“A Borrowed Room in a Borrowed House” by The Singer and The Songwriter (Premiere)

Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran first met at an open mic while still college students in San Francisco. Later, they wrote their first song together while on a road trip up the PCH. Now based in Eagle Rock, the couple chose a new moniker reflecting their respective band roles: The Singer and The Songwriter. Their first LP, What A Difference A Melody Makes, drops today and was produced by Charlie Stavish (Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, Foster the People). It’s a soft mishmash of jazz, soul, and folk with Garcia’s vocals washing over a wave of acoustics. Here’s the beautiful and ruminate “A Borrowed Room in a Borrowed House”:

The Singer and The Songwriter‘s album release show will be on May 8th at Center for the Arts Eagle Rock.

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“Gypsy Song” by Kera And The Lesbians

Despite their moniker’s implication, Kera And The Lesbians is not an all female trio hellbent on resurrecting the mid-90s riot grrrl movement. Instead, Kera’s rhythm section carries both the x and y chromosome and they self-describe their sound as “bipolar folk.” Formed in San Diego but now based in Los Feliz, they’ve submerged themselves in SoCal’s vibrant garage rock scene even though their music leans toward roots soul instead of party punk. Their third EP, Year 23 (Lolipop Records), was recorded by Wyatt Blair and opens with the aptly titled “Gypsy Song” which fellow ex-San Diego denizen Kristin Welchez would have loved when she was drumming for Grand Ole Party before fronting the Dum Dum Girls:

Kera And The Lesbians will perform every Monday this month for their residency at The Echo. Tonight, Mister Elevator And The Brain Motel, Santoros, and Crown Plaza will open.

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“What You’re Doing To Me” By The Dustbowl Revival

A couple years ago, The Dustbowl Revival made a collective stomp on the dusty stages of Venice Beach as if they popped out of a John Steinbeck novel and skipped the last half-century. Self-described as a “roots collective,” the ten-piece plus big band blends traditional American jazz, bluegrass, swing, blues, folk, and some other genres that only Charlie Chaplin and his Roaring Twenties entourage would recognize. Their arsenal of instruments includes the trombone, cornet, mandolin, kazoo, and even the washboard, but just like a Wu-Tang Clan concert, you never know who you’re going to get. And if band founder Zach Lupetin is RZA, their Ol’ Dirty Bastard is the chanteuse Caitlin Doyle –as evident on their second album Holy Ghost Station which was produced by Raymond Richards (Local Natives, Ferraby Lionheart). Enjoy Doyle’s smooth swoon on “What You’re Doing To Me”:

The Dust Bowl Revival will release their third album within the year. You can catch them tonight at The Central with The Muddy Reds, Hargo, and John Wayne Bro.

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