Latest Review: Magic Lantern – High Beams

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 [...]

Local LA Music Update – New Music and Free Downloads

There is a lot going on right now, which I guess there always is, but right now between the holidays and the pending 2-week hiatus around Christmas and New Years everyone is cramming as much as they can into these last couple relevant weeks of December.

- There are a couple benefit shows coming up next week;

Radio Free Silver Lake is presenting the third annual Rock Against HD Event – a benefit for The Huntington’s Disease Society Of America – at Safari Sam’s on Monday, December 10th. Performing will be Sarah Negahdari (The Happy Hollows) performing her solo work, James Patrick (Buffalo Roam) playing new solo material, The Spires, The Western States Motel, Thailand, The Movies (their new songs are killer, thanks for the early listen Joe), and Ryan from Division Day will be DJing.

The Fold is presenting the First Annual Christmas Sweater Festival on December 14th with The Deadly Syndrome, The Mae-Shi, Happy Hollows, The Pity Party, and Eskimohunter at Crash Mansion. No headliners, no support bands; instead each band will play two fifteen-minute sets throughout the night. $5 Min. Donation, all proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders. Christmas sweaters are actively encouraged.

- Our friends in Rademacher were featured as the Spin.com band of the day yesterday. Congrats to them. And if you haven’t grabbed the last 3 tracks from their new album Stunts, you better do so soon, because they will be taken down next week.

- The LA Weekly’s Click Hear show featuring Mezzanine Owls, The Valley Arena, Travel By Sea, Le Switch, Tweak Bird, and The Black Ghosts, is next Monday (Dec. 10th) at the El Rey. Want to get in for free? Hit up Jax or Mezzanine Owls on their MySpace pages to ask about getting on their guest lists or you can just pay the 10 bucks at the door.

- San Diego’s The Prayers have 2 downloadable tracks up on RCRDLBL.com from their God Save The Prayers. They’ll be playing the Troubadour on Jan. 8th with Jeremy Jay, The Muslims, and The Sess.

- Joe at Radio Free Silver Lake has announced the line-up for his next Let’s Independent night at Boardners on December 18th. Remember these shows are free.

- Be on the lookout for cameras at bunch of shows this month as The Monolators, The Front, Vaudeville, E>K>U>K, 8-Bit and Pop Noir are all being filmed around town for a new documentary called, DearLA, it’s about the LA music scene.

- Dengue Fever have posted their new single, “Seeing Hands,” from their upcoming album Venus on Earth which comes out January 22nd. Catch Dengue Fever at the Getty Museum this Friday (Dec. 7th) and on Saturday (Dec. 8th) at the EchoPlex.

- There is a free Sea of Air download of their song, “Incredible Masquerade”, available from something called “Roommates” in a snocap player here, and while you’re there, get the Crime In Choir track that is available too. Apparently the bands make a little money each time someone downloads one of their free tracks…I guess that snocap login I created a little while back is coming in handy.