Originally appeared on Grimy Goods. The Fader recently published an article asking, “Are Tame Impala the Last Great Rock Band?” If that writer had been at The Echo on Monday night, then they would have to agree that the answer is no- if that title belongs to anyone, it’s Jack Ladder and the Dreamlanders. The night began with United Ghosts, a loud local garage rock … Continue reading Jack Ladder Charms a Full Crowd at the Echo
Originally appeared on the Music Court. I’ve not heard a whole lot of folktronica recently, and I miss it. Freelance Whales introduced me to its hypnotizing combination of banjo and synth, and for that I will forever thank them. Of course, there are many iterations of the genre, give or take some instrumentation, depending on how far they wanted to lean on the spectrum of … Continue reading Isaac Vallentin perfects art-folktronica in debut album Hedera
Originally appeared on Grimy Goods. Words by me, photos by Danielle Gornbein. The Bootleg Theater is host to a special Wednesday night residency this month with featured artist White Sea. The shows are free and I was able to catch their penultimate performance last night. Supported by local friends The Bulls, White Sea lead singer Morgan Kibby showed us the limits of the human voice while … Continue reading Morgan Kibby sings her heart out as White Sea
Originally appeared on the Music Court. By my estimation, more music has been made about New York and LA than any other areas combined. Both places are enormous cultural melting pots, a huge draw for artists. But even given the vastness of these cities, the art that comes out of them all too often includes themes of loneliness and solitude. This dichotomy is so clear … Continue reading Avoid the highways, just take Sunset
Originally appeared on Grimy Goods. Words by me, photos by Danielle Gornbein. Earlier this year, Deerhunter was slated to play FYF. “We had to cancel because we had a lot of personal shit to deal with,” Bradford Cox told the crowd Friday night at The Regent. It seems the only thing that Cox has ever had to deal with had been unpleasant, and that’s an … Continue reading A Night with Bradford Cox
Originally appeared on the Music Court. As much as I love looking for the newest, craziest fad in music, I have an appreciation for tradition. The tradition to which I am referring is Americana, as it was basically invented in the Appalachian Mountains. (I learned that from a Belgian movie, I’m a terrible American.) There is something irresistible in the familiar chords, rhythms, and above all, … Continue reading Beginner’s Luck
Last Thursday, I visited the Palace Theater for a very rareand special occasion: Laura Marling was headlining, supported by good friendsMarika Hackman and Johnny Flynn. Their stop in LA was the last one with Flynn,so ultimately the last one with such a special lineup. It was magic. This was my first visit to the Palace Theater, and I wasglad to have assumed the building was … Continue reading Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn, Marika Hackman
Originally appeared on the Music Court. There is a very important reason why Freelance Whales is my favorite band: prolific banjo-manship. I do not know why, but I just love banjos in all their plucky glory. My earliest banjo memory is when I was a kid watching Steve Martin on SNL perform a silly tune called “Late For School” where he played that glorious instrument. … Continue reading Belongs in a Museum
Originally appeared on the Music Court June 6th, the Bootleg was host to a twee dream come true. It was a packed house and stacked lineup, with LA’s up-and-coming R & B producer Harriet Brown, and Bay area rising stars Waterstrider and Trails and Ways. Bruises were sustained during the show’s grand finale, though none of the band was injured; it’s never a dull moment … Continue reading Trails and Ways, Waterstrider, and Harriet Brown
Sawdust & Gin 