It has got to be tough to come from a neighborhood that is becoming increasingly associated with indie rock – guitar, driven, dramatic, artistic indie rock. Which is what the hipster, East Side of LA seems to be celebrating these days. An awesome group of LA guitar bands – that range from shoe-gaze to pop – have been popping up that all feature aggressive and awesome guitar work. The Happy Hollows, Death to Anders, Silversun Pickups and Radars to the Sky all come to mind.
And while the “indie scene” in the first half of this decade (let’s say 2000 to 2005) seemed (by me) to be dominated by bands from the East Coast of the US (or maybe just Brooklyn?), more and more of the national buzz seems to be shifting west to LA.
We’ll see if any bands break as big as the Silversun Pickups did last year -- but I sure am hopeful/fearful that that’ll soon happen to one of the above mentioned bands. On the other hand, the increased number of bands and the increased attention from national media has made it tough for all the good LA bands to succeed locally, much less succeed on a national level. ‘Cause let’s be honest, there is only so much spotlight to be had. And there are a lot of LA bands.
One of the bands that seems poised for something bigger, and hungry for national attention, are The Mezzanine Owls. A four piece indie rock band based out of LA’s east side scene. I saw them for the first time in ’07 and I wrote a little live review of their show last year at the Make Out Room on Duke’s blog, You Set The Scene.
In case you didn’t read that thing on YSTS, I’ll reiterate the basic sentiment here : I think The Mezzanine Owls are some of the nicest, hardest drinking, flat out coolest people you will ever meet. They are a blur of whiskey and good times and great rock songs.
And … the point of this post is to announce that the group has a new record. They will be releasing a vinyl 7 inch single this week on Ashley Jex’s Jax Art label. While I haven’t been a big fan of many of her past releases, she’s recently put out several good records by local LA acts like the Pity Party, the Henry Clay People and the Mezzanine Owls.
Of the three releases I’ve heard, the Mezzanine Owl's single, Snow Globe is by far my favorite. Soooo good. And like I said before, while I am not a big fan of Ashley’s releases, these last three feature some cool pieces of music wrapped up in great cool, vinyl, limited edition artwork. More info about the release and an MP3 are available after the jump. Go!
The vinyl A side is Snow Globe and the B side is a tune called Temporary Health. For those not into the vinyl, there is also a digital ep available for purchase that contains those two songs as well as the songs Ghost Ship and Drift.
The only tune I’ve heard from the record is Snow Globe, but as far as singles go, I think this is one of the better ones I’ve heard in a long time. I don’t mean to draw comparisons toooo much, but it has that same instinctive like-ability that Silversun’s Lazy Eye had – I heard it the first time and already felt attached to it. Like I had heard it a hundred times (in a good way).
One of the things that has always stood out for me with the Mezzanine Owls, and on this track as well, is Pauline Mu’s drumming. Slightly off-kilter and with lots of clever snare fills, Mu does a great job of subtly shifting the dynamics of Snow Globe from “big and tight” to “big and open”, like an expert truck driver shifting gears to make a really steep grade and then shifting back, grinning, as she comes careening down the other side at 100 miles per hour.
Jack Burnside’s lead vocals on Snow Globe are loose and little yelp-y, and the lyrics are often poetic in tone without being academic or dramatic and on the Owls make great use of backup vocals on the track -- at about 1:00 the backup vocals drop in, like some kind of stereo chant taking place in a big room. I imagine that they recorded them with druids (does that even make sense?).
I love this band. And this limited edition is going for $7 right now - no shipping - so I would recommend you drop by and purchase it and that you go see them at their big release party the Echo on February 26th at if you can!
UPDATE : Shit! I just listened to the Henry Clay Single -- Working Part Time -- so good. Listen to this shit on the imeem :
BUY : Mezzanine Owls - Snow Globe 7"
DOWNLOAD : Mezzanine Owls - Snow Globe (MP3 via zshare.com)
LINK : Mezzanine Owls Myspace
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Monday, February 25, 2008
Releases : Mezzanine Owls
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Old L.A, Back in the Day (Or “The way things were.”)
When I first moved to the West Coast, there was this big deal thing going on in Eagle Rock called The Ship. The premise was this : a bunch of musicians moved to LA, took over a small corner of a dilapidated neighborhood, built a studio, rented practice spaces and then assembled one of the biggest musical movements of my short life time. Even the kids that weren’t strictly part of The Ship but were/in/and/around that scene (Adeline, The Movies) had so much to say and they all managed to put together their own collections of awesome songs.
Many of The Ship bands are still around and playing – Earlimart, The Silversun Pickups and the Radar Brothers are still out there writing great records and have managed to get some time in the national spotlight.
On the other hand, there are a lot of other bands from this era that aren’t playing out live much, are on hiatus, or broke up or just haven’t go the recognition that they sooooo deserve.
These are three of my favorite LA bands from a couple years ago. Songs that really inspired me to do what I do, songs that I really, really adore. Hopefully they’ll inspire you guys -- and here is to hoping that LA’s next crop of artists, your Henry Clays, your Monolators, your Happy Hollows, here’s to hoping that they can continue LA’s great legacy of rad music.
For my money, the best album Los Angeles album of 2003 was Pine Marten’s Beautiful Stakes and Power Polls. The record is full of great dissonant guitar chords, startingly brilliant melodies and vocals as sang by Mark Wooten and accompanied by Brian Thornell’s amazing keyboard/drumming. Imagine Pity Party jamming with the Silversun Pickups and Grandaddy. The funny thing about that comparison is that these guys did probably jam with SSPU and Grandaddy. I never got to see these guys play, but this record has worn a hole in my heart.
DOWNLOAD : Pine Marten - Mechanically Seperated
I am not sure exactly what these guys deal is. They are on Eenie Meenie, they released a new record a year or two ago, and they might be together, might not. Alex Church, an original member of the group, is out trying to take over the world with his new band Sea Wolf, so maybe these guys aren’t getting together anymore. The first time I heard the opening track from their 2002 record, Good Morning Beautiful, I just curled up in a ball and called in sick to work and put it on repeat for the whole day. The opening track, Crumbling Mountain Tops bears repeated listening.
DOWNLOAD : Irving - Crumbling Mountain Tops
MYSPACE : Irving
I am pleased to report that these guys are alive and doing well. The Movies, I heard through the grapevine, have recorded a new record and are searching for someone to distribute it. I have been a big fan of the group since I heard their 2002 album, In One Era and Out the Other. Pass the Music has and will be one of my favorite tracks of all time.
DOWNLOAD : The Movies - Pass the Music
MYSPACE : The Movies
I hope you have time to listen and compare these tracks. They are from a really special time in the LA music scene, and I think it is cool to think that these guys all played show together and shared ideas, concepts, gear, shows, tours, etc. And think they did a great job of creating something bigger than the individual parts of their separate bands. The whole Ship thing made me think that, you know, this whole music thing might actually be possible and important and about community.
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Friday, February 15, 2008
Friday Interview : Ashod Simonian (Or "A picture says a thousand words.")
Ok. I have a goal. The goal is to have an interview every Friday, much like Joe from Radio Free Silverlake does. In general, I want to interview fellow musicians : kids who have been around the block and people I admire who might be able to make some sense out of the crazy lives musicians lead. I am looking for touring tips, restaurant recommendations, stories, philosophies, etc.
To lead off this segment, I asked my good friend, Ashod Simonian to be the guinea pig. I met him a long time ago (2002?) when he was tour managing the UK band, Kaito. I was at North Six with my roommate in Williamsburg (it makes me feel old when I hear stuff like, “North Six isn’t North Six anymore.” So don’t remind me please. ) When I moved to Fresno, Ashod was living in LA, but visiting his family in Fresno often and he showed me the ropes a lot in terms of the LA scene. He helped me get my first show at the now defunct Sea Level Records (again, I feel old) and he is a California kid who has played a lot of shows, toured Europe and even claimed "musican" as his profession on his tax forms.
Which is a big deal, I think.
He has a band called Panty Lions, lives in Portland, takes neat pictures and can always be trusted to start a campfire.
Hot Mess Magic : I met you in New York City, became friends with you when you lived in LA, we are alums of the same high school in Fresno and now you live in Portland. How, in brief, did you end up there and all those in-between places?
Ashod Simonian : My ancestors moved to Fresno for it's fertile soil. I moved to Portland for the same, albeit far more metaphorical, reason. I loved Los Angeles, but after saying, "We're from Los Angeles" enough times on tour, one gets the idea that might not be the place to live if you want to have a future in the arts.
H.M.M. : What do you think is the best concert you've ever seen? If you could book anyone at any venue in the world for your next birthday, who and where would you book it?
A.S. : Elliott Smith played an impromptu show in my bedroom once. It's kind of hard to think of anything that could top that. That said, there are a few old-timers who I haven't seen due to the fact that they don't play the kind of venues that I care for. I am more of a small, intimate space type of guy. Give me Leon Redbone, Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson - sans backing bands, at Tokyo Garden. Swoon.
H.M.M. : What bands have you played in, and which tours have been your favorite?A.S. : I've played in Panty Lions, Earlimart, Preston School of Industry and Sleeping States. While I couldn't choose one favorite tour, here are my top ten favorite memories (in chronological order) from various tours with said bands. Crashing a millionaire wine party with Fiver. Trying to trade beer for firewood with a group of deaf campers in Iowa. Playing a taco shop with Daniel Johnston. Tallboys on the East River with old Fresno friends. Staying at the Wilco loft. Stumbling through Hamburg's red light district with The Shins. Mushrooms in Eagle Rock. Nightswimming (in Massachusetts with Irving and Miami & Los Angeles with Stereo Total). Making out with a girl on a bridge over the River Charles. Accidentally off-roading and nearly dying in Sedona, Arizona. I could go on and on (and on).
H.M.M. : Do you think getting paid as a musician matters? How much?A.S. : I hate that so many people are getting their music for free. A fourteen dollar album or concert brings me so much more happiness than the latest blockbuster ever will. It breaks my heart when bands break up because they can't pay their rent. I believe that crafting a beautiful album and crafting a beautiful home should be rewarded equally and yet folks like Virgil Shaw, Aaron from Grandaddy, and Tim from Fuck are all hammering nails into roofs as I type this.
H.M.M. : You have an awesome book of polaroid photos out on Picturebox right now. How did you get involved with polaroid photography and how did that lead to a book deal?A.S. : I just took a lot of pictures and then thought, "Dang, these would make a neat book!" Then I took a lot more pictures. Then I pitched the idea to Picturebox and they totally fell for it. Face.
H.M.M. : What late night restaurant would you recommend for touring musicians who are in PDX? What about if they wanna grab a bite before they hit the road in the AM?A.S. : Lately, it's been Voodoo Donuts after the show and Tin Shed on the way out.
H.M.M. : I do have one more question : If someone had told you something, given you a piece of advice, about being a musician when you started out, what do you wish that it had been? Basically, what do you know know that you wish you had known way back when?A.S. : I don't think you should be playing music if you don't have anything new or original to add to the abundance of available sounds. Sadly, everybody believes that they are totally original and sadly, they generally aren't.
Also, and this sounds obvious, but write with the intention of others listening to your music. Nobody ever sits down to write a screenplay about how their ex screwed them over unless it's a truly amazing story that belongs out in the world. Every inch of a song should be labored over. Will people get a kick out of these words? Will this chord change give the audience a boner? These are questions you should constantly be asking yourself. The way you dress, your album art, the drink you just bought at the bar, all of these things should reflect your message. If your message is "We don't believe in messages," then I have no reason to believe in you.
Buy music. Know what is out there. I can't tell you how many musicians I've met with totally sad record collections. Make friends with everybody. They can help you and they will when you least expect it.
If you are playing music to attract members of the opposite sex, you are going to end up with whatever skanky piece of nastiness is at the bar at the end of the night. You know what attracts members of the opposite sex? Stability, money, confidence and any number of attributes that do not come with being in a band. "Who cares? I am married to my art," you say? Great. Stay home and snuggle with your art until the cows come home. Just don't drag it out under lights, amplify it, and expect me to care.
DOWNLOAD : Panty Lions - Go Get'em Tiger
DOWNLOAD : Panty Lions - To Raccoon is to Spoon
BUY : Real Fun - Polaroid Photography by Ashod Simonian
» Read more on Friday Interview : Ashod Simonian (Or "A picture says a thousand words.")
