“Would You Stay” by Steffaloo

Weho‘s Steph Thompson records as the moniker Steffaloo which sounds like the name of a stuffed animal she was once attached to as a child. Her music also carries a stripped-down innocent vibe via acoustic guitar, ukulele, gentle percussion, and her sweet soft echoing voice. Always evoking over lo-fi white noise, she’s comes off as a slightly happier Emily Jane White or Bon Iver‘s little step-sister. Her sophomore album, Would You Stay, was recently released by Mush Records. Here’s the title track:

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“A Fool, A Fall, A Foal” by Pancho-San

Pancho-San is the solo project of Patrick Abernathy (formerly of Beulah and Rogue Wave). The Berkeley denizen returns with his sophomore album Americans, which he claims is a slight departure from his folkier debut Oh, Mellow Melody. Now Aberbathy sprinkles each song with a buoyancy of pop with help from his old bandmates: Pat Spurgeon of Rogue Wave and Eli Crews of Beulah. The first single, “A Fool, A Fall, A Foal” is a bubbly jingle with a tint of surf rock that Isaac Brock may have written at one point if he lived 1,000 miles further south.

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“South” by Boxviolet

The coed duo known as Boxviolet might be nomadic (Topanga Canyon to Brighton to Paris and back again) but their music maintains its moody grandeur like a reoccurring interpretive dream: sometimes epic, sometimes spooky, but always captivating. Best friends Margot Paige (vocals,guitar) and Luke Ehret (programming/guitar) are currently acting as “hermits” to work on their follow-up to 2010’s Audition EP with help from engineer John “Silas” Cranfield and mixer Mark Needham (The Killers). The leaked track “South” is classic Boxviolet: deep dark synths, crunching guitars, and Paige’s sexy hypnotic voice purring:

“I’d wish you kiss me on the mouth, or further south…”

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“They Run, They Hide” (Acoustic) Studio Video by Brolly

Nestled in the Sacramento Valley is a place called Yuba City. This modest town is often shrouded by a thick tule fog which can give a brisk sense of reverie, so maybe this is why the local rock quartet Brolly easily conjures such a tranquil sound. Their debut EP Home Hollow Road (available for download here) was released last July, but they decided to film themselves recording an acoustic version of a new single “They Run, They Hide” in a racquetball room at a local church. Echoing vocals, gentle percussion, flannel, deer antlers –this is the score for a NorCal winter twilight:

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“Where The Kids Are” by Blondfire

The Brazilian-American brother/sister duo Blondfire have experienced a slight shift in plans since being recently signed to Modern Art/Warner Bros. Records. Their upcoming self-produced album is now entitled Young Heart and will be released early next year. But luckily for us, the Eagle Rock-based band has decided to release the Where The Kids Are EP that features a few of the dreamy electro-pop rock tracks from their upcoming album. Check out the title song that was mixed by Wally Gagel (Muse, Folk Implosion, Gorillaz):

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“Cayucos” Music Video by Cayucas

Maybe they thought it was funny as in ironic confusion, but the Santa Monica-based band Cayucas named their first single “Cayucos.” It was released as a 7″ last month but will also be included on the beach-bum band’s debut album which is due out early next year via Secretly Canadian Records. Produced by Richard Swift (The Shins, Damien Jurado, The Mynabirds), the song is a warm breeze of buoyant pop rock that instantly reminisces that one perfect summer when you were tan, lean, and young.

And of course a music video was created that centers around day trips to the beach in a VW bus. It features band leader Zach Yudin (sea captain) and his band-member twin-brother (straw hat) and was shot/directed by Nolan Wilson Goff at Whittier and Corona Del Mar‘s beach. Check out how it only reinstates the track’s undeniable nostalgic glee:

Cayucas will perform at The Central Tuesday night along with The Pocket Rockets and Gavin.

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“Turbulence” by The Pocket Rockets

        The Pocket Rockets grew up together in Boyle Heights and just like many young bands, they started off playing in a bedroom and eventually graduated to backyards. The trio claims inspiration from bands like Interpol and The Strokes, but what they might not know is their uncanny likeness to the Golden Age of Emo (The Promise Ring, Fugazi). Their vocals are raw and rhythms catchy, but it’s the way they emote with such a blatant earnestness that makes them so real. Their debut EP, Golden Gloves 1902, was released by Sonata Cantata Records and mixed by Jon Siebels (formerly of Monsters Are Waiting currently of Eve Six) at Clifton Studios. Here’s the EP’s highlight track “Turbulence”:

The Pocket Rockets will perform at The Central this Tuesday with Gavin.

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“Moddison” Short Film by Milo Greene

Typically films are created first with the music added after, but the Silver Lake band known as Milo Greene is full of artistic auteurs, and shouldn’t be expected to follow any norms. To accompany the release of their self-titled debut album (Chop Shop/Atlantic Records) they wrote a 37-minute short film entitled “Moddison.” Directed by band pal Chad Huff, the film’s only sound is the entire album in chronological order. This isn’t a music video, it’s an album movie. Perhaps the idea came to them while they listened to old movies in the van while on tour or from frequently self-labeling their sound as “cinematic pop.” And of course it was filmed in the same gloomy, remote location (Shaver Lake) that the band visits for their writing sessions. The result is an evocative companion piece filled with heavy hearts that are naturally lifted and dropped.  It’s a film only this band could conjure:

Milo Greene will perform at the El Rey Theatre this Saturday with Bahamas. You can purchase tickets here.

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“Cider Of The Sun” by Young Empress

In the late 90’s, Weezer‘s breakthrough sound was perfected and carried on by Pasadena‘s Ozma by simply adding a female keyboardist. Ozma may now be static, but their bassist Daniel Brummel created his own band called Sanglorians that continues their catchy core sound. But now they’re not alone. Doing their part to revitalize the power-pop rock is the Whittier-based quintet Young Empress that is fronted by the married duo Paulie and Cristal Peshkepia. And just like the Sanglorians, Young Empress is putting in their own spin by adding a violin. The result is a superb orchestral wall of fuzz. Check out their leaked track “Cider Of The Sun”:

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“There Is Nothing You Can Do” by The Paragraphs

The northern part of San Diego county still holds on to a nostalgic speck of mid-century beach culture that has faded in most parts of SoCal. So maybe that’s why the Vista-based band The Paragraphs sound like a scene from a gritty surf film. After two EPs, they recently released their debut album Plus Slash Minus (or +/-) that blends blues and soul with a pop rock vibe. Highlighting the record is the crescendoing “There Is Nothing You Can” that’s perfect for washing your brain out while watching the sun sink into the dark waves:

The Paragraphs’ Official Site, The Paragraphs on Facebook, The Paragraphs on Twitter, The Paragraphs on Bandcamp