The Henry Clay People – Harmonizing SXSW 2012 from The Henry Clay People on Vimeo.

2012 is shaping up to be a big year for our favorite local rock ‘n roll band, the Henry Clay People.  The la la land tramps not only have a string of SXSW dates lined up (dig the video for more information), the band is also set to release their fourth full-length album, Twenty-Five for the Rest of Our Lives, on TBD Records this June.  A weird and wild collection rock and punk, the new album is, to these ears, the best and most sincere thing the band has yet to record, fusing the heart of For Cheap or For Free with the sonic boundary-hopping of Somewhere on the Golden Coast.

So if the wait until June sounds a little too agonizing, be sure to hit some of HCP’s SXSW dates–you’re sure to hear some new tunes along the way.

March 12 – 5-9pm : “Stuff You Should Know” Podcast Party @ Fado Irish Pub w/ John Hodgemen, Eugene Mirman, + more
March 14 – 1pm : “Consequence of Sound” Party @ Beauty Bar w/ Titus Andronicus, Cloud Nothings + more
March 14 – 3:45pm : “Dear Austin: Love LA” Party @ Opal Divine’s w/ PAPA, NO, + more
March 16 – 4:15pm : @ Side Bar
March 16 – 5:15pm : “Texas Jumpstart 5″ Party @ Lovejoys w/ Midgetmen, Mr. Dream, Ezra Furman, + more
March 17 – 12am : SXSW Showcase @ SOHO w/ Voxhaul Broadcast + more

A quick and dirty odds ‘n sods trio of leftovers from Radars to the Sky’s 2010 full-length debut (the still-stunning Supra/Infra), the Detritus EP is a woefully short stop-gap after two years of recorded silence from the band; that said, in just under 15 minutes, Radars reminds listeners why CGT once called them “the indie rockers’ indie rockers.

Beginning with “Sharpen Your Teeth,” a song that, with its loping, celestial slowburn pace and cooing background vocals, should should should have been on Supra/Infra, the Detritus EP makes quick run-through of all that Radars does so well—spacey, Doug Marsch-ian arrangements (the aforementioned “Sharpen Your Teeth”), alternately jangly and pummeling indie rock (the charming “Stars Are”), crunchy, funky, stop-start kinetics (“Lullaby”), and moody, literate lyricism (all of the above).

In all, it’s a fine (albeit brief) reunion with a band that, to these ears, defined so much of what made local music thrilling and enjoyable over the past six or so years.  And while the EP may be an epilogue to Supra/Infra, here’s hoping it’s also a prologue to another disc (or seven).

Be sure to see Radars to the Sky live tonight as they celebrate Detritus‘ release at The Satellite.

Celebrating the release of their excellent Detritus EP (featuring tunes that didn’t make it onto the still-great Supra/Infra), Radars to the Sky will be holding court at the Satellite on Thursday night, as presented by Radio Free Silverlake.  More on the EP later this week, but for now, dig a track from Detritus, and be sure to be at the Satellite on Thursday night!

Want to do a good deed in 2012?  Or, rather, two good deeds?  Then consider hitting the following: local hotshots LA Font and Torches (formerly Torches in Trees) are gathering the funds necessary to record and release new full length records.  As two rising forces in la la land indie rock, LA Font and Torches are two bands whose music deserves the wider audience that a pair of excellent LPs could garner.

And to make things easier for you to chip in, both bands have started digital fundraisers to make sure these albums happen.

You can hit up LA Font and donate to the cause here, at their Kickstarter page.  Or, as they put it:

For most of 2011, we were writing a full-length album. We think it’s going to be something really special and we can’t wait to get it recorded. To do that, we drafted an awesome producer – Eric Palmquist, who just did amazing recordings of two of L.A.’s best bands, Wavves and Fool’s Gold. He loves our music, and wants to record it at one of the eastside’s best recording studios: Infrasonic Sound.

Our problem is, making a new record and getting it out there is going to be really expensive. It takes a team of professional engineers a long time to record, mix and master a 40-minute album. Then there’s the costs of equipment and 10 days in a world-class studio. All together, putting this record out is going to cost us well more than $10,000.

The band is currently within $1,200 of their goal.  Help them out, won’t you (plus you’ll get a bunch of free swag for donating).

Elsewhere, WiF favorites Torches are looking to finish and release their debut LP, Heads Full of Rust, an endeavor that will set them back by $2,700, which, believe me, would be well worth it–this band is stellar.  Make a donation to their Indie GoGo page (and ditto the free swag!).

So contribute to one, or both–your ears will thank you, and the local scene will grow that much stronger.

Photo Credit: Zoe Ruth

I’ve said before that the dichotomous split between Sarah Negahdari’s two musical incarnations—the redlined pop bloodletting of the Happy Hollows and the alternately spooky/lovely oddball psych-folk of her “solo” band, the newly christened Pisces (f/k/a The Sad Solids)—is like a rampaging bear and the yawning open cave from which it came, respectively.  Sure, the bear gets all the attention (eating all of those innocent campers and all), but there’s something about that cave, a little unsettling, a little haunting, but still mysterious and kind of intriguing all the same.  Negahdari’s solo work is like that cave and, for what feels like the first time, her show at Hotel Café last week was the first complete, flood-lit glimpse into just how expansive and deep that cave runs.

While previous Negahdari solo shows, to these ears, have been stripped-bare acoustic sets of solely singer-songwriter psych-folk, her Tuesday night set was expansive and kaleidoscopic in its genre-straddling—Negahdari and her Happy Hollows bandmates skipped and flipped from moody, rhythmic folk (the sensuous, insistent “Voodoo”) to loping Americana oddities (the loopy, swaggering tease of “Rag Doll”) to charging and electric rock-pop (“Driver,” with its sweetly circular melodicism) before climaxing in a surprising and joyful paroxysm of raga-tinged, sitar-led jamming (the cascading “Flower Toes”).

It was the aural equivalent of blinding fluorescence flooding into that bear’s cave, illuminating what has only been previously hinted at in its cobwebbed depths—not an acoustic-based side project, but a full-on, full-muscled band with its own musical identity and direction.  Here’s hoping that, unlike its namesake, Pisces happens more than just once a year.

The clip for the latest tune by Pisces (the psych-folk solo project of the Happy Hollows’ Sarah Negahdari), “Paint a Rocket” is typically oddball, dreamy, and hyper-catchy stuff from the seemingly always-reliable Negahdari.  Pisces’ debut EP will hit later this year; until then, make due with a life appearance next week at Hotel Cafe:

Photo credit: Sterling Andrews

Hop in the wayback machine to February 2011, and you’ll find a Web in Front post dedicated to a lovely little celestial jam called “These United States” by local hotshots Seasons.  Well, nearly a year later, that slice of dazzling pop has finally found a home–the band’s new EP, Autumn.  The band is celebrating the EP’s release with a month-long Monday night residency at the Echo (which is free, of course)–and Web in Front is presenting next Monday’s show, which will feature support from Tenlons Fort, Judson McKinney and Kind Hearts and Coronets.  Also, Seasons will be performing their Winter EP in its entirety (dig our Winter review here).

In the meantime, give “These United States” a listen.  Propelled by an insistent, almost Paisley Underground-styled swirl of dreamy guitars, hyper-catchy melodies, and lovely viola/ violin contributions from Big Whup’s Morgan Gee, it’s a slice of pure ear candy.  See you on Monday.

Listen to “These United States”

Every week, Web in Front will be offering up a digital mixtape, comprised of whatever happens to be floating through my head and ears at the time–great local music (including exclusive unreleased tracks from our Featured Artist Interviews), old favorites and oddball obscurities; also featured will be mixes made by some of our favorite Los Angeles musicians, along with the stories and explanations behind their picks.

Another new year, another new batch of mixtapes.  Today’s mix is a heady batch of (mostly) new tunes, from the chiming art-pop of San Diego’s TV Girl to the celestial-rock-meets-lounge-lizard-sprawl of Seasons’ love letter to L.A. residencies (be sure to catch the second night of Seasons’ Echo residency next Monday), from the new glitchy funk jam by Fol Chen to two lovely new slivers of rock ‘n folk by Olin and the Moon and The Lumineers (who you can see this Friday at Hotel Cafe–highly recommended), respectively.  Along the way, you’ll find some older gems by the Stones, Beck, Jacques Dutronc, Strand of Oaks, and more.  Catchy stuff, kids.  Tracklisting and song info after the jump.

(Download)

1.  “Baby You Were There” – TV Girl (Benny and the Jetts/ 2011)

2.  “Monday Nights” – Seasons (Autumn/ 2012)

3.  “So Good” – Fol Chen (Tetrafol/ 2011)

4.  “Beautiful Way” – Beck (Midnite Vultures/ 1999)

5.  “Comment elles Dorment” – Jacques Dutronc (Il Est Cinq Heures/ 1968)

6.  “Yesterday’s Papers” – The Rolling Stones (Between the Buttons/ 1967)

7.  “Nearsayerfive” – Eddie the Wheel (He’s a Scream/ 2011)

8.  “This Must Be the Place” [Talking Heads cover] – Strand of Oaks (mp3 single/ 2011)

9.  “Something I Need to Break” – Olin and the Moon (mp3 single/ 2012)

10.  “Ho Hey” – The Lumineers (mp3 single/ 2012)

NEW YEAR’S EVE 2011/12 at The Satellite from vbkid on Vimeo.

It’s no exaggeration when I say that the Henry Clay People are, quite simply, my favorite rock ‘n roll band in Los Angeles.  It’s also no exaggeration when I say that their annual NYE show is the local set that I look forward to the most every year.  Seeing my favorite local band at my favorite local venue in one of my favorite neighborhoods in Los Angeles for New Year’s is just about as good as it gets and, if you’re reading this site, it’s likely you feel the same way.  With that in mind, we’d like to offer up an early Christmas present: two free pairs of tix to see the Henry Clay People live at The Satellite on New Year’s Eve.  Joined by Races, LA Font, Jillinda Palmer, Joe Napolitano, and Paulie Pesh, HCP are set to ring in the new year with style/rock ‘n roll heart with a mix of original tunes and their inimitable covers (let’s just say that fans of Prince, Pulp, the Beatles, New Order, the Cure, REM, Rancid, the Sex Pistols and Bryan Adams have something to be excited about).

Interested in winning the tix?  Simply hit me up on Twitter with your favorite HCP song, and I’ll select the winners at random next Wednesday.  See you there.