I saw He Is We open for The Rocket Summer a while back and at the time, vocalist Rachel Taylor was extremely sick and was struggling to sing. Even then, I was impressed by her pipes. Some of their lyrics border on cheesy, but these guys work hard and make beautiful pop songs and deserve every bit of the accolades their new record is receiving. They’re Paramore meets Beiber with a dash of Ingrid Michaelson.
Their debut full length My Forever was just released by Universal Motown on April 12th.
Catch them on tour with Downtown Fiction (dates below…) (more…)
There are two more Mondays left in April and on one of them, I will be heading over to The Satellite to check out Walking Sleep’s residency show. I can tell you right now it’s most likely going to be the free one, But at any rate, I just downloaded this EP and so far I dig it so I thought you might too. Groovy bass-heavy indie rock with guy/girl duo vocals (man, I’m a sucker for that). See you on Monday?
4/18 Marvelous Toy, Michael’s House, Sara Radle Band (free)
4/25 The Airborne Toxic Event ($20)
Finally, I’m done with my SXSW features! yes, almost a month later. Don’t judge. Last of my favorite acts from SXSW is Sea of Bees. Sea of Bees is Julie “Jules” Baenziger (plus about 3 other performers for the live show). Her unique soprano vocals are in sharp contrast to her tomboyish looks. The songs were booming and haunting, with tracks like “Marmelade” and “Gnomes” as the stand-outs. Although a strange comparison, each sounds like it would work well as part of the soundtrack to a Western: untamed and heavy, spurs and all.
Jules commanded the stage with complete ease and her accompanying musicians were nothing to shake a stick at–the harmonies with the other girl musician were compelling. High praises have been sung for Sea of Bees’s Songs for the Ravens and it’s no wonder why.
…Oh yeah, did I mention that Bob Boilen from NPR was at this show?
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This guy won’t get you clean and he hails from the un-noteworthy land of Chadsworth, CA. Besides the fact that Baths was the only electronic act I caught at SXSW, he definitely caught my attention. Having heard his music played the week prior to SXSW by a DJ friend, when I noticed that he was playing so close I had to make it over. The bar was jam-packed with people standing on tables and each rhythmically connected to the music. Each note drags heavily into the next, but not in a tired way. Like running in water–pulling forward despite resistance. Baths doesn’t just beg you to move; it requires it. It’s no wonder why he’s already made it on Pitchfork, Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, and the front page of The Deli LA this month.
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VANAPRASTA
…This LA based five piece make soaring area ready indie rock that landed them on Pure Volume’s Top Unsigned bands of 2010 with they’re wowed at SXSW with eight shows that had Consequence of Sound touting them as one of the Top 25 o catch in Austin. Known for their hypnotic live shows full of aggressive guitars and impassioned vocals, VANAPRASTA are going big in 2011 and readying to drop their debut later this year.
“Sometimes the heavens part and you are witness to rock immortality . . . Steven Wilkin’s vocals are going to knock you sideways . . . Come bring your friends. You can say you knew them when.” – LA Weekly
STONE DARLING
This LA based quartet are serious contenders for Best Coast level stardom in 2011 with dreamy indie pop butchressed with fuzzy guitars. Infectious numbers like “All I Wanna Do” and “Can You Get to That” have been on repeat around here for a while, with classic girl group melodies that would put Spector to shame.
“The whispery, harmony-glazed “All I Wanna Do” by Los Angeles band Stone Darling is the kind of lush and gorgeous pop confection that only takes a few seconds to forever nestle itself inside your collective consciousness.” – Everybody Taste
POLLS
Comprised of Julien Bellin, David Franklin, and Chris Newcomer, this local trio are channeling 90s indie rock forefathers like Pavement and Sonic Youth with their self-titled debut EP and have LA tastemakers like Brand X and Buzzbands LA singing the praises of their fuzzy yet melodic pop numbers.
“Big, driving guitars with noisy flashes of sound. Slowly draws you in like a warm blanket of fuzz on cruise control.” – Surfing On Steam
