For those for whom wounded folk feels like balm upon a wound, you’ll find fine medicine in Keaton Henson. The London songwriter’s music is almost violently spare, offering just enough melody and feeling to carve his way into your heart. Like Nick Drake before him, he’s intensely shy and has decided to avoid traditional forms of performance, opting instead, for now at least, to make performance videos — like this one.
Odd Future tend to get the credit for being L.A.’s most violent act, but consider Summer Darling frontman Ben Heywood. “Spectacular Violence” is a vicious song, from the hailstorm guitars of its opening moments to his matter-of-fact depiction of a drunken murder. It’s fiction, of course, or so Heywood says: the track joins seven other narratives on Skills For the Long Emergency, his solo debut and a concept record chronicling the aftermath of “a state’s war over dwindling natural resources” that’s “forced the dissolution of the Union.” Is it his Stephen King moment? Decide for yourself:
The New Division bear no relation to Joy Division, but it’s probably safe to assume they’re fans. The SoCal band’s “True Lies” offers distant vocals and well-honed emotional angst as well as twinkling synths and of-the-moment hammer-heavy drum sequencing that makes the relationship drama feel increasingly claustrophobic. (And increasingly dubstep-y, which isn’t a bad thing.) The band’s debut album, Shadows, is due 9/27, with a Skrillex remix presumably in 3… 2…
In which L.A.’s Summer Darling make a slasher-film-style case for not being their No. 1 fan. Which you might be anyway after hearing this song, or their self-titled album, which remains a free download and highly recommended by yours truly. The band’s West Coast tour starts tonight — dates after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
When we last heard from ex-Slowreader singer Gabe Hascall, he was releasing the fine Just Dust EP. With “Love It All,” he gives up his earlier work’s crisp guitars in favor of bedroom synth-pop — Casiotone, painfully alone, etc. But maybe it’s not so bad: “I can’t help it / I love it all,” he sings. Download the new single exclusively right here, with a stream of the even sunnier b-side “When I Think” as well. The Love it All single is due on Tuesday — get more info on Facebook.
“Mind your own business, please,” Very Fresh’s Cindy Lou Gooden sings on “On Moot Point.” Her voice, thankfully free of static or reverb, flutters like a disdainful bird over a buried rhythm section — like Nellie McKay trying her hand at lo-fi. “Marker” finds her devoting a lovely melody to “teenage punks making out / because it’s a hot California day and they’ve had enough,” while a Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain-era guitar meanders underneath. More vintage than Fresh, to be sure, but Gooden’s slacker angst by any other name would still smell as sweet.
Very Fresh – “Marker”: mp3 Very Fresh – “On Moot Point”: mp3
Friends-of-Rawkblog Death Kit have returned with a new electro earth-shaker. “Devadasi,” fueled by bleak synth pings and romantic guitar chords, marries hope and alienation on the dance floor: “I don’t know a thing about you,” August Brown sings, but somehow, that’s enough. The band will hopefully drop this one on Sunday at Spaceland when they open for PVT; you can give them money on Bandcamp.
“Open your doors, turn on your lights,” Brian Miller sings to open the Lightning Bug Situation’s “Call.” His mournful, resigned vocals evoke Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan as well as another Rawkblog favorite, Burd Early’s “Phonecall Away.”
The song has other plans than streamlined sad balladry, though, picking up sprightly xylophones as Miller sings of a relationship “broken and suspicious.” Electric guitars and drums the size of an Olympic pool interrupt the self-pity, but then the song’s over — leaving you to press play again.
The band’s latest album, Call, is out now. Right here, you’ll find the complete single for the title track — art at left, “Call,” b-side “The Risk Pool” and “Call (Jamuel Saxon Booty-Call Remix).” I would suggest not playing this during booty calls.
The Lightning Bug Situation – “Call” (Rawkblog premiere):mp3 The Lightning Bug Situation – “The Risk Pool”: mp3 The Lightning Bug Situation – “Call (Jamuel Saxon Booty Call Remix)”: mp3
When we last heard from ex-Slowreader singer Gabe Hascall, he was releasing the fine 
“Mind your own business, please,” Very Fresh’s Cindy Lou Gooden sings on “On Moot Point.” Her voice, thankfully free of static or reverb, flutters like a disdainful bird over a buried rhythm section — like Nellie McKay trying her hand at lo-fi. “Marker” finds her devoting a lovely melody to “teenage punks making out / because it’s a hot California day and they’ve had enough,” while a Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain-era guitar meanders underneath. More vintage than Fresh, to be sure, but Gooden’s slacker angst by any other name would still smell as sweet.
“Open your doors, turn on your lights,” Brian Miller sings to open the Lightning Bug Situation’s “Call.” His mournful, resigned vocals evoke Yo La Tengo’s Ira Kaplan as well as another Rawkblog favorite, Burd Early’s “Phonecall Away.”
