Spider 6/22/10 - Synchronicity, Los Angeles, CA.

( Photo: Spider Myspace )

(Updated 7/06/10)

Last week, Spider performed a short set of songs at the gallery/performance space Synchronicity. Spider is the musical moniker of Jane Herships, a singer-songwriter who is mainly based in NYC. Her music has been described as "hushed, personal folk songs with elements of shoegazing reminescent (sic) of musicians such as Nick Drake and M. Ward", with another writer adding that "it’s the way each phrase lingers in the air long enough for your ears to strain a teensy bit for the next chord or the next word to come. Languid and smooth underneath with a scratchy coating."

Tonight's list of songs was an evenly divided combination of old and newer material. In the latter half of the show, Ms. Herships was joined onstage with and accompanied by fellows bill-mates Devin, Gary and Ross. Interesting music, and worth checking out.

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) Don't Be Afraid, I've Just Come to Say Goodbye, "The Ballad of Clementine Jones" MP3
3.) The Bitter One MP3
4.) White Snake MP3
5.) Midnight on the Nile MP3
6.) "new song" MP3
7.) "new song" MP3
8.) "new song" *removed per artist request*
9.) "new song" *removed per artist request*
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available upon request.

Seasons 5/30/10 - Undercovered II, All-Star Lanes, Los Angeles, CA.

( Photo: Eliot Glass via Season's Myspace )

(First and foremost, I want to apologize for my longer-than I thought hiatus/lack of posting on the blog. "Real life" got kind of busy for awhile, and show-going/posting fell by the wayside. I hope to get back on track and try to remedy that for the time being.)

Last month, Seasons were part of the line-up for Undercovered II (where Los Angeles-area bands cover other Los Angeles-area bands)at All-Star Lanes, which included Rademacher (Malcolm Sosa solo), George Glass, The Hectors, and One Trick Pony. As the reader might recall, we fully covered this event in it's inaugural outing last year, and were looking forward to this year's presentation. In addition to an expanded number of bands playing, this event also served as an benefit for Huntington's disease research.

First up to play this evening was Seasons. Much has been written about the Highland Park band, ranging from being "one of the more ubiquitous bands in the L.A. scene. Their sound is a pure product of their influences, a fusion of indie rock, 80's synth, folk rock, and garage blues -- so if you're thinking Beck, you're in the right neighborhood" to "[they are a glorious mess.The seven- or (sometimes) eight-piece makes lovingly off-kilter neo-psychedelia full of palpable energy and exposed nerves, startlingly pretty one moment and earplug-worthy cacophonous the next. When these guys nail it they are calamitously good." Their set covered a range of beloved L.A.-area bands, including previously-posted The Movies, Castledoor, and The Monolators.

For an more in-depth report, check out Lord Growing's post about the night at The 704.

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) Energy Trade ( The Health Club ) MP3
3.) Get Your Macho Out ( The Movies ) MP3
4.) Remember When ( Castledoor ) MP3
5.) Ambulance ( Manhattan Murder Mystery ) MP3
6.) Eagle Fighting Zebra ( The Monolators ) MP3
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available upon request.

Update

Sorry for this folks, but it looks like Recording LA will be on further hiatus for at least another week - real life has intervened. Hope to be back soon with new shows!

Sarah Negahdari and the Sad Solids 8.08.08 - Spaceland, Los Angeles, CA.

( Photo: Jeff Koga )

From the archives.

Awhile back, Sarah Negahdari and the Sad Solids (a.k.a. kind of The Happy Hollows acoustic) played at Spaceland as part of a line-up that also featured Kárin Tatoyan, Learning Music, and Rocco DeLuca. While we have featured The Happy Hollows before on this blog, this show is different - besides being an all-acoustic show, the only "Happy Hollows" material covered was their song "Tell Me" (from their debut E.P. Bunnies & Bombs)Also, if the reader recalls, last year Death To Anders covered their song "Driver" at Radio Free Silverlake's "Undercovered" show last year.

This was definitely a fun and unique show that included a cover of Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold." The sad solids haven't seem to have done any shows like this for awhile, but perhaps they will do another one someday. In the meantime, enjoy this one.

1.) Driver MP3
2.) Rag Doll MP3
3.) Follow Me MP3
4.) Captain Neg (?) MP3
5.) Voodoo MP3
6.) The Giver MP3
7.) Window MP3
8.) For The Record (Sarah solo) MP3
9.) Heart Of Gold (Sarah solo) (Neil Young cover) MP3
10.) Tell Me MP3
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available by request.

Cobra Lilies 4/19/10 - Silverlake Lounge, Los Angeles, CA.

( Photo: Cobra Lilies Myspace )

On Monday night, Cobra Lilies played a show that was part of So Many Wizards' month-long residency at Silverlake Lounge. Cobra Lilies is a band that started out as a side project of The Monolators but in time has grown into ( according to their myspace ) "a Weird Folk singing and dancing supergroup formed from the ranks of some of Los Angeles’ most celebrated underground rock and folk bands" that includes members of Divisadero, Cat Hair Ensemble, Smells Like Flan, Ema And The Ghosts, and Shiloe. Last year, they released their debut EP In the Key Of Bicycle Bell (those songs were included in tonight's setlist) and are in the midst of currently recording new material.

Recorded by "markp."

Thanks to Ema for the setlist.

1.) Introduction MP3
2.) Wild Love MP3
3.) Diamond Mine MP3
4.) Blame It On The Boy MP3
5.) The Rock and Roll Song MP3
6.) Cop Car MP3
7.) Tiny Dot In The Deep Blue Sea MP3
8.) She Grows Wings At Night MP3
9.) There's Always Love MP3
10.) "Soundcheck" MP3
Text File

FLAC (lossless) files available by request.