The Organ Grinder

Video: Best Coast - When I'm With You

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 16:18:00 +0000

This song has been around for a while now, but it still sounds fantastic, and I've yet to meet anyone that isn't won over by the Phil Spector-girl group meets the Ramones sound clash. In this new video clip directed by Pete Ohs, the So-Cal natives pay tribute to everyone's favorite burger joint, In N' Out, featuring a surprising cameo from Ronald McDonald...

New music from Fol Chen - In Ruins MP3.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:18:00 +0000

These guys can pull a light-hearted pop hook from the most desperate of settings. Despite the grim subject matter of a city reduced to rubble, In Ruins manages a positive outlook, looking forward through the "ash and acid rain" and going out dancing by "siren light" in a track that recalls mid 80's Prince, much like the poppier elements of last year's debut LP Part 1:John Shade, Your Fortune's Made.

The new album, titled Part II: The New December is out on Asthmatic Kitty on June 6 and features guest vocals from Karin Tatoyan and Simone White, as well as members of tourmates Liars, with whom the Highland Park collective are performing tomorrow night at the El Rey Theater (Sat) before continuing across the US and Europe in the weeks to come. Full tour dates are posted at the band's Myspace page.

FOL CHEN - In Ruins MP3

Local Natives live on KCRW

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 04:45:00 +0000

This is definitely worth 45 minutes of your time if you missed Local Natives' recent live session on Morning Becomes Eclectic. The Silverlake-based five-piece perform a string of tracks from debut album Gorilla Manor in the KCRW studios and chat a little in between with host Jason Bentley. Next up is a slot at Coachella at the end of the month followed by a full US tour in support of the new album, out now on Frenchkiss Records. Full tour dates are listed at the band's Myspace page.

New music from Random Patterns.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 01:33:00 +0000

It doesn't seem so long ago that I was writing about the release of Random Patterns' debut album, Creatures of Teeth. Now here they are back with a new record on the way, and I have to say that's no bad thing.

Listening to Psychic Luau, the Highland Park band's latest offering, I'm pleased to hear that the oddball humor and kitchen-sink mentality are still intact. Beginning with a group chant of "shake, shake, shake" this song rumbles along with a tom-tom driven calypso groove before veering off into a stomping psych-rock jam and back again. Check it out on the player below.

Also worth further investigation is a remix of the track by Learning Music - you can download that here. Watch this space for release details of the upcoming album, titled Rich Soil Pleasures.

Some weekend highlights..

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:51:00 +0000

Quick update on some weekend shows around town. To start with, British alt rockers Gomez play the first of two nights at the El Rey on Saturday (tonight is sold out, but there are still tickets available for Sunday's show) with support from the Little Ones.

Elsewhere, Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti plays the Labcabin on North La Brea, Mike Watt is at the Redwood Bar with the Missingmen and Otik Records presents Shirley Rolls, Worker Bee, Hexham Heads and George Glass at Spaceland.

Moving on to Sunday, and garage rockers the Black Apples (pictured) play Echo Curio with Electric Jellyfish, while acclaimed singer songwriter Mia Doi Todd is at Bootleg Theater and Animal Collective's Deakin plays Eagle Rock Center for the Arts (see post below). A little further afield, veteran Buffalo Springfield and CSN singer/guitarist Stephen Stills plays the Grove of Anaheim.

Second show added in Eagle Rock for Animal Collective's Deakin on Sunday.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:23:00 +0000

Animal Collective's Deakin (pictured) will now play two shows this Sunday at the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts.

The original show by the former member of the revered Baltimore experimentalists has been sold out for some time, but as reported by the LA Weekly last night, tickets are now available (for a short time at least) for a second show at 6pm. Also appearing at both gigs will be NYC's Drawlings and DJ Turquoise Wisdom. Tickets are available here.

Meanwhile, Animal Collective's Oddsac visual album/film will be screened at the Arclight Cineramadome in Hollywood on Monday (March 22).

R.I.P Alex Chilton

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:06:00 +0000

Acclaimed songwriter and cult icon Alex Chilton has died at the age of 59.

The former Box Tops and Big Star frontman was pronounced dead in the emergency room of a New Orleans hospital on Wednesday after he was admitted complaining of shortness of breath and chest pains.

Chilton had been scheduled to perform a reunion show with Big Star at SXSW this week.

The Memphis native enjoyed commercial success as a member of 60's pop-soul act the Box Tops before fronting the revered Big Star through the 1970s. His musical influence can be heard all over today's indie rock landscape, but most notably in bands such as Teenage Fanclub, the Posies and local artists the Parson Red Heads. The remaining band members are said to be continuing with the planned show in Austin in tribute to Chilton. The video below is from the early Box Top days, a live TV performance of the hit song the Letter that introduced Chilton to the world.

New music from Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:46:00 +0000

I've been listening to this one a lot over the past few days... It's the first offering from L.A-based artist Ariel Pink's forthcoming debut on 4AD Records and has a ridiculously hooky FM rock chorus that will most likely get stuck in your head for days...

Round and Round will be released as a limited run 7" and digital download on April 26. Ariel Pink's Haunted Grafitti plays the Labcabin in Hollywood (North La Brea) on March 20 at 10.30pm. (Picture by Geneva Garvin).

ARIEL PINK'S HAUNTED GRAFITTI - Round and Round MP3.

Recommended upcoming shows..

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:38:00 +0000

Saturday sees the legendary Wailers performing at Brixton South Bay, while a little closer to home (for me at least), Halloween Swim Team (pictured) play Echo Curio alongside Extra Life, Jesus Makes the Shotgun and Voice on Tape. Most buzz-worthy show of the night would be blog faves A Sunny Day in Glasgow at the Mint.

On Sunday, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club plays the last of three sold out shows at the Echoplex in promotion of new record Beat the Devil's Tattoo, while long-standing Russian alt-rockers Mumiy Troll play Spaceland with Sabretooth Tiger, Memory and Tremellow, while the highly-anticipated Broken Bells show at the Troubadour will sadly be overshadowed by the death of Sparklehorse frontman Mark Linkous. Also on Sunday, Sun Araw warm up for SXSW with a show at the Smell with Beaches, Love of Diagrams and Crystal Antlers.

While it's true that a large chunk of the local music industry populace migrates to Austin through the week, there is still plenty of entertainment left in town for those of us who are not playing, working, shmoozing or just hanging out watching bands at SXSW.. Monday sees Eastside residencies continue for Moonrats at Spaceland and the excellent Delta Mirror at the Echo, while She & Him play a sold out Largo in promotion of its new album Volume Two.

On Tuesday, Danish experimentalists Efterklang stop off on their latest US tour to play Spaceland with Sisu and 60 Watt Kid, while Learning Music plays Echo Curio with Reptet and Zoo. Wednesday is St Patrick's Day, and Ollin will provide some suitably Celtic sounds at the Echo while Les Blanks play Spaceland with the Blasting Company and Francisco the Man.

Classic Neu! albums reissued on vinyl box set.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:18:00 +0000

Pitchfork had this the other day...

It seems that the entire catalogue of Kraturock legends Neu! will be re-issued on a vinyl box set on May 10.

If you're not already acquainted with the influential German duo, then this is highly recommend listening. Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger formed the band in 1971 after both left Kraftwerk. Neu! released three albums over the space of about a decade, pioneering the minimal, motorik sound that has been copied and borrowed by dozens of artists, that means you Sonic Youth, Primal Scream, Radiohead etc..

Anyway, the box set includes all three albums - 1971's Neu!, Neu! 2 and Neu! '75 as well as the as-yet unreleased Neu! '86. Release date is May 10 on Gronland Records.

NEU! - Hallogallo MP3

The Frequency hit the Echo for a free show

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:23:00 +0000

It never does any harm to have the NME raving about your music, and for L.A psych rockers the Frequency, the recent blog attention is for once thoroughly deserved.

The online version of the one-time UK indie bible has featured three songs from the band's forthcoming album Absence of Giants in posts over the past couple of weeks, including all 17+ minutes of the track Ego is the Drug/3AM.

Whilst much of the band's material treads a similar sonic path to fellow L.A-based bands the Brian Jonestown Massacre and Sky Parade, the Frequency - aka Marc Cazorla, Alex Stiff and Mark Quinn - have a strong tendency toward lo-fi electronics that takes the sound away from the well-covered psych/stoner rock ground and closer to the realm of Scottish experimentalists the Beta Band. None of that is a bad thing. And let's face it, any 15-minute-plus song that can hold the attention of bloggers, journos or music fans these days has got to be worth a listen.

The Frequency plays a free show at the Echo on Monday March 22 alongside Last Man Standing and Horse Stories.

MP3 - THE FREQUENCY - Ego is the Drug/3AM.

Video: She & Him - In the Sun.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:06:00 +0000

M Ward and Zooey Deschanel go back to school in this new music clip for pop-tastic track In The Sun from She & Him's forthcoming CD, Volume Two, which is out via Merge Records on March 23. The duo play a sold-out show at Largo next Monday (March 15).

Lemon Sun put songwriting skills to the test

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:27:00 +0000

The guys in Lemon Sun know how to pen a catchy tune, that much can easily be gleaned from a cursory listen to the band's Run With The Faithless album. However, just how well Rob Kolar and co rate against other songsmiths is being put to the test by a fairly stellar cast of judges as part of the International Songwriting Competition (ISC).

No, I'd never heard of it either, but with a panel that includes such luminaries as Tom Waits, James Mercer and Black Francis, Lemon Sun should be pretty pleased that not one, but two of their tracks were selected as finalists from over 15,000 entries. Both the wonderfully titled Congratulate Our Thievery and live favorite Same Old Ground (a living room performance of which you can watch below), have been chosen for the competition. Fans can also get involved by voting online for the ISC People's Voice award.

Song contests aside, Lemon Sun is hard at work recording a new album, but the band will be stepping out of the confines of the studio for a mini tour at the end of April with Leopold & His Fiction. The brief West Coast jaunt passes through Los Angeles with a show at the Echo on April 29. As if all that's not enough, you can also download a great cover of the Cure's Jumping Someone Else's Train by clicking here.

MP3 - LEMON SUN - Touch the Lightning.

New music from Gonjasufi.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 19:20:00 +0000

Gonjasufi has been described by friend and collaborator Flying Lotus as "timeless incredible filth" and by his label, Warp Records, as "a mystical individual caught somewhere between the Mojave desert, the L.A streets and somewhere more cosmic."

Either way, Gonjasufi - aka Las Vegas based yoga teacher Sumach Valentine - has delivered a engaging, genre-mashing debut album, A Sufi and a Killer, that is near-impossible to pin down stylistically. Produced by L.A's Main Frame and Gaslamp Killer (with Flying Lotus also on hand), the record has a lo-fi, toasted sound that mixes hip-hop, acid-drenched electro, soul and psychedelic rock with a frazzled vocal style that recalls L.A stoner rappers New Kingdom or a sedated Roots Manuva. It's well worth a listen if you ask me. The track Everything Zen is streaming below.

A Sufi and a Killer comes out this Tuesday (March 9) on Warp Records. Gonjasufi will perform a DJ set at Echoplex on March 15 as part of a CD release party also featuring sets from Gaslamp Killer and Main Frame.

GONJASUFI - Everything Zen MP3

R.I.P Mark Linkous

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:15:00 +0000

Sad to read tonight of the untimely passing of Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous.

Rolling Stone reported earlier this evening that the singer-songwriter has committed suicide.

A statement from his family reads: "It is with great sadness that we share the news that our dear friend and family member Mark Linkous, took his own life today. We are thankful for his time with us and will hold him forever in our hearts. May his journey be peaceful, happy and free. There's a heaven and there's a star for you."

Aside from his output with Sparklehorse, Linkous was a frequent collaborator with artists such as Daniel Johnston, PJ Harvey, and most recently, with Danger Mouse and David Lynch on Dark Night of the Soul.

826L.A Chickens in Love benefit today

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:27:00 +0000

If you're looking to get out of the rain today, you would be well advised to head to the Echoplex for the 826LA Chickens in Love benefit show featuring a host of local artists.

826 is a non-profit organization set up by celebrated writer and McSweeney's head Dave Eggers dedicated to promoting writing among students aged 6-18. L.A is one of six cities in the US that has an 826 center.

Chickens in Love is a full-length album of original songs with lyrics written by 826LA students and recorded by L.A area artists such as She & Him, Cold War Kids, Dum Dum Girls, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros as well as the entire line up of today's mini music festival.

Running from 12 noon to 7pm, the all ages show features the Submarines, Summer Darling, the Happy Hollows, the Growlers and the Pity Party. Entry is $15.

THE HAPPY HOLLOWS - High Wire MP3

Stones re-issue 'Exile' with 10 unheard tracks.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 19:25:00 +0000

This via Rolling Stone magazine: 1971 classic Exile on Main Street will be reissued on May 18th by Universal Music Group with 10 previously unreleased tracks produced by Jimmy Miller, the Glimmer Twins and Don Was. This story was also featured in the LA Weekly West Coast Sound blog - along with this video of the Stones walking around downtown L.A . Enjoy..

Video: Robert Francis on French TV, Princeton on KCRW.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 07:59:00 +0000

So I'm slowly starting to get back into the swing of things here at the Organ Grinder. I've been neglecting this poor blog of late, but that's all going to change...

Anyway, without further ado, here are some new (-ish) videos for your viewing pleasure. First up is Echo Park's own Robert Francis, currently going down a storm on the continent it would appear. This is a performance of his single Junebug on a French TV show titled Taratata. According to his Myspace blog, the song is sitting at #4 on the French charts. Having said that, it also says he got into a fistfight in a McDonald's restaurant in Berlin a few hours ago, so who the hell knows what's going on over there..

Next up, this is a video from the good people at KCRW from a recent studio session with Eagle Rock-based indie popsters Princeton, who also just finished up a successful residency at Spaceland through the month of February. This video shows twin brothers Jesse and Matt Kivel with Ben Usen on keys performing the track 'Clamoring For Your Heart'. The band's debut full-length, Cocoon of Love, is out now on Kanine Records.

IAMSOUND Records hooks up with KCRW for L.A singles collection.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:49:00 +0000

Local indie label IAMSOUND has teamed up with KCRW and UK record store Pure Groove Records to produce a series of limited edition 7" singles featuring L.A bands.

Titled The LA Collection, the series will feature a mix of rising local artists including Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Fool's Gold, Local Natives, Rainbow Arabia, Moonrats and Pocahaunted. KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic host Jason Bentley will be spinning selected tracks all this week, while Moonrats' Good Night Blue is available as a free download on the station's Today's Top Tunes. If you check out KCRW's music blog, you can stream Edward Sharpe track Up From Below recorded live at the Regent Theater.

The 7" releases will be spread out from now until August. The first of the collection, featuring the stomping track Clay Stones by dance pop crazies We Are The World , is available now at your local music emporium (Origami, Vacation, Amoeba etc) or online at the IAMSOUND website.

Holloys launch new album with Amoeba instore this Thursday.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:10:00 +0000

Longtime Organ Grinder faves Holloys mark the release of a new album, No Where Now Here, with an instore at Amoeba Records in Hollywood this Thursday.

And if the single Eyes is anything to go by, the Echo Park-based collective will be picking up where last year's Art Wars left off - at the crossroads of afro-pop, post-punk, funk and tribal techno.

Released as a split 7" with Dengue Fever, Eyes is probably the closest Holloys have got on a studio recording to matching the infectious energy and visceral thrill of their live show. It's three and a half minutes of clattering drums, driving bass and psychedelic guitars, with frontman Jim Brown part singing and part chanting over the top in full shamanic mode.

You can download Eyes by clicking on the link below. Holloys are onstage at Amoeba at 7pm, and the new album will be available via Memory Bulldozer Records.

New video: Local Natives - Airplanes.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:22:00 +0000

While Silverlake's Local Natives made huge strides last year, touring extensively and inking a deal in the UK for the release of its debut album, 2010 looks set to be a bigger, breakthrough year for the band in the US.

Gorilla Manor, which was met with positive critical reviews on the other side of the pond, gets a US release on February 16 through Frenchkiss Records. This is a new video for the track Airplanes, which will be familiar to anyone who has been following the live progress of this band over the past year. Local Natives are currently on tour in Europe, but will return to California to perform at the Coachella festival in April.

Local Natives | MySpace Music Videos

Everest finish second album, play Grammy benefit in L.A

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:17:00 +0000

Everest, one of L.A's finest purveyors of classic Americana, have just put the finishing touches on the follow up to their excellent debut album Ghost Notes.

According to the band's website, Russell Pollard and co spent two weeks tracking at Prairie Sun Recordings in Cotati, CA, at the end of last year and are now done with "LP2". No word on a release date as yet, but stay tuned.

Meanwhile, Everest will join a star-studded line up for the Grammy Musician's Gala at the L.A Convention Center on Friday in honor of the band's label patriach Neil Young.

The band share the bill with no less than Wilco, CSN, John Mellencamp, Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Elvis Costello.....the list goes on....

In absence of any new material being posted, here is a sneak preview of the track Tall Buildings as filmed by Lenny Epstein in Kingston, ON, during the band's arena tour opening for Neil Young last year.

Beck, Charlotte Gainsbourg live on KCRW as station readies for Winter Pledge Drive.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:47:00 +0000

Tune into KCRW in about an hour's time (noon PST) today for an exclusive live set recorded by Beck and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

Meanwhile, the station has also just announced the line-up for its day-long showcase at SXSW in Austin on Wednesday, March 17. The KCRW daytime performances feature Oakland indie rockers Rogue Wave, buzz heavy Australian folksters the Middle East and critically acclaimed Ojai-based singer songwriter Lissie. The evening line-up needs little introduction, headed up by globe-trotting L.A collective Ozomatli. Also appearing will be Miike Snow, Fanfarlo, Choir of Young Believers, Soko and classic soul revivalists Fitz and the Tantrums.

Also, the essential L.A station launches its Winter Pledge Drive this week, from January 29 to February 8. KCRW relies heavily on donations from listeners and fans, so please pitch in and subscribe to help the station continue to bless the airwaves with such great music.

Some upcoming shows..

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:22:00 +0000

There's a great (and free) evening in store at the Echo tonight - Olin and the Moon (pictured), the Henry Clay People and Haim share the bill. There is also a solid line up at Spaceland with Summer Darling, Shiloe, Vanaprasta and By Sunlight. Elsewhere, the constantly-gigging Voxhaul Broadcast continue the good work with a show at the Bootleg Theater alongside the Union Line and We Barbarians.

I'm a very recent convert to Kissing Cousins, but I'd heartily recommend their show at Echo Curio on Wednesday night with Voyeurs and By Sunlight. Other notable shows are sometime Mazzy Star member Suki Ewers, who continues a January residency at Taix, and local-boys-done-good the Airborne Toxic Event at the Troubadour.

Onto Thursday, and it seems those wanting to get into the Hammer Museum to see Patti Smith perform will have to get in line. Tickets are to be made available on a first-come first-served basis, starting an hour before the 7pm showtime. The legendary singer Smith is performing to mark the publication of Harry Smith: the Avant Garde in the American Vernacular by her longtime friend and namesake. Elsewhere, Fishtank Ensemble are at Spaceland, while Abe Vigoda play the Smell downtown.

Live Footage in L.A this weekend.

davidmckay76@gmail.com (David McKay) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:10:00 +0000

I stumbled across this Brooklyn-based duo today when checking to see who was playing in town this weekend.

Live Footage (aka Topu Lyo and Mike Thies) mix five-string electric cello with live drums and assorted loops and samples to create some truly epic, atmospheric soundscapes. That and the fact that they list King Tubby and Squarepusher as influences on their myspace page was enough to snare me in. They play Echo Curio on Sunday night - I think it's worth a look...

Below is a video for the track 1976 III.