Sounds Around Town

Photo By Andrea Calo Ladylike releases Ladylike: An Aural Odyssey In American Music Everyone that knows me, knows I like Ladylike, knows that Ladylike is one of my top five favorite bands in the Phoenix scene, knows that I will preach their gospel to anyone that will listen no matter where I go, knows that I truly enjoy everything they are about from their entire catalog of originals to their carefully selected covers in their live show. Though since their inception they’ve only had a three song EP and a recent two song single to help me prove my point,…

Music For A Darkened Room And An Open Mind estas diluculo’s Long Awaited Release Party It’s become more and more rare these days when artists record an album for the sake of the album, meaning they want the album to be heard in its entirety, straight through, uninterrupted. So often in these days of MP3s and iPod shuffled realities we only attend to songs as listeners and artists then attend to that very same attention span. There are some bands, some artists and yes, some listeners still out there that remember the commitment of an album, the joy of spending…

It’s a Thurday night at the start of April and it turns out that two of the most amazing bands in town have teamed together to present a collective album release show. It seems unlikely, but electronic rock geniuses Factories will hold their release party for Together, alongside Ladylike releasing their eponymous debut. Both will be supported in their endeavors by Chasing Kings and in order to entice you to the entire splendid event, the cover will be only $5!  This means you can save money for drinks, burritos or perhaps you will think wisely and invest your money into the…

Every now and then there is a venue residency in town that has a non-stop, mindblowing lineup all month long. This time around it’s Wooden Indian hosting every Friday Night in  April at Long Wong’s Firehouse for their ever successful FBOM series. I’ve been an avid fan of Wooden Indian since I saw them play in the dark at the ante-chamber of the Icehouse at last year’s What Laura Says release party and try to see them every chance I can get. Wooden Indian is one of the rising local bands, still on  the fringe, intent on finding new sounds…

I had heard murmurings about Factories for nearly a year. Their producer Jalipaz had mentioned them quite a bit, even though they are not a part of the Black Cactus roster, everyone from that crew talked very excitably about them. I had been told that Underwater Getdown was history, but not to worry, because Factories was even better.  It wasn’t until last May after about six months of hearing these whispers in the wind that I got to see the proof in the pudding for myself at Peachcake’s EP release party at the Rhythm Room. It was at that point…

Sometimes a band just comes at you out of nowhere, just lands in your lap and sometimes they become one of your new favorite bands immediately. This is the case with Therapist and there new six song EP Heart Beats. The entire affair evokes a very early 80s suffocating LA punk vibe with brilliant modern flourishes of electronica, doused in a healthy housing of darkness. Starting off with harrowing screams, the lead-off single “In Know What I Want” immediately gets down to their infectious sound after the unsettling beginning, with big bass riffs, keyboard accentuation, pounding drums and sultry punk…

Project Releases Well Come Back To You It seems, suddenly that forgotten genres like Shoegaze Rock, Dream Pop and Math Rock are suddenly being resurrected in various corners of the Phoenix scene and honestly, it’s nice to see. Sure, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s brilliant nonetheless. It happens to be one of my cups of tea so I’m overjoyed to hear something like the sophomore release from Project Well Come Back To You. First of all, I need to address Donna Blumenfeld’s breathy vocals which adds a sense of sultry Slowdive panache to the whole affair. “End…

I kind of get the feeling that The Wiley One won’t be hanging around Phoenix for very long. First of all, they are one of the few local bands whose songs have made it to television, having been heard on Fuel TV and ESPN, they’re well known for their environmental awareness and have worked with Disney’s Planet Challenge and their Bio Diesel bus tour caught the attention of Billboard Magazine’s Green Issue. Not to mention they have attracted large audiences in Los Angeles, New York and everywhere in between. Sundawg Records has a nice little treasure with the Wiley One,…

They Are Doctor Bones and this is Numbers I first became aware of Doctor Bones around the time the ninth or tenth person told me I would love them  early last fall, it was around that same time I started noticing the stickers all around town that said “Who Is Doctor Bones?” So I had to find out for myself and it turns out everyone was right, I love them. First of all, their live shows establish them as an ungodly force to be reckoned with, between the commanding presence and quirky vocals of Anthony Fama, the vocals, violin and…

Analog Society ‘s  Turns On Tones It seems collecting the sounds of the past and coalescing or perhaps defibrillating them into an entirely new life is not only an exciting new hobby for musicians in Phoenix, it is somehow producing some of the finest music around. Case in point, Analog Society’s debut EP, Transformer.   Opening with what sounds like and perhaps clearly is, a sound snippet from  an ancient cinema flick, the music that it transforms into is something all together different. “Take 2.5” is driven by goth rhythms and backing with the unique and haunting vocals of Cecilia…