Tag: LA

“Oh” and “True” by Mt. Si.

Not sure what Mt. Si. stands for. First impression was “Mount Sinai” but it could be “Mount Sithelie” because their/her/??? Soundcloud URL is mtsithelie. Is it a place? Is it a name like Nathalie? Not much more to discover from their/her/??? Soundcloud, Bandcamp, and YouTube profiles other than the fact that they/she/?? are/is from LA and a corrupt hard drive contains all the Mt. Si. recordings. Their music has only been posted 15 days ago. Similar to the SRSLY mystery.

The hi-hats are nu-disco, but the bass and synths are chillwave.

But it’s seriously the vocals that tie it together, somewhat reminiscent of Blondie’s Debbie Harry but airy and slower tempo-ed.

“Oh” begins with quick cymbals and the static of a shaker. Simple then a smooth buildup. A feel of the tropics somewhere inside all the synths. At 1:29, it slows down to almost an airy standstill with the shaker’s static noise holding it together. Almost a full minute of standstill is broken by an litany of “He don’t call” as Mt. Si. laments an absent male figure.

“True” begins with a mix of the tropical and the cosmic. Where “Oh” had a sound built upon a static feeling, “True” is neater, more controlled. “True” is slower. “True” is more direct.

BoxSpeaker Prediction: Mt. Si. will become an up-and-coming musician/band in a few weeks.

“Dear Santa” by Mr. Little Jeans

Just in time for the Holidays, Mr. Little Jeans released “Dear Santa” – a 1950s style Christmas track.

The cheery-sounding track has the twist of Mr. Little Jeans lamenting how amid all the festivities “on Christmas day, I’ll be the loneliest girl” due to a long-distance relationship (“A kiss on the phone won’t make up for being alone”). Reminds me of Figurine’s “IMpossible” and the line “These instant message conversations are filled with empty explanations. 12-point text cannot replace five minutes with you face-to-fact…”

Concert Relive – The Colourist and Ghost Loft at Popscene

Are you in San Francisco? Did you go to The Colourist and Ghost Loft show at Popscene last night?

Relive the night with some of BoxSpeaker’s favorites by both bands 🙂

BoxSpeaker Favorite “Yes Yes” by The Colourist

“Fix This” by The Colourist

“Seconds” by Ghost Loft

“Heat Lightning” by Icky Blossoms – remixed by Ghost Loft

We Barbarians Bid Farewell

After 7 years as a band, We Barbarians have posted that they’re playing their last two shows tomorrow (September 19) at the Wiltern with Cold War Kids and on Friday at Culver City’s Paul Loya Gallery.

In 2010, I got to meet the band during their show at Spaceland with my friends Sucker for Pumps – who were also playing that night as part of a residency. The Union Line and The Fling also joined in that night of local performers.

It was really fun hanging out with the bands between their sets and asking them about their music. I also got some of my best photos from there. This was when I had first started blogging and photographing concerts. I was still really new to it all, and it was cool that these bands I hadn’t met before let me pretend to be a music writer while snacking on tamales that someone was selling near the door.

The respect I was given  as a “music journalist” (even though I was a complete amateur with posts containing too many exclamation points) by all the bands and especially by We Barbarians – who were the headliners was amazing and also very encouraging for me at such an early part of my music writing experience. For that, I’m extremely grateful to We Barbarians.

See ya We Barbarians – and thanks for the great music!

We Barbarians – White from WE BARBARIANS on Vimeo.
 

 

“OPST” by George Maple

I wrote this morning that Dead Times’s “Inner Gold” is seduction in a 3 minute, 19 second track.

I realized this afternoon that “OPST” sounds like George Maple‘s response to a Dead Times sexual encounter. Maple soulfully sighs, “just make a move and let me melt into your frame. I never want to talk about it. Just wrap me up in your gold sheets.”

Kitten Announces Upcoming Tour with Charli XCX and Little Daylight

Today, Kitten announced their upcoming tour supporting Charli XCX with Little Daylight.

Check out the dates for this BoxSpeaker Favorite triple-threat tour below:

AUGUST:
30 Vancouver, BC Venue Nightclub*
31 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge*

SEPTEMBER:
1 Seattle, WA Bumbershoot Festival – Fisher Green
3 San Francisco, CA Slim’s***
5 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre***
6 San Diego, CA House of Blues***
7 Las Vegas, NV Vinyl – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino***
9 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue*
10 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
12 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Social Club*
13 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
14 Meadow, MI Meadow Brook Music Festival
16 Toronto, ON The Hoxton***
17 Montreal, QC La Sala Rossa***
18 Cambridge, MA The Sinclair***
20 Asbury Park – Wonder Bar**
21 New York, NY – Gramercy Theatre***
23 Columbus, OH The A&R Music Bar*
24 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge*
25 Atlanta, GA Vinyl*
27 Houston, TX Fitzgerald’s
28 Austin, TX The Parish*
29 Dallas, TX Club Dada*

OCTOBER:
2 Orlando, FL The Social –

Follow Kitten on Facebook for more updates and check out their music on SoundCloud and their official site.

CHVRCHES Releases North American Tour Dates Part 2

This morning electropop indiecuties CHVRCHES released their dates for their second North American Tour! Tickets go on sale this Friday!

North American Tour – May/June 2013

5/27 — George, WA — Sasquatch Music Festival
5/28 — Portland, OR — Wonder Ballroom
5/29 — San Francisco, CA — Rickshaw Stop
6/1 — Los Angeles, CA — Troubadour
6/2 — Solana Beach, CA — Belly Up Tavern
6/5 — Austin, TX — The Mohawk
6/6 — Dallas, TX — Granada Theater
6/7 — Lawrence, KS — The Granada Theatre
6/8 — Minneapolis, MN — Fine Line Music Cafe
6/10 — Chicago, IL — Lincoln Hall
6/12 — Toronto, ON — The Hoxton
6/15 — Montreal, QC — Le National
6/16 — Boston, MA — Paradise
6/17 — New York, NY — Webster Hall
6/21 — Washington, DC — Black Cat
6/22 — Dover, DE — Firefly Music Festival
6/23 — Philadelphia, PA — Union Transfer

“Pilgrim” by Mø – Remixed by MS MR

MS MR released a sexy remix of Mø‘s track “Pilgrim” today:

For BoxSpeaker readers in the UK: Check out Mø’s “Pilgrim” Single Launch Party on Thursday, February 28 at Electrowerkz. (Hint: If you look listen enough for the only American accent in the venue, you’ll probably see BoxSpeaker in real life.)

Readers in the US: Check out Mø opening for BoxSpeaker favorites CHVRCHES at the Echo on March 12!