Guys, let’s be honest here: Taylor’s funny! And she wrote her own monologue! She was pretty great in every skit last night, though it’d be nice if Saturday Night Live, y’know, fired all their writers and hired some funny people so poor Kristen Wiig would have something less embarrassing to do. At any rate, can somebody put our girl in a teen rom-com opposite Jesse Eisenberg already?
Victoria Bergsman’s never had to worry about her instrument. As the singer of the Concretes, the feminine side of Peter Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks,” and now with her solo project, Taken By Trees, the Swedish vocalist could put the phone book to song. On her Taken By Trees debut, Open Season, unfortunately, she kinda did. East of Eden is a decidedly different affair. Recorded in Pakistan and helmed by producer Dan Lissvik of excellent nu-Balearicists Studio, the group’s sophomore record smolders with exotic grooves cooled by Victoria’s snowy melodies. The worldbeat bent doesn’t elevate every song, but the highs — “Anna, “Watch the Waves,” the borderline-hilarious cover of Animal Collective’s “My Girls” — aim for the sky.
A jam of a stop-motion video, directed by Ben&Julia for a stand-out from the Main Drag’s Yours As Fast As Mine. Details on the band’s just-completed third album (and fresher tracks) on the way, promise.
LA-Underground has captured three wonderful performances from Rose Melberg’s rare L.A. gig at the Echo Curio last week. Two more videos, including Rose’s cover of Fred Brooks’ “I Will Never Marry,” after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
While not quite the Stevens I was expecting from Asthmatic Kitty Records this year (2010, pals), Shannon Stephen’s breathtaking The Breadwinner is just as welcome — and maybe more so, given the decade-long wait following her self-titled debut. Stephens also served as frontwoman for Sufjan’s undersung Marzuki, but The Breadwinner shares more in common with White Hinterland’s recent gem Phylactery Factory — it’s a set of intimately recorded, lush, jazz-tinged singer-songwriter pop that’s as sweet and joy-inducing as spiked eggnog at the office Christmas party. White Hinterland’s Casey Dienel offers more vocal acrobatics, but Shannon sings much like Sufjan — serious and straightforward. What she sacrifices in fey charm, she makes up for in heart-tugging, especially on slow-burners such as “In Summer In The Heat.” With the blogosphere obsessed over pretty young things with keyboards and sparkly makeup (and completely unmemorable songs) these days, let’s make a little room for Stephens in our hearts/playlists, OK?
I’ll confess I’m often mystified by the songs that top the Billboard charts, but I think I have an explanation for the popularity of Owl City, the band with the current No. 1 song in the country. In a column for the UCLA Daily Bruin in April 2006 (prescience!) I wrote: Read the rest of this entry »
Live: Rose Melberg — my hero, Rose Melberg (left; photo by David Greenwald) — played two rare, intimate shows in Los Angeles.
News: It was a real Vampire Weekend as the band hit Los Angeles for Halloween; release dates for long-awaited albums from Spoon and Midlake; Pavement is pretty much booked for Coachella.
Victoria Bergsman’s never had to worry about her instrument. As the singer of the Concretes, the feminine side of Peter Bjorn and John’s “Young Folks,” and now with her solo project, Taken By Trees, the Swedish vocalist could put the phone book to song. On her Taken By Trees debut, Open Season, unfortunately, she kinda did. East of Eden is a decidedly different affair. Recorded in Pakistan and helmed by producer Dan Lissvik of excellent nu-Balearicists Studio, the group’s sophomore record smolders with exotic grooves cooled by Victoria’s snowy melodies. The worldbeat bent doesn’t elevate every song, but the highs — “Anna, “Watch the Waves,” the borderline-hilarious cover of Animal Collective’s “My Girls” — aim for the sky.
While not quite the Stevens I was expecting from Asthmatic Kitty Records this year (
I’ll confess I’m often mystified by the songs that top the Billboard charts, but I think I have an explanation for the popularity of Owl City, the band with the current No. 1 song in the country. In a column for the UCLA Daily Bruin in April 2006 (prescience!) I wrote: 
Live: 
