Lemuria - Pebble

Lemuria signing to bridge 9 was pretty crazy news to me last spring. i thought it was the coolest. their sophomore album, Pebble, is a pretty descent step from Get Better. 11 songs in just over a half hour, this album feels a lot longer than it is. the opening song 'gravity' sets the pace for the entire record - slow indie rock. i've had to listen to it a few times, but i'm starting to really love it. all the things i loved about their previous recordings are still hear, but better. the production is better. the guitar sounds better. the drumming is better, and the boy/girl vocals still do it for me. standout tracks for me are 'pleaser' 'different girls' and 'chautauqua county.' their indie/punk crossover is something more bands should strive for. go buy this record.

recess records - mini documentary

Recess Records from Mike Plante on Vimeo.

todd is the coolest, i wish we were friends

sourpatch - crushin'

sourpatch have been on my radar for a couple of months now, and i finally got around to listening to their full length album crushin'. they're a girl/boy twee pop band from san jose, ca. greatly inspired by rose melberg's tiger trap and go sailor 90's pop bands, sourpatch manages to take their influences and make them new and relevant. these are some really catchy songs. they made me want to start a twee pop band.

thirteen tracks in under a half hour this record makes for a really good investment. stand out tracks include fun where the lead singer sings "i know about your rough past." i love the singers voice - it fits so well with the guitars. the title track crushin' lets us know that "you knew not to get so attached/it was meant to break up anyway." teenage pop at it's best. in outer space we get some of the male vocals and a really great guitar line with some ooh ooh oh's. but the best song on the album is the closer i want you either way. see for yourself with their music video for the song. for a copy of the album email: imxrichx@yahoo.com. available on cd and lp.

Sourpatch - i want you either way from Richard Gutierrez on Vimeo.

oc weekly reviews roman candles 7"

oc weekly reviewed the roman candles 7". thanks dudes. click the link.

Roman Candles

Whatever Happened to V.B.K.? 7"

Young Foole Records/This Side That Side Records

Yorba Linda's Roman Candles are continuing their low key but enthusiastic releases with their latest efforts, following up three previous cassette-only's with a new one, Punk Belongs to Us, out on their own Aztec Records label. The band recently had a record release show for their first vinyl effort, as well as the first thing they've done released on another label. If Whatever Happened to V.B.K.? is the kind of quick, blink-and-you'll-miss-it release that seems to be from another time, it's also another representation of the kind of scene that any number of OC acts are fully embracing: they're just going out there and doing it because it can be done, rather than making a big deal out of it all.

It's still a bit funny, though, to hear lead figure Christopher Gordon begin the title track with the words "When you were young...you were punk," given he's not a grizzled veteran yet himself. But "Whatever Happened to V.B.K.?" has the kind of half nerdish and half sweet sound familiar from many of the band's other work, less aggro and more reflective, concerning the mental distance already traveled between being "16 years old in the back of my car" and the present. The short length and in-a-living-room recording quality, further punctuated by a wheezing harmonica part from Gordon, could make this an early Guided by Voices number, if not so Who-obsessed.

Even stronger might be "More Man," which tells the story of friends out to find God via missions and considers how others should or shouldn't react to the situation. Heady stuff for a short song perhaps, but it's all handled nicely and in similar sonic fashion to the A-side, with a semi-surf guitar line from Christopher Torres adding a nice bounce to the proceedings. The whole is a portrait of youth and questions faced at that time, and it's precisely the kind of thing that is fresh the first time one goes through it. It's admittedly nice to hear that ramshackle rock 'n' roll thrives still.

back work and coastlines @ the santa rita house 1.11.11

there was a house show in berkeley tonight at this place called the santa rita house. back work played first. it was just instrumental guitar and drums. they sounded just like a jam band. i think they said this was their first show. they didn't really do anything for me.

this was the second time i saw coastlines. i liked them a lot more this time. they have this really awesome rock opera thing going on with live painting and lights. it's pretty epic stuff. they played as a six piece tonight. the only bummer was that i couldn't really hear the trumpet, but the lead guitar sounded way better tonight then it did the first time i saw them. they've been on tour for two weeks now, and you could tell they seemed well practiced. maggie, their keyboard player has stolen the show for me both times. i've never really seen anyone play rock n roll piano as good as she does. she's untouchable. check these guys out they're great.

TOUCH AND GO: The Complete Hardcore Punk Zine '79-'83

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summer vacation, media blitz, joyce manor @ the unity church 1.07.11

this was my first time at the unity church in long beach. it was right across the street from roscoes so of course we went. i'm not sure what the name of the first band i saw was, but they sounded like the descendents singing about killing cops and surfing. they smashed a guitar on the ground: pretty punk? haha.

summer vacation was as good as ever. one of the best bands that southern california has to offer.'annual' is my jam. i love that song. mark played with his back to the crowd the entire set. i love his style. they're the best.media blitz played a new song which was great, along with a cro mags cover. jason's mouth was bleeding for most of the set. the crowd was pretty rowdy. the shirt came off like usual, but 'get the fuck out' was the most convincing i've seen them play it. they're getting better and better live every time i see them.

i'd like to note that the bill for this show didn't fit at all, but i liked the bands i went for and so i was extremely happy.with that in mind, people went ape shit for joyce manor. this was the first time i've seen them since may, and they were fun as fuck. the new songs sounded great. 'derailed' and '21st dead rats' were only a few of the new jams we got to hear. i really love the new songs. singing 'five beer plan' was honestly my favorite part of the night though. i wish this song could be re-written a million different ways so that every song i could sing along to like this one. another great show, another night in a row.