Here’s one which just stepped right out of the lot. Early October, Whittier’s The Littlest Viking released a second full-length, twelve tracks of a skilfully led exploration of structures, textures and rhythms, most of which are instrumental, made consumable by Ruben Cortez & Christopher Gregory’s ability to turn a math-y extravaganza into a well constructed, cohesive ensemble. Oh, yes; there’s only two of them. Meaning if that’s what you can do with effect pedals and a little elbow grease, what is everyone else up to? Another thing, their tracks have the best titles. Some are straightforward, like Give Me Motorhead and its speed-thirsty cavalcade. Some playfully misleading. Like Puppies Forever and its on-and-off shred-machine intro. Some plain improbable. Like Mary-Louise Parker Has AIDS..A Lot. And so forth. You can catch them tomorrow evening (11.15) for their residency at Hungtington Beach’s Shanghai’d Room, and then on December 7th at Kim’a Bar in Riverside.
