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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Photo: Grant Reinero
Funny thing about about scenes, how they can be relatively close geographically, but worlds apart when it comes to the local band’s in them. Take San Diego’s Grand Ole Party for instance, who are apparently the next big thing down south, but up north here (60-70 miles) most are clueless as to who this insanely good new band is.
I recently became aware of the band from SD City Beat music editor, Troy Johnson, who has been singing their praises and has had them on his Fox Rox program, where they performed the song, Bad, Bad Man. It was that video I saw of their Fox Rox performance that had me instantly hooked. Singer, Kristin Gundred, sings and plays the drums, and it is her vocals that make the band for me. Think a little Janis Joplin, a little The Gossip’s Beth Ditto, and some Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs all mixed up in a choppy rhythmic delivery.
Thanks to Cat Dirt Sez, a pretty awsome San Diego blog, I was able disover a little more about this little gem of a band from San Diego. It seems they are currently holed up in the studio recording their debut album with Blake Sennett of Rilo Kiley fame (they share management), that will be released later this summer or in the early fall. Also they will be playing SXSW at the Filter/Ascap showcase on March 15th as well as the Arthur Magazine/Press Here Publicity party on March 16th.
In addition to playing on Fox Rox, the band also recorded 5 songs for the 94.9 radio program, The Local Pyle, which were included in the show’s feature, The Pyle Sessions, links to streams of all five tracks are below.
The Tim Pyles Sessions, recorded at Strate Sound by Alan Sanderson:
1. Dirty Spirit Rag
2. Savior
3. Belle Isle
4. Gypsy March
5. Roll On Down
8. March 2007 at 6:40 pm :
thanks for the shout out. check out the band on my record label- fifty on their heels, featured on the same episode of fox rox as that grand ole party clip, recorded pyles session two months after grand ole party, etc.
list of san diego bands to watch(besides gop and fifty): the prayers(brit rock), the muslims(sound like velvet underground), kite flying society(indie pop), vinyl radio(bluesy rock), delta spirit(see cold war kids), iSociety!(afro beat).