By Kathryn Pinto
The Dig “I Already Forgot Everything You Said” Midnight Flowers (Buffalo Jump Records, 2012)
Having two vocalists trading off lead and changing focus adds to the tightness of the arrangements, and lends something unexpected to this band. The Dig have played LA as part of the Rock ‘n Roll Circus in 2010 and again last May they opened for the Henry Clay People, and this month the Brooklynites have been playing a spectacularly well-attended Wednesday night residency at the Silverlake Lounge. More impressive is the way they’ve been making the rounds of the local eastside clubs chatting up everyone and personally inviting them to their Wednesday shows. The Dig play tonight at the Silverlake Lounge along with Act as If, Max and The Moon and Andy and Joey Siara of the Henry Clay People playing an acoustic set.
Calvin Love “KONICA” New Radar (Self-Released, 2012)
Calvin Love’s live show is all charisma and stage presence with his guitar playing in the foreground in ways that are only hinted at by the quiet vocals and electronic squiggles of New Radar. Anyone who went over to bandcamp to get a sense of the solo Love (guitarist in Just an Animal, Red Cortez) had a welcome surprise at seeing him live at the American Royalty residency at the Echo Monday night. Love had everyone (except maybe the most cynical of bloggers row) up and dancing at the late midnight set.
Conveyor “Woolgatherer” Conveyor (Paper Garden Records, 2012)
Another Brooklyn band, Conveyor came through town this week and played a show at Origami Vinyl and another Monday night at the Silverlake Lounge. The band combines live instruments, electronic sounds and harmonies in tight arrangements that left the crowd at Origami spellbound.
Yellow Alex and the Feelings “Lisa, Lisa, Lisa” (single, Collective Sounds, 2012)
The Satellite was packed to the gills with folks waiting outside for Yellow Alex and the Feelings, a neo funk outfit known to RFSL thus far as “Kim Haden’s other gig.” The band is a high energy bouncing dance party that shows influences of Sly and the Family Stone, Prince, fishbone and the year 1987. Extra bonus points for the choreographed stage moves leading the way for the full funkfest in the crowd.
Escalator Hill “Long Way Down” Poplar Avenue (self-released, 2011)
Escalator Hill played a late set Saturday for the third week of their residency at Casey’s downtown with the World Record opening the show. I’ve seen a lot of Escalator Hill over the past year, but this show reminded me of just how complex and interesting their compositions and arrangements are. Violinist Nancy Kuo put it best as she came off the stage after the show. “That was like doing math, all those odd time signatures.” Escalator Hill play Saturday night at Casey's with the Far West opening. Free Show.
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