It seems that The Ontario quartet made up of Greg Alsop (drums), Josh Hook (guitar), David Monks (vocals, bass) and Graham Wright (keys/percussion) are having quite the year. Playing Coachella’s Main stage and gracing East Rutherford’s Bamboozle festival in support of their 2010 release Champ. We snapped some shots of the Canadians at last weekend’s festival (below) and if you’ve yet to discover this alt-gem, give them a listen after the jump.
I don’t have a TV, I rarely get out and admittedly, I’ve never been to a book reading… but it was quite special getting my listener’s cherry popped Wednesday night by one of ChinaShop’s own Teresa Jusino as she read some of her work at The Talking Stick in Venice.
Teresa, a talented New York based writer and activist from Queens, is in Los Angeles for a limited time in support of her contribution to the recently published book Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon By the Women Who Love Them.
Being at Red Bull Studios in Santa Monica is an audiophile’s dream. Perfect acoustics, the best gear available, and all the Red Bull you could drink. It is especially fun when a studio like that gets put to use at the highest level, recording a full band “live.”
I walked into Friday’s session not knowing what to expect and was delighted to learn that Tutu and his gang of artist friends would be tracking the session “live.”
As the studio engineers set up the microphones and EQ the instruments, Te’Amir Sweeney (Tutu’s older brother) eases into a tasty groove. Tutu and friends join in. Tutu’s tunes are arranged, but as guitar player Michael McTaggert tells me, “They come out different every time.” The band is young, most of them circa 20 years old, but by their casual demeanor, I can tell this is probably not their first rodeo.
Yep, that’s David standing on his head again… and yep those are “The New Politics,” A 3 piece Rock/Pop trio originally haling from Copenhagen Denmark. The group consisting of David Boyd, guitar/vocalist Soren Hansen, and drummer Poul Amaliel released their self-titled debut album June 13th of this year and played the Viper Room Tuesday night to a room full of zealous fans.
I remember driving around the valley as a kid, staring tiredly out the window of my mom’s Mazda Protegé, disgusted by the graffiti that littered Rosco Blvd. The three letter gang tags haphazardly sprayed upon the walls often crossed out and covered over by a rival gang. I remember thinking it to be like dogs marking their territory, and I always thought it looked ugly.
20 years later, and for some reason unknown to me, I don’t see nearly as much of that junk graffiti. What I do see is a movement of artists using the urban landscape as their canvas, blessing cities with a sense of wonder and awe. I’ve just recently entered this rabbit hole and I am enamored by the beauty and baffled by the vision of these clever zealots. If you are already privy, forgive me and carry on, but for the rest of you, take a second to revel at the imagination and vision of these captivating urban artists. Let the yarn bombing and graffiti animation begin… Oh and don’t forget about the inflatables division. You’ve got to see this.
Electro-Rocker/ Producer Jarvis Anderson from L.A.’s Iglu and Hartly likes to start his day with a cup of folgers instant coffee and breakfast blend of tunes.
Mood: Getting ready for the day
Mason Jennings’ music has held heavy rotation in my CD player for a long time now. I remember vividly the first time hearing this Pittsburgh songwriter. I was 21, driving in my red ‘89 Geo Spectrum, windows down, with the Santa Barbara sun shining in. My buddy Max slipped in Mason’s self-titled debut and we listened attentively as the folksy melodies escape my shitty little blown speakers. & as the tunes bounced around the cab of my college car, I felt peaceful, and happy, and free.
Every week, China Shop asks persons of interest one question: Pick a mood and 5 songs that put you into that mood?
This week’s list from UK Chaps “Chapel Club” will warm you up from the inside out. Do yourself a favor and savor the flavor of their sensitive selections.
Mood: Loving
Hip-hop was center stage Thursday night at Red Bull’s Big Tune Los Angeles competition as 12 of Los Angeles’ brightest up-and-coming beat makers went head-to-head in a single-elimination competition judged by audience applause. The winner and runner-up from the competition earned a ticket to the Chicago Big Tune finals where they will battle other producers for an opportunity to collaborate with a hip-hop legend. Previous Big Tune winners married their beats to lyrics by Nas, Young Buck, and most recently Ghost Face Killah.
The event, held at the world famous El Rey theater, raised over $3700 and all proceeds will go towards buying music production equipment for select LAUSD after school programs.
Relient K is the McDonalds of Emo music. They serve up tasty little melodies that stick in your head like cholesterol to your veins. & like Mickee-Dees, they crank em out. To date the quartet has sold over 2 million records, with three albums being given gold certification, and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Gospel Album. In addition, Singer Matthew Thiessen continues to hold the billboard 200 hostage with Owl City’s Ocean Eyes and platinum single Fireflies which, like it or not, is in your head right now…