“Sweet Melodies” by We Are / She Is

We Are / She Is makes pop rock mashed up with dance beats and synth streams. The high tempo keeps your legs moving while the harmonic choruses keep your arms waving. The SoCal girl duo may split residences between Buena Park (guitarist/synthesizer/vocalist Jessie Meehan) and Westwood (bassist/synthesizer/vocalist Merilou Salazar), but that doesn’t stop them from syncing like sisters. Their debut EP is entitled “Young And Pretty Clean” and has had two tracks featured on Showtime’s The Real L Word.  But our favorite is the moody dance track “Sweet Melodies”:

We Are / She Is will perform tonight at The Central along with Blondfire, In The Valley Below, and Y Luv.

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“Money” by Mystery Skulls

Dallas native Luis Dubuc recently moved to Westlake and fortunately decided to bring with him his electro pop alter ego dubbed Mystery Skulls. Crafting songs with hard hitting beats and synth pop keys, Dubuc strikes a dance funk with an electric edge that hints at Chromeo or even at rarer times Maroon 5. He’s currently working on a new album, but for now you can enjoy his self-titled EP which includes the stirring track “Money”:

Mystery Skulls will perform tonight at The Central along with Omniflux, Blondfire and In The Valley Below.

Mystery Skulls on Facebook, Mystery Skulls on Twitter, Mystery Skulls on Tumblr, Mystery Skulls on Bandcamp, Mystery Skulls on Soundcloud

“Vocable” by Alto

Comprised of three adorable Westwood college students, Alto sings in perfect pitch harmonies all the while playing their respective band-geek instruments: violin, viola, upright bass (and many more). The result can be found on their self-titled debut EP which is part vintage cabaret, campfire folk, and sunshine pop. As either a Jenny Lewis fan-club or little sister to Venice Beach’s The Dust Bowl Revival, Alto delivers true promise. And they even won their school’s talent show (cute right?). Here’s their folk pop single “Vocable”:

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“Forever” Music Video by Haim

There ain’t enough room in Los Angeles for two pop rock fem-trios, so forget about The Like and welcome Haim (rhymes with wine). But instead of just dressing like sisters, Haim actually are sisters (using their surname as their moniker) from the San Fernando Valley who probably decided it would be cool/funny to sound like the bands did around the time they were born. Their debut release, the Forever EP, has already garnered enough buzz to make them a likely Coachella candidate so here’s the rad music video for the title track:

Haim will perform tonight with Wildcat! Wildcat! on the Santa Monica Pier as part of the Twilight Concert Series.

Haim’s official website, Haim on Facebook, Haim on Twitter, Haim on Soundcloud

“The Chief” by Wildcat! Wildcat!

Downtown‘s Wildcat! Wildcat! makes electro pop with subtle beats, falsetto harmonies, and spiced synths that comes off as just plain sexy. The bearded trio has known each other since middle school but just now discovered the best collaborative formula to make them a token buzz band. Currently working on their debut album, the band likes to release periodic teasers. Here’s their latest:

Wildcat! Wildcat! will perform tomorrow night with Haim on the Santa Monica Pier as part of the Twilight Concert Series.

Wildcat! Wildcat!’s Official site, Wildcat! Wildcat! on Facebook, Wildcat! Wildcat! on Twitter, Wildcat! Wildcat! on Bandcamp, Wildcat! Wildcat! on Soundcloud

“Drift Off” music video by Lovers Drugs

The power-pop rock trio known as Lovers Drugs recently released their debut album Drift Off. The title track is a popster ditty that makes you want to skip or bop along, and the song’s respective music video is genius: A faux-recreation of a local news coverage of the “Video Game World Championships”… in 1982 (probably before the band members were even born):

And just in case you wanted more footage of Channel 9’s renown news anchor Skipper Smith:

Lovers Drugs will perform tonight at The Central along with Blondfire and In The Valley Below.

Lovers Drugs’ official site, Lovers Drugs on Facebook, Lovers Drugs on Twitter, Lovers Drugs on Bandcamp, Lovers Drugs on Soundcloud, Lovers Drugs on Youtube

“Warm Side” by Bodhi

After three years of living in Portland, the garage rock trio known as Bodhi finally grew tired of the rain and wisely moved south. Now living in Hollywood, the band continues to make surf rock noir fitted for a vintage horror film set on the beach at night. Guitarist/vocalist Brian Carr’s talk-voice style can be shockingly attentive after a few spins (even when he screams), like he’s narrating a slumber party ghost story. And while the band’s moniker may not be referencing Patrick Swayze’s infamous character in Point Break, we still like to pretend it is. Currently working on their second album, the band released the retro-punk “Warm Side” as a teaser:

Bodhi on Bandcamp, Bodhi on Facebook, Bodhi on Tumblr, Bodhi on Soundcloud

“Peaches” by In The Valley Below

Echo Park’s In The Valley Below makes somber indie rock by merging melancholy melody with hushed beats. The ambiguously married duet are/were members of the shred rock outfit Sabrosa Purr and now apparently prefer to dress like tent revival patrons. Their self-titled EP was mixed by John Congleton (Two Gallants, St. Vincent) and is highlighted by the dance addictive electro pop track “Peaches”:

In The Valley Below continues their July residency with Blondfire and Bodhi at The Central.

In The Valley Below on Facebook, In The Valley Below on Bandcamp

“Hide And Seek” by Blondfire

The brother/sister duo known as Blondfire produce electro-pop rock that’s as dreamy as it is catchy. The Brazilian-American siblings now reside in Eagle Rock and are working on their second album entitled Win The Game (Tender Tender Rush Records). The record won’t be released until later this year, but for now you can enjoy the buoyant track “Hide And Seek”:

Blondfire kick-starts their July residency at The Central with Relative Motion and In The Valley Below on July 3rd.

Blondfire on iTunes, Blondfire on Facebook, Blondfire on Twitter, Blondfire on Soundcloud

“Haunted Heart” music video by Little Hurricane

San Diego’s Little Hurricane is making a renown presence in SoCal. The coed duo met when drummer Celeste “C.C.” Spina exchanged her chef knives for drumsticks and posted a Craigslist ad that guitarist/vocalist Anthony “Tone” Catalano answered. They soon became North Park‘s beloved mascot and released their debut album Homewrecker (Unknown Breakthrough) –a blues rock homage of gritty riffs, bruised beats, and lyrics that stain your soul.

Here is their music video for “Haunted Heart” which was directed by DJay Brawner (Foo Fighters, Scars On 45) and shot in the Imperial Valley. Staying true to their sound, the video features lots of grime, blood, and intrigue…

Little Hurricane will tour with the Heartless Bastards beginning July 31st.

Little Hurricane on iTunes, Little Hurricane’s official site, Little Hurricane on Facebook, Little Hurricane on Twitter, Little Hurricane on Youtube, Little Hurricane on Soundcloud, Anthem Films