For the past few weeks, my college dorm room has been a megachurch. And I have Lana Del Rey to thank for that. There is absolutely no false advertising on “Judah Smith Interlude,” track five on Lana Del Rey’s 2023 release Did You Know There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. Four and a half minutes on Ocean Blvd consists of a sermon delivered by Hollywood megachurch pastor Judah Smith.
Read MoreThis irreverence is borne of a friendship that comes straight out of a Wes Anderson movie: three rising indie artists form an instant bond before entering the studio to record one song, maybe two, before emerging five days later with a lightning-in-a-bottle EP. On The Record, Boygenius explores the etches and grooves of this friendship, both sharing anecdotes of missing their exit while listening to music together on the interstate and reckoning with the struggles of being wholly seen, flaws and all, in this life and the next.
Read MoreThis past Saint Paddy’s Day, I was really feeling the luck of the Irish. While I’m not Irish, I was lucky enough to attend a sold-out show featuring The Beths and Sidney Gish at the Fonda Theater. As a sea of green stood in a long, cigarette-ridden queue on Hollywood Boulevard, my sister and I were geeked to see Sidney Gish live. Though I was less familiar with The Beth’s discography, my sister and I were lucky enough to sit in five hours of traffic during the drive to Hollywood from San Diego - which was plenty of time to get acquainted with The Beth’s latest release, Expert in a Dying Field.
Read More“Do you believe in faeries?” reads the banner draped above the stage at the Lodge Room in Highland Park California. The same poster features drawings of horses and a large heart with the name of the headliner, Cowgirl Clue, painted on the center; Below it, in cursive writing, was her self-described genre: “Y’allternative Music.”
Read MoreIn 2022, four days before the release of their second studio album, Ants from Up There, frontman Isaac Wood left the band, citing mental health reasons and opting for a quiet life instead of stardom. The album went on to reach unprecedented heights for the band. They received universal acclaim from critics, landed on numerous end-of-year lists, cemented an incredibly loyal following, and became stalwarts of a new scene of British indie rock rooted in avant-garde instrumentation and experimental post-punk. In the wake of a standing ovation, Wood simply walked away, leaving the band with the impending question of what to do next.
Read MoreThe endlessly adored experimental musician, Alejandra Ghersi Rodríguez, more commonly known as Arca, unexpectedly announced a one-off show in Los Angeles following an extensive festival tour in the fall of 2022. This announcement instantly sparked excitement among old and new fans alike. Leading up to the show, fans did not know what to expect of the elusive performer considering there hadn’t been a major release since the completion of the Kick series of albums ending with its fifth and final volume in December 2021.
Read MoreThe band's unique blend of funk, pop, and indie-rock had the crowd dancing and singing along from the very first note. The band's energy was contagious, and their chemistry on stage was evident throughout the entire performance.
Read MoreReleased March 28, 1973, this iconic album is celebrating its 50th anniversary, so it is only fitting to write a review. Houses of the Holy was a transition out of the band’s iconic quadruple self-titled albums (Led Zeppelin I, II, III & IV), and it is heard in their sound. Houses of the Holy was the album they began experimenting with genres, delving into funk, reggae, ballads, and some psychedelic. There is also more focus on instrumentation and emphasis on instrumental breaks than in the previous four albums.
Read MoreIt’s been a hazy last month and Kali Uchis has arisen from the storm. With the days just starting to get longer and spring coming, she delivers with good timing the entrancing Red Moon in Venus.
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