Michele Reverte

Last month, LAist caught up with the Lovell Sisters, an acoustic/Americana/bluegrass group comprised of three siblings who have amazing voices and musicianship to match. Although they're a young band, the sisters have already established themselves in virtuosity and songwriting--winning everything from the Prairie Home Companion Teen Talent Contest to the John Lennon Songwriting Competition. Over artichoke spinach dip and mint smoothies at Kitchen 24, the sisters opened up about touring, their new album, Time to Grow, and what they love about LA.

Although London-based multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Ed Harcourt is hard at work recording his next album, he'll be playing a special one-night-only US gig at Bordello Bar on Monday night. Ever since his Mercury Prize-nominated album debuted eight years ago, Harcourt's music has consistently balanced the dark with the light--rock and pop with instantly hummable depth. His most recent release, an EP called "Russian Roulette," covers the emotional and musical gamut.

In an age when music publications are folding left and right, FILTER magazine soldiers on with five full issues and five Good Music Guides per year. The content of the publication is driven by its tagline, "Good music will prevail," and recent features have included everything from a major interview and photo essay with Morrissey to a nine-page spread about the history of Slayer. LAist recently sat down with Editor-in-Chief Pat McGuire to chat about everything from Morrissey to the rapidly changing magazine market.

Two months ago, LAist interviewed Neil Schield, owner of Origami Vinyl in Echo Park, to learn about his passion for vinyl records and his decision to open a record store amidst a tough economy. In the weeks since, the store has flourished, and today marks a very special occasion. For one day only, Origami Vinyl has been transformed into "Sonic Youth's House of Shifting Plates and Ridiculous Juice" in celebration of the release of the band's new album, "The Eternal."

Although it may look like a convenience store from a distance, as you draw closer, it's obvious that 826LA's "Echo Park Time Travel Mart" is something special. After all, it's not every day you get to purchase items that appear to be from the distant past...as well as the future! Some of the products are so whimsical that first-time visitors often ask, "Is this actually for sale?" Items range from "Robot Milk" to "Barbarian Repellent," and once inside the store, you can't help but feel like you've stepped into a space-time way station.

In Los Angeles, being a Largo person is much like being a Mac person--those who experience it can't help but buy into its philosophy and talk about it to everyone they know. Under the watchful eye of Belfast-born owner Mark Flanagan, this music and comedy venue has evolved through the years, with each iteration nudging it closer to Flanagan's ideal. One year ago, Largo moved from its previous location on Fairfax to the Coronet Theatre on La Cienega. The historic theater, which features both a large and a small stage

Last year, LAist sat down with singer/songwriter/film composer Peter Salett, to discuss his solo albums and his scoring work on films such as "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Role Models." Salett's new project is a collaboration with celebrated jazz musician Larry Goldings, who has released 10 solo records and worked with everyone from Madeleine Peyroux to James Taylor. The Salett/Goldings partnership got a kick-start when they met up one day to "maybe write a song," and it quickly turned into a full record. Their upcoming "Carriage House Sessions" album is a collection of originals with a few American songbook selections sprinkled throughout the record. Tonight, Salett and Goldings will begin a weekly residency in Largo at the Coronet's Little Room. LAist caught up with Salett earlier today for a mini interview about this new collaboration.

As LAist has mentioned in the past, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Annual Open House is one of the best free events in town. This year, kids and adults alike enjoyed exhibits, demonstrations, 3-D Mars photos, dancing robots and more. Plus, it's not every day you get to ask a rocket scientist a question!

Singer/songwriter Asa was born to make music. From her birth and later years in Paris to her formative years in Nigeria, music has remained her constant companion. In an effort to grow as a musician, she secretly enrolled in music school, bought a guitar and carved out a distinct sound that's unmistakably Asa--a blend of reggae, folk, soul and jazz. She weaves many themes throughout the 10 tracks of her self-titled debut, and the way she communicates emotion is further heightened through her use of English and her mother tongue, Yoruba. LAist recently sat down with Asa at Caffe Etc. prior to one of her recent gigs at the Hotel Cafe. Over espresso, she opened up about the meaning of her name, the beauty of Nigeria and her thoughts on Los Angeles.

It's not often that an accomplished Grammy-winning musician waits two decades to release a solo album, but in the case of Sara Watkins, the timing has worked out perfectly. Watkins has been performing professionally since the age of eight, and in the years since, people the world over have fallen in love with her emotive voice and adept fiddle playing. In addition to the 18 years she spent in the band Nickel Creek with brother Sean Watkins and Chris Thile, LA residents may also know her work from one of the best shows in town--the Watkins Family Hour evenings at Largo at the Coronet. When Nickel Creek went on hiatus in 2007, Watkins crossed paths with John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin, who told her he wanted to be the one to produce her first solo record. The result of this effort is Watkins' self-titled solo debut, which combines original songs and instrumentals with inspired covers. Her voice absolutely shines throughout this disc, and her most brilliant moments are those when she is somehow able to convey a sense of hopeful melancholy. LAist spoke with Watkins last week to learn about the new album, where she likes to shop for clothes in LA, and her gig at Largo this Thursday night.