Reviews

05.14.2013

[LIVE] Vampire Weekend – Apogee’s Berkeley Street Studio for KCRW

Vampire Weekend are an institution. Or at least they feel that way to me. Looking at their name on my invitation to see them live at KCRW’s Apogee Berkeley Street Sessions brought back so many memories. The 2008 Los Angeles live show that left few concrete memories in it’s wake of dancing and fun. Two months later in Berlin they showed up to play ping pong at my all time favorite bar. (Ezra is pretty ace). There was the time a year … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on May 14, 2013.
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03.28.2013

[LP] C2C – TETRA (w/ “The Beat” + “Down The Road”)

goodbye baby, yes i’m going, have no place to go

  • Who: 4 DJs: 20 Syl, DJ Pfel, DJ Greem, DJ Atom
  • What: Indie scratch grooves, like folk, blues, hip-hop, & dance in a blender.
  • Where: Nantes, France + Facebook
  • When: Tetra is out now.
  • Why: Damn, I’m sorry. I’ve been loving this album so damn hard it’s made it hard for me to write about. How will I ever do it justice!? Well, you know what?

    • … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on March 28, 2013.
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03.22.2013

[LIVE] The Cold War Kids – “Miracle Mile” + KCRW Berkeley St. Sessions

The Cold War Kids haven’t given me much to write about since their awesome 3rd LP Mine Is Yours came out over 2 years ago. Thank goodness then for their new single “Miracle Mile,” a raucous piano-led ode their hometown of LA that gets stuck right in your head. Get acquainted above and then dive into the fantastic Berkeley St Session they did with KCRW that aired this morning. I was privileged enough to be there and it was a damn pleasure to watch … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on March 22, 2013.
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03.21.2013

[EP] Lorde – THE LOVE CLUB (w/ “Million Dollar Bills”)

and now i’m letting you know

New Zealand’s Lorde is not just another indie-pop-girl riding the trend (even though she is Grimes-approved). Even though she is just 16, I feel like something great is going on here. This post is weeks late because I couldn’t figure out which track I liked best. So dive into her waves of tiny swagger and get funky with the chopped beats of “Million Dollar Bills,” the slow burn of “Royals,” or the laid back … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on March 21, 2013.
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02.27.2013

[WIN] 2 tickets to The Ranch Party – SAT 3/2 Los Angeles [Goldroom, Kisses, Mansions on the Moon, Zak Waters, Mystery Skulls, & more!]

Anyone within a days drive of LA should be aware of the 1 day Ranch Party festival kicking off this Saturday. As if the eclectic lineup stacked with TBE faves (see below) isn’t enough, its set on a 20 acre ranch in the Santa Monica mountains. Just look at it! Anyway, you should all come out and join me on Saturday for a day and night of dancing, revelry, and probably a lot of comments on how beautiful the view … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on February 27, 2013.
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02.22.2013

[EP] American Royalty – PRISMATIC (w/ “Hungry”)

when i had my eye, staring at the sun, growing old and wise, but staying young and dumb

We’ve already been massaged by the jittery bongo & guitar shuffle of American Royalty’s mellowed out single “Honey & Queen” and now the LA group has dropped the Prismatic EP which has 4 more tracks of their psyched-out groove rock.”Hungry” follows EP-opener “Honey” and is the real party starter. Gutars shred over whiplash a rhythm section and it makes me want to … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on February 22, 2013.
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01.24.2013

[LP] Wild Cub – YOUTH (w/ “Thunder Clatter” + “Jonti”)

i see you hidden in the night

  • Who: Keegan DeWitt (TBE alum!) & Jeremy Bullock
  • What: Danceable indie rock, like Generationals, Kisses, Young Empires
  • Where: Nashville, TN + Facebook
  • When: Buy debut LP Youth now.
  • Why: First of all, I’m sorry. Sometimes I find an album that takes me by such surprise, that makes me so satisfied with it’s sounds, that I keep it to myself for far too long. I’m caught between the disbelief that it is

    • … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on January 24, 2013.
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01.16.2013

[LP] Peter and Kerry – LA TRIMOUILLE (w/ “Annie” + “Fifty In The $lot$”)

but all your sighing heavily and semi-silent mutterings are another guarantee that it’s too late to stop me

Peter & Kerry’s “Knees” is one of my favorite sad-sack breakup folk songs in recent years so it was a pleasant surprise to hear them pepping things up for the sonically fun yet still break-up-y “Split For The City.” The fun kept coming when months late I finally got my hands on their debut full length La Trimouille. The album takes the … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on January 16, 2013.
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01.10.2013

[EP] Set Sail – “Hey!”

lived our lives with adventures in our heads, we were the kids without a care

It’s been almost a year since Set Sail’s last EP so perfect timing for their Australian Summer. And perfect timing for me imagining I was in their Australian Summer. Title-track “Hey!” instantly hooked me with its fuzzed vocals and infectious guitar lines layers over jittery percussion and a chorus that demands you sing that hey! along with it. It’s got just the kind of fun I love … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on January 10, 2013.
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01.10.2013

[EP] Newtimers – EGO EP (w/ “Heavy Weather”)

we loved and we laughed, thought we would last

It’s been a year since we heard from Sweden’s sneaky sex-groove masters Newtimers so it’s about time we got some more magic. The Ego EP just dropped and if you and yours need some heat during these frosty times then throw these jams on the fire. It’s like Prince, only relevant. Like The Weeknd, only  less depressing. Like sex itself, only less complicated. Even breakup songs like “Heavy Weather” are bound to … continue reading

Written by: Brandon on January 10, 2013.
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