December is list-making season. And for us music journalists, it is a time to look back on scores of albums, reflect upon the music and recapitulate our favorites. But this year, just like the last, we took this opportunity to flip that tradition upside down, asking the artists that influenced us what influenced them. The prompt was not limited to albums that came out in 2008. more ›

As the year enters week two, organizations are programming newer music, that which was composed in the last century. This weekend, the Los Angeles Philharmonic began their Concrete Frequency series to an excellent start wth Aaron Copland's "The City" played to film and Edgard Varèse's "Amériques." After the concert, hip-hop violinist duo Paul Dateh and inka one (we interviewed Paul him this summer) played in the lobby by the cafe while Breakestra funked up the BP Hall. more ›

Back in town after a nationwide tour, Let's Go Sailing (LGS) of Los Angeles performed at the Troubadour last Thursday to celebrate the debut LP, "The Chaos in Order." Singer/songwriter Shana Levy delivers a slate of multi-faceted music, some say it's a kind of bittersweet dream pop comparable to Yo La Tengo or Belle and Sebastian. It's been a busy 2007 for LGS, and with four songs featured on recent episodes of Grey's Anatomy, an... more ›