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 [...]
News Bytes TwitterI added former Times writer, Kevin Bronson’s forthcoming new solo venture, Buzz Bands and Scott McDonald’s recently resurrected Surfing On Steam, both of who I saw out last night at the Silverlake Lounge. Kevin, give me a buzz (sorry) if you need any theming/Wordpress help on your new site.
Also added is the hilarious musings of Evan over at Swan Fungus, who for those trolling links to pitch local media, is not the outlet, but regardless should be read daily.
There are some more down there I added as well and I am on the constant look out for newcomers, so hit me up if your an LA based music blogger, and I’ll link ya if you’re any good (relative).
I had meant to write up something about Nashville’s Black Diamond Heavies earlier this year when they played Safari Sam’s, but as you might have noticed around here, I’m just not posting as much as I used to, and ended up missing both the opportunity write about and see live a band I have been curious to check out for a while.
I just ordered both BDH’s new album A Touch Of Someone Else’s Class and 2007’s Every Damn Time on vinyl, so I can’t really give you any honest critique of their recorded material since I haven’t heard all of it yet, but if the three mp3s below are true indicators of the quality of all the songs on the albums, I think I’m going to like what I just shelled out for.
I’m thinking Black Keys meets Tom Waits meets Howlin’ Wolf meets Dr. John.
MP3: Black Diamond Heavies - Everything Is Everthang
MP3: Black Diamond Heavies - Bidin’ My Time
MP3: Black Diamond Heavies - Nutbush City Limts
Here’s what Alive, BDH’s label has to say about the band:
Black Diamond Heavies is a self-described punk-ass blues duo from the South consisting of John Wesley Myers on bass keys, fender Rhodes, organ, and lead vocals and Van Campbell on drums, percussion and vocals. “A Touch Of Someone Else’s Class” is the follow up to their acclaimed 2007’s debut “Every Damn Time” (Alive), and it’s a another slab of grungy, dirty, blues punk rock’n'roll with a heavy, greasy, touch of soul. This time the two-piece traveled to Akron, Ohio, to team up with Dan Auerbach of his newly built studio, equipped with vintage gear. The “blues groove monsters” deliver another gothic proportions. Worth mentioning is a guest appearance by Ralph Carney on horns, best known for his long-time association with Tom Waits.
Black Diamond Heavies play The Echo (1822 Sunset Blvd) this Thursday (9/18) w/Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson | 8:30pm | $7 | 18+
I must have missed the memo when this new Bronx track was released online in June in conjunction with the band’s stint on this past summer’s Warped Tour, no doubt because after spending one too many of the my summers on that tour, my brain automatically filters out anything that has the words warped and tour positioned next to each other. But now with the news that a release date for the Bronx’s third self-titled album has been set - November 11th - I am finding myself jamming out to “Knifeman”.
MP3: The Bronx - Knifeman
Though the band has always down played their signing to Island/Def Jam, I still believe it to be one of the better Rock N’ Roll swindles. Band plays a couple of shows, signs to major for a $150,000 (a tidy sum, but still a small amount when you think about what the majors were still handing out back then), negotiates the release of their debut on their own newly formed label (White Drugs), tours and builds a fan base, releases major label debut that results in poor sales (in terms of major label expectations), band uses major’s money to build own recording studio (someone correct me if I am wrong as to which label’s money it was), band parts ways with major, band goes back to self releasing their own albums.
Fucking awesome.
And though I’m sure it was more complicated than this, it seems like the band was able to pinch a few pennies from the bank of IDJ, build a solid infrastructure and fan base all the while minimizing their dealings with the major, and when IDJ finally realized they don’t know what to do with rock bands (especially one of the Bronx’s nature), the band are now set to do it on their own in an environment that is much friendly and lucrative to artists self-releasing.
Doods should give Topspin a call pronto!
There’s a lot of free mp3 offerings floating around Amazon’s MP3 store, and while clearing out my yahoo email account I read one of their latest mp3 newsletters and I found another. This one is a The End Records free mp3 sampler, and while I wasn’t into all that many of the bands, I did appreciate the offering. And shit, it was free.
Also, though there doesn’t seem to be an exact page on Amazon’s website keeping a running tally of their daily $1.99 - $3.99 mp3 album deals, but you can track them through AmazonMP3’s twitter page (RSS), and each deal seems to usually be good for a couple days.
8pm sharp @ Dock 7
MP3: The Sess - Don’t Look Back (a hyperactive cover the The Remains classic)
What I said about The Sess last time I wrote about them:
I have been enjoying The Sess‘ debut full length, Agendumb out now on Single Screen Records, all week. Agendumb is raw and crunchy and you get the feeling while listening to it that the band may at any moment lose it, of which my limited imagination can only marginally visualize as: like watching two cars narrowly avoid a head on collision.
