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Japanese breakfast

Top 10 ALBUMS of 2021 as Rated by Contributors

Across every known genre in the musicverse, 2021 saw incredible releases from artists new and old proving that pressure really does create diamonds. The pandemic certainly put a strain on every performer’s bottom line but the real bottom line behind every dollar is the artistic inspiration that drives people’s ears to your art. We saw game changing albums in 2021, from Turnstile’s Glow On which may just be the first “dreamcore” album, to Dry Cleaning’s New Long Leg which reinvigorated British post punk with cool feminine ennui. Plenty of Jankysmooth favorites came out with new albums like Viagra Boys’ Welfare Jazz, Shannon and the Clams’ Year of the Spider, Surfbort’s Keep on Truckin’, Angel Du$t’s Yak, and so many more. We discovered new favorites along the way too, like Pixel Grip’s Arena, Magdalena Bay’s Mercurial World, Squid’s Bright Green Field, and so many more. Icons were created in 2021, like Japanese Breakfast after their album Jubilee, Idles after Crawler, and King Woman after Celestial Blues. The list goes on and on, so to make things more concise, our contributors rated their top ten favorite albums of the year. Check it out. Publisher, Danny Baraz Turnstile – Glow On Black Midi –

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Desert Daze 2021: Music, Magick and Medicine

The road to Desert Daze 2021 was a long and winding way that spanned greater than the material distances of the 10, 60 and 215 highways between Lake Perris and Los Angeles. Everyone’s road was different, from festival organizers, Moonblock and co. and those in attendance. Not everyone’s road was paved with isolation and misery since the last installment of Desert Daze in 2019 but certainly everyone can agree that there has been a paradigm shift in the dynamic of living, or the collective consciousness, or whatever you want to call it, on Planet Earth. related content: Desert Daze 2016- Quantifying the Physics of a Good Time Music, Magick and Medicine beckoned far and wide but intimate attendance (low ticket sales) and a revamped vibe in the typical Desert Daze lineup brought only the most loyal and adventurous of past attendees and in my own conversations in the camp site, many first timers. It shrunk the festival grounds to a one stage operation on the banks of lovely lake Perris, in one of the most beautiful weekends to grace this Fall season in Southern California. Nevertheless, vibrations reverberated like signature sitar tones, like a butterflies wings, causing ripples across space

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Pixel Grip at Substance L.A.

Creatures of the Night: Substance LA 2021

Substance has always been Los Angeles’ premiere post-punk festival. Celebrating all things goth and clad in black, the scene wouldn’t be quite the same without it. No festival embodies the true spirit of “LA” more than Substance. There’s something urban and dreamy about the whole episode. You get such a range of feels, some bands appeal to your heart then others purely to the body. Spanning all night, the fest goes late into the evening to make you feel like the real nightcrawler that LA is supposed to make you feel like. I came to see Nitzer Ebb but my greatest takeaways were the smaller bands who’s performances left a mark. Here are my five favorites from each day. Day 1 Pixel Grip Chicago-based industrial dance music is a beast of its own breed. Pixel Grip began the festival for my gang and might’ve left the biggest impression of any band for the entire three nights. They commanded their audience with so much attitude, mystique and power, they could’ve headlined the day purely based on the merits of their charismatic performing. Listening to them on records, many of the songs expanded my idea of what an industrial band ought to

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The True Cutting Edge: A2B2 Night of Fire 2 w/Arca and Andy Morin at Catch One

Initially founded as a blog by Andy Morin, A2B2 has morphed and grown into an online magnet attracting a vast pool of young outsider artists hungry for representation not found in the “alternative” appeal of contemporary publications like Juxtapoz and Hi-Fructose. With limited print runs satisfying our tactile needs and a healthy online community providing a showcase for all things digital – Night of Fire 2 represents a first step into the physical realm for what I hope will continue to be an annual gathering + celebration of the true cutting edge. As the audio engineer of Death Grips there’s a certain (rabid) fanbase that follows Morin’s work – and anyone that’s ever seen any DG shitposting group knows that these people go absolutely apeshit for Kero Kero Bonito. Well worthy of sharing a bill (and surprisingly a perfect fit) Kero Kero Bonito set a high bar for the night and reminded me how exciting left field booking can be. The general public’s recent fascination with classic J-pop only furthered how stoked everyone in the crowd was to see someone carrying the torch and delivering near punishing positivity and -good vibes-, something the British trio was years ahead of the

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And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

Take This: Win Two Tickets to ….And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead at Lodge Room

…And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead are back to leave a fresh trail of bodies from the Lodge Room to prog post-hardcore heaven as they jam the night away with Death Valley Girls for another unforgettable show. We’ve got two tickets to give away to the show, you don’t want to miss this trip. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO …AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD DECEMBER 11TH AT LODGE ROOM Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK …AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON DECEMBER 10TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

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Take This: Win Two Tickets to ESG at Don Quixote

One of the most influential and dynamic family band’s in music history is returning to Los Angeles for an epic one-off performance presented by Minty Boi. The sisters of ESG are responsible for countless hip hop samples and for created a new dance punk sound that could’ve only originated in New York. These ladies are legends and we are over the moon to give away a pair of tickets to the show at Don Quixote. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO ESG DECEMBER 11TH AT DON QUIXOTE Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK ESG Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON DECEMBER 10TH AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION

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Photo Recap: Thundercat at The Shrine

Photos by: Nicole Roussin Thundercat brought a whole slew of homies out to an epic performance at the Shrine that included Channel Tres, Flying Lotus, Haim, and more to celebrate his newest music in his hometown. The stage setup was magnificent, a giant cat with lasers shooting out its eyes. Thundercat played a long and late set that spanned from his classics, to his new shit, to a lot of improvisational free-form jazz that blew minds and sent everyone at the Shrine on a trip through Thundercat’s multi-dimensional, musical-genius mind. The man’s fingers are each a force of nature, hitting notes on that bass with perfect precision and Godly speed. Check out these pics from the show by Nikki Roussin. Thundercat Flying Lotus Channel Tres

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Photo Recap: Beach Fossils and Wild Nothing at The Wiltern

Photos by: Pedro Carrera Beach Fossils joined their good friends Wild Nothing for one of the best indie/post punk tours of the years with support from The Red Pears. Packing the Wiltern for two nights in a row, the bands named their tour after one of their most popular songs, “Out in the Way” which they would perform together on stage as the show’s climax. We sent the skilled eye of Pedro Carrera to the show to snap all the night’s best moments for you and here they are. Beach Fossils Wild Nothing  

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Photo Recap: Wavves at The Lodge Room

Photos by: Taylor Wong Wavves at the Lodge Room is a whole different experience than just any show at the Lodge Room. You get a ticket to see these dudes and you’re bound for a raucous and rowdy punk rock banger where every member is just so loose and stoked that every rendition becomes memorable, somehow walking the line between incredible punk rock and sloppy, drunk shit show. We had Taylor Wong drop in for the show and document this show because there will never be another quite like it.   Wavves Harmless Cuffed Up  

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Photo Recap: Angel Du$t at The Roxy

Photos by: Taylor Wong Fresh off the heels of their tour with mannequin Pussy, Angel Du$t quickly returned to LA to showcase their new softer side with a slew of hardcore heavyweights on the bill with them. This time, hardcore came to West Hollywood, where all the glitz and glamor got a little filthy and wild for a night. We got the photographic scoop on the night via Taylor Wong so check out his pics and give Angel Du$t a listen while you do. Angel Du$t Militarie Gun Modern Color Wise        

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Every Time We Party: Every Time I Die at Violent Gentlemen’s 10 Year Anniversary at Garden Amp

Words by: Wesley Vanhook Photos by: Pedro Carrera There’s something magical about Garden Amp in Garden Grove. There’s just a connection that’s felt no matter the artist and this show was nothing short of an experience. It was the perfect venue to host Violent Gentleman’s 10 year anniversary as one punk rock’s most important clothing brands. Santa Cruz Hardcore outfit Drain have been grinding and making their presence known in the scene. Their fans furthered this point by losing their minds and singing word for word, stage dive after stage dive. Drain is a force to be reckoned with and nothing it seems can slow the rise of this beast of a band. related content: Boston Calling: Sound And Fury 2019 Bay Area hardcore legends Ignite brought their classic sound and gave the crowd an upbeat positive vibe. The band was the final mystery reveal on the lineup. Their music hit hard and loud. Giving the crowd the proper energy boost to prepare for the night’s headliner. Hailing from Buffalo, New York, the kings of auditory chaos: Every. Time. I. Die. From the moments the stage lights dimmed, everyone was poised and ready to receive their offering. Chants of “Every

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X

Take This: Win Two Tickets to X at Teragram Ballroom

Long before the Teragram stood in Los Angeles, X were the kings and queens of punk rock in southern California, owning the Sunset Strip to Chinatown. And now, these icons are playing the Teragram to cement their everlasting importance and relevance that brings them to the biggest and freshest spots of music’s newest gen. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS HERE or ENTER TO WIN 2 TICKETS TO X DECEMBER 3RD AT THE TERAGRAM BALLROOM Step 1- Join Our Newsletter (look for pop up every time you arrive at jankysmooth.com) Step 2 – Tag a Friend in the comment section of our INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK X Ticket Giveaway Post WINNER WILL BE SELECTED ON DECEMBER 2ND AT 1PM PST VIA EMAIL CONFIRMATION  

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