New Release Tuesday 9/3/13

SEPT. 3, 2013

MUSIC RELEASES

Ariana Grande – Yours Truly (Republic)
The Nickelodeon star has become such a popular radio presence that it's hard to believe her debut album is only being released today. Its lead single, "The Way" (featuring Mac Miller), has been in rotation for months, garnering Grande's breathy, soaring vocals plenty of Mariah Carey comparisons, and, thanks to pre-ordering, Yours Truly has already reached No. 1 on the iTunes Pop Chart. Grande hit the studio with the likes of Harmony Samuels and Babyface, and the album features more guest appearances from Big Sean, Nathan Sykes from the Wanted and Mika. Her pipes are more than strong enough to stand on their own, though, unlike some of the other artists in her manager Scooter Braun's stable. With tracks like "Tattooed Heart and "Piano," Grande proves her immense voice will allow her to go the distance. See what I mean when you hear her perform live Sept. 9 at Club Nokia.

John Legend – Love in the Future (Columbia)
Seriously, who doesn't love John Legend? The nine-time Grammy winner releases his fourth album, his first solo effort in five years. After collaborating with the Roots for 2010's Wake Up!, Legend became engaged, and Love in the Future definitely has a romantic air, with themes of love, marriage and commitment in songs like "The Beginning…," "All of Me" and "You & I." You can feel the touch of executive producer Kanye West in the pulsating beats of "Made to Love," "Who Do We Think We Are" and "Save the Night," while Legend's vocals and piano skills soar on "Open Your Eyes" and "Dreams." He collaborates with Q-Tip on "Tomorrow" and also covers Bobby Caldwell's "Open Your Eyes" and Anita Baker's "Angel."

Neko Case – The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You (ANTI-)
Now, that is some title. While the singer-songwriter's last effort, 2009's Middle Cyclone, explored the power of nature, for this new album, her sixth, she turned her focus inward as she settled into her new home, a 100-acre farm in rural Vermont, got a couple of tattoos, read Moby-Dick for the first time and dealt with depression and the grief of her parents' and grandmother's deaths. From the rocking "Man" to a gorgeous cover of Nico's "Afraid" and the stark "Where Did I Leave That Fire," Case gives a glimpse into her emotions at the time and remains hopeful in "Ragtime." She performs as part of the Way Over Yonder Festival at the Santa Monica Pier on Oct. 5.

Nine Inch Nails – Hesitation Marks (Columbia)
I don't think I need to say to persuade die-hard NIN fans to purchase Hesitation Marks beyond reiterating the fact that it's the first collection of works from the band in five years. In the meantime, Trent Reznor released two albums with How to Destroy Angels, composed for a video game, The Social Network (which he won an Oscar for) and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as well as contributing vocals to Queens of the Stone Age's latest, …Like Clockwork. Perhaps all of the time that's passed has brought forth a bit of a changed man, as there is markedly less screaming vocals on the album. Don't get me wrong, though, there is plenty of angst and aggression within and just under the surface of the 14 tracks, which feature guitar work from the great Lindsey Buckingham. For those who weren't lucky enough to have scored tickets to tonight's special release show at the Troubadour via the raffle that took place this morning, don't fret: The band returns to Los Angeles for a date at the Staples Center on Nov. 8.

Also available – 14KT's Nickel & Dimed; Acoustic Syndicate's Rooftop Garden; Caged Animals' In the Land of Giants; Califone's Stitches; Celestial Shore's 10x; Chelsea Wolfe's Pain Is Beauty; Eklipse's Electric Air; Glasvegas' Later… When the TV Turns to Static; Grooms' Infinity Caller; Holograms' Forever; Jackson and His Computerband's Glow; Jonathan Rado's Law and Order; The Julie Ruin's Run Fast; Kathleen Hanna's Run Fast; King Khan & The Shrines' Idle No More; Lonnie Holley's Keeping a Record of It; Mutiny's Funk Road; My Ticket Home's Strangers Only; Natalia Kills' Trouble; Nedelle Torrisi's self-titled; North Mississippi Allstars' World Boogie Is Coming; Okkervil River's The Silver Gymnasium; Pink Frost's Sundowning; RDGLDGRN's self-titled; Richard Buckner's Surrounded; Ryuichi Sakamoto and Taylor Deupree's Disappearance; The Safety Fire's Mouth of Swords; Shreddy Krueger's The Grieving; Surf City's We Knew It Was Not Going to Be Like This; Sweet Relief III: Pennies from Heaven compilation; TV Ghost's Disconnect; Violent Soho's Hungry Ghost (out Sept. 6); Volcano Choir's Repave; War Generation's Start Somewhere Never Surrender; World's Fair's Bastards of the Party; Youth Code's self-titled

DVD RELEASES 

Film – Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson and Dave Franco are magicians/bank robbers being pursued by an FBI agent (Mark Ruffalo) and an Interpol agent (Mélanie Laurent) in Now You See Me; Colin Firth stars as a middle-aged man who is so unfulfilled in his life that he assumes a new identity, Arthur Newman, and embarks on a cross-country trip that leads him to "Mike" (Emily Blunt); Julianne Moore, Michael Angarano, Greg Kinnear, Lily Collins and Nathan Lane in The English Teacher; The always-brilliant Michael Shannon is The Iceman, which also stars Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, James Franco and David Schwimmer

TV – Cake Boss: Season 5; Criminal Minds: The Eighth Season; Da Vinci's Demons: The Complete First Season; Haven: The Complete Third Season; It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Complete Season Eight; The League: Season Four; The Office: Season Nine; Parks and Recreation: Season Five; Person of Interest: Season Two; Revolution: The Complete First Season; Scandal: The Complete Second Season; Sharknado; Spartacus: War of the Damned - The Complete Third Season; The Vampire Diaries: The Complete Fourth Season
Music – Joan Baez's Golden Hits: Live Collection; Madonna: Goddess of Pop; The Smashing Pumpkins' Oceania: Live in NYC; Song of the South: Duane Allman and the Rise of the Allman Brothers Band

Also available – Beyond the Walls; Blancanieves; Cockneys Vs. Zombies; Empire State; Evocateur: Morton Downey Jr. Movie; Extracted; From Up on Poppy Hill; Fun Size; Hells Angels on Wheels; Hope for Love; I Do; The Lords of Salem; Mulan: Rise of a Warrior; Petunia; Scavengers; Slightly Single in LA; Somm; Stories We Tell; The Theatre Bizarre; Violeta Went to Heaven; What If…?

Events for Aug. 29-Sept. 4, 2013

Get with THE PROGRAM

THURSDAY, AUG. 29

MUSIC

YACHT

YACHT @ Troubadour (West Hollywood)
Tonight Red Bull Sound Select presents an evening of outstanding music for just $3 if you RSVP here. Otherwise it's just $12 and well worth it for headliners YACHT alone. If you haven't danced to the duo of Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans' beats live, you must go to this show. Some great L.A. acts open the show, including NO, White Rainbow and James Supercave.

FILM

Cinecon 49 @ The Egyptian (Hollywood)
The five-day celebration of silent and classic films features a memorabilia show, DVD and book signings and special showings of Somethings Gonna Live about Hitchcock producer Robert Boyle and Baby Peggy, a documentary about the silent film star. There are plenty of screenings of films like The Last Man on Earth and Way Out West tonight, Ramrod Friday, The Good Bad Man on Saturday, It Could Happen to You Sunday and Fifty Roads to Town on Monday. In addition, screen legend Shirley Jones receives a Career Achievement Award at a banquet on Sunday evening.

FRIDAY, AUG. 30

CULTURE

L.A. Fair @ Fairplex (Pomona)
Take advantage of opening day specials ($1 admission from 3 p.m.-6 p.m., $2 games from 9 p.m.-midnight and $2 rides and $1 sodas from 6 p.m.-9 p.m.), as the fair kicks off its 91st anniversary celebration. Aside from all the usual carnival attractions and wacky food to be experienced, there's a Star Trek exhibition, Beneath the Sea adventure, circus acts and the End of Summer Concert Series that includes nights with War (Aug. 30), Ke$ha (Sept. 7), Demi Lovato (Sept. 14) and Lynyrd Skynyrd (Sept. 20). Don't worry if you can't make it today, the fun keeps happening through Sept. 29.

Orange International Street Fair @ The Plaza at Chapman Ave. & Glassell St. (Orange)
Growing up, this fair always marked the end of summer – a final chance for me to run through the streets with my friends before school started. Anytime I visit now, I feel like I'm stepping back in time to those carefree days of my youth. As I got older, I really began to appreciate the sense of community the fair fosters, with food booths sponsored by local business and organizations offering treats from every cuisine imaginable, dance and music groups performing throughout the day on one of the four stages and arts and crafts tables set all around the center of the circle.

FILM

Drinking Buddies (Magnolia Pictures)

In Theaters This Week
Eric Bana and Rebecca Hall in the legal thriller Closed Circuit; Drinking Buddies, a rom-com starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson ("New Girl"), Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston; Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez and Jon Voight in Getaway; The Lifeguard stars Kristen Bell as a 30-year-old who regresses back to her high-school days; Brian De Palma's Passion stars Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace. Also in theaters: Afternoon Delight; I Declare War; Instructions Not Included; One Direction: This Is Us

FOOD

The Taste @ Paramount Pictures Studios (Hollywood)
This year's L.A. Times food and wine festival is hosted by the Times' Jonathan Gold, Betty Hallock, Jessica Gelt, Noelle Carter and Russ Parsons, Providence's Michael Cimarusti, Lukshon's Sang Yoon, Osteria Mozza's Nancy Silverton and mixologist Matthew Biancaniello and boasts three days of gastronomical goodness. There's an opening gala tonight where you can nibble on tastings, dance to a Beatles tribute band and mingle with the hosts, as well as some of the weekend's other participating chefs. Throughout the weekend there will be plenty of tastings, discussions, demos by chefs such as Ari Taymor (Alma), Sherry Yard (Helms Bakery) and KCRW's Evan Kleiman and a barbecue bonanza Labor Day Block Party on Sunday.

MUSIC

Jenny O. @ The Skirball (Brentwood)
The second event in the Skirball's Into the Night series is titled The Wild Side and marks the end of summer with an evening of DJ sets, cocktails, crafts, a screening of Dr. Seuss' The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T and a special performance from the lovely Jenny O. The headlining singer-songwriter plays new songs from her latest album, Automechanic, which are sure to get the crowd swaying back and forth. Another L.A.-based act, In the Valley Below, gets things going with their dreamy, atmospheric goodness.

SATURDAY, AUG. 31

CULTURE

Fiesta Hermosa @ Hermosa Beach Pier
The scorching weather is going to continue on through next week, so why not spend the holiday weekend at the beach? There will be plenty of live music, food booths, a beer garden, carnival rides and even a petting soon through Monday night. Make sure to take advantage of their free shuttle from the free parking lot at 15092 Aviation Boulevard in Manhattan Beach.

FILM

St. Elmo's Fire

BFF Double Feature @ Exposition Park (South Los Angeles)
Street Food Cinema presents screenings of two films that celebrate friendship: Joel Schumacher's 1985 Brat Pack drama, St. Elmo's Fire, with Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Judd Nelson and Mare Winningham, and Ben Stiller's 1994 Gen X gem Reality Bites, with Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Janeane Garofalo. Local duo Wing and Hollow perform before the screening, and plenty of food trucks will be on hand  (The Greasy Weiner, Lobos Truck, Mercedes Binge) for all your munchie cravings.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 3

MUSIC

fun. @ The Greek (Griffith Park)
The New Yorkers' Most Nights tour finally makes its way to Los Angeles for a two-night stand at the Greek. I can't think of a better way to bid adieu to summer than to spend it singing along to all the hits from the trio's breakout album from last year: "We Are Young," "Some Nights" and "Carry On." Undoubtedly, this calendar's show of the week.

Joe Cardamone of The Icarus Line

The Icarus Line's Joe Cardamone, Ben Hallett, Lance Arnao and Alvin DeGuzmann at Valley Recording Co.
(Ward Robinson)

 

JOE CARDAMONE of THE ICARUS LINE

At Valley Recording Co. (Burbank)

"Los Angeles is a hodgepodge of whatever you make it to be," begins L.A. native Joe Cardamone, frontman for the Icarus Line. "I have favorite spots all over the place, no matter what part of the city I'm in, because I've lived everywhere from the Valley and Hollywood to Los Feliz and the East Side. But the area around Highland Park – Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Lincoln Heights – that's where I grew up and feel at home, that's the L.A. I write about."

"I grew up on both sides of the tracks because my family lived in Highland Park, which was way different than it is now, but I went to school in South Pasadena," he continues. "I had an uncle who lived there, and we lied about our address so I could go there. You have to do shit like that here in L.A. My mom's an educator, so that was important to her, even though I didn't really graduate."

It seems that Joe has always made his own rules, whether it's navigating his way around school district borders, organizing underground punk shows in his suburban neighborhood or taking part in on- and off-stage antics that cemented the Icarus Line's bad-boy status. He continues to push boundaries with the group's fifth album, Slave Vows, that released earlier this month. The seething collection of eight songs defies the conventions of most modern rock albums: Tracks vary in length from two to 11 minutes; Some kick off with several minutes of instrumental snarling, with vocals not joining in until midway through; All of the songs were recorded live in Joe's own studio, Valley Recording Co., in Burbank.

Valley Recording Co. provides the perfect setting for our interview, since it is usually where you will find Joe. Aside from serving as the Icarus Line's rehearsal space, Joe has produced albums for bands like Giant Drag, the Bixby Knolls and Spirit Vine in the studio. Located among several industrial business, there's no need to be concerned about the volume being too loud at any hour of the day, however, there's nothing cold and industrial about the atmosphere inside Valley Recording Co. Warm wood panels line the walls of the studio that Joe spent four months building, and there's an amazing art piece of wood bricks that he constructed in the mixing room. It's an environment that he and fellow resident producer/engineer Greg Gordon feel fortunate to call their home base.

The custom wall at Valley Recording Co. (Ward Robinson)

While Joe currently lives in Laurel Canyon, he's excited to be moving back to his old stomping grounds of Highland Park in a few weeks.

"Every week it looks different. You drive down York [Boulevard], and there's galleries and all kinds of bars. When I grew up there, there was nothing," he says. "There was Mr. T's Bowl and the pizza joint, but besides that there were no record stores or even any white people."

Joe grew up listening to his dad's record collection of 1960s music and the entire Beatles discography, which were his childhood lullabies. As he grew up and started going to punk rock shows, he visited Mr. T's and venues like the Anti Club and Natural Fudge a lot. He also put on a bunch of shows in different hole-in-the-wall places around town. The first concert he ever went to, though, was a huge one: Guns N' Roses and Metallica at the Coliseum. Guns N' Roses and their 1987 debut, Appetite for Destruction, proved to be a monumental influence on Joe's life.

"One year my dad gave me a gift certificate to Licorice Pizza, which was an old record store in L.A., so I got to walk around the store and pick what I wanted. I got a Young MC single and Appetite for Destruction. That tape was glued in my deck for the next couple of years. When my mom heard it, she threw it away. I must have bought copies of it five times; she kept throwing it away, and I kept buying it. They were scary-looking dudes, that's why I liked it. For a 12-year-old kid these guys were wild looking," he recalls. "The day I put that tape in my player, that was it. I stopped doing homework and started convincing other kids to buy instruments. It was pretty instantaneous. I was a lost soul up until that point – always in trouble, getting into fights and I had been kicked out of a couple schools. I didn't have anything to tether me to society or humanity whatsoever. I couldn't relate to anything; I was always angry. That record was the first thing that gave me a way out."

While at South Pasadena High School, aka South Pas, Joe met Lance Arnao ("We started South Pas on the same day, and both had no friends."), and the Icarus Line was born in 1998 with Joe on vocals, Arnao on bass, Aaron North on guitar and Aaron Austin on drums. They played venues like the Cobalt Café in the Valley and Chain Reaction in Orange County and released a few EPs before unveiling their debut, Mono, in 2001. The album won them a place on several best album of the year lists, and the Icarus Line graduated to world tours.

It was during a show at the Austin Hard Rock Café when the infamous Stevie Ray Vaughan incident (North smashed a protective case surrounding a guitar that supposedly belonged to the guitar legend with a mic stand) occurred, and the band started being referred to as hellions. Eventually, Austin, Arnao and North, who went on to form Buddyhead with Travis Keller and play guitar with Nine Inch Nails, all parted ways with the group, but Joe soldiered on with a rotating lineup that included longtime friend Alvin DeGuzmann and put out the highly praised Penance Soiree in 2004 and 2007's Black Lives at the Golden Coast. The release of 2011's Wildlife marked a significant change for the band with Joe assuming production and engineering duties for the first time.

"I've always been very hands on with our records, mostly because I've usually known what I want. When we were doing Penance we met with a bunch of big producers, and I would tell them what I wanted. A couple of them said, "Well, you know exactly what you want, so why don't you just do it,'" he remembers. "I never really dreamed of owning a studio, it just came out of necessity. I'm pretty good at looking at the big picture of things and pretty easy for people to deal with, so that helps. The main thing when it comes to pro ducting is being able to make people feel comfortable."

Joe in the studio

It also helps that artists feel like Joe can relate to their situations as well, since he's also a recording artist. Having worked with all types of musicians as a part of the Icarus Line's various lineups has definitely aided in his production abilities as well. He specifically mentions those experiences in relation to stepping in to record with local band Wake Up Lucid, comprised of a tight-knit unit of two brothers and their cousin.

"They were super receptive to the things I had to say because they wanted a great record. I've been a bandleader for so long, and that's basically what I do when I produce records," he tells. "In all the different formations of the Icarus Line, I've always written towards everyone's strengths. I make sure that I'm writing material that we can perform that maximizes everyone's potential as an individual musician. Having done that, it made me a little more adept at honing in on people's strengths and writing towards them or finding something out about them that they don't already know and fostering that. That's what I did with Wake Up Lucid and hopefully what I do with a lot of bands: Find out the best things about them that they don't already know and let that shine."

Letting each band member's talent shine is something that Joe has definitely achieved with Slave Vows. The band, with Arnao back on bass, DeGuzmann on keyboards and Ben Hallett on drums, spent most of 2012 on the road with Killing Joke and the Cult. Since he has played music with Arnao and DeGuzmann since they were children and Hallett has been a part of the group for over three years, Joe feels like they've achieved a perfect blend of old and new, making for some fantastic chemistry that lent a natural and organic air to Slave Vows' recording process.

"That's one of the main reasons that we recorded it live, because I knew who was in the room with me and I knew what we could do. We spent the year on the road, and I just knew we could make an album on a four track or anything, it didn't matter, the band sounds insane. We took a couple of days to make sure everything was set up the way it needed to be to capture things properly, but after that, we pressed record, went in there for five hours, pressed stop and left. We did that for a couple of weeks and were done," he shares. "Music is plagued with a kind of micromanaging, revisionist mentality these days. A lot of it out there is all an airbrushed photo. It just doesn't appeal to me. Human and legitimate, pure performances have a compelling nature if you're open to being moved by that kind of stuff. It can be a heavy experience."

Joe definitely embraced the beauty that existed in the letting go of having to be in control over every single bar, the perfection in imperfection in the making of Slave Vows, and songs like "Dark Circles," "Dead Body" and "Rats Ass" are a kick in the gut to the material that occupies most radio airwaves today. The album should make both new and old fans excited about the Icarus Line and their future. As the band prepares to embark on a British tour in support of the release, I ask Joe if he plans on writing some new material on the road.

"Not so much, but I'll write words on the road. A lot of the lyrics I write have a documentary aspect to them. Even though they're not literal, they're definitely informed by our lives," he says. "Life on the road is so routine that I am mostly thinking of how to make the next night better, that's what I become fixated on: dialing the band in as we go. I don't multitask well. I feel like I'm sacrificing or compromising if I'm not focused on the task at hand 100 percent."

When he refers to his lyrics as having a documentary lean to them, it's quite an apt description since Slave Vows is very cinematic. In fact, the band released five film clips as a preview of the album. Each video features a different song and stars one band member, with Giant Drag's Annie Hardy in the fifth. 

"After Lance left the band, he started doing film and editing work as a career, so when he came back he said, 'I do all of this shit, so if we ever want to do anything, let's do it.' We've done some videos here and there, but it's always been an afterthought or someone else's thing. Now that we control it, it's the dawn of a new era for us because we can actually put visuals to the sound. Lance is good at visually interpreting what's going on in the songs, giving a look to what the songs sound like," he says. "For me, a lot of he movies I love are just as inspiring to the music as records. Sam Peckinpah films, for instance, definitely have something to do with us, why not represent that if we can?"

One can see the Peckinpah influence in the clip starring Joe, while they also pay homage to Park Chan-wook's Oldboy in the video with DeGuzmann sticking an entire live octopus in his mouth.

"That was definitely not his idea, unfortunately for him," Joe laughs. "I went to Koreatown at 11 a.m., and there were two left so I bought them then called Lance and said, 'Get the camera. They're going to be dead in three hours.' We all met up and made it happen."

You can view all of the Icarus Line videos here. Slave Vows is currently available. The Icarus Line perform Sept. 7 at the Wiltern. For more information, visit theicarusline.com.

New Release Tuesday 8/27/13

Aug. 27, 2013

MUSIC RELEASES

Black Joe Lewis – Electric Slave (Vagrant)
Whether you're in line for your morning coffee, having lunch at a café or in the midst of a crowd at a concert, it's certain that you'll be surrounded people staring at their smartphones – or you might even be one of them. Austin's Joe Lewis titles his latest album as a nod to the fact that most of us are indeed slaves to our cell phones and other electronic devices, as he continues to challenge genre boundaries with searing tracks infused with blues, punk, soul and rock. Electric Slave, produced by Stuart Sikes (White Stripes, Cat Power, Modest Mouse) and John Congleton (Explosions in the Sky, St. Vincent, Okkervil River) alternatively soothes the soul (the horns on "Dar es Salaam" and "The Hipster") and rattles your eardrums with Lewis' screaming guitar solos on songs like "My Blood Ain't Runnin' Right" and "Guilty." Experience the new album in person Dec. 5 at the El Rey.

Carly Ritter – Self-titled (Vanguard)
It's no wonder that the singer-songwriter's debut bursts with lyrics and melodies that scream California – the album features some amazing L.A. musicians: husband-and-wife team Joachim Cooder and Juliette Commagere, Robert Francis and living legend Ry Cooder. Having grown up surrounded by the rock 'n' roll songs favored by her mother and beloved actor/comedian father John Ritter, it wasn't until Carly Ritter's adolescence that she began to explore folk and country by the likes of her paternal grandfather Tex Ritter, genres that she continues to explore in her own music today. Must-listen tracks are "Princess of the Prairie," "It Is Love" and "Save Your Love," a beautiful duet with Francis. Join Ritter in celebrating the album's release at Hotel Café on Sept. 3.

The Dodos – Carrier (Polyvinyl)
A somber tone is set from the first bars of Carrier's opener, "Transformer," that carries on throughout this fifth album from the San Francisco duo of Meric Long and Logan Kroeber. Much of the solemnity is due to the tragic passing of guitarist and former Dodo Christopher Reimer last year. There is a warmth imbued in Carrier, however, and Reimer's influence is definitely felt on the album, especially on tracks like the lead single, "Confidence." See the pair perform at the El Rey on Oct. 15.

Foy Vance – Joy of Nothing (Glassnote)
Although Foy Vance was born in Northern Ireland, it's the music of the American south that stimulated his passion for traditional music. After immigrating to the Oklahoma, he traveled throughout the south with his father, immersing himself in the region's rich musical history. Those travels deeply affect his writing, and he's continued to craft his own sound touring with artists like Bonnie Raitt, Michael Kiwanuka, Snow Patrol and Ed Sheeran. Vance pours all of these experiences into his latest album, from the emotional, heart-pounding opener, "Closed Hand, Full of Friends," to the beautiful title track and "You and I," which features backing vocals from Raitt. And, no, it wasn't just his nifty mustache that grabbed my attention. Check him out at Hotel Café Oct. 28.

Goodie Mob – Age Against the Machine (The Right)
Most know CeeLo Green from his breakout The Lady Killer album, as a judge on "The Voice" or his work with Gnarls Barkley, but hip-hop lovers came to recognize him as a member of the Atlanta-based act known as Goodie Mob. It's awesome to hear Green rap again alongside Khujo, T-Mo and Big Gipp on their first album in almost a decade, and they give props to band that was a big influence during Goodie Mob's formative years, Rage Against the Machine, in its title. The foursome continue to incorporate social issues into their raps for songs like "Power" and "Amy," and strive for innovation by incorporating rock, electronic and classical elements into tracks such as "Pinstripes," which features T.I., and "Ghost of Gloria Goodchild." My favorite cut, "Special Education," features Janelle Monáe singing the hook. See many of the new songs performed live tomorrow (Aug. 28) at the House of Blues Sunset Strip.

Also available – AroarA's In the Pines; Avenged Sevenfold's Hail to the King; Ben Shepherd's In Deep Owl; Big Sean's Hall of Fame; Colette's When the Music's Loud; Dent May's Warm Blanket; Disappears' Era; Drumgasm's self-titled; Fluent's Retro Future; Franz Ferdinand's Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action; J57 & Blame One's Walk in the Sun; Jars of Clay's Inland; Juicy J's Stay Trippy; Lumerians' The High Frontier; Mandisa's Overcomer; Maps for Travelers' Change Your Name; Michael Monroe's Horns and Halos; Money's The Shadow of Heaven; Nekrogoblikon's Power; Reverse the Curse's Existent; The Rides' Can't Get Enough; Sly & the Family Stone's Higher! box set; Various Artists' The Walking Dead AMC Original Soundtrack – Vol. 2… Sounds of Survival; Yoshiki's Yoshiki Classical

DVD RELEASES

Film – Baz Lurmann's visually striking adaptation of The Great Gatsby features Leonardo DeCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire and Joel Edgerton; Pain and Gain stars Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson as bodybuilder who get caught up in an extortion and kidnapping caper; Mira Nair directs Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Live Schreiber and Kiefer Sutherland in The Reluctant Fundamentalist

TV – Elementary: The First Season; Grey's Anatomy: The Complete Ninth Season; Sons of Anarchy: Season Five; The Walking Dead: The Complete Third Season

Music – Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow's Black Masquerade; One Direction's Going Our Way

Also available – 33 Postcards; After the End; Among Friends; At Any Price; Billy the Kid; Camp; Collision Course; A Company Man; The English Teacher; Iceberg Slim: Portrait of a Pimp; Koch; Kon-Tiki; Life, Love, Soul; Meddling Mom; Monsters Wanted; Online; Pawn Shop Chronicles; Ritual; A Resurrection; Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's; Season of a Lifetime; Stranded; Tied; Unit 7

STREET SIGNS - Angels Come In Various Sizes

If you love street art, then any trip to Los Angeles isn't complete without a visit to the Branded Arts Building at 8810 Washington Boulevard in Culver City. What was once a car dealership is now the site of a collection of murals designed by some of the world's best street and graffiti artists. This piece, with a blue-eyed and be-winged skater boy chilling on his board beneath the words 'Angels come in various sizes,' is one of the first you see as it faces out onto Washington. The painting was done by the German duo of Jasmin "Hera" Siddiqui and Falk "Akut" Lehmann – aka Herakut.

Events for Aug. 22-28, 2013

Get with THE PROGRAM

THURSDAY, AUG. 22

Chef Rick Bayless

FOOD

Los Angeles Food & Wine Festival in Downtown, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills
The third annual event is the ultimate city-wide food extravaganza, offering four days of cooking demos, wine and spirit tastings, book signings, parties and so much more. There's a culinary demo with Giada De Laurentiis this afternoon, followed by her Festa Italiana this evening. Tomorrow includes a discussion with Michael Chiarello; Tacos and Tequila with Ray Garcia, Josef Centeno and Rick Bayless; a demo and Asian Night Market with Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Fabio Viviani, Curtis Stone and Ziggy Marley and Ben Ford do cooking demos, Grant Achatz and the Grahm Crew do cocktail talks and Gavin DeGraw performs at Lexus Live on Grand on Saturday. The fest concludes with demos from the Hearty Boys and Duff Goldman, champagne and cheese seminars and the final Lexus Grand Tasting on Sunday.

COMEDY

Class of Chicago Comedy Festival @ The Fake Gallery (Wilshire Center)
Radio Titans co-founder Carl Kozlowski throws his second annual celebration of Chicago comedians who now reside in the City of Angels. This year features 40 comics over three nights of festivities, kicking off with two shows this evening. There's an All-Star Improv Extravaganza at 8 p.m. with the likes of Emo Philips, Bill Chott and the Farley Brothers, while the 10 p.m. portion includes a showcase of shorts by Willy Lazlo, Luke Matheny, Ryan Ridley, Scott Vinci and Dan Jelinek.

FRIDAY, AUG. 23

CULTURE

Fiesta La Ballona @ Veterans Park (Culver City)
The neighborhood's annual Party in the Park is a free weekend event celebrating community. Aside from carnival rides and games, there will be plenty of food booths and trucks, a beer and wine garden, performances from dance groups and rock, mariachi, jazz, bluegrass, samba and zydeco bands, events with some of the Galaxy Star Squad and Kings Ice Crew and a costume celebration and competition.

FILM

In Theaters This Week
The Grandmaster, directed by Wong Kar Wai, stars Tony Leung as Ip Man. Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower star in the big-screen adaptation of Cassandra Clare's YA fiction series' first installment, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones; The World's End is the final flavor (mint chocolate chip, to be exact) in Edgar Wright's Cornetto trilogy, featuring co-writer Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, a pub crawl and aliens, of course; Adam Wingard directs You're Next, and since I can't even watch its ad without covering my eyes, it's probably a good one for you horror lovers. Also in theaters: The Frozen Ground; Inch'Allah; Scenic Route; Short Term 12; Thérèse
  

SATURDAY, AUG. 24

Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Dan Martensen/concept: KK Barrett)

MUSIC

FYF Fest @ L.A. State Historic Park (Elysian Park)
Can't think of a better way to bid adieu to the final days of summer than spending two days immersed in music and comedy. Musical acts include My Bloody Valentine, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, MGMT, Beach House, Deerhunter, Devendra Banhart, the Breeders, Solange and so many more. Comedians include Doug Benson, Paul Scheer, Karen Kilgariff and Ron Funches. The sheer awesomeness of talent in the lineup makes this the can't-miss show of the week. Just make sure to avoid traffic and searching for a parking space by taking the Gold Line to the Chinatown station.

FILM

Edward Scissorhands @ Brookside Park (Pasadena)
I just heard an NPR feature extolling the comedic talents of Winona Ryder on the radio the other day, and was delighted to see that Street Food Cinema is hosting a screening of one of the most beloved films she stars in tonight. Tim Burton's 1990 film stars Johnny Depp as the titular hero who falls in love with the angelic Peg (Ryder). In addition to the screening, L.A. singer-songwriter Matt Braaten performs a set while the Grilled Cheese Truck, Fun Time Kettle Corn and Don Chow Tacos serve up the movie treats.

SUNDAY, AUG. 25

CULTURE

Boot Ride Rally @ The Happy Ending (Hollywood)
The Boot Campaign's annual event raises funds to support active military members as they return home and transition back to civilian life. The day begins with a motorcycle ride across the city leading to the Boot Rally at Happy Ending. "Sons of Anarchy" cast members will be on hand at the party, along with the Boot Girls, to enjoy a performance from Blackberry Smoke.

TUESDAY, AUG. 27

alt-j (Noah Kalina)

MUSIC

Alt-J (∆), Royal Canoe @ The Palladium (Hollywood)
I know, I just like pressing alt-j way too much, leaving ∆s all across my screen. While this first night is sold-out, you still might be able to score some tickets via Craigslist or for the show tomorrow evening. Either way, you don't want to miss the English quartet's North American tour in support of their debut album from last year, An Awesome Wave, which won the 2012 Mercury Prize. The Canadian six-piece of Royal Canoe open the show, and you're sure to be treated to some new tracks from their upcoming Today We're Believers album (out Sept. 3) too.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28

BOOKS

Sasha Grey @ Book Soup (West Hollywood)
The actress, model, musician and former porn star is also a published author whose debut novel, The Juliette Society, released in May. The book focuses on a film student named Catherine who is in the midst of a sexual awakening and becomes drawn into a secret sex society with members that include some very powerful people. Grey discusses and signs copies of her work tonight at Book Soup.

MUSIC

Lucius @ The Echo (Echo Park)
Another sold-out show, however, there might be a limited amount of tickets available at the door tonight, so it's worth a trip over to the Echo. You don't want to miss the NYC quintet perform in such a small club while you still can. Their debut full-length, Wildewoman, is going to be released Oct. 15, yet they've already built a solid reputation as a must-see live band and garnered praise from NPR, The New York Times and were named a Band to Watch by Rolling Stone. Believe me, you'll be dancing to songs like "Hey Doreen" in no time flat.

New Release Tuesday 8/20/13

Aug. 20, 2013

MUSIC RELEASES

Braids – Flourish // Perish (Arbutus)
This sophomore album from the Montreal trio is a successful blend of cerebral electronic effects and rhythms with engaging, from-the-gut lyrics by frontwoman Raphaelle Standell-Preston. I could imagine Flourish // Perish being played at a hip restaurant, boutique or as a workday soundtrack. Songs like "Fruend" and "Hossak" are not to be missed. Catch their live show Oct. 17 at Bootleg Bar.

Crocodiles – Crimes of Passion (Frenchkiss)
The fourth album from the Crocodiles duo erupts with energy with album opener "I Like It in the Dark," keeps your head bopping with "Heavy Metal Clouds" and tugs at the heartstrings with "Un Chant D'Amour." Bandmembers Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell began collaborating at 18 in San Diego and currently split their time between New York City and London. Although their locales may change, the elements of noise-pop fuzz they became known for remain, with a clear nod to eras past. They make a return visit to SoCal for a show at the Echo Nov. 8.

John Mayer – Paradise Valley (Columbia)
The singer-songwriter/guitar virtuoso continues to explore American roots music with his sixth studio album that was named for the Montana river valley where he frequently seeks solace. The direction for his follow-up to last year's Born and Raised (his initial foray into folk and country territory) is made clear with the hand-clap inducing opening track "Wildfire," which gets a soulful makeover from Frank Ocean deeper into the album. Mayer teams with Katy Perry for the sweet love duet, "Who You Love," covers J.J. Cale's "Call Me the Breeze" and responds to Taylor Swift's "Dear John" in "Paper Doll." Even if you aren't a huge fan of his albums, Mayer's live shows are not to be missed, so make sure to get tickets for his Oct. 5 show at the Hollywood Bowl.

Joseph Childress – The Rebirths (Empty Cellar)
Speaking of great guitarists, acoustic maverick Childress' debut is quite captivating. The 10 songs were written over two years spent hitchhiking, hopping freight trans and living out of a car before he returned to his childhood home nestled in the Colorado Rockies and recorded The Rebirths in a bathroom. Cracks, thumps and whirring sounds from the home environment add flavor to the tracks, which burst with powerful emotion from his honest lyrics, heartfelt vocals and intricate guitar work.

Travis – Where You Stand (Red Telephone Box)
The Scottish quartet took a five-year hiatus before returning with this new album, their seventh full-length, brimming with the anthemic and cinematic pop songs that put them on the map. If you love Coldplay and Keane, then you must get to know the band, headed by the remarkable Fran Healy, who paved the way for modern Brit-Pop's success in America. Travis visit Los Angeles in the midst of a world tour in support of Where You Stand for an Oct. 4 show at the Wiltern.

Typhoon – White Lighter (Roll Call)
Grandiose folk? Orchestral pop? It's hard to put a finger on just one phrase that might attempt to categorize the Portland, Ore. collective, and that's the beauty of their music. What could be a mish-mash of 11-plus musicians playing all at once results in bold, beautiful and harmonious compositions. Songwriter Kyle Morton's struggles with Lyme disease led him to think that White Lighter would be his last work, and the passion put into the melodies and lyrics are evident and quite touching. I dare you to listen to tracks like "Young Fathers" or "Summer Home" without dancing and crying and dancing some more. Their Oct. 17 show at the Satellite is going to be one not to miss.

Also available – Alexander von Mehren's Aéropop; AM & Shawn Lee's Replayed; Andrew Cedermark's Home Life; A$AP Ferg's Trap Lord; Ben Rector's The Walking In Between; Destruction Unit's Deep Trip; DIANA's Perpetual Surrender; Diarrhea Planet's I'm Rich Beyond Your Wildest Dreams; Drenge's self-titled; Earl Sweatshirt's Doris; E.M.M.A.'s Blue Gardens; Golden Suits' self-titled; Julia Holter's Loud City Song; Julianna Barwick's Nepenthe; Kissaway Trail's Breach; Laura Veirs' Warp & Weft; Lee DeWyze's Frames; Little Comets's Life Is Elsewhere; No Age's An Object; Paper Lions' My Friends; Porcelain Raft's Permanent Signal; Pure Bathing Culture's Moon Tides; R. Stevie Moore's Personal Appeal; Sarah Neufeld's Hero Brother; Shigeto's No Better Time Than Now; Ski Lodge's Big Heart; Snow Ghosts' A Small Murmuration; Superchunk's I Hate Music; Tedeschi Trucks Band's Made Up Mind; Ty Segall's Sleeper; Tythe's & Also with You; White Hills' So You Are… So You'll Be; White Lies' Big TV; Willie Sugarcapps' self-titled; Willy Mason's Carry On; Zola Jesus' Versions

DVD RELEASES

TV – Boardwalk Empire: The Complete Third Season; American Pickers: Mike & Frank's Picks; Being Human: Season Five; Best of Pawn Stars: Greatest Stories Ever Sold; Best of Storage Wars: Life in the Locker; The Good Wife: The Fourth Season; Mike & Molly: The Complete Third Season; NCIS: The Complete Tenth Season; NCIS: Los Angeles - The Fourth Season; Parenthood: Season Four; Revenge: The Complete Second Season

Music – Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin's Invitation to Illumination: Live at Montreux 2011

Comedy – Jim Norton's Please Be Offended

Film – 3 Days of Normal; Alyce Kills; Amour; Arthur Newman; Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey; Dragon Pearl; Epic; Evidence; Fear the Forest; Floating City; Free Angela & All Political Prisoners; Go Goa Gone; Highland Park; Hitting the Cycle; Killing Season; Loveholic; No One Lives; No Place on Earth; Nobody Can Cool; Post Tenebras Lux; Rapture-Palooza; Scary Movie 5; Shadow Dancer; Stag; Tailor of Panama; This Is Martin Bonner; Tortoise in Love; Vampire; Wither (Vittra)