Danny Baraz, Author at Jankysmooth

Danny Baraz

New Sound Alliance Bernie Sanders Fundraiser at Regent Theater

NSA Fundraiser and Launch w/ The Garden & Punk Rock Karaoke

Danny Baraz May 25, 2016

On Wednesday, May 18th, the New Sound Alliance held it’s very first event at The Regent Theater in Downtown Los Angeles; A Fundraiser for Senator Bernie Sanders. And while raising funds for Sanders to insure a significant showing in the California Primary to make legitimate claims to storm the floor at the DNC Convention in Philly this July was the primary purpose of our party, introducing the New Sound Alliance to the Los Angeles music community was just as important. There is always a fear in art, business and activism when attempting to launch a new project. While there is always a risk of bearing your heart to attract like minded people to join you in a quest for understanding and action, there is little more exhilarating in life when your passion is validated by sparking the passion in others. Young and old fans and key figures in the L.A. music scene turned out in droves to support Senator Sanders and check out some of the best, young talent in L.A., as well as to sing live Karaoke with legends of punk rock like Greg Hetson, Stan Lee, Steve Soto and Darryn Pheiffer aka Punk Rock Karaoke. We only had

New Album Review: Death Grips- Bottomless Pit

Danny Baraz May 13, 2016

It seems that Death Grips have finally made it through the other side of their artistic adolescence. They have spent their entire careers rejecting and rebelling against “basic bitch-dom” in their relationship with fans, labels and music critics and up to this point, they’ve been as erratic as a pubescent teenager. Not unlike an adolescent Jesus in the lost books of the bible, Death Grips are using their power and influence to blind the bullies, even as their artistic output is as regular as a sensible diet that is high in fiber. While Death Grips toyed with unorthodox styles of music and career choices, there was no drop off in output. Their latest release, “Bottomless Pit” is their 5th, full length studio album and 9th release altogether and between the release of JennyDeath and BP, Death Grips have been showing up for every show as well as maintaining a regular tour schedule. Are Death Grips assimilating into a more traditional career path? That remains to be seen but being a Death Grips fan continues to be an interactive scavenger hunt for sound and imagery, as fans are always an integral part of their artistic output. In the past, they have

Bleached Bring Catchy Hooks, 818 Pride & Friends to Teragram Ballroom

Danny Baraz May 8, 2016

There are certain taboos in modern day, independent music journalism which you don’t breach, for any reason, lest you be nailed to the cross of insignificance. You don’t speak ill of Ty Segall, John Dwyer or Mac DeMarco, never say anything negative of Low End Theory and never play cards with a guy who’s named after a city. Then again, if classic day journalists from Rolling Stone were able to trash Black Sabbath and Zeppelin and continue to increase their circulation despite saying Jimmy Page was “a very limited producer and a writer of weak, unimaginative songs.” I have very little fear of being judged for “getting it wrong” and most of the time, I’m willing to go out on a limb if I believe in what I’m saying. I think I was the only person who reviewed Tame Impala’s “Currents” that didn’t put Kevin Parker’s musical pee pee in my mouth. And now that I’ve had more time with that album, I stand by every statement, even though 3 or 4 songs on that album have grown on me since the time I reviewed it. That being said, saying that I’ve always thought the band Bleached and their live

2016 Is The Year That Coachella Jumped The Shark

Danny Baraz April 22, 2016

On a yearly basis, I sacrifice my already sus street cred to attend Coachella; a festival so widely loathed by the discerning hipster that it insures a sell out within moments of tickets going on sale. As 10’s of thousands of people descend on the Coachella Valley for week 2 of the festival, I offer those that have stayed behind a look back on a Week 1that has far surpassed the past years of vacuousness and fuckboyery. I have been defending Coachella ever since it became uncool. It became uncool the moment Goldenvoice decided to stop selling single day tickets. The moment that happened, the festival became out of reach for most music fans and understandably, those music fans rail against the festival and it’s attendees at every opportunity. Afterall, the fact that Uber is now offering helicopter rides into the venue for the low price of $700 should be all you need to know about the setting for weekend 1 inside the Empire Polo Fields. Last year, I wrote an article called “Coachella: No History In Your Hate”. I’ve been to 11 out of the 16 installments of Coachella and it has created some of the fondest concert memories

The NSA Announces May 18th Sanders Fundraiser at Regent Theater

Danny Baraz April 21, 2016

New Sound Alliance and Janky Smooth are proud to announce A Fundraiser for Bernie Sanders on May 18th at The Regent Theater. The show will take place just a couple weeks prior to the California primary on June 7th. This is the first event by the newly launched political action group, The New Sound Alliance. The NSA seeks to unite the music community in organizing bands, labels, promoters, managers and publicists to organize our voices in an effort to engage young voters and activists. The fundraiser for Senator Sanders will feature The Garden, Kim and the Created, Death Hymn Number 9, The Birth Defects and all star punk rock legends, Punk Rock Karaoke that features members of Circle Jerks/Bad Religion, The Dickies and Adolescents as YOUR backing band while you sing punk rock classics on the stage of The Regent Theater in Downtown L.A. There is also a super special secret guest that we can’t announce until the beginning of May! All profits will be donated to the Sanders campaign. Purchase Tickets Here It is sure to be a fun and meaningful night as we raise money for Bernie Sanders in his quest for a political revolution just weeks before the

LCD Soundsystem at Fox Theater in Pomona

LCD Soundsystem Skirt City of Los Angeles In Return to West Coast

Danny Baraz April 13, 2016

Even before LCD Soundsystem took the stage at the Fox Theater in Pomona, walking into the venue and seeing the stage set up caused goose bumps up and down my arm. A dozen music stations with various traditional and futuristic musical instruments littered the stage in clumps of components and wires. I didn’t get press access to this highly sought after event. Instead, my friend Jeremy scored a ticket by camping out at Permanent Records through Saturday morning and graciously offered it to me. I accepted. As with most events in a theater venue like this, to get on the floor in the “pit” area for the show you have to show up early and get a floor “wristband”. We arrived in Pomona at about 5:45 pm. LCD Soundsystem wouldn’t start their set until 10:04 pm. We were herded through various lines and holding areas near the venue until the doors opened at 8pm. At one point we were closed in to gates in a snaking line that filled up the area like some sort of hipster Auschwitz. But when the gates opened and we began filing into the Fox, it became very real that I was about to see

New Album Review: Black Mountain- IV

Danny Baraz April 1, 2016

Black Mountain and their body of work could be the soundtrack to both an acid party and a mass suicide for some death cult. There is majick in their music. Track listings are components to epic incantations. Songs weave together to solve some kind of ancient mystery and their forthcoming release of “IV” is the latest transmission of some alien language that has been attempting to communicate with intelligence on our planet for a decade. Fat guitar tones and throwback analog synthesizers communicate to listeners in a familiar language about the future of their lives on this planet. All hyperbole aside, Black Mountain’s “IV” album released today (April 1st) on the JAGJAGUWAR label is a rock and roll masterpiece that summons a classic sound as it simultaneously scales new peaks. Wait, was that more hyperbole? It’s just difficult to downplay that this album contains, by far, the best riffs of the year, definitely of the decade and maybe the best riffs of this young century. The first single and song one off of IV, “Mothers of the Sun” eclipses 8 minutes of playtime and encapsulates the entire album perfectly. It flips from a sparsity of notes to masterful riffery with ease as it

Thee Oh Sees at Berserktown II by David Evanko

Take This: Win 2 Tickets to Burger Boogaloo 2016 in Oakland

Danny Baraz March 29, 2016

The Burger Boogaloo festival is the Burgerama of the North. With Burgerama V still up in the air, the cousin of Burgerama, Burger Boogaloo is signed, sealed and delivered to take place Saturday, June 25th and 26th at Mosswood Park in Oakland. Every year Burger Records take their show on the road to Oakland and every year that burger comes out well done. Film maker John Waters will once again be the Master of Ceremonies this year and Burger has added a meet and greet with American cultural icon, Ms Traci Lords. Vintage indie band, The Mummies have been booked to play the festival for the second year in a row with everyone expecting them to outdo their motorcycle entrance to last year’s performance with another surprise. Along with The Mummies, the lineup also includes Thee Oh Sees, Shannon and the Clams, The Spits, Death Valley Girls, King Khan and The Shrines, The Dwarves and Angry Samoans, to name just a few. Single day or weekend pass tickets are available now. Janky Smooth is giving away 2 tickets to one winner to this years’ Burger Boogaloo. You can enter our contest or: Purchase Tickets Here CONTEST RULES: Follow Janky Smooth on Facebook, Instagram

Janky Smooth And The NSA Show on Dash Radio-Music, News, Revolution

Danny Baraz March 28, 2016

Are you tired of all the noise and propaganda in the Main Stream Media and on the News? Everyday, the 6 companies that own almost all of the media you consume attempt to make it more difficult to identify “the truth” about what is happening in both foreign and domestic events. Janky Smooth and The New Sound Alliance is a new radio show on the Los Anarchy Radio Station of Dash Radio that attempts to cut through all the bullshit to deliver to you honest reporting on both the news you see everyday and the news that is hidden from public consumption. Janky Smooth and The NSA delivers a weekly recap of world events as we try to unite musicians and artists to engage in a new level of activism. To rekindle the artistic spirit to re engage people in the social and political process. We also feature special, in studio guests, world premiere music and in studio performances. You can check out past shows as they go up on our Soundcloud the day after airing on Dash Radio. Join Danny B, Murder Bunny, Taylor Wong (party boy) and the entire Janky Smooth team as we report on the world

My First SXSW: Confessions of Fanboy Posing As Music Critic

Danny Baraz March 26, 2016

Last week was my first time attending SXSW in Austin. This allows me to offer an opinion on this massive institution that is completely untainted by past experience. Like most institutions that sprouted from an independent spirit into a behemoth of industry, SXSW has detractors that begrudge the success it has achieved. Given that this was my first time attending, I could see it for what it really is without the skewed vision of what it was. Austin, Texas is one of my favorite cities in the world. Not because it has epic landscapes or white sand beaches but for it’s artisan spirit and wonderful people. I have visited it’s streets and venues a number of times in my life but for whatever reason, I had yet to attend this event. Walking down 6th or any of the adjacent streets reveals a band, DJ or singer/songwriter embedded in every doorway, venue, café and every square foot in every direction you look. Like an infestation of joy and expression, SXSW is a complete takeover of a city that is already overflowing with music. We here at Janky Smooth are fans first and that is what motivates every show we cover, every

L.A. Hustle at SXSW 2016: Bands, Labels, Promoters & Publications

Danny Baraz March 23, 2016

Artists, agents, publicists and partiers come from far and wide to take part in one of the largest music and networking events in the world. Fans attending SXSW in Austin ,Texas view it as a diverse display of music in which they can recreationally party and enjoy bands they love and bands they discover throughout the week long musical portion of the conference. The aforementioned groups of art producers and opportunists view the conference much differently than the fans or even the way they themselves typically view playing a regular show or festival. With a somewhat intimate knowledge of the bands in Southern California and their proxies, it was fascinating to watch it all unfold in front of me. From Burger Records to Lolipop Records, iHeartcomix to Desert Daze, the Los Angeles and greater Southern California area musicians and business’ were very well represented at SXSW 2016. Janky Smooth was proud to see the members of our scene thriving in such a competitive environment and of course, to make our own stamp on the events surrounding the conference in our very first SXSW experience as a publication. On the band side, there were L.A. bands like one of our low

Animal Collective Drip Sound and Color On The Fonda Theater

Danny Baraz March 11, 2016

Night 1 of the Animal Collective 2 night stand at The Fonda Theater in Hollywood revealed one thing; Animal Collective are the most talented sound designers to ever write, arrange and perform an electronic song live. There is no one out there right now that can emit such auditory bliss from the push of a key and the twist of a knob. If you strip the dripping colors and backdrops away from the spectacle of their live performance, what you have left is a group of cutting edge song writers that use cold hardware and technology to express the warmth in their souls. I arrived at The Fonda just as Ratking was taking the stage. Ratking’s MC, Wiki was already wildly swinging his arms in an attempt to conjure some enthusiasm from the opening band audience. In a less jaded city, Ratking would’ve had the crowd moving with their next level beats and downplayed but impressive stage presence. While I understand the huge difference between a hardcore Animal Collective fan and a hardcore Ratking fan, there is a musical energy that transcends genre and style and it still amazes me that people can stand still during a performance that is