It’s

been roughly a year since the Little

Ones emerged out of thin air, with nothing but wide blinding smiles, a knack for

kinetic performances and a batch of irresistibly catchy songs from their Sing

Song EP.

Within a matter of weeks, the band’s tunes, particularly the infectious "Lovers

Who Uncover" and "Cha Cha Cha", had appeared on seemingly every blog in

existence. Soon there was a triumphant Monday night residency at the Echo, a successful

national tour, a deal with Astralwerks and a trip overseas to support Boy Least Likely

To. Not bad for a band that no one had heard of six months previous.

Wednesday night at the Troubadour, the hometown heroes returned victorious, getting

the toes of the jaded westside crowd tapping, revealing a continued musical evolution

but retaining the same undeniable charisma and joy that won them a fan base in the first

place.

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Kevin Bronson remains out of town, being subjected to Midwestern radio

name, The Rolling Stones.

Recommended

Jarvis Cocker,

"Jarvis," (Rough Trade) Jarvis Cocker seems an unlikely candidate to be

releasing his first solo record, considering he’s 44 years old and his glory days are

ten years gone. But the talent that made the former Pulp frontman the toast of England

in the mid-90s remains on display with "Jarvis". Released in England in

November, "Jarvis" received rave reviews from the British press, including a

perfect score from the

Guardian. Domestically, the record has received strong but not spectacular reviews,

with Pitchfork giving it a respectable 6.2. Meanwhile, Rolling Stone gushed that it’s

Cocker’s best

record since the Pulp classic, "This is Hardcore". The truth lies

somewhere in between, with Cocker concocting a typically wry collection of songs, at

times brooding chamber pop, at times taking on a post-punk stomp. As always, his

prodigious intellect remains on display and while this record may not make you throw

away your import single of "Common People", it marks a late career rebound

from one of England’s finest singer/songwriters. Be sure to check out his live set at

Coachella this year.

Stream the majority of "Jarvis" at

Cocker’s Myspace

Also Recommended

Fountains of Wayne,

"Traffic and Weather," (Virgin) Admit to liking this album and one immediately

loses their hipster cred. Pitchfork dealt it a bone-crunching full nelson, giving it a

dismal 3.0 and calling the record "bullshit". Stylus was even harsher, giving

it a D- and calling it a "

Killers tribute, three years behind the times." More mainstream publications

have been more forgiving of the record’s saccharine tendencies, with the Times’ Mikael

Wood calling it "more accessible" but keeping FoW’s "trademark wit".

And while I’m fully of the belief that the only thing Stacey’s mom had going on was

her knowledge that Fountains were ripping off The Cars–hard, if you’re into power-pop,

you’ll probably like this record. Adam Schlesinger and Co. aren’t breaking any new

ground, but if you liked their early stuff, this is the logical extension of their

sound. Just don’t tell anyone east of La Brea. Fountains of Wayne are also playing this

year’s Coachella.

Listen at Fountains of Wayne’s

Myspace

The

Twilight Sad, "Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters," (Fat Cat)

Judging from their twee-sounding name, album title and Glasgow heritage, one would

expect the Twilight Sad to produce frail, sensitive tunes like a Tigermilk-era Belle

& Sebastian. Instead, their fuzzy, anthemic rock falls closer to U2, if U2 was still

making good music. Just don’t be surprised if the band’s lead singer’s thick Scottish

brogue reminds you more than a little of The Simpsons’ Groundskeeper Willie.

Listen at Twilight Sad’s

Myspace

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts for Wednesday, April 4
Fresh off a

two-month stint in the UK and performances at SXSW, hometown jangle-poppers The Little Ones rock the Troubadour,

hopefully playing some new material from their upcoming Astralwerks debut. The band will

be supported by Sea Wolf. At the Silverlake Lounge, Jason Lytle of the defunct and

esteemed Grandaddy will be playing a set with Aaron Espinoza, one of the men behind

local scene linchpins Earlimart.

Indie 103.1 and Club NME present a performance from Persephone’s Bees, a band whose lead singer

has been described as a Russian Blondie. Merge folkie Richard Buckner plays the Echo. And lastly, a

re-constituted Yardbirds (or what’s left of them) play the Knitting Factory. Rumors

abound about a possible guest appearance from one of the band’s early legendary

guitarists.

Greetings Buzz Banders, my name is Jeff Weiss. You might know me from my blog, The Passion of the Weiss. If that’s the

party. Please don’t tell Kevin. And yes, punch and pie will be served.

Recommended

The Klaxons, "Myths

of the Near Future," (Polydor): Don’t believe the hype. But don’t believe the

backlash either. NME darlings The Klaxons have created a deafening buzz on the other

side of the Atlantic, with their debut LP hitting No. 2 on the charts upon its January

UK release. Domestically, the record dropped this week with mostly critical 

derision, unsurprising considering the albatross "Nu-Rave" tag The Klaxons

have been unfairly saddled with. While it’s certainly true that this band is an unlikely

candidate for a movement, the album serves its purpose, providing catchy siren-filled

jams packed with big hooks and drug-addled chants. Somewhere in England right now, a

15-year year old is putting on his first glowstick and rocking out to this record. For

better or worse.

Stream Tracks at The Klaxons’

Myspace

Also Recommended

Prodigy, "Return

of the Mac," (Koch): Returning with a vengeance after last year’s much-maligned

"Bloody Money," Prodigy of Mobb Deep has delivered his most consistent record

in years. Produced entirely by the Alchemist, "Return of the Mac" clocks in at

a meager 39 minutes, nearly unheard-of in modern hip-hop. The brevity is much

appreciated as the self-proclaimed H.N.I.C. blasts through 14 cuts, swagger intact,

spirit of ‘95 intact. It might not hit the heights of "The Infamous," but

consider it a late-career comeback for an MC many left for dead.

Stream Tracks at Prodigy’s

Myspace

Redman, "Red Gone

Wild" (Def Jam): After a six-year hiatus, the man formerly known as Reggie Noble

has returned with his finest record in a decade. Sounding reinvigorated, the album is

chockful of what Red does best: witty party rhymes delivered in his charismatic growl.

The album might run a bit long at nearly an hour and 15 minutes, but it’s almost always

entertaining.

Stream Tracks at Redman’s Myspace

Young Buck, "Buck the

World," (G-Unit): Oft-described as the best MC in G-Unit, Young Buck’s much-delayed

debut features production from Eminem, Dr. Dre and Hi-Tek, with guest appearances from

Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent and T.I., and despite its limited ambitions, it delivers some guilty

pleasures. Buck remains a cliche-riddled lyricist, yet the rich booming production

surrounding him sounds ideal for the onset of summer.

Stream Tracks at Young Buck’s

Myspace

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts For Thursday, March 29:

It’s a slow night in Club land tonight, but Oakdale-based folkie troubadour Brett Dennen will be holding it down at The El

Rey, supported by acoustic pop singer/songwriter Amber Rubarth. About two miles west or so of Dennen,

Warped Tour staples Yellowcard

begin the first of a two-night sold-out residency at the Troubadour. Local New Wave

revivalists Monsters Are Waiting play

Safari Sam’s, while over at The Echo, the Portland, Oregon-based seven-piece Vagabond Opera are set to regale the eastside

with their weird brand of 1920s European Cabaret, Balkan wedding music and Neo-Classical

opera. Whatever that means. Last but certainly not least, Jill Cunniff, former lead singer of ’90s

girl-rockers Luscious Jackson, headlines a set at The Hotel Cafe.

Beck’s dinnertime show Thursday night at the Echo was

more like an hourlong sampler platter with the usual heaping helping of surprising

flavors. The 36-year-old musical alchemist, fronting a six-piece band, test-drove all

manner of new permutations, his ensemble at their most savory and powerful through a

couple numbers that could only be described as stoner jams.

Of course, even those jams at times broke off and became something else — Beck has a

way of making everything sound like a tangent for 15 seconds. Then, suddenly, it all

works; it’s all good.

Fresh from a rehearsal, or so the band said, Beck’s sextet gave a capacity crowd (the

show was not announced until late afternoon and still attracted a long line on Sunset

Boulevard) a taste of the familiar funk and hip-hop. But the blowback from a couple

psychedelic stomps, with their clatter of shakers, cowbells, noisemakers and harmonica

and thick lines from bassist Justin

Meldal-Johnsen, packed a punch.

Waiter, a little more stoner rock, please …

◊ ◊ ◊

Beck graciously thanked the kid bands who were playing later in the night for

allowing his group’s incursion on their bill. Hey, does this mean Metro Station (a promising

electro-pop quartet) can say Beck opened for them?

◊ ◊ ◊

Later, across

town at the cozy West Hollywood club Tempest, unsigned English quartet the Screening helped kick off the first

night of Death Disco, the new Thursday night promotion from a British contingent that

includes Creation Records founder Alan McGee.

The

Screening’s quick set of punked-up Britpop was their sixth performance in three days —

ah, showcasing in Los Angeles. They soldiered through it, and probably the only faux pas

of the evening was the flip-flops worn by Liam Gallagher-channeling front man Tom Nurse.

"If you wear a leather jacket," said one astute

columnist and fashion expert, "you need to have substantial shoes."

The Screening returns to Tempest tonight for Club Underground.

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts for Friday, March 23: Anti-Flag and Alexisonfire top a bill of edgy punks at the

Wiltern. … The Start and the Randies play the Viper Room. … Elvis Perkins (whom we previ

ewed in the Calendar Weekend section of the Times) and Let’s Go Sailing are at the Echo. …

Sold-out shows: Paolo Nutini at the Avalon, and

Heavens at the Troubadour. … And many of you

have probably heard the song by the Trucks that

I cannot reference on a family blog. The Bellingham, Wash., punkers perform at El Cid.

Photos by Kevin Bronson / LAT.

[Hoofing it to the record store again …]

Recommended

The

Willowz, "Chautauqua," (Dim Mak): The Orange County quartet

stretches its retro-psychedelic stomp on its third album (and first for DJ Steve Aoki’s

label), and that’s not always a good thing. But largely you have to give

singer-guitarist Richie James Follin and bassist-singer Jessica Reynoza (now joined by

guitarist Aric Bohn and Ted Humphrey) credit for aiming their darts squarely at the

center of the Stones rock pantheon. The bluesy squalor will remind you of the likes of

Neil Young, Dinosaur Jr. and even Dead Moon–perfect for hot summer days and long rides

in that flower-painted VW bus.

||| Download: "Evil Son."

||| And prepare for a new coat of paint on the walls at Cinespace: The Willowz celebrate the

album’s release with a show at the Hollywood Boulevard venue tonight. They will be

joined by Vietnam, Wolf & Cub and the Horrors.

Also

recommended

El-P, "I’ll Sleep When You’re

Dead" (Definitive Jux): Five years in the making, the explosive sophomore effort by

the Def Jux main man features ear-splitting production and brain-bending lyrics, not to

mention guest turns by the likes of Cage, Aesop Rock, Trent Reznor, members of the Mars

Volta and James McNew of Yo La Tengo. Make room on those year-end Top 10 lists.

Other opinions

In case you missed your Sunday paper, here’s a couple The Times reviewed in Record

Rack:

||| LCD

Soundsystem, "Sound of Silver."

||| M

odest Mouse, "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank."

[Correspondent August Brown checks in from Monday night’s party at the

Wiltern:]

Kele Okereke isn’t the real front man of Bloc Party. Yes, he’s the sexy, visually arresting

guy in the middle of the stage reminiscing about drug-addled young London and picking

blackberries. But their set at the Wiltern made it clear that their goofy, ferocious and

perpetually shirtless drummer, Matt Tong, is the actual reason they won the post-punk

revivalist sweepstakes. He was also the most interesting thing happening on stage, for

better or worse.

Drawing

equally from their experimental and politically volatile new album “A Weekend In The

City” and their barnstorming debut “Silent Alarm,” the band struggled to get its footing

through a sludgy live mix. Bloc Party is in the tricky position of being popular enough

to fill the Wiltern yet not quite explosive enough to command a stage that size.

Underrated guitarist Russell Lissack squealed and skronked through his anti-solo on “The

Prayer” while Tong propelled the band with disciplined, pummeling precision. But Bloc

Party sounds best in a packed room after many, many drinks, and leaner clubby hits like

“Banquet” felt like a more natural speed for the group, at least in a live setting.

Okereke is in the middle of a identity crisis with the music press right now, as their

album earns raves while gossip vampires speculate about his sexuality. A

gender-ambiguous love story makes “I Still Remember” a brave and touching track, one of

the new album’s best. But their live show could have used a bit more of that tension.

Photo: Vice Records.

Bands

that trade in detached cool usually finish runners-up to the crowds in Silver Lake, that

vast expanse of music fans with arms folded or hands in pockets. You get heads to bob or

feet to tap at Spaceland, and folks are liable to think you’re the catchiest thing since

those really tall PBR drafts. More than that, and you might get an offer to do a reality

TV show.

How refreshing, then, to see bodies actually move Wednesday night at Club NME,

without the headliner even having to ask (which is really bad form), or even bantering

very much. Yes, the cool professionalism with which Fijuiya & Miyagi laid out their grooves

was a thing of beauty, for fans familiar with their debut "Transparent Things"

(which came out last month) as well as those who showed up on somebody’s recommendation

expecting to see a Japanese duo. And there were the latter.

Fujiya & Miyagi are a trio, ironically named, and a very British trio at that.

Warm-up suits zipped to the top, collars up. Eye contact with the equipment only.

"Thanks" as a conversation starter and ender. And David Best’s whisper-sung

lyrics about ankle injuries, collarbones, shoes and sundry machines, all very witty,

thank you. The brilliantly sparse presentation left listeners focused on the grooves,

which for all their synthetics are mighty powerful. You’d never call it any one thing;

instead, Fujiya & Miyagi merely nod, as if they were walking briskly down the street

and tacitly acknowledging their music’s ghosts: funk, dancefloor, electro-pop,

Krautrock.

Whatever works. As Silver Lake’s almost-dancers gave in to actual wriggling on

Wednesday, somebody wisecracked: "Whoa, look out there, somebody’s glasses might

fly off."

It was even better, kind of. This morning, seemingly coming out of the back of my

head, was the sticky bassline to "Sucker Punch." Now that’s the opposite of

detached.

Photo: Bassist Matt Hainsby (Kevin Bronson/LAT)

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts for Thursday, March 15: Not everybody is in Austin for

South by Southwest. I don’t think. Head

Automatica brings its seemingly radio-ready formula to the Troubadour (with

hard-eged up-and-comers Takota opening). … The Shore headlines Spaceland. … And folkie

Thao Nguyen performs at Tangier.

[August Brown reports from Tuesday’s proceedings at the Ex Plx, the recently

opened new room downstairs from the Echo in Echo Park:]

Maybe it was

the reverb in the cavernous (and only one-third full) Ex Plx, but El Perro Del Mar’s icy doo-wop suites felt far

more rich and wounded than they do on the Swedish singer’s charming but terribly

precious full-length.

With an appropriately rumpled three-piece band in tow, singer Sarah Assbring seems to

have ditched her schoolmarmish reserve on record for a more bohemian and sensual live

show. Cuts from her self-titled full length like “I Can’t Talk About It” and “Coming

Down The Hill” felt inviting in a coffeehouse-troubadour way (this time, that’s not an

insult), and the crowd responded in kind by spending most of the set sitting on the

floor. Even her signature “shoop-do-wops” — usually the make-or-break point for

potential fans — seemed less affected given the sparseness of the lineup and Assbring’s

dreamy-English-major stage presence. Her album is meticulous and pretty, but it sounds

much better when she turns the twee knob down a few clicks.

||| El Perro Del Mar performs tonight (with the One AM Radio and March resident Greg Laswell) at the Hotel Cafe.

Download: The One AM Radio’s "In the

Time We’ve Got," off the album "This Too Will Pass," which was

released Feb. 20.

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts for Wednesday, March

14: British electropop trio Fujiya

& Miyagi play Club NME at Spaceland. … Dr. Dog brings its scruffy pop to the Troubadour.

… Locals OK Stranger headline at

Safari Sam’s. … And for some reggae flavor, the Abyssinians visit Dub Club at the Echo.

Happy Tuesday. Illness prevented me from frothing over a great batch of releases

with all that music, if you haven’t already.

Top

shelf

The

Fratellis, "Costello Music" (Interscope): Thankfully I still have the

padding on the walls from those weeks in January listening to the Scottish teenagers the

View. Now, from Glasgow, come the

Fratellis, who are brothers like the Ramones were siblings. Less arch than the

Arctic Monkeys, more rocking than the likes of the View and the Kooks, these imports —

who won a Brit Award for best breakthrough act — land with a playful swagger and

serious licks. Mixing classic rock, glam and nods to their punk forebears,

"Costello Music" (recorded in Los Angeles with producer Tony Hoffer) spikes

its youthful naivete with knowing winks to the party life. Another round, please, for

the house.

||| The Fratellis’ show Monday at the Troubadour is sold out.

Other recommendations

Ken Andrews, "Secrets of

the Lost Satellite" (Dinosaur Fight): Ex-Failure/On/Year of the Rabbit front man

Andrews unveils another studio masterpiece. You might not lose yourself in the songs,

but the otherwordly production (imagine sounds made by weather systems or menacing

machines of indiscernible proportions) can be a head trip.

The Dollyrots, "Because I’m

Awesome" (Blackheart): Girl-punk trio finds a perfect outlet for its bratty venting

on Joan Jett’s label; frontwoman Kelly Ogden has plenty to say, if not an always

original way of saying it.

Amy Winehouse, "Back to

Black" (Universal Republic): Beware the hype. The darling of the U.K., who beat out

Lily Allen and Corinne Bailey Rae at the Brit Awards for best female solo artist, gets a

maelstrom of attention right now for her lifestyle and "Rehab." Ignore that,

and "Back to Black" is merely good, not great.

◊ ◊ ◊

Touts for Tuesday, March 13: Great night to get out — Young Brit Sam

Duckworth, who goes by Get Cape. Wear Cape.

Fly, brings his superhero act to the Echo. … Australia’s Youth Group brings its swoon-worthy tunes to

Spaceland. … The new queen of doo-wop and sha-la-la-la sadness, Sweden’s El Perro Del Mar, plays the first of her two

local shows at the Ex Plex (beneath the Echo) in Echo Park. … William Tell celebrates his album release

(with support from the Oohlas) at the Troubadour. … The bill of Anberlin, Bayside, Jonezetta and Meg & Dia has sold out the El Rey Theatre. …

After Midnight Project

continues its residency at the free Tuesdays at the Key Club. … Diplo brings it at the Check Yo’ Ponytail night

at Safari Sam’s. … And Plan B raps at

Cinespace, where Pete Wentz is the guest DJ.

[Correspondent August Brown went dancing, rested his weary legs and filed this

report:]

Buzz Bands’ feelings about meticulous

ly catchy Swedish pop are well documented, but the candy-colored techno of newcomers

Lo-Fi-Fnk is pretty sugary even by those

standards. Luckily, the duo brought boatloads of giddy charm to their L.A. debut at

Safari Sam’s on Tuesday night, prompting some good natured stage-rushing by a few folks

who wanted in on their party.

Headliners the Young Knives’ visa troubles meant Malmo natives Leo Drougge and August

Hellsing had to carry the evening themselves. But after taking a few songs to find their

sea legs (and work through a terrible soundboard mix), effervescent rave-ups like

"Wake Up" and "Steppin’ Out" from their album "Boylife"

(which isn’t out in America yet) soon won the room over. A live drummer kept the energy

high while the duo bashed at their tiny keyboards and performed calisthenics to prompt

more dancing in the audience. When a half-dozen people took them up on it and climbed

onstage beside them, no one seemed happier to see them than the band.