Alright, I'm gonna come out and say it: Sleeper Agent is hot.  They've recently released their first kick-ass album, Celebrasion, they just played Coachella, they're in the middle of touring their sweet Kentucky faces off, and, thanks to the band's ruthless energy, they make it seem pretty effortless.  Now that that's out, I have another confession: I am (still) in love with Ben Kweller.  Since his first solo album Sha Sha came out 10 years ago (what?) to the recent release of his new album, Go Fly a Kite, it's been pretty much nonstop adoration, and I am happy to report that is in fact still awesome and gorgeously talented.

Sleeper Agent and Ben Kweller made a great combination of acts.  Both bands have the ability to swing sweetly between minor-chorded, messy, loud garage tunes and major-chorded, earnest pop songs--all while somehow maintaining a single, cohesive musical identity.  Seeing this concert made me appreciate the unique fluidity that these bands have, and I can only assume the quality is a reflection of the artists' open minds, laid back personalities, and insatiable curiosity.

Okay. The Sleeper Agent set. Here we go.  They begin their chaotic explosion of a performance with "Love Blood." Already, since I last saw them play in September at the Bootleg Theater, they are more adjusted to the spotlight and take a more commanding presence of the stage.  They have matured. Their next song is "Force a Smile."  The crowd is dancing a lot--this is unusual, in my experience, for Los Angeles.  Lead singer Alex Kandel addresses this later, pleasantly surprised that her band's energy is translating to stuffy hipsters. The music is not much different from the record, except that it is live and deafening and the bass thumps in your skin and the minute changes or errors or whatever in the songs you love make it alive and that much better.  I believe German idealist philosopher and cultural critic Walter Benjamin refers to this as the "Aura." It's that undeniable energy that comes with an original-- something not mechanically reproduced--like seeing the Mona Lisa in person.  Anyways.

The next song is "Proper Taste." While the afro-headed Scott Garner lays kindergarten keys over punky guitar riffs, I take delight in their lack of commercial image. In my head I realize how godawfully prentious this is, but I continue regardless, thinking how about much I like that they're not wearing matching clothes and that they don't have some grand theme to their performance. (Still interior monologue) But, neither does Ben Kweller. Or a lot of bands. Portugal. the Man doesn't. White Denim doesn't. Ok but they are all awesome. Who does? The Killers. They all wore skinny ties at one point. Florence and the Machine has that whole haute hippie thing going. But I love the Killers. And Florence. This is stupid. I have arrived at no conclusion other than this is fresh and pure and I am in a great moment which, although it's not, seems devoid of all political and economic motive. Back to the music.

The band cranks out "Shuga Cane" and a cover of the xx's "VCRs."  I love "VCRs." When is the xx coming out with a new album? I need to Google this. Damn, this is a cool take on this song.  It's like the xx for people doing cocaine.  Can you imagine someone on cocaine listening to the xx album? Hilarious. This is more like it.  Alex is going all Yeah Yeah Yeahs all over this track and I love it.  I think how a band covers a song is a good measure of that band.  Sleeper Agent flung their grit all over this track like Jackson Pollock on a blank canvas.

"Psst...Tony...we're so hot right now..."

On the inevitable crowd favorite, "Get It Daddy."  I am slightly sick of this song from too much mix cd action and radio play, however, that glorious Aura steps in and breathes new life into this song until I am giddy as a damn schoolgirl beneath its filthy presence. They play "Some White Blinds" (definitely a standout on Celebrasion). Imagine that bassline TIMES A ZILLION. That rollicking riff in the chorus? TIMES A GAJILLION. This is deep. They immediately switch into sentimental pop mode for "That's My Baby."

It is now that I scribble my third "Alex is f***ing awesome" note to myself, and I decide, in a Joycean epiphany, that Alex is the Katniss Everdeen of music (sorry I'm not sorry). YES. She is the strong and independent female lead who holds her own amidst the masses of grungy, menacing (a convenient mental construction) males who dominate the music scene.  She is not sexed up. She garners attraction based on her electric grit, her unwavering strength, and her confident humility. She guides co-vocalist/guitarist Tony onstage like Katness guides Peeta throughout The Hunger Games narrative. Her ability to rock out with the best parallels Katniss' ability to wield weapons and kick ass.  But, both Alex and Katniss don't strive to prove themselves powerful via masculine-identified actions (rocking out and using weapons); rather, they show that those abilities are cool and all, but, so what?  It's that delicious nonchalance that makes both these girls so magnetic.  Anyways, enough with my feminist digression.

They play "Get Burned," in which the band reaffirms that this is the perfect blend of garage and pop--just enough garage to feel totally underground and cool, and just enough pop to dance like a freak. They play "Bottomed Out" and finish big with "Be My Monster." Alex summons the crowd to the front to share the last song's "Aye-eee-aye-ee-ah-ah-ah-ahs" with her while Gardner rim-shots the crap out of a solo snare drum he has brought on stage.  Every member of the band is drenched in sweat as the curtain closes.

Ben Kweller (far right) and his band

(NOTE: I will not write as much about Ben as I did about Sleeper Agent, seeing as Ben is a) not exactly a "new band" and b) he cannot be accurately summated in any amount of words.)

After a brief set change and sound check, Ben Kweller takes the stage.  He looks like a cherubic Shaun White with his floppy red curls and swollen cheeks.  He plays songs from his new album Go Fly A Kite (released February 7, 2012 and following 2009's Changing Horses) and he plays old songs such as "Sundress," "Wasted and Ready," "Commerce, TX," and "On My Way."  He sits before a piano to play a tear-jerking rendition of "Thirteen" and I note this mentally as a big moment in my short life.

On stage and in person, Ben exudes the most honest charm you have ever seen, and his brightly colored love for music has not faded over his 19 plus years of being in the business.  He, like Sleeper Agent, is a musical pendulum, swinging from blaring power riffs to rainy, tragic keys to folky acoustic strums.

By the time he finishes his encore with an extended, spastic version of "Penny on the Train Track," it is clear that in whatever style he chooses, Ben injects a bright naivete, despite his musical wisdom.  This is important. It is how he and his songs remain alive after man years. His eyes never close and his mind never settles and, because of this, his love never dies. And, because of this, neither does mine.

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)

In case you didn't read my review of Brian Lopez's recently released album, Ultra, go now, oh foolish one, and read it.  There. Well done. Thus, in case you didn't notice, Brian Lopez is, indeed, awesome. And now, as you arrive at the top of this interview, you, in the privacy of your own mind, are tirelessly thanking me for bringing you more about this wonderful man and lovely album. You're welcome, dear reader. But I have one more request: after you read this, go and listen (oh, listen!) to that album (if you haven't already), that buttery voice! And you will smile, and all will be right in the world.

Yeah.  Also, get stoked L.A. because tonight and tomorrow night Brian will be playing shows in town--tonight at the Echoplex, tomorrow night at The Hotel Cafe.  Details and more tour info below!

Claire Gallagher: So, Brian, you’re from Tucson.  Has growing up there influenced your music at all?

Brian Lopez: As i've gotten older I've realized exactly how bizarre Tucson is. The desert is such a weird place - humans have no business living here.  It's a desperate environment filled with dwellers and survivalists. At the same time, there is an exotic beauty that is exclusive to the Sonoran Desert. Desolate, desperate, yet beautiful. In that sense, I feel my music is parallel.

CG: Who are some of your biggest musical (or other) influences?

BL: I have a lot of songs that are about, or stem from Barcelona, Spain. I lived there when I was 21.  Best time of my life. Its a fascinating place -- vibrantly colorful and vivacious.  Also, any poetry from Tucson poet, Shelly Taylor seems to get my tongue wrapped in an inspiring way. 

CG: What made you decided to pursue a solo career outside of your other band, Mostly Bears?

BL: I actually just started playing solo acoustic gigs on guitar and piano as a way to make extra cash. I didn't want to have to get a real job. I'd play at resorts and clubs, and people seemed to really love it.  I added an upright bass eventually...then strings...then I started getting offers to play larger shows.  Sooner than later, I had a damn solo project to nurture.  Coincidentally (or perhaps not so coincidentally), around the same time, Mostly Bears was deteriorating. And it hasn't been until recently, that I have been able to focus exclusively on my solo project.

CG: What has been a personal high and a personal low about your musical career so far? Any particular moments of awesomeness or embarrassing blunders?

BL: I feel like right now, having struggled with music for over a decade, I am experiencing my personal high .  Having had a promising young rock band and seeing it all fall apart before your eyes--coming close many times, only to fail--well, now I'm here under my own birth name, a bit older and wiser, writing and recording music that I wrote, myself.  And people are paying attention more than ever. THAT feels good. And it seems like more than ever I'm being asked to collaborate with other artists. I just played with Instituto Mexicano de Sonido in Mexico City, as a hired guitarist.

CG: What was the recording process for Ultra like?

BL: I wanted to make an album that was filled with my DNA.  Not forced or contrived or artificially clever.  Something that had a “timeless” quality about it and would endure sea changes.  Something that is “forever” as opposed to “of the moment.” And Ultra is what I came up with--it has been the easiest musical venture I've ever taken part of in my life, by far. I had been listening to a lot of Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline, and Sam Cooke at the time and wanted to emulate some of the “timeless” qualities in their music.  We recorded all of the drums, bass, piano, and rhythm guitars live, for example.  So there is an organic vibe due to that.  Also i made it a point to NOT use any digital instrumentation. No drum samples, no vocoders, midi synth....nothing that you would hear in almost every single modern recording these days. NO! It all had to be analog.  All organic.  Even the church bells on the album are real! This is something that I felt really strongly about --it is my way of saying “fuck you” to the current indie rock climate and all of the gimmick-ery that ensues.

CG: Was there any tension between balancing Ultra's young, indie feel and the more traditional, classic, Latino elements?

BL: No, not all. I just wrote what I liked and recorded it how I wanted to hear it. I did it all for me…I'm selfish!  Nothing is contrived or calculated. There was no feeling in the room of "this song needs to be more latin" or "this song needs to appeal to the hipsters in Silverlake" etc, etc.  It is what it is--music that is filtered through my personality and background. Es lo que hay.

CG: What do you think you would be doing right now if you weren’t a musician? What did you want to be when you were a kid?

BL: I certainly would be a teacher or educator of some type if I wasn't doing the music thing.  In fact, I'm a certified substitute teacher and have been teaching at Job Corps the past 2 months (I'm answering these interview questions at school, SHHH!). Anyhow, I LOVE teaching. Not middle schoolers though -- those kids are assholes. Only high school or college age.

As for when I was a kid ? Well, I come from a basketball playing household. My dad was a college head coach here in Tucson, so you can bet my brother, sister, and I were all into sports growing up. I was pretty good baller too--when I was a kid I had grand visions of playing ball professionally, sure.  But as I got older and didn't get much taller or bigger, basketball became less of a reality.  I took a 4 year music scholarship at University of Arizona rather than accepting any of the junior college basketball offers i had at the time. And now, here I am.

CG: How do you feel about being described (in your bio on funzalorecords.com) as “a musical octopus, fluid, ambidextrous, and adaptable”? Is being an octopus (at least being compared to one) a cool thing? (I imagine it would be…)

BL:  I actually don't like that quote. I'm going to send my label an email and have them update that shit.

CG: What’s next for you?

BL: I have shows lined up throughout the summer between the U.S. and Europe. Lots of touring.  In between time I will be writing and recording and perhaps making a cameo appearance here and there as a substitute teacher....for good measure.

Show and Tour info:

April 3rd (tonight!) at 8:30pm, opening for Heartless Bastards
The Echoplex
$15.00 adv; $18.00 day of show; $19.00 walk up day of show
18+

April 4th at 9:30pm
The Hotel Cafe
$10-$12.50
21+

Other U.S. dates*:

04/05/12 - The Fillmore - San Francisco, CA
04/06/12 - WOW Hall - Eugene, OR
04/07/12 - The Media Club - Vancouver, BC
04/08/12 - Aladdin Theater - Portland, OR
04/09/12 - The Crocodile - Seattle, WA
04/11/12 - Neurolux - Boise, ID
04/13/12 - Belly Up - Aspen, CO
04/14/12 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO
04/15/12 - Santa Fe Brewing - Sante Fe, NM

*with Heartless Bastards

Click here for more details, links, and European tour dates!

Los Angeles band RACES is hitting the scene with their first full-length album, Year of the Witch. Formed in 2009, RACES have distinguished themselves through their alternative, orchestral, rolling melodies and awesomely spastic moments of fuzzed-up, garage instrumentals.

This LP is the follow up to their Big Broom EP and limited edition 7” featuring songs “Living Cruel and Rude” and “Big Broom.”  I first caught on to this band when I saw them give an absolutely killer performance at School Nights at Bardot.  Following in the same many-membered-vein as groups such as Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, this six piece band was cohesive, creative, and sound damn good.  Their music was folky but dark, ethereal but dissectible, and sad but melodic and fun. It was a winning combination, and I was hooked.  Unfortunately, I only had three songs—“All for You,” “Hope and Gloom,” and “Big Broom”—to rotate on repeat.  Now, with the full-length I have 11 gorgeous tracks to lull me into reverie.

The album kicks off with “All for You,” setting the stage for the entire album’s relaxed, swingy tempos. The second track, “Don’t Be Cruel,” introduces the sadness that colors the entire album, and by the following song, “In My Name,” minor chords and harsher, fuzzy sounds, bring that sadness into a delicious anger. “The Knife” starts off innocently enough with lines such as “when you stood on the stage/wearing that little white dress/a thousand silver horses raced through my chest”, then slowly grows into one of the aforementioned spastic moments with a ridiculous, loud, and straight grungy interlude.

The album peaks with “Big Broom.”  The song’s great use of balance: heavy bass line’s balance high, dreamy backup vocals; steady rhythms are interrupted by brief, tension-building pauses.  Even the form and the content address each other—the song’s sweeping sound mirrors the lyrical story of being swept clean. Let’s just say this song is definitely one of my top picks of 2012 so far. From there, the album winds down with “Lies,” an easy tune with another great moment of sonic spasm, the more hopeful, multi-paced “Song of Birds,” and closing track “Year of the Child,” which shortly and simply rounds out the album.

Year of the Witch keeps to its themes of sadness, loss, but evolves with its hope for rebuilding.  Perhaps my only complaint is that the songs don’t seem to evolve in the same way: while the details certainly distinguish the tracks, RACES’ formula of sweeping, grand-gestured songs can get repetitive at times.

Overall, the album is lovely in the saddest kind of way, like the end of (500) Days of Summer or Death Cab for Cutie’s Transatlanticism. If you’re going through a break up right now, listen to Year of the Witch. That said, if you like good music, listen to this album.

Also, catch RACES on tour for the album--check tour dates here.  Their next show will be the album release show this Friday at the Echo in LA.

GUYS. Everyone's favorite down-to-earth, sweet-honey harmonizing Los Angeles band, Lady Danville (fresh off the release of their gorgeous new EP, Operating--listen below), is holding a album art design contest!  You, oh lucky one, get a chance to design the art for singles "Sophie Roux" and "Kids (MGMT Cover)" which are being released soon on iTunes.  First off, if you haven't heard anything by Lady Danville, these are some great tracks to start with.  "Sophie Roux" is a deliciously sugared, French-hued loved song about, of course, mademoiselle Sophie Roux.  Think Jack Johnson's "Belle," but brighter and happier.  "Kids (MGMT Cover)" is exactly what it sounds like: Michael, Dan and Matt did a kick-ass, acoustic, characteristically harmonized, stripped down version of MGMT's infectious "Kids."  To be honest? I have come to prefer this version to the actual one. Yeah.

Lady Danville - Kids (MGMT Cover) by ladydanville

Sophie Roux by ladydanville

Here is some info and guidelines for the contest:

Lady Danville is (finally) releasing Sophie Roux and Kids on iTunes! We’re holding a contest for the best original  design for the cover art for each song.  Winning designers will receive a Lady Danville care package (t-shirt, signed poster, EP and more goodies) as well as pair of free tickets to our next show in your city!

Additional rules:

• All entries must be posted to the Lady Danville Facebook wall by Friday, March 30th (sorry for the late notice!)
  
• You may submit entries for both songs
• No limit on number of entries
• Artwork must be owned by submitter
• Winners will be determined by a panel of judges and artists here at Lady Danville LLC
• If selected, please be able to provide your artwork per iTunes requirements, for digital distribution only:

Lady Danville Operating EP by ladydanville

Here are some funny little snippets from their bio:

MORE INFORMATIVE BIO (still fun):

...Yearning for a more driving and rhythmic sound, Michael and Dan turned to Matt Frankel whose natural control of rhythm combined with his onstage presence and ability to grow manly facial hair (Dan is still jealous) proved to be just the jelly to their peanut and butter. Thus began lady danville.

With Michael on the keys, Dan on guitar, and Matt on the cajon (literally), lady danville has begun to make a name for themselves in the L.A. area playing at some of L.A.’s most treasured venues – The Hotel Café, The Roxy, El Rey, Troubadour, The Temple Bar, The Knitting Factory – with artists including Tyrone Wells, Adele, Jason Reeves, to name a few.

In September of 2007, lady danville won the Annual 98.7 Star Lounge Competition with their song, “Tired Magician” which can now be found on the Star Lounge Compilation CD with artists such as John Mayer, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, and many more. After releasing their first EP back in December of 2007, lady danville is now working hard to write more songs that people can connect with all the while maintaining and building their fan base all across the galaxies, starting with the Milky Way, in L.A.

So sweet, am I right? 

Anyways, be sure to check out Operating, and get working on those designs. Here are some links all in one place to ensure your clicking/surfing/stalking ease:

Lady Danville Blog
Lady Danville Facebook
Design Contest Information
Lady Danville Soundcloud
Operating EP on iTunes

A lot has changed since Meiko released her self-titled debut album in 2007. Then signed to MySpace Records, the singer put an album that in her words was “chill” and a bit dark. After touring for two years, the singer took a brief break before working on her follow-up. After taking the good part of a year to write what became The Bright Side, she was ready to head back into the studio to record. This time around, her head was in a better place

“I’ve been working on it for about two years,” the singer said in her southern drawl. “In between, I fell in love. I was inspired by that and wrote a bunch of happier songs. I also wanted to play around with beats, which was inspired by listening to southern hip-hop and electronic programming.

Needless to say, her sound is much more upbeat and experimental than on her debut. Some acoustic elements remain, the singer decided to take more chances, which allowed her to grow as a songwriter. The maturity in her sounds is something that Meiko noticed while she was recording and writing.

“I could see the changes not only in my songwriting, but in who I am as a person,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot about shitty relationships and learned to be more positive and to appreciate things more.

For the first time in a while, she’s happy. Sometimes happiness can take away from a songwriter’s ability to connect with an audience, just ask Bruce Springsteen about Human Touch, Lucky Town and his past two albums. However, in this case, happy is a good thing. On the album, she’s had the creative freedom to express her wellbeing in her music. She recorded 17 songs, of which 11 made the album.

Alleviated from the pressures of working with label that was affiliated with a major helped Meiko, who says she’s not the best when it comes to making decisions. Being able to flush things out over a longer period gave allowed her to fully think about how she wanted a song to sound and to work with different arrangements. Not having a time constraint was advantageous to her getting what she wanted out of each particular song.

Having grown up in a small town in the middle of Georgia (Roberta, pop. 808) Meiko channeled her boredom into actively performing in front of people. “I would get out of school and be so bored that I’d sit with myself and write songs,” she recalled. “Eventually I learned how to play guitar and it was the perfect environment for an awkward middle schooler.”

Before she heads down to SXSW later this week, the Georgia-native played two sold-out shows at the Living Room in New York City. Her sets are an even split of new and old songs. Why the even split?

“As a music listener, I wouldn’t want to see my favorite artist play a bunch of new shit that I don’t recognize,” she pointed out. “That’s why I like to make my sets that way.”

The reception to the new material has been excellent. Seeing what people response to her new material has allowed her to figure out what songs from the new album work best live. The songs have been so well received that fans have already taken to YouTube to post their own versions of the songs.

As the May 15 release date rapidly approaches, the singer has a lot on her agenda. In addition to promotional appearances and radio spots, she plans on hitting the road for at least the next year. Even with this flurry of activity, Meiko is pretty confident that she’ll be able to have her third album out sooner than later.

“Hopefully it won’t take as long for me to record my next album as it did for this,” she said. “I’m just excited for people to hear these songs.”

Yellow Ostrich will take on Los Angeles (fresh off SXSW) next week with their show at the Bootleg Theater.  If you haven't heard of Yellow Ostrich, know that they're much more cool cat than big bird; that is, their music is innovative and interesting--expect a unique use of of vocals and strangely catchy rhythms over a bright, indie-garage sound.  They'll be playing in support of their brand new album, Strange Land. Released on March 6th, this is the band's sophomore effort, and it certainly has carried the band from a one-man (Alex Schaaf), self-produced (lots of looping) bedroom project to professional, kick-ass, three piece rock outfit.  Strange Land is out on Seattle-based label Barsuk (Death Cab for Cutie, Ra Ra Riot, Rilo Kiley, Nada Surf), and you can purchase it here or stream it here.  The band has also released a Noisetrade sampler (it's free, but you're encouraged to leave a tip!) with tracks from 2011's The Mistress and the new album.

Though I have yet to see Yellow Ostrich live,  I'm super excited to see them based on their records alone (wonder what they'll do with looped vocals...). See them for yourself at the Bootleg Theater next Wednesday (3/21). Details are below.

Who: Yellow Ostrich (11pm) with MMoth (9pm) and BlackS& (10pm)
When: Wednesday, March 21st--doors open at 8, show starts at 9
Where: The Bootleg Theater, Los Angeles, CA (Event link)
Age: 21+

To my surprise, the back room at the Russian themed bar was pretty packed. As the petite singer lugged her gigantic Yamaha synthesizer on stage, there was a feeling of intrigue amongst the audience about what she would sound like. Over her 30-minute set, Simonian won over the curious audience with a blend of old tunes, new material and crowd-pleasing covers.

Having yet to see her live, I was hoping that Simonian would at minimum be able to replicate the sound that made her EP so good. What she did was much better than anyone who was familiar with her music could have anticipated. Though she lamented that she was rusty after her layoff from live performances, Simonian’s vocals not only sounded great and pitch perfect, but the songs were better than live than the recorded versions. Like songstresses like Amy Winehouse and Adele, you wouldn’t expect strong R&B-styled vocals to come from someone like Simonian. Her appearance is deceiving: the girls has a lot of soul and isn’t afraid to bear it to live audience.

Usually at a small venue people come to see their friends and will leave shortly after they leave the stage. This night, everyone was glued to their seats and paid close attention to the singer. It was surprising that no one spoke or stood up during the singer’s set. It was eerily quiet, which demonstrated to me that there were as focused on her lyrics as they were her musicianship. Sometimes a crowd’s silence can intimidate a musician, but Simonian relished their attentiveness and played to this with witty comments a

Standout songs included a cover of “Valerie,” which said is one of her favorite songs and a new composition, “Karma.” If the new songs are anything like the aforementioned one, then we’re in for a quite a treat when her album is released. For now, we’ll have to settle for a standout, stripped down, live show that combines Simonian’s technical prowess and pop sensibilities. If Simonian’s deeply personal lyrics and sharp musicianship can be reflected on her album, and if Tuesday night is an indicator to the magnetic pull of her personality, then I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s able to gain some traction on a larger scale.