Indie Music Universe

By Ashley Eliot (Ash)

Put aside the stereotypes that you’ve heard about Orange County. We don’t just produce punk bands and silly reality shows. We actually do have a music scene and a great one in fact. A variety of sounds from talented indie bands can be found at these hidden gems: Detroit Bar, eVocal, La Cave and The Gypsy Lounge. OC’s music scene is evolving and if you don’t start keeping up, you’re going to miss out on the beautiful music taking place here. These are 15 bands on the rise. There are still a TON more artists making their mark in Orange County. I guess you’ll just have to go there and find them yourself or listen to UC Irvine’s independent radio station KUCI 88.9 FM (www.kuci.org) for my Orange County music show called Press Pass Music (www.kuci.org/presspass), Thursdays from noon to 2 p.m. PST.  

*Bios submitted by the bands

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Living Suns

Watching The Living Suns on stage, you get the impression that this six piece Orange County band is going to blow up. With a psychedelic brit pop indie sound that lands somewhere between Coachella and Bonnaroo, watching these individuals struggle for musical dominance is better than any Hell in the Cell cage match Vince McMahon could imagine.

With a fan base consisting of dolled up barely legal girls in big shoes jumping up and down on the dance floor, The Living Suns rock the stage hard.  It all starts with the bands vocalist leading the onslaught. With his Bob Dylan meets Eddie Furlong look and wandering Jim Morrison eyes; the front man screeching vocals draws the crowd in.

Walking in on this band’s set, without knowing anything about them or their relationships to each other, it feels as if this musical unit could implode at any moment and that’s what makes their shows so great. For those keeping record at home, based off stereotypes/looks, I would say you have two hippies, Iron & Wine, a surfer with a mustache, a poet and the token Emo with a full sleeve of tats protruding from his V-neck. With these six unique individuals going six different ways, the music feels much like a fire hose turned on full blast with the entire fire house struggling to gain control of the flailing rubber conduit. This struggle compliments the music.

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter
Blog

Discography:

Self (2008)

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Mothers Sons

Mothers Sons was born in summer 2006 when singer and guitarist Robb Rowe, percussionist Jona Wilder, and lead guitarist Kenny Bender found themselves linked by mutual friendships and an unfulfilled need to make music of their own. After nearly a year of amorphous exploration in Wilder’s bedroom and the empty lecture halls of Cal State Fullerton, the band came to sow its musical roots in the rich, gritty soil of southern rock and Americana. 

In May 2007, a concurrent search for a fourth band member came to a close when Rowe recruited Danny Garcia to share in bass and lead guitar duties. Since then, Mothers Sons has self-released two EPs and played shows in bars and clubs across southern California, including a month-long residency at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa and a sold-out night at the Anaheim House of Blues, opening for Matt Costa. 

The band’s sound – which has drawn comparisons to The Velvet Underground and T. Rex is broadly appealing, yet remains difficult to pin down, due in no small part to their songwriting ethic. Of writing, Bender says, “Only very rarely should it be easy. If a song comes easily, or takes a comfortable turn, we know there’s something left to be done with it.” This attention to detail shows in the nuances of their music and makes the band’s continued evolution one worth following. Be on the lookout for their next release, due out in late August.  

Sites:

MySpace

Tracks:

Belmont Teal

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Japanese Motors

Japanese Motors are a four-piece group made up of Alex Knost (guitar and vocals), Nolan hall (lead guitar), Nick Soderburg (bass guitar), Andrew Atkinson (drums). Japanese Motors make what they call music of the post pop genre–this is in regards to new accessibility of music. The line between the once was unobtainable underground music and mainstream general market music has never been so blurred. This, due to the Internet and the death of the record store.

The group lives on the west side of a suburban city in southern California called Costa Mesa. When asked why they don’t live in Los Angeles or New York they reply with this. "…The idea of suburbia not being cool doesn’t affect us negatively. Here all of our friends make amazing music without the emphasis on selling, or selling out or whatever. There’s not really a moth to the flame mentality here like you get in a popular city. It’s a scene of kids that work part time shitty jobs, if any job at all. Record on eight tracks in their living rooms, do drugs and play to 5-50 kids at house parties, and all play in each others bands." 

Japanese Motors are signed to Vice Records out of NYC and are working on their second album right now. They just finished a very successful tour opening up for Modest Mouse around the US and recently won Best New Artist at the OC Music Awards as well as Best Surf Band (though they don’t think they sound like a surf band). 

The Japanese motors have been reviewed "equally inspired by the beach boys and Richard hell" as well as the "west coast strokes". When asked if these comparisons irritate the group. They said "not really."  

Sites:

MySpace
Facebook

Discography:

Japanese Motors (2008)

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The Jakes

The Jakes’ sound is as uniquely diverse and eclectic as its six members. Sameer Gadhia, Ehson Hashemian, Payam Doostzadeh, Jacob Tilley, Eric Cannata, and Francois Comtois surprisingly hail from Orange County, California. An assembly of international names and assorted backgrounds, The Jakes combine to produce a beautifully refreshing brand of sun soaked Indie rock. Their Shake My Hand EP is a collection of seven songs filled with lush experimental compositions complimented by subtle but infectious pop hooks and unique, soothing vocals. 

Predominantly comprised of teenagers, the six piece delivers mature arrangements far beyond their years. As high school students The Jakes conquered the local music scene winning awards and praise, quickly developing momentum that was soon thwarted by the new challenges introduced by college life. At 6 different schools, divided by hundreds of miles of the California coast, the band persisted, continuing to play shows and write new music. Having recently taken a hiatus from their respective universities to focus on their musical career, The Jakes will record their debut full length in 2009.  

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube
Last.fm

Video:

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Moostache

Moostache was formed in summer 2008 when brothers Sean, Brian, and Patrick Wardell decided that they wanted to take their music a little more seriously. They had existed as a three-piece band for a few years, but played shows very sporadically and recorded mainly at home with an 8-track recorder. Bobby Waltman was recruited to play keys and Scott Zschomler was added to play lead guitar. With the lineup completed, we began playing our first shows around Orange County and recorded our first EP. That EP is available to download for free on their Myspace. 

Stylistically, their music tends to center around a blues-tinged rock sound, with comparisons often including Wilco and the Walkmen. The band has been gaining momentum in the Southern California music scene for the past year, and with a residency at the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa under their belts and the completion of their first full-length album coming in the near future, they’re definitely a group to watch out for. The new album "The Body Disagrees" will be released on July 25, 2009.  

Sites:

MySpace
Last.fm

Tracks:

Common Sense

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Sisters

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Windows

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The Shys

Bluesy riffs and anthemic choruses are the foundation of Orange County heartbreakers, The Shys. With their aggressive update of ’60s brit-rock and garage/punk influences, the band began in the sleepy beach town of San Clemente, CA. After two releases along side of a number of national tours, their single “Call in The Cavalry” featured on numerous acclaimed shows such as HBO’s “Entourage,” MTV’s “Fast, Inc,” Owen Wilson’s “Drill Bit Taylor,” the hit “Prom Night” and most recently it can be heard in the trailer for “Adventureland,” from the creators of Superbad, The Shys are on the brink of major success. 

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter

Discography:

You’ll Never Understand This Band The Way That I Do (2008)

Astoria (2006)

Tracks:

Already Gone

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The Hangman

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The SteelWells

The Steelwells are an indie/alternative band based in Orange County, CA. The band includes singer Joseph Winter, guitarist Andrew Eapen, bassist Robbie Gullage, drummer Brian Manchester, and multi-instrumentalist Billy Kim.  The Steelwells draw their sound from various interests in pop, folk, alternative country, and indie.Within the last few months they have been getting positive reviews in publications such as OC Weekly and airplay on KUCI 88.9 FM. 

In 2007, Winter, Eapen, Gullage, and Manchester began the writing process that would become an early collection of songs entitled “The Open Letter EP.” With the addition of Kim to the lineup in 2008, as well as a growing collection of songs, they are preparing to record this summer. The Steelwells have taken their music and their live performance to another level with determination to continue exposing their musical and lyrical nerves through an honest exploration of sonic art. The Steelwells have been winning over their audiences with shows at such venues as the Glasshouse and the Silverlake Lounge. The band is planning their first tour for August 2009 in order to promote their up-and-coming release. 

With so many great things in the works, The Steelwells are dedicated to paving their way into an ever-changing world with music that is sure to stand the test of time. In the meantime, they are making their collective voices heard as they look to move their listeners with honest and open lyrics, driving beats and soaring melodic guitars.  

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter
Blog

Tracks:

Boxes

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Melanoid

John Hanson, who performs as Melanoid, is a singer/songwriter out of Orange County, CA. He began playing guitar at age 12, and has continued to hone his performing and songwriting skills over the last 14 years. Melanoid has played with several bands, including The Bird and the Bee, Rocco Deluca and Rooney. 

In John’s songwriting style, the music often comes first, supported by lyrics drawn from life experiences. He composes on the keyboard and guitar, inspired by classical music, and 60’s/70’s era music. 

Melanoid released its debut album, “Asleep in the Wake,” on January 20, 2009. The album is a dark, haunting story told in 14 tracks, featuring the unforgettable “Right.” John also produced the album, which showcases his gift for harmony and rich, layered production. 

One of the tracks from the upcoming album, “Roam,” was originally recorded as part of a score for the movie “While in Mexico” (2005 release). 

Melanoid was a Groupee.com “Buzz Band” in September 2008.  

Sites:

MySpace

Discography:

Asleep in The Wake (2009)

Video:

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Honeypie

The Huntington Beach-based Honeypie aims to delight listeners with soothing melodies and delicate lyrics–calling forth comparisons to such indie darlings as Rilo Kiley, Regina Spektor or a folk version of Feist. 

Trisha Smith formed Honeypie as a recording project with songwriter Darian Zahedi (of Mack Winston and The Reflections) – subsequently releasing a four-song EP in December of 2008. The project garnered much attention from in the music community, which led to the formation of a band with the goal of performing throughout Southern California. 

"Theirs is a sweet, pastoral folk, with a tinge of old-school country on songs such as ‘Never Get Enough.’ —not unlike, say, [the band] She & Him,” says OC Weekly music columnist, Albert Ching. He continues on, stating, “the star is clearly Smith, whose vocals elevate everything else around her. That’s not to sell the rest of the work short—see the guitar solo on ‘Uh Oh’ and the slow-but-steady musical accompaniment in ‘When You’re Gone’—it’s just a tribute to the understated, evocative ability of Smith’s voice, alternately spunky and wistful." 

Since April 2009, songs from Honeypie’s self-titled EP have been featured on the television dramas "One Tree Hill" and "Ghost Whisperer." They are currently writing and recording for their debut full-length album.  

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter

Tracks:

Uh Oh

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Never Get Enough

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The New Limb

We are The New Limb.  We aren’t this band, we aren’t that band. We don’t like restricting ourselves to a particular sound or genre. We all live together and write music, play music, and live music. We fight and yell and reject each other all the time, but at the end of the day we always love each other, and our music very much reflects that energy.  There is four of us in the band: Joey, Adam, Dan, and Lauren. We came to be a band about 2 years ago through a series of interesting events that you’ll have to ask us in person if you get the chance, or look for the story on our blog (www.thenewlimb.com).

Recently, we have been nominated for "Best Live Band" by the Orange County Music Awards, appeared on the Orange County Music Awards 2009 Compilation, been featured in OC Weekly, held residency at Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa, and released our second EP, the "Banana EP". We hope to have our full-length album "Sounds People Can Hear" out by the end of 2009.  If you want an EP, you can message us on myspace and we’ll send you one for free.  So there you have it. We hope you enjoy our music.

Sites:

Band website
MySpace
Twitter
YouTube
Facebook

Tracks:

Tiger Head

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Cycle Mother Earth

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Vast Atlantic

Vast Atlantic started with musicians being tired of the local indie rock scene. Jarrett Killen being one of these folks, he started writing songs on his acoustic guitar. Jarrett soon hooked up with multi-instrumentalist Kyle Zantos (guitar/banjo/keys/vox) who shared his love of folk, blues and country music. Armed with mutual inspiration and a desire for substantial music, the two sat down and began to write what would become their first E.P., “Darker Days”, which quickly became a staple in many of their friends’ iPods and stereos. Seizing on the momentum that had been created, Jarrett and Kyle enlisted the services of Bret Hendry (guitar/pedal steel/harmonium/vox), Adam Herro (drums) and Adam Poe (bass/vox) to form what is now the permanent lineup of Vast Atlantic. 

Now a fully functioning band, Vast Atlantic set out recording their second E.P., “So Long” which was released in April of 2008. Since its release they have played to a sold out crowd at the Troubadour; headlined The Knitting Factory, played at the Maloof Cup, and been featured on LA radio station INDIE 103.1 (before it’s demise). Sharing the stage with such acts as Rocky Votolato (Barsuk Records), Portugal the Man (Fearless Records), and Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter (Barsuk Records), the band has been steadily branching out to their surrounding areas. 

Vast Atlantic has a passion for making music that they want to hear and hope that along the way, others will want to hear it too. Always bursting at the seams with new songs and ideas, they hope to continue producing records and performing for fans for as long as they are allowed.  

Sites:

Band website
MySpace

Tracks:

Ain’t It Grand

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Paralyzed

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The Dusty Rhodes And The River Band

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band is comprised of singer/keyboardist Dustin Apodaca, singer/guitarist Kyle Divine, violinist/singer Andrea Babinski, guitarist/singer Edson Choi and drummer Eric Chirco. Palace and Stage is an album of timeless songs ranging from the sweetly soulful “Andy,” to the up-tempo rock anthems “All One,” and “Blind Lead the Blind” – which Apodaca says “…was originally about my personal economic hardship, but now everybody’s hurting. Having money and then out of the blue having nothing. You start with respect and relevance, and then you’re forgotten and thrown away. Ultimately you’re in charge of your own destiny.” Other album highlights include the meditative “So Low” and the confessional “Sorry For Now” with Apodaca’s authentic lead vocals rising over an orchestrated wave made of lush harmonies, violin and keyboards. 

The group’s music defies easy categorization but boasts the freewheeling approach that draws natural comparisons to Arcade Fire, The Decemberists and “Exile On Main St”- era Rolling Stones. The band has toured the States with Gogol Bordello, I’m From Barcelona, Flogging Molly and Blind Melon among others, and most recently in the UK with Dirty Pretty Things. In 2008, Q Magazine dubbed the band one of the “Next Big Things” and named the single “Dear Honey” from their debut album as one of the “50 Songs To Download”. 

Dusty Rhodes and the River Band have spent the past three years playing everywhere from the local dive bar to the Astoria Theatre in London, sleeping on couches, and giving their hearts and souls to every performance. Palace and Stage is the natural progression from their 2007 debut album, First You Live.  

Sites:

Band website
MySpace
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube

Discography:

Palace and Stage (2009)

First You Live (2007)

Tracks:

Andy

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Palace And Stage

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The Union Line

The Union Line was formed in late January 2008 in San Juan Capistrano. The band is comprised of lead singer and guitarist Richard "Dicky" Theisen, guitarist Jordan Sabolick and his brother, bassist Adam Sabolick, drummer Tony Tancredi and keyboard player Johnny Wilson. We played our first show on Feb. 22, 2008 at The Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest. We wanted to get our music in the hands of every person we knew, so we immediately recorded our first album. By August 2008 it was done and ready to be printed. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered by Tony (the drummer) at his home studio. 

The self titled album was released on Sept. 5 2008 at The Mint in Los Angeles followed by a DIY west coast tour with Local Natives. We had so much fun and success on the road that we started planning a full USA tour the day we got back. A few months down the line we embarked on our journey across the country. We left on Dec. 27, 2008 and returned on Jan. 28, 2009. Its been a year now and we are very pleased with where we are with our music. With 90 plus shows, two of which were sold out at the House of Blues in Anaheim, radio play on KROQ and college radio stations like KUCI 88.9 FM, three tours, winning the award for Best Live Band for the 2009 OC Music Awards and a self-titled album under our belts we are looking to take the next step!  

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter

Discography:

Union Line (2009)

Tracks:

Pearls

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Don’t Care

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Yellow Red Sparks

It’s an easy temptation for bands to have as many members as possible, especially early in their careers. Crowded stages full of musicians are a common sight at local shows, even if you can’t audibly discern if all those instruments are actually plugged in.

Yellow Red Sparks employ the opposite approach and are about as stripped-down as you can get: acoustic guitar, upright bass and drums.

With an acoustic folk backdrop in place, Singer/Songwriter Joshua Hanson plumbs the depths of melancholy and strikes an affecting chord for the listener, who becomes a participant in the story. "I want them to feel what I felt when I wrote it".

–Written by Albert Ching – OC Weekly

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter

Tracks:

A Play To End All Plays

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Four Steps In Corsets

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Happiness Comes In A Box

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Mr. Wonderful

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We Are The Pilots

They would like to be the first band to play on the Moon.  They believe this can be done. We Are The Pilots first formed after Davy Newell and Tyler Farr’s first band broke up in 2006.  They started making electronic music and created a demo to give to friends.  They never planned on playing live as a band but friends convinced them to try and put something together.  They enlisted their friends Sam Well on keys, Jeff Jung on lead guitar and Kyle Deven on bass. 

We Are The Pilots played scattered shows between 2006 and 2007, but it wasn’t until Deven moved back to Anaheim from San Francisco at the start of 2008 that the band started to think seriously about recording and playing shows within Orange County’s diverse local music scene.  Most of 2008 was spent trying to figure out how to record an album on their own and writing new music.  Eventually a DIY style studio was built out of office cubicles and duct tape in a warehouse in Orange.  The band spent October and November recording and mixing. 

On January 9th 2009, We Are The Pilots released Neon Atmosphere, their first full length album.  Since then, they have been performing as much as they can locally in OC and LA, as well as a few shows in the bay area.

Fun Facts:

• The song "Lazer Fly" is about a war between humans and flies that shoot lasers out of their eyes.
• Davy, Tyler, and Kyle all played in a band before WATP for 5 years.
• Jeff loves fish tacos.
• Sam is one of the slowest eaters you will ever meet.
• The band has been featured in OC Weekly and the OC Register.

Sounds Like:

If the Flaming Lips had a love child with Simon and Garfunkel, and they kid grew up listening to folk, house music, and the Pixies.

Sites:

MySpace
Twitter

Tracks:

New Scars

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Neon Atmosphere

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