Showing posts with label Los Angeles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Los Angeles. Show all posts

Monday, 18 November 2019

Nuvolascura


Nuvolascura are a four-piece hardcore/screamo band from Los Angeles, California that have been around since at least 2015 (though they began under the name Vril). Early this year they released their first LP under the new name. This record is a hard-hitting yet diverse entry into the screamo canon, featuring fantastic production (courtesy of Jack Shirley) and some of the strongest vocals I've heard in a while. The musicianship is absolutely mind-blowing, with insane feats of technical prowess throughout. Listen to the latter half of "Saccharine Trance", the instrumental is all over the place, yet the band makes it work to an intensively chaotic degree. Fans of bands such as Loma Prieta, Lord Snow, Beau Navire, and Mahria will fall head over heels for this. To add awesome to amazing, this record was put out by Zegema Beach Records and Dog Knights Productions, two of the best labels around that can seemingly do no wrong. Enjoy.

1. 100,000
2. Weeds, Waves
3. In Vines
4. Kaleidoscopes & Perception
5. Thoughts Divide Us
6. Disillusion/Unveil
7. Post Abstraction
8. Sun Gods

1. General Consensus
2. Sentimental Longing For The Past
3. Grawlixes
4. No Traditions
5. Dispirit
6. Sanpaku

1. Final Circle
2. Sacrosant
3. Vemödalen
4. Mirrorshield

1. Death As A Crown
2. ...On Account Of The Posion
3. Flower Offering
4. Saccharine Trance
5. It Comes In Plagues of Consciousness...
6. Vow Of Violence
7. Half Truth
8. Cerulean Wound
9. Zen Depression
10. The Slowest Color Seeping Through (Mask Of Myself)
11. Design For An Altar

Buy the 12" here:

Nuvolascura

Friday, 7 June 2019

Letters To Catalonia

Letters To Catalonia are a three-piece screamo band from Los Angeles, California that began in 2015. Sonically, they can be loosely compared to bands like Neil Perry or Loma Prieta, but with a more hardcore edge to them. Their output is fairly short, with only a demo and split fully released. In 2017, they release a three-track teaser titled fragmentary, which included songs meant for an LP due out in 2018. No word on when/if that will come to fruition, seeing as some members are currently active in the incredible and very busy SeeYouSpaceCowboy. For now their discography to date is super solid, and I can't believe it's taken me this long to get a post up on them, seeing as I'm fairly certain I've mentioned them multiple times already. Enjoy.

1. I
2. III
3. II

1. letters to catalonia - how'd u like it if i milked u?
2. letters to catalonia - decay
3. letters to catalonia - my lyfe is a pyramid scheme nd yr just a [s]quare
4. ilill - intro
5. ilill - hana
6. ilill - nanae

1. manufacturing optimism
2. insignificance
3. if i hear one more flip flop outta you dude... i'm gonna throw up in my mouth

Wednesday, 30 January 2019

Spanish Love Songs


I don't think a week has gone by where I haven't got a request for these guys, so I finally did myself a favour and checked them out. And god damn, I have been missing out. Spanish Love Songs are a five-piece punk/indie band from Los Angeles, California that began in 2014. They play a similar style of catchy but visceral punk rock in the vein of bands like The Menzingers and Captain, We're Sinking. The vocals shout and tremble every word like it's their last, the lead guitars keep things melodic while the rhythm section pumps out enough energy to fuel a city.

Their most recent LP, Schmaltz consists of banger after banger, with catchy choruses and lyrics that hit home. Each track is perfectly paced with enough dynamic change-ups to keep them interesting, and the opening and closing tracks are perfect bookends, with the final track "Aloha To No One" living up to its name as a barstool anthem. Thus far I've only listened to their debut LP, but am looking forward to their earlier material, and will think twice before glossing over heavily requested bands like this again. Enjoy.

1. Bad Day
2. Nervous People
3. Concrete
4. Dying
5. Mexico
6. Vermont
7. Friends
8. Remainder
9. Stranger
10. Bright Day

1. Sad Songs
2. For Ruby
3. Check Your Hair
4. Stranger (Acoustic)
5. Concrete (Demo)
6. Nervous People (Demo)
7. Vermont (Demo)
8. Bright Day (Demo)
9. Roosevelt (Demo)

1. Buffalo Buffalo
2. The Boy Considers His Haircut
3. Hot Faucet Cold Faucet

1. Nuevo
2. Sequels, Remakes, & Adaptations
3. Bellyache
4. Buffalo Buffalo
5. Otis/Carl
6. The Boy Considers His Haircut
7. El Nino Considers His Failuers
8. Joana, In Five Acts
9. Beer & NyQuil (Hold It Together)
10. It's Not Interesting
11. Aloha to No One

Wednesday, 12 September 2018

La Bella


La Bella are a four-piece screamo/hardcore band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2011. They've only two albums in that time, but both come pretty damn close to perfection. They play a style of screamo that incorporates jazzy, off-kilter rhythms, particularly in their interludes. La Bella makes excellent use of dynamics, utilizing the loud/soft interchange without having to go through massive build-ups. They still hit hard, but give their chords enough room to breathe, which allows the drums and bass to indulge in their jazz spasms and to create unique rhythms. The band takes influence from a lot of classic acts, such as The Kodan Armada and Off Minor, but have also crafted a sound truly their own thanks to their background in a multitude of other genres. Enjoy.

1. Brukman Factory
2. Non-Linear Architecture
3. Everything That Came After
4. Petrichor
5. Hotchkiss
6. Spontaneity In Am
7. Todo Para Todos

1. Germinal
2. Thrush
3. Silver Spool
4. Wellspring
5. Subaltern
6. Harbiner
7. New Hymns
8. Skein

Saturday, 18 August 2018

Ghost Spirit / Frail Hands SPLIT REVIEW



Super excited about this new split 12" featuring Ghost Spirit and Frail Hands, which is coming out August 24th. Both of these bands put out absolutely crushing debut albums last year (coincidentally both self-titled), and are returning with a fury on this new split. With Jack Shirley at the production helm, this record sounds absolutely fantastic, with both sides just tearing it up. It's a joint release by Twelve Gauge Records and Blue Swan Records, set for release next Friday. Below is just some of my rambling thoughts on it, but to keep it short, this split is a scorcher, and one that cannot be missed by any fan of modern screamo with a hardcore spirit. You can stream and pre-order it below.


The first side of the split is kicked off by LA's Ghost Spirit, a four-piece band featuring members of Lord Snow, Tower of Silence, Seeing Means More and Letters to Catalonia. With such an impeccable line-up, the music is bound to deliver, and deliver it does. Ghost Spirit take the first 6 tracks of this split, and they immediately kick in with "Sick Dreams", featuring nuanced, angular chords, pumping drum beats, and shrieked vocals. Stylistically, they come somewhere between the raw, emotional outpouring of The Spirit Versailles and the melodic chaos of a band like Raein. Even in the first track, Ghost Spirit establish themselves as a versatile act. The second track "The Guilt Of Your Affection" is a definite highlight, beginning with bright guitars and sung vocals before breaking down into this off-beat syncopation, which is jarring in the most intense of ways. They conclude by hammering down on some heavy chords with layered vocals, which closes out this 2 and half minute epic.

"A Hollow Peak" offers up one of the most impassioned vocal deliveries I've heard recently, while "Dark Winter" and "Skull" are excellent examples of subtle dynamic use. The closer, "In Parting" is another highlight, beginning with some melodic chords and singing that plays out like Sunny Day Real Estate as a screamo band. This is by far the longest track on this split (over 5 minutes), and it builds to a cavernous snare-roll median, with quiet arpeggios and spoken word atop it. As the vocals became more desperate and layered, the instrumental builds up to an incredible climax that warrants an Envy comparison (the highest of compliments, of course). Lyrically, this entire side is incredible and could be read as poetry, but this song in particular I wanted to shout out, since they hit pretty close to home. Ghost Spirit's side truly blew me away, with every track offering something slightly different, and their members displaying a true perfection of their art.

The second side is dominated by Halifax's Frail Hands, a fairly new band who broke incredible ground last year with their debut LP. They tear through songs all under the 2-minute mark, with a distinct sense melody buried underneath their chaos. Sonically, they're fairly reminiscent of bands like Loma Prieta and the incredibly underrated Mahria. Following their LP, I was excited to see where they would go next, and this split is a progression and testament to their already incredible sound. With 6 songs in under 9 minutes, they waste no time pulling their punches.  Even as the first track, "The Image Of You" begins at a quiet pace, I got a sense of immediate tension and adrenaline for what's about to come. The band falls into chaotic bliss, hammering out chords and drums with these strained, animalistic vocals seething beneath. Coming off the melodic (a word I use VERY loosely) first side, this is immediately darker and more aggressive, an excellent juxtaposition and a big reason this split works so well.

"Mortar And Pestle" is a flurry of relentless feedback, blast beats and cymbals, while "Collateral" presents a few more instrumental change-ups, giving the listener a second (in near-literal terms) to breathe before their chaos resumes. "Atonement" makes incredible use of a subtle tremolo effect at times (could just be a neck bend, but it sounds awesome). Totally irrelevant to this, but it made me imagine Loveless being covered by screamo bands, which is now something I want in my life. Anyway, the following two tracks are definite highlights on this split. "In Conclusion" packs a heavy emotional punch, with some amazing vocals and chord choices. Those flashes of melodic lead lines near the end are simply fantastic. The closer, "Every Volatile Thing" blasts in with this glorious-sounding tremolo pattern and snare roll. This track is crushing with its seamless blend of melody and dissonance, and the perfect outro for this entire split.

Overall, as you can probably tell by my wall-of-text rant, I love this split. These two bands are easily some of the best offerings in today's screamo scene, and though they don't sound quite a like, they compliment each other perfectly through these 12 tracks. I cannot recommend checking this out enough, and if you haven't, go back and check out their debuts from last year too. You can listen to the album below, and pre-order the record as well, which will be officially released on August 24. Enjoy.



Ghost Spirit

Frail Hands
Bandcamp
Facebook

Twelve Gauge Records
Website

Blue Swan Records
Website

Friday, 13 April 2018

SeeYouSpaceCowboy


SeeYouSpaceCowboy are a five-piece band from San Diego/Los Angeles, California that formed in 2016. Now, I know I say this about a lot of bands, but in this case it's particularly true: this is one fucking great band. Without a doubt they are one of the best bands around in their little niche of music, pushing the boundaries of extreme genres with their manic blend of screamo, metalcore, and grindcore. They carry all the heaviness and aggression one expect, but also an attitude that can only be described bizarrely but accurately as "sassy". They can be loosely compared to bands like Daughters and Fear Before The March of Flames, but they really do hold their own. Plus, their song titles are incredible.

SeeYouSpaceCowboy are 4 for 4 so far with a demo, EP, single, and a split, and show no signs of slowing down. It is an absolute atrocity that I have let this band go unposted for so long, because this one I truly recommend to anyone even remotely interested in the chaotic side of music on here. Plus they've worked with some fantastic labels, including the gift that keeps on giving, Zegema Beach Records. Enjoy.

1. Left Turn Right Away
2. Rejection Hotline Greatest Hits
3. Diss Tracks in Iambic Pentameter
4. Albert Camus Is My Life Coach

1. An Introduction For People Who Hate Introductions
2. Jimmy Buffett Doesn't Even Surf
3. Soap Opera Stardom Is A Single Tear Drop Away
4. Pep Talk From A Nihilist
5. Fashion Statements of the Socially Aware
6. Absolutely Absolute Absolution

1. Atrocities From A Story Book Perspective

1. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - I Am a Trans-Continental Railroad, Please Run a Train On Me
2. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - Stop Calling Us Screamo
3. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - You Don't Understand the Liquor is Calling the Shots Now Randy Bobandy
4. SeeYouSpaceCowboy - You Can't Get Goose Justice In A Fox Court, Just Spit On The Judge
5. Secondgradeknifefight - who what when where why did you take my bug collection (there's no trust in this household)
6. Secondgradeknifefight - don't tell me you like the police cause i'll break your kneecaps motherfucker (tonya harding shuffle)
7. Secondgradeknifefight - my heart is broken but i still need to get my jetta fixed asap (no time for tom foolery)
8. Secondgradeknifefight - glass vampires roam these darkened woods fellas (protek ya nek)
9. Secondgradeknifefight - the devil is real and he tried to eat my ass (goodbye uncle fuck)

1. 911 Call: "Help I've Overdosed On Philosophy!"
2. Self Help Specialist Ends Own Life
3. I Am a Trans-Continental Railroad, Please Run a Train On Me
4. Stop Calling Us Screamo
5. You Don't Understand the Liquor Is Calling the Shots Now Randy BoBandy
6. You Can't Get Goose Justice In Fox Court, Just Spit On the Judge
7. Atrocities from a Story Book Perspective
8. An Introduction for People Who Hate Introductions
9. Jimmy Buffett Doesn't Even Surf
10. Soap Opera Stardom Is a Single Is a Single Tear Drop Away
11. Pep Talk from a Nihilist
12. Fashion Statements of the Socially Aware
13. Absolutely Absolute Absolution

1. Armed With Their Teeth
2. With High Hopes And Clipped Wings
3. Disdain Coupled With A Wide Smile
4. A Space Marked "Escape"
5. Prolonging the Inevitable Forever
6. Late December
7. Have You Lost the Plot
8. Put on a Show, Don't Let Them See You Fall
9. No Words, No Compensating Lies
10. Dissertation of an Idle Voice
11. The Phoenix Must Reset

SeeYouSpaceCowboy

Zegema Beach Records

Wednesday, 25 January 2017

Ten Thousand Leagues


Ten Thousand Leagues are a four-piece screamo/hardcore band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2010. After a stellar demo and a solid split, their debut "full-length" (clocking in at 18 minutes) came out last year. As expected, it was one of the best screamo records of the past year. In terms of sound, they clearly take influence from the Bay Area hardcore scene, whether it be older bands like Portraits Of Past or modern legends Loma Prieta, this band's sound is fully formed and well-rounded. The play a very chaotic brand of screamo, with off-kilter rhythms, dissonant chords, and an aggression that often blurs the line into hardcore territory. What else can be said, Ten Thousand Leagues are as solid as they come. Enjoy.

1. Pieces of Mosaic
2. Blank Scripture
3. Timepiece
4. Forfeit This Routine
5. Early Morning Eyes

1. John Cota - Curtains
2. John Cota - Dissemble
3. John Cota - Our Vacation, Ruined
4. Ten Thousand Leagues - Burning Victim
5. Ten Thousand Leagues - Home Along The Tracks
6. Ten Thousand Leagues - Loose Ties

1. Robin Scherbatsky
2. Guillotine Pipe
3. Disassemble Monoliths
4. Bad Seed Complex
5. Right (Spitboy)

1. Bern
2. Courtney
3. Prat
4. Simon
5. I Hate You
6. Jennifer
7. Canada
8. Hyphen-Youth

Sunday, 9 October 2016

Franky Flowers

=
Franky Flowers are a three-piece indie rock band from Los Angeles, California that seemingly dropped out of nowhere with a fantastic EP back in 2014. These three dudes craft some insanely catchy pop tunes with some psychedelic & shoegaze sounds. They're kind of like a chilled out, entranced version of Modest Mouse, or something like that. Not sure if that's an accurate comparison, but for some reason that's what they always reminded me of. Besides their debut EP, they've put out two singles and are supposed to have a full-length out in 2016. Hopefully that's on the way soon, but for now, dig on this. Enjoy.

1. As You Are
2. Blue Eyes
3. Fell In Love
4. Mashed Potato Baby
5. Hollow
6. The Bay

1. Sneakers (Sneaky Thing)

1. Corpse

Wednesday, 3 February 2016

Graf Orlock


Graf Orlock are a four-piece hardcore/grindcore band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2003. Besides being one of the best hit-splitting bands around, the most defining characteristic about them are the movie samples at the beginning of all their songs. As a result of this, they sometimes jokingly get called "cinema-grind". As goofy as that sounds, they've got a few serious bones to pick with modern living. They've got an outlook that seeks to pull out the trash and filth in the dark alleys of supposedly sunny streets. They're a statement as much as they are a band,and a goddamn poignant one at that. Graf Orlock share members with Dangers and Ghostlimb, both amazing bands just as worth your time, so get on this if you haven't already. Enjoy.

1. Trailer
2. Hans Gruber
3. Farmer Maggot
4. Coppin Z's
5. Church Murder AKA Murder In A Church
6. Allo AKA Zombie Puking Corpses

1. Your Brother Was An Asshole
2. Brorg
3. Kali de Shok di de

1. Prove It
2. Piss Rug
3. Skynet
4. Cops Don't Like Me
5. Shit Happens
6. Todd And Jennel Are Dicks
7. Marmot
8. Corpserate Greed

1. Graf Orlock - Trailer/Hauser
2. Graf Orlock - A Measly Three Hundred Credits
3. Graf Orlock - Vilos Cohaagen
4. Graf Orlock - George/Quato
5. Graf Orlock - Melina
6. Graf Orlock - Richter
7. Graf Orlock - Dr. Edgemar
8. Greyskull - Vegan Death Squad
9. Greyskull - When You Use The Word Gay As A Pejorative You Sound Like A Big Fucking Idiot!
11. Greyskull - Wizbo 

Note: Missing two Greyskull songs

1. Tactical Destruction
2. 50 Year Storm
3. Not Economically Viable
4. Improvement Society
5. Dutch And The Demon
6. Prove It
7. Massacre! / Main Title
8. Captives Of The Thugee
9. Rotten Kid
10. Hauser
11. Personal Stuff
12. Panic At The Galleria
13. Border Crossing
14. Marmot
15. A Chat With The Pentagon
16. Untitled

1. Game Time
2. A Shocking Interrogation
3. A Misappropriation of Section R
4. Corpserate Greed
5. A Waste Of Ammo
6. I Think I'm Going To Love The Future
7. Todd and Janelle
8. The Dream Left Behind

1. Chapter III
2. Run Over By A Truck
3. Franky; Buying Dog Food
4. An Interest In Prosthetics
5. Not Our Problem
6. Days Of Future Adventure
7. Deluxe Mental Hospital Tour
8. Jamming In Traffic
9. Pre-retirement Nerves; "Cop Killers"
10. Talking Terrorism
11. Murder On The MTA
12. A Bad Day In Africa
13. Voice Of America's Sons

1. Wrecking Crew
2. Job Hunt
3. Arrested At Lunch
4. South Central
5. Watts 1993: A Week Before Graduation
6. New Years Eve 1999

1. Dead Man Talking
2. No Attachments
3. Couples Seeking Comfort/No Point
4. Quick On The Trigger

1. Trailer
2. Nursing A Hangover
3. A Decent Proposal In A Shitty Alley

Note: Teaser for upcoming album

1. Bad Cell Service on Connecticut Avenue
2. 600,000 Tons of Explosive Ordnance
3. Afternoon Lunch at the Red Bacchus
4. A Decent Proposal in a Shitty Alley
5. Regional Turf War Spills Blood on Vegas Strip
6. Nursing a Hangover
7. Our Infallible Cybernetic Future
8. Summer Getaway, Mount Hermon
9. Difficult Decisions in the Yutani Mess Hall
10. Cheaper, Safer, and Better than the Real Thing

1. Back In The Ground
2. Alternate Route To Mexico
3. A Man Named Suicide
4. He Jumped Off A Roof
5. Stars To Eggroom
6. Dominant Species
7. Five Stars General
8. Go Away (To Paradise)
9. Minimum Freedom
10. Extreme Measures
11. Rooftop Anarchy
12. Almost Human

Wednesday, 11 November 2015

FIDLAR


Note: All the links are down due to copyright issues, except for "Everything Else"

FIDLAR (an acronym for Fuck It Dog, Life's A Risk) are a four-piece punk band from Los Angeles, California that formed in 2009. They've made a name for themselves through loud guitars, cheap beer, cocaine, and a serious lack of fucks to give. Their mission statement seems to be a lack of one. Even after two full-lengths and a slew of other material, they're staying true to the Descendents' mantra "I don't want to grow up". Sonically, FIDLAR are more in the vein of bands such as Black Lips or Wavves, preferring to keep things loose and loud. It's dirty, grimy, Californian garage punk, there's not much else that needs to be said. FIDLAR are basically a celebration of late nights, bad decisions, shitty substances, nonstop parties and youthful cynicism. For a list of vices, they seem to be having a pretty good time with it. However, their most recent album deals more with getting over that, since their singer is now clean/sober, which makes for an nice change in subject matter and an interesting transition between the early and the new.

They've gotten a shit ton of requests lately, so this is for all of you. Everything Else isn't an actual compilation, it's just all the random songs, covers, etc. that I could find, and unfortunately don't have a whole lot of information on most of them. Regardless, there's plenty of stuff in there to enjoy, so please do.

1. Chinese Weed
2. Carnivore Girls
3. Cheap Beer

1. Wake Bake Skate
2. Oh
3. Wait For The Man
4. Max Can't Surf

1. No Waves
2. No Ass
3. Black Out Stour
4. Got No Money

1. West Coast
2. Carnivore Girls
3. Shrooms
4. Crackhead Ted

1. Awkward

1. Cheap Beer
2. Stoked And Broke
3. White On White
4. No Waves
5. Whore
6. Max Can't Surf
7. Blackout Stout
8. Wake Bake Skate
9. Gimme Something
10. 5 To 9
11. LDA
12. Paycheck
13. Waiting For The Ma
14. Cocaine

1. 40oz. On Repeat
2. Punks
3. West Coast
4. Why Generation
5. Sober
6. Leave Me Alone
7. Drone
8. Overdose
9. Hey Johnny
10. Stupid Decisions
11. Bad Medicine
12. Bad Habits

AA
Alcoholic
Aluminum (DIY Session)
American Steel
At The ChaCha
AWWWKWAARRDDD (ft. Kate Na$h)
BLEW XMAS
Bloody Nose (Earlimart)
Bummed (just a weird gimme something)
BUSCHWICK KIDS FUCK YEAH!
Carmelita (not whole)
Carmelita(full shit version)
cocain the awesome version
Cocaine
Common People (Pulp cover)
Crackhead Teed
Cry Cry Cry mix 1
Dammit (blink-182 cover)
DEAD FLOWERS (ROLLLLING STONESD) LIVE
DEVIL IN DISGUYZZZZ (PREZL3Y)
Don't Die
Drunk
Fuck It Dog Life's A Risk (Single)
grlfrnds
Help Me Scrape The Mucus Off My Brain (Ween)
I JUST WANNA DIE 
I'm Going Nowhere
idgaf
If It Makes You Happy ft. Sheryl Kro
jet punk jet bitch
Lodi
LOKO BLUES
My Guy (Mary Wells cover)
NIGHTMARES (REATARD)
No Money Honey
proud mary
THE PUNKS ARE FINALLY TAKING ACID
Red Right Hand (Nick Cave cover)
Sex (or cheap cocain)
Shitty Jobz
Somebody Kill Me (Ft. Kate Nash)
Suburban Home (Descendents cover)
THIS HOUSE PARTY SUCKS
this songs about daniel wing
TIME WILL TELL (MARLEY)
Untitled (Sad Song)
Vice Rag (AA Bondy)
Wasted (Demo)
West Coast
Whatever
666am
:'(

Note: I had to use Mediafire due to the file exceeding Zippyshare's maximum upload size