Tag Archives: California

Album Review – Ricky – What’s The Point

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Five men sitting on a bench seat and looking toward the viewer. They are al casually dressed.

Having just heard about this band for the first time courtesy of Mike at Sweet Beef Agency I did not know what to expect when I starting listening to this album.  After having run through it several time now I have to say…this was one very interesting listening experience.   Although Ricky comes tagged as slacker rock there is more depth and thoughtful musical composition than that genre often delivers. 

This set opens up with “Room” which has a haunted lullaby groove especially for the first 1:10 or so.  It also feels a bit somber and has a slightly disconcerting but also charming melody loop that grew on me the more I listened to it.  “Call In Sick” is much different, coming in with a strong vocal and powerful rhythm section that drives this one all the way through to the end.  There is also a brief but smartly placed bridge that gives this track just a little bit of needed breathing room.  Following along is “Don’t Matter” (cool guitar sounds swirling around a punchy drum beat) and “Nothin Goin On” (entrancing, swaying rhythm that spirals out at the end into a bizarre sonic atmosphere).  

Next up is “Cool Guy” and the star here for me is the bass line along with a  wavering guitar hook that draws you into a buzzy atmosphere.  It gave me kind of a fever dream feeling especially with the repetitive “famous and rich” mantra that pops up throughout the song.  “Walk” (a boppin’ down the street runner) is followed by the title track which comes crashing in before quickly settling down to a mystical, hypnotic loop.  The eighth song “SD Dying” is my favorite on this album and it jumps right off on a great vocal with jamming guitar vibes.  The rhythm section is persistent and insistent throughout this tune and there are some interesting pacing changes along the way.  It is a rocker with a twist.

“Don’t Get It” is followed by “Beautiful Day” and something about the guitar intro makes this one feel grand right from go.  It manages to keep that majestic vibe even with a contrary set of lyrics which makes for a fascinating contrast.  The final track is “CCR” which is a solid ending for this set.  It has that slacker rock groove and feel but also layers in some cool effects, a compelling arrangement and just a few unexpected moments.  

This album is a great listen all the way through and offers up a mixture of psychedelic, slacker and alternative rock but with some new twists and a unique presentation.  

As I always have to do just a little more digging around…there are some other prior offerings available at the link below – I especially enjoyed Palm Trees.

https://rickysmusic.bandcamp.com/music

This is out now courtesy of DHCR Records

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Video for the title track here on YouTube:

Order this now right here:

https://dhcrrecords.com/store-1/p/ricky-whatsthepoint-vinyl

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.instagram.com/ricky.the.band/

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Release Alert- The Dollyrots – “Attention Span”

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A man and a woman lit with a spotlight and goofing off.

Band photo by Jen Rosenstein 

I have definitely been swirling around the fringes of this band for awhile – hearing their music in various places, missing chances at a couple shows, breezing through a few articles…so aware and disconnected I guess.  I do distinctly remember hearing their Arrested Youth EP (years ago…maybe 2015?) and thinking that they had a pretty cool energy and a bit of an eclectic sound that was a mix of punk, pop and rock.  It was a band that sounded authentic to me so kind of a bummer that I did not stay up on them over the years.  

They have released a lot of music since that time and you can check their Bandcamp page to pick up a few songs or albums if you have the inclination.  I got the heads up on this new single (out March 13th on Wicked Cool Records) from Mike Cubillos at Earshot Media and really like the way it kicks off with rowdy guitars and big crashing drums.  It then jumps into the strong vocal track that is carried along on some nice bass textures.  The guitar sound and tone do a great job of giving this pop-punk song a little bit of an extra edge.  This single is an engaging track that deserves a spot in your collection.  

The band also just jumped on tour for most of March and have a slot on the Van’s Warped Tour June 13-14 (Washington DC – Festival Grounds at RFK Campus).  

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Musicians on this are: Kelly Ogden (lead vocals, bass), Luis Cabezas (guitar, vocals) and Simon Hancock (drums).

Pre-save:

https://orcd.co/dollyrotsattentionspan

Please let me know your opinion also in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://www.dollyrots.com/

https://www.instagram.com/thedollyrots

Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review- Tess & The Details “Standing on the Edge”

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The men and one woman walk toward the camera in an urban setting. They are all wearing black and have serious looks on their faces.

Always watchful for new music from this great San Francisco band I caught this single when it dropped on January 23rd and have been having a good time listening to it.  As with all things Tess & The Details this track is packed with plenty of energy, volume and edginess.   There is some very nice guitar work on this one that really punches through a tight and loud rhythm section.  The vocals are delivered by Tess Stevens with a soft tone that belies the message being delivered.   Overall, this is a song with a brash, pop-punk groove that will quickly have you stomping your feet and singing along.   

Vote here to nominate this for my best of 2026 list: 

Please let me know your opinion also in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://tessandthedetails.com/

https://www.instagram.com/tessandthedetails

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://tessandthedetails.bandcamp.com/

Prior review links 

Song Review- Tess & The Details – “Take Me Alive”

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Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Song Review- ghostbells – “Immortal Lovers”  from the album Catacouture

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Two people (one sitting on a cot and one standing) inside a prison cell, both of them looking toward the viewer. The person on the bed has a musical device on their lap.

Sometimes it can be very cool to step back into a musical moment from your past and re-experience a bit of those special rhythms, grooves and beats.   This new single from ghostbells has some good fresh energy to it but definitely throws back to the electronic dance sounds of the 80’s.  The first couple of times listening to this song I had a few flashbacks to some rather interesting times in Tijuana.  All of those nights were fueled by entrancing waves of bass and synthesizer played loud and accompanied by those wonderful flashing stage lights.  This track has all the heavy rhythm you could want blended well into a relentless techno framework.

This band was new to me and they have a pretty cool back story on getting to this point in their journey.  As detailed in the press release from Earshot Media: 

“ghostbells’ rise has been anything but conventional. After spending nearly two years writing, recording, and filming videos before approaching labels, the band signed to Out of Line Music in June 2025 with nearly two albums’ worth of material already completed. Just weeks later, with no released music and newly launched social media, they made their live debut at Poland’s Castle Party Festival.”

I have also recently heard that this full EP is going to be out February 5th via Out of Line Music.   You can get a pre-order for the CD here:

https://www.outoflineshop.de/ghostbells-catacouture-cd.html

And pre-save the album (which really helps!): 

https://ghostbells.lnk.to/Catacouture

The video for “Immortal Lovers” can be viewed here and is certainly quirky enough to be worth a view: 

Please let me know your opinion in the comment section below

Interested in more info on this Artist?

https://ghostbells.bandcamp.com/music .

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Just a few ideas if you have the time:  purchase music when you can as streaming does not pay much even times a thousand, support and get to know your local community, live well and be a good neighbor 🙂 

Release Alert! Seahaven- “Long Goodbye”

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Four men standing in a dimly lit area. They are all dresses in black.

You may remember I had written about this band and the upcoming tour to support the 15th anniversary of their Winter Forever album.  That tour kicks off January 21st in Santa Ana, CA and news just dropped about this new single.  I gave it a spin and was pleased to hear the energetic rhythm, smooth vocals and a soaring guitar solo that comes in around the 1:30 mark.  This track is a nice blend of the energy of Seahaven’s early work and the polish they added on later releases such as Halo of Hurt. 

You can catch this one on streaming in your usual places  –  easy access link below: 

https://lnk.to/seahaven

Also, if you want to get jazzed up a bit for that Winter Forever music there is a very nice acoustic version of “Understanding” offered up here by the band:  

A quick note that this tour now looks to be eighteen US dates and six over in the UK and is selling out so if interested…it might be a good idea to jump on some tickets soon.  

And keep that awesome community around you in mind always 🙂 

Song Review- Wanted Noise- “Burn the Time Away” from the upcoming album Easy Listening

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Four casually dressed men standing in front of an orange and green wall with a large "You Are Beautiful" sign above them. They seem pretty happy and relaxed.

At some point, somewhere along the course of many trips to California I had heard some music from this group, probably around 2019 or 2020.  After getting the press release on this from Earshot Media I had to go back and listen through their Bandcamp portfolio to try to figure out what I had heard back then and I think it was “Every Time” (off 2017’s Plate Lunch).  That album is a pretty decent offering on its own and combines some hard rock vibes with punk and a little reggae groove to good effect.  Much of their prior press highlights this multi-genre style in their music and it is definitely a strength for Wanted Noise.  

This new single has a subtle and melodic lead-in that goes on just long enough for you to give that head turn of curiosity before it slams into a wall of guitars and furious rhythm.  This track has a definite message to convey as explained by lead singer Suri Sherman:

“’Burn The Time Away’ was written about life with our crew in Goleta, where I grew up—capturing the duality of living the dream while also facing the tragedy that can come with life on the edge, but experiencing all of it together.”

This is a solid and energetic song and a nice advance peek at what is coming from the band.  You can pre-save here and this is due out on January 6, 2026:

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/wantednoise/burn-the-time-away?utm_campaign=website&utm_medium=Email+&utm_source=SendGrid

Musicians on this (other than Sherman who also plays guitar): Taylor Wagner (drums), Matt Lappin (bass) and Caleb Adkins (guitar, vocals).

As another random and cool thing to know and check out – Sherman is a close friend of Mendeleyev (https://www.levsongs.com) who has a rather interesting project going on.  I also read about this in the Earshot Media press release and then poked around on Apple Music to find the IN WAVES concept album.  I have failed to properly absorb this collection of pretty cool takes on his “In Waves” song but will be continuing to work on it – you might find it interesting also.   Additionally, there is a version of this by Wanted Noise being released today as part of a second project from Mendeleyev.

You and your community are powerful – get out there and explore it 🙂 

Release Alert! Katie Knipp – Dance Me

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A stylized photo of a woman singing into a microphone.

I am always a fan of artists who take a chance and step out of their usual style or genre to give some other sounds a try.   Knipp has long been a great talent (mostly in the blues / rock space) going all the way back to her first album Midnight Mind.   She has displayed other chops along the way (speaking of that first album check out “Someonewherelse” which is a piano driven number and a fav of mine).  Some other highlights from the past to check out include “Santa Cruz Blues” (off Take It With You), “The Gospel of Good Intentions” (The Well and also a great performance on Live at the Green Room Social Club) and “Outlaw Doc” (Me).  One of the things I appreciate the most (other than the great band she always has with her) is her ability to write piercing lyrics that kind of sneak up on you sometimes…you can just be listening along and she will turn a phrase or a sharp line on you unexpectedly.   So, all of that being said, when I started seeing her release some “re-mixes” as singles I had a “what the heck is this all about moment?”  Not to worry though as Dance Me, which she proudly proclaims as “my first ever electronica record!” is an interesting and worthy addition to her catalog.  

This new album, featuring re-mixes of eight of the ten songs off of 2024’s Me, hits a range of grooves in that electronica space.  These include a club-bopping version of “Vampire”, the slow and slightly breathless funk of “Go” and a dreamy and stark reggae influenced take on “Stillness.”  You can definitely dance to these but they are also pretty cool to listen to just sitting around and pondering the world.   

If you check these songs or the album out…please think about purchasing as streaming does not pay well even times a thousand.

You can check out more music and info at either link below:

https://katieknipp.bandcamp.com/music

https://katieknipp.com/home

And please remember to support all of your locals…that community out there is a pretty cool place 🙂 

Album Review- Seahaven- Winter Forever

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Four men standing in a dark place with a pale, single source of light above left. They are also dressed in dark clothing giving the image an eerie quality.

Yes, yes, I know…this is an album from quite a long time ago…15 years to be exact.  I had not listened to it for a good stretch of time either when the press release from Earshot Media hit my inbox announcing that Seahaven was headed out on a special tour.  This short run (which will span eleven dates in January and February 2026) will feature them playing the album in full.  Considering that Winter Forever contains a really great collection of emo / pop-punk songs this sets up to an event worth attending.

Back in the day (2011) when I first heard the album I was struck by a few things:

  • The unique voice of Kyle Soto (who also plays guitar) which adds a layer of texture to every song; kind of a heartfelt, ironic, slightly cheeky overlay that will stick with you.
  • Interesting and varied arrangements; these range from the change-of pace groove of “Goodnight” to the hammering choppiness of “Thank You” and on to the simple, stripped down “Honeybee.”  There is a lot of musical talent going on within these tracks. 
  • Very cool guitar sounds – I have always liked the tone on this album – a simple thing but notable to me. 

Musicians on this (other than Soto) are: Cody Christian (guitar), Mike DeBartolo (bass, piano) and Eric Findlay (drums).

Check it out on your favorite streaming channel and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation 🙂 

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

There is also a pretty cool acoustic EP on Bandcamp that is worth checking out (including a version of “Goodnight “ which is also on Winter Forever) – link below: 

https://seahaven.bandcamp.com/album/acoustic-sessions

And support your locals – community is powerful!

Release Alert! The Bobby Lees – “Napoleon”

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A slightly sunburned person (seen from behind) appears to be looking at a large seafood menu. The name of this band is also sunburned into their back.

Good news recently as it was announced that this great band (whose decision a couple of years ago to go on hiatus was understandable but still lamented by me) has signed to Epitaph.  They also dropped this new single “Napoleon” which was described by singer Sam Quartin on the labels’ website:

“This song is about wanting to change and no longer being interested in complaining about a problem or situation. It’s about trying to live in the solution.”

The track is a solid comeback for The Bobby Lees and it is very nice to hear some new music from them – looking forward to what comes next! 

Musicians (in addition to Quartin): Macky Bowman (drums) and Kendall Wind (bass). 

Check it out here and let me know what you think.

Song Review- Meklit –  “Stars in a Wide Field” from the album Pieces of Infinity

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A woman in a blue top looks off camera right - she is also gazing upward

Today we take a little journey into the wonderful world of Meklit and this amazing album.  There are a lot of great things going on throughout the nine tracks here.  The arrangements range from traditional to spiritual, jazz and folk and each one will have a different effect on you.    Meklit, who is from Ethiopia and currently based in California, has a rich voice that imparts feeling into everyone of these songs.  Now I am not going to claim that I understand most of the lyrics due to my own limitations on other languages  but I am hopeful that someday either the singer herself or someone else will explain them to me.  The tracks  though are artfully arranged and you can pick up on the emotion and feeling behind them just from that and the vocal styling.  

There are a couple songs that do have either all or mostly English lyrics and I picked one of them here for this review.  It begins on a really unique stringed instrument sound which I found out (from some of the liner notes) is a krar.  That instrument stays throughout, setting a pulsing rhythm that gives a feeling of running just in front of the vocals.   There is a gentle percussion and bass accompaniment filling out the musical space along with an alluring saxophone (I had to listen a few times to catch it…but it was worth it for sure).   A very interesting piece of music and one that will stick with you. 

Musicians on this are: Meklit (vocals and krar), Howard Wiley (tenor and alto saxophone), Kibrom Birhane (microcosm), Marco Peris Coppola (percussion), Sam Bevan (upright bass and guitar) and Colin Douglas (drums).  

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://meklitsings.bandcamp.com/album/a-piece-of-infinity

Your community – us and you and everyone else – is powerful…remember to support and engage.

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Let me know you think!