Even though ‘folk rock’ has been around for years, as genres go, it’s a conflicted one as ‘rock’ and ‘folk’ have such dissimilar energies and origins. But the merger of the two has gone on to be the impetus of great and highly conscious musical things: see Cat Stevens and Bob Dylan for further. Today is International Workers’ Day and […]

Jonathan Bates is the sexiest Venezuelan that I know. Granted, he’s the only Venezuelan that I know but that’s nitpicking and I’m not about to diminish his level of cool particularly on the musical front. Now based in Los Angeles, in 2011 under the moniker of Big Black Delta, Bates (formerly of Mellowdrone) ventured off into the world of electronically […]

A Silent Film = Robert Stevenson (vox, piano), Karl Bareham (guitar), Ali Hussain (bass) and Spencer Walker (drums) Their stop in Los Angeles at the Troubadour on February 28th was a sold-out one and- along with Australia’s Gold Fields– fits perfectly into A Silent Film’s nefarious master plan of being (according to Spencer) the “only English band on the road” […]

Say ‘hello’ to Broadheds. An unexpected musical offering for sure, but shape-shifting from the delicate melodies of his band Eulogies to ska-infused punkish rock is a transition that Dangerbird Records co-founder Peter Walker has taken seriously; hence enlisting the likes of Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, NIN) on bass, Fitz & the Tantrums sax man James King and Denny Weston Jr (Earlimart, […]

The number of times that I’ve mentioned Irontom via Tweet, Facebook, email or face-to-face conversation probably cannot be counted but you should know that it is for cause: I happen to believe in this band. A five-piece out of Los Angeles, Harry Hayes (vox), Zach Irons (guitar), Dane Sandborg (bass), Daniel Saslow (keys) and Dyl Williams (drums) are, by my […]

Three musical offerings of vastly different natures highlighted last week that are worth pointing out. If they’re not already, maybe these will wind up on your radar to look forward to when coming to a city near you: Irontom @ Dragonfly, Hollywood 2/26/2013 There are many reasons why I keep eyes and ears keenly focused on Irontom and this show at Dragonfly was […]

It’s like the 10th anniversary of an Academy Award winning, live changing film when you find out who auditioned for but didn’t get or even turned down that pivotal starring roll. Son of a bitch. Cue the Postal Service who are in the throes of kissing themselves on the mouth (repeatedly) in celebration of their debut album Give Up, now 10 […]