Photo by Geoff Kowalchuk

L.A.’s the Hectors sent me this track months ago and somehow it never made it into my weekly rotation. Not for lack of goodness: its low-budget post-punk is ethereal but anxious, all nipping, hesitant electric guitars grounded by the rhythm section’s steady gloom. The song waits till the chorus to catch fire, tearing into Campbell’s-chunky chords as singer Corinne Dinner (!) eats your face off. It ought to be b/w a Destroyer “My Favorite Year” cover, but this song is a fine friend however 2011′s treated you.

The Hectors – “Your Favorite Year”: mp3

(Hear more on the Hectors’ website)

Lord Huron / all photos by David Greenwald

For the last 13 months, I’ve written a weekly column first for Brand X and currently the Los Angeles Times dubbed L.A. Unheard. The goal is to point out promising new local artists; during a short-lived concert series, we gave them the chance to play some cool shows, too. I’ve tried very hard to avoid hype and trends and go with my gut, which means the column’s probably missed a lot of fresh electro and hip-hop, though we’ve managed to catch Foster the People, Hanni El Khatib and a handful of other breakouts. Hopefully this list, the first of many, will go one step further: these are all bands who deserve to be on a serious label and playing national tours. Help them out with this, industry folks! And for everybody else: enjoy the music and go to the shows. Read the rest of this entry »

I watched the first episode of the new 90210 the other day — research, honest — and was pretty surprised to see a Division Day sticker, considering, as Jessica Stroup’s Silver says, they have like 8 fans. And presumably all of us are reading this post right now, so let’s hope this sticker pushes Los Angeles’ best unknown band over the top, Death Cab style — although at least The OC had the courtesy to, y’know, play a few Death Cab songs. (P.S. Hey Jessica, rad Chucks!)

Division Day – “Colorguard”: mp3

Update: I watched the next couple episodes, and to my immense chagrin I think I like this show a lot better than Gossip Girl (which I really only liked thanks to the lingering glow of The OC‘s first season). But the indie rock references have got to stop, fellas: Vampire Weekend, OK, but Sea Wolf? At Spaceland?! Somehow I don’t think a musical theater kid from Kansas would be into any of these bands, but I guess if they can sneak in a Hold Steady plug somewhere I’ll learn to live with it.

***

Click below for more Film & Television.

Photo of Diplo on the 1s & 2s by Flickr’s dissolve

In more ticket-price insanity, tickets to see Diplo and Justice team up at the Mayan in Los Angeles tomorrow are going for an absurd $125 each.

Face value was $30.

Sure, it’s not $400 for the very much unproven Vampire Weekend, but still. I quite enjoy both Diplo and Justice, yet I find that price tag beyond “too high” – it’s unconscionable. I can’t help but think there is something else driving these prices besides love of the music. People must be more interested in saying they went to these shows than actually going to them.

Maybe that is too cynical. Maybe the L.A. kids are just suckers for a big dance party and have way too much money. But that explanation seems too easy.

I’m sure most of you know by now that Sprinkles in Beverly Hills puts out seasonal cupcake flavors. Halloween had an orange ghost adorned atop a cake bread filled with apple chunks (it was very delicious). Valentine’s Day had marshmallow-filled cupcakes.

For St. Patrick’s Day, Sprinkles rolled out a Belgian dark chocolate cupcake sporting a heavy coat of Bailey’s Irish cream cheese frosting. If this cupcake is anything like the prior seasonal treats, then it will be astoundingly good. Go get one before you head to the pub tonight/this afternoon/right now — the last day to get this treat is today!

Charlie’s dead (or is he?) but Dominic Monaghan, amateur photographer, is alive and kicking. His exhibition (the humbly entitled “Happy Accidents”) opens today at the Hamilton Selway Gallery in West Hollywood. Go ahead and buy something – 20% of proceeds are going to charity.

LAist is reporting that Largo, home of Jon Brion‘s Friday night residency and the stellar performances of so many great bands of the years, is closing. Or rather, moving – to the larger Coronet Theatre, about a mile away on La Cienega. Can’t say I’m too happy about losing the venue as the most intimate in town (or its location across the street from Canter’s), but at least I have reservations for the Nelly McKay show this week. The move is reportedly happening in May, with the new venue to open in June. Here’s the new location:

View Larger Map

Update: The L.A. Times has some more info. The move is definitely happening. Aimee Mann and Randy Newman have already been booked for June shows in the new space, which seats 280 vs. Largo’s current 120 and boasts a smaller, 90-person capacity room as well. Jon Brion, thank God, will be artist-in-residence.

I eat here weekly / Photo by David Greenwald

Here’s what I have in my blogroll right now for Los Angeles music and MP3 blogs – more generalized sites like Losanjealous have their own listings. I’ve met a fair number of these fine folks IRL* and can vouch for their quality, but it’s the rest of L.A. I’m worried about. Who am I missing? And who’re your favorites?

An Aquarium Drunkard
Buzz Bands
Floating Away
Hate Something Beautiful
Passion of the Weiss
Rewriteable Content
Rock Insider
Radio Free Silver Lake
Inflight At Night
You Set The Scene
LA-Underground

And while we’re updating, pals, why don’t you go ahead and join the official The Rawking Refuses To Stop! Facebook group? You know you want to!

*In real life, obv.**

**Obviously.