LA Love: Avi Buffalo Music

Hello Hello! Consider this a last-minute reminder for the Castledoor/Parson Red Heads/Princeton partay tonight. The 3 bands are throwin' down at the Echoplex for Castledoor's record release Shouting At Mountains and the Parson Red Heads' new 7" release Orangufang. Tickets are $7 at the door. Don't miss this one.

Today we're talking about young folks. No, not those young folks. I'm talking about a group of high school kids out of Long Beach, CA (that's just a little bit south of LA, still eligible for LA Love!), whose average age is about 18, and they spend their nights playing indie rock shows instead of doing their math homework and studying for AP tests.

They're called Avi Buffalo Music, and they're cooler than you were when you were 17. Unless you're Zac Efron or something. (Disclaimer: GFP does not necessarily think Zac Efron is cool. But the rest of America seems to.) Lead singer/guitarist Avi shares vocal duties with keyboard player Rebecca Coleman, and wields his instrument as well as (or better than) some guys who are much older than him. I know people who are turned off by his singing, which is somewhere in between actual singing and a Frank Black howl, a high-pitched yelp over quiet fingerpicking and classic guitar riffs -- but I think it's just awesome. Avi and Rebecca are joined by Sheridan Riley on drums, Arin Fazio on bass, and a mysterious new guitar player whose identity they'll be unveiling next month. And they have songs with titles like "Summer Cum" and "Where's Your Dirty Mind"...but don't be fooled, these kids are wise beyond their years

You have 4 chances to see Avi Buffalo Music for FREE in May. They've scored a residency spot at the Echo (just upstairs from where you'll be seeing Castledoor tonight!), and the shows are all-ages, so there's no excuses. And hey - if they're not working, you don't have to either.

"Where's Your Dirty Mind"
"What's In It For"

LA Love: Castledoor

Hello hello!

Consider today's installment of LA Love a 3rd reminder to our LA readers about the Castledoor/Parson Red Heads/Princeton show at the Echoplex next Tuesday night (April 28th -- that's a week from today!) You can read about the Parson Red Heads and Princeton in previous LA Love entries here and here.

But today I'm excited to talk to you about Castledoor, a band I've been a fan of since 2007 and who just keeps getting better and better and better. They're a 6-piece band consisting of Nate Combs (lead vox), Gabe Cole (guitar), Coury Jane Combs (vocals, synth), Liska Cole (vocals, keys), Brando Schwartzel (bass), and Joel Plotkin (drums) -- not that it's terribly important but in case you're wondering, there's no White Stripes ambiguity here, the Combs and the Coles are married couples.

The Castledoor sound is a generous mix of indie pop, rock, and soul. Nate Combs is a fantastic frontman, and the talent in the rest of the band can't be overlooked. I've seen them play a handful of times in various clubs both big and small, and they always look sharp and sound even better. But what's really gotten me excited is that their first full-length album, Shouting At Mountains, comes out today (!) with a record release party next Tuesday night. They've previously released an EP and a 7", and this new record was produced by Rooney's own Robert Carmine. I saw them play back in the middle of March, and it was my first time hearing some of the new tunes -- put simply, it's gonna be awesome. The soul influences are way more apparent now, especially in the vocals, and the music has gotten a little heavier while retaining a pop sound.

Back in 2007, the day before I first saw Castledoor live, a co-worker told me that he hadn't seen them either but they were supposedly a must-see.... after that show I was hooked. Take a listen to the tunes below, and let me know if I've convinced you--

Dumpster Diving [mp3] - (iTunes)
Magnetic Forces [mp3] - (iTunes)

Note: if you want to check out Castledoor's new tunes, they're posting a new song per day on their Myspace. They're also playing a set at UCLA's Bruin Plaza at noon, Wednesday afternoon!