Tune in Sunday night at 9pm to hear Lindsey Yung, live on UCLAradio.com. Just click Listen Live!

Check out her MySpace to see what all the fuss is about.

We’re in LA. The Smell’s here and there’s a whole bunch of bands associated with it, like Abe Vigoda, Mika Miko, No Age, The Mae Shi, BARR, and Health. You know all of this already (maybe). I’m gonna  go out on a limb though and say that the best band from the “Smell scene” is Moses Campbell. I mean, other than No Age, who are playing at Staples Center next month or something, Moses Campbell are by far most superior. They’re a six-piece band made up of high school seniors, creating music somewhere between folk, punk, and pop. Imagine Los Campesinos!, Wavves, and Foot Foot combined into one band and you might have Moses Campbell. Terrible comparisons and reference points aside, I’m completely serious about this. But if you’re not convinced by my awesome arguements, check out some trax dudes:

“Saturday”

“It’s Over”

–Drew

Catch a free advance screening of the forthcoming MSNBC investigative series, “Lake County Juvenile Justice”.

From the producers of MTV’s “Juvies” comes an even grittier look at the world of incarcerated teenagers in a six-part series. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with members of the production, cast and UCLA experts in the field.

Stop by tomorrow, Wednesday April 15 from 12 noon to 2 pm in Public Affairs 2343/2355. This event is catered.

…well, this ain’t 1992 anymore, we don’t wear our pants backwards (I still love you Kris Kross).

If you want to see some true hip-hop steez machines, check out Complex Magazine and Nah Right’s Style Wars, the NCAA-like bracket game that pits rappers from various eras of hip-hop and style to see who will ultimately take the prize.

To be honest, there are only like, maybe three people on this list that I would even consider trying to emulate, but whatever floats your boat! I personally will take Slick Rick’s rope chains over Flavor Flav’s clocks anyday.

–John Juan
“The Cool Down”, Mondays 8-10 pm

Remember that old 1930s documentary Man of Aran? No, I never saw it either.  Well now is your chance to! The new 2009 DVD release features a soundtrack by UK indie rock band British Sea Power.  They’ll be playing along with the film live April 23 at the British Film institute (in case you’re on that side of the Atlantic).  And for those of that are not, well, there’s always Youtube.

—Alice Merrick

Opeth – Damnation

Track Listing:
1. Windowpane
2. In My Time of Need
3. Death Whispered a Lullaby
4. Closure
5. Hope Leaves
6. To Rid the Disease
7. Ending Credits
8. Weakness

Opeth – Deliverance

Track Listing:
1. Wreath
2. Deliverance
3. A Fair Judgement
4. For Absent Friends
5. Master’s Apprentices
6. By the Pain I See in Others

Description: In 2002, Opeth released Damnation and Deliverance at the same time. That’s about all the two albums have in common.  One – Deliverance - is heavy, distortion laden epic death metal without a single song (excpet the 2 minutes and 17 seconds long instrumental interlude,  “For Absent Friends” ) under ten minutes long.  The other – Damnation - is melancholic, clean tone, introspection without a single song OVER ten minutes long.  The contrast between these two albums is symbolic of Opeth’s frontman Mikael Arkenfeldt.  His growls – some of the best in all of metal – coupled with disonant, distorted and heavy guitar riffs make him seem possessed by Satan himself, while his clean vocals and winding acoustic passages serenade you off into a spiritual planet far far away into a parallel universe full of melancholy and twisted fairy tales.

On all other Opeth albums (both before and after Damnation/Deliverance), Arkenfeldt’s creative duality is in perpetual conflict, each side pushing and pulling at the other, in a struggle for domination.  The results are long, beautiful songs that can be described more as a journey than merely music.  However, on Damnation/Deliverance these polar personalities are completely separated and the result is a two sided coin – one heads and one tails.  Yet, the story-telling, wandering, epic qualities of Opeth’s music are not lost in the split.  Deliverance remains my favorite album of all time, and the best part of seeing Opeth live last May was hearing them play “Wreath” a couple of songs after playing “In My Time of Need,” the definite highlights of their respective albums.

–Teeg aka DJ Unibomber

I promise I’m not being a douche bag, that’s how it’s officially written.  tUnE-yArDs is an amazing band made up of Merrill Garbus, and sometimes some of her friends popping in on a track or two, but mainly Ms. Garbus takes on vocals, ukulele, and found sounds filtered through a hand-held digital voice recorder all on her own. Her self-released album “Bird-Brains” came out in July of 2008 and includes a very ecclectic, for lack of a better word, collection of songs ranging from lo-fi folk, to sample-laden experimental.  Interstingly enough, “Bird-Brains” was not only recoreded, produced, and released by Garbus, but was done using completely free media (ie. free Audacity, digital voice recorded, etc.).  The album was available for download using the pay-what-you-wish model, but alas great things don’t last forever.  However, you can purchase the album, released this year through Marriage Records, on the tUnE-yArDs website.  I will admit, I’ve been sitting on this great find for a little while now, trying to find some more information about her; sadly I have come up dry.  Though I do come bearing gifts!

FIYA – Tune-Yards

Jumping Jack – Tune-Yards

Happy Listening!

–Aurora Fisher

I don’t watch much TV, however a while back a friend sent me a clip from a show called “Wife Swap.” It was the Fowler/Long episode, and it was glorious.

Since that time, I’ve seen pretty much every episode illegally posted on YouTube. Here are the best ones I could find, linked for your viewing pleasure.

[Warning: Wife Swap is hella addictive. When you're selling your TV to pay the internet bill to watch more episodes, let me know: I'm in the market for another TV.]

1. Fowler/Long

A bit of nostalgia for this one since it was my first exposure, but it has so many twists and turns in the attitudes of the adults AND kids that it stays number one. I don’t want to give anything away, but Stephen Fowler is a douche.

2. Myers/Sutton

Another example of a husband who does the unexpected, right before you’re about to call him a “dumb hick.” And the Myers family doesn’t live up to their name. (Five people will get this joke. To you five, I say “har.”)

3. Galvan/Martin-Portala

The magician is annoying, but this episode is all about the suburban kids and the uptight father who is too afraid to let them out of his sight.

4. Johnson/Blackburn

The “out of shape” family vs. the “in shape” family seems to be a common motif with Wife Swap. But in this episode it never worked so well. If the heavy husband doesn’t break your heart, nothing will.

5. Baur/Fine

Just when you think the pirate family (yes, you read right) has nothing to contribute, the suburban father starts to loosen up. Not the best episode, but some good stuff there.

Seriously.

-DJ Octoon

So, two things. Not only is the most exciting MC to create some buzz (at least to me) in a minute from America’s Hat (Toronto, to be specific), but Drake also used to play a main character on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Hey, if Rick Ross can be a corrections officer and still have a rap career, I think we can give Jimmy the benefit of the doubt. Jimmy even got shot! Instant street cred.

Drake’s latest mixtape “So Far Gone” dropped in February, and aside from being co-signed by Lil Wayne (Drake is a member of his Young Money collective), he also has an affinity for (gasp) indie pop and rock. Check out his remix of Lykke Li’s “Little Bit”, which I like even more than the original.

Click the jump for more from Drake.

–John Juan
“The Cool Down”, Mondays 8-10 pm

(more…)

Wavves, an awesome one man band consisting of Nathan from San Diego, is playing at the Echo on Wednesday, April 15th.  The show begins at eight, with some other band named Fol Chen playing first.  It’s only ten dollars so there is really no excuse for not going.  So for all of you who missed them at the Smell a few months ago, here is your chance! The new album, Wavvves (three v’s), is lo-fi at its finest, which means he recorded it in his apartment and it sounds super rad.  Plus, my friend Roger met him and says he is “such a dawg” which is always good news.  And I’m also pretty positive you can take the metro (line 2) to get there if, like me, you have no car.  If you haven’t heard them, a good song is “So Bored”. Youtube that $hit. Or if you’re lazy, click for the video after the jump.

–Emily

(more…)

Armin van Buuren
& Jerome Isma-Ae

GIANT Hollywood @ Club Vanguard
Saturday, 4/11/2009
Presale: $50.00
Ticket Sales Stop at 8:00:00 PM (PST) 4/11/2009

Talent: Armin van Buuren / Jerome Isma-Ae

• The West Coast’s Premiere FUNKTION ONE Sound System makes for the funkiest dance floor in town, putting the bass in your face and the beat to your feet.
• Outside, find Nirvana in Hollywood’s Largest Outdoor Patio and Zen Garden complete with a full service bar, multi-level seating and a soundtrack set for grooving under the stars.
• Upstairs, overlooking the dance floor, the 1-UP Lounge is a new glass enclosed hangout to get hungover in.
• Or, maybe move to a different groove in the Lower lounge, Vanguard’s second dance room.
• Doors open PROMPTLY at 9.30pm and we don’t stop ’til 4am.

• VIP Table Service, with express entry is available with your choice of cushy booths adjacent to the dance floor, or try out one of the lush cabanas in the outdoor garden. For reservations, dial 323.463.3331 or email vip@vanguardla.com.

• Vanguard is located at 6021 Hollywood Boulevard, two blocks east of Vine Street.

Info Line:323.464.7373
Doors Open at: 9:30 PM
Doors Close at: 4:00 AM
Ages: 21 and up
Event Capacity: 1500

Vanguard
6021 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, CA 90028 United States

Diamond Head – Lightning to the Nations

Track Listing
1. Lightning to the Nations
2. The Prince
3. Sucking My Love
4. Am I Evil?
5. Sweet and Innocent
6. It’s Electric
7. Helpless
8. Shoot Out the Lights
9. Streets of Gold
10. Waited Too Long
11. Play It Loud
12. Diamond Lights
13. We Won’t Be Back
14. I Don’t Got

Description
Diamond Head’s 1980 debut album put them at the forefront of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal.  Tracks like “Am I Evil?,” “Shoot Out the Lights,”  and “Sweet and Innocent” embody the “fuckin’ metal” attitude of these early heavy metal bands – with emphasis on speed, grit, heaviness, and more speed – and majorly influenced many later metal bands, including Metallica, who has covered 4 of the tracks on this album (”Helpless,” “Am I Evil?,” “It’s Electric,” and “The Prince”), Megadeth and Exodus.  Lightning to the Nations is a heavy metal riff-fest that’s entertaining from beginning to end, the bridge between earlier bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath and the future gods of metal like Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Exodus.  Without question, Lightning to the Nations is an album that must be included in any headbangin’ collection.

– Teeg aka DJ Unibomber

Tribe Hyerclub had dubbed itself the “ Hollywood quote here”. Being a Hollywood native and having seen it all, I was weary about such claims yet still intrigued as to how Tinseltown would be interpreted in North America’s sin city.

I went to the club, and found to my surprise, a very well designed location that struck me as a hybrid of Avalon and Katsuya. With international superstar DJ Sander Kleinenberg spinning & a beautiful crowd, it reminded me of a Malibu sunset party.

Tribe has achieved what many venues strive for ; a great design club where celebrities and superstar DJs feel comfortable and have fun amongst beautiful people and a great vibe.