Tag: punk
Janky Smooth’s Top 20 Artists to Watch in 2016
Danny Baraz
January 15, 2016
In identifying Janky Smooth’s Artists to Watch in 2016, there were a number of factors to take into consideration. There are different levels and plateaus musicians can ascend to in their careers. There is the release of their first EP/7”. There is the release of their debut album and of course, the all-important sophomore LP. Any predicted success after those milestones is hardly a prediction unless it involves a comeback. When we define our artists to watch in 2016, it is using any and all of these criteria to identify buzz worthy bands. We want to help our readers get the jump on artists before corporate money corrupts their artistic process too much. While there are bands in this list based in cities other than Los Angeles, LA is our home base and seeing these bands live is a part of the process of selection. If you can’t do it live, you can’t do it! This is Janky Smooth’s List of Artists to Watch in 2016 20. Cavanaugh- Collaboration between Open Mike Eagle and Serengeti Time & Materials by Cavanaugh (Open Mike Eagle & Serengeti) 19. So Pitted- Punk/Post Punk Seattle Group on Sub Pop Records neo by
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Year in Review: Top 10 Albums of 2015 Rated by Contributors
Danny Baraz
December 14, 2015
10 years from now, we might look back at the Top 10 Albums of 2015 as the year the “new music industry” became a viable business model. As the battle rages to fine tune some of the sticky points around streaming services, vinyl sales soar at the same time bands and artists offer free downloads, surrendering the traditional model and entrusting their legacy to future generations. With so many different ways to deliver musical products to consumers, our Top 10 Albums of 2015 list will include LP’s, EP’s and Mixtapes. We are not a hive mind at Janky Smooth so you will find albums we didn’t publish favorable reviews on in our contributors top 10 list. We here at Janky Smooth feel blessed to stand on the precipice with you and gaze upon the vast landscape of music that is exploding from all corners of the world. Top 10 Albums/EP’s/Mixtapes of 2015 Johnny Ramos- Photographer: Top 10 Albums of 2015 Tame Impala – Currents Beach House – Depression Cherry Alabama Shakes – Sound & Color Death Grips – The Powers That B Toro Y Moi – What For? Turnover – Peripheral Vision Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Multi-Love Hot Chip –
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Birth Defects Unleash Debut Album at the Troubadour alongside Fuzz and Carletta Sue Kay
Brent Smith
July 21, 2015
Sandwiched between killer sets by Carletta Sue Kay and Fuzz, The Birth Defects album release bash for “First 8 Mistakes” at the Troubadour was one for the books. Everyone who was in the sold-out, jam-packed, iconic venue got slapped with an array of musical talent many, or just I, wouldn’t expect from a West Hollywood show on another Thursday night. It’s an endangered time for relics of bygone eras like the Troubadour—an attic-like setting that incubated the legendary statuses of Jim Morrison and Axl Rose alike (even Cheech and Chong were discovered there by Lou Adler). Nudged between the border of Beverly Hills and where Ron Jeremy and Bret Easton Ellis were eating dinner next door at Dan Tana’s, the Troub stands like an old ruin among the gated anti-communities of WeHo; a stark juxtaposition to the Laurel Canyon days of magical hills, liquor corner store blues, and free-lovin’ gutter artists. If this were the 80s, I would’ve hated it for being such a glam rock establishment whore house (and I probably would’ve lived in New York anyway). But in 2015, I’m just happy the Troubadour is still around, and not yet in the hands of some ‘starchictect’ like Thom
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L7 Shreds Final Night at The Fonda with Skating Polly
Vanessa Burgundy
July 19, 2015
I stepped off the plane from Mexico, into an Uber, dropped my suitcases at home and drove directly to The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood to catch night 2 of L7 playing Los Angeles after their first European tour in almost 20 years. I have gone into countless tirades in the past about why I prefer any night but night 1 of multiple date stands by popular bands in Los Angeles but this time, my preference had everything to do with the opening band, Skating Polly. My love for L7 is well documented, so rather than go fanboy and write about them for the second time in a month and a half, I’ll focus on Skating Polly and let one of the baddest bitches in L.A. tell you about the baddest bitches in rock music, L7. The first time I saw Skating Polly play a show was in January of this year when they opened for legendary Los Angeles band, The Flesh Eaters. I know the real thing when I see it and since then, I have become mildly obsessed with their 3 records; and I’m not the only one. Every iconic punker that sees them live seems to want to
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Barb Wire Dolls Kick Off 2 Month Residency at The Whisky a Go Go
Danny Baraz
July 7, 2015
Last night, Taylor Wong and I met at The Whiskey A Go Go to check out Barb Wire Dolls, Clepto and Tartar Control. Really, I was interested in Clepto and Tartar Control but after all the years of buzz, great reviews, touring and an endless stream of sexy photos, I decided to finally check out Barb Wire Dolls– a band that hit the punk scene as hard and fast as a Japanese Bullet train. Up to this point, nothing I had heard from the band had really resonated with me but I decided to watch and listen with an open mind. As we approached the Whiskey, Taylor informed me that he had never seen a show there. I was blown away. It shows just how irrelevant The Whisky has become that this 24 year year old music fan and journalist was entering the Whisky for the first time in his life. This historic venue that has helped launch the careers of acts like The Doors, Van Halen, Sonny and Cher, Guns and Roses and thousands of other bands has sustained itself on the pay to play model for about 15 years now. Almost every show I’ve seen there over the
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Television is Flawless at The Teragram Ballroom
Danny Baraz
July 6, 2015
Tom Verlaine and Co. casually walked onto the stage as if they were walking into their practice space. They picked up their weapons, turned on their amplifiers and took a good 3 minutes, casually confirming that their instruments were indeed in tune, seemingly oblivious to the fact that there was a sold out crowd standing right in front of them at The Teragram Ballroom. We were there to see their band Television play, most of us for the first and most likely, the last time. This was a momentous occasion even though 99.999999 percent of the world doesn’t know about them or their band. Almost every self respecting music lover is aware of a place called CBGB and the art that erupted out of that tiny, urine soaked corner of the world. It’s one of the places that the word Punk was defined and it’s also the place that it first became misunderstood because by today’s standard, the band Television doesn’t fit the narrow definition. Blondie, Talking Heads, The Ramones, Patti Smith, The Dead Boys and The Cramps (just to name a few), all CBGB bands that had a different sound but a similar spirit of independence. They were given
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Ho99o9 EP Release Party at Mystery Box: An Initiation
Brent Smith
June 20, 2015
What began as a harmless Ho99o9 show at Mystery Box in the outskirt bowels of DTLA ended in orgiastic ritual sacrifice, which will ensure ultimate hegemony of their newly-dropped EP Horrors of 1999. (free download) Okay, nothing about Ho99o9 is really harmless to begin with—the experimental punk rap group who have lit the underground on fire, and who recently proved far too bloodcurdling for Warped Tour. There’s a reason shows like these, hosted by i Heart Comix and Family Artists, are thrown in L.A.’s industrial limbo, which didn’t seem to drive fans away. In fact, the line was already down the block when I arrived. I entered the massive space, complete with foyer, main room with a sick stage, and spacious outdoor smoking patio where the bar was. I met up with Danny, Taylor, and David of Minivan who was snapping pics; and the four of us were met with inflatable sex dolls strung with nooses, graffiti, barbed wire, and most horrifically of all, only two porta-potties (It got ugly pretty quick). The opening band No Parents didn’t come on until close to midnight, along with the laser lights, black lights, strobe lights, and fog machines. For the next few hours, our
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Hanni El Khatib: The Last First Friday of 2015 at Natural History Museum
Justin Cornwall
June 7, 2015
The last First Friday event at the Natural History Museum brought out in-the-know Los Angeles music lovers, young and old, together for an amazing summer kickoff. This lineup featured Hanni El Khatib, Chicano Batman, Avid Dancer and DJ’s Raul Campos (KCRW) + Captain Planet – all local talent. The evening was filled with different genres, hitting and missing different marks, but altogether the night smoothed out well. The Natural History Museum was PACKED, lines at pretty much every one of the 7 (there were more) bars that I counted and all tickets for the night were SOLD OUT. The weather cooled off quite a bit, but the crowds stuck it out for the performances on the new outdoor stage the museum had erected especially for this event. Food trucks, multiple full bars and the opened portions of the museum kept the crowds entertained till show time. Raul Campos played a radio friendly filler set leading up to Avid Dancer’s opening performance. I didn’t know much about Avid Dancer prior to the night, but I’m glad I was able to catch their set to build my own opinion on them. After some research, I discovered that the band was initially a
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L7 Stop Pretending They Are Dead at The Echo
Danny Baraz
May 30, 2015
By Danny Baraz On Thursday May 28th, L7 played a show for the first time in 18 years. This brought up a lot of feelings and emotion for me. I’ve seen L7 play more shows than any other band. I would not be easily swayed by the power of this moment because at their peak, they were one of the most ferocious live bands in the world. While a caricature of the past could have the power to entertain, what I wanted to see was the raw, authentic and over amplified band of bad ass chicks that were so incredible that being women was hardly a part of my internal narrative about what impressed me about them. THAT was what I wanted to see and I wouldn’t give them a pass on this “warm up show” simply because L7 were ready to relive their glory days and collect a paycheck. The Echo, a venue that didn’t even exist the last time all four original members of L7 played a show, was more packed than I had ever seen it. As soon as I saw the skeleton hands forming the L and the 7 on the backdrop of the stage, shit
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New Album Review: Metz II
Brent Smith
April 30, 2015
Every time I think I’ve heard the best of what today’s rock has to offer, I get sucker-punched by a band like METZ. If you haven’t heard their 2012 self-titled debut album, then Spotify that shit right now and relish in true noise band glory. With the axiomatic smashing and crashing of the ‘music industry’—that oxymoron that continues insisting upon itself—we’re getting exposure to a lot more bands who no longer have to compromise their sounds for vanilla marketing schemes, and who now have the freedom to continue pushing boundaries and challenging their audiences. METZ’s sophomore album, II no doubt attests, and convinces me that I’m going to be keeping tabs on these Toronto-based hellcats—doing the Canadian image justice in the destructive wake of Bieber Fever. Sub Pop, that label “up there” where it’s always wet, that label that’s kept us radicalized and on our toes for the last three decades, has done it again. They’ve given a great rock band the space and the faith necessary to maintain and cultivate their own vision, which is as loud and unwavering as any fan could hope. Like the preceding album, there are no frills, no bullshit, they don’t let up. No
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The Dead Milkmen Over Deliver at The Troubadour
Danny Baraz
April 27, 2015
Words: Danny Baraz Photos: Taylor Wong If listening to The Dead Milkmen doesn’t instantly put a smile on your face and get your foot tapping then you are completely dead inside. For 32 years, The Dead Milkmen have taken a genre that can take itself too seriously and made a mockery of it and every other taboo and sacred topic known to man. Just like most other coveted punk bands of their era, they have recently reactivated to write new music and tour. Last night, I had a chance to see The Dead Milkmen at The Troubadour and remedy the fact that I have never seen one of the funniest bands in the world play live before. I got to The Troubadour around 9:45. Unfortunately, I missed a great local band. Johnny Madcap & the Distractions had just finished playing when I arrived. I waded through the crowd of salt and pepper patrons and parked myself next to the bar and ordered a beer. Without delay, The Dead Milkmen took the stage. “Rodney Anonymous” Linderman charismatically connected with the crowd instantly as they opened with the song “Nutrition” off of Big Lizard in My Backyard. The Dead Milkmen un ceremoniously
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The Replacements: Alt-Heads, Why the Palladium sucks and Whole Foods Blues
Brent Smith
April 18, 2015
Words: Brent Smith Photos: David Evanko I typically bemoan the fact that kids and grownups are listening to the same music nowadays. Where that’s not annoying is in the case of seeing The Replacements live—that notoriously ‘unpopular’ no-band band. They’re hard to pin down. I mean what do you call The Replacements? They’re a formidable mix of hard rock, punk, blues, maybe a hint of new wave, etc. which is why they were ultimately pigeon-holed as the godfathers of ‘alternative rock’ and opened the door for the bands that dominated the 90s. I attended the ‘Mats second consecutive sold out show at the Hollywood Palladium, the fourth pit stop on their 2015 Back By Unpopular Demand tour, wedged between both weekends of that big festival thingy happening in the desert (those of you who caught it last year know they rocked it on Day 1 to a scanty crowd). I arrived dodging traffic and bad noise. 7pm is an ugly time to get anywhere in Los Angeles, especially Hollywood, where they’re currently building L.A.’s New Great Slums in the form of corporate-living skyscrapers with shopping malls for lobbies. The last time I saw a show at the Palladium, embarrassingly enough,
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