Recent Deli poll winners Anti-Job could very well be considered a three headed hydra of sorts – a trio of musicians whose stylistic musical sensibilities may be completely different, yet they seamlessly integrate together when they put their efforts to one specific sound. But it never sounds like a compromise. In fact, it augments an environment to explore and try new things in a supporting environment.

What caught my attention after having a chat with the trio, comprised of Amanda Jones, Martin Lopez-lu, and Lee Harcourt, at Lot One Café in Echo Park is how committed they are to one another, and how even the the most minimal achievement is a means for celebration. They’ve shown considerable growth on their latest EP, You’re Not Real, a cerebral, yet constantly playful effort that extends their streak of writing compositions in oft-kilter time signatures with a pop slant. It’s equally refined and rebellious, which finds them fleshing out their distinctive idiosyncrasies into an unpredictable mesh of jerky-jerky rhythms and quavering guitar arrangements carried by the honeyed vocal tone of singer Amanda Jones.

I was able to ask them a few questions that range from how their sound has evolved with a new drummer, the challenges that arise from home recording to working in a proper studio, and how their distinct personalities makes for a harmonious band relationship.

The Anti-Job started as a duo in New York. What caused the move to Los Angeles?

Amanda: Martin and I went to school together at Vassar College. Once I graduated in 2010 we decided to tour across the East Coast. We played many, many shows. After that I decided, “let’s keep making music”. Martin’s from LA, so I thought at the time it was the right move.

How was the process of adding a new drummer, and how did it help nurture your sound?

Lee: Well, I found a Craigslist post in which they were looking for someone who likes indie avant rock psychedelic punk…all these genres that I totally like. And I checked out and really digged their music. Then I e-mailed them and I didn’t hear from them for over a year. (laughs) So I thought that fell through.

Amanda: We needed a drummer to help us record Bloom, and in the end, ended up working with three drummers in the EP.

So I’m assuming they were all very talented, but talent doesn’t necessarily equate to efficiency. That’s why you went through the whole process of trying different drummers?

Matin: It’s one of those things where we had to try it. We had to find out how to record drums and figure out what we don’t ever want to do again.

An immediate impression i get from your latest EP is that the percussion sounds punchier, more vibrant.

Amanda: It definitely does. It’s more cohesive than Bloom. That EP was recorded with only one microphone, so we had to record the snare and the hi-hat, and then go back and record the cymbal tracks. We kinda paced it together and it sounded terrible at first. But doing it live with Lee definitely brings a new dynamic.

How did the recording go for You’re not Real?

Amanda: For the EP we rehearsed like crazy in LA. But we recorded it in Portland with Brandon Eggleston, who is amazing. He let us stay home with his family, and we would play for five days straight. We’d work for about 10-12 hours, and it was our first time properly recording in a studio.

That must’ve been a revealing experience. Traveling out of the city to record in a new place for the first time.

Amanda: It was our first time recording in a studio and we never had experienced flying to an unfamiliar area and seeing what happens. It was my first time in Portland and it was so damp. I would cry and everything, but everything turned out okay. Bloom was recorded in Martin’s house, and it was familiar. We had all this time, we can play on and on, and we can add things a week later if we had to. We had five songs in mind, and the aim was to bust it out. 5 songs in 5 days.

Martin: I think the pressure helped, or at least it helped me. When I listen to it back there’s a handful of things I don’t like, or that I would’ve liked to do differently. But that’s how it always pans out, even if you have all the time in the world to record.

Having Lee in the band, have you thought about expanding your sound?

There’s definitely that pursuit of trying new things. Lee helps a lot rhythmically. For example, there’s “9 to 5”, which is the one song with this section that goes really fast. It’s the only time when Lee is actually moving. I’d get so worried – when he started playing with us he’d look so bored, and we wasn’t moving at all.

Lee: I felt like I moved. But I’m not a showy drummer. I don’t do like to do these big jumps, or raise the cymbals really high. I was taught by a jazz percussionist, and everything’s meant to be very efficient. Don’t use more energy than you need to, so it’s not very rock n’ roll. But I’m not bored.

How do all these changes impact the evolution of the Anti-Job?

Amanda: It’s funny, because all of our backgrounds are so different. I started with Hendrix and psychedelic rock. And I love that washed out, surfy indie rock sound. Lee’s a metal head, who’s also into avant-garde jazz and all these amazing composers. And Martin really likes folk. It’s like our separate solo projects are completely different from our collective and it makes it kinda cool.

Martin: I’m always trying to put some twang.

Amanda: Yeah. And Martin taught me how to fingerpick, which I didn’t know how to do. And Lee has helped me a lot with rhythm, to work with an efficient drummer who know how to play all these different odd meters.

Martin: It’s not just that we bring different things to the band, but we also learn from each other.

 You’re Not Real is now available on their bandcamp page.

White Sea, the moniker for singer-songwriter Morgan Kibby, fuses electronic soundscapes with a trance-inducing mood that echoes closely to the triumphant sounds of new age. Though this may be first first effort as a solo artist, she’s a veteran working musician – some of her other projects include singing as front woman of The Romanovs and, just until recently, touring with accomplished French electronic band M83. The grand gestures of single "They Don’t Know" are closely linked to M83’s epic soundscapes, which gradually soars into a thrilling crescendo fit for an overhead shot of towering mountains and crystal clear waterfalls. The tastefully bare swimmers in the music video contort with graceful elegance, performing water acrobatics in sync with the song’s sweeping pure moods.

 

Back in February, we shared the video for “End of the World” from a brand new indie folk pop duo called Hunter Hunted. Since forming in January of this year, they have risen meteorically to the national stage. It’s no surprise, as their catchy pop melodies mixed with folk textures and electronically energized rhythms combine for a powerful anthemic aural experience. They have released their self-titled debut EP, and the first single, “Keep Together,” hits all the right marks. The duo’s signature tightly wound harmonies soar breezily atop plenty of hand clapping and a sing-along chorus that forces a smile to your face. Stream the track below and snag the EP on iTunes. Hunter Hunted are embarking on a west coast tour with The Mowgli’s and Blondfire starting November 30. They’ll be hitting Los Angeles on December 11 at The El Rey. – Jacqueline Caruso

Our favorite Avant-Pop Duo, Body Parts, are continuing to celebrate the release of their debut album, ‘Fire Dream,’ every Monday this month at The Satellite. This coming Monday, November 11, The Deli LA will be presenting their Residency. With performances by Mt. Ossa, J. Laser, and Leopold and His Fiction, it’s sure to be a dreamy disco-tinged dance party. Check out the new Body Parts video for “Desperation” below and be sure to check them out live this Monday, so you can dance along in person. – Jacqueline Caruso

Wouldn’t you say that most of what falls under the indie-rock tag can occasionally feel too serious, as if great art can only be accomplished by writing brooding poetry and exhaustive introspection? Sometimes, a great song can communicate a bevy of emotions by hitting the gut instead of the head. And Echo Park sextet Sanglorians achieve this by invoking high-energy melodies and sweetly muscular guitars that rush in like a skydiver plunging headfirst into a vertical dive. The incredibly infectious band decree big moments with ascending notes and blistering fret work, gushing with celebratory harmonies that vibrate with life. One may misconstrue these descriptions as silly or witless, but the plain truth about their debut effort, Initiation, is that its uptempo anthems are aesthetically unified and smartly arranged. This is power pop or the highest order with a bit of an orchestral slant, peppered with a bit of glam metal excess, as if Marshall Crenshaw and the Young Brothers collaborated together to reimagine an Electric Light Orchestra record. It surprisingly works, and its technical riffs and major-key dynamics are merely small elements that contribute to an all-encapsulating experience that is pulsating with life-affirming zeal. – Juan Rodríguez 

Jeff Thompson and Brandon Queen collaborate together as Strangeheart, making music that might show up on your combination Empire of the Sun/Daft Punk Pandora station. It’s slick pop production with a funk pulse that makes you wish Discos never died. While watching their latest video for “How to Feel Right,” at times I half expected the bass player to break out into “Get Lucky,” or the costumed characters to creep into frame together doing the “Thriller” dance moves. But it’s this familiarity to the layers of their music that makes it so easy to be charmed by. The moment in the song that had me hitting repeat is the last line of the chorus, when the intervals become hauntingly dissonant, and you realize these two are not playing copycat. They have real chops and an affinity for catchiness, a most powerful combination. As the video comes to its climax, the mask marauders seem to threaten Strangeheart’s funky dance party, but the duo prove their powers of pop are greater, and stop the bad guys from shutting down their good time. Strangeheart play their video release party tomorrow night, Nov. 7 at Fonogenic Studios. – Jacqueline Caruso

UK outfit Lovelife write bubbly melodies that are usually locked into a linear groove – their smash single "Dying to Start Again" is a perfect example of this, which employs a steel drum-sounding synth sample that accentuates its sharp chorus. Now established in our shores, the foursome are illustrating their rising status with a month-long risidency at the Bootleg Theater. But Lovelife aren’t settling on their singles just yet – they recently released an EP, Stateless, and they’re currently hard at work on their first full-length, which is set for release sometime in 2014.

One of the most epic, self-made stop motion videos I’ve seen to date comes from garage rockers, TS and The Past Haunts. Perfect for this Halloween day, there is nothing more simultaneously cute and creepy than a tiny wind-up heart wandering through the world of a Fraggle Rock diorama. The impressive attention to detail over the proclaimed 180 man hours paid off in this psychedelic cartoon world come to life. The stand-out guitar licks between lines in the chorus are a tasty icing atop this driving, energetic cake of a tune. Pace yourself as you’ll be tempted to binge watch this one. – Jacqueline Caruso

There have been a ton of great releases this month from local acts, but one we’ve been anticipating with tween glee is the debut from avant-pop innovators, Body Parts. The build up to ‘Fire Dream’ has been almost unbearable, as they slowly leaked single after impressively delightful single. This ingenious strategy has turned tracks like, “Unavoidable Things,” “Be A God,” and “Desperation,” into already familiar favorites. In the wake of their big release, they’ve also announced their November Residency at The Satellite. Starting November 4 and continuing every Monday night for the remainder of the month, they will be serving up their intricate synth-drenched pop tunes for your discerning palettes. Stay tuned for more details as The Deli LA will be presenting one of the nights. Stream the album below from Father/Daughter Records out now on vinyl, CD and on iTunes. – Jacqueline Caruso

We’ve given high praise to enchanting electro-pop act Steffaloo in the past, who most recently played our official CMJ showcase in NYC. After a pair of independent releases, Steph Thompson returns with a new full-length, Heart Beats, with the support of label Mush records. The album is now available to stream in its entirety on her bandcamp page. 

When Jack Gibson, the frontman and creative mind behind Tenlons Fort, handed me a blank CD-R inside a thin white paper sleeve with a hand drawn portrait on the cover as he readied himself to play solo at The Echo last week, I was slightly confounded. His response to my question of the meaning behind the cover design nearly took the life out of my limbs. The couple featured on the cover were drawn as a memorial. Cole and Lacey passed away this year. They were meant to be married this month, and it was decided by friends and family that their wedding go on as planned to celebrate their beautiful life and relationship. The album is dedicate to their lasting memory. 

With this backstory, I went into my first Tenlons Fort show not knowing what to expect. Donning a guitar and an electronic drum pad, Gibson, transported us to a higher place. We stood in awe, mesmerized by his vulnerability and sheer talent. There was magic in the air as his voice rang out in painful, exuberant cries. He stood alone on the stage creatively reinventing the songs on his latest self-titled release as a one man band. I have permanent chills.

The album itself feels like something you already have in your collection of invaluable classics. Gibson’s ability to effortlessly craft vulnerable, autobiographical stories is a master class in songwriting. The deep cuts flowing forth from the music are lifted to a place of hope. It tells the story of a beautiful mess, a necessary heartache and the rebuilding from the rubble – the courage to accept the brokenness of our fragile humanity and keep moving forward because of it, not in spite of it. His is a story of survival amidst pain, and loss deeper than you think a human can handle. It’s a beauty from the ashes redemption story, but there are no rose-colored glasses in sight. This is raw, honest emotion.

The album opens gently with “You’re A Child,” leading you by the hand into this brave world. As you enter, you encounter “Disaster Speaks.” On the surface, it is delicate folk pop, but there’s a heaviness undergirding the arrangement that gives it texture and depth. The band’s aptitude for weaving a classic, familiar sound into something innovative is what makes it impossible to pigeon-hole. Tracks 3 and 4, “What the Doctor Said,” and “Your Hand is A Song,” are lyrical stand-outs. Effortlessly heart-wrenching, they manage to take hold of your emotions no matter what state you are in. The deepest valley is reached at “German Film (Song for Shane), as the slowly drawn-out guitar trills signal the bursting forth of the storm clouds hovering above. A ray of sun peeks through a crack in the clouds as flower blossoms open to a new day on “Critters.” This song picks the pace up, but holds tight to the melancholy minor keys as it ups the ante on the pop side of things. It’s that moment of release you’re waiting for that truly ties the work as a whole together. But don’t expect sunshine and rainbows, as this uplifting tune leads right into the twisted, dissonant interlude, “As You Are,” that has an air of optimism that slowly descends into madness. It feels like a broken carnival ride that leads perfectly into Track 9’s creepy accordion outro. The album’s layout is off-putting at first, but it leaves you wanting to rush right back to the beginning and start the journey all over again. Gibson’s troubadour status is firmly established with this release. He becomes Dylan, Neil Young, Ben Gibbard, Matt Berninger, or even Justin Vernon, not only in tone, but as a master storyteller. Stream the entire album below from their bandcamp, and catch them live Nov. 1 at El Cid. – Jacqueline Caruso

Mystical duo Haunted Summer have been enchanting audiences each monday during this spook-filled month of October for their residency at The Echo. This coming Monday, to close out the whole shebang, The Deli LA will be presenting the night. Their residency is centered around the release of their EP, ‘Something in The Water.’ Playing songs off the EP as well as new tunes written during their recent honeymoon in Paris, John Seasons and Bridgette Eliza Moody, will be backed by a full band. Last week, they debuted the live version of a former B-side, “Ain’t One,” which is streaming below. It was a showstopper, featuring Moody’s light-as-air vocals soaring above the band’s signature psyched-out sound design experimentation. The line-up for the final week is stellar, featuring a Deli Mag favorite, Touché, who we reviewed earlier this year, alongside recent singees to Innovative Leisure whose music has mysteriously evaporated from the interweb, De Lux, as well as densely, spaced-out newcomers, Historian. It’s sure to be one of those epic, celebratory evenings made for re-telling. Head to The Echo’s site for more info and set times. – Jacqueline Caruso