunday, March 25th: The New Motherfuckers @ The Echo
Check out Part Time Punks this week when this Los Angeles quartet drops some classic late 70’s early 80’s sounding punk rock on your head.

The New Motherfuckers - Hotlanta! (mp3)

Monday, March 26th: P.O.S. & K-OS @ House of Blues - LA
These two guys might not be the night’s headliners, but they will be the best thing you’ll see that night. P.O.S. and K-OS are making some of the best indie hip hop right now (in my humble un-informed opinion). Also at the Anaheim House of Blues on Thursday March 29th.

P.O.S. - Music for Shoplifting (mp3)

Tuesday, March 27th: Anti-Flag @ Chain Reaction
I haven’t listened to Anti-Flag for a few years now, but when I was 16 years old and Bad Religion was my favorite band, I would have been all over this show. See a big band in a tiny club, where you can get all hopped up on Skittles and Mountain Dew at the snack bar.

Anti-Flag - Watch The Right (mp3)

Wednesday, March 28th: Datarock @ Spaceland
Sweet jumpsuits. It’s not quite dance, it’s not quite disco, nor is it just rock. It’s somewhere in between all those. And it’s definitely NOT just a guy and his iPod. Also at Safari Sams on Tuesday March 27th for Check Yo Ponytail.

Datarock - Night Flight (mp3)

Thursday, March 29th: Black Fuzz @ Que Sera
I have wanted to see these guys for a while, and with them playing in Long Beach, this looks to be my ideal shot. Soulful-bluesy-garage tunes. Also in Long Beach on Thursday are The Husbands at Alex’s Bar.

Black Fuzz - Black Fuzz (mp3)

Friday, March 30th: RTX @ Relax Bar
This is the CD release show for Jennifer Herrema’s (ex-Royal Trux) new band’s 2nd album, Western Exterminator. Throaty thrashy glammed up rock.

RTX - Black Bananas (mp3)

Saturday, March 31st: Maria Taylor @ The Echo
Wind it down on Saturday night at the Echo with Maria Taylor. I don’t know what’s up lately but I have been drawn to a lot of female solo musicians. Her new album is out now on Saddle Creek.

Maria Taylor - Lost Time (mp3)

One of first showlisting sites that caught my attention a couple years ago, OhMyRockness, has finally launched in Los Angeles, adding to their other covered major metros, New York and Chicago. While OhMyRockness gets the editorial driven showlist content right, they haven’t kept up with all the emerging trends in showlisting like, adding to iCal, text message reminders, and rss feeds. If they were to integrate those features into their sites, I think they might be able to corner the showlist market.

In lieu of seeing Amy Winehouse at Spaceland last night (I’m still a tad bitter about her canceling) I decided to check out Foreign Islands at Safari Sams for Check Yo Ponytail. I have been listening to this band on and off for quite a while now, first hearing about them from my a friend in New York.

First, apparently there is new “night” that goes before Check Yo Ponytail, I can’t remember what is was called, but no one was there. So for future reference, there is no need to get Safari Sams early if you want to catch the opening band, thing don’t get going ’til 9:30 or so now, forget about the 8pm doors they post on their flyers.

When Foreign Islands (not to be confused with North Carolina’s Future Islands) did take the stage, a small but curious crowd had formed. Unfortunately I don’t think it was enough for the band to really get into their performance. Which is sad since their music really needs to be accompanied by a high energy live show, and they do have one suppposedly, just not tonight I guess. The band’s singer just didn’t seem into it, like this show was the biggest waste of his time, which is a shame because I felt that if they did go balls out, the 40 or so people in the club would have walked out way more impressed and probably would passed on the word. Everyone loves a band that plays like they are in front a massive crowd, no matter the actual size, gotta go by the saying, 40 or 4000 (insert whatever numbers) it don’t make a difference.

So I chalk this performance up to a NYC band unfamiliar with the fickle arms crossed “impress me” attitude of LA audiences. Foreign Islands play again at the Viper Room (gonna be even more LA…sorry guys) on Thursday. Suggestion, next time you come to LA, play a smaller room with a low stage or maybe a warehouse party.

Download Ghost Story (mp3) from their album “Restart Now!” which came out yesterday and is available now.

Bonus track, called No Holiday (mp3), is the first track I ever heard from the band. I can’t find what release it is on…maybe one of their first 7″’s.

buy it at insound! | download it from iTunes | download it from emusic

Well, I guess it isn’t any surprise. Did anyone see the show at The Roxy last night? Did it even happen? Now I am pissed I didn’t see her down in Austin. Well guess the Letterman performance will have to suffice for now. Get your shit together girl.

UPDATE: I guess she might have cancelled ’cause she thinks Spaceland’s stage is too small. Also from the info in that link, The Roxy show happened and was quite packed.

Oh, and one more thing.

Can I tell you that seeing Perez Hilton shove his ugly mug in a bunch photos with her makes my stomach turn (not even going to link, cause I think he is pile). He was on my flight back from Austin on Sunday…I had to prey that he didn’t sit next to me.

Beginning April 11th with their 32 page inaugural paper, The District Weekly, brought to us by those formerly of the OC Weekly, hopes to shake things up in the relatively boring and unprogressive news print landscape of Long Beach. Read more on LAtimes.com (reg. required), The Press Telegram, Orange County Business Journal, or BrooWaha.