What started out as a solo project by guitarist/pianist/vocalist A. Wesley Chung named after his Russian neighbor, Boris Smile has morphed into a full-fledged band, putting out two full length albums since their debut, Chapter 1, back in 2007. Their third studio album, My Love Powered by 1000 Practice Amps, will be released April 16th, but they are giving us a taste of the 23 track album early with the song “The Battle of Miss Little.”

The song, as uplifting as it is a war-cry for the desperate, is a quick one at under two minutes but it still packs a punch. ""The Battle of Miss Little" was a song I wrote for a friend of mine whom I met while in the UK. It is ironic that her last name happened to be "Little" because it helps make the song more of a universal anthem for anyone who feels small in a world of giants. It was meant to give people some hope and encouragement,” says Chung.

It shall be interesting to see how it fits in with the rest of the enormous track count when the album comes out in less than one month.

Download "The Battle of Miss Little"

-Taylor Lampela

"With Friends Like You" was such a pretty, pleasant suprise. They’re called Francisco The Man, aptly taken from one of my favorite books, €˜One Hundred Years of Solitude€™. They made mention of being friends with The Fling, another great local band, and I can hear a lot of similarities in their sound. You can grab their EP over at their bandcamp, and what’€™s even better news is that it was mixed and mastered by TW Walsh (ex Pedro the Lion). I was just listening to his gorgeous cover of "Cheslea Hotel No. 2" the other day. They play that feel good kind of rock ‘n’ roll. The surfer aesthetic paired with 60’s AM makes it somewhat of a perfect jam for back porch BBQs. It’s€™ got a bit of a Tom Petty feel mixed with Neil Young. The track "€˜Television Father" is brilliant, with swaying rhythm, lo-fi vocals, and the line, "€œIt’€™s a good life, it’s a good good life"€.

***For listeners that like: Tom Petty, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

-via The Open Blog

 Here is some footage of the Lovett gang at SXSW as they took over the streets of Austin with a parade of musical awesomeness.

Here is another video from their live acoustic performance of "Heartattack" on the back porch of The Ghost Room. 

Lovett’s debut album Highway Collections is available now.

Last we reported on Fight From Above, we weren’t quite sure they were working on new material since the addition of their new guitarist. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that they were secretly toiling away on their upcoming EP, Hermano. They’ll be releasing the Hermano EP and the video for their first single "Tilting at Windmills", Saturday, April 9th at 3303 Sunset Blvd.

You can get a sneak peek at "Tilting at Windmills" via SoundCloud. LA bands always seem to incorporate the warmth of summer and this song is no exception. With its slightly surfy vibe (just needs a pinch more tremolo) and ray-gun lead guitar lines, and a bass break that distinct hints from 90’s alt rock — something the Breeders would be proud of — it sets the pace for a more matured three song offering.

-Angelo Lorenzo

 Our current artist of the month Haroula Rose‘s soothing melodies, charming appeal, and impressively swift fingers gracing the acoustic is a combination we couldn’t help but notice. Her musical influences include Leonard Cohen, Cat Stevens, Bob Dylan, Sufjan Stevens, and Elliot Smith to  name a few. Rose’s debut album, "These Open Roads" is a 12 track collection of tunes that are both uplifting and heavy on the heart, with some guest appearances from Drive By Trucker’s John Neff and Saddle Creek’s Andy Lemaster.  "A Place Under The Sun" is a beautiful song that seems to be made for a golden, saturated sunny Sunday drive down the coast, aiding in self-reflection and realization. The banjo, cello, and twinkling keys give it a weary but hopeful feel, depicting our everyday struggle to break free and escape. The jaded "Duluth" is a rendition of a Mason Jennings song, dark yet sweet. The passionate singer/songwriter bashfully said, “When people say that the songs are honest or that it makes them feel at peace or understood and comforted.  It makes me blush and it makes me feel lucky and like I’m on the right path.  I want to keep making more music.”

Haroula Rose will be playing at Origami Vinyl in Echo Park on April 1st, and Bootleg Theater on May 15th.

–Jenna Putnam

After tomorrow night, Hotel Utah will be walking funny. With the uptown funky style of Otis Heat, southern country swagger of Caldecott, and gritty unforgiving sounds of The Diamond Light, San Francisco is in for a treat. All bands play clean, well rounded rock music that will knock your boots off and clear all the whiskey bottles off of the bar shelves. Hotel Utah, built in 1908, has a history for bringing in bandits, goldseekers and charlatans…a perfect venue for some good ol’ Wednesday night fun and debauchery!

–Jenna Putnam 

Interlacing boy/girl vocals with upbeat 60’s psych pop style, Walking Sleep has a lot in store for us this season. Compared to Belle and Sebastian and The Zombies, the 6 piece has released the first of three EPs leading up to their April residency at The Satellite. To escape the monotony of recording in a studio, the "Tarp Sessions" EPs were recorded out in the open air of Los Angeles, under a self-made musical fort made out of tarps. "Tarp Sessions: Volume 1" is currently streaming and ready to download free of charge. Wether you’re in your room dancing around in your underwear, or out under the sun with a picnic blanket and a boombox, the fun, positive beats of Walking Sleep will put you in the springtime groove. 

Stay tuned for volumes 2 and 3 of "Tarp Sessions", leading up to their Monday night April residency at The Satellite. 

–Jenna Putnam

If my friend’s Facebook posts and videos were any indication, Voxhaul Broadcast made a splash at SXSW. So much so, in fact, that Huffington Post called them one of the top SXSW bands you haven’t heard of yet…well if you read the Deli, you have.

The band is back safe and sound in LA, and to coincide with the release of their album Timing is Everything, they’ll be performing in-store at Amoeba Music on Sunset Blvd at 7pm, tonight 3/22. To coax you out of your cozy warm homes, the band is giving a copy of their cd to everyone in attendance. And, hey, if you miss tonight then you can see them at the Troubadour on Sat, March 26th.

-Angelo Lorenzo

If you were ever a fan of The L word, you may remember seeing Leisha Hailey as the character Alice. We’ll shes back, Leisha that is, as one half of the electro-dance-pop-amazing duo Uh Huh Her along with fellow stellar musician Camila Grey.

Working on their forthcoming full length Nocturnes, the dreamy "Same High" was included on the soundtrack of the Oscar nominated movie, The Kids are Alright. And after hearing "Same High" flavored with 80’s dance and synth pop, it was no surprise to me that the duo enlisted Wendy Melvoin (Prince & the Revolution) for co-production duties. These ladies released The Black and Blue EP earlier this week to whet their fan’s appetites, in case you couldn’t wait for the full length. The band has made the title track "Black and Blue" a free download over on SoundCloud while "Never the Same" can be scored for free too via Nylon Magazine.

If scoring 1/3 of the EP makes you want to grab it, you have two options: the digital download through the band’s store or the physical copy that you can only get your paws on by seeing the band live on tour. Uh Huh Her will be playing 4/01 @ The El Ray in LA and 4/02 @ Velvet Jones in Santa Barbara.

-Angelo Lorenzo

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Soul-rock quartet Voxhaul Broadcast has been ruling the L.A. music scene for quite some time now. Their long-awaited debut album "Timing Is Everything" drops March 22nd, packed with a solid lineup of 13 tracks. The lazy guitars wailing in "Junkyard Dog" echo sounds similar to Led Zeppelin, while the track "Steal The Diamonds" is funky with R&B infused rock and a jazzy blues feel. Their live shows are dripping with sexy energy, so if you want to witness a talented rock group setting the stage on fire before they blow up, I suggest checking them out at SXSW: 

March 16 BuzzbandsLA Day Party (208 W 4th St) – 5:00pm Austin, TX 

March 17 Filter Cedar Street Courtyard (208 W4th St @ Lavaca) – 1:00pm Austin, TX

March 17 TGS party @ Rusty Spurs (405 E 7St @ Trinity) – 4:30pm Austin, TX 

March 19 Pure Volume House (504 Trinity St) – 6pm Austin, TX 

March 19 512 Rooftop (406 E 6th St @ Trinity) official showcase – 8pm Austin, TX

Voxhaul Broadcast will also be playing a FREE record release show at Amoeba on the 22nd. Until then you can listen to the full streaming album "Timing Is Everything" via bandcamp.

–Jenna Putnam 

Lovett plays clean-sounding, well-rounded rock music with a Southern twist. Composer, producer, and frontman Ben Lovett is renowned for writing award-winning scores for films like "The Signal" and "The Last Lullaby", but has been focusing on the band’s personal work as of late. "Highway Collection" is a dynamic compilation that is much different from Lovett’s former releases. "Eye of The Storm" is full of acoustic guitar, haunting violins, the weeping cello, and eerie falsettos, creating a dark atmosphere much like the music video itself. The video, full of impressive and out-of-this-world special effects, was Lovett’s first experience with acting in front of a blue screen. Directed by Chris Alender and shot by Craig Kief, the video tells a story of a lone skycaptain letting go of the things he loves and driving his ship straight into the eye of a destructive storm. The fast-paced and even danceable track "Heartattack" is full of trumpets, trumbones, tambourines and hand clapping, giving it a  1920’s swing feel with a rock ‘n’ roll edge. It’s safe to say that Lovett doesn’t lack diversity.

The highly anticipated album "Highway Collection" comes out today, just in time for SXSW, and should be nothing short of a modern-day masterpiece. Read out full interview with Ben Lovett HERE.

–Jenna Putnam