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For everyone that couldn't make it to ArthurFest,
fear not! We've assembled a list of up-and-coming acts and rarities to keep you in the know. Sample them and let us know what you think.
ONE
Remote | Bird's
Eye View | Los Angeles-based.
Per our earlier
review, this band calls upon a myriad of influences, with Radiohead being
the most apparent. Over the course of 10 tracks, brothers Tal and Ran Pink
deliver compelling vocals and philosophical lyrics. Standout
tracks include: How
Trees Become Money, Police
Myself and Late
Night Radio.
TWO
Inara George | All
Rise | Los Angeles-based.
After hearing the opening lines of the seductive and melancholy Mistress,
we were a fan. All Rise reminds us of a pared-down effort from Beth
Orton, though George's vocal strength and phrasing is arguably smoother.
This is the sort of "chill-out" CD you want to play after a long day at work. Standout
tracks include: Genius and No
Poem. On Fools
Work, George pleads, "Listen awhile, and I will sing to you / Tear apart
my body and you'll see / My heart is beating / And so I'm free." With lyrics
that are as sharp as her vocal chops, we're happy to listen for a while.
[ Read
our interview with George. ]
THREE
Benjamin Gibbard and Andrew Kenny | HOME EP
Fans of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service should hunt down this hard-to-find gem. The EP—which is more of a mini album, in our opinion—contains 8 tracks, split evenly between Gibbard and Kenny. LAist is a sucker for acoustic folkies. Thankfully, the duo delivered. Gibbard's stripped contributions are every bit as heartbreaking as Transatlanticism or Title and Registration, if not more. We especially dig the syrupy Carolina. Kenny's vulnerable Hometown Fantasy and Secrets of the Heart pulled us in as well. The HOME EP is proof that less is more.
FOUR
Colored Shadows | EP | Los Angeles-based.
Summoning the influences of Air, Bowie and Morrissey, Colored Shadows' debut EP is ambitious and a rewarding trip. Complicated and layered melodies are capped off with rich vocals from Lucas Field. Our favorite song on the EP is Rose Colour. Though many references can be drawn, the band is forging its own sound. Catch them before they're big.
FIVESilversun Pickups | Pikul EP | Los Angeles-based.
Lead singer Nikki Morningstar conjures growling vocals on the opening track Kissing Families, with a spirit that reminds us of early Hole. Things calm down on the gloomy, but engaging Booksmart Devil. Our favorite track is Creation Lake, which breaks from the art-rock, post-grunge sound, revealing heart in the midst of all the noise. Fans of Garbage, Hole and PJ Harvey will dig this offering.
FEEDBACK:
What are you listening to right now? Use the comment form below and let us know.
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Mr. Ashbaugh:
Your facts on the Silversun Pickups are laughably wrong. Nice try, though; it is a great EP.
Hey, feel free to drop me a line (via the staff page) and I'll update the post.
http://www.laist.com/staff.php#la_nick
Cheers.
Speaking of Death Cab, Plans is currently in heavy rotation for me along with Kanye West's Late Registration (there's some "not great" on there but the good is really good) and a renewed love of A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders.
Audioscrobbler says bjork, Common and Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf are also getting major spins.