LP33: New Music - Discover, Enjoy, Share 

Jonathan Thomas’ Friends (133)

• 26 Feb '09 06:00pm

  Festival Blog

  Hey everyone. If you are wondering why I haven't posted in a while...well I have...just not here. We started an official LP33.tv Festival blog. It's updated daily. It's eating a lot of my time so posts here will be sparse. I'll only post here when something isn't really relevant to festivals. check it out at http://www.lp33.tv/festivalblog.
• 23 Jan '09 05:39pm

  Feels like forever

  It feels like forever since I've blogged and according to the blogosphere it has been forever. I've just been so busy. There are some really cool things going on here at LP33.tv. Things that are going to make this site pretty damn awesome if I do say so myself. Getting ready for these changes is a lot of work, which is why I haven't had enough time to post. I'm exhausted and excited. I will leave you with a few cool bands and songs I've found this week. Machine "Raison d'Etre" (Hard to find, but well worth it if you can track a copy down. Released in 2007 in the UK and Germany, but never in the states, It's not on Itunes either!) Ida Maria "OhMyGod" (Just a cool track, getting some spins on KCRW. Haven't had time to listen to more than this track though)
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• 12 Jan '09 11:17am

  Mixtape playlist now on profile!

  In case you were wondering how the mixtape club is going. It's going well. We've got 3 active members so far and a few others who keep promising to return the favor, but haven't yet. I'm not sure if this is a bad thing though as I don't have all the time in the world to listen to a million mixes. I never imagined making mixtapes would be so much fun! It's immensely satisfying to introduce people to music you are passionate about, so I encourage you all to start a group of your own. I've now started generating my mixtape playlists in html. You can check it out at the bottom of my profile page. I encourage you to try to put together the mix on your own and see take a listen!
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• 08 Jan '09 05:18pm

  The Spores

  I know I know! No updates for forever! Things were kinda dead around here and we were in and out of the office for the holidays and I just needed some time to relax. That being said, I'm back and I have a new favorite band of the moment. THE SPORES! (I feel it works better in caps) My buddy told me to check them out about a year ago. As with almost everything this friend tells me to listen to It took me a while to actually get. Now I can't get them out of my cd player. "Doom Pop" is The Spores latest effort and i don't think I could come up with a better description if I wanted to. The album is full of digitally tinged pop music, but it's definitely not a pop album. Molly's smokey vocals are entirely intoxicating and the synthesizers never get too overzealous in their use. It's like an artist using different strokes on a single canvas. What I'm saying is they've got the song writing chops as a base to build on. If I had one song I'd receommend you check out first, I guess it'd have to be "Ghost town", but my fave is "Blood Red Rose 2". I'm a sucker for distortion. http://www.lp33.tv/artists/thespores/
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• 17 Dec '08 11:14am

  Music Rejuvinated

  Music, Music, Music...Over the last 6 years I've had a love-hate relationship with music. From pure love, before the biz to apathy and almost disdain. Oh yeah there have been some highlights, some glimpses of hope of why i fell in love with music. Working at LP33 has really changed me for the better. I get to work with people who are like I was. I now see myself turning on the radio again. (mainly KCRW) writing down the times I hear something interesting and then checking out the playlist online. This week alone I have found 2 great acts! Though I can't say music is in better shape than ever, I can definitely say that there are more, quality, bands underground than I remember. So I leave you with a few bands you should check out. Sonos & Dead Pixels
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• 15 Dec '08 11:19am

  Bringing back the mix tape

  Trading mix tapes was the thing to do back in the day. Friends passing on music to friends, boys pasting together sappy breakup songs to their now ex-girlfriends. I always wanted to make mix tapes. I guess I was just too lazy to actually do it. Cuing up a blank tape and the source tape to the right spot was a lot of work. I did have my own form of a mix tape though. I was the only one of my friends with a car. My '72 Dodge Dart had been outfitted with a bumpin' stereo system. Depending on who was in the car I would frantically sift through two full books of cd's, swapping them in and out like a DJ on wheels until we reached our destination. It took a while, but some of my friends finally figured out what I was doing. You would think, in the age of CD-R's that the mix tape/CD would have made a return, but it didn't. Sharing music turned into just a way to steal music. No thought went into track listings, or moods. People simply burned whole CD's and handed them out to anyone who would take them. So me and my fellow underground cohort Barron decided to bring it back! Last week we exchanged our first mix CD's. After that our coworker Don joined in, so we should be getting even more crazy mixes. This is the way to discover music. Plus the personal touch of someone working during their free time to put together a mix of music just for you. It's like x-mas every week! I urge you all to join us in bringing back the mix tape! Below is the track list to my mix if you wanted to compile it on your own. I also want to see your mixes so post your mixes on your blog and let me know so I can check it out! Hello - Babes in Toyland She's Lost Control - Joy Division A Perfect Day Elise - P J Harvey Bad Girl - Madonna Erotica Passacaglia - A Bud and a Slice (Sloth) - Joe Jackson - Brad Roberts Night Riders - Stromkern Eclipse - Apoptygma Berzerk Cemetary Gates (Remastered Version) - Pantera Revolution Action - Atari Teenage Riot Get Your Body Beat - Combichrist Past Present - Skinny Puppy I Don't Stand A Ghost of a Chance With You - Wes Montgomery Say It Right - Nelly Furtado swan on black lake - Year Long Disaster
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• 08 Dec '08 10:53am

  Updated Playlist!

  Man! is there some great music on this site. It's quite amazing how many great bands we have. The Underground is really coming around nicely. With so much great music on board, I decided it was time to update my playlist. I'm really digging Portugal. The Man's "Colors". I first came across this band on the recommendation from another staff blogger, Natalie. I thought they were good, but I obviously didn't give them the credit they deserved. Sorry Natalie! Then there's Michael Zapruder. I have no idea what he's talking about, but his music makes you think. Not in the calculus way, but in a fantastical, wonderous, child like way. The video "Ads For Feelings" is pretty crazy. I just can't stop looking! Maybe it's the cat with the crown. Now to Golden Animals. The desert has produced a wealth of blues tinged, psychadelic, rock and roll. And no one seems to realize it. Most people who listen to LA and NY bands that try to do this style, but the desert does it right. Golden Animals is a 60's rock and roll throwback that does just that. They do it right. I've been a fan of Manufactura for years. After seeing Karloz. M do his thing at Bar Sinister 4 years ago, I became obsessed with Power Noize. His new double disc album isn't as heavy on the beats, which is actually a refreshing change of pace. There is still noize to be had though. Last up is the First Communion After Party. I haven't listened to them much, but a quick listen is all it took to know that this is a cool band. Keep an eye out for them.
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• 26 Nov '08 11:47am

  Time for a new blog

  I don't have much in the way of music talk today. Well I do, but you'll have to wait to see it. We are working on the Underground section of the site. Re-working the format and creating new content for it. The band I have been listening to will be on the first episode of that site so i'd rather not spill all the beans yet. I feel it coming on. The volcano of music discovery is bubbling under and I feel and MP3 shopping spree coming on. Our local station KCRW has been spinning a ton of Cocteau Twins and I think i'm in love. I've always been a big fan of 4AD bands. If you don't know, pretty much every 90's band was influenced by a 4AD band. To name a few of their artists, Pixies, Throwing Muses, Thievery Corporation, Bauhaus, the list goes on. If you haven't heard of any of these bands you need to. Even if you don't like it all you should know where your favorite bands came from. OK that's all for today. I've got work to do.
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• 14 Nov '08 05:26pm

  A music filled weekend, but not what you think

  It's ironic that as the traditional music business crumbles under it's own weight, music is bigger than ever. Which brings me to my plans for the weekend. Tonight i'll be hosting a b-day party for a friend in which Guitar Hero will play a very important role. I wasn't the headphones in bed wearing getting lost in the music type guy. To me music has always been something i shared with friends so guitar hero is perfect for me. Just hanging out and listening to new and old music. Later on this weekend I'll be watching Control. The story about Ian Curtis of Joy Division. Now I'm not the biggest JD fan, but i can literally hear how important their music was and still is to influencing music. So it should be a weekend filled with some great music. and if i have some time i'll be playing bioshock on my xbox.
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• 13 Nov '08 01:07pm

  People actually read this?!?!?!

  Back when blogs were the big new thing, I had a blog. No on read it. But now it looks like people actually seem to care about what I have to say. It's kinda weird. But since people are actually looking at this I will do my best to update more. Last night we had a shoot with LP33.tv's featured artist Rue Melo. It's amazing how actually meeting the artists enhances my appreciation for them. Not only are they an amazing band, but amazing people. It just goes to show all those bands out there who decide to F-Off and drink after the show instead of meeting the fans should really up their game. There is a bond formed that no amount of advertising and gigging can replace. I've gotten to know a few bands over the years and i'll be darned if I've never illegally stolen their tracks. It puts a face on the people I've just robbed and I could never do that. The shoot went really well and I think this might turn out to be one of our coolest interviews yet. Go see rue and say hi. They are playing a few shows soon in the LA area!
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• 07 Nov '08 02:13pm

  Stuff

  So I tried to get to the End Roulette Show this Monday, but had to leave before the doors opened. I had another even I had to go to at 9 when they went on stage. I thought I could at least hang out with the band for a few minutes before skipping out. I got there a little after 8pm and was turned away at the door because they were hosting a private party. :( I had already paid for parking too! So my most sincerest apologies go out to the band. In other news I've got some shameless self promotion I've added one of my own tracks to my playlist. It's an oldie but goodie. It's one that I still enjoy listening to, even though it's 5 years old and was never completely finished. it's called "Don't" by MK|Ultra. Hope you like it!
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• 30 Oct '08 02:13pm

  End Roulette's Final show!.......for the year

  Gotcha! well... erm probably not. It was worth a shot yesterday. After gaining 10 pounds over the weekend from sitting on the couch and stealing your kids or little brother's hard earned candy. You should probably get off your butt. There's a good time to be had over at the Key Club this coming Monday, November 3rd. LP33.tv's featured artist, End Roulette will be opening for Steel Panther (formerly Metal Skool)! Steel Panther always brings a great crowd and is always good if you want to rub shoulders with some of Hollywood shining stars. Best of all it's free with an unlimited guest list! So put down those Smartee's and hit up End Roulette to get on the list!
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• 22 Oct '08 06:11pm

  Satellite State

  I've been browsing the site for the past few days (how many people get paid to listen to music?!?!) and i am just blown away by the amount of quality music that's on this site! One band that I'm really digging right now is featured on our Underground section. They are called Satellite State. These guys from the UK are about as solid of songwriters you can get. I don't have to actually like a song to appreciate the talent, but songwriting mixed with songs I actually like is golden. I guess I would describe them as the shoegaze version of Coldplay meets U2, which aren't bands I listen to ever, but here it works. Everything is just right. Check them out here: http://www.lp33.tv/artists/100496/
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• 07 Oct '08 02:25pm

  Hip Hop in L.A. is back!

  So what has L.A. done to contribute to hip hop in the last decade? The answer is not much. West coast rap was over taken by NY business mavericks like Puffy and Irv Gotti. After that, it was all about the dirty south's Cash Money Records, Lil' John, and the Yin Yang twins. The west coast rap of the late 80's and early 90's was so influential on where hip hop is today. It ruled for about 10 years and dropped off the map. Well the drought may just be over. Hip Hop is alive and well in the clubs around LA, and it's not the gangsta rap the west coast has become synonymous with. The new breed of LA rap, crosses racial divides with a vengeance, soon enough it won't be so weird to see hip hop artists with bands that are just as mixed as Los Angeles. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about such things. This happens ever so often. You first saw it with Jazz. Later, the 60's and 70's Rock and Soul acts... So are we onto something as powerful as those era's? who knows, but after witnessing what a saw last night, I do know that LA hip hop is back! I headed out to Spaceland to check out Kenan Bell and got the treat of seeing Root Beer too! After the Indie Folk crowd cleared out at the end of Noah and the Whale, and was replaced with music lovers of all walks of life the place came alive! Starting things off with a high energy set by Root Beer, a side project of Pigeon John, you'd be hard pressed to not move.But it would be a feat to top Kenan's act though. Kenan Bell came out with keys, percussion, drums, more percussion, guitar, and bass and they were tight! Vocal harmonies for days and a larger than life front man round it all out. Needless to say I was surprised how good the show was. He invited the crowd on stage for the last tune and the crowd went wild. Kenan has this months Monday night residency at Spaceland. I highly recommend you take a trip down to see him and his band!
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• 24 Sep '08 05:06pm

  LA Black Metal...That's actually good?!

  Black Metal... Where should I begin. Corpse paint, screeching vocals, blistering fast guitar and drums. In one sentence... It's thrash on speed. Since thrash was the home grown phenomenon that birthed Black Metal, you have got to wonder why Black metal never caught on in the states. Maybe it was the fact that a few black metal artists are insane and burn down churches, while thrash metalists only spoke of such things. Maybe through it's the dichotomy between the over the top cheese and the reality that it represents. But there are a few hardcore black metal fans out there. They wear black t-shirts that sport indecipherable band logos; and their numbers are growing! One of the bands leading the way in the U.S. is Sothis! I have to be honest, I wasn't to keen on some of Sothis' earlier works, but with their new album "De Oppresso Liber", it's like a switch has been flipped. And not a light switch. it's one of those huge levers from Dr. Frankensteins lab, shooting thousand of volts of electricity through your body. These guys and one gal can really play! They are similar to Cradle Of Filths Midian era sound, but better. The songwriting is superb with just the right amount of twists turns and tempo changes to keep things interesting. So if you are at all interested in metal you deserve to give Sothis a listen!
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• 17 Sep '08 02:19pm

  Imperative Reaction this saturday!

  Industrial, EBM, Synthpop, or whatever flavor you are more attached to hasn't been the most innovative of genres. In all honesty the music hasn't progressed much at all since the mid-late 90's. I clung to industrial for quite some time and I still love a few artists until I realized a sickening trend. When I first started listening it was all about EBM. Then Synthpop. Then harsh EBM or electro-industrial. Then back to synthpop...etc. The cycle would start again. duping it's minions into digesting regurgitated s*** and telling you it's fillet mignon and the people ate it. But there are a handful of bands that still push the envelope. The two that come to mind are Imperative Reaction and Stromkern. Yeah I still bought the last Combichrist album and throw on some old assemblage 23, but Stromkern and IR get me off my a*** and back into the clubs when they tour. So that's why I urge you to catch Imperative Reaction when they hit your city on their latest tour! It kicks off this Saturday at Safari Sam's in Los Angeles and believe me, they put on one hell of a show. Which is saying something for an electronic act.
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• 16 Sep '08 02:13pm

  Trifonic : What's spinning right now!

  I'm pretty snobby when it comes to Electronic music. There's a definite style to what actually catches my ear, mostly industrial and trance. So why Trifonic? I'm not sure really, but as soon as I heard the opening, title track off their new album "Emergence" I was hooked! With Emergence the Trifon brothers have lovingly crafted home made ear candy. Utilizing the world as inspiration, they layer together an unorthodox assorment of sound, from creaky cabinets to your traditional synthisizers, into a seamless landscape. A smattering of vocal tracks keep the album from ever becoming stale and beautifully complete the album. I've been listening to this album at least a few time a week for about a month and it just doesn't get old. I still haven't found a time where Trifonic doesn't fit, whether I'm blastin' fools in Call of Duty 4 or simply lounging around the house. So check it out in my playlist or listen to it here at LP33.tv!
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