On Thursday night, the intimate Bootleg Bar showcased Lovedrug’s triumphant return to Los Angeles after a four year break. Diehard fans came to Westlake in full force, packing the limited space between the stage and the rows of tables accommodating lovers of PBR and Tecate.
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Whether you like glam pop (Adam Lambert) or dream pop (Beach House), real punk rock (Hot Water Music) or real funny rock (Tenacious D), there’s a little something for everyone on today’s list of new releases. Check out our full list below, and let me know in the comments what you’ll be listening to today!
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If you are under the impression that 1) Maroon 5 is still a group effort and not just an Adam Levine vehicle; and 2) people aren’t spending big Hollywood bucks on music videos in this economy; then the new video for “Payphone” is going to be a disastrous wake up call for you. Sorry. Continue reading…
If I have one major issue with modern punk music, it’s the inherent conservatism. For all the posturing and sloganeering, most modern punk is about as cutting edge and diverse as graffiti art. It tends to be posing for the sake of cool rather than for any real passionate cause. Fortunately, Off! is cut from a different cloth. Just take a look at that line up. There’s former members of Burning Brides in there. The drummer used to be in both Hot Snakes and Rocket From The Crypt, arguably the best and most under-appreciated American punk rock band of the last two decades. And the frontman is none other than Keith Morris, formerly of the legendary Black Flag and Circle Jerks. Maybe we should be kneeling before these guys rather than standing as they come on stage. This is musical royalty we’re talking about.
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By now, you’ve surely heard about the amazing, intimate, once-in-a-lifetime, almost-too-good-to-be-true performances that have been going on at the 987 Penthouse the past few months. Back in February, I caught fun.’s performance at the Penthouse mere days before their Some Nights album exploded on the music scene, and earlier that same month LA Music Blog’s Jay Chirinos stopped by the Penthouse to catch Shin’s frontman James Mercer’s solo set. And because we at LA Music Blog always want to share the love, we not only gave away pairs of tickets to these show, we’ve also hooked readers up with tickets to see Neon Trees at the Penthouse. Now we’re doing it again, this time with SoCal’s own Delta Spirit!
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Three albums into their career, Baltimore duo Beach House has managed to entrance us with their inescapable dream pop stylings (not that anyone would ever want to escape from it, mind you). Their dizzying sounds have easily worked in Beach House’s favor: Teen Dream was indubitably my favorite album of 2010, thanks in part to the elegance of Victoria Legrand’s vocals; the ethereal, melodic constructions she and Alex Scally produced; and the mesmerizing strength of the album’s lyrical content. Most fans and critics also agreed, leaving one to wonder how Beach House could possibly follow up an album already considered their best offering.
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When I first encountered the musical stylings of Destini Rogers, aka Destro, I knew I would have to learn her story as soon as possible. What I came to find was that her dimensions span far past music production and into the realm of entrepreneurship and philosophy. Destro is just getting started on bringing the creative outlets of song and dance closer than ever, but that is a mere footnote to the larger picture goal of liberating artists everywhere, especially in her home of Oklahoma. When she sat down with LA Music Blog, I were able to find out what the “Destro Movement” is all about. Continue reading…
Every once in a while, YouTube reveals itself as a true breeding ground for musical talent. No, I’m not talking about Rebecca Black and Samwell; I’m talking about Kina Grannis, Greyson Chance, Terra Naomi, Justin Bieber…artists who were “discovered” via the site and then went on to land record deals and in some case, international superstardom. LA Music Blog has had the chance to meet one such undiscovered talent, and I’m now predicting she just may be the next name to add to the list of YouTube-launched stars: Los Angeles’ own Brianna Gage.
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Las Vegas might be known for its twenty-four/seven party scene, non-stop gambling, and endless debauchery, but the City of Sin is about to get a taste of good old-fashioned punk rock. The fourteenth annual Punk Rock Bowling Bowling and Music Festival is coming to downtown Las Vegas May 25-28 with a lineup that boasts over sixty bands ranging from old-school pioneers like NOFX, Rancid, and Pennywise to up-and-comers such as Dead to Me, Amoebas, and The Avengers. The three-day outdoor festival offers punk rock fans a great chance to bowl some strikes in their bowling tournaments, enter Texas Hold ‘Em competitions, and watch incredible live music with 5,000 of their closest friends. After the large stage performances, four late night clubs will stay open for more intimate shows as well.
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As reported earlier this year, left field rapper extraordinaire Aesop Rock will be returning this summer with his first album in five years. Now a tour has been announced in support of the new release, and Aesop (or Mr. Rock to you) will be coming to Los Angeles as part of the tour.
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