Author: Kristen

New Music Tuesday 9/27 featuring Tony Lucca, Mariah McManus, Jake Newton, Switchfoot, etc.

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Tony Lucca– Under The Influence

Tony Lucca has been one of my favorite singer-songwriters for many years now. I had no idea he had a new CD in the works until yesterday…I feel a bit shamed. Since Mr. Lucca has moved out of LA, I don’t see him play as often, so I’m not even sure I’ve heard any of these new songs! Obviously, I will be obtaining the CD as soon as possible. Tony Lucca is one third of the TFDI triad (Tony Lucca, Matt Duke, Jay Nash). He is taking a bit of a break from the TFDI tour, but will be back out on the road with the boys in October for the Pittsburgh show.  Don’t miss out on this tour. It is magical.

You can buy Tony’s new CD on Itunes or amazon 

Here’s Tony with TFDI singing one of my favorite songs of their album, When I Stop Running (incidentally one of my favorite albums of the year).

 

Mariah McManus– Nice to Meet You 

I first saw Mariah McManus when she was fronting the rock band Glare of Rockets.  I was blown away by her voice, especially at such a young age. I was very excited when I heard Mariah was embarking on a solo project and releasing new material.  I’ve been listening to her tracks off of her facebook page for weeks and I’m a bit obsessed.  Mariah is going to take the music world by storm using her unique and enchanting voice to win over anyone who listens. This is a must get album for me. Take a listen at the free stream from aol music. Download her first single “Say It Again” on her website. Come to her CD release party tonight (9/27) at The Hotel Cafe.

Buy Nice to Meet You on Itunes

 

 

Jake Newton– Kill The Past

Jake Newton is a singer-songwriter currently living in Los Angeles…mostly at The Hotel Cafe.  Jake is part of the next wave of  Hotel Cafe artists following in the footsteps of artists like Cary Brothers, Sara Bareilles, Greg Laswell, etc.  After what I would call a highly successful Pledge Music campaign, Jake Newton is finally ready to release his full length album, Kill The Past. I pledged to his campaign a while ago and have been keeping up with the whole process of this record so I am particularly excited to finally have it available. Come join me Friday night as Jake has his record release party at The Hotel Cafe. Also playing that evening is Keaton Simons so it will be a good one!

You can get the new CD on Amazon or Itunes.

 

 

Switchfoot– Vice Verses

Switchfoot has had an impact on my life ever since I got a hold of The Beautiful Letdown which I still believe is one of the greatest CDs in my collection. Then a couple of years ago, I was again impacted by a live performance of Switchfoot’s “Hello Hurricane”. I am looking forward to hear what new tunes this San Diego based group has put forth in their new album, Vice Verses. Then I would highly recommend checking them out on their co-headlining tour with Anberlin (another great live band). They are in LA October 11th at The Wiltern.

Get the album on Amazon or Itunes.

 

Other CDs I’ll be looking into today:

  • Will Hoge- Number Seven
  • Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa – Don’t Explain
  • LeAnn Rimes- Lady and Gentleman
  • Kasabian- Velociraptor
  • Carolina Liar- Wild Blessed Freedom
  • Hanni El Khatib- Will The Guns Come Out
  • VHS or Beta- Diamonds & Death
  • Nneka – Soul Is Heavy
  • New Order – Power, Corruption, & Lies
  • Duke Spirit- Bruiser
Happy New Music Day!!
~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 9/26-10/2

Posted on by Kristen

So, it has begun. The ten weeks of the fall quarter in which my time for musical outings is greatly reduced. The joys of being a teaching assistant. Anyway, need to keep this brief. I’ve got work to do. Let me know how great all the shows are…

What I’d love to do this week:

Monday: Big Black Delta at FREE The Satellite (11pm)…last night of the residency
ALSO: Red Circle Underground FREE at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: it’s a school night featuring Ben Folds at Bardot (10pm)

 

Tuesday: Beverly McClellan and Mariah McManus at The Hotel Cafe (7, 9)
ALSO: George Stanford at The Foundry (8pm)
ALSO: Brett Hite at The W Hotel (8pm)
ALSO: Queen Caveat at The Mint (9:45)
ALSO: Rival Sons at Fingerprints in Long Beach (7pm)
ALSO: J Scott Bergman at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Lisa Hannigan at The El Rey (10pm)
ALSO: Happy Hour with Ari Shrine at Saint Rocke (6pm)

 

Weds: Jens Lekman at the Masonic Lodge in The Hollywood Forever Cemetery (8pm)
ALSO: The Muddy Reds at Silverlake Lounge (11pm)
ALSO: Jamestown Revival at X Bar Patio Lounge The Century Plaza (8:30)
ALSO: Puddle of Mudd at The Viper Room (11:20)
ALSO: Joe Purdy at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: An Evening in the Round with Garrison Starr, Dawn Thomas, Adrianne, and Maia Sharp at Room 5 (9pm)

 

Thursday: Dead Sara at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Inverse, Purple Melon, and Love and a .38 at The Key Club (8pm)
ALSO: Terraplane Sun and Ry Cuming at The Hotel Cafe (8,9)
ALSO: Jimmy Eat World at The Wiltern (7pm)

 

Friday: Jake Newton and Keaton Simons at The Hotel Cafe (10,11)…Jake Newton’s Record Release show
ALSO: The Elizabeth Kill at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Hugh Laurie at The Mint (9pm)
ALSO: Juke Kartel at The Viper Room (11pm)
ALSO: Esperanza Spalding at The Orpheum Theatre (8pm)

 

Saturday: Kozmonaut, Queen Caveat, and Halos at The Viper Room (10,11,12)
ALSO: David and Devine at Molly Malone’s (9pm)
ALSO: Assemble the Skyline and Kyle Nicolaides at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Portugal, The Man at Avalon (7pm)

 

Sunday: Zero 1 at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO: Steve Poltz at The Satellite (10pm)

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
October 5-9th: Culture Collide Festival
October 8th: Michael Tolcher at The Hotel Cafe
October 9th: Michael Tolcher at Saint Rocke
October 10th: The Silent Comedy at Bardot
October 11th: Rival Sons and Evanescence at Hollywood Palladium
October 11th: Switchfoot and Anberlin at The Wiltern
October 14th: Butterfly Boucher at Bootleg Theater
October 17th: Youngblood Hawke and Imagine Dragons at The Satellite
October 18th: Portishead at The Shrine
October 19th: Melissa Ferrick and Harper Blynn at The Hotel Cafe
October 22nd: The War on Drugs at The Satellite
November 3rd: Twin Atlantic and Awolnation at The Music Box
November 4th: Mike Doughty at The El Rey
November 7th: Lights at The El Rey
November 8th: Thrice at The Mayan Theater
November 8th: First Aid Kit at The Troubadour
November 11th: Jack’s Mannequin and The Academ Is… at The El Rey
November 12th: Feist at The WIltern
November 13th: Milk Carton Kids at The El Rey
November 17th: Marketa Irglova at The Troubadour
November 19th: Milo Greene, The Belle Brigade, and The Civil Wars at The Wiltern
November 29th: Rachel Yamagata at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

~ Kristen

http://twitter.com/#!/_localmusicnat

 

Watch This! Videos from Pawnshop Roses, Lovers Drugs, Needtobreahte, Mutemath

Posted on by Kristen

Some days you just really need music to get you through. For me, today is one of those days. If you’re also having one of those days (or even if you’re not), here are some videos I’d recommend checking out!

 

Nothing cheers me up quite like listening to one of my very favorite bands. My love for Pawnshop Roses goes back quite a few years now and this song is quite simply one of the best songs ever created…especially for days like these.

 

 

I just saw Lovers Drugs last night and was reminded how much I enjoy this band. I’ve mentioned before the video project they did with their first EP. Here’s the most recent addition for the song “Velvet”. Chronologically it’s the first in the story.

 

Needtobreathe is one of the bands I’m listening to most right now. I’m slightly obsessed. Here’s a song from their new CD, The Reckoning.

 

This is just a cool video and I love Mutemath!

 

There…I feel better now…a bit…

 

~ Kristen

New Band Love: The Lumineers

Posted on by Kristen

At points, last night at the Hotel Cafe seemed akin to a raucous hoedown with all the enthusiastic clapping, group dancing, interactive sing-alongs, and people that just couldn’t stop smiling. The packed crowd seemed wholly transformed by what was going on around them. Even the usual chit chat in the back of the room was silenced.  The cause of such a scene was a band identified by the kick drum resting on the edge of the stage that read “The Lumineers.”

The Lumineers are a Denver-based folk rock band composed primarily of Wesley (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Jeremiah (drums), and Neyla (cello, piano, vocals, etc.). They are in the same vein as other LMN favorites like Aunt Martha, The Head and The Heart, and Mumford & Sons.  Prior to last night, I had not heard of The Lumineers save a friend’s mention on facebook, but that was enough to get me to go early to The Hotel Cafe and check them out. I got increasingly interested during the band’s set up as more and more instruments were piling onto the stage…mandolin, extra kick drum, cello, etc. etc. I was even more intrigued as the buzz of anticipation around me became palpable. So many excited fans itching to see one of their favorite bands perform. It’s not often I see this level of excitement anywhere in Los Angeles. I started to buzz as well.

The band began to play and about two songs into their somewhat lengthy set, as the musicians were hopping about the stage instrument-swapping, I completely understood what all the fuss was about.  I immersed myself into the sea of hand clapping/foot stomping revelry.  The Lumineers not only delivered on the tunes, both memorable and fun, but they also had the kind of lyrics that really stick with you, simple yet thought-provoking. Their messages ranged from the fun/ny (classy girls are not the ones you’ll be kissing in a bar) to the more serious (the opposite of love is indifference) and the music rang with such truth and sincerity, it would be difficult not to connect to it in some way.

My favorite moment of the set might have been when the entire band got off the stage and went into the audience, busker-style, to incite a massive sing-along for the song “Ho Hey.” Although, I was also quite moved by the song “Slow It Down” which is one of those tunes with lyrical depth that also has some movement, staring slow and then building up to a head nodding climax.

There was a moment of sadness in the set when we were told about the band’s recent misfortune of having some instruments and gear stolen out of their van. But aside from giving the audience extra incentive to buy some merch, the band wanted to make a point to express their joy and gratitude towards all the great people who were able to loan them equipment and instruments on such short notice (they were even able to play the night that the event happened). You could tell they were still a bit freshly scarred, but the spirits were not down and they played on with perhaps even more gusto. The band was even granted a rare and greatly deserved encore opportunity.

For more information on The Lumineers, please check out their webpage. You can get tour dates (they’re currently on a west coast tour, but will be hitting up the east coast in October), links to their social media sites, and information on their stolen instruments (spread the word!) as well as a place where you can leave a donation. This is such a great band, I really hope that they can fully recover from this incident and continue spreading the music love. They certainly have my heart.

Website: http://www.thelumineers.com/index.htm

 

 

~ Kristen

New Music Tuesday 9/20 Featuring Needtobreathe, Thrice, Will Dailey & The Rivals, Katie Herzig, etc.

Posted on by Kristen

I can’t believe it’s Tuesday already. I’m still happily feeding off of last week’s releases (especially that Matthew Perryman Jones) and now a whole new course of music is being dangled in front of me. Of course I will partake as I’m a bit of a glutton, but the richness is a bit overwhelming. If you’re hungry for some new tunes, many great options this week. Here are some of my top picks:

 

Needtobreathe– The Reckoning 

Needtobreathe is one of the bands I am most excited about at the moment. Their show at The Hotel Cafe will certainly go down as one of the best of the year. I pre-ordered this CD that night and was so happy at midnight last night when I could start listening! Love this band. Love this album. Love love love their live show. If you have the opportunity to get to one of the “secret shows” the band has been doing across the country, DO IT!

In the meantime, you can stream the new record here

 

 

 

Or just go ahead and buy it on amazon or itunes.

 

Thrice– Major/Minor 

Hard rockers Thrice, always manage to surprise me with each new CD release. I have really enjoyed following this band on their musical journey over the last 10 years or so and I look forward to discovering where recent years have taken them. I feel in love with the more bluesy tones of their last album, Beggars, but I’d be foolish to expect more of the same from a band who seems to change it up with every album. I’m not exactly sure what to expect from Major/Minor, but I am confident that it will be a great addition to the band’s varied catalog of music.

Stream it here. Buy it here or here.

 

 

 

Will Dailey & The Rivals – Will Dailey & The Rivals

Boston singer-songwriter, Will Dailey, caught my attention the first time I heard his song, “How Can I Make You Happy”. It was love at first listen. I have followed his career ever since and I was thrilled to discover he had a new album, Will Dailey and The Rivals, coming out today. You can download one of the new songs from his website and if you live in the Boston area, be sure to catch him tonight at Newbury Comics or the 24th at The House of Blues Foundation Room.

Amazon has the album here.

 

 

Katie Herzig– The Waking Sleep  

Another week, another Ten out of Tenn artist release! Katie Herzig is one of the first artists from this Nashville collective that I started listening to (she made my SXSW ’08 mix). Especially considering how much I’m loving the recent releases from Gabe Dixon and Matthew Perryman Jones, getting this one was really a no-brainer. Plus, I’m really looking forward to her show at The Hotel Cafe in October with Butterfly Boucher and I need to be prepared!

Download the new album on Amazon or Itunes.

 

 

Other releases I’m looking forward to giving a listen:

Happy Music Day!
~ Kristen

Kristen’s LA Concert Calendar: 9/19-9/25

Posted on by Kristen

This fall, High Voltage Magazine is coming back with print issues. The cover artist is Fitz & The Tantrums and inside there are interviews, playlists, reviews for new albums and more! I have the privilege of being involved with this project and I’m really excited about it. To raise some funds for the first issue, we have been running a Pledge Music Campaign with part of the proceeds going to The George Harrison Fund for UNICEF.

We have collected rare and unreleased tracks from artists such as The Silent Comedy, Taylor Locke and The Roughs, Billy Morrison, Hurricane Bells, and more. These songs form a High Voltage compilation album that can be obtained at our basic pledge value of $10. At other levels you can pledge to receive items such as a signed copy of our fall issue, tickets to a show of your choice at select venues, or the chance to be a writer for a day for www.iamhighvoltage.com.

To check out the project or to make a pledge, go here: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/highvoltage#project

 

For all the good shows going on this week, here’s my calendar:

 

Monday: Big Black Delta FREE at The Satellite (11pm)
ALSO: Beth Hart at The Echoplex (7pm)
ALSO: Jack and White FREE at Silverlake Lounge (9pm)
ALSO: Joan Osborne and Dar Williams at The El Rey (7pm)
ALSO: It’s a school night at Bardot featuring Races and Ivy (10pm)
ALSO: Abott Kinney at Molly Malone’s (8pm)
ALSO: Songwriters in the Round at Room 5 (9pm)
ALSO: Bon Iver at The Shrine Auditorium  (8pm)

 

Tuesday: Howie Day at The Hotel Cafe (9:30)
ALSO: Laura Marling at The Troubadour (8pm)
ALSO: Justin Hopkins at Cafe Boogaloo (6:30)
ALSO: Beachwood Rockers (various artists) FREE at The Piano Bar (8-??)

 

Weds: John and Brittany at The House of Blues Voodoo Lounge (8pm)…PHILLY BAND ALERT!
ALSO: OddUs and The Makepeace Brothers at The Mint (8pm)
ALSO: Watkins Family Hour featuring Joe Purdy and Jackson Browne at Largo at the Coronet (9pm)
ALSO: Johnny Moezzi at Three Clubs (9pm)
ALSO: Toy Bombs at Silverlake Lounge (10pm)
ALSO: Liam Gerner at Room 5 (10pm)

 

Thursday: Lovers Drugs, Queen Caveat, Andy Clockwise at The Roxy (8pm)
ALSO:  Red Circle Underground and Jonathan Tyler and The Northern Lights at The Viper Room (8, 10)
ALSO: The Lonely Forest at The Wiltern (7pm)
ALSO: The Janks at The Bootleg Theater (10:30)
ALSO: Joseph Arthur at The Troubadour (10pm)

 

Friday: Soul Puppet at Molly Malone’s (10pm)
ALSO: Inara George at The Bootleg Theater (10pm)
ALSO: Lee Dewyze at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: The Features at The Satellite (9pm)
ALSO: Bobby Long at McCabe’s (8pm)

 

Saturday: Lee Dewyze at The Hotel Cafe (8pm)
ALSO: William Elliot Whitmore at The Bootleg Theater (9:45)
ALSO: Fat City Reprise at The Foundation Room at the House of Blues Sunset (midnight)
ALSO: The Script at Hollywood Palladium (8pm)

 

Sunday: William Elliot Whitmore at The Bootleg Theater (8:45)
ALSO: TarFest FREE at The La Brea Tar Pits featuring Infantree (1pm), A House For Lions (2pm), Obi Best (3pm), Everest (4pm), and Saint Motel (5pm)

 

 

 

To Keep in Mind:
September 28th: Puddle of Mudd at The Viper Room
October 5-9th: Culture Collide Festival
October 8th: Michael Tolcher at The Hotel Cafe
October 9th: Michael Tolcher at Saint Rocke
October 11th: Rival Sons and Evanescence at Hollywood Palladium
October 14th: Butterfly Boucher at Bootleg Theater
October 17th: Youngblood Hawke and Imagine Dragons at The Satellite
October 19th: Melissa Ferrick at The Hotel Cafe
October 22nd: The War on Drugs at The Satellite
November 7th: Lights at The El Rey
November 8th: Thrice at The Mayan Theater
November 8th: First Aid Kit at The Troubadour
November 12th: Feist at The WIltern
November 17th: Marketa Irglova at The Troubadour
November 19th: Milo Greene, The Belle Brigade, and The Civil Wars at The Wiltern
November 29th: Rachel Yamagata at The Troubadour
March 13th-18th: SXSW (Austin, TX)

~ Kristen

http://twitter.com/#!/_localmusicnat

New Music Tuesday 9/13 featuring Ben Rector, Matthew Perryman Jones, Atomic Tom, Melissa Ferrick, etc.

Posted on by Kristen

A TON of new music released today that I’m curious about. But I certainly can’t buy them all so here are my top picks:

 

Ben Rector- Something Like This http://www.benrectormusic.com/

I’ve been talking a lot about Ben Rector lately…and with good reason! This singer-songwriter from Nashville writes songs that will both warm your heart and make you dance…I just can’t get them out of my head! His last CD, Into The Morning, makes frequent appearances on my music player and based on the new tunes I heard last month at Ben’s Hotel Cafe show, Something Like This will follow in its footsteps.

Buy it on amazon or itunes.

 

Matthew Perryman Jones – Until The Dawn Appears http://mpjmusic.com/

Another Ten Out of Tenn artist releases a CD! Until The Dawn Appears is actually a collection of the songs Matthew has played over the years that he still feels passionate about (he calls it a “retelling”). Personally, I can’t stop listening to this CD…especially the new version of “Save You”.  Matthew Perryman Jones has a hypnotizing voice that is both soothing and uplifting. With the addition of the piano and the strings, the beauty of this song is almost overwhelming. The rest of the record follows suit. A must have for you collection!

Get Until the Dawn Appears on Amazon or Itunes 

 


Atomic Tom – In Parallel  http://www.atomictom.com/

Atomic Tom blew me away at The Bootleg when I saw them at the beginning of the year. They have a new EP coming out today with a couple of new songs so adding it to my shopping cart is a no brainer. Sample the EP then if you haven’t already, be sure to get their full length album, The Moment.

“Red Light Warning Sign” is the band’s most recent single off The Moment but can also be found on the In Parallel EP.

Download the tunes on Amazon or Itunes 

 

 

Melissa Ferrick- Still Right Here http://www.melissaferrick.com/

So many CDs out today, I listened briefly to a song or two from each and Melissa Ferrick’s Still Right Here stuck out above the rest for me. I’ve always loved Melissa for her passion. It’s easy to connect to her songs and her spirit and I’m looking forward to getting to know all of these new tunes.

Here’s where you can buy the new CD on Itunes

 

Other CDs I’m sampling today:

New music! New music! YAY!
~ Kristen