If you’re not one of the lucky ones going to Coachella, fear not, for Record Store Day 2012 is here. (Now that I think about it, even if you will be in the desert this weekend there’ll be a tent there, too. We just can’t win...)  If you aren’t familiar with Record Store Day, it’s an annual event held by independently run records stores around the United States.  Basically, a bunch of super cool record stores join forces to help promote their businesses and create awareness of independently owned and operated record stores (as opposed to major commercial outlets, i.e. Best Buy, iTunes, Target) by recruiting artists to record and release exclusive Record Store Day albums and hosting live performances.

With that in mind, here are my top 5 picks (in no particular order) by new bands for Record Store Day releases:

1. Fun.

The Lowdown:

Fun’s first release since their most recent album, Some Nights. This album has 3 tracks from Some Nights—“We Are Young,” “Carry On,” and “Why Am I the One”—but acoustic versions of all three.  You can watch the acoustic versions on YouTube,  but, it’s hard to compare that to hearing an un-electronically-altered Nate on smoky vinyl.  Also, the physical record is shaped like a gear, which is awesome.

DETAILS
Title: The Ghost That You Are To Me
Format: 10" LP
Label: Atlantic
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
More Info:

Format: 10" GEAR-SHAPED gold picture disc

Tracks:
1) We Are Young with Janelle Monae (Acoustic)
2) Carry On (Acoustic)
3) Why Am I The One (Acoustic)

2. Foster The People

The Lowdown:

Personally, since last year’s Torches, I can’t get enough of Foster the People, so naturally I am super stoked for two new tracks, “Broken Jaw” and “Ruby,” to find their place beneath the needle of my record player.

DETAILS
Title: Broken Jaw / Ruby
Format: 7" 45
Label: Columbia
Release type: RSD Exclusive Release
More Info:
Tracks:
1) Broken Jaw
2) Ruby

3. Now Now/The Lonely Forest

The Lowdown:

Now, Now (whose new album, Threads, is due out this spring) and The Lonely Forest, the first two acts signed to Chris Walla’s (of Death Cab for Cutie fame) indie label Trans- Records, are releasing a split 7”.  The two tracks featured—“Shifting” (Now, Now) and “Woe Is Me” (The Lonely Forest)—were hand-picked by Walla himself.  On a side note, Now, Now will be touring with Fun. in May and June and The Lonely Forest with Portugal. the Man in April and May.  The moral of this story is I would highly recommend this 7”.

Now, Now: Shifting by Trans Records

The Lonely Forest - Arrows (90 sec snippets) by Atlantic Records

DETAILS
Title: N/A
Format: 7" 45
Label: Trans- Records
Release type: RSD Limited Run / Regional Focus Release
More Info:
Tracks:
1) Shifting (Now, Now)
2) Woe Is Me (The Lonely Forest)

4. Ólafur Arnalds and Nils Frahm

The Lowdown:

Olafur Arnalds is an Icelandic neoclassical composer (who recently had a track (below) on The Hunger Games Soundtrack).  Nils Frahm is a new age, Berlin-based composer.  Both are a fantastic break from the comparatively lo-fi music that saturates the indie scene.  Your parents would be proud.   Now they’ve collaborated along with cellist Anne Müller to release Stare, a three-track EP recorded for Record Store Day exclusive release.   The EP includes a card signed by both artists (as long as stock lasts) plus a digital bonus remix track.  Sign me up.

DETAILS
Title: Stare
Format: 10”
Label: Erased Tapes
Release Type: RSD Exclusive Release
More Info:
Tracks:
1) a1
2) a2
3) b1

5. Nick Waterhouse/Allah Las

The Lowdown:

Vintage SoCal R&B crooner Nick Waterhouse and Retro pop outfit The Allah Las both record the song “Don’t You Forget It” and put it on an 8” record (which Brooklyn Vegan’s Bill Pearis hilariously describes as “the vinyl equivalent of ‘this one goes to 11.’”).  There’s also a backstory here.  According to label Innovative Leisure:

“As Nick Waterhouse explains it, ‘I had a mixtape of a couple of songs that Pedrum (of the Allah-Las) had handed to me. He had a song on there called ‘Don't You Forget It’ and I used the lyrics from his song in the music bed of a song that I was composing.’ What came out was the single ‘Don't You Forget It’ that Waterhouse recorded for his upcoming LP Time's All Gone…”

DETAILS:
Title: N/A
Format: 8” Split
Label: Innovative Leisure
Release Type: RSD Exclusive Release
More Info:
Tracks:
1) Don't You Forget It (Nick Waterhouse)
2) Don't You Forget It (The Allah Las)

Brian Lopez, a soulful, curly-headed, Tucson-raised singer-songwriter has made his way on to my music radar and left a great first impression with his first solo, full-length album, album, Ultra.  Branching out from his role as the leader of experimental three-piece group Mostly Bears (which, according to Wikipedia, [awesomely] sounds like "Radiohead circa 1996 getting in a gang-fight with Arcade Fire"), he brings a southwestern Latino charm into his melodic and orchestral yet laid-back and indie-vibed music, all while crafting a subtle dance between passion and weariness, overwhelming love and exhaustive sadness.

Bardot--a Los Angeles club tucked into Hollywood's dense layout--is swanky.  Swanky like an old-school mansion with dark weaving hallways, swanky like tentatively walking in on some exclusive party, unsure of where you belong.  Old friends met and chatted holding colorful drinks in dim light, surrounding me as I squeezed onto brocaded couches. People old and young congregated beneath intricate Grecian moldings and a tented, breezy ceiling to watch blue-bathed musicians perform.

Duniven kicked off the night with a decent set. The six (sometimes seven with a guest vocalist) members of the band squeezed onto the tiny stage.  Despite so many musicians and layers and instruments, their sound was simplistic and unvaried. The baselines were the best sonic element, but it was hard to focus on the good qualities with so much going on.  The drummer played one beat the entire set, featuring a painful bullet of a snare hit on every. single. quarter. note of every, single song.  There was a convincing jam session or two, which gave me moments of hope; the vocals were sweet and rough in that lovely folky way; lead singer/guitarist/harmonica-ist/band namesake Duniven was a killer harmonica player, and the songs with that curious instrument were my favorites from their set.  I personally would've preferred Duniven as a duo with Duniven on lead acoustic, vocals, harmonica, and Dan Komin on bass--done.  No need for the childish keys, the seated percussionist with a maraca in one hand and a Stella in the other, or those stale, lifeless drum beats.

The next band on stage was Races, and they were quick to inject some much needed life and musicianship into the night.  If I may gush for a little, the moment they took the stage they had a beautiful presence: one of fun and excitement yet somehow humbled and unassuming.  They were electric in the blue light, and won over my heart like no band I've never heard of has done before. (Did that make sense?)  It has been a long time since I've been genuinely impressed by the demeanor, musicianship, and presentation of a brand new band--they formed in fall 2009, have released one 7-inch, and will release their first full length later this year through Frenchkiss Records--and Races did just that.

As for their music, it was a delightful drizzle of much needed musical variation.  Duniven, take note: even though Races had six members on stage, each was a vital and contributing part of the band; each instrument was distinct and audible, and the resulting sound was cohesive and euphonic.  I quickly developed a girl crush on tambourine shaking, single snare slapping frontwoman Devon Lee--she won me over easily with an infectious charisma, a simple dress, and a heavenly voice.  Alongside her stood straight-faced and characteristically mysterious frontman Wade Ryff, busy spilling out his dulcet, Jim James voice.  They were backed by a careful band: drummer Lucas Ventura, who, when you weren't lured by the expanse of chest hair escaping from his deep v-neck, could be spotted making the silliest of faces while expertly exploring his drumset's range of volumes; pixie-haired keyboardist/vocalist Breanna Wood; ginger-headed bassist/synth-player Oliver Hild switched between serving tasty baseline and rocking the moog; and Garth Herberg strumming the guitar in his own happy world.

Our Daniela Montelongo spent three days shooting the fun at Lollapalooza. She sent back so many great shots, that we couldn't use them all. So here are some of the great photos we didn't have room for the first time. We're at Outside Lands in San Francisco and The Wilderness Festival in the U.K. this weekend, so stay tuned.

Muse

Crowd Surfing with Cage The Elephant

More Cage The Elephant

Imelda May

Bright Eyes

Ok Go

The Vaccines

My Morning Jacket

The Naked and Famous

Lykke Li

The rainbow on Sunday afternoon

All photographs (c) Daniela Montelongo

Looking awesome while playing good music was the common theme I noticed during my second day at Lollapalooza. I started it off by swinging by the Black Lips set. While I watched a bottle of Jameson be placed on the stage for the intended mid show consumption by the band for this early afternoon set I knew I was in for a good show. I however did not expect to see a band member projectile vomit during the first song. It was probably one of the closet "true rock musician" behavior I've ever witness, and in all fairness he was a champ and didn't miss a beat.

Black Lips

After that spectacle I ventured to see The Chain Gang of 1974. I had seem them down at sxsw earlier  this year and knew a good show was coming.  The lead singer truly gives his all for each and every song. Dancing like a mad man, and I mean that as a complement, jumping into the crowd to sing the whole second song was something he did without batting an eye. These guys are a great live band who put on a can't miss show.

The Chain Gang Of 1974

The Drums were the next act I caught and it was definitely odd seeing them in the day light having previously shot them in a very dark small venue where the mood seemed very appropriate. Not to say they didn't put on a good performance because they most certainly did, but the lead singer has a look to him that not only screamed new York fashionable hipster but while he performs there's a sense of depleted hope or sorrow that is truly a visual mood enhancing quality that is lost in the bright afternoon light.

The Drums

Next right on trend mustache and all the Local Natives put on a crowd loving set. These guys definitely were placed perfectly on the bill to make the Saturday afternoon line up full of can't miss acts.

Local Natives

I'm not going to lie I have been known to watch an episode or 2 of the show Gossip Girl, so when a former cast members band was announced to be playing I had to see what the fuss was about, and I'm so glad I did. The Pretty Reckless took the stage and lead singer Taylor did not disappoint any fans with her fashionable provoking outfit. Im pleased to say though she is proving many people who doubted her talent wrong. While in no way would I say their music will be liked by all, for the demographic they are targeting they are killing it.

On Saturday night, I got the chance to see a band called Dawes open up for Brett Dennen at the Orpheum Theater.  Walking in downtown L.A. to the brightly-lit theater, I realized there really was a world beyond the seemingly impenetrable haze of the city’s skyline, and I found myself excited to have discovered this—like I had entered some sort of secret society.  Furthermore, if there really were a secret society for those who dwell downtown, the Orpheum would be a smashing place to hold a meeting (or a potluck, if it’s that kind of club).  This was one classy establishment: ornate chandeliers, molded ceilings, a warm interior that made plush carpeting seem to grow beneath your feet; there was a lounge downstairs—perfect for discussing politics or art over a pipe; a couple requisite dark bars—but dark in a mysterious, classy way, rather than a sleazy way.  Plus, the building oozed with historical significance and I was excited to absorb it. Overall, let’s just say I was quite impressed.

Picked By: Jesse Diener-Bennett

What: Make Music NY

Where: Many venues all over NYC. You can search their website for shows by neighborhood, venue, genre, or artist.

When: Tuesday, June 21st, times vary.

Cost: ALL FREE!

Age Restrictions: Varies according to venue.

The Black Angels in a haze of awesomeness.

On Saturday night, I had the chance to see The Black Angels, Cold Cave, and The Kills at The Fox Theater in Pomona.  So I drove east to the city, parked in a somewhat scary parking lot, and headed into the theater which looked a lot like The Wiltern on the interior, actually.   Down on the floor beneath lofty art-deco ceilings I watched the black-clad guys scatter around stage like ants, sound-checking and setting equipment up.

For many, the end of summer means the party is over and it’s once again time to face reality. The vacation days have ended and unless you live in tropical destinations, the weather is about to take a sharp turn (unless global warming keeps up, but that’s for another time). That being said, I decided to pick these eight songs because in some way or another, they are linked together by the introspectiveness and self-evaluation that comes with a seasonal change. Musically, they range from avant-garde to uptempo rock to simple lo-fi magic. No matter the tune or artist, each carries the theme of self-evaluation. Whether it’s thinking about a love lost, the things we carry or feeling sorry for ourselves, these emotions can all hit when the seasons change.

Band of Horses-“Laredo”

I’ve been on a huge Band of Horses kick lately and their new album, Inifinite Arms is nothing short of fantastic. This live version from the 98.7 FM studios in Los Angeles captures the vibe of change. The line “I’m at a crossroad with myself/I got no one else” is a perfect example of lead singer Ben Bridell’s beautiful vocals capturing the meaning of the song’s lyrics. The acoustic guitars also sound great on this version of “Laredo.”

Picked by: Alex Daniel

Who: Crystal Castles

Where: Stubb's in Austin, Texas

When: Wednesday, August 11 at 5 PM

Cost: Free

Age Restrictions: All Ages