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This is The Deli LA old homepage, which we are not using anymore. The Deli's website about the Los Angeles Music Scene can now be found here.

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The Deli Staff.

This is one of the most exciting projects I've ever heard of. Ex-Shiny Toy Guns' Carah Faye is involved with a new band: Versant.

The demos that we've heard ("Push Away" and "Out of Touch") are really well-written. I personally can not wait to get my hands on a copy.

Listen to the demos HERE and mark your calendars on February 17, 2010. That is when the self-titled album will come out.

- Nicholas Palumbo

Beardo has had one busy year. He released an album independently and toured with the likes of Schwayze, Snoop Dogg and Slightly Stoopid on two national tours.

"Snort Ur Drugz" is an M.I.A.-inspired single not featured on the released album. It's just as catchy as "Paper Planes" but a lot more comedic. It is definitely worth a listen.

In support for the single, he is joining Mickey Avalon for a tour of the Southeast.

You can grab the song HERE and impress your friends with new music.

- Nicholas Palumbo

For those that may have missed The Drums, Happy Hollows, Random Patterns and Evan Way at Spaceland yesterday (11/16), do we have a surprise for you...

Happy Hollows will be doing two FREE shows at Spaceland with big names and bigger surprises!

Monday, November 23 - Happy Hollows, Dios, Real Estate and One Trick Pony

Monday, November 30 - Happy Hollows, The Pity Party, Twilight Sleep and Traps ps.

Be there!

- Nicholas Palumbo

The best things in life are free. The EELS understand this.

Two months before the band releases it's EIGHTH studio album End Times, the group is allowing fans to download "Little Bird". This is the first single off the upcoming album due in stores January 19, 2010.

The single can be downloaded HERE.

- Nicholas Palumbo

Songs about deep space and the youngsters in California can mean only one thing: Globes on Remote!

Fun electronic popsters Stephen Andrews, Tawny Carson, Kevin Ignatius and Daniel Medina released their highly anticipated debut "The Woo Hoo Hoo". From what we've heard, we're in love.

Get the album, sing along to the songs and be ready for when the group plays a town near you.

- Nicholas Palumbo

Are you ready to crank the volume to 11?

Earthless, a psycadelic jam band residing in San Diego, is heading out on tour with Baroness. Both bands are incredibly loud and incredibly talented.

The tour kicks off in Washington DC tomorrow and will hit California in early December.

Check out the band shake The Troubadour on December 3 and wreck The Casbah (San Diego) on December 4.

- Nicholas Palumbo

This is the old feed of The Deli LA's homepage, you can find updated blogs here la.thedelimagazine.com.

The Deli's Staff

In hopes of raising funds for the non-profit Children's Music Fund, country blog When You Awake and the Bootleg Theatre are hosting a Friday night bill loaded with local acts playing Neil Young favorites. Acts include The Chapin Sisters, Delta Spirit, Restevrant, The Parson Redheads and a ton of others. Save the music simply by coming out and enjoying it. (Click here for full listing of acts and online ticketing)

First person to e-mail hugo@thedelimagazine.com gets 2 free tickets to Kronos Quartet and minimalist legend Terry Riley's Disney Hall set on November 21. It's the opening night to the Left Coast, West Coast series (which will feature Brian Wilson and Inara George in a couple weeks, but how would we know that...?) so race to your inbox and shoot us an e-mail right now.

For $45 (just hear us out), enjoy unlimited tastings from over 35 breweries and live sets from Great Northern, Nico Stai, Castledoor and other Deli LA favorites all day Saturday at the Music Box in this year's Hollywood Brewfest (21+, tickets can be purchased here). At face value, it's a steep entry fee, but it's all day buzz-pacing, a great bill and all the booze you can responsibly consume. This is bang-for-your-buck at its finest.

On the heels of the release of their debut LP "At Night You Love Me," blues rock-based Regrets & Brunettes are playing some local dates to preview fresh material. The relatively new group (their MySpace page dates them as seven months old) have already turned some heads with recent opening slots for Delta Spirit and The Henry Clay People, but the newfound attention could also be owed to vocalist Richard Bivens's technique of playing a right-handed guitar in left-hand method. Now that's how you get the ladies.

Regrets and Brunettes channel the melodic eccentricity of Brian Wilson with the grit of Neil Young, and they're not shy to wear it on their sleeves. As pop for the more distorted crowd, they're worthy of a listen (or even a glimpse of aformentioned technique), so jot Nov. 30 for their set at The Echo. They share an impressive bill with Seasons and Downtown/Union.

Horse Stories | Hummingbird (We'll Be Okay)

Horse Stories (project of singer/songwriter and producer Toby Burke) is for the fragile sort: under all the delicate layers of Burke's quiet pop compositions are sinking themes ("We all heal so slow / that it aches") that evoke darker Cat Stevens and of more contemporary Wilco. The warm recordings of Horse Stories latest (and most critically acclaimed) release "November, November" will have its LA previews this Thursday at Three Clubs and during a free set at Origami Vinyl on Saturday.

Thomas' Apartment released their third full-length album this past week. Entitled Tuesday Night Lights, the album is concerned one of their most emotionally releases to date.

The band has released a few free tracks from Tuesday Night Lights on their website. They encourage you to listen to them and tell a friend. I would personally recommend the band's three album package for ONLY $20. What a deal!

Visit the band's website for tour dates and to score great deals.

- Nicholas Palumbo

Pablove Across America, a cycling journey across the US for pediatric cancer research/awareness, will be hosting a benefit concert on Saturday, November 21.

Pablove Across America was founded by Dangerbird Records' co-founder Jeff Castelaz and his wife in honor and memory of their late son, Pablo. The program

The benefit concert will be held at Avalon (Hollywood) on November 21 and will feature acoustic sets by an all-star roster.

• Tom Morello
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
• Tom Gabel (Against Me!)
• Butch Walker
• AND MANY MORE!

Tickets for the event can be found here. All proceeds will go to Pablove Foundation.

- Nicholas Palumbo

LA RIOTS are Daniel Ledisko and Jon Pegnato, good friends of MSTRKRFT and the late, great DJ AM. Their remixes of NASA, Crystal Castles and The Ting Tings are some of the most recognizable remixes played.

Their latest remix, VHS or BETA's "Feel It When You Know", is up for grabs for free! You can grab it here. While you're at it, download their latest Fall 2009 remix. That can be grabbed here.

Make sure you check out the duo live when they hit We The People Festival on November 21 and at Hudson (San Bernadino, CA) on November 28.

- Nicholas Palumbo

Silverlake never ceases to birth great acts: Five-piece band Local Natives performed last Monday with Glass Ghost and White Rabbits for a full audience at the El Rey. All members wearing pointed-toe shoes and bearing quasi-ironic mustaches delivered a set of 10 songs.

The combination of shout anthems and vocalist Ryan Hahn's resemblance to Freddy Mercury was enough to keep the crowd going an hour, but it was "Sun Hands" as a finale that won over old fans and created scores of new ones. -Marla Bahloul (Photography by Jennifer Ruidera of Downtown Lobby)

Freak pop outfit Pizza! (formerly known as The New Motherfuckers) graced the stage at Silverlake’s Spaceland Sunday evening.

Looking like a possessed robot all night, singer Geoff Geis’s vocals were a jittery mix of dance rock, '80s pop and noise punk. It wasn’t quite apparent if Pizza! were trying to sound like they didn’t know what they wanted to play or just didn’t know what they wanted to play. They took a raw, homemade and basement bootleg approach to their set but somehow it worked. The crowd was dancing and seemed to love every awkward second of it. -Kimberly Brown

The clav-rock trio with a knack for heavy, heavy blues brought their talents to the Sunset hideout last Friday and Deli photographer Mila Reynaud was there to capture it. They've been in our radar for quite some time, so check out our coming print issue for a deeper look into the breaking act.

The Deli LA's Ms. Twitter (Sara Tan) is inviting all artists to FOLLOW US for our Twitter Artist of the Week. So if you've got a band (or could recommend one to us through our page), follow us, hash us, RT us, and/or do anything else to make us aware of your music. We'll happily listen to everything all in the name of spreading good, tasty tunes. Yum.

Sea Wolf | "Wicked Blood"

We don't know what we like more about the video: the happy melodies juxtaposed to spooky B-film irony, or the lavish, silly costumes juxtaposed to the nonchalantness of the musicians. Either way, good timing, Sea Wolf. Treat indeed.

Pre-game your Halloween festivities with live music, handpicked by The Deli LA for all your spooktacular needs. Note: Some of these acts are good. ...Scary good. Muahahahaha...

Eliza Rickman | Pehrspace | 9PM | $5 | All Ages

Eliza Rickman is a piano-based singer/songwriter backed by a group of string musicians with an aim to create smart, chamber pop. With vocals to the influence of PJ Harvey and Feist, it often teeters on operatic, but without it ever feeling exclusionary. Tres French and, as Rickman writes about her music on her MySpace page, "...borderline creepy."

The Fuxedos | Spaceland | 8:30PM | $8 | 21+

The Fuxedos epitomize the Halloween spirit: With a strange line-up of seasoned session musicians, the ultra-alt-crazy-as-fuck comedy group have proven themselves as the ultimate WTF outfit of our times. From the brainchild of frontman Danny Shorago (proclaimed "The best frontman I've ever seen" by Burt Bacharach's musical director), their music is all sorts of demented in progressive nerdery, and word on the street says their live set isn't to be missed.

Dead Man's Bones | The Echo | 6PM | $20

Like, OMG, Ryan Gossling's dark and broody indie project Dead Man's Bones play The Echo for what will undoubtedly be a truly unHollywood-ish set. The group's lyrical imagery is painted with only one color: pre-Industrial Revolution somber. Halloween or not, the music of Dead Man's Bones evokes places in our minds we'd rather not tap into.

They lit a man on fire and sent him running around Los Angeles 14 yea rs ago, for their iconic Spike Jonze-directed video, "California." Today, the long disbanded punk pop outfit Wax has been reignited. Front man Joe Sib, now known for helming SideOneDummy Records, tells the Deli about the foursome's recent reformation. By Melissa Bobbitt (Photography by Renee Barrera)

"Every once in a while, I'd get an e-mail … 'I was a huge fan of Wax; I can't get your music on iTunes!' Or, 'I always wanted to see the "California" video.' Something like that … That was the real catalyst."

And it didn’t hurt that Rivers Cuomo of Weezer was championing their return. At the Weez’s Palladium gig Saturday night, Cuomo bounded onstage to reintroduce opening act Wax to the audience of Gen Xers and scrappy youngsters alike. “I’ve been waiting 14 years to say this,” he exclaimed, reminiscing about how his and Sib’s bands evolved together in the ’90s L.A. scene. “Wax!”

The group put on a blistering set of high kicks, shout outs to drummer Loomis Fall’s “Jackass” brethren Johnny Knoxville, and some killer call-and-response. An elated Sib chucked, “We thought about playing a new song, but then we realized all these songs are new to you!”

Wax is now offering its back catalog for sale on the 'net, as well as a new 7-inch, "Hanging On," which features four unreleased tracks from the "13 Unlucky Numbers" sessions. The proceeds will go to UCP Wheels for Humanity, a charity that provides wheelchairs to the needy.

Sib and band mates Tom "Soda" Gardocki, Dave Georgeff and Fall recently played Riot Fest Chicago, and he said the response was flattering. "All those floors we slept on, all the records we made - it's not going to be forgotten. It's inspiring to think that, who knows, maybe a kid will hear one of these songs and maybe start a band. I know we're a band that people dig, but it's just nice being remembered."

This hometown hero is hard to forget, seeming that he remains constantly productive. In addition to getting Wax back together and manning SideOne, Sib also hosts the syndicated radio show Complete Control and spins yarns via the spoken word act California Calling. But, he insists, "I just love to play. I just love to entertain. I love to work. I love to keep busy. … I don't know if I like unwinding."

"Captivating" is a word used too often and loosely by critics trying to provoke simply a remnant of talent. But it shouldn't be: It should be reserved for the kind of talent that rarely comes across our town, our ears, and our collective curiosity to stick to something truly fresh.

Audra Mae is just that. Captivating. The kind of captivating that says, "Fuck it, I'm going to turn off my phone, close all these Firefox internet tabs, put my earbuds on and let this artist's tunes dig at my soul for however long I can hold on."

The LA-via-Oklahoma folk singer/songwriter tends to American roots form, but it's not so much the venue her songs are in or her beautiful prose that raises eyebrows. It's her voice -- sometimes painful, often deep but always rich in an honesty that could make one say, "Folk music is absolutely not dead." -HG

Audra Mae plays the El Rey on November 7.

Warpaint | "Stars"

Warpaint have, at last, put their new-psych endeavors on film. It reeks '60s haze with an intent to move forward -- not bad for a first-ever music video.

Nosaj Thing | Courtesy of yourstru.ly

If you've ever wondered how the hell Nosaj Thing cakes on so much sound without any backup, wonder no more. The guys at yourstru.ly spoke to him about his writing and performing processes, which are essentially really sophisticated solo live arrangements. The result? Nerds: 1, wannabes: 0.

Come out to the Echoplex on November 8 to support a fellow musician and bartender at The Redwood Bar with her medical expenses. After a gnarly motorcycle accident, Laura Ann Masura is going to need a helping hand and, so far, she's got BIG names behind her -- but it isn't quite enough!

Scheduled to appear at Jam for Laura Ann: The Backward Clock Society, featuring Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins, Kerry Brown of Ancient Chinese Secrets and Mark Tulin of the Electric Prunes; The Happy Stars featuring Brian Young from the Fountains of Wayne and Joe Skyward from the Posies; The Pulsars (Dave and Harry Trumfio); Tim Rutili (Red Red Meat, Califone); Syd Straw (Golden Paliminoes); Pity Party, and Light FM.  Rotary Rachel (Rachel Lichtman of Luxuriamusic.com) will emcee and DJ between band sets.

Aside from the great bill, there will be a fortune teller, raffles, a BBQ in the back and, more importantly, good vibes in helping a good person out.

JAM FOR LAURA ANN
NOV 8 | THE ECHOPLEX
5PM | $12

For the month of November the Silverlake Lounge is hosting Mississippi Man in its holy Monday night residency. "Folk" and "big beat" are understatements when it comes to the huge sounds of this fresh American outfit; think Dylan and Young with bigger balls and more wattage. Be sure to also pick up "The Snake Oil Salesman," their latest release which is turning lots of heads.

And look at the support every Monday night! This could be one for the books...

Alt-pop rockers Blueskyreality had a one-off opening slot for Mae last Tuesday night at the Roxy, and Deli LA photographer Courtney Coles took some shots capturing their homecoming set:

Electric-vaudeville outfit Seeing Thingz played a set at Cinespace last Friday and proved their live theatrics are as bold as their alternative sound. Deli LA photographer Mila Reynaud was there to capture it:

LA Approved are throwing their first party of the season Wednesday night with free booze (albeit sub-par, but free nonetheless), and no cover charge. And the bill is mega sexy. Get their early as it's likely the Mountain Bar will fill up pretty quickly.

VOICEsVOICEs are a seductive drum and drone duo made up of Los Angeles’ own Jenean Farris and Nico Turner. After their set at the Echo Curio last week, an audience member said they are a “step up from elevator music” but VOICEsVOICEs are far beyond a bland cliche. They don’t just step on the stage to make “pretty, comfortable" music. They are technical and take in every instrument they touch to throw out a less controlled yet completely pure and innocent wall of music within the confines of a two-piece band.

VOICEsVOICEs describe their philosophy “To be more childlike, more unaffected by adulthood but stripping the intellectual knowledge away from you, liberating your imagination." If they are to stand aside their contemporaries (and, trust us, they do), they could be cited as a non-lyrical Explosions of the Sky. -Kimberly Brown (Photography: Mila Reynaud)

My Pet Saddle hail from Fullerton; the group performs as a five piece with two guitars, keys, bass, & drums. They were one of the first acts I started watching in LA, mostly because they almost always play for FREE. They play music that marinates in bright blues fused with neo-western rock n roll. They use the same devices as everyone else & still manage to sound distinctly “themselves.” Descriptors aside, whatever & however you want to classify it... it’s groovy music, which is why I decided to check them out at a BBQ hosted by Territory records last week.

Is it just me? Or is it getting dark & cold really early all of the sudden? (Either way in California, even in the dead of winter… all you need is your hoodie & a scarf.) I’d never been to Territory Records, but it’s an easy find since the place sticks out like a green thumb among the abandoned businesses on the surrounding blocks. There’s a nice little music shop to stop in before you grab a bite next door. I sampled the brisket (which I will say was a mighty fine, extra tender brisket with tangy sauce on the side… I mean this is The Deli, so I figure I should comment on the edibles).

More importantly beyond the BBQ was a tiny patio filled with a tiny crowd of Californians huddled around a tiny cooler of cold Tecates & a cozy Christmas-lit stage. It felt faintly like music felt the way it did back home & from the moment I set foot on that patio I already knew it was the right night to be there.

The sound was reasonable enough. The vocals were too low but it worked in the small-half outdoor space. These guys rehearse enough that they’d probably take bets playing blindfolded. They even pulled my favorite “live performance songs bleeding-into one another trick” on a couple numbers; I’m a sucker for the carry through & not a big fan of the fade out.

The best part was that they opened with new music. I dare say it might even rival a Beatles cover of “She Said,” but that’s only my Beatle-Hero-Band propaganda. No wait, I take it back; the best part was the combination of free beer and music. -Brian Swanson

Well, new to us at least: Folk/roots outfit Cave Country have been together for nearly 15 years but have churned out new music recently reminiscent of the '60s Laurel Canyon scene. Taking lessons from past legends like Buffalo Springfield to modern folk rockers Wilco, Cave Country's down-tempo drawl is all too fitting in a town as faced paced as ours. It's warm, melodic and honest -- the way folk music should be.

Cave Country play the Silverlake Lounge on October 15, with Cat Foot Spirit. -HG

Pizza! | "The Future"

Pizza! has never tasted this good.

Just added to the Manimal Vinyl family (Warpaint, Hecuba, Rainbow Arabia) is Pizza!, a new art-pop group with intentions to stay outlandishly lost.

The five-piece group (with the help of some musician friends) embrace backgrounds and diversities that channel David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Devo and even contemporaries like Sparks and ...SNL's Andy Samberg. The result is a bold and fresh breed of pop that defies both stupidity and intellectualism, and it's really, really fucking dope.

Their latest EP "Bogus Rimshots from the Fourth" just dropped today on digital release, and is a mish-mosh of singles that'll showcase how brave and untethered Pizza! really are.

Here's what we can promise you once you follow us on Twitter:

- Giveaways

- Very good news

- Passwords (we'll just leave it at that)

Here's what we can't promise you once you follow us on Twitter:

- LOLcats

- Links to Chris Brown's new single

- Pictures of our meals

Fitz and The Tantrums | "Breakin' the Chains of Love" (Live)

The Future Sounds labels love a good party as much as their roster, and they've been spreading the love all over the west coast in 7 cities (and growing). Known as The Rumble, their monthly showcase of dance and rock-based artists have included top tier DJs and Deli favorites Fitz and The Tantrums.

This Thursday, it's no different (with the exception of a couple new faces to the bill). And it's free. And it will rumble.

You have just witnessed the death of the live show announcement flier. Kudos, Saint Motel.

Last Saturday night at The Roxy, Filter Magazine showcased two hot acts quite familiar with The Deli LA: Big Moves and Pollyn. The crowd was composed of mostly loyal fans, with some driving from as far away as Arizona to catch the show.

Big Moves opened the night with the octave chords of their song “Make it Happen.” While their recorded material sounds quaint and slightly mid tempo, singer Jess Imme leads the charge with a high energy act, while the rest of the outfit support her with tight jazz runs and uptempo grooves.

The band played two newly recorded songs (“Laterns” and “My Room Became a Forest”) which are inspired lyrically by the Maurice Sendak book “Where the Wild Things Are.” Their energy carried them through a set which also contained songs from their LP “In The Beginning” including the dance inducing “Brontosaurus.”

While their jazz/math rock label may scare some people into thinking Big Moves' unique music is pretentious, their live shows reveal that they are energetic, danceable, and, more importantly, accessible.

Pollyn followed with a down-tempo set spiced with electronic beats and synths. Genevieve Artadi lends her haunting smooth vocals over an expansive soundscape thanks to guitarist Anthony Cava, beatmaster Adam Weissman, and gang of five supporting musicians, Danielle Firouzi, Manuel Artadi, Brian Henspeter, Aya Toyoshima, and Mariel Austin who wielded keys, bass, drums, backing vocals, respectively.

Their set included songs from their '09 debut “This Little Night." Favorites like “Shake It Off” kept the crowd dancing and clapping along. Pollyn also played their newest single “Still Love”, which was also made available on Filter Magazine's website, to much applause. Fans of Portishead and Zero 7 will find common ground with Pollyn.

Although both acts styles differ in interesting unique ways, the pairing of the two in the same night achieved a fine effect. Both Big Moves and Pollyn filled the Roxy with ornate, new era groove-based tunes, all sans overproduced cheese. -Angelo Lorenzo

Omar Rodriguez Lopez is the guitar god of The Mars Volta. So, it only makes sense that he names his album after another part of Greek culture: Xenophanes (Greek philosopher that rejected Greek god mentality for a global consciousness mindset).

Xenophanes isn't going to be released in the US until November 10 but it is already stirring up a great excitement among critics. We're so excited, we wanted to share the tracklisting with you...

1. Azoemia
2. Mundo De Ciegos (MP3)
3. Ojo Al Cristo De Plata
4. Amanita Virosa
5. Sangrando Detrás De Los Ojos
6. Desarraigo
7. Asco Que Conmueve Los Puntos Erógenos
8. Oremos
9. Perder El Arte De La Razón Sin Mover Un Sólo Dedo
10. a) Flores De Cizaña
11. b) Maria Celeste

- Nicholas Palumbo

Railcars will be bringing their noise-pop sound to a city near you. Aria Jalali and Sam Farzin will be out on the road for almost two months, leaving no part of the USA untouched.

We highly recommend catching their live show before Railcars heads eastward. The group plays Echo Curio (LA) tomorrow and will be back in November when they play Thee Parkside (SF) on November 19 and Synchronicity (LA) and The Smell (LA) on November 23 and January 5 respectively.

-Nicholas Palumbo

Binary will be taking over The Echnoplex next Tuesday. Keenhouse (in the picture), LexiconDon and Short Circuit will be playing live alongside DJ sets by Alfa and The Kids Are Radioactive.

The best part? The show is free!

RSVP: rsvp@binaryentertainmentgroup.com

-Nicholas Palumbo

Tuesday night, the Lovin' Cup Cafe's Cameo Gallery in NYC played host to Langhorne Slim's record release party for BE SET FREE, the LA based troubadour's fourth full-length release, and second for NYC label Kemado Records. The show was free to those who purchased the album from Soundfix around the corner, so the crowd was full of Slim die-hards, and the evening took on the vibe of a gathering of friends instead of a typical concert. No fourth wall here. Slim and crew were in prime form and raring to go as they unveiled songs from the new record which was recorded in Portland by The Decemberists' Chris Funk.

In the grand tradition of Northeast Corridor troubadours such as Marah's Bielanko brothers and even "The Boss" himself, Slim is a born balladeer-come-bar-band bellower, and tonight's set fluctuated nicely between the two idioms. The ballads, including the album's title track and "I Love You, But Goodbye", were goose-bump inducing poetry -- life lessons blanketed in Astral Weeks-like tones of home.

Slim has clearly matured as a lyricist on BE SET FREE, but thankfully he hasn't forgotten how to tear the roof off either. His signature foot-stompers were anchored by the well-worn rhythm section of bassist Jeff Ratner and drummer Malachi DeLorenzo, and the welcome addition of David Moore on keys and banjo, which kept the sound deliciously honey-dipped. Moore has been playing with the band for less than two weeks, but Slim claimed it felt like "six years," a testament to "when it's right, it's right."

For the second of three encores, Slim finally satiated the crowd's cries for "Boots Boy," an Otis Redding wail for the simple need to be loved without all of life's bells, whistles, or distractions. And, always the consummate showman, Slim left 'em wanting more by rounding out the set with "Rebel Side of Heaven," a rollicking revival anthem from his last record which is destined to become a classic.

It's hard not to root for Slim and his merry band of revelers. Rooted firmly in the Guthrie aesthetic, these are good people turning in an honest day's work. Speaking truths, and pouring their hearts and souls into every record and performance they turn in. You feel like you know them and hey, maybe you do. With BE SET FREE, the band is on the cusp of something big, so don't miss them when they play the Bell House on October 15. - Ryan Henriquez

Punk rock has a new name! SoCo's Honest Iago have just released their debut LP. "Straight on 'Til Morning" is eleven tracks of great music and the kind of melodic punk that put SoCo's scene on the map.

We've been listening to their new LP here and can only think one thing: punk is back! I mean, it never left or anything. But Honest Iago is definitely a vital supplement to the music scene.

CATCH THEM AT PARADISE PERKS IN IRVINE ON OCTOBER 23.

-Nicholas Palumbo

John Clinebell is proud to announce that his second album, "Make It Land", will be released on October 25. The first single to be released off of this album will be "Hold On".

John Clinebell is everything that a singer-songwriter should be. His lyrics are heartfelt and passionate, his guitar hooks are extremely catchy and he loves to please his audience! Frankly, we believe that this young star will continue to make California hot well after the summer sun sets. Definitely check out a John Clinebell show soon!

-Nicholas Palumbo

All aboard for one of the biggest tours of the year! LA's own Warpaint will be heading out a nationwide tour, opening for School of Seven Bells and Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. Warpaint's psychodelia/shoegaze sound will get along just fine.

The band has two dates in the area. Show up early!

Warpaint with School of Seven Bells. October 5. Troubadour.

Warpaint with Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson. November 3. Club Spaceland.

In addition, we would like to take time out to tell you to pick up "Esquisite Corpse" when it's released on October 15. It is an elegantly put-together album that is a flashback to Tegan & Sara's early days. This "Corpse" is alive. Very alive. "Esquisite Corpse" might be the most underrated work we've heard in a long time.

-Nicholas Palumbo

Jump Clubb | "The Love of No Dance"

Leave it to The Deli to paraphrase such ominous press releases regarding the best in local music: Jump Clubb (the aformentioned group too-cool-for-the-'Space) are so into their craft, they want no business in letting anyone know who they are. This is a cool publicity hook ranking right up there with Sufjan Stevens' convincing the international press he's actually going to make an album for all 50 states.

Make what you will of it: Their PR folk say "Jump Clubb likes to stay hidden while surrounded by a town of those obbessed with themselves." LOCAL BURN/BITCH SLAP.

Anonymous/laughably self-righteous or not, the Beverly Hills-based dance artist/group/vinyl-collecting collective have spin worthy gems, but only if you're willing to put aside time to sift through Google.

Well, this is new to us.

Latest on the noise radar is railcars, who melodically scream from both the Bay Area and LA. Regardless of halfsies locality, consider it ours.

The self-proclaimed "noise-pop" outfit are a treat of ear drum destroying proportions. The duo, who front pop melody before a backdrop of nightmarish distortion, play with Foot Village (equally loud and just as fantastic for noise fans) October 1 at The Smell (of course). If railcars had a food equivalent, they'd be chicken and waffles -- who would've thought it could actually work?

LA isn't exactly what some would call a hotspot for a new folk renaissance. With Dead Rock West, there's actually proof of it.

The quintet aren't only putting a fresh twist on roots music, but they're doing it the way it's supposed to be done: all analog. Their debut album "Honey and Salt" was recorded on 2" tape and without the aid of all that pitch correction and metronome clicking bullshit. They play McCabe's in Santa Monica on September 20. Bring your boots.

The 6th Annual Fuck Yeah Fest Music Festival was held at the Los Angeles Historic State Park. What was once an epic 3-day event in Echo Park in the past was downgraded into one bite sized afternoon in Chinatown packed with meaty music acts & a helping of comedy on the side. It made for one easy day of baking, boozing, & pleasant people.

Aside from TIM & ERIK & a big BLACK LIPS slapped across the top of every flier, there were solid names from the local LA music scene in the under belly. I walked into the shuffle right in the middle of a solid set from Long Beach’s Crystal Antlers on the Redwood Stage.

Until the evening came my biggest complaint was the lack of shade, because it was so damn hot. It's like a giant orange furnace cooking me from above -- why’s a SoCal summer got to be barely bearable? But I have to admit it turned pretty picturesque at sunset; downtown grew dark & gold from the south & a fire-stained sky plumed into a purple to the north.

The crowds swelled in slowly but that dosen’t mean the lines weren’t congested outside. Avi Buffalo entertained the early birds and those waiting in line outside. Edwin Campwirth of Dios also mentioned the crowds were pretty thin early on. Leave it up to No Age for dibs -- they had the privilege of a later spot on the schedule.

Now the sad/save-the-world stuff: As of Labor Day, dramatic changes are coming to more than a 1/3 of our glorious California State Parks. Proceeds from this event are going to the Save Our Parks Campaign to help prevent even more drastic changes from taking action. So even though getting in will be double the price, we should all still think of camping next weekend. -Brian Swanson

Princeton is releasing their debut record, Cocoon of Love, September 29th on Kanine Records. Princeton is twin brothers Jesse & Matt Kivel, Ben Usen and David Kitz. In anticipation and support of their debut album, they'll head out on tour with Ra Ra Riot and other touring acts through the rest of the year, playing a Deli show in NYC during the CMJ Music Marathon. This is the video of their first single "Martina and Clive Krantz".

Shiloe release new single "By The Daggers In Your Eyes". The song, which combines a driving beat and pulsing distorted bass line with instantly memorable lyrics and vocal melodies, has been described as "the ideal anthem for the edgiest movie John Hughes never made." It begs the question, What if Ally Sheedy had decided to stay goth at the end of The Breakfast Club instead of accepting Molly Ringwald's makeover? Essentially, it's a three-minute love letter to anyone who's ever been proud to be different. The trio, who have been compared musically to bands ranging from the Cramps to the Pixies, have built their reputation on the songwriting prowess and onstage intensity of founding members Ken Ramos (vocals/guitar) and Melissa Pleckham (bass). Shiloe's as-yet-untitled debut full-length is currently in production in Los Angeles. - (as posted in The Deli LA's Open Blog - post your band's entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Ernie Halter just released a live album, entitled "Ernie Halter: Live," offers=ing a mix of solo acoustic and full band performances. The album includes eleven tracks recorded on tour in 2009 over the course of a month at a number of locations; a brand new track called "Yes I Am" is the only song that has not appeared in a studio version on one of Halter's past albums. After a summer and fall spent touring, Halter plans to begin recording a new studio album later this year with plans to release it in 2010.

Dedicated to those who like it weird, electronic and exotic! Check out Rainbow Arabia at The Echo on September 10.

Formed in 2007, Sonos is an all-vocal sextet, emerging from the SoCal college a cappella scene (USC and UCLA alumni) with the singular aim of turning the genre on its head. The group reinvent a 21st century songbook with bold reinterpretations of the vital contemporary artists -- from Bjork to Radiohead, Bon Iver to Fleet Foxes -- who inspire them. Their debut SONOSings will be released September 15 on Verve Forecast. Cd release at the Hotel Cafe on September 15.
This fall, Sonos return to their roots with a special collaborative performance with renowned Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood at UCLA's Royce Hall on Friday, October 9.

Casxio (Ca-See-Oh) are a fusion of disco, funk and rock n’ roll and they are about to head to the East Coast for select tour dates this October, including CMJ '09 (to coincide with their forthcoming EP 'Seventeen').

The DeepSea Goes Formed in early 2007. Released "Extraordinary Renditions" demo in June of 2007. Released "Epater Le Bourgeois" EP on Transnational Debate on September 11th, 2007. First show on September 12th, 2007. Released "FORCALI" LP on March 11th, 2008. Released "Extraordinary Renditions" EP in June of 2008. Released "Reductio Ad Asbsurdum" EP on July 27th, 2008. Toured the US in Fall 2008. Toured the West Coast in late Winter 2009. Toured the whole US except the West Coast (due to the car dying in Grangeville, ID) in Spring 2009. "ORAONEIROI" was released on Patrick Swayze's Birthday (08/18/09). Full US Tour (in some sort of vehicle to be announced) in Fall 2009. We love all of you. - (as posted in The Deli's Open Blog - post your band's entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Fuck yeah, indeed: The 6th Annual Fuck Yeah Fest comes to The Los Angeles State Historic Park this year, and along with the entry fee and your totally kick ass love for civic duty, you can shoegaze, silently judge or simply just sweat it out to a ridiculous bill while SAVING THE FOREST!!! Deli favorites Avi Buffalo, No Age and Crystal Antlers are included, so save space for them if you haven't died from Dan Deacon's set.

Thurlow are an LA duo who know how to get back to basics. Their sound is comprised of sweet, bare vocals, minimalist trip-hop beats, and soothing instrumentals. But that isn’t to say basic is boring: Jacqueline Caruso and Augustus Green’s partnership results in songs that are just as exciting as they are lovely and melodic. On their debut LP, “Training Wheels,” both Caruso and Green croon about about love and life as almost perfect vocal complements. Thurlow are a little psych rock, a little electronic, a lot folksy, but all heart. By Loren DiBlasi

DELI: You guys recently re-located to LA from Washington, D.C. What do you love about it, and what do you miss most about D.C.?

JACQUELINE CARUSO: It was really exciting to be in D.C. during the presidential race. I have a definite sentimentality about that city. I grew up there and went to school there, all my family is there. A lot of memories. For Gus there isn't such a deep attachment. But we both knew we had to be in LA. It really puts your dreams to the test. And you can't beat the weather!

DELI: What is the best thing about being a duo, as opposed to a solo artist or with a larger band (which you both have done in the past)?

JC: We have never made better music than when we work together. We were always hesitant to truly collaborate, but we really  found our musical soul mates in each other, and over time we couldn't deny it. Our differences are what make it work. When the time is right, we'd love to have a proper band.

DELI: Out on tour, is it easy or difficult to get along?

JC: Well, we haven't really been out on the road yet. It is something we are working toward. Since we've lived together for over three years, we've pretty much worked out the kinks. We can handle 'round the clock interaction, and we're not afraid to tell each other what we need.

DELI: What do you hope people get out of your debut LP, “Training Wheels?”

JC: The title "Training Wheels" was chosen because this is our first proper record. We cut our teeth on this one and we hope that it maintains a bit of innocence in that regard. Really we just hope that people enjoy it and that they want more. We are currently writing material for an EP targeted for release before the end of the year.

The many music stylings in FireBug's include the psych rock likes of The Raconteurs, The Black Keys, with a splash of '70s blues that could draw comparisons to Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and PJ Harvey. Lead singer Juliette Tworsey expertly handles this mash-up of styles with a unique voice that gives Firebug a fresh take on a new blues. - (as posted in The Deli's Open Blog - post your band's entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

Dawgs,

Another local community of musicians is now under the Deli's magnifying glass: it's the place where people (strangely enough) pray to Gad on Sundee... it's Bawston baby!

The Boston Deli will be part of a larger New England website, which will soon also include separate homepages for Burlington, Providence, Portland and Maine.

We are really excited to have expanded to a city that has given birth to amazing indie artists like The Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Throwing Muses and The Cars.

Please let all your New England friends know about it!

-The Deli Staff

Before Mayer Hawthorne joined the Stones Throw family and brought us his home-produced solo project of blue-eyed soul, he was living it up just outside of Detroit spinning records and spitting up in the rap game. For private shits and giggles, Hawthorne wanted to try his hand out at a new kind of throwback soul and it could not be working out any better for the guy: aside from massive international touring, his heart-shaped vinyl has been selling like crazy, and virtually without any sort of marketing. If it's any indication of anything, it's that pop with a sense of authenticity will always, always, always prevail.

Mayer Hawthorne plays The Roxy on September 10.

There's a good chance you can't read the fine print, so allow us: Divisible's free Spaceland gig in a couple weeks includes Deli favorites Lemon Sun and Saint Motel. If seeking a cultural and proximal snapshot of the sonic now, attend. Attend!

Crash Kings | "Mountain Man"

Groove based and completely dirty, Crash Kings make a pretty loud impression despite the three-piece limitations. Vocals evoke '70s rock English fare, with a kind of heavy rock/blues backbeat that proves this town hasn't become completely effeminate (thank God!) Play their latest and self-titled LP's single "Mountain Man" loudly, without guilt -- and if your speakers blast out, at least it'll be worth it.

LA's rock scene is giving Wisconsin a run for its money with multi-instrumentalist and producer Robert Francis. Before Nightfall is his follow up album to the 2007 record One By One and is his first album on Atlantic Records. Featuring fellow musician Graham Lathrop on pedal steel guitar, backing vocals by his sisters' Juliette and Carla Commagere and Francis on keys, mellotron, Hammond B3, Wurlitzer, Farsfisa organ and Solina Synth the lush layers of lullabies flow together into one solid record. Whether he is crooning his way through the thick fog of misery or spinning poetry about running from the cops Robert's music always keeps an earthy, homespun quality that draws on everything from country, to folk, to blues, to roots rock.

Heavy Young Heathens, a noisy duo made up of brothers Aron and Robert have been making music together in bands their whole lives. Feeling change in the air, they decided to do things a little bit off the beaten path they had become accustomed to, and they decided to record as a duo of just bass and drums. What at first felt odd to them quickly turned in to something that was more familiar thn they could imagine. Over the last year, their following has been built strictly upon word of mouth. 2009 will see HYH release their debut full Length LP and put them back out on all the stages across the country. The band is perform live at the Belly Up Tavern on August 31.

In one of the most harmonious of pairings among LA songwriters this summer, psych-pop songstress Juliette Commagere and Pete Yorn will be teaming up for a West Coast tour, starting August 20th. Juliette and her multi-piece band, which includes husband and drummer Joachim Cooder, recently returned from a 20-date European tour supporting Ry Cooder and Nick Lowe. In between tours, Juliette has been spending time in Taos, New Mexico, where she is finishing work on her new album. After this string of tour dates with Pete Yorn, Juliette will head to the studio to record her forthcoming sophomore release, before venturing out to the other side of the world once again with Ry Cooder and Nick Lowe. This time they will head west for a tour around Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

Photography by Brian Swanson

Though Alex Brown Church abandoned filmmaking for music making, he still remains a visual artist. Listen to any lyrics from his band, Sea Wolf, and your five senses are aroused. You can hear leaves rustle, smell the aroma of an orchard, feel the briskness of a Montreal day, taste the lips of a devoted lover, and see the placid landscape of a poet's mind. By Melissa Bobbitt

It's no wonder this bucolic project was named for a Jack London novel. There is something so pastoral about Church's output, a quality he compares to London's "thinking working man." It's a dichotomy bred from the songwriter's youth spent horseback riding and whitewater rafting with his parents in a California mining town and nurtured in his cozy Eagle Rock home, so close yet so far away from the glare of the Los Angeles lifestyle.

On his newest album, White Water, White Bloom (Dangerbird Records, Sept. 22), Church traveled even farther for inspiration: his French-Canadian girlfriend's city. "I was in Montreal writing the songs; it's like half the year is winter up there pretty much," he says. "Just sitting in the kitchen, staring out at snow and just being in that environment, I think led to that being about the songs."

From wintry Montreal, he ventured to Portland, Ore., to demo with drummer Joey Ficken, then back to L.A. to lay down bass and keyboard elements with Ted Liscinski and Lisa Fendelander, then onto Omaha, Neb., to collaborate with producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes).

"Mike had some tricks up his sleeve that he brought to the table that were like: sending an acoustic guitar through an amp with reverb … vibraphone, various other sounds. And goat toes -- actual goat toes." He laughs. "It's for percussion. It makes a rattle."

Building upon the lush folk of 2007's Leaves in the River, these offerings celebrate the awkwardness of new romance ("Orion & Dog," ripe with violins) and the continuous ebb of life (the majestic title track). The album is a mental vacation for fans trapped by the confines of big-city life, a harkening back to the simple beauty of Robert Frost's work. The imagery is practically cinematic.

Which is fitting, since Church was a graduate of NYU's film school, a degree he says he really hasn't put to use since starting the rock group Irving in 1998 and Sea Wolf in 2003. "I can't say that I don't have intentions of making films at some point, but I get such a one-track mind," he admits. "I
tend to focus on one thing and not really be able to do anything else."

If that one thing continues to be his poignant musical odes to nature, we certainly have no complaints.

Holmes | "This is Not a Political Song"

If that wasn't a political song, then Holmes is a waste of time. But the truth speaks for itself, and so should the power pop friendly sounds of the Silver Lake-based Holmes, whose album release party falls on the same date of his Thursday night Hotel Cafe set. Can you hear that? It's so... unusual. It's ...pop with a conscience?!

The Pablove Foundation is hosting another fundraiser Thursday night to bring awareness and rock uplift in the name of the fight against childhood cancer. 100% of proceeds will benefit the organization, funding art programs and activities to young victims of the disease. The $10 entry is on a sliding scale, so, if you can, don't hesitate to donate some more cash in the name of survival through rock music. While the bill is exciting (Great Northern and Xu Xu Fang among others?!), knowing LA has a dependent support system in its art community is a little more testament to a more important excitement.

Fitz & The Tantrums | "Winds of Change"

Since their debut EP ended up in our mailbox months ago, we've had Fitz & The Tantrums on our radar of breaking local artists. The video comes in time with news that the pop/soul group will be playing some dates with Flogging Molly this summer, so show up and be sure to pick up a copy of "Songs for a Break Up, Vol. 1." It isn't too late to pull a summer anthem from it.

The Hectors | "Carol and Sanford"

The Hectors are playing a free and super secret (until now) downtown loft party tonight, and like all private gigs following Art Walk hours, you'll need a password to get in.

The password is, err, "Jizzmaster Zero." Don't ask us why.

Porno password aside, the event will host surprise DJ sets, food, drinks and a set by The Hectors at 1 a.m.

The Hectors
Downtown Loft party
749 S. Broadway, Downtown LA
Doors at midnight

Dawes | "Love is All I Am"

How did Dawes slip under our radar? For those unacquainted, the North Hills outfit have churned out some noteworthy new Americana gems. Plug new generation folk and live, layered harmonies on a backdrop of new Appalachia, and it might be hard to imagine how such a regional sound came from our own proverbial backyard.

Aside from being brutally talented, Dawes are hustlers: They've just been signed to ATO on the heels of August residencies at The Echo and at the Detroit Bar in the OC. Oh, yes -- we'll be there.

The Polyamorous Affair | "Babayaga"

Los Feliz-based husband and wife duo The Polyamorous Affair will be playing a set at CONTROL -- The Avalon's weekly Friday night dance-tastic dance-athon. Expect stage pyro and abstract video projections in an already abstract dance set from the goth dance group, which beings at 9 p.m. and ends at 3 a.m. (18+, $10)

The Deli LA's latest Artists of the Month Lemonwilde took a moment with The Deli to talk about life on the road and (lastly!) their much anticipated full length album. Lest we mention their battle with cigarettes. Ahh, to be a breaking rock star.

DELI: The blogosphere frequently compares you guys to Radiohead. Has this band actually influenced the group's vision?

LEMONWILDE: We are honored to be compared to Radiohead and any other band that has been known to push the envelope of how we, as a culture, define music. That's a charge that we truly believe in ourselves. We have so many musicians who have influenced us that to pin one down would be difficult.

DELI: Since how'd you guys form?

LEMONWILDE: We started playing live during the second half of last year and our current lineup was solidified in early 2009. Ter and Joe started the project based on the desire to advance music... to push it places it hasn't been yet... to draw upon all kinds of musical styles and backgrounds... They went out and found musicians with the same desire, drive and vision to help complete this idea and Lemonwilde has become what we know today.

DELI: Describe a typical day of Lemonwilde being on the road.

LEMONWILDE: Road life starts early. Or very late--depending on if one defines the change of a day by actually sleeping or just watching the calendar cross from one side to the next. There's the usual suspects: radio interviews, sound checks, promotions, restaurants that will probably never appear in Zagats [sic] ; but then it's the little things that count: shopping for humorous postcards to send home, museums and art galleries, Henry getting arrested in every other city, successfully quitting smoking (47 times now), energy drink addictions, and so on.

DELI: Your are all very young, but your sound delivers a certain kind of pain, and, as you’ve probably heard many times, an angst-driven atmosphere that suggest a certain advanced maturity. Where does this come from?

LEMONWILDE: The music may have an angst-driven quality, but it's simply true emotion--it's honest. Our music still has an underlying message of hope, because we, as a generation, can change things. There's a lot of challenging things people in this world endure ... and while pop music provides an escape, we feel that it's time for our generation to see things as they really are.

DELI: Can we expect a full-length album soon?

LEMONWILDE: Yes, Fall of 2009. We're finalizing the details of the recording process and most of the album is already finished.

IAMOMNI | "Sheza Diva"

To rhyme "tomorrow" with "bottle" is as clever as they come. IAMOMNI's latest track and video comes with Motown inspired beats and a kind of pathetic mid-life crisis worth laughing about;while it borders on cheese and irony, the great graces of a good song save (and kind of excuse) IAMOMNI's unusual hip-hop demeanor. We're sure his FREE EP (available on his MySpace page) will give us a better picture of just who this artist is really about.

They're not called The Major Canon for a reason. Defined by its minor chord sensibilities, The Minor Canon are a deliberately heavy pop rock outfit and multi-instrumental project by principal songwriter Paul Larson. Though their latest LP "Emptiness if Form" (Tenderness Records) carry tones of lift, they're battled against deadening lyric, mirroring "Figure 8" Elliott Smith and "Pinkerton" Cuomo.

Unravel these happy gems only to find out that they're--quite effectively--filling the void of the vocal content in emptiness. Arranged with strings, horns and multi-layered pianos and it'll be hard to go back to our beloved indie pop once so reveled... only for it to sound so lazy in comparison.

The Minor Canon play Spaceland on August 18.

Offering the clever quirk of Jon Brion and pop vocals reminiscent of Andy Davis, piano based singer/songwriter Aaron Beaumont flourishes as an unannounced artist of the times. Melodically friendly gems laced with stride style keys conquer all the assumptions that come with piano playing writers; think less Elton and a more sedated Rufus. By being lustless of being pinned down to a key audience, Beaumont pushes piano pop into brand new realm, completely void of irony. Thank god.

Xu Xu Fang | "The Mourning Son," Live at RockRemedy.com

Xu Xu Fang have a bunch of new songs--some slated for their new LP slated for 2010--and they'd like to play them for the locals this Thursday night at Swinghouse Studios. Will it be brooding? Yes. Will it be soul stretching? Absolutely. Message them at their MySpace account for information on how to get in.

The Deli’s current LA band of the month is Monster, a musical project around remarkably gifted singer Alex Johnstone. Alex took a moment with The Deli LA to talk crying, vices and wordplay. By Susi Muhr

DELI: Why the name “Monster?” Your sound suggests the opposite.

AJ: I like the idea of changing the common association of a word. It's true I don't think people think of the music I make when they hear that word, but a word can mean many things and take many different shades.

DELI: How did you guys meet and when did you start making music together?

AJ: The band I have now was formed pretty recently. Jack Long sort of switches between bass and drums, he did most of the bass lines on the new unreleased album, which I don't think it would be half as good without. Carl Harders plays bass most of the time now live, he's a really good bass player. And Vanessa Vivian Martinez plays drums too, she wrote me about a year ago and asked to play drums in my band after she heard my first CD which was really nice for me because she's a great drummer.

DELI: What’s next for Monster?

AJ: We just finished recording a new full-length at Red Rockets Glare Studio, and after it's fully mastered we just want to tour and release the record, even if we do it ourselves. The first album I made got re-released in France recently so I was lucky enough to play there for about a month, hopefully for this record I will get to go back to Europe as well.

DELI: What’s your biggest vice?

AJ: I think I can be sort of critical. I think it's good to be discerning, but sometimes I think I'm too critical.

DELI: Any secrets or stories you want to share with your fans?

AJ: The first time I ever saw Chan Marshall in real life, I cried. It makes me really emotional when I see someone who is truly themselves.

AM | "Grand Opinion"

It's a big summer for singer/songwriter AM.

Aside from this brand new video from his forthcoming album "Future Sons and Daughters," the folk artist just signed to CAA and also sealed a deal to release the new LP with Filter US Recordings (Fontana/Universal). Oh, and he's celebrating his birthday with a set this Saturday night at the Hotel Cafe. Let's hope the candles don't burn the beard.

Attention dignified pop aficionados: For the next couple of weeks, venues all over town will be filled with next year's favorite melody makers. The International Pop Overthrow--known for breaking acts like The Redwalls, The 88, Phantom Planet and Kara's Flowers (now known as Maroon 5)--will be hosting its 12th year in festivities starting this Saturday night.

For a COMPLETE schedule of the festival, check out the official site.

On the heels of a fall tour with Priscilla Ahn, somber singer/songwriter Robert Francis just signed with Atlantic Records and is celebrating with a show at The Roxy on Thursday night. Haim and Rumspringa are also in the bill, which'll likely make for a range of delicate string picking to nasty overdrive blues rock. How such a promising bill is sponsored by KROQ is all a mystery to us.

The rumors are true: This October, The Knitting Factory's LA joint will close its doors. In short, their lease is up and there's a slight promise another local location will be opening up. Until then, we'll keep you posted on final shows and any other developments.

Dirty Laundry | Interview: Crystal Antlers

To quote Dirty Laundry: "The concept of the show is simple: [Host] Malia interviews touring and local indie bands in a laundromat while they both do their laundry."

Strangely enough, it's highly entertaining. Other ideas to throw around: Doin' Green -- artists garden. Grounded -- artists clean their rooms. Flippin' Out -- artists cook burgers. We could go on with this, you know.

Andy Clockwise | "My Generation"

Spaceland hosts tongue-in-cheek artist Andy Clockwise every Monday for the rest of July. The Australian singer has a reputation in apathetic anthems that, at their core, are just amusing reflections on Hollywood bullshit, urban pain and other social gems worth poking fun at. The music is a character in itself and worth checking out for the remaining Mondays in July. And, yes, it's FREE.

FMLY host some incredibly bitching parties. Ever since the music blog started their events at Out of Asia, their rapidly growing community base have churned out classic set after classic set, and this Saturday will be no different at Beach Dazed.

While Busdriver and [Post-foetus] are enough reason to go, just imagine the warehouse decked out in summer decor, bringing a sunshine twist to the FMLY rep.

The all ages event is $20 at the door for students with valid I.D. and $30 for everyone else who lost theirs. It'll be ALL day, and lord knows you don't want to bake under the sun when an indoor splish-splasher is going on. Can someone call Gidget?

If you're in the giving mood this Sunday, head over to the Hotel Cafe for a marathon of the best in local singer/songwriters. Anyone familiar with the reputation of the Hotel Cafe knows it's the premier epicenter of all things acoustic. And with your $10 entry, you'll be benefiting Friends of TOMS -- an organization that helps put shoes on children in need.

Heads up for Deli favorites Holly Conlan, Buddy and Chris Pierce. As for "...and friends," well, we'll just leave that to all of our own surprising. The Hotel Cafe is pretty good at getting ultimately surprising cameos.

"The dualism implied in the name of the Los Angeles band Robotanists is no misnomer. The quartet thrives on toeing the line between nature's fragility and the imperviousness of cold steel." (Ragged/Filter Magazine) The Silver Lake foursome released their debut EP "Close Down the Woods" last December, then crisscrossed the US performing and recording non-stop. The band has a series of shows planned for the summer, including a performance at the Bloomfest in Downtown LA on July 18. Each show will feature the songs of the record "Close Down the Woods" as well as tracks from their forthcoming digital only release "Shapes and Variations" a collection of reharmonized and rearranged covers that includes songs by INXS, Gnarles Barkley, Joe Jackson, Bryan Adams, Foreigner and a few more pop surprises.]]> Tue, 14 Jul 2009 16:24:02 GMT http://www.thedelimagazine.com/la/index.php?itemId=219233 http://www.thedelimagazine.com/la/index.php?itemId=219233

Brightmillion | "My Ease"

Brightmillion--solo project by recording artist and backyard farmer Dan Holman--will be holed up at the Dragonfly every Tuesday night for the rest of July. While the hair and general demeanor is certifiably rock, Brightmillion's tunes are rather catchy as they come (albeit scratchy), most definitely to the likings of a more dignified Chris Carrabba.

Amy Kuney may seem like the cutesie wootsie girl next door armed with a guitar and a diary full of lyrics to her sweet pop gems, but peel off a layer and it'll be revealed that the popstress was once kidnapped by Guatemalen rebels at the age of 17. Um, WTF, right? Artists who need a backstory: the benchmark has been set.

Amy Kuney plays with The Rescues at their pop-rock laden record release party on July 23 at The Troubadour.

Let your inner demons be summoned at the sword of Black Robot. The power chord crazy, motorcycle inspired sound of the metal outfit will surely be a fit to anyone with a knack for your general fare of '70s rock. Made up of a few members from Buckcherry, they make their live show debut at The Roxy on August 8th.  Why the early notice? They exude such an energy in shitty quality MySpace samples that it only merits a heads-up. Grow your hair out!

Foreign Born are poised to release their new album Person To Person next week on June 23 through Secretly Canadian Records. To celebrate the guys will be performing at Vacation Records. Come down and join in the celebration! Also on the horizon, Foreign Born will be performing on KCRW's venerable "Morning Becomes Eclectic" on July 15 and will be playing a big show at the Hammer Museum on July 16. - as posted in our LA Open Blog channel here, you can post your blog entries here.

We are pleased to announce Go West Young Man's official release of the new music video for the song The Covinas. Shot on location live and all over southern california, the video features live footage shot on 16mm. The song The Covinas off the feb. full length release on One Cell Records is also featured on the short film "Midnight Ride" which is due to be released this summer. Come check out the band next Thursday at Silver Factory Studios downtown with Hot TV. - as posted in our LA Open Blog channel here, you can post your blog entries here.

If the state of California were to do a bong hit, it would sing. And it would sound like The Janks -- in a really good way. Seriously. Uplifting and naively optimistic, The Janks' sound creates a west coast Americana that brings the '60s back to give it a sort of facelift, all sans the self-entitlement! They play the Viper Room on July 9, aside from a few other sets around town in the next month.

Radio Free Silver Lake is pretense-free, holier-than-thou-free and all around douchey-free, so it comes with much excitement to announce their co-sponsored show with SF blog New & Used Records.

Months back, both blogs traded off local shows featuring bands from each other's respective music scenes; The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra headed the first show of the series in SF, and now it's LA's turn to host Bay Area favorites French Miami.

Making another appearance will be The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra and locals The Monolators, Kissing Cousins and The Damselles. More info on the flier. Sharing is caring, and so very, very awesome.

In many ways Cinderella Motel fits the mold of a typical garage band, but after a few listens it’s clear that these rockers have an edge over their peers. Combining frantic beats with eccentric charm, the foursome has mastered the art of innovation. Their songs are driven and upbeat, and refuse to sacrifice whimsicality even when taking a serious turn. Tammy Tonahawk’s vocals are stellar, retaining a feminine quality despite a rough Joan Jett-esque howl. Though Cinderella Motel is only two years old, it’s easy to forget that they weren’t around when Hammer pants were still cool.

DELI: What food item best describes your music?

CM: Bratwurst covered in FunDip.

DELI: What instrument have you wanted to include in your music but have yet to find a way to fit into your sound?

CM: The trumpet, but first Raul’s gotta take lessons from his mariachi brother-in-law.

DELI: Who in the band gets hit (on) after your live shows and why?

CM: Usually Tomahawk – but it’s DURING the set. Eh em…Shall we say some of her‘wardrobe’ is made possible by Nippies..? www.bristols6.com

DELI: What's your current addiction?

CM: Interstate carnivals. Swimming at the public pool. Burt Reynolds circa 1982. Any sort of beef product. Adding more members to the band to turn into Polyphonic Spree. Just kiddin – We’re tying the tubes at 4 now.

DELI: Time travel or space travel? When or where?

CM: Medieval times in England - Tomahawk loves those suits of armor and those battle moves!…Or The Wild West era (same deal).Raul would probably want do both time AND space travel though – he really wants to go to Mars during the Stone Age to see if there was life on that planet then. He’s a curious fellow…

Better last-minute than never: The Pablove Foundation, headed by Dangerbird Records co-founder Jeff Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill, is hosting a benefit concert TONIGHT at The Echo in honor of their son Pablo who, just days ago, lost a battle with cancer.

Rock out for Pablo tonight with Eulogies and Bad Veins. All proceeds benefit The Pablove Foundation and the Children's Hospital of LA.

The musical prowess of Emily Wells is one that could make both Vivaldi and Notorious B.I.G. rise from their graves in harmonious approval—a feat unachievable by most modern day musicians. This classically trained violinist, hip-hop-beat savant and loop-machine extraordinaire sat with The Deli—chest full of instruments and gadgets in tow— before last Friday night’s EP release show at the Hotel Cafe, sharing the “hows” and “whys” behind her unconventional creative genius. By Sara Tan (Photos by Hunter A. Peterson)

While Wells’ musical genre is nearly impossible to typecast, the 27-year-old one-woman show describes it as “classical music with a hip-hop influence—and no boundaries.” Wells’ layering of melodious strings, synthesized beats, and haunting vocals is unlike anything in the indie scene—ever. Wells combines the precision of her violin virtuosity with the sampling techniques of a hip-hop production to assemble ridiculously beat-laden symphonies, leaving any music lover in awe.

“It’s extremely detail-oriented. It takes a lot of time and experimenting,” says Wells. “Being interested in every element of the process, whether that be the song writing, the recording, the sound, or the engineering—that’s what’s helped me get this far.”

Perhaps her success could be credited to the fact that she's somewhat of a control-freak;Wells writes, mixes, and produces her own music, and has turned down countless record label offers along the way. “I don’t really do it because of control, [but] musical control—that’s where my interests are. I kind of had a spell where I was told I had to do my music in a different
way and I held on pretty hard core to [what I believed in], which has allowed me to get to where I am musically [and] creatively as an artist.”

Wells notes that the creative process behind her masterpieces is not just about control, but also about intimacy. “Even though I’m here playing music for as many people as I can, the whole experience of writing is so private,” says Wells.

Arguably more rave-worthy than the final product itself is the actual process behind it, which she demonstrates at all her shows. “My set-up is exactly as it is at home—I have my table in front of me—I’ve got my synthesizer, a toy piano, a glockenspiel, a mixer, my pedal that runs everything. I can tweak the sounds after they’re sampled [and] sample my vocals—it’s very much a live show.” Fortunate for us, we’ll be seeing more of Wells on the stage: “That’s how I want to travel the world.”

Aside from her own pieces, Wells likes to "do songs that people know and that are part of their history." Her exquisitely brazen rendition of "Juicy" (which has garnered some flack from critics) pays homage to the late, great Biggie, a huge influence on her music. Other covers she’d like to do? In addition to her undying adoration for Method Man, Wells mentioned Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grizzly Bear, and more specifically, Thom Yorke’s Black Swan: “I’m intrigued by covers. I don’t want to even reveal what I want to do with [this one].”

There’s no doubt that the future is beaming for Emily Wells. "Dirty" comes after her successful album "Symphonies", bringing the focus back to the violin—the instrument she knows "like [she] knows how to speak English."

"It’s symphonies, it’s 'Juicy,' there’s another song with a ukelele—there’s a simplicity on 'Dirty.' ” There's no true way to guess where this multi-tasking maestro will be paving her own path next.

Bleu is a power pop LA mainstay, bleeding all sorts of melody in a rush of radio friendly color. It should come as no surprise that his upcoming Hotel Cafe residency will feature some special guests prominent in the power pop world -- Rooney (who'll be playing an acoustic set), Drake Bell (of the Disney Channel's "Drake and Josh," and of notable megapop rock songs to the like of, gasp, Jellyfish) and Roger Joseph Manning Jr. of, WTF, Jellyfish.

Blue's Tuesday night Hotel Cafe residency begins NEXT WEEK; gander at the flier for more info:

Sea Wolf | "You're a Wolf"

With a new album on Sea Wolf's heels in the fall (stay tuned for an interview with Alex Brown Church and the recording process in Omaha), it's due time to either learn or reconnect with Church's new take on alt-folk. Heads up: This video, from last year's "A Wolf at the Table" LP, features a Silversun Pickup or two.

Los Feliz's Sante D'or Foundation is hosting a 20-band festival at The Echoplex in support of its animal rescue efforts. It'll take place all day on Sunday, June 28 and be LOADED with Deli LA favorites. Prices and other info on the flier below -- Check back with The Deli next week for set times!

The Polyamorous Affair - http://www.myspace.com/thepolyamorousaffair
Rainbow Arabia - http://www.myspace.com/rainbowarabia
Exitmusic - http://www.myspace.com/thedeclineofthewest%20
VOICEsVOICEs - http://www.myspace.com/wearevoicesvoices
Bobb Bruno - http://www.myspace.com/bobbbruno
Howard Amb - http://www.last.fm/music/Howard+Amb
Voice On Tape - http://www.myspace.com/voiceontape
Gliss - http://www.myspace.com/gliss
Army Navy - http://www.myspace.com/armynavy
Death to Anders - http://www.myspace.com/deathtoanders
Kill Kill Kill - http://www.myspace.com/k1llk1llk1ll
Lemonwilde - http://www.myspace.com/lemonwilde
Ridel Radio - http://www.myspace.com/kevinridel
The Black Apples - http://www.myspace.com/theblackapples
Rusbel Awaits - http://www.rocknrollnrescue.com
Bradley Riot - http://www.myspace.com/bradleyriotmusic
Mac Dunlop of the Letter Openers - http://www.myspace.com/letteropeners
Cabal Bums http://www.myspace.com/cabalbums

Think of Remezcla as The Deli, but with a twist of Latin flavor. In celebration of local Latin acts, Remezcla joined up with MySpace to put on a free show on July 1st that includes Very Be Careful, La Santa Cecilia and Deli regulars wait.think.fast--an accurate snapshot into LA's own Latin youth culture.

Blues-rock duo Rumspringa are playing a set tonight in San Diego, and chances are you're not going, right? So catch them on the web tonight, where this Deli favorite will be streaming to the entire (connected) world.

Dudes,

We just launched The Deli's Portland branch!

Another awesome community of musicians is now covered by The Deli - hurrah!

Check it out here.

The Deli Staff

War Tapes | "Dreaming of You"

Directed by Jon Danovic, War Tapes' latest video comes to you at no more than a few hours upon release. Whether you think it's just post-production pyro or a valiant effort in not going with lame theatrics, the debate could be spared. Seriously, it's a new War Tapes video. C'mon.

**UPDATE** A reason to watch ABC Family tonight at 8PM: War Tapes will be playing a few songs--including "Dreaming of You"--on tween drama "Greek." While we can confirm it'll be a frat party scene (guffaw!) we can't confirm it'll be the background music to some epiphanous 20something moment.

The Cult's Chris Wyse is on a side-project field day with OWL -- an experimental rock trio that's a little more Faith No More than it is Dream Theatre. It is OWL's only date listed in LA for awhile, and a sound this large (and chaotically organized) packed into The Dragonfly doesn't come around too often.

OWL | The Dragonfly
Also on the bill: Young Royals, Rosemary's Garden and Murder My Sweet
Tuesday Night | 21+

Tongue-aerobic and Mozart-sampling Busdriver is celebrating the release of his latest LP "Jhelli Beam" with a party at The Knitting Factory this Thursday night, and YOU can get in for FREE by e-mailing hugo@thedelimagazine.com and simply asking for a pair! Winners will be notified a day before the show.

LA-via-Boston's Will Dailey will be playing a song at Craig Ferguson's late night gig this Wednesday afternoon, so e-mail "FREE CBS TIX" to hugo@thedelimagazine.com to win a pair of tickets! Scottish stand-up and a premier singer/songwriter? We might just end up going, too!

Danish noir rock duo The Raveonettes (currently based in LA and NYC) announced plans to give fans unique access to the recording of their upcoming fourth full-length, a Vice Records song-cycle still without a title, due this Fall. The fact that the album remains in its infancy isn't stopping Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo from offering fans the chance to hear full studio demos of album tracks while they're still works in progress. In a longer-form Myspace blog posted yesterday, Wagner said "don't be shy to leave comments for the tunes, we most definitely appreciate your opinion. We want to make the best Raveonettes album to date!" The first song released, tentatively titled "Last Dance," is about "how drug addiction interferes with love," says Wagner, and follows in the woozy, starlit footsteps of 2008's Lust Lust Lust. You can download the demo of "Last Dance" here. In the meantime, enjoy this old video.

Silversun Pickups | Panic Switch

Directed by James Frost, SP show us that video still kills the radio star.

Even without the release of their first studio album, shoegaze sensation and The Deli LA's Artists of the Month Black Kites have received plenty of buzz from press all over, including the L.A. Times. Though they've just started work on their debut release earlier this year, the band has been alive and kicking for almost five years. Initial duo Alan Petherick and Nicki Nevlin gradually added new members to the lineup over the past few years and are now five men (and women!) strong.

Known for their eclectic sound, the quintet draws inspiration from a diverse list of artists ranging from the Velvet Underground to Sigur Ros. Black Kites can be described as melodic and retro, with a sound infused by steady drumbeat and heavy electric guitar. Staying true to their name, Black Kites are lighthearted and edgy all at once.

1: What food item best describes your music?

Black Kites: Oysters casino

2. What instrument have you wanted to include but have yet to find a way to fit into your sound?

BK: Keytar

3. Who in the band gets hit (on) after your live shows and why?

BK: Alan because he promises the ladies oysters casino

4. What's your current addiction?

BK: Dog parks, cat tricks, guacamole, and "Hard Times" by Ray Charles

5. Time travel or space travel?

BK: Hands down time travel

D.C. imports Red Ink have an east coast swagger to a relatively west coast blues. The rock/soul trio have been gigging our town for several months since they've become recent neighbors, and the audition continues this Thursday night at The Landing. While the tracks on Red Ink's MySpace page aren't necessarily anything to write home about, they are tunes that bleed potential in both a live setting and within fine production.

Darker My Love | "Two Ways Out"

Expected psych rock takes the backseat in Darker My Love's track "Two Ways Out" from their 2008 album "2." Directed by Toben Seymour, the black-and-white foray allows the group's more melodic ambitions become the true focal point. Dig.

Former Deli LA Artists of the Month Big Moves are headlining a set at The Echo next Tuesday night. And, best of all, there's no poll involved! So extinguish the torches and bring a friend to the fresh showcase in the finest of new dance rock. Also taking the stage: Pollyn and The (Motherfucking) Gaslamp Killer! Details on the digi-flier:

Emily Wells | "Symphony 1: In the Barrel of a Gun"

Violinist, vocalist and loop phenom Emily Wells is beyond human -- she's pure energy. Normally we'd wait a few days before a show to hype it up, but ever since we got a hold of this video we'd also like to fill you in on her latest disc "Dirty," due out next Tuesday, June 9.

Emily Wells plays the Hotel cafe on June 19th.

The Fuxedos are brilliant, mad scientists: mix one part comedy (intended or not) and two parts ridiculously sophisticated chops and you'll smell a hint of their, er, weird nu-punk endeavors. Their schizophrenic cover of The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (available on their MySpace page) sums up their ambitions best--please the crowd, but don't ever, ever compromise originality, no matter how mentally destroyed it might make your bandmates look.

With a record of its members having played for and/or with Les Claypool, Erykah Badu, Eric Clapton and scores more, The Fuxedos have promised "surprise cameos" which could very well be any recording artist.

The Fuxedos play this Friday night at Spaceland for $8. Joining the bill are 20+ member Killsonic. Overwhelmed yet?

Backed by a violent electro, the dark melodics of Modwheelmood and mellowdrone will join forces in a double-header this Wednesday night at the Knitting Factory. It's also the premiere showcase of the Deli LA and the Knitting Factory's brand spanking new friendship, so show up and pick up a free copy of our latest print issue while you're at it.

Photo by Hunter Peterson

Lisa Donnelly's album release show proved that this indie songstress was no longer in Kansas anymore. Her adolescent dreams to move to L.A. and pursue a career as a musician fully reached fruition last Friday night at The Roxy, securing her a merited spot in the national singer/songwriter scene.

Donnelly's lighthearted, yet soulful performance revealed a maturity in her solo debut that most sophomoric albums yearn to achieve. From toe-tapping tune "Laugh" to sultry, sitar-featured ballad "Blue," Donnelly dropped knowledge and beauty onto a crowded room of willing Sunset Blvd. spectators. And her supporting cast of a band, whom she noted was "as fun to hang out with as [they were] to make music with," was the deliciously eclectic icing needed make Donnelly's sound that much sweeter.

The playful and refreshing folk-pop vixen's performance showcased her versatility and range in both singing and songwriting. Donnelly's candid lyrics and sometimes bluesy and jazzy feel-good melodies took the audience on her long-winded journey of inspiration, through the calles of Spain in "Julian" back to the lonely porches of Santa Monica in "Stuck in a Rut."

"Everyone has a special relationship with this city," said Donnelly on her six-year stint in L.A. It just so happened that she decided to share hers, chock-filled with all its emotional rigors and triumphs, with her latest LP "We Had a Thing," out now.

Donnelly summed up the evening with "Let Go That Weight," a response to a question once asked of her: "What would you say if you were on a stage and you could talk to the world?" Donnelly's genuine talent and belief in her craft (evidenced with tears shed at the show's end) will undoubtedly grant her more chances to tell the us what she wants to say. -Sara Tan

Amy Kuney | "Thank You For Last Night"

Long ago, in a proverbial galaxy far, far away, musicians were forced to record things to tape, without the aid of digital handicaps, compressor hoo-hahs or auto-this-and-thats. In this ultra-live take with singer/songwriter Amy Kuney, those long dead days are revived in an effort to show that, yes, Los Angeles still cares about talent, with all the imperfections that give music a human element often forgotten in modern recordings: character.

The Darlings | "Where Do We Go"

For the likes of Bad Religion and general SoCal post-pop punkery, The Darlings will satisfy its fans' four-chord, rough anthem needs. In their debut music video, the South Bay-based group nods to their roots from Hermosa to Redondo, showing that even their videos have a no-bullshit approach to telling us what they're really all about. Though a somewhat dated sound, The Darlings prove more authentic and admirable than the general indie hegemony we'd much rather not fill you in on.

FMLY doesn't show up to house parties.

They reinvent them.

Coming at short notice but notice nonetheless, the crew at FMLY are hosting another party TONIGHT in their Asian imports warehouse at 8 p.m., with a ton of great drinks, grub and sounds on the bill to make you go, "How the hell is this $5!?"

Taking the stage in either outfit or crates are locals Head Hunters, Henry From Outer Space, the Bay area's Blackwater and DJDT, NYC's Philip Seymour Hoffman (thespian it ain't) and Your Majesty & Rip and San Diego's Da Bears (greatest band name ever?).

Likely to also make heads turn are the cheap booze and bacon dogs. FMLY, we love you.

FMLY Party
Out of Asia
3249 South La Cienega Blvd
All Ages | $5 | Doors and music at 8 p.m.

Hecuba | "Suffering"

Directed by one of its own members, Hecuba's latest video for their first single "Suffering" features a dishevled Devendra Banhart feeling a bit Grease lightnin'through the torment of, well, suffering. B for execution, A for fitting cameo. Oh, and major F for having to sit through an online commercial (The Deli apologizes in advance).

While scene pop isn't a forte by any Deli means, Fallbrooke should raise some attention: completely conventional in form, lead singer Eric McNeely is standout by not being a mellodyne-based whiny kid with enough cash to quantize a generally basic band. Alas, there is quality, and it doesn't come from the nose. Dance (to yourself) while you're at it.

Fallbrooke plays this Friday at the Canyon Club.

Indie pop quartet Oh Darling is truly a darling addition to the LA music scene. Via Portland, Oregon, the band relocated to the city of angels, where their infectious melodies are making heads turn. The foursome is seasoned and sophisticated, which makes sense considering they aren’t exactly a new project. Having been together for over a decade, Oh Darling have honed their instrumental skills and defined their image as quirky and fun.

With the luscious, pristine vocals of Jasmine Ash accompanied by a crooning electric guitar, their debut album, “Nice Nice” is nothing short of a hit. The band cites The Pixies, Blondie, and Built to Spill as some of their major influences, though they really aim to put a fresh take on indie pop. Combining soulful tracks such as “One in the Same” with more upbeat songs like “Electrocute,” they’ve created a cohesive, yet versatile album. With music sometimes somber, often playful, and typically melodic, it’s hard to find any fault with their sound. Yet what sets them apart from many of their peers is the genuine emotion that lies at the heart of their music.

Don't miss their show at the Silverlake Lounge on May 27. - Stephanie Freitag

Free beer. Great musi-- screw it. FREE BEER!

This Saturday night, Territory BBQ + Records is having its grand opening. We're not sure where the "BBQ" part fits into the bigger picture (our information was limited to "new record store" and "free beer") but we'll be sure to figure out the beautiful marriage of food, booze and music sometime upon arrival. Check out the flier for more information:

Golden Bears | "The Steady Roller"

Sadly, Golden Bears are nearing the end of their Monday residency at the Silverlake Lounge for the month of May. The guitar/drum blues rock duo are the definition of gritty and are original enough to be spared from obvious comparisons, so check out their take on modern blues and don't dare mention the surname "White." Oh, and it's FREE. Recession-proof fun!

Jim Hanft | "Passenger Side"
(Brought to you by the great folks at LuxuryWafers)

For the likes of Tom Petty and Nickel Creek, Jim Hanft will be playing his last two May residency sets Thursday of this and next week at the Hotel Cafe. Hanft's band is armed with multi-instrumental talent covering base on harps, mandolin and violin, sure to turn the trendy hideout into a more subdued barnyard hootenanny.

The Deli Magazine exclusive ticket giveaway: e-mail contest@eeniemeenie.com for your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Great Northern LIVE with The Dears @ The Echoplex this Saturday!

That's pretty much it! Just send an e-mail! No "be caller 20" or stupid costume contests or any vomit-inducing stunts. Good luck!

This Sunday, pack up some blankets, grub, and a flask and head over to UCLA for opening day to the 2009 Jazz & Reggae Festival, an outdoor, picnic-seating event highlighting the most fresh in r&b influenced sounds. Think more Otis than that Neyo douchebag.

The line-up is going to be killer for anyone curious to hear what neo-soul, new jazz and funk will sound like in 2010. A few artists repping L.A. streets are hip-hop outfit People Under The Stairs, the jam sounds of Nikhil Korula Band and jazz newbie Kalil Wilson.

Tickets are available now for the two-day, all-ages event. For more info, check out the official word.

Delicious Ladies and Gents,

It was right about time that we opened a Deli branch to rep the southern US capital of indie rock. Introducing: The Deli Austin, live right now!

You might be stoked to see the Austin blog's new layout, which all our sister sites will be adopting in days to come.

-The Deli Staff

The Deli L.A. is going to need a site dedicated to guitar-drum rock duos. Enter Megasapien, the self-proclaimed "best female-fronted 2 piece" from Eagle Rock. We'd like to be reluctant on making such a claim only because we've yet to check out the plethora of other female-fronted guitar and drum rock two-pieces (obviously). One thing is certain, though: you can thank Megasapien for reminding us not to take indie so seriously as clap-happy gems and fist pumping anthems will never, ever expire.

We'd like to take a moment to shed light on a rule (virtually the only one) regarding our bi-weekly poll you can find on the right column of The Deli and its sister city sites.

Any intent from an artist or artists' affiliated site to tamper with our voting system will make for indefinite disqualification.

Aside from that, go crazy. Treat it like a presidential campaign. Offer free goods, like EPs, tickets and health care. We're cool with that. We just assume fair play is implied since, after all, The Deli offers free hugs and music and stuff.

Play nice and happy voting,
Hugo and The Deli Staff

Only two more sets remain in Juliette Commagere's residency at The Echo. The bigger-than-life-itself pop sound might seem a little out of place for the dark hole of the Echo, but, seriously, when's the next time you'll catch a 12-piece symphonic backup band on that stage again? Commagere hits a lengthy European tour following the residency, so you have two more Mondays (including tonight) to catch the free set.

Juliette Commagere
TWO sets left in Monday night May Residency
The Echo | $FREE

Rainbow Arabia | "Omar K"

This changes everything*.

*when it comes to grocery shopping.

Pals and Gals,

It took us an awful amount of time but they are here, and we love them.

What are they? The Deli LA's Top 20 charts organized by genre: i.e. the lists of the most popular and most blogged about Los Angeles artists arranged by music genre. And the really cool thing is that these are not just arbitrary lists... THEY ARE SCIENTIFIC RANKINGS!

Where are they? They occupy pretty much the entire left column of our homepage - all genres are considered in the top orange list, scroll down a little for the genre lists.

How do they work? Well, they work more or less like the orange one here on the left - but they are organized by city and by genre to benefit emerging artists - instead of artists you know already.

However, this is just the beginning... stay tuned for some interesting developments in the next few months! More bands and genres will be added of course, and the system will be fine tuned.

The Deli's Staff

P.S. We almost forgot! We also have a Top 300 cross genre list here!

A beautiful, new hybrid of influences, theirs is a sound that has never been heard before, though you immediately know one thing: it’s great. In this case, it is at once jazzy yet poppy, punkish yet funky, and youthful yet technically ornate. If the indie dance rock of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs joined forces with jazz guitar great Joe Pass, ‘90s funk staple Jamiroquai, and pop punkers Saves the Day, it might sound half as good as them.

What band has most recently struck gold in the confluence of all these disparate components? Who wields this supernatural ability to maintain such a delicate symbiosis between sophistication and palatability? They call themselves Big Moves—no other moniker could convey the self-proclaimed “balls to the wall,” “full-blown” music they play that will rock your socks off while exhibiting the envy-provoking chops of professional jazz musicians.

Reeling in rabid fans each week through MySpace, live shows and indie radio airplay, the San Fernando Valley quintet has already engendered a local fan base of thousands.At public radio station KCRW, the band’s debut album In the Beginning has been one of the most played records of the last year. Having opened for established indie acts Funeral Party and Young Love, they now have plans to embark on their first West Coast tour later this year. They have the talent and drive to make it, and at the rate they’re going, it’s only a matter of time before this young quintet takes over the world. -Angela Lu

This Thursday marks the start of Lebowski Fest 2009—a celebration of the film The Big Lebowski, which brings fans together for a night of live music and a screening of the film, followed by a second night of bowling and white Russians. This year’s L.A. screening kicks off the tour this Thursday at the Wiltern, with a special live performance by 8-year-old Japanese guitar prodigy, Yuto Miyazawa, featured in the video below:

In addition to witnessing this kid shred, attendees will of course be regaled with the superb soundtrack to the film. The next night, Friday May 8 is the bowling party at Cal Bowl in Lakewood, CA (off the 710 and 405 freeways). Tickets are available now at Lebowskifest.com.

Photo by Timothy Norris (LA Weekly)

Deli L.A. representatives were invited last weekend to the Los Angeles premiere of THE HEART IS A DRUM MACHINE, a moving documentary about music’s extraordinary influence on humanity. The film featured a score by Steven Drozd of the Flaming Lips and cameos by the likes of George Clinton, John Frusciante, Maynard James Keenan, The Silversun Pickups, Elijah Wood, and about a million other music legends and Hollywood A-Listers.

The after-party featured memorable performances by a “backing band” that included Matt Sorum (Guns ‘n’ Roses), Billy Morrison (The Cult), and Donovan Leitch. Perry Farrell contributed vocals to a blistering cover of The Stone’s “Sympathy For The Devil.” Macy Gray interpreted Radiohead’s “Creep.” Actress Juliette Lewis (who was featured in the film) performed a number of her original songs. The audience, fueled by an endless supply of free Belvedere Vodka, was understandably enraptured.

The premiere took place at The Montalban Theatre in Hollywood and celebrated LA Weekly’s 30th year of publication. Proceeds benefited the Charles Mingus Youth Arts Center in Watts, CA. Needless to say, the night was certainly worth the $20 cover charge. -Hannis Brown

Lisa Donnelly said after performing to a packed house on last week at the Hotel Café. “From these emotions, you can really understand the beauty of life.”

Donnelly introduces a back-to-basics approach to songwriting. She sings from the heart and soul, which is based upon her own personal experiences in life, in order to connect to her audience on a more personal level rather than give apathy and insincerity.

“I want people to connect with my music. I think music is powerful because when you listen to a song you feel like that artist understands you.” Lisa said. “I feel a responsibility to produce music with substance or not write music at all.”

Donnelly had previously traveled to Spain and to all points across the country searching for a deeper understanding to why people act like—for lack of a better word—people.

Her song “Laugh” is based upon a conversation Donnelly had with an 83-year-old clairvoyant woman named Besedka.

“A lot of those words are straight from her mouth actually. She really wrote the song for me. Basically, right after I spoke with her, it took me 10 minutes to write the song. “

With a whole-hearted laugh, Donnelly thought for a moment about how funny the conversation was with Besedka since all “the lyrics are reflective of how [Besedka] sounds and what she normally says.”

“She says things like, ‘Sex and money make the world go round, so you need to accept it and laugh at it.’”

Having the passion to create her own sense of humanity and creativity, Lisa Donnelly stands out from some in the singer/songwriter community whose aim is a fat licensing check. Equipped with having the natural talent to sing more about substance rather than sticking with the superficialities, Donnelly has broken a mold the music industry has proven time and time again to be resilient.

Lisa Donnelly’s upcoming album “We Had a Thing” comes out May 29, with a release party at the Roxy the same night. -Jon-Erik Tateri

The Weepies | "Can't Go Back Now"

The Weepies are used to marriage. Aside from its duo having tied the knot, their artistic sensibilites said "I do" to muppets and Topanga Canyon folk in this video for "Can't Go Back Now." It's been nearly a year since the release of their "Hideaway" LP, so let this serve as a flier to walk with torches-in-hands and politely ask The Weepies for another release.

Flyers that DIY are worthy of much attention.

Trying to "get" Friday night's Pehrspace bill is like trying to understand why John Cage is John Cage. Forgive the Zen-ery: stand still and let the radically experimental overdrive consume you.

kill kill kill
Chen Santa Maria
Erika Anderson
Dan Friel
Foot Village

Hands-down the Deli L.A.'s Live Show Pick of the Week.

Friday May 1st
Pehrspace | 325 Glendale Blvd. | Echo Park
$5 | All Ages

Dear Deli L.A. Regulars,

Get a load of this:

Xu Xu Fang with VoicesVoices, Downtown Untion and The Voyeurs? It's like they're tapping into our collective brain.

Mix two parts music, one part fashion and three parts compassion and you've got Bright Lights LA -- an indie fashion/music production company aimed at getting you to shake your ass in a hot outfit, all in the name of charity.

Tonight (Wednesday April 29), enjoy electro-glam duo The Polyamorous Affair, Spirit Vine and DJs Smooth Criminal and Ned Casual while you toast a drink to the runway rags from designers Frecuencia Modulada, Roadkill Jewelry, As-Is Clothing and S.O.B. Apparel.

Accepting donations at the HYPE Fashion-Music charity event are Falling Whistles, whose goal is to end international child displacement and The ONE Campaign. Don't forget to pick up a gift bag on your way out, care of American Apparel and Filter Magazine.

The guilt-free fashion show starts TONIGHT at 9 p.m. at El Cid and ends at 2 a.m. All ages | $5

Anya Marina | "Move You"

Don't let Anya Marina fool you: One minute into her latest video for "Move You" and you'll realize the seduction is just a proxy for some twisted torture. And if you're man enough, check Anya Marina out on tour with The Virgins this spring.

Staff writer Eden Saiga got to talk to The Yelling after a recent blowout set at the Viper Room. Saiga describes the sound as "F-YEAH!" so we're inclined to move past the bias of a gushing review and see what the new roots-blues rock group had to say about Africa, video games and "The Dude."

Deli: How did the band meet?

Michael: Nathaniel and Robert met in their hometown in Illinois. They moved to California and met Michael (Johannesburg, South Africa) through friends of friends. That was about three years ago.

Deli: Aside from being breaking rock stars, what do members of The Yelling have as a day job?

Nathaniel: Doctor

Robert: Cabaret singer

Michael: ...Pilot

Deli: "Blood on the Steps” was featured on a trailer for the new Grand Theft Auto video game, "The Lost and The Dammed." How did that happen?

Nathaniel: Our manager Mike works hard at getting us out there. We think it was just something that worked out for us.”

Deli: Band movie -- go.

Unison: “The Big Lebowski"!

The Yelling play at 3 Clubs on May 7, where they'll also be sharing the stage with Deli favorites Django James and the Midnight Squires.

As always, if you've got a gig and you want to let us know about it, enter it in our Do It Yourself Show Listings on the far right column. We might even come out and check out your show for review, interview or whatever else springs up in our frantic heads! Did we mention that this Deli service is FREE?

MONDAY

Silverlake Lounge
9pm Olin And The Moon

Spaceland
9pm Swim Party

TUESDAY

Knitting Factory (Alterknit Lounge)
7pm Emrys Ciaran
8pm These Orphaned Eyes
9pm Best Friend
10pm Hearts And Minutes
11pm Cinder Cone

WEDNESDAY

The GRAMMY Museum
7pm The Phenomenauts

THURSDAY

House Of Blues, Sunset
10pm Fat City Reprise

The Echo
9pm The Voyeurs
10pm Xu Xu Fang-cd Release
11pm Voicesvoices

Leaking out of the obscurity of whatever LA’s brand of indie rock looks like today is a group that seems to have a healthy amount of fortune (and heaps and heaps of charm) on their side. Having shared the stage with artists like the Airborne Toxic Event, The Silversun Pickups, and Earlimart, it seems Rademacher got the musical spark to start engines and enough drive to keep them running. This isn’t a specific brand of indie to which I subscribe, but it tickles my ears enough to keep me happy; it’s light-hearted and uplifting. They’ve got enough chops to keep this going for quite a while.

By Alex Valles

Deli: So, who’s in the band?

Malcolm: Well, we’ve had a lot of members and there have been many different eras for the band. It started up as just a few guys playing on the weekends and turned into something a little bit more serious. At least we practice now. Right now the band is me [Malcolm Sosa], Greer McGettrick and our friend Eden Davis on drums.

Deli: How does it feel to have shared the stage with The Airborne Toxic Event?

Malcolm: Totally rad. They asked us to come with them and we said yes. I am sure this question would be a far better one to ask them. They have a lot of friends in bands that they could have taken. They probably felt sorry for us.

Deli: I understand you've shared the bill with The Silversun Pickups in the past as well. What was that like?

Eden: It was like I wasn’t even there. Like it was a dream.

Greer: I remember that being the moment that I knew I wanted to play music for the rest of my life.

Deli: Where does the name "Rademacher" come from? Why'd you choose that as your band name?

Greer: It is archaic German for “…to radically mock.” That is what our old guitar player used to say. I thought it was funny

Deli: How much do you really enjoy playing in L.A.? Why?

Eden: I have never played in L.A., but I like the town, so it should be fun.

Greer: This much [holds arms out wide].

Malcolm: L.A. is pretty much my favorite. I also like New York. Last time we played there I was drunk. I hit my head pretty hard.

Eden: Which one, LA or NY?

Malcolm: Both.

Solomon's Seal | "Sleeping in the Car"

Simon Petty's solo project Solomon's Seal is one of the most intriguing and beautiful projects we've come across with in quite sometime. Aside from the self-titled LP's massive replay value, we expect the ambient folk repertoire channeling Nick Drake to Colin Hay to play very well this Saturday night in the Little Room at Largo.

Tonight The Echo is hosting a release party for Hecuba's latest LP "Paradise." Pick up a copy of their new CD before it hits the shelves and stick around for a very special set featuring members of L.A. Fog backing up the melodramatic electronic pop group.

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ended its 10th anniversary last night in its typical, one-upped bang. But we're not here to fellate Morrisey's meat-eating-bashery, discuss the wonderful ice cream waffle sandwiches or post the millionth picture from MIA's set. No, no: nearly lost in the mid-tier line-up and heavy hitter buzz were a number of acts representing our own L.A. streets, some by way of Los Feliz, London and others from "anotha planet."

Just before Ras G--whose "Brotha From Anotha Planet" LP has been racking up crazy BitTorrent numbers (only reporting the truth, folks)--played a late and well received afternoon set in the now-returned Dome, the curious and the sunburnt packed the Mojave tent for thenewno2's festival debut.



It's been a tremendous week for lead singer, Angeleno and founder of thenewno2 Dhani Harrison: just days before the thirteenth-ever live performance his group, Harrison accepted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on behalf of his late father, singer/songwriter/Beatle George Harrison. Add to that a nod and dedication to the Harrison family from Sir Paul himself during the Friday McCartney set, and it's hard to imagine how Harrison contained his cool just hours before a textbook Coachella career-shifting moment.

Perhaps it wasn't all that monumentous, but thenewno2 delivered a polarizing set of their sedating space rock repertoire. By the song, converted and native fans packed closer to the stage, while others momentarily peeked in and and shuffled away; the latter, likely, owing to thenewno2's ornate sonics, void of the pyro expected for a debut and ultimately making the festival a better-said-than-done scenario for this brand of chill. An unfair chance for newcomers, but swarming with support from fans front to end.

Los Feliz's own The Airborne Toxic Event were also on the bill to make new impressions. The set-up felt like a crescendo to disaster: Their Main Stage and early afternoon set would be before the sun acting as a spotlight, and their all-black uniform brought back memories of a similarly donned Devotchka at Coachella 2008, whose set ended promptly when upright bassist Jeanie Schroder passed out due to heatstroke.





Luckily, medics weren't needed and TATE heaped up scores of new fans in a celebratory debut. Most waited and regailed during "Sometime Around Midnight," while newcomers stuck around for a great deal of the engaging set. Tres Arcade Fire, sans the theatrics. Not bad for an outfit who came from a Spaceland residency to a storybook success in, quite literally, counted months.

We can only hope this paves the way for TATE's band besties The Henry Clay People to make their Indio debut next year. A boy can dream, too.

-Hugo Gomez (Photos by Jose Smith and Stuart Wainstock)

Limbeck | "Big Drag"

A relative oldie-but-a-goodie. It's been nearly a year since Limbeck, who are forgivably OC (we'll let it slide this time), have released or played some local shows, so allow the video to fill in a nostalgia-laced void. This Americana doesn't take itself too seriously and it often smiles--when that sort of personality surfaces by itself, it's pretty damn contagious.

As always, if you've got a gig and you want to let us know about it, enter it in our Do It Yourself Show Listings on the far right column. We might even come out and check out your show for review, interview or whatever else springs up in our frantic heads! Did we mention that this Deli service is FREE?

Wednesday

Good Hurt

9pm - L.e.v.
10pm - Thought Crime
11pm - Sean Douglas

Thursday

Molly Malone's

9pm - The Northstar Session

The GRAMMY Museum

7pm - The Boxmasters

Friday

The Blvd

8pm - Minimal L.a. Presents
9pm - Bloody Robots
9pm - Uv Lights
10pm - Gossip Tree
10pm - Gestapo Khazi
11pm - Dirt Dress
12pm - The Living Suns

Saturday

Silver Factory Studios

10pm - Shiloe

Sunday

The Smell

9pm - Voicesvoices
9pm - Nite Jewel
9pm - Calderalakes
9pm - Grouper

Tomorrow marks the 2nd anniversary of Record Store Day, and although not an L.A.-centric event, the national movement of 700+ independent record stores has gotten the likes of Wilco, Tom Waits, Radiohead and a slew of other artists to release limited edition material at your favorite local record shops. For anyone into the survival of, oh, the local distribution of indie artistry without that horrible, faceless middle-man, Record Store Day is a celebration and cultural cause worth caring about.

Before we go all KCET-pledge-drive on you, click here for a list of L.A. based record stores participating in the event and other info on what limited release goodies are up for grabs.

And if you're at that little Coachella pow-wow thing this weekend, expect a Record Store Day exhibit on the fields.

Yes, Fool's Gold are from Los Angeles. The kaleidoscope mix of tropical dance and reggae backbeat seem imported, but the 12-piece mega group are all surprisingly local. Unique as they come, and with great entry: Fool's Gold make Vampire Weekend sound like whiny amateurs. Check them out every Monday at The Echo for the month of April. [$FREE, 21+]

Downtown/Union | "Wake Up Call from the Nexus of Me and You"

Downtown/Union like to cut through the fat: one listen to the opening track of their debut LP "Aurora Ahora" (it'll take days to get over that kind of clever) and you'll pull back the thin veil to the outfit's updated take on roots rock. Not much is left to the lyrical imagination, which isn't at all a negative. With help from two members of the Henry Clay People, Downtown/Union like to show off the distortion and shout anthem riffs, all sans the indie rock pretense. An exciting preview into the debut, set to release on April 30 with a release party and set at The Echo.

You might recognize Cory Joseph as a beacon ornament to some L.A. singer/songwriters, more notably with AM. Turns out the guy has a collection of impressive acoustic soul gems in his solo endeavors. With nods to Amos Lee and Muddy waters, Joseph is all about pained vocal and succeeds in living up to the homage. Set aside the assumption that it's mock or impression; the originality doesn't need any convincing. Hit up Cory Joseph's MySpace page for a string of L.A. dates if needing a fix of a little storytelling ache.

Castledoor are undoubtedly one of the most charming bands on the current scene. With their infectious brand of synth-laden sunshine beats, they make the sourest of hipsters forget their aversion to actually having a good time. Their songs are skillfully crafted with deliciously saccharine melodies—as in their understated gem “Nightlight,” a melancholy prayer which has the singer asking "My Lord why am I always pushing you?/ My Lord why is your guestbook so thin?" With two EPs under their belt, and a live show that sets the crowd ablaze with an unequivocal dancing fever, it's impossible not to fall in love with the refreshingly sugary sweet tonic that the six members of Castledoor concoct for our listening pleasure.

By Christine Castanon

Deli: Was it hard for you guys being from out of town to adjust to LA?

Castledoor: Yea, actually it was. Because we moved from up north and we didn't really know anything about LA. We moved into North Hollywood, which is just like living in suburbia, with strip malls and traffic. And it's really hard to get to all your favorite places, and venues that you want to play. And then we kind of got it that Silverlake was the place where we wanted to be because all the venues that we liked were there and our favorite watering holes. And once we moved there, it was great because it kind of turns this big city into a little town where you know everyone.

Deli: Did you have trouble starting up musically in town as well?

Castledoor: Yea. Again, we didn't really know what we were doing. We booked our first show from an ad on Craigslist and it was at the Viper Room, and we quickly learned that the west side is not a place where we want to play shows. Except at The Troubadour, which is the only great west side venue with great people working there, who just take care of you. So we realized that the places around the east side were the places that we wanted to play, and living there made it easier because you're surrounded by musicians and the people who book the shows, and it just is a good vibe all around. 

Deli: What are you guys working on now?

Castledoor: Well, we're trying to finish our full length album. We've released two EPs and haven't been able to make an actual full length yet. We've just run into a lot of problems, which is kind of really frustrating because we all love to write and work on new material, but when you keep working on new songs when the ones that you already have aren't even being released yet, then there's really no point in working on new material. But I'm sure sometime this year we will have a full length album.

Andy Clockwise | "Mr. Tastemaker"

The free jazz horns are simply a topping to Andy Clockwise's driving power-pop, and the genres don't even end there. Whether it's Blondie beats ("Man And The Monkey") or pensive neo-folk ("Together"), the local (via Australia) isn't confused; no, he's simply being an artist who infinitely doesn't give a fuck. Catch the freebird songsmith tomorrow night at Spaceland, which will also be a DVD taping of Clockwise's set.

Dead Man's Bones | "Name In Stone"

When he's not giving Academy Award-nominated performances, Ryan Gosling plays in Dead Man's Bones, musical side project with collaborator and thespian friend Zach Shields. This video, for "Name In Stone" was filmed live in a cemetery with the L.A. Inner Mass Choir and The Silverlake Conservatory of Music Children's Choir. Chilling, but very indie poignant.

In celebration of their new "Spring" EP, Seasons are playing a set with refined pop-rock The Hectors and electro-rock Karin Tatoyan TONIGHT at the Echo. Be prepared for very heavy, lush and sophisticated art rock, without the prog annoyance typically associated to ambitious acts.

The Rock N Roll Super Show is super music fan Danny Krug's interview webshow. Though it's obvious Krug has an inner-giddiness in chatting with breaking rock acts, the interview series never goes into mega fanboydom and is loaded with the in-the-know music radar geekery, sans the Pitchfork haughtiness. Keep on checking back for more episodes from The Deli's new friends at The Rock N Roll Super Show!

KXLU, likely the last barely-breathing vestige in truly independent LA radio, is feeling their pockets burn and they absolutely need you to hit up their Fundrazor this Saturday night! Cue the urgency:

With live performances that include some familiar Deli favorites:

- Foot Village
- Rainbow ArabiaThe Happy Hollows
- Devon Williams
- Kill Kill Kill
- vOICESvOICES
- Meho Plaza
- Combat!
- Blank Blue

Aside from the great line-up there will be artwork, raffles, food and merchandise sold by independent vendors along with a record swap and sale. Keep checking KXLU.com for updates.

THIS Saturday, April 11th
5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
The Regent Theatre | 448 S. Main St., Downtown
$10 | All Ages

“LA people don’t usually come out when it rains…” The boyish grin that partly defines Chris Pierce was bright on a Friday night in late January, when even strange SoCal rains couldn’t keep his army of fans from getting to his set at the El Rey. Gifted with a voice strong enough to tear down walls and steady enough to unite those on either end, it was no surprise that Pierce’s extended set of blues, soul and bluegrass rock kept an engaged crowd well past midnight. He topped it all off with a nod of Southern charm. The audience’s collective awe in the absence of anything inorganic was potent, but what seemed to dance in the air all night was the sense that we were being let in on one of those great secrets, a la tales of Zappa at the Roxy or an unknown Elton at the Troubadour. Pierce took some time with The Deli to tell us how he got here.

By Hugo Gomez

Deli: For being an LA native, you seem to have very eastern and southern blues vocal roots. Where’s that stem from?

Chris Pierce: I listened to a lot of ‘60s soul, mixed with blues and reggae, but I mostly grew up to Frank James, Bill Withers, Otis Redding… you know, singers that belted it all out. I dug deeper over time—stuff like Howlin’ Wolf. I was just young and interested in the stuff my parents dug. They had such a vast record collection around the house.

Deli: Must’ve been a nice collection – the sort of stuff that most singer/songwriters can point to in owing how they found their niche in writing music.

CP: Well, I went to USC, and got a music scholarship for jazz studies; the Ella Fitzgerald Scholarship. But I started jotting things down really young…8, 9, or 10-years-old, making up these little songs. Bill Withers’ “Live at Carnegie Hall” record was definitely a listening moment – hearing a guy playing his ass off and telling stories sparked something in me, you know, just getting stories out like that, musically.

Deli: Was there a support system?

CP: My family was always really supportive. I’ve been blessed. No one ever said to stop making music, or to find something to fall back on. There were also definitely some folks in the community [in Claremont] who were very prolific and, well, just artists. It certainly helped.

Deli: Last December, you opened several sets for B.B. King. As a blues artist, that must’ve been huge.

CP: It was definitely an honor. My attitude was “I wanna get there and be around him and his cats and soak up as much knowledge as I can. I’m a guest in this guy’s house, and anything he wants to share with me would be beautiful.” It’s apparent he is such an amazing living legend, so it was great—an honor—and incredible to play in front of his crowd. They were all ages, colors, religions—just very diverse music lovers. Because of that, I found that people were really open to check me out, which was a relief.

Deli: What kind of growth comes from having toured with the likes of Seal, Ben Harper, Jamie Cullum (to name a few) in playing to crowds of thousands around the world?

CP: If there’s one thing I could point out, it’s to learn how to not overcompensate or under-compensate myself on a big stage. There was some anxiety playing solo, you know, the fear of overdoing it, and singing at people. I had to learn how to balance that out and pull things down so much, so that the audience could be a part of something. The main thing I learned is that if you do more or less than who you really are, you become transparent.

Deli: Why’d you choose the Hotel Cafe for your live album (Chris Pierce: Live at the Hotel Cafe)?

CP: It’s a place I like to hang out and catch my friends play—aside from the great audience. Secondly, I kind of grew up there. My dad had an apartment right up the street, and I’ve watched it grow into this place full of culture and good things to check out. The owners of the place, Marco and Max, are true music lovers. They’re in the bar and restaurant business, but always hanging with artists, and they’ve made it feel like a music community. More than anything though, there’s an energy. When I’m up there, there’s a certain spirit that I catch because of the history I have in that neighborhood. It’s always special playing there. There are a lot of places that are great in LA, but over the years, to me, the Hotel Cafe has too many moments I passed by without recording the times the audience was sweating and swaying. I have to take snapshots of these moments in time.

Deli: Lastly, you sort of helped Barack Obama win the presidency. Tell me about that.

CP: It’s surreal. It was great because providing background music for Obama’s commercials and website was something I really believed in. I had my manager contact Obama after hearing about him at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. It’s one thing to hear your song on a great TV show, but in a historical political campaign in my lifetime—that’s a whole other feeling.

Deli: Well, that’s certainly change.

CP: My music is an Obama ringtone!

Chris Pierce: Live at the Hotel Cafe is available now.

Blues-punk rockers The Yelling are just months old, but have the kind of critical acclaim from bands with years' worth of hustling under their belts. Their Viper Room set comes next Thursday night just in time before the release of their debut LP "Long Time My Love", out later this month. It'll be the perfect time and place to catch a glimpse of this seriously electric and breaking outfit.

Beatmaker Ras G's latest LP "Brotha From Anotha Planet" is a funky kaleidoscope of cartoon color, crunchy dance beat and hallucinating psych-electronica that makes up LA's underground. Without a trace of locality in the sound, expect sonic imports that defy all hip-hop conventions. Available on iTunes now and highly recommended.

“He looks like some runaway on a pirate ship,” the lass in the crowd moaned. Performin’ onstage were’n a singer/guitarist wearin’ a black and white striped shirt and baggy red britches held up by an oversize, old-timey belt buckle. Bored, the lass proposes a change of location. “That pirate needs to walk the plank. Let’s go find the pirate ship.” She sets off across the room, inside the gigantic wooden lodge known as the Center for the Arts, Eagle Rock with her trusty sidekick in tow.

Aye, last Thursday night’s release party for L.A. photographer Sterling Andrews’ new photo book Gooseberries was bedecked with fairy tale charm, the kind found in her new artful collection of portraits featuring bands from ARRR very own eastside indie music scene. In fact, several of thee dozen or so backdrops painted for thee book, Tim Burton-esque scenes depicted on brightly colored butcher paper, were’n on display throughout the venue.

Singer/strummer and potentially Blackbeard’s cousin, Golden Gram, in particular showcased three parts pirate costume, two parts busy bluegrass guitar strummin’, and 100 parts squeaky Appalachian yodelin’ to a packed house. It either drove ye wild with hoedown-warranting zealotry or drove ye mad down to Davey Jones’ Locker.

Nevertheless, a cozy, aged house, the dimly-lit venue was the perfect haunt for such a fanciful evening, which featured an array of minstrels who were just as colorful as privateer Gram. Quartet One Trick Pony opened the evening with a dreamy, romantic set harkenin’ back to the otherworldly tone of crooner ‘ol Jeff Buckley, especially with the singer’s jazzy whisper. A touch ‘o thee tropics was added to that with banjo, as the instrument sounded more like steel drums than anything else.

Third act Le Switch switched on the crowd of landlubbers with raw, rompin’ twang rock use’n fierce muted trumpet played by lady Maria DeLuca, honky-tonk keys, jangly guitar, and sometimes even ‘ol Tom Waits’ gravelly, beat-down wail. Ther set along with free absinthe and Red Stripe lent a swashbucklin’ good time to many a matey loaded to the gunwales.

On ye other hand, thee soft glow of clear Christmas lights added a touch ‘o nostalgic romance to the event. Petite, blonde shutterbug Ms. Andrews herself was in clear sight all night, modelin’ an elegant, flapper-era, nude-colored, satin gown ornamented with vintage-looking, black beaded flowers.

With a beautiful, young crowd, free grog, free admission and all its fantastical nuances, the evening was quite a jolly, yo-ho-ho good time, minus of course one six string strummin’, yodelin’ buccaneer.

Ahoy mateys! Gooseberries and other doubloons be available through Eenie Meenie Records and at select locations on April 4. Sail over here for more information.

-Lady Angela Lu

Caitlin Crosby | "Still Have My Heart"

Caitlin Crosby's video for her latest single "Still Have My Heart" doubly dorkifies the likable nerd qualities of her power-pop sound: Whether you're a Pong aficionado, famous TV star or self-glorifying dancer, trust that Crosby still endlessly digs ya.

Wednesday

Viper Room
10:00 p.m. -- The Monthlies

Thursday

Genghis Cohen
9:00 p.m. -- Kathleen Smith

Knitting Factory (Alterknit Lounge)
9:00 p.m. -- Holy Rolling Empire

Friday

*Hotel Cafe*
8:00 p.m. -- *DELI L.A. ARTIST OF THE MONTH* Jason Karaban

Troubadour
9:00 p.m. -- The Shrine

The Whisky
9:00 p.m. -- Feelgood

Saturday

Hotel Cafe
11:00 p.m. -- The Fresh

O'Briens on Main
10:00 p.m. -- Fat City Reprise

Sunday

Viper Room
10:00 p.m. -- Fat City Reprise

Largo fits like a glove for Miranda Lee Richards. The model-turned-singer/songwriter played to a near capacity crowd at the relocated Fairfax hideout Thursday night, with a setlist that proved all evidence to Richards' listening-room only status.

It was the stripped nature of her Light of X repertoire that became the centerpiece of her set. Considering the airy folk/pop essence of Richards' writing, the singer/songwriter trifecta of guitar, piano, and harmonica accompaniment fared all too fitting in the quiet solo setting.

A live backing group would have only hindered Richards' signature inflections; while unlikely timed, the subtle vocal marks of pain and pleasure are pure, and pure evokes the kind of honesty demanded by her works. While Largo does have a strict no-talking/no-distraction policy, the crowd's magnetic attention wasn't owed to venue rules -- it was owed to Richards' songs convincing that not one note, lyric, or moment be spared. -Hugo Gomez

Don't worry, we won't raid you with constant updates regarding our personal and often banal minutiae; follow us on Twitter to get a daily feed of The Deli LA's blog entries and other information regarding, say, prizes and contests and other awesome happenings for those thirsty to be in-the-know.

In fact, there's already a prize up-for-grabs. Follow us!

Jason Karaban | "Sullivan Ballou"

Jason Karaban brings the crescendo without the theatrics. His latest three-track EP "Mayfly" is laced with hauntingly unison melodies, hymnal harmonies and lonely reverbs channeling Karban's "echoes of despair"; though lyrically ambiguous, Karaban's ability to make dramatic strides in a challenging organic environment is a testament to moving writing and arranging, and not the crutches of modern production. His works act independent of its singer/songwriter, making Karaban simply an ambassador to songs that stand all too brilliantly well by themselves.

Jason Karaban celebrates the release of "Mayfly" (available next Tuesday, April 4) with a set at the Hotel Cafe on April 10.

Download a free copy of Rumspringa's latest release, appropriately titled "The Free EP" at rumspringamusic.com. The three track collection is another snapshot into the sex-crazed psyche of the modern blues rock duo, adding more material to satisfy fans' hunger from an act who, by the day, are fast becoming more than an LA beacon.

LA Musicians,

Most of you should be familiar with both the Line 6 family of products (in particular the ubiquitous Guitar Pod) and The Deli's Open Blog, a blog parallel to this one where anybody can post their own entries about la based bands and shows.

The Deli and Line 6 are partnering to offer you the chance to win a Pod Studio GX during the month of April.

The best Blog Entry (according to Deli and Line 6) posted in the next 30 days in our la Open Blog here will be rewarded with this DI/USB interface that allows you to recreate and record an infinite amount of guitar tones, by emulating all the most popular amplifiers, cabinets, pedal effects and even microphones! The bundled plug in (in VST, RTAS and AU format) is the icing on the cake, allowing you to apply the same treatment to as many tracks as you want (direct guitars or anything else for that matter) at the mixing stage.

How it works: The Deli will select 3 blog entries submitted in April and send them to the Line 6 Staff, who will pick the final winner.

Good Luck and Happy Blogging!

The Deli's Staff

P.S. Here's the link to submit your blogs - you can always find it under the artist of the month banner.

Greg Laswell | "How The Day Sounds"

He isn't the poor man's Coldplay. Greg Laswell's range of brooding writing is the kind of material that keeps fellow singer/songwriters on their feet; it's only fitting that the soft-spoken troubadour is playing The Troubadour this Saturday night, alongisde Rachel Yamagata.

After having survived cancer last year, singer/songwriter Coby Brown penned “Stars and Curses”, a gripping indie-rock/pop tribute to his better tomorrow. Produced by Will Golden (Meiko, Gary Jules), the album is often soft-spoken but at no point sinking, just reflective and uplifting.

Brown shines when painting tones of survival and hope, without forcing sentimentality down the throat, and without the charmed devices we’ve all become calloused to in songs meant to inspire. It comes from the most potent of experiences, and is a moving tale of human spirit; Brown writes in track "Rise and Fall": "You must admit that what is happening here / Should never have occurred at all," but, luckily, this release did.

Richard Swift | "Lady Luck"

Multi-instrumentalist and renaissance vocalist Richard Swift is a pop riot with a falsetto to envy. His latest single "Lady Luck" is another presentation of his range in his brand of twisted pop, and this one's filled with enough Motown throwback to be considered infinitely loop-worthy.

Holly Conlan has been a mainstay of the LA singer-songwriter scene for the last two years. 2008 saw the release of her “Bird” EP and a stint on Hotel Cafe’s prestigious annual tour. Her jazzy alto voice and delicate piano stylings are augmented by reversed guitar and tasteful horn arrangements in songs that are as haunting and introspective as they are uplifting and lighthearted.

By Hannis Brown

Deli: I read that you were on the Hotel Cafe 2008 tour. Can you tell me a little bit about that? What's the purpose of that tour? Did you find that you had much in common with the other performers?

Holly Conlan: Well they've done the tour for the last number of years. It showcases the regulars who play at the Hotel Cafe a lot. There are also people [on the tour] who aren't regulars, but I'm one of the people who has been playing at the Hotel once or twice a month for the last few years. This one was really cool. It was actually all girls, and for my stint, it was me, Meiko, Jay May, Erin McCarley, Laura Jansen and a couple of other girls. It was really fun and we actually had a lot in common. Musically we're all different—some of us play guitar, some of us play piano, some are a little more rock ‘n’ roll, and some are more singer-songwriter-y. It was a good mix of people.

Deli: Do you stay within the country?

HC: Yeah, it goes all over the country. I only did shows through California and then I was done.

Deli: It’s strange that for all the musical fads and rock sub-genres that come and go, the singer-songwriter has been a constant mainstay in 20th century popular music. Why do you think it is that a single person with an acoustic guitar or piano manages to stay relevant?

HC: Well I think there's something more intimate about it. Not to say that it's better than some other genres, but maybe it's more relatable to some people—their experiences and what they're going through in their lives. To see someone on a stage or hear them through their speakers saying something or talking about things that they [the listener] have been through—it just seems to be more of a personal thing coming from a singer-songwriter. I mean, it's personal in any genre, but maybe it's easier to grasp from that perspective.

Deli: Do you have a regular songwriting routine?

HC: I don't. I try to sit down at the piano as often as I can. For me it comes in waves. There'll be periods of a couple weeks or months where I really do sit down everyday and play and screw around until things come out that are worth keeping. But then there are times where there's not really much in the way of inspiration, and I find myself avoiding the piano.

Deli: I read that your father was a composer, so I imagine that music’s always been a part of your life. Was there a certain record or concert you heard that made you decide “I want to do this with my life?”

HC: It's funny, but my brother had really good taste in music and still does. He knows every band and every singer-songwriter. He's always just been that way, though he's not the musician. I think that he inspired me a lot—listening to his records. I could hear them coming from his room and walk in and say, "What is this?" I think I remember hearing a Tori Amos record, which sounds very typical for a girl singer-songwriter. She was just really different—not like what all my friends were listening to at the time. I was 11 or 12 and just thought that was really cool. Then I got into the Beatles and Joni Mitchell and all sorts of stuff that really inspired me.

Deli: What’s the next step for you?

HC: I don't know. I plan to keep playing shows out in LA. I think the next big step for me would be to do a tour on my own or to open for someone. To go around the country and do the whole thing—that would be a great next step.

Deli: Who else in the L.A. scene are you listening to?

HC: All my friends—a lot of whom are Hotel Cafe regulars and really inspiring. Buddy—whose band I actually play in—is really inspiring. And Fil Krohnengold has a band called All Spots to Black that's just amazing. Gary Jules. I have a lot of friends who are very inspiring to me. I remember when I first started meeting people and other musicians at the Hotel when I just got out of college. It was so inspiring to be around so many different people who are so good at what they do and who have completely different perspectives. That's the most inspiring thing for me: to see the people that I know and love the thing that they do so well.

Succeeding in today’s music business depends on many things aside from tried and true talent. But discovering what is truly important can be another challenge in itself.

ASCAP’s annual three-day “I Create Music” EXPO in LA is a place where songwriters, composers and producers can connect face to face at panels, workshops, performances, exhibitor demos, one-on-one sessions and networking events with the real people who can make a difference in your career.

Roaming the grounds alongside musicians will be wildly successful music creators, industry experts and technology innovators giving the heads-up on what you need to know to get ahead in this ultra competitive and fast changing field.

If you're interested in developing your craft and advancing your career, you can join the growing community of participants at the ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO by registering here.

Photo by Angelica Bonomo

Tucked deep in the secret hideaway of Pehrspace last Friday night, Go West Young Man strapped up and delivered a high velocity performance of their take on modern Americana rock, all dedicated to Echo Park hipsters. In-the-know fans stood just two feet away from the breaking act who delivered nothing short of a thrilling set filled with harsh snare slaps, crunchy, crunchy guitars and their signature shout anthems.

After having just recently released their self-titled album, the indie/Americana-rock outfit are getting ready to hit the road for a West Coast tour, aside from a few other career-changing happenings. Before they depart from semi-anonymity, GWYM politely took the time to introduce themselves to The Deli.

By Angelica Bonomo

The Deli: Why "Go West Young Man?"

GWYM: We named it after the John B.L. Soule quote, Go West Young Man. Most us moved here from some another place, and I guess we moved west. It just sums up everything in a nutshell.

The Deli: For those not familiar with the sound, spell it out.

GWYM: We’re Inspired by classic rock mixed with some soul. We’re compared a lot to Elvis Costello, and things like that.

The Deli: What can someone expect to happen when they come to your show?

GWYM: (laughing) They can expect us to have a different guitar player every night and…they can expect to have their asses rocked!

The Deli: Next on the GWYM agenda?

GWYM: We’re shooting a music video right now. It’s gonna be done by the end of the month, for “The Covinas.” Then were heading on tour, and we just put out this record last month. So go out and buy it!

Lex Land | "Easy" (Live, via TheMilkCarton.com)

Artists with this much vocal control balanced between intellectual chops and melodic accesibility are absolute, needle-in-haystack gems. Lex Land's moments of confident matter-of-factness and exposed fragility in her voice just bleed originality--we'll keep you posted with the 21-year-old songstress we expect to scare the pants off the Hotel Cafe scene.

Whether you're in the mood for a quarter of Rage Against The Machine, the fastly-packing shows of Voxhaul Broadcast or the theatrics of Ninja Academy, you can rely on The Deli's DIY Show Listings to give you the heads up for weekly happenings from local L.A. acts.

Tuesday

Grammy Museum
8 p.m. -- Tom Morello

Thursday

Bordello
8 p.m. -- Fat City Reprise

The Echo
10 p.m. -- Spirit Vine
11 p.m. -- Voxhaul Broadcast

Saturday

The Hive Gallery
10 p.m. -- Ninja Academy

Sunday

Echo Curio
8 p.m. -- Pam Shaffer

The Echo
5 p.m. -- Grand Ole Echo Kickoff
5 p.m. -- I See Hawks In La
5 p.m. -- The Whispering Pines
6 p.m. -- Old Californio

----

HAVE A GIG? Promote it through The Deli's Do-It-Yourself Show Listings on the far-right column. It's FREE and you'll get a plug in our blog on the week of your show.

thenewno2 | "Another John Doe"

On the relative eve of their Coachella Festival debut, thenewno2 will celebrate the CD release of their breakout album "you are here" with a set at Amoeba Records next Monday at 7pm.

Just a couple months ago, the meta-space rock outfit played a Key Club residency that scooped up heaps of new fans--by the last show, buzz had reached beyond-capacity heights that it even got the attention of glossy press. It should be no surprise that their live set will follow an additional in-store signing.

Photo by Angelica Bonomo

If last night's Oak and Gorski CD release party at the Hotel Cafe is any indicator, their days as 3rd street Promenade performers may be over.

Ed Gorski announced, “So in a couple of songs we’re going to play a serious drinking song, so have your drinks ready--that is if you're into that & not driving home.”

It was a party indeed -- in celebration of their third record "Good Advice, Bad Advice," the duo demonstrated their mastery of the cello and acoustic guitar with an ensemble band, topped with a witty banter that kept the good vibes a-flowing in the packed Cahuenga hideout. Mission accomplished.

Next on the Oak and Gorski agenda -- “We hope just to sell online,” explains Oak. “…To the readers of Deli Magazine.”

Oh, they're good. -Angelica Bonomo

Carl Jordan's exquisite songwriting leads the way for an introspective musical journey down a sunshine-filled California road. Seeming as if your life was being filmed and underscored by Zach Braff, The Western States Motel's "Painted Birds Flying in the Orange Mirror Sun" mixes self-pontification with melodic charm.

Melancholy mystique fills the warm synth sounds on tracks like “Oh World”, where Jordan broodingly ponders, "We're living in this fucked up world / It's one that I don't understand," followed by high pitched synth-infused keyboards to lighten up the moody contemplation of his lyrics. One drawback from the EP is  its limited 5-track story. Just as you’re delving into the depths of contemplation and a haunting sunset lowers over your mind, the track “A Moment in the Sun” closes the album, begging for just one more moment for its musical warmth. -Christine Castanon

Ninja Academy | "Your Kung Fu Sucks"

When they're not kicking Evil's ass with storybook stealth, Ninja Academy are tirelessly booking gigs, web-mingling with PR folk, rocking many stages off and, apparently, making kung-fu videos that rival the ones on KOCE every Saturday afternoon.

Before the freak rock outfit head out on a national tour, Ninja Academy's MySpace page lists a handful of L.A. dates to fulfill your black belt hunger. Play nice, though -- it's a rock show, and unless Johnny and the Cobra Kai show up, leave the nunchucks in the car.

Lisa Donnelly's been a floating L.A. artist for quite some time -- prior to going solo, she was a college student wondering whether music would be a feasible career, and, shortly after finding answers, fronted a few groups that include the now-defunct A.M. Pacific.

The pop/rock songstress has a smoky voice rooted in a sort of old blues wisdom, but don't presume a thing: the strictly melodic route Donnelly takes is led by her confident vocals, and not vice versa, as typical in modern pop politics. Whether backed by dramatic pedal steels or merry quarter-note piano chords, Donnelly knows what it takes to channel sincerity in any context.

Lisa Donnelly plays every Sunday at the Hotel Cafe starting April 5, with exception of April 12.

The last time we met up with Chris Pierce, it was all smiles and tunes for hours--so much, in fact, that we just had to put him in our latest print issue following a classic set at the El Rey. Something tells us that Thursday night Pierce will "keep on keepin' on."

The soul/blues-rock artist will be playing a set at Air Conditioned in Venice this Thursday night. Backed by a full band, it'll be another opportunity to hear a refreshing new-roots sound led by one of the boldest vocalists in town. Get your tickets now.

Chris Pierce
at Air Conditioned in Venice
This Thursday | 10 p.m. | $12 | 18+

On a deserted street in the most industrial part of Downtown LA, a hobo jumps out from the corner as I stumble to see the address I'm trying to find. I walk through a door and enter a labyrinth of tires and metal, letting the sonic explosion of instruments guide me to where the band is set up and rehearsing. The noise comes to a screeching halt as I peek my head around the corner of a metallic wall, greeted with warm smiles by the members of the Flying Tourbillon Orchestra.

By Christine Castanon

"Sorry about the place. One of us works here, and you can't beat a free rehearsal space," says Hunter apologetically. That's the thing about LA—in the most random and sketchiest holes, veritable treasures are waiting to be found—like the one personified by the FTO. The gents gather around a table and amidst jokes and laughs discuss how this multi-layered, hallucinatory brand of pop came to be.

Deli: I saw that you guys are on a bunch of "Best of 2008" lists for the end of the year. How has the support been from the LA community?

FTO: It's been awesome. I've lived in LA most of my life and have been in and out of bands for years. Only in the past couple of years has it developed a scene. Before it was just a bunch of bands back-biting each other, trying to get a record deal. And in the past couple of years a scene emerged. And it's probably because we have awesome venues like Spaceland and The Echo, all these places that are letting us play and nurturing artists. And the whole shift in the music industry from the importance of labels to what an artist can do for themselves, and the introduction of blog culture and music on the internet, helps concentrate music on the local level. Artists don't feel like they are pitted against each other, but can rather help each other out. That is what happened here, which makes it an awesome community to be a part of.

Deli: What bands are you really good friends with in the manner that you described?

FTO: The Henry Clay People, Radars to the Sky, The Monolators—a lot of great local bands. There are so many. But ideally, when shows come up for us to book, we'd love to just book all the same people, but we have to be really mindful of having the same crowd. And when we book a show we try to bring in a band from the “column C” side that hasn't gotten any exposure yet and whom we can stream into our network of fans. That's what happened to us. Castledoor didn't know us at all and they booked us—which was awesome. There are a lot of great unknown bands out there that people should listen to.

Deli: How do you feel about illegal downloading?

FTO: Well, obviously it would be nice to be paid for our music. But we have to be realistic about the culture we're in. And as long as people are listening to your music, that's all that counts. One of the most exciting things about the end of the year “best of” polls is that we were on a list of Indie Rock Best of 2008 BitTorrents Most Downloaded Songs on the Internet. That was awesome because some really big indie touring bands were on there, like The Decemberists. If people on the internet are illegally trafficking your music, then that's awesome and you've made it!

Most cello-rock acts don't have 25,000 independently-sold albums under their belt (...) but Oak and Gorski do. Made up of Ken Oak and Ed Gorski, the acoustic rock duo met such milestones with thousands of miles traveled in recent years, likely racking up a story or two to bake their latest piece, "Good Advice, Bad Advice."

Celebrate the release of their debut album, produced by Will Golden and Al Sgro (Meiko, Eric Hutchinson, Gary Jules), this Thursday at the Hotel Cafe. Get your bow on.

Consider it 21st century a capella. Sonos is a sextet with a repertoire in vocal-exclusive covers ranging from Radiohead to Rufus Wainright to Bjork to anything else your iPod may have come across in the past five years.

The debut LP an obvious effort to put a jazz-pop spin to off-the-dial favorites, but it also takes digital liberties to play with plug-ins and fun little bells and whistles to challenge the traditional a capella album. Unplugged it ain't.

Highlights include a cover of Sara Bareilles’ “Gravity,” with guest artist, yes, Sara Bareilles, and the funky chord crazy “Again and Again,” by The Bird and The Bee. It’s percussive, catchy and infinitely nerdy, yet without the potential to be elevator music (unless that elevator’s inside KCRW). -Hugo Gomez

Simone White | "Why Is Your Raincoat Always Crying?"

Simone White seems like the ultra-precocious folk artist begging for a spot in a Juno sequel, but give her three minutes and you'll unfold layers of a placid grown-up. The vulnerable quality in White's songs--more notably in her vocals--isn't a sign of anything puerile, but more of the quiet ache and muted excitement we're all conditioned to hold back at the gunpoint of cool-conformity.

Yukio Mishima was one of the most prolific and celebrated writers that ever lived, and this is his only film. It is also a disturbing example of life imitating art since it depicts a gruesome act of HaraKiri that Mishima himself would re-enact four years after filming, forgoing pig-guts for the theatrical glory of his own. More about the film here.
In the original version of the film the musical score is program music by Wagner off a crackly old 78, but I've taken it upon myself to desecrate this fine piece of classic cinema and re-score the entire film with original music. I hope you enjoy it! - Mr.E from Amnion - (as posted in The Deli LA's Open Blog - post your band's entries and Mp3s here).

Thank the Angeleno gods for precious, little diamonds like Sabrosa Purr. Bands like this don’t come by the dozen in this desert, and I have nothing but good things to say about their latest genre-defying release "To the Crickets and the Ghosts."

Drawing inspiration from the likes of PJ Harvey, The Smashing Pumpkins and Pink Floyd, it’s hard to pinpoint their exact sound (which, as in “My Song for the Girls,” can leap from a low, quietly hypnotic guitar line [think “No Surprises” by Radiohead] to the astronomical heights of a heavily fuzz-driven, scream singing tag [think MBV style chorus with something like Bixler-Zavala-esque vocals] in a few blinks of the eye), but whatever it is that they’re mixing together in their rehearsal time, its rough rock slides down wonderfully and leaves me slamming my glass down on the bar and asking for another.

More than a handful of bands in the greater L.A. area can claim said groups as influences, but these scientists tastefully formulate their concoctions of blues/space-rock bad-assery into fresh, dreamy and ultimately worthwhile listening. -Alex Valles

Silverlake's duo of quirky folk Homesick Elephant will be playing a set at the Hotel Cafe this Sunday at 7 p.m. Think of their set as the matinee event preceding a fine country meal, just like old times, sans carriages and polio.

Currently on tour with Neil Young and Wilco, singer and principal songwriter Russell Pollard of Everest was able to check in with The Deli from the road near Boston, where he said it was really, really cold—like “Long Johns cold.” He discusses becoming friends with his idol Neil Young and what it’s been like to finally hit the major leagues of music. The individual members of his band are veterans of the indie scene, having backed bands like The Watson Twins, Earlimart and Great Northern.

By Angela Lu

Deli: What does Everest refer to and how did you decide on that name?

Pollard: There are a couple of references that we thought about, one being that the Beatles were going to name Abbey Road “Everest”. But now that the band has been on tour, we’ve thought a lot about that question, and I think it’s just what makes the most sense. When you think of that mountain, it’s a challenge, and this band is kind of like our final resting place as musicians. We think of it as a challenge musically--pushing ourselves to transcend with music.

Deli: In the liner notes, it says that Rob plays a Nashville-tuned guitar. Can you explain what that is and why you used it on the album?

Pollard: A Nashville-tuned guitar has lighter-gauged strings on it, and when you tune it that way, it ends up sounding like it’s a couple of octaves higher. It’s really pretty--almost like a harpsichord sound. If you set the guitar upright and you string it right, you can just keep it tuned that way forever and use it as a different kind of instrument. Keith Richards used one all over earlier Rolling Stones records, and he kind of brought that style of tuning to rock music. We used it because it sounded good. 

Deli: Can you tell me about your current tour? What has the experience been like, and what have you learned?

Pollard: It’s been kind of crazy. We put the record out in May and ended up going to Europe with My Morning Jacket, and those guys are just amazing friends. We learned a lot from them. Their work ethic is just insane and they treat their bodies very well on the road. It’s all about the show to them, and that’s unique because a lot of bands don’t do that. Then getting on this tour—it’s been like a dream tour. Seeing Neil every night, he’s so ferocious. And we get to see Wilco before that doing the same thing. It’s changed us as a band. We’re playing these huge stages--15,000 people, the most people we’ve been in front of. You have to broadcast yourself a lot more. We’ve learned a little bit about how to do that--to be more physical and to mentally perform for a large audience. That’s something that Neil taught me. He just came into my dressing room and told all of us, “You guys need to stop playing like you’re in a small club. You’re in an arena and you’ve gotta step it up a little bit with your dynamics.”

Deli: I read that you guys emphasize the use of analog and vintage equipment. Would you consider Everest part of the lo-fi genre of music?

Pollard: We’re really into gear and tones. We did a lot of the recording ourselves, but I don’t think that’s lo-fi at all. What we’re into is honesty—not overdoing, not overproducing and working with vintage equipment that we think sounds good in capturing a band. All of our favorite records from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Pretty Things, and Steely Dan were made with that gear. 

Deli: How would you describe the lo-fi sound to someone who doesn’t know what that is?

Pollard: Well, there are two different kinds. There’s the lo-fi with people using four track and RadioShack mics. Then there’s using analog and vintage equipment instead of using computers. There’s warmth to tape and to those old tubes. It sounds older and timeless--that’s what gets us. It’s not sterile, staring at a computer, at a waveform, editing over and over. We do things in an old-school way, and it requires that we know how to play our instruments. You can’t just go in there and edit, cut, paste. You gotta get the take all the way through. For Everest, everybody plays together at the same time—it’s recorded live. It’s more about a connection. If you’re in there and you’re playing and looking at each other, you’re sensing each others’ dynamics and personality. I think you’re going to get a better take of a song. 

Deli: Does the title of the album, “Ghost Notes,” refer to the musical term or is it metaphorical?

Pollard: It’s more a metaphor for notes to people from my past or people who are no longer here--relationships that have gone south. A couple of the songs are autobiographical like “Rebels in the Roses,” but there are some that are other people’s stories with fictitious characters.

Art noise extraordinaires KillKillKill are kicking off a night hosted by These Arms Are Snakes and Tera Melos next week at the Echoplex. We favor the soundscape outfit, what with their tenacity to play, frankly, a humblingly unique set that pretty much defies all conventions, but we're happily biased.

Photo by Angelica Bonomo

Stomps, sways, intensely shouted lyrics spilled from Nico Stai's audience last Monday on the second night of his residency at Spaceland.

It wasn’t always like that for Stai, who has been playing at Spaceland off and on in recent years. Until Stai's audience began to grow did he start gigging more frequently--enough to raise the eyebrows of Spaceland bookers and grant him a full residency for the month of March.

Stai and his band mates brought the kind of no-pain-no-gain sweat and luring sincerity that showed the result of many months hard work. Though the evident crowd pleasers were “Covered Too” and “Dead Pony,” the undeniable highlight arrived when two mariachi players stepped onto the stage to play horns on “Scream.”

When asked what his favorite part about performing is, Stai laughs: “All of it.” He also says "it's vindicating" to being able to hear his own lyrics sung back to him after all these years.

Besides an obvious passion for his music, Stai clearly cares just as much, if not more, for his band mates. Before each show he likes to check in on each one, making sure their heads are on straight.

“You never know what someone’s going through,” Stai said, “so you gotta try to calm them down before we get out there. Then it’s, like, 'okay lets do it.'"

Flagship LA artist and emotional philanthropist Nico Stai continues his Spaceland residency next Monday, March 23, and concludes on the 30th. $FREE, 21+ –Angelica Bonomo

Eagle Winged Palace have become one of those instant favorites on The Deli's radar, so don't think twice to get "Hand of Doom," the psych-folk group's latest EP, just released today. And, if en route to Austin, catch EWP at Park the Van's official SXSW showcase.

"Another Day" | Claire Holley

Acclaimed locals Claire Holley, Nicole Gordon, Gia Ciambotti and Kristin Mooney are an army of singer/songstresses holding a monthly residency called "Song Sirens."

The series will provide for many a cozy set in format. While singing in a round, count on the Sirens to trade turns with original songs and stack harmonies to their favorite soul, rock and roots covers.

Between the Sirens, they've all done some notable work with Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Bruce Springsteen (to name a very few), so expect a powerhouse of raw vocal and hurtin', hurtin' tunes.

"Song Sirens" begins tomorrow night at Cafe 322.

A string of acoustic rock tunes loaded with romantic hooks and melodies make up Waz's latest EP "The Secret." Consider these songs made for hearts longing, mending and trying finding their way.

Lyrics run nostalgic--not stale--and are reminiscent of times when the singer/songwriter's past love was fresh and new. Waz's calming voice adds a sensitive--not feminine (don't you love our disclaimers?)--touch to each song that evoke images of a live and intimate acoustic set, with an added elegance to his grey vest, white blouse and black tie.

Evidently influenced by artists such as Neil Young and The Pretenders, opening and highlight track "Ordinary Girl" starts with merry up-beats infused with happy chords backed on piano and acoustic guitar. With its clingy chorus and those never-old, bigger-than-ourselves questions, it's no surprise Waz has been forgivably licensed "Grey's Anatomy." The five-track EP proves poignant, albeit beguilingly commercial, and deserves a full-length cinematic effort. -Christine Hernandez

Light FM is easily one of LA’s most accessible and intriguing bands. The music superimposes the sunshiny pop stylings of Weezer and Arcade Fire over explosions of Smashing Pumpkin guitar distortion and lyrics that often describe a self-loathing introspection. The band’s sophomore CD “Black Magic Marker” was released in October and demonstrates a songwriting and textural sophistication that surpasses the group’s earlier work and proves that Light FM is much more than the sum of its influences. Founder and frontman Josiah Mazzaschi sat down to discuss the new album, his creative process, and goals for 2009.

By Hannis Brown

Deli: You released a new album in October. While you still have a certain amount of your signature buoyant pop colored with dark lyrics, the new stuff sounds musically darker and more experimental than some of your older songs. Was that a conscious change?

Mazzaschi: Yeah. Mostly because I’ve been producing and engineering bands myself and experimenting with the whole recording process. I’m basically taking my lo-fi home demos into the studio and adding better drum tracks; not “redoing” them, but trying to keep the intimacy of the demo and bring that into the final product. That’s kind of what I’ve been doing: focusing on not “overcooking” stuff and leaving the sense of spontaneity in the recording.

Deli: Your lineup changed this year. Has the addition of new band members affected the songwriting process? Is writing a collaborative process?

Mazzaschi: I’ve pretty much always written the songs because I’m really into the whole recording process. I basically do a demo of the songs with most of the parts up and fully realized. Then I’ll let the band put its flavor into them. But for the most part I write all the stuff—though I’m trying to get those guys to write more with me. They’re pretty busy people.

Deli: What are your short-term goals as a band? Do you see yourself spending much of the next year on the road?

Mazzaschi: I lived in Chicago for a long time and I definitely moved to LA to pursue music. Part of the problem for me is trying to find people who’ll hit the road and not have any kind of real job commitments. But February 1st, we’re playing a show at Spaceland, and we’re planning on playing South by Southwest in March. We’re definitely going to try to hit the Southwest, like Phoenix and Santa Fe. I’ve also been working on another record that I plan on completing before then. I’d love to tour and promote for this [last] CD [“Black Magic Marker”], but we’ve got to assemble our team of people.

Deli: What other bands on the LA scene are currently inspiring you?

Mazzaschi: I listen to a lot of the bands that I record. Definitely Tigers Can Bite You; I produced their last full-length. Also The Happy Hollows—I’m a huge fan of theirs. And this band I just recorded over the weekend—The Black Tights—they’re kind of a shoegaze band. I really love the local music scene. There are a lot of great bands here.

"Better Trends" | Japanese Motors

Upon having just recently finished up a string of dates opening for Modest Mouse, Costa Mesa-based Japanese Motors will rest until what seems like the entire music community will be doing at SXSW. Check out the video to the indie-pop outfit's self-titled's single "Better Trends," where singer Al Knost has no shame walking around town in that no-frills manner, politely bugging locals to dance along.

Renaissance instrumentalist and singer Richard Swift will be previewing songs from his forthcoming release "The Atlantic Ocean" (April 7, Secretly Canadian) TONIGHT at Spaceland.

Swift will be backed by a full band to put the polish on his lo-fi repertoire of genre-spanning indie pop works. Expect said new tunes and an engaging anticipation of "what's next?" in what will likely be a pleasantly schizophrenic setlist.

Dearest Deli Readers,

The Deli has and continues to search for breaking music acts in the spirit of busting the myth that up-and-coming artists can't get any media coverage.

We're just dropping in for a moment to remind fans and artists alike that exposure here at The Deli is in your hands!

Use us -- hell, abuse us! -- and our features that include (but are definitely not limited to):

- DIY LIVE LISTINGS: Playing a show soon? Managing a group with dates? Plugging your boyfriend's super sick nu-metal/prog-rock/ska band? Post it up in the right column. It's free and it takes roughly 19 seconds (45 seconds for slow typers). Plus, we'll have a weekly round up of DIY shows every Monday on our home page.

- OPEN BLOG: Hosting an event? Have a new EP? Any news is good news, and if you send an Open Blog entry over, there is a 99.99% chance we WILL post it. This service, like our site and our awesomeness, is free, and you'll see your entry published in a few days.

And, as always, questions, comments, concerns or complaints (there's a first for everything) can be hastily forwarded to hugo@thedelimagazine.com.

- The Deli Staff

With one listen, Le Switch’s appropriately titled LP, “And Now… Le Switch,” makes one want to seriously “damn the man” and unwind with a couple of cold ones at your favorite bar.

Imagine a speak-easy setting with a round table of Elvis Costello, Tom Waits and The Beatles all getting rowdy just before they get deep into philosophy. Good times equal good music, and this exact feeling and more is what Le Switch provides in their first full length project.

Light drumming and string arrangements, with strategic piano pounding and vocals which can transition from butter smooth to an honest growl, create a pleasant juxtaposition. The band, who couldn’t sound less French despite their name, has compiled a robust round of songs that’ll make one plant his or her fingers on the piano and coerce a friend into playing a trumpet solo. -Seraphina Lotkhamnga

"Sobriety Kills" | Jason Karaban

Jason Karaban is in good company. Really good company. Upon moving to L.A. from Philadelphia in 2002, the alt-rock singer/songwriter emerged as a prolific solo artist armed with a rolodex most writers could only dream of.

Aside from Karaban's live group-- it includes a Counting Crow, an Imposter from the Elvis Costello coterie, and Lucy Schwartz--his records are laced with cameos from Ani Defranco, Glen Phillips and Priscilla Ahn (just to name a very, very few).

"Mayfly," Karaban's latest 3-song EP will be available online on April 7, with an April 10 date at the Hotel Cafe to celebrate the debut of his fresh tracks. With those kind of artistic props, we'd be foolish not to tell you about this one.

Breezy spring days are ahead, and with open arms, April welcomes Johnny Bennett's latest release, "The Violent Hush." Uplifting lyrics and jazz-filled melodies make for a pleasant package of fresh tracks from the Nashville-native artist. From city streets to venues, this is Bennett's debut and foray into alt-country territory.

Tracks start off and engage with strong, energetic country rock, but "Hush" impresses when gradually tiptoeing into more calming backdrops (oh, the things a pedal steel can do to a song). Bennett's raw vocals are also untouched, which gives much honest weight and credibility to his truths.

Bennett is the artist who captures intimate relationships in lyric that resemble the Every Man experience. His pop-rock songs are expectedly loud and beat friendly, but mellow and breezy Bennett only makes a cameo, rarely igniting the spark from the kind of album that you strive not to forget. What won't escape, though, is the testimony. You can trust Bennett to not tell a lie. -Christine Hernandez

Tune into KCRW (89.9 FM) at 11 a.m. today to catch Miranda Lee Richards on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Let's hope that, between her live set, Jason Bentley gets the deets on what it was like going solo from having been mentored by a member of Metallica and shredding with the ultra-likable and completely rational guys from Brian Jonestown Massacre.

Fear not, friends-out-of-L.A. -- you can hear the stream online, too.

Upon first listen, Echo Park's Molino seem as exciting as their band name, which is Spanish for windmill. Lyrical content for this quintet seems solely focused on the heterosexual love chase. This thematic one-noteism, however, does make the ensemble the perfect bar band to crank up to 11 at your local dive, especially given the band’s radio-ready, raucous rockers like “Everybody Needs Somebody,” an offspring of Oasis’ tambourine-heavy, 60s synth-infused anthems.

But once track three of the EP "Looking for You" hits, the album’s veritable theme becomes more evident as a lonely acoustic guitar strums helplessly between two minor chords, which are known to demonstrate the less happy of moods. These are songs that are really just about the yearning for love, which is elucidated through song titles: “Everybody Needs Somebody,” “When She Comes,” “Looking For You,” and “Salvation.”

It becomes clear that the band is more than just about rocking your socks off in your blissed-out hour of boozing. Perhaps it’s because inside every dirty, bad boy rocker, there’s a wounded, outcast soul who has turned to the rock gods for deliverance from any combination of heartbreak, rejection, repression, or the mundane realities of life. -Angela Lu

Solomon's Seal's MySpace page has 8,441 views and even fewer track plays since its debut in 2006. Perhaps it's because the name's only a moniker for this solo-project by Simon Petty, lead singer of UK's Minibar. Anonymity so vocally potent shouldn't go unnoticed.

Reminiscent of Colin Hay and Francis Dunnery, Solomon's Seal sticks to singer/songwriter basics in setup without ever compromising songs for the typical. Petty's writing, as heard in the video above for "Sleeping in the Car," rarely gives the sense of arrival, a method of composition that served well for Tom Petty (they bear no relation).

Every last Saturday of the month at Largo, Solomon's Seal will be holding residency until its album release party on May 30. We'll be keeping an eye on this one.

"All Murmur Or Our Mothers’ Waters," the debut album by avant-garde collective Mooey Moobau, brings to mind the work of Frank Zappa and Captain Beefhart: silly, frustrating, complex, and refreshingly innovative.

Nonsensical vocal snippets alternate with quirky chants of repetitive phrases and spoken word poetry. Analog synths, schizophrenic jazz drumming, hand claps, and pointillistic brass hits back saxophone belches and angular jazz guitar.

As much sonic collages as “songs,” the music for the most part is comprised of found sounds, drums and avant-garde jazz interludes seamed together in largely formless compositions. The result is a delightfully loose sound with enough “tight” moments of through-composed musical lines to make it clear that these guys aren’t simply messing around.

Despite the lack of song form, hooks, or melodies that stick in your head, the album is a surprisingly fun and enjoyable listen. Fans of Zappa, the less accessible groups on Chicago’s Thrill Jockey Records, modern free jazz, and Animal Collective’s more experimental work will find this an interesting contrast to the indie rock scene...one that will thoroughly mess with your head. -Hannis Brown

Voxhaul Broadcast's video for "Rotten Apples" begs to be viral. Directed by Luke Asa Guidici, the video takes us on a spaghetti western journey through the wild, wild west--revolvers, shady poker games, etc.--all at the cost of a 25-cent electric pony ride. Sign us up.

Great Northern stick to the old adage of good songwriting: simple songs make beautiful melodies. This LA four-set has quickly captivated the streets with pieces of haunting melodic poetry that resonate with heavenly hurt to all who listen. Their single "Home" is a promising foretelling of the future masterpieces that Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte have in store for us as they pave the foundation for an illuminating career in music.

By Christine Castanon

Deli: What do you think about being part of the LA music scene and it being said to be the forefront of the music scene these days?

Solon: I think LA is an important music scene, but I think every scene is relatively important to whatever bands are in that particular scene. Like Portland is an indie rock Mecca. I was not sure of LA for awhile when I first moved here and I didn't know anyone. But living here you start to realize that living in a big city, even a city like New York or LA, it eventually starts to feel like a small town. Musically, there are a lot of cool people doing cool stuff. It's not necessarily more important than anything else, but it's just something else creative to offer.

Rachel: Well, I think every scene is pretentious. In every scene there are really cool and supportive people, and then there are also people that are there for all the wrong reasons. The LA scene before I knew it, I thought it was so much more pretentious than it is. I'd go to see a show at Spaceland with these too cool kids who're afraid to smile, and I thought it was so fake. But as I got more into it, I understood that in the center of it, it's about a bunch of people creating art. And it’s stimulating and amazing to go see a really inspirational show and get inspired to do the same thing. It makes you go home and work harder.

Deli: How is it like working with producer Michael Patterson?

Solon: He helped us so much. From turning a really 3 a.m. drunk idea that no one should here to a cultivated and layered song that you're really proud for people to hear. But it was really hard. And contrastingly, it was really freeing because it was just cool to have someone help you understand your ideas better. And they've worked with pretty major people and there was no bullshit involved. They told you what was what. And that's what we needed to hear. I would love to work with him again.

Rachel: I didn’t know what to expect. He's amazing. He's so smart, with no attitude. It was great. We both learned a lot. I mean it was really hard to make this record because there was more at stake than our first one. But it was great to just sit around and listen to the stories he would have. And he comes from the hip-hop world and it was completely different. Sonically he had a different approach. We got to learn a lot more. And he wouldn't let us do the same thing. We laughed a lot and got mad at each other.

Deli: Why was your latest album, "Remind Me Where The Light Is," so hard to make?

Rachel: Because we had been on tour for a year and a half and it’s an alternative lifestyle when you're on tour; and you don’t have to deal with your life. Then, when we came home, all these feelings that we didn't have to deal with all of a sudden surfaced. And sometimes they're emotions you don't want to deal with, and that's where the record came from. And to actually go there and be honest, even when it’s hard to be so, made it hard. We pushed ourselves and Michael and Nick pushed us, and it made us uncomfortable and it was gnarly at times, but it was a great learning experience.

"Remind Me Where The Light Is" will be on shelves, both real and digital, April 28.

"Hope I'm Not An Idiot" is the single from Sabrosa Purr's latest LP "To The Crickets and The Ghosts." Directed by Sylvia Sether, the video captures the frenetic lengths Sabrosa Purr can reach, all along a hell of an intimidating blues-rock groove. Not since Crystal Antlers' EP came into our inbox have we thought a sound was capable of literally beating the crap out of us.

Photo by Capital M

Too often it seems like bands are out of sight, out of mind in between albums. When they aren’t seen around town in a while people just move on to the next artist taking up residency in the neighborhood.

Such is thankfully not the case with Moving Units, as evidenced by the heavy turnout at the El Rey Friday night. Not only did a ton of people fork out their precious dollars during this ridiculous recession (as mentioned gratefully by Moving Units front man Blake Miller), the crowd brought their dancing shoes.

From the floor to the wings, people were getting down to the post-punk influenced dance numbers while Miller and company brought a little rock swagger to the stage. It should also be noted that many fans were seen walking out with LPs in hand - not bad for a band that hasn’t given LA proper a gig in over a year.

Moving Units are currently writing songs for an album that is set to be recorded later this year, so stay tuned, devotees.

The band was also joined by our fall cover artists Rumspringa, who held it down pretty damn well themselves in a venue larger than their usual LA haunts. It’s a safe bet that many new fans were found Friday night. If you’re lucky enough to be going to SXSW, check them at our Deli party in Austin on the 21st. It can’t be long before it’s their name on top of the El Rey’s marquee. -Heather Hoffman

Not even the rain or the apocalyptic traffic could keep Deli fans away from our 3rd-print issue release party at The Roxy last Wednesday night. Perhaps it's because, aside from the great line-up, the latest issue is loaded with goodness, and, frankly, we keep our promises:

The night began with an intimate set shared by singer/songwriters Daniel Ahearn and Angela Correa (of Correatown). The duo traded off songs, eased the rain/traffic/general anxiety and, along the way, converted several into new fans ("I TOTALLY have to get both their CDs," as hear by one very sober attendee).

AM continued the night with his brand of folk-rock, intensifying the event with the help of a massive backing band. Buddy was nice enough to drop-in for AM's opening tune "Hear Me Sing." We really just can't stop playing that song.

Django James & The Midnight Squires are no stranger to Deli affairs. It being their second appearance, they prepared an even more deliberate dance-rock set that threw everyone a curveball with a Roy Orbison cover of "Pretty Woman." Mission well accomplished.

And to top off the night, the ladies of Electrocute sent us all home with their new-millenia disco-rock along with golden pom-poms, bottle water throwing and enough fat beats to make us all anticipate the next Deli event.

To those who came: Did we have a great time or what? See you at the next party.

To those who didn't: There will be a next time, but for now you can continue living vicariously through our wonderful night, thanks to all these shots by Angelica Bonomo:

Cheers to you too,

Hugo and The Deli Staff

Imagine Wait.Think.Fast., Summer Darling, Shiloe and Two Guns playing on the same night, at the same club, on the same bill, and for FREE.

Imagine no more: The kind folks at Origami Records are continuing their Monday residency at The Echo with a weekly showcase of their roster of artists. The audible orgy begins at 8:30 p.m. for 21+'ers, and should be a treat to anyone whose radar has been in tune with these four breaking acts we can call our own. RadioFreeSilverlake must be counting down the minutes, but that's okay. So are we.

ORIGAMI RECORDS
The Echo
Every MONDAY NIGHT in March
8:30 p.m.
21+ | FREE

Influenced by "only the greats" as stated in her MySpace, Jonneine Zapata's debut full-length "Cast The Demons Out" is also a breathing metaphor for heartbreak, love and deception. The solo artist's raw vocal/soul-rock premier is a gritty effort at a seedy overdrive album, but occasionally falls into forgivable monotony.

Within the rubble, fortunately, tracks like the hooky and lyric-lingering "Good Looking" and love-laced "2, 3, 4," are filled with stirring dark vocal performances by Zapata, ultimately bound to be favorites for fans of Cat Power and Feist.

Closing quiet-blues track "Out In The Woods" makes for an impressive standout. Written to evoke the feeling of being in touch with the organic, Zapata's eloquence shines when tapping into themes of breaking free and gaining strength, all without exploiting her pain and turning it into a cliche.

The mixture of soulful love tunes--whether disheartening or uplifting--run the gamut from dissonant to mellifluous. While "Cast The Demons Out" succeeds in a presentation of range, Zapata's debut could have been more of a triumph with a tighter vision in personality. -Christine Hernandez

First Fridays is an unlikely romance between fossil and rock music. Hosted by The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles, the monthly series starts with a lecture and discussion on evolution, followed appropriately by live music ruckus and big-bang-inducing DJ sets. Make up your own rock pun.

On the bill this week: Deli Band of the Month nominees Fool's Gold and South African dub quartet BLK JKS.

Considering how wildly successful First Fridays has been--The Bird and The Bee allegedly tore it up last month--you can revel knowing that this museum trip doesn't require you to come home and write a 3-page double-spaced essay on it (unless, of course, you want to fill The Deli in on how great of a time you had, which we honestly wouldn't mind reading).

FIRST FRIDAYS
This Friday Night
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
"Finding Your Inner Fish" Lecture and Discussion: 6:30 p.m.
Music: 7:00 p.m.
$9, $6.50 w/ student ID

Before Olin & The Moon head to SXSW in coming days, they'll be playing a set at Home in Silverlake this Saturday night. The folk-rock quintet are promising many an old tune and the debut of songs from their upcoming release "Terrible Town," due out later spring.

Send a Deli favorite to Austin with some warm support. Their reflective songs have been the soundtrack to many a great beer--it's called reciprocation, folks.

Olin & The Moon
This Saturday night
FREE -- All Ages

Photo: Michael Totten

Reminiscent of Syd Barrett, Belle & Sebastian, and The Elected, Dylan Trees is a mellow harmonization of circus magic and vaudeville that conjures tales of spring time prairies, endless emerald fields, Sunday afternoons and make-out sessions over picnic lunches.

English yacht rocker, Jeremy Simon, fronts this unassuming cast of anti-folk musicians and singers with a soft incandescence, like embers of kindling by the fire. Last Saturday night, Dylan Trees brought a thoughtful soundtrack to Home, the packed Silverlake eatery with its wistful brand of Brit pop and psychadelia.

Though the night represented the first live show of the Dylan Trees’ current incarnation of band mates, the set felt studied and honest. Over the quick eight song set, Simon surrendered mercurial lyrics with a resistance to hyperbole and deference to romance with a steady cloak of cabaret and homage to blue-eyed soul.

The reveling audience responded adoringly to the demure serenade and, at the set’s end, left Home begging for more.

Highlights of the show included “Charlie Horse,” the namesake of Dylan Trees’ recently released EP, a young and cheerful piece with a slow, deliberate build up that pays off, “Molly,” a campy sing-a-long, and “Henry Collapsed,” a polished and earnest epilogue that is ready for radio.

Dylan Trees' latest release, "The Charlie Horse EP," is available now. -Angel Baker

The Submarines wrapped up their national tour with co-headliners The Morning Benders last Saturday night with a homecoming show at the Troubadour. Any “can’t find a parking spot in Hollywood on a weekend” blues were immediately dissipated by the glowing melodies and sharp vocals.

The husband-and-wife duo of John Dragonetti and Blake Hazard were joined by drummer J Stare as they charmed the sold-out crowd with spirited songs full of love and social consciousness. The couple's joy in returning to their LA homebase was evident with a cozy stage presence that created intimate friendliness, without the pretense that they are creators of the infectious bad-day banishing tunes on heavy rotation in your iPod.

Hazard was positively effervescent, divulging that they have been learning Spanish in the van and sweetly asking the audience if anyone wanted to help them practice after the show. An attentive all-ages crowd didn’t need any encouragement to join in with handclaps, chorus participation, and, of course, an abundance of compliments en Espanol. -Heather Hoffman

Just after their final night of residency at Home, Alex & Sam spoke to Deli staff writer Jon-Erik Tateri on the eve of being our current Artist of the Month. After leaving Boston behind, the duo had only begun to see how far their artistry would come.

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As the lights dimmed down upon the stage and a menagerie of refracted lights rained down from the chandelier above, Alex & Sam were perfectly framed as one of the few distinctive bands Los Angeles had seen in quite some time. This would be their final night of residency at Home in Silverlake.

The Bohemian-lounge atmosphere flawlessly reflects the LA duo’s unique musical style. Alex Silverman and Samantha Sidley have the ability to blend a variety of folk guitar with emotionally stirring lyrics through Sam’s crisp and sultry voice.

The indie rock/jazz duo first met at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

“[Alex] was actually my high school boyfriend and then we broke up and wanted nothing to do with each other but we ended up going to same college,” Sam said.

Alex and Sam both attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. Sam was studying jazz and “getting a lot of good reviews and winning some competitions,” Alex added.

Alex was a songwriter and automatically agreed to “compose some songs with [Sam] at her jazz shows.”

After two years at Berklee, they moved back to Los Angeles and decided to combine their talents to make an album.

“Alex was recording his own album, and I wanted him to write an album for me and so we combined the two efforts and just became Alex & Sam,” Sam added.

What may have people begging the question, “Where have I see her before?” about Sam is the fact that her American Idol audition was televised to over 30 million people in 2008, where she was given the green light (or yellow paper) by the judges.

“First I thought [auditioning] would be funny and that I would do it just for fun. Then, I thought it would give me some good exposure, so I did it," Sam said.

“I got into the Top 50 and it was grueling.” Sam said. “It was so crazy to be on reality television.”

“It was a good experience," Sam said. "I got a lot of crazy fans out there because it.”

Alex and Sam are passionate about how their music truly represents their identity and their personal beliefs.

“I try not to worry so much if people would like our music because I think most people don’t know what they want and that’s why people hire interior decorators. Most people need to be given something and we come on stage being honest,” Sam said.

“Alex writes these songs from his heart and I am so happy that I can interpret them and just be real.”

Alex & Sam's latest EP “Sounds Like This: Part One” is available now on iTunes. -Jon-Erik Tateri

Local music fans were treated to a double dose of love Friday night at the debut of the highly anticipated and month-long EXPOSURE series.

The event was a visual and sonic celebration of local talent as photographers Benjamin Hoste, Simon Cardoza and Jeff Koga presented shots of many Silverlake bands, some of whose names are on the tips of everyone’s tongues lately.

Acoustic performances were provided by Divisadero, Manhattan Murder Mystery, and Le Switch. Le Switch, hot off the heels of their February residency at Spaceland, headlined this week's installation with a soulful set that made it a shame there wasn’t more jamming room in the packed gallery. Nonetheless, the shoulder-to-shoulder audience wasn’t letting close quarters hold them back from showing their love.

The EXPOSURE series continues next week with The Voyeurs, One Trick Pony and The Monolators. -Heather Hoffman

Christina Dietz reminds me of a lyric from "Temptation," by Tom Waits: "Rusted brandy in a diamond glass / everything is made from dreams."

Confident and sultry, the solo acoustic artist has a branded an acutely gypsy-esque sound. In addition to channeling your typical fare of '60s-era Haight-Ashbury vocal, Dietz's pained lyric and subtle nods to Western European boleros adds a weight of sexiness uncommon in the local singer/songwriter scene. Your ears won't stop ogling.

Expect some swooning during Dietz's set tomorrow night at the Hotel Cafe, as she plays alongside Oh, Darling and Terra Naomi. $8, 21+

"Hear Me Sing" is the latest single from singer/songwriter AM. The honest and soft-spoken vocal performance is doubly-comfy with thanks to a cameo by Buddy, and puts another notch in AM's refined pop-acoustic repertoire. "Hear Me Sing" goes down smooth, and you can hear AM sing this tune, as likely as others, this Wednesday night at The Deli's "Party at the Roxy."

The French Semester are an intercontinental affair. Made up of four indie geeks whose homes have been in England, France, Africa, Asia and South America at some point in their lives, it might be hard to wonder how such an origin-diverse group could funnel their influences back to American roots rock.

Perhaps it's The French Semester's figurative tattoos. The foursome aren't shy to cite Guided by Voices and the Elephant 6 army (Neutral Milk Hotel, The Apples in Stereo) as inspirations, so it could be owed to proximity to some really kick ass record stores.

Whatever it is, the self-referenced "mid-fi" group have released "Good Friends Only I Could See," their second full-length album, available now. The melodies are polyphonic, dragged on a road, and all backed up by the distorted smiles of a bohemian indie.

Preview "Backwards Rolling," the opening track to "Good Friends Only I Could See":

Holding a Monday night residency at Spaceland constitutes quasi-indie rock royalty. It's a snapshot into the more promising roster of breaking LA artists, one that includes Sea Wolf, Silversun Pickups and Rilo Kiley (to name just a few; spare the post-commercial gagging if necessary).

So it comes with much of our own excitement to announce that Nico Stai will be holding post every Monday night at Spaceland, which is, as it has always been, free and 21+. We'll keep you posted soon with news of Nico's residency, so check back often (if we haven't salivated ourselves to death).

Alt-rock artist Waz is the kind of singer/songwriter that defies pop embarassment.

Deeply confessional and reminiscent of a Pete Yorn (who Waz toured with as a sideman before deciding to become a solo artist) his radio-friendly sound is one void of compromise, despite first-listen deceptions.

The seemingly sunny songs are inviting of the high production that comes hand-in-hand with pop form, but not out of contract; it's so that the poetic complexities come out more clear. Take Waz's darkness ("You weren't the first / But you'll be the last to see inside") as easy to swallow.

Singer/songwriters for grown ups, Waz plays a set at the Hotel Cafe this Friday night.

"The Secret," Waz's latest EP, is available on iTunes now.

Locals The Submarines are clearly big on sentiment. After The Morning Benders covered The Submarines' "1940," the group returned the favor by tracking Benders' "Waiting for a War."

The Morning Benders cover "1940":

The Submarines cover "Waiting for a War":

So it comes as no surprise that the musical BFFs are co-headlining a tour that includes a stop at the Troubadour this Sunday night.

Let it be known that this post was void of an iPhone reference.

You might remember Rumspringa from being on the cover of our winter print issue, or from one of the many highly acclaimed live shows they've held around town in recent months. With countless heads turned, it would only be a matter of time until an unexpected collaboration would come into fruition.

Directed by Shia LaBeouf (cue a "WTF"), Rumspringa's latest video for "Minds Awake" captures the loose attitudes and the whatever-happens-will-just-happen sensibilities of the blues-rock duo.

And after the clip has brightened your day, get a stub for their just-added slot at the megahyped Moving Units' show at the El Rey on March 6.

The Hectors' irony is limited to their MySpace info: "Psychobilly/French pop/Indie" music it isn't. Inspired by the kind of easy and clean guitar that brings back a memory or two of Glen Phillips, it might be easy to dismiss The Hectors for some schmuck attempt at mass accessibility. But don't--albeit catchy as hell, singer Corinne Dinner's dry vocal is coated with a grit that balances out an otherwise very FM-friendly backdrop.

Check The Hectors out, alongside Go West Young Man and Last Legs at Que Sera in Long Beach this Wednesday night.

Nominees for our current Band of the Month poll The Pity Party are in a sponsorship bind. With only $1500 left to headline this Sunday's 826LA Battle of the Bands, the duo are reaching out to all corners for that little extra push. The funds will benefit Dave Eggers' non-profit 826 foundation that brings after-school literacy programs to children.

Send some help by contacting The Pity Party at their MySpace page.

826LA's Battle of the Bands fundraiser at The Echo is this Sunday at 3 p.m., with The Pity Party, Diamonds Under Fire, Dona Nicha, Eloise, Jack Fris Radio Choir and Super Duper holding sets. All ages, $10.

You can hit an Oscar party next year -- your Friday night digs are as follows:

- Ragsy turns the amp to "vintage" tonight at the Hotel Cafe with her set of raw vocal/spite-rock. Also on the bill is Andy Clockwise, promising a Hollywood diatribe or two during "Everybody's in a Band." It might just be the Ho'Cafe's first ever throwdown.

- A favorite at The Deli San Francisco, Michael Zapruder is making a stop in the Foundation Room at the House of Blues on Sunset. Zapruder's folk has no boundaries; the only consistent characteristic of his sound are melodies that swim over a repertoire of all sorts of avant-garde pop composition. Think Beck, without the later-years pretension.

- CONTROL (caps intended) at the Avalon is hosting a night of infinite ass shaking. Hollywood beat chemist Dan Oh will be blasting a set in the Main Room until the festivities continue with a Fischerspooner DJ set in-theatre. Kudos to whoever designed this hypnotic 3-D monstosity:

Photo: Jon-Erik Tateri

Deli staff writer Jon-Erik Tateri met up with Lemon Sun before their set at The Troubadour last week and touched base with their psychadelic roots and potentially new lineup. According to lead singer Rob Cohen, it is a "a very interesting time for the band."

----

“I had this weird dream and in it was this sun,” Rob Cohen said as he began to describe the meaning behind Lemon Sun's name. “But it wasn’t like our regular sun. It was like living in this binary solar system and out of that another sun appeared.”

Rob adds, “Lemon Sun had a kind of playful feel to it; it didn’t take itself too seriously. The name had an upbeat sort of thing about it but also had a psychedelic feeling to it as well.”

Lemon Sun goes beyond your average psychedelic rock band -- in fact, Lemon Sun provides not only a sense of wonderment to the listeners but also a sense of being part of something that is much bigger than anything else around them.

In the song, “Congratulate Our Thievery” Lemon Sun takes the listener on a ride beyond the limits of space and imagination. In a way, Rob was correct in saying that Lemon Sun was born from a reverie to a binary solar system.

The LA-based outfit is gracious enough to take their listeners with them on this David Bowie-esque journey. Packed with hard driving drumbeats and accompanied with Rob’s strong voice (which is quite similar to a certain Britt Daniel) the listener is then rocketed into the abyss of their own imaginations. Not to mention the heavy guitar riffs that seems to resonate and awaken anyone’s soul.

Lemon Sun, however, is the middle of a “very strange and transitional moment in the band’s history.”

“At this point, next show, I have no idea who’s playing [with us],” Rob said. “We have some regulars [players] and then we will take it from there.”

Rob then leaned closer toward me and said, “I have come at a very interesting time for the band.”

Lemon Sun has lost two of its members: guitarist, Melissa Dougherty, and drummer, Chris Knight. Melissa and Chris have gone off to pursue their own creative callings.

“I do wish Melissa and Chris the best. I really do.”

“But there’s going to be a lot of changes since we are going to explore more and get more experimental with our sound. There are going to be new members and I am really excited about it, but of course the future is always open.”

In fact, Lemon Sun is “looking for a new drummer and lead guitarist.”

Lemon Sun has always been about going with the flow and experiencing new things about life and Rob particularly enjoys the feeling that he gets when he performs on stage.

“You let something consume your body. It’s almost like I am on strings and whatever esoteric energy that is controlling me, I go with it.”

Lemon Sun's debut LP “Run With the Faithless” is available now. -Jon-Erik Tateri

The clutter of processed pop music has been faced with a new trend in self reference. With Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings and Amy Winehouse (to name a few) resurrecting traditional pop form and organic production, pop music is seemingly making the effort to become a little more honest again.

Enter Fitz & the tantrums, a new pop-soul outfit with said form and that grainy playback. Their new EP "Songs for a Break Up - Vol. 1" is an unmistakable nod to a Motown and Stax past, but with a modern twist in R&B vocal and subtle electronics. Factor in those sweeping Marvin Gaye bridges, a lush horn line, a ruthless rhythm section and you've got another chapter in modern R&B throwback.

Highlight track "Darkest Street" bleeds Bacharach ("A house is not a home / if I'm living here alone") but, thankfully, images of shag carpet, moon landings and cheap cocktails are in no way remotely evoked. This is another breed of hip.

"Songs for a Break Up - Vol. 1" is available in its entirety on Fitz & the tantrums' MySpace page and on iTunes for your portable pleasure. -Hugo Gomez

New to the FMLY family is Out of Asia, an Asian imports warehouse by day and now the online mag's resident music venue by night. The champagne cracking comes Saturday night with a ridiculous line-up of LA-based artists to ring in the FMLY debut. With URB partnering up in the festivities, things are likely to get nasty. Good nasty.

Filling the air in order of appearance:

- Intricate Machines - "Electricindie"
- [Post-foetus] - Multi-instrumental electronica varied from the ambient to the straight-up numbing
- Free the Robots - Beats in no way inspired by Fatboy Slim
- Daedelus - It's fuckin' Daedelus, man.

And don't forget to catch the live painting by Allie Reimold. If Reimold is anywhere as good as this artist, consider heads to literally explode.

RSVP at their Facebook event page.

FMLY and URB Present:
Out of Asia
THIS Saturday night
$10 -- All Ages

FREE* Things To Do This Wednesday Night:

1. Watch American Idol
2. Watch The New Adventures of Old Christine
3. Watch LA's The Diamond Light play a night with San Fran's Audrye Sessions and NY's As Tall As Lions at the Troubadour

You can't DVR #3, nor does #3 remotely suck in any way, so Troub' it up in support of locals The Diamond Light. They're not into any bullshit or pyro, just some new kicks on fresh indie Americana rock. Lead singer Brian Stanley's vocals are expecting your jaw to drop. While you're on their MySpace page, don't forget to send them extra kudos for a great take on Tom Waits' "Get Behind the Mule."

The Diamond Light @ The Troubadour
with As Tall As Lions and Audrye Sessions
*FREE for 21+, $3 for anyone under

MotherWest knows best. Starting at 7PM tomorrow night at the Hotel Cafe, the indie label is hosting a showcase with its resident artists Kris Gruen, and, a Deli LA favorite, Austin Hartley-Leonard. The night promises some of the class alt-country that makes up part of the MotherWest family, so come out and become a part of it -- they're good folk.

MotherWest Presents:
Austin Hartley-Leonard and Kris Gruen
Wednesday night at the Hotel Cafe
7PM
21+

The Deli LA is pretty certain it's found your next obsession.

Just fresh off signing with the gang at Park The Van Records (Dr. Dog, The Spinto Band), mystic/psych folk group Eagle Winged Palace have an agenda with plenty of goods in coming weeks.

Besides some SXSW action and an excellent 4-song EP you can preview on their MySpace page (due March 17), the fairly new outfit have promise to become a flagship group for the area, all owed to a sound of a more twisted Great Lake Swimmers and a lusher spirit of Nick Drake. Thanks to its resident vocalists and artistic liberties (remember those?) to exchange leads, Eagle Winged Palace are defined by multiple unknown layers and a mystique that can transport to a past renaissance.

With our beloved town having some trouble finding its own feet in a current personality, consider the anxiety awash, even if only a bit. Eagled Winged Palace have given LA a voice of the contemporary, of the West, and of a new folk willing to pave rather than comfortably follow.

Only two dates remain for Miranda Lee Richards' residency at Spaceland (2/17 and 2/24), so take in her latest single "Early November" with your morning cup of coffee and head out tomorrow night for the pop/folk sounds of the pensive songstress.

Miranda Lee Richards' latest album, Light Of X, is available now.

Some nights at Pehrspace are capable of scaring the crap out of John Waters. Always hosting breaking acts, the tiny Echo Park gallery is one of those yet-to-be-fully-appreciated spots that has slowly become a beacon of LA's art rock scene. It's a one-stop hop for all things abrasive and beautifully dissonant, and Friday night promises just that.

On the bill are Kill Kill Kill, The Franks, Mega Wand and Bestial Mouths. Also scheduled to appear are static-y noises, tortured lead synths, shouted anthems and frequencies likely inaudible to most human ears. It's a festival of the wonderfully experimental, as are most nights at Pehrspace, but this night is especially worth mentioning since it's hosted by some brand spanking new groups to the scene.

Perhspace
THIS FRIDAY -- Feb. 20th -- $5 -- ALL AGES
325 Glendale Blvd. 90026

With a score of dates starting in Europe and ending in May in the States, Jeremy Jay's on his way to taking his Euro-synth dance pop sound to the masses. In conjuction with his sophomore release "Slow Dance" due on March 24th also comes an announcement for some SXSW appearances, which should be coming up on Jay's MySpace page anytime soon. A definite keep-that-name-around for those convinced they were born a decade too late.

Next Tuesday comes the release of "Artificial Fire," Eleni Mandell's 7th full-length collection of her signature, sophisticated pop treats. Over the years, Mandell's repertoire has catered to sit-down intimacy by candlelight, but the following video threatens this long running presumption: "Dis-moi Au Revoir Encore" (from her previous 7" exclusive of the same name) shows that Mandell is daring enough to give her melodic tastes a passport, and bold enough to say that she's nowhere near done yet.

Eleni Mandell's record release party for "Artificial Fire" comes Thursday, February 19th, at The Echo. 18+

Jamiroquai blood runneth in A Warrior Nation, a fine nine-piece soul/funk outfit from Hollywood. Consider the fatty bass and tight drum kit sound a nice formula when added with the right environment, right people and just the right drink. What tracks like "Mr. Green" (found on their MySpace) say is that a group like A Warrior Nation aren't served any justice via recording -- with a completely live sound hindered by your crappy computer speakers, let this entry serve as motivation to catch them at The Roxy next Monday.

Whether you're in the mood to shake or just listen and bake, the funkadelic breaks of Orgone are where it's at for your dose of throwback. The nine-piece North Hollywood outfit play through a vocabulary of vintage soul vamps over many a tasty Amen Brother trick, without any trace of a coming disco. They'll be gone for the month of February, so familiarize yourself with Bacano, Orgone's latest release, until they're back with a show at The Little Temple in a few weeks.

If the rain's got you down, you can thank Summer Darling for your Monday cheer-up:

Good gracious, polls are bodacious! Results for our Best of Los Angeles 2008 poll are in! Let's take a moment to look back, a la Seacrest, minus the lame montage.

- Back in December, we asked you to nominate your favorite emerging LA artists of 2008 and armed you with rules to the process.

- While you were all setting up your armies, The Deli assembled a "jury" of local bloggers and industry folks to each nominate and then vote for their top 3 favorite emerging artists.

- After nominations were closed, we opened up the polls and asked YOU to vote; voting closed just last week.

- Lastly, we counted the votes based on our point system:

• Each JUROR ballot accounted for 3 POINTS for its top act; 2 POINTS for its 2nd top act; 1 POINT for its 3rd top act.

• Single reader votes were counted as 0.001 points (meaning 1,000 reader votes accounted for 1 POINT).

• The top 3 artists with the most votes from the READER POLL scored 3 POINTS each (equivalent to 3,000 reader votes).

- After our calculator exploded, the final results were released:

Top 10 Emerging LA Artists of 2008, based on both JURY and READERS votes (full list here):

1. The Henry Clay People
2. No Age
3. Voxhaul Broadcast
4. Divisadero
5. Little Joy
6. Le Switch
7. Afternoons
8. Rumspringa
9. Red Cortez
10. Abe Vigoda

Top 10 Emerging LA Artists of 2008, based solely on READERS' votes:

1. Afternoons
2. Divisadero
3. Olin and the Moon
4. Rumspringa
5. Heaven is Where
6. Voices Voices
7. Summer Darling
8. Black Cortez
9. The Monolators
10. Foot Foot

Don't forget to check out the full list HERE.

Winners for our contest will be notified about prizes and additional information in the coming days! Thanks for your participation, your patience and your enthusiasm!

If you've got questions, comments or concerns, feel free to email Hugo.

Congratulations to all!

- Hugo and the Deli Staff

Believe it or not, The Deli LA has a MySpace page. It's been pretty lonely over there, so log in to that dusty account and add us as your bestest friend ever.

By joining us, you'll get the chance to win CDs and tickets into shows, and, for our musician friends joining the ranks, other great prizes that, for now, we've got to keep hush-hush about!

And, more importantly, we promise we won't harass you with invitations to mob wars, sexy webcam feeds, or demands that you comment on our photos. That'd still be nice, though.

There's something eerily beautiful and classy about the MySpace profile photo of L.A.-based a cappella sextet Sonos. Strewn across a flat surface, black and white headshots of each group member produce an intimate and alluring sensibility.

Not coincidentally, it was this exact same mood that pervaded the group's intimate, yet scorching performance Monday night at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood. Absent was your typical cheesy a cappella ensemble—bald men in matching tuxedoes, et cetera. Rather it was a youthful, non-uniformed, attractive bunch—three men and three women, brimming with fiery fervor, major dynamics and sexual tension.

During the cover of Imogen Heap's "Come Here Boy," you could literally feel every male gaze in the room shift to brunette, bob-sporting siren Jessica Freedman, as she cooed angelically the chorus of "Come here boy" over and over with her honey-glazed soprano.

The ethereality of songs such as Bjork's "Joga" and Radiohead's "Everything in Its Right Place," was heightened as the sextet harmonized like a Gregorian chant choir, filling the entire venue sonically at crescendo and transforming it into a cathedral. Each layer of sound from their debut self-titled (due March 31) included loops, keys, and vocals, executed head-on, with ease and grace by the group. Together, they induced a Zen-like state.

Another highlight was beat boxer Ben McLain, a Josh Duhamel look-alike who acted dutifully as a human metronome for the rest of the band. He was hardly the image of a world-class beat boxer but was so spot-on in recreating the sounds of a drum machine—crisp snare and record scratching included—that you would've swore he was hiding one onstage somewhere.

The group's version of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" done in Massive Attack's trip-hop style drew an unexpected beat. The only drawbacks? At times the ensemble was so powerful at crescendo that the volume became ear-piercing. Also, on the cover of Lewis Taylor's "Beautiful," Katharine Anne Hoye's delicate vocal, which seemed like it was meant to be the lead, was instead drowned out by her five band mates.

The setting, however, couldn't possibly have been more impeccable for the show at the swanky, candle-lit and cavernous Hotel Cafe, which was packed with a well-groomed, KCRW, yuppie crowd. The intensity of the vocalists, also, was palpable throughout the evening—searing, young, and passionate. It will be interesting to see if the group's debut album, due March 31, can match such a thrilling live act. -Angela Lu

The alt-country sounds of Austin Hartley-Leonard are having a Wednesday residency at the Hotel Cafe for the month of February. Though Hartley-Leonard has a great ability for writing to the tune of big, sweeping Appalachia, he shines in the dying art of crafting intimacy, more notably heard on "On Top Of My Shoulders" (available on his MySpace page). Call your friends, grab a beer, and cozy up every Wednesday at 9PM this month at the Hotel Cafe to a fresh take on Americana. -Hugo Gomez

Afternoons embrace a new kind of geekiness fresh to the few that have become The Deli LA's Band of the Month. With a cast of seven, colors and textures are bound to form fun pop-rock gems that rival the more sophisticated (and sometimes less effective) arrangements of Arcade Fire and Architecture in Helsinki. Though not entirely clap-happy, Afternoons have a bohemian spirit that keeps the ear guessing and fist pumping in the occasional anthem. Consider it aural dark comedy owed to arrangements reminiscent of an old France, and the especially haunting backing vocals from Claire McKeown; order this rock with a side order of aria. -Hugo Gomez

Equipped with harmonious melodies and thought-provoking lyric, Raining Jane is an LA-based band that carefully crafts how the beauty of life is more than just skin deep. Being an all-female ensemble, "Jane" gives the listener intimate glimpses into the folk-rock genre that many other artists in the category fail to do: Mai Bloomfield and Chaska Potter deliver an often perspicuous and layered tone to their voices that listeners can actually feel a sense of honesty and openness in what they say. It's an opposition to many other folk-rock artists who often muffle their voices in order to emote a sense of passiveness.

What Raining Jane seem to develop in their EP "Paper Nest" is a sense of individuality not just amongst the band's genre but also for their own personal beliefs and understandings. This juxtaposition is featured in the uplifting song entitled "Incline"; the lyrics are an example of how this band goes against the grain of folk-rock's "woe is me" attitude and promotes giving relationships and life in general a second chance. Raining Jane perform tonight, February 2, at the Hotel Cafe. -Jon-Erik T.

After a month long tour to New York and back, local favorites Local Natives are finally back home with a residency at the Silverlake Lounge for the month of February. In addition to Matt Frazier on drums, guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist/everything-ist Kelcey Ayer contributes a wild and almost tribal blend of drum work with a tom and crash cymbal when he’s not fully engaged with some other instrument. It’s not uncommon to see him with one hand on the keyboard and another doing something with percussion. It’s surprising how so little can add so much; add inviting vocal harmonies (more than the Beach Boys would know what to do with) and you'll hear why Local Natives stand alone from other acts on the scene right now -- definitely worthwhile to see live. Besides… it’s free! -Alex Valles

If the sinus-congested balladry of Rufus Wainwright courted the cabaret theatrics of My Chemical Romance with the home-baked wholesomeness of Bob Dylan, the love child would surely be Delta Spirit. Such an eclectic assemblage of sounds in one band would seem to bode well as far as novelty goes. Unfortunately, that's not the case here with the band's debut album Ode to Sunshine. The anti-war anthem "People Turn Around" could've easily been this generation's "Blowin' in the Wind" if only it didn't feel so dated and nostalgic, even if Delta Spirit vocalist Matt Vasquez does sound ridiculously similar to Wainwright and MCR's Gerard Way at various times. Chugging and trotting rhythms dominate the album, and at times feel a bit too honky-tonk hokey for a listener in 2008. "Trashcan," with frenetic, piano chord riffage, sounds like the Peanuts theme song. While lyrics seem a bit cliche with straight-from-a-novel characters (like the poor girl who is raped and then turns into a destitute prostitute in "Streetwalker") the album is largely old school folk for people who love old school folk and don't mind sticking to what they already know and love. -Angela Lu

Being fashionably late at last Friday night's Chris Pierce show at the El Rey was majorly unhip; just before Pierce's stellar set (details in this Spring's print issue!), Elevaters made the satin indoor the most happening place, and all before 10 p.m. The hip-hop/rock sextet planted, among good vibes and an all-too-quick set, nods to live show vets The Time and Earth, Wind and Fire by melting tunes together and reminding us that it ain't going to stop until it actually stops. A live must-see. -Hugo Gomez

VoicesVoices, Deli LA's Band of the Month, is a drone-based percussive duo by locals Nico Turner and Jenean Farris. With a sound focused more on environment in return (or perhaps even in indictment) on the lube of melodic pop that virtually runs this town, VoicesVoices have created another dent in experimental music, creating highs in many a low frequency, all sans the sticky-icky. The twosome have a string of west coast shows for the entire spring season, and we're proud to show off one of the braver rock/ambient acts to hypnotize us in a long while. -Hugo Gomez

Dearest Deli Readers,

Our Year-End "Best of the Los Angeles Poll" is on! Off and rolling!

VOTE HERE!

We are soliciting the votes from the Los Angeles music community (musicians, enthusiasts, fans, and whoever else) to select the best emerging artists of 2008. In the past two weeks we have gathered 29 names of talented emerging LA based artists - 25 were nominated by our selected jury, 4 by our readers through an open poll. Now it's time to check out all these links on the right column (headphone icons) and select your favorite emerging LA artist of 2008. Voting is very easy, just go...

HERE!

You'll be able to vote only once. This poll is open until January 30 at 12 am!

Prizes - the glossy cover of the Deli!
The winner of the readers' poll will win the Artist of the Month space on top of our LA homepage. The winner of final poll (as voted by our jury, writers and readers) will grace the Cover of spring issue of The Deli LA and win a 3 month vertical banner ad rotating on the entire Deli website (all cities!) + some very cool prizes from our sponsors, including software plugins and free mastering time. Currently, the specific group of prizes includes:

1. One BFD 2.0 acoustic Drums Emulation plugin, worth $400
2. One of either T-racks 3 or IK Multimedia audio plugin, worth between $200-$499
3. 2 free mastered songs with West West Side Music
4. 2 full songs recorded and mixed at Mother West Studio
5. 2 free mastered songs with The Lodge Mastering
6. 2 free mastered songs with Atomic Studio

Plus anything else we manage to round up!

Soooo . . . let us know now: which is your favorite emerging Los Angeles band of 2008? VOTE VOTE VOTE!

P.S. The Poll's rules can be found here.

The Deli Staff

Yes, man, you got that right. The winner of The Deli LA Best of 2009 Poll will grace the cover of the Spring issue of The Deli - which will reach 260 college radios around the US and be distributed at CMJ 2009. This is something that we've done in our NYC mag twice already (The Big Sleep won in 07 and Yeasayer in 08, Vampire Weekens were 2nd).

Read the following blog entry for more details.

New York can say what they will about their music scene but it, nor anyone else’s scene is as diverse as the Los Angeles scene. Just cruise through The Deli and you will see a flavor to suit any need. That being said, the Afternoons have taken the L.A. score up one with their independent approach to writing and shelling out the goods. When I hear their music, especially the stand out tracks “Intervention Of Daniel Fields” or “Say Yes” I hear late 60’s/early 70’s musical theater. It is as though they have recreated Godspell or Hair for our generation. The 60’s feel is further felt with Claire McKeown’s Mama Cass (The Mamas and The Papas) like vocals, creating a eerie popish feel reminiscent of that era. “Intervention” does bring out the best of the band with its driving guitars as well as its uplifting and quite catchy choruses, almost inviting the audience to come up and sing with them. Even Steve Jones has taken a fondness to them by keeping “Say Yes” in rotation on his Jonesy’s Jukebox on 103.1. The early feel is further enhanced within the vocals on “Western Word” but the keys add a moody electronic feel under their cascading vocals and the driving dual drums fuel a back fire that is inescapable. The lead single, “Saturday Morning”, feels as if they added a song to the Beatles’ White Album on their own. The feel is electric while the feeling from listening to it is euphoric. The fuzzed out bass and harmonies produced by The Afternoons spell hit for this song and it will be. Go to the Spaceland for their two day set on January 9th and 10th and find out what everybody should know by now.-Jeffrey Easton

Tuesday nights at the Hotel Cafe all January are about to become about a billion times more awakening. Enter Coby Brown: the indie/folk singer/songwriter coated his latest release, "Stars and Curses", with warm organs, tender vocals, biting lyric and often somber but poignant guitar chops that evoke "Mind Games" Lennon to the lighter side of My Morning Jacket. And, oh my, does it all stem from the most potent of experiences. Brown wrote these gems while undergoing cancer treatment, testament to the true spirit of turning ailing ashes to artistic clovers. He writes in "Rise and Fall": "*You must admit that what is happening here / Should never have occurred at all*," but, luckily, this release did. Coby Brown plays the Hotel Cafe every Tuesday at 9PM for the month of January. 21+. - Hugo Gomez

Eligibility:

- Only Los Angeles based artists/bands who performed live in 2008 can compete. "Los Angeles based" means that a band needs to have at least one of their members living in the mentioned area.

- Only artists that can be considered "emerging" can compete. Artists signed to major labels can be voted for as long as they don't have a record released under that label yet. Artists that already had some sort of "big record sales break" before 2008 are generally not considered as "emerging." Artists who had a break in 2008 can be voted, as they are still considered "emerging." (have we said "emerging" enough at this point? If not, don't worry, you'll hear it again)

The process:

STAGE 1: Nominations!

Three of the Los Angeles artists competing for this year's "Best of" will be nominated by our readers, i.e. YOU. The poll for the readers' nominations will be open from December 16 until December 31. In the meantime, the aforementioned Jury will be asked to vote for their Nominees.

STAGE 2: Final votes!

In early January all the nominees will undergo a popular vote, which will last for about 2 weeks. After this, the number of votes from the readers will be added to the votes from the aforementioned Jury and a chart will be compiled.

Each Juror is being asked to vote for 3 artists - 3 points for first, 2 for second, and 1 for third.

The artist/band that gets the most votes from the readers' poll will get 3 points, then 2 for second place, and 1 for third place. Single readers' votes will also be counted as 0.001 points (which means that 1,000 readers votes equals 1 point, and, for example, 87 readers' votes equals 0.087 points).

Any questions? Because, yeah, this might seem confusing. It's actually easier than it sounds, but please leave a comment on this post with any questions.

Thanks, and may great local music triumph!

The Deli Staff

Los Angeles is the destination for many wide-eyed bands looking to make it big and most of the time they hail from places far and wide; and 180 degrees from the way L.A. usually runs itself. Idaho is just one of those places and none other than Olin & The Moon have departed from that Midwestern bastion of nothingness for the clubs and record labels of L.A. Now, what is Olin & The Moon anyway? Take parts of Drivin N Cryin, Matt King, the classic folk rock that your dad grew up on and throw them into the rural settings that they came from that inspire so well and you have that band as well as their newest opus, 40 Miles Of Bad Road. 40 Miles is a great record of pure grit and songs that have a longing feel, like with the tracks “Come And Go”, “Castle Rock” and “A Place To Hide”. David LaBrel, the very gifted singer and songwriter for this outfit, has the emotion to convey the lyrics in a most convincing way. He takes the listener on the journey with him and makes you feel a part of the story. The band is all heart in this excursion and is beyond their years in talent. They easily wrap the wonderings that is the music around the lyrics to make the story a reality. If you are intrigued you can become part of their revolution while they take up a residency every Monday during January at The Silverlake Lounge.-Jeffrey Easton

In an age where musicianship can be artificially created and perfected by a computer, it's easy to forget about the subtle charms and ambiances that great musicians can create and make you feel; you know, the essential heart of what makes you connect with a piece of music. In their new album, "Broken Bridge," Ragsy does just that. The album is a tumultuous venture into the passionate lives of the once upon a time married Kelly Barnes and Sutton Althisar, with the added help of Justin White on bass and Smitty's drums to fill in the cracks of Ragsy's musical story telling. Barne's raspy vocals guide the listener through her trials and tribulations of misguided love ventures as she starts off in "You and Them" with, "I've had too much to drink. Too much to walk. Should have taken the car to the bar but I need these streets so I can straighten out." accompanied with a wrenching back beat that pulses like the beat of the broken hearted. The album continues on to other great highlights like "Say" and "The Better Part" which exemplify the subtle dynamics that make Ragsy so interesting to experience. The album plays like a familiar road that any passionate lover has found themselves walking through, with a seasoned musical prowess that is hard to find an equivalent to. -Julianne Vazquez

Manimal Records Vinyl is bringing you one last great show to say goodbye to 2008. The lineup for their December residency at The Echo includes the lush electronic sounds of one of Brooklyn's finest, Rio En Medio; headed by Danielle Stech-Homsy, whose ethereal synth laden melodies are hauntingly mesmerizing and sparsely beautiful in manner of Stereolab, San Francisco's The Lickets' whose transcendental style of music encapsulates in sound everything that Thoureau tried to transcribe in Walden; and topping off the night are is the esoteric and folk ridden vocal stylings of Amanda Jo Williams. Not a bad way to start off your Monay.

The Movies, yet another in the long list of bands that L.A. can be in cahoots with, have unleashed a dark body of work. Based On A True Story, the name of the new disc and a wide open title if you listen to the lyrics, is the kind of record that catches your attention and does not let go. The curiosity here is that they have expertly blended early 80’s David Bo wie with The Killers and shot it out of their own cannon. Timothy James, their enigmatic singer, possesses some enthralling pipes and the showmanship to go with it. He brings himself forward in the music and takes the band with him in their mystical journey to the superstardom that awaits them. The songs take a new meaning to the word strange. “When I Was In Nam’ is an episode I did not expect to hear. Rare to have a band write about being in The Vietnam War or is that what it is about? Lyrics are always up for interpretation and I feel that may be the case here as well as “Monumental Life“. The Movies have throbbing keyboard driven pop with an edge of darkness via Timothy’s penetrating voice and they can be seen at their Spaceland residency this Monday. See you there!-Jeffrey Easton

Voices Voices sound like dreams. The LA-band's songs are surreal soundscapes that aren't too far removed from those of Explosions in the Sky. To differentiate themselves however, Voices Voices use echoing vocals to accompany the lush instrumentals to add a haunting uniqueness to their music. Their best example of this being 'Tape Noon' as it creeps along at a slow pace until the subdued vocals in the background accentuate the music ever so subtly. 'Apartide' continues where 'Tape Noon' leaves off, with its calming drum beat and sleepy guitar complementing the percussion. These songs are not in a hurry to end, and that makes their deliberate pace succeed. Unlike other artists in their genre, the songs of Voices Voices do not drone on for minutes on end; these are songs that offer 3-5 minutes of mostly instrumental sound effects, wistful guitar work, and a casual, relaxed pace that coalesce together to form nice, relaxing ambient music. Voices Voices is comprised of two women, Nico Turner and Janean Harris, but the sound these two create is much more hauntingly magnetic than any two normal girls could emanate. These lovely ladies have all the enchanting power of the Sirens, and you can't help but come running when you hear their melodious call. The band is playing a slew of shows the rest of December and onward. Check them out! -Adrian Garro

We are very proud to introduce to you lovely Los Angelinos the second issue of The Deli Magazine L.A.! You can find a free copy of it in any of the hipster haunts that we love to frequent about town: The Hotel Cafe, Ameoba Records, The Echo, Intelligentsia, just to name a few. We have great features on Rumspringa and Darker My Love and interviews with some of Los Angeles' greatest burgeoning artists like Rainbow Arabia, Holly Conlan, and Xu X u Fang, to name a few. So, go and pick one up. It's our Christmas present to you!

Happy Holidays, may your days be merry and bright and may all your Christmas's be rocking!!!

Not content with the lo-fi intimacy of their indie-rock contemporaries, Letters Vs. Numbers’ make music that’s clearly designed to fill stadiums. Massive walls of strings and eighties’ synths explode from mellow interludes of rhythmic breathing, electric organ, and flamenco guitar. Baritone vocals that channel The Killers are delivered over beds of saccharine strings and booty-shaking bass that give way to anthematic larger-than-life choruses (think Coldplay or U2). Like their stadium rocker influences, Letters Vs. Numbers know how to write exhilarating hooks that get stuck in your head and make it impossible to sit still. At the same time, a musical sophistication buried within the infectious pop makes Letters Vs. Numbers more than just another guilty pleasure. This is feel-good music that stands up to repeated headphone-listening sessions (which get better each time). The band begins the new year with a handful of shows in Greenland. For upcoming shows, check out the band’s myspace page.-Hannis Brown

What is in a name, like the one possessed by Nico Stai? Nico is an L.A. based musician and his new release, his 3rd in all, The Victory Of Miss Friday is his most decisive to date. The trappings of creating records has not affected Nico as it is apparent on his newest creation. The music is entrapping, grabbing your brain cells and lulling you into a beautiful stupor. Bob Dylan, you have company now , someone who can create a stunningly simple acoustic piece and reign in a legion of fans, but with consumer friendly smooth vocals. The music on The Victory Of Miss Friday has engaging rhythms like with in the track “Scream," which has ensnaring vocals of the pleasant and hypnotic gesture along with driving acoustic rhythms and above all, horns. Any artist that incorporates horns into their music is my hero. “The Skies Over Your Head” offers something different, a strumming bass line behind the acoustic guitar with Nico’s urging vocals lying overhead. Dead Pony was an advancement for Nico but this is the just deserts. Stunning acoustic movements with frantic moments here and there are Nico’s calling card. Go check them out and make Nico Stai your next musical love. Check him out tomorrow at Spaceland as he takes the stage alongside L.A. greats The Movies for their Monday night residency at Spaceland. -Jeffrey Easton

California isn't known for it's cloudy days, but on the rare occasions that the skies do get gloomy there is no greater comfort than a good lugubrious record to harmonize with the sad melody of the sky. With a touching vulnerability and a flare for beautiful simplicity Automatic Drawing captures the sounds of winter to underscore those contemplative wandering thoughts that haunt us during the winter. There sound is like a west coast version of Belle and Sebastian, with a little Death Cab for Cutie remanence coming from Drew Kirkpatrick's endearingly froggy vocals. Not to say that their music is derivative, in any sense of the word; Automatic Drawing adds a west coast sensibility to the sounds of the predecessors that influenced them beforehand. Their melange of minor melodic keys spiced with the hope of the California sun makes you remember that even amidst the gray gloom of a winter day everything will be okay and the sun will surely come out to play once again. Their new EP "The Captain and the Sea" is available now, and this humble writer suggests you do yourself a favor and experience the sonic beauty that this band has to offer yourself. -Chris Castanon

Bursting with pop music pomp, the latest nine-track endeavor by Secret Dakota Ring finds mainman (and OK Go guitarist) Andy Ross and friends dabbling in giddy '60s rock motifs complete with Burt Bacharach-like compositions and instrumentations, rich vocal harmonies, well-placed string arrangements, and delicate melodies. CANTARELL is a lighthearted affair that wouldn't sound out of place coming through the speakers of an upscale boutique's soundsystem, as cuts like "I Blew Myself Up Over You" and the cosmic "Sell Us A Spaceship" merge a whole lot of The Beatles, the quieter material of Smashing Pumpkins and Big Star to comprise a bevy of naturally sweet pop music treats easily digested and memorable long after the last organ note from the slightly melancholic shuffle of "Still Awake" is played. - Mike SOS

I went to church on Sunday. I stood up, and like a slap in the face from Jesus himself, got healed. Praise the Lord. Hell and damnation didn’t get a pass to this sold out Sunday night rocking revivalist show at the legendary Troubadour. Red Cortez, formerly The Weather Underground, put it all out there, sweating and oozing a post punk gospel like hot candle wax at the confessional. The ten song set built up to a frenetic crescendo like a church on fire. Harley Prechtel-Cortez gave a sermon of lost love and redemption and sang, sang, sang like he’d met the devil at those country crossroads, standing up to the hundreds of faces in the crowd with a total transparency of spirit that said “Follow me to the place where we pray.” Band mates, Calvin J. Love, Diego Guerrero, and Ryan Kirkpatrick, like alter boys heady with the weightiness of the rapture, brought a balanced subtlety to Prechtel-Cortez’ giant presence. Kirkpatrick’s swarthy bass lines generated a low rolling canvas for Guerrero’s utterly unique percussion (minimalist but with huge sound – when was the last time you saw a drummer use a tambourine as a drum stick? This man works the skins.) and Love’s gritty garage style (all near seven feet of him scream “I live in this Canadian tuxedo and I was born to rock!”). Highlights of the show were “Neal Cassady,” a brazen beatnik anthem, “Like a Son,” a tribute to a beloved, “Fight Song for the Desalojos,” a Spanish battle cry, and “End of an Error,” a total face melting finale that rattled free any last demons. An intelligent combination of blues, punk, 60s garage and folk, and a hint of shoe-gazer, Red Cortez brings a heritage of nuance that made me a believer. Get on the bandwagon. Check out Red Cortez at http://www.myspace.com/redcortezband. -Angel Baker

What to do this week? Hmmm. Living in the city of angels can be overwhelming with the wealth of things to experience. Well, if you find yourself asking yourself that question this week, look no further. Because the place to be this week is the Fashion Show hitting L.A. known as Bright Lights, Big City. A veritable feast of runway models, '80s fashion, punk attitude, and glorious music is going to all come together for the debut of the new Bright Lights, Big City fa shion/music show at the newly relocated Safari Sam's Downtown this Wednesday, December 10th, 2008. Highlighting the event will be local designers such as MISS WAX, KAVIAR & CIGARETTES, VEECE, BOTWEAR and many more. And three of the best musical acts in town. Saint Motel, with its brand of melodic sexual soothing, Par Avion Band with all its crooning pop glory about romantic antics, and Mossy Stone to seal the deal by reeling you into the mix with that mix of blues guitar and bossanova and Latin rhythms to make any jaded hipster hips gyrate. And to cap it all off, $3 drinks for the 21 and over crowd! Tickets are $5 before 10pm and $7 after. So head on over to the festival of lights that is down town and catch the latest trends in clothing and song. See you there!

Having a rep out of the gate is not a bad thing for a band and that is what Little Joy possesses. Little Joy is made up of three stellar musicians with variables of heritages and no limits to influences. Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes and Rodrigo Amarante of Los Hermanos along with L.A. musician Binki Shapiro are the heart and soul of this adventurous act that calls Echo Park their home. Upon the first listen to the three tracks encased on Myspace I was taken back to 1969 with the feel, texture and sound they possessed. “Brand New Start” is just the song to do that to your senses. Something that might take you to a Huntington Beach bungalow in the late 60‘s, sitting on the porch with a beer and watching the waves while chilling to this. Binki’s vox on “Don’t Watch Me Dancing” are of the singer-songwriter period, taking a Judy Collins crossed with Edie Brikell vibe to them mixed with her own aching approach. The production lends itself to this outing, creating a feel long lost in modern records, something that should be commended as well as the songs. They are released on the indie label Rough Trade and are playing the Troubadour this Sunday, and you'd be a fool to let them pass you by. -Jeffrey Easton

Night Horse lists the Allman Brothers, Thin Lizzy, and the Black Crowes as influences to their brand of dirty rock and roll; and when you listen to the L.A. based outfit nothing could make more sense. Night Horse's riffs employ a harder-tinged Southern-fried rock sound, almost like Sabbath-esque metal band The Sword, trading in sludgy metal for slick Southern hard rock. 'Wicked Love' comes complete with crowd shouts of 'Come On!' which combine with the song's gritty attitude to make the song the perfect soundtrack to a drunken bar brawl in some Texas saloon on a dusty afternoon. 'Shine On Me' sounds like a bombastic, tongue-in-cheek metal song made from the best balls-to-the-wall rock and roll pedigree. If I had to compare Night Horse to someone who hasn't heard of them, I would say they sound like an amalgamation of The Sword and Valient Thorr, with the Southern elements of Maylene & the Sons of Disaster thrown in for seasoning. The result is a rollicking, straightforward LA-based hard rock band, in the truest sense of the word 'rock'. Check 'em out.-Adrian Garro

Princeton, hailing from Eagle Rock, take the word different to another level. Never before now has a band fused so many of the great classic pop elements into a sound. Princeton sites a wide range of influences, amongst them John Cale, Sam Cooke and The Kinks; and you can hear the remanence of these master's of melody as the band puts there own spin on classic songwriting. Light airy pop greets you with “The Waves”, infusing cellos and congas along with rising vocal harmonies and a strong bed of guitars. “Ms. Bentwich” and “Leonard Wolf” sound as though The Beatles sat in with the Nitty Gritty Dirt band for a jam session. Popish vocals and a more down home musical melody abound through these two tracks taking the listener into another vibe. It is rare that a band can capture someone’s attention these days but a diverse act such as Princeton that can take off the wall melodies and yet keep the listeners attention deservers yours. -Jeffrey Easton

The Ancestors’ sound draws as much on 70s prog and hard rock as it does 90s grunge and metal. Equal parts Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd, and Metallica, the band moves between angst-y power chord scream sessions to sparse downtempo instrumental sections that slowly built to massive walls of distortion and synth (think Mogwai or Godspeed You! Black Emperor). Churning guitar distortion, blistering solos, and primal drumming make for a cavernous and cinematic larger than life sound that could be the soundtrack to a satanic ritual or a bad drug trip. The band’s debut, With Fire, was released in August. Comprised of two sprawling compositions (16 and 21 minutes) the album reflects the sounds of dark and dirgy 70s prog rock in all of its glory. As much soundscape as song, the music weaves around violent storms of sound with silence and ever-building textures so that each composition is a nightmarish self-contained journey. For info on upcoming gigs, check out the band’s website: www.ancestorsmusic.com.-Hannis Brown

Enter the world of Aerodrone! This electro indie pop outfit has jumped on the LA scene and has had the likes of Knitting Factory proclaiming its track Sceneboy as "destined for great things, at least the conquering of all iPods in the free world" while being sponsored by Washed Up Hollywood belts and a strong sense of irony. The band has amassed over 1 million plays, was featured on Myspace.com and MTVU.com before releasing its Sceneboy EP on Cordless /Warner Music Group, and have enough fans reenacting our song "Sceneboy" on YouTube to have a continuous Fan Video Of The Week feature.-openblogla@thedelimagazine.com

Hello Deli Readers!

If by any chance you happen to be staying in town for the holidays (let's face it, no one is actually from here) there is a veritable feast of audio glory to get you in the best of holiday spirits. Here are some great shows coming up this week; so bundle up, because it's damn near fifty degrees at night and support your local artists.

Tuesday, November 25th:

• Lemon Sun, Dazzler, and The Rosebuds (picture)@ The EchoPlex
  

Wednesday, November 26th:

• The Flying Tourbillon Orchestra @ The Echo
  

Thursday, November 27th:

• HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Just put on some classic records while you stuff yourself with turkey!
  

Friday, November 28th:

• Voxhaul Broadcast, The Union Line, and Local Natives @ The Hotel Cafe
  

Saturday, November 29th:

• Rose Rossi @ The Hotel Cafe
  

Till next week... Hope you enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

LA's Dazzler produces synthesized, highly-caffeinated dance rock anthems that aims to do just that, dazzle you. "Dancing on a Comet's Tail" has robotic vocal effects, echoing guitar riffs, and a funk-oriented bass line. It also has handclaps for some added sparkle. Still not sold? About halfway through, the song morphs into Sonic the Hedgehog-esque video game music that makes you want to drop some acid, while you run around the city living in your own virtual reality game. "Vision Quest" starts out with a robot voice talking about 'conscious thought', and sounds unearthed from 1987. The song pulsates ahead with more giddy beats and beeps and whistles, for a rollickingly rambunctious good time. The synth laden tracks get heavier when you get to "Thumbs Up," which has a singalong chorus, and EVEN MORE synth. It is sonic ear candy. Dazzler sonically sparkles like a present day Hellogoodbye, without the cheesy high school lyrics, but maintaining all the nuance of the vocal effects, and some added bounce. The singer even uses a keytar, which immediate demands attention in its own right. Check them out if you're so inclined, but be warned: don't listen to them if you've just downed some Mountain Dew and/or Pop Rocks because you might just explode. Check Dazzler out as they fill The EchoPlex with their brand of synth star shine this Tuesday at with Lemon Sun and The Rosebuds for Mr. Shovel's Check One Tuesdays.-Adrian Garro

Archways' first full-length album, "Lest We Forget" has all the musical intricacy of a Kevin Shields project mixed with an alluring pop Morrissey-like sensibility. The album plays pleasantly discordant, with it's heavy emphasis on thickly dark bass lines that open up the songs with a caliginous tone. Ray Argyle's softly sweet tenor adds a contrasting complexity to t he pulsating undertones of the music holding strong beneath Argyle's voice. A lonely voice calls out "All messed up after the party/ Not fall down drunk, but falling apart/ I should be happy " on one of the album's haunting highlights, "Jinx" that recalls the austere honesty of Elliot Smith with a darker foundation. Relatively new to the L.A. music scene, their first album is an impressively mature amalgamation of classic sounds and throbbing beats which foretells a rich exploration of musical landscapes for a band so young. With such an impressively haunting first album, the Archways prove themselves as one of the must-watch bands in the city of angels.-Chris Castanon