Ah, the cover song. They can breathe life into tired old tracks or expose them to whole new audiences. Browsing BandCamp late one night, I came across LA’s Phlying Saucer and their astute pop punk cover of Katy Perry’s "Firework". I know you may be thinking of the Fearless Records Punk Goes Pop collections, but I swear it’s more charming than that. And, besides, it’s free so what have you got to lose? Throw it on your iPod and feel a little less ashamed because you know every word.

The band’s next show is 3/20 at The Viper Room

-Angelo Lorenzo

If you’re into female power duos like Meg and Dia or Tegan and Sara, then make some room in your collection for Black Kettle. This partnership comprised of Keeley Bumford & Kailynn West has everything going for them, except the fact they aren’t sisters. Sweetly honest pop is their specialty and we don’t have to wait long for their EP, due this month. From the bits and slices I’ve heard, I’m on the edge of my seat for this one.

They’re be playing SXSW at the following:

Carousel Lounge SXSW
March 15, 2011, 6:00 pm
Austin, TX

Cherrywood Coffee House "Indie Radio Rocks the World" SXSW Showcase
March 16, 2011, 7:45 pm
Austin, TX

$2 Show SXSW Showcase Party!
March 17, 2011, 5:00 pm
Austin, TX

Berklee’s HRR 6th Annual Official SXSW Party
March 18, 2011, 1:00 pm
Austin, TX

SXSW Boston Family Dinner Showcase @ the AMOA
March 18, 2011, 6:45 pm
Austin, TX

-Angelo Lorenzo

Nothing soothes my musical soul better than a good dose of folk infused jazz. With smooth soulful vocals and blusey mellow guitar melodies, duo Suzanne Santo & Ben Jaffe of HoneyHoney put the two-step back into the dominating LA indie shuffle. Their cover of Smashing Pumpkins “1979” almost tops the original, taking a great alternative oldie and giving a fresh spin without losing their novelty.  “Come on Home” drenched in bluegrass roots with driving bass drum, cranked up guitar and rivating violin medleys by Santo. HoneyHoney are currently on tour with Xavier Rudd to expose and trot out their newly released album First Rodeo.

If you can’t find the time to become a groupie and join them on tour, you’re in luck, because HoneyHoney will be sharing an intimate anonymous evening of music and free-form love with you every Monday night at the Bootleg Theater through March (14th, 21st, 28th).

-Margarita Castellanos

Taking their live show projections of a awesomely twisted and spooky Siver Age cartoon, beatmaker Jesse Nolan and friends of Caught a Ghost have crafted their video for "Time Go". Influenced by Motown and contempory electronica, this track will get your fingers snapping and body grooving.

-Angelo Lorenzo

Los Angeles’ own AM will be joined by beatmaker from across the pond Shawn Lee at the Hotel Cafe tomorrow night, March 7th.

The collaboration between AM and Lee started when AM heard Lee’s Music and Rhythm album on local stations KJAZZ and KCRW and reached out to Lee online, becoming quick friends. The two decided to record together after AM played guitar on a few of Lee’s Ping Pong Orchestra shows (including KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic”) in the summer of 2010. Lee, armed with a four-track and other vintage tape machines in his London studio, started sending AM drum and percussion beats in December while AM wrote and recorded songs over the grooves, adding guitars, Casio synths, vocals and occasional bass. Lee sprinkled in bass, keys, guitars, glockenspiel and other assorted instruments to finish things off. The two commented on each other’s work in real time on Facebook for fans to follow-along. The LA to London co-production has resulted in a completely unique brand of electronic soul that promises to get people moving.

-Angelo Lorenzo

You’ve waited long enough — now you can get your hands dirty with it. The jam packed Twins compilation, including Santa Barbara native Kyle Nicolaides, was released this month on Merrifield Records. The album contains his dirty ditty of a single “Howl”, a jam that captures the essence of old time rock n’ roll at its raunchiest. Nicolaides vocals carry a blues swagger reminiscent of Jack White (The Raconteurs), Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin), and Matt Shultz (Cage the Elephant) over smoking guitar riffs.

You can stream the compilation and even download a few samle tracks including Nicolaides’ "Howl", on Merrified Record’s website.

-Margarita Castellanos

Perhaps I’m jaded or maybe my tastes have changed, but LA seems to breed fewer talented rock groups than in past years (I remember the excitement of circulating a bootleg of Saosin’s white album in highschool, or seeing A Static Lullaby locally.) J.M. Lopez’s solo project turned rock band, The Body Rampant, is restoring a bit more hope to my ears.With a style that can only be described as an updated version of the "Drive Thru" sound, conjuring the melodies of The Early November, Hidden In Plain View, the band hit the studio with producer Casey Bates (Gatsbys American Dream, Portugal. The Man, MxPx, Chiodos) for their EP, Transient Years, due early April.

Catch the band on DJ RossStar’s Punk Rock Show next Wednesday, or head over to the band’s MySpace to listen to two tracks from the EP.

-Angelo Lorenzo

 We continue our "Best of LA Countdown", covering each day another artist 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).

Recently featured as our "CD of The Month", The Black Apples are fully backed by The Deli. These Echo Park natives take the influence of gritty, New York City style rock and combine it with the psychedelic garage sounds of the West Coast. Far-out reverbs, skate thrash, and rock ‘n’ roll angst never gets old. Catch the guys playing at Bootleg Theater on March 23rd, and The Echoplex on April 22nd.

We continue our "Best of LA Countdown", covering each 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).

Alterna-folk group Infantree will be playing The Satellite (the recently renamed Spaceland), Wednesday the 2nd with A Hawk and a Hacksaw.

The band’s haunting layered melodies are its crowning glory and are apparent on tracks like "Workhorse" and "Oil Can". While taking a more reserved and melancholy route than their more upbeat genre-mates, they maintain a sense of humor: choosing to carry the trend of their album cover and dress up as roosters for their video “Mourning Glory”.

Being one of my favorite semi-recent discovery, I’m happy to announce that Infantree will be playing on Conan a few weeks from now on April 5.

-Angelo Lorenzo

For lovers of Elliott Smith, Sufjan Stevens, Cass McCombs, or Conor Oberst is L.A.’s hidden gem, Lost On Purpose. Sometimes it’s difficult to find a singer/songwriter that doesn’t come off as boring. Lost On Purpose is anything but, with Will VanderWyden’s words written about the dark ways of our inescapable society, to loves lost, to the ups and downs that come with the struggles of everyday life. All the fluttering acoustics, double-tracked vocals, and the screams of the violin evoke emotion from the deeper parts of the soul. The latest album, "A Knight at the Crossroads" is a personal record that VanderWyden describes as, “…not background music; it’s music for headphone walking in the city, music for car driving in the country, music for drinking alone.” Cheers to getting lost on purpose. 

–Jenna Putnam