L.A.

Best of LA #35 Ceci Bastida

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We continue our "Best of LA Countdown", covering every day one of the artists that made our Year Ends Best of LA Poll list (a chart compiled by a jury comprised of local bloggers, music writers, promoters, record store personnel, DJs, and our writers and readers).

Adding some Latin flare to The Deli’s emerging artist poll, Ceci Bastida‘s rise in 2010 was not unexpected. Spending the 90’s fronting punk/ska band Tijuana NO, and more recently backing Julieta Venegas, Bastida has only recently gone solo. In 2009 she was named as part of SXSW’s Top 21 Performers at the festival and followed up her success there in early 2010 with the release of her first full length solo album, VEO LA MAREA ("I See the Tide"). The album pulls sounds from all of Bastida’s influences: from her Latin roots, to a taste of ska horns, with the pop sensibilities of her time with Venegas, and a dash of electronica for good measure.

You can check out the remix edition of her album Veo La Marea, released in November, on BandCamp.

-Angelo Lorenzo

Chicago

Rambos

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Garage rock is alive and well and is currently taking shape in a band called Rambos. This collective of musicians, including Julie Meckler on vocals, has released a two track digital sampler through bandcamp. The band plays a raw style of junk rock that is catchy and gritty. The band has big plans for 2011, and this first sample is a good sign of things to come.

NYC

Weekly Interview: Danny Ross records live album with 9 piece orchestra at Mercury on 02.26

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On Saturday, February 26, 11 p.m., Danny Ross and his nine-piece band and horn section will headline Mercury Lounge for a live album recording to be released this summer. Audience members will be asked to shoot footage on their phones and flipcams for the official music video. Featuring new songs, all the hits and grown men in panda costumes. Nancy Chow asked Danny a few questions, read the interview here.

NYC

Computer Magic play The Gutter and Mercury Lounge in the next week

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Computer Magic is one of those glorious bands that choose a title that sounds exactly like the music they put out. Walking the line between Emily Haines and Alexis Krauss, Danz, the brains behind Computer Magic, utilizes her baby girl voice and some 80’s inspired synths for a lovely dose of dreampop. When playing live she has the help of James Morley on guitar, Justin Coles on bass and Chris Egan on the drums, but on her EPs (which can be downloaded for free) she flies solo. Her latest, Spectronic, is a six-track space love affair, lo-fi in the right ways but still clean cut. Sometimes it sounds like she laid down a track with her Gameboy, but in a nice "the 1980’s future" kind of way. You know, digital watches and the beginnings of dial-up modems and all that. But she utilizes this seemingly dated approach in a pleasant, modern enough, and ultimately satisfying way. Computer Magic has 2 show scheduled in the next week: they’ll play the new W’burg venue The Gutter on 02.26 and Mercury on 03.03 – allison levin

NYC

Live Review: Asobi Seksu CD release at The Mercury Lounge

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Celebrating the release of their 4th studio album, Brooklyn’s own Asobi Seksu played to a packed house at The Mercury Lounge on February 17. The bodies pressed in tightly, hoping to experience singer Yuki Chikudate and guitarist James Hanna up close and personal. They were not disappointed as the band (filled out by impressively tom-tom fueled drummer Larry Gorman and taller-than-the-average bassist Billy Pavone) played an hour long set mixing brand new material, with classics from the older repertoire.
The set was, as expected, weighted more towards the new material off of “Fluorescence.” “Leave the Drummer Out There,” “My Baby,” “Trails” and “Pink Light” are all stand-out tracks from this latest release. However, the songs their fans have come to know and love (present company included) were delighted to brilliant renditions of classics like "In The Sky" from 2009’s "Hush" and “Thursday” from 2006’s “Citrus.” On these high-point sonic moments, guitarist James Hanna bathed the room with bursts of rapid fire strumming that encompassed and enveloped the audience. As for Yuki – Brooklyn’s answer to Liz Frazer – she is the ethereal angel we all have come to know and love. My only small gripe was that the lighting could have been better. Surprising since the Merc is usually known for better than average lights. Only when the strobes kicked in (and it was magical when they did) could you really see properly (if the near psychedelic experience of strobe sensation could ever be termed as “proper”). Asobi Seksu continue their tour across the US and Canada through February and March, with a significant stop at SXSW. – Dave Cromwell

Philadelphia

Creepoid See Red at Tritone Feb. 25

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The cover of Creepoid’s latest album Horse Heaven sure is alluring, isn’t it? It’s a good representation of their sound, the way it’s grown so clean and simple, yet easy to get lost in and ruminate. For those of us who like a little gruffness in our folk and a feminine touch in our grungy numbers, Creepoid might be the best bet. They’re somewhere between the airy ballads of Hope Sandoval and the smoldering guitar trails of Dinosaur Jr. They have a spooky side to them as well, like in “Grave Blanket” or the powerful “Spirit Birds”. Lux Perpetua dishes out ditties of a lighter-hearted nature, however, from jittery power-pop to graceful folk epics that capture the feeling of lying in a hammock on a spring morning. (Stay tuned also for Creepoid’s Church show where they’ll be opening for Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Twin Shadow!) Tritone, 1508 South St., 9pm, $5, 21+ – Joe Poteracki

Philadelphia

The Armchairs & Arrah and the Ferns at The Ox Feb. 25

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It’s getting close to that time of year again when indie acts hop into their vans, forego a little hygiene, and descend on the crowded Austin streets. Psych-pop outfit The Armchairs will be performing tonight at The Ox (or I guess you can kind of call it their home). It’s a bit of a bon voyage party for the loveable crew as they prepare to hit the road for a 20+ show tour which includes a stop down at SXSW. They’ll be joined by buds Arrah and the Ferns who will be sharing in the madcap adventures so there should be plenty of laughs, smiles, strange conversations, and feel good tunes. Come throw down and wish them well! The Ox, (you should already know or just ask a friend), 8pm, $5, All Ages (The Armchairs’ Photo by Tiffany Yoon) – Alexis V.
 
 
Philadelphia

Kuf Knotz Opens for Mutlu at WCL Feb. 25

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Kuf Knotz has been working hard to help build a place for creativity to flow in the music and art community with his monthly series BoomBox Collective at World Café Live. Well, he’ll be taking the big stage this evening to release some of that positive energy to get you rockin’ and swayin’ to his own soundtrack of hope. Kuf Knotz will be opening for his brother from another mother and blue-eyed soul man Mutlu who has been on tour a lot lately backing his brofriend Amos Lee. Tonight should be a reunion of old heads from the BurnDown crew and the singer-songwriter community so be prepared for some good vibes. World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 8pm, $21 – $31, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman
 
Philadelphia

Reminiscing w/When I Was 12 at JB’s Feb. 25

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The sugar-sweet indie pop troupe When I Was 12 is swinging by Johnny Brenda’s tonight. The charmingly chipper group creates nostalgic and catchy tunes that are the musical equivalent of a snicker doodle. Singer/songwriter Adrianne Gold writes witty narratives that reminisce on endearingly minute details of flourishing and crumbling relationships, like eating Ben and Jerry’s in the cold or wearing a cherished Hunter Green sweater. Their debut LP Dear Eskimo is intimate both in its largely acoustic sound accompanied by Gold’s coy, delicate vocals and in the bedroom-esque feeling of the recording. The totally twee foursome is preparing for the release of an eponymous new 7” on Drexel’s Bantic Media, which you can preorder here. Below is their candy-coated video for “Tree Trunk Of My Heart” which somehow makes winter actually look enjoyable. Don’t show up late cause they are opening! See you there! Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Adam G.
 

Portland

The Spirit of ’98

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An album of memory-soaked lo-fi that peels out of the speaker like a ray of sunshine, Dan Lurie‘s first solo release The Spirit of ’98 speaks a vast volume for being just 10 tracks. Based on his college life (which includes the staples of our own collegiate experience — "girls, and cheap beer, and cheaper vodka, meeting friends, losing friends, remembering some, forgetting others, and discovering who you are"), it’s been eleven years coming, amidst the fruit of his seemingly neverending musical cornucopia (Solyoni, The Thrifty, The Grapefruit League, etc.). Between a $25 guitar, a miniature grand piano, an 8-track cassette recorder and a handful of other toys, Lurie’s laid down 10 tunes that swing from nostalgic romps to sonnets singing the real thing. At times it reminds me of early/live Elliott Smith, at times Bradford Cox, at times it reminds me of nothing (in the most melodic way possible). Why he’s been hiding The Spirit of ’98 away since then is beyond me, but I’m glad it’s out. Thanks for bringing me back to college, Dan, and this time without the endless hangover. –Mike Harper

Download the album for free! (Cheaper than college, and better!)

 

 

Nashville

Flogging Molly @ War Memorial, 3/5/11

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Irish rowdies and Celtic punk fans, take heed. Flogging Molly is headed this way on their 7th Annual Green 17 tour, a countdown of show dates until Saint Patty’s Day. Rich instrumentation that includes mandolin, accordion, banjo and uilleann pipes and dynamic stage presence is what you’ll get March 5 at War Memorial Auditorium. Download the band’s single “Don’t Shut Em Down” from their upcoming album for free here. – Jessica Pace

Chicago

The Cool Kids “Bundle Up”

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Mtn Dew’s Green Label Sound is home to The Cool Kids, and they have been teasing about a debut album from the duo years. Yesterday, the label released a new single from the duo called "Bundle Up", and said they will be "releasing When Fish Ride Bicycles, the long-awaited full-length album from The Cool Kids, via iTunes this Spring". We will have to wait and see.