While you were wasting away taking naps between shows on your tour, Tyler Parkford of Mini Mansions, whiled away the downtime collaborating with Alex Nicolaou to create his new side project, Mister Goodnite. The first video for what is quickly becoming my favorite song of the year, “You’re Too Cool,” is a demented trip to the beach. Parkford dons a suit as he spookily croons atop perfectly mixed samples, whilst Nicololaou lathers himself with an unnecessary amount of sun screen. This new project is based on a short story Parkford wrote about an LA based lounge singer in the ‘90s. He’s a man down on his luck, who eventually dies. That’s just where the story begins, though, as he then spends an eternity in purgatory singing without a backing band, using only the memory of other ghosts. An immensely creative and talented duo, Mister Goodnite is psych pop with a sense of humor. Be on the lookout for much more from them soon. – Jacqueline Caruso

Over here at the Deli’s imaginary headquarters we’re big fans of noise pop band Tennis System, who back in 2011 released the mini-LP "Teenagers", one of our favorite local releases of that year. They’ve been a bit quiet as of late (presumably working on a new full-length?), but to alleviate some of the wait time they’ve partnered with PaperCup music to release a live recording of one of their last appearances at The Echo, in which they performed as part of the Part Time Punks series that runs there every Sunday night. The five-song EP features a handful of new cuts, all of which truly capture the essence of their stark, yet glistening live performances. It will only be available at a limited run of 500 vinyl copies, and the first hundred will receive a translucent blue vinyl copy.

Squally indie rock band Strange Markings are certainly an anomaly in the local rock scene – they’re bringing back a musical tension that embraces the dynamics of hard rock without discarding its more subtle melodic sensibilities. So they’re on full-on swagger in their latest single "Lights Out", and all the better for it –  the song quickly ricochets with a crunchy riff that transforms its classic Bo Diddley beat into a solid backdrop of punchy percussion and barely-there synth strokes. The propulsive track is now accompanied with an inventive music video, which explores the world of virtual reality by following the journey of a man who seeks the pleasures of cyber-hedonism in the city of Tokyo. And no boarding passes were necessary to shoot it – director Calder Greenwood made made everything in the video out of home-based supplies like cardboard, construction paper and foam core, including the subway car and the model of the city. It comes off the release of their latest full-length, titled Coyote.

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