LA / LBC / OC
Long Beach’s Magic Lantern have finally gone and released a new sonic document after what seemed like an eternity of waiting. Eagerly anticipated by those who have been biding their time waiting for the band to get on with their uber limited cassette only and CD-R releases (their Self-Titled CD-R was limited to 30), “High Beams”, the band’s latest opus [...]
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I didn’t see any mentions about this show from any of the usual LA suspects (all linked below to the right), so I figured I better fire up the ‘puter and give this totally insane show that no one other than Stoner Rock, Crustcake and Hydra Head (the label), has mentioned yet. But maybe it doesn’t matter ’cause Relax Bar only holds like a 100 people or something anyway.
Torche in my opinion put out the best album of the year so far when they released Meanderthal last month, it is both brain crushingly heavy and perfectly melodic - a balance that is not often successfully achieved without coming off unbelievably cheesy. The Melvins comparisons are inevitable and the “like the Foo Fighters, if they didn’t suck” jabs are funny, but to me their melodic stuff - which is where these comparisons are coming from - sounds a lot like Pulley circa their 1999 album, @#!*, especially on the songs “Across The Shields” and “Fat Waves”.
Also on the bill tonight are Clouds who just released their Hydra Head debut, We Are Above You, and are led by Adam McGrath (Cave In). I don’t have it yet, but from what I’ve listened to, it seems like it is pretty good.
MP3: Torche - Grenades
MP3: Torche - Healer
Torche w/Clouds and It’s Casual @ Relax Bar (5511 Hollywood Blvd) TONIGHT | 8pm | 21+ | $10
Your Highness Electric originally hails from Louisville, KY and is made up of former members of the now defunct Revelation Records’ band, Christiansen. Now spread out across the country and playing in various other groups, Your Highness Electric’s Brandon Bondehagen (Portland/Sharpening Markers), Brad Magers (Los Angeles/The Bronx) and Bob “Robby” Scott (Louisville), overcame such obstacles and found time to record their first album under their new moniker when the trio met in California to record at Solunaris Studio in Corona, CA late last year. The result, The Grand Hooded Phantom (released on June 3rd) is a nice mix of their former band’s sound infused with bluesy classic rock riffs. Think Led Zeppelin, Blue Cheer, Clutch and Wolfmother.
Congregating here in Los Angeles this week before heading out on Warped Tour (Magers will be playing on the tour with The Bronx) for a couple of West Coast dates, Your Highness Electric will play the Silverlake Lounge tomorrow night (6/18) with Dead Sara and Terrapin.
I went and saw The Architects on Saturday night - my friend plays in the band (he’s the one who’s last name isn’t Phillips) - at Saint Rock in Hermosa Beach, the band, who are from Kansas City, MO put on one of the best shows I’ve seen in quite a while.
I’ve had their new album Vice for a little while now, and while it’s a fine release, it doesn’t compare to their stellar live show. On stage everything the band does is so tight, though never did it feel rehearsed, the result of what I can only assume stems from three quarters of the band being related (brothers - you might remember their old band, The Gadjits, from the late nineties) and performing together in various bands for more than a decade.
As you might have guessed from the title of The Architects’ sophomore release, Vice, the majority of the songs on the album deal with issues of the alcohol or pharmaceutical nature. Part midwestern post-hardcore a la the now defunct acts; Shiner, Salt The Earth and Shots Fired, and part working class American pub rock, Vice is The Architects best release to date and will hopefully find an audience as the band continues to tour this summer in a series of higher profile opening slots.
Vice is out now on the Kansas City label, Anodyne Records.
The dudes in Darker My Love are a pretty generous bunch, after recently giving away their 2006 self-titled album (still available here), they are now preparing to giveaway to all of those who go to either of their free residences in San Francisco and Los Angeles next month (details below) a free limited edition 7″. At these free shows there will also be the opportunity to pre-order their new album, 2, for a discounted price.
July 17 San Francisco, CA @ Popscene
July 18 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
July 24 San Francisco, CA @ The Rickshaw Stop
July 25 Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
2 is set for release on August 5th via Dangerbird Records and release shows are scheduled in San Francisco and Los Angeles (details below) where the $9.99 price of the ticket includes a copy of the album (which I guess will be good for those who miss out on pre-ordering it at one of the July shows).
Aug 5 San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
Aug 7 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
Also, “Blue Day”, the first track from 2 has been unveiled, it’s a pulsating anthem that melds funk and psychedelic rhythms to create something akin to what Primal Scream might have produced in their heyday.
MP3: Darker My Love - Blue Day
Feeling like this deal is little lopsided? Like maybe you should reciprocate? Then why not support DML and the bedroom label, I Hate Rock n’ Roll, by picking up the Darker My Love/Moccasin split 12″ vinyl.
Darker My Love play the Troubadour tomorrow night (June 5th) with The Black Angels and Lower Heaven
Initially released in Europe in October 2006, Blackstrap’s second full length, Steal My Horses and Run, is finally seeing it’s official release in the U.S. via New York’s Tee Pee Records.
At first pass it would be easy to write off Steal My Horses and Run as just another retread of the JAMC and My Bloody Valentine catalogs, that is if it weren’t so well executed and/or if you weren’t able to make to the last quarter of the album where the band really opens things up with some more diversified song writing. Coming across much the same as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club did on their first album, Blackstrap wear their influences (Velvet Underground, My Bloody Valentine, Neu!, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Stereolab and Suicide) on their sleeve, writing songs that would fit on any of the aforementioned bands’ albums, only with much better production. Read more »
