Many musicians have attempted, and failed, to successfully master the art of the cover, and especially that of genius art-pop 80s goddess Kate Bush. But LA-based noise-rocker Aria Jalali, a.k.a. Railcars, was up to the challenge. After a year of raising money through a Kickstarter campaign, Jalali ended up with $893, more than enough money to fund his project. With new equipment, the young musician began recording his own renditions of the 1985 masterpiece.Though there are glimmers of Bush and the 80s in Jalili’s interpretations, he has completely made the album his own. Railcars draped Bush’s sharp, synthetic pop instrumentation from the original with a wall of noise, creating a darker, heavier sound that is more reminiscent of the experimental avant-garde noise-rock of today than the softer, warmer pop of yesteryear. Railcars released his version of "Hounds of Love" on limited edition cassette (100 copies) and vinyl (275 copies) on June 21st through Crash Symbols, and August 8th through AMDiscs, respectively. -Katrina Nattress
Funeral Party blends punk aesthetics infused with a nuevo Indie vibe that blows the doors off The Strokes, Killers, and Arcade Fire. This LA group breeds a new crop of the next generations distain for the mundane. Released on March 29th, The Golden Age of Knowhere expresses the angst of youth and gives off the same vibrant energy you experience attending their live performances. The defiance, competitive nature, and taunting in "New York City moves to the Sound of LA" says it all. Every track on this album has a strength to it that when tied together play as a cohesively tight album. The stand out tracks are "Finale", "NYC Moves 2 the sound of LA", and "Youth & Poverty", but even that breakdown isn't fair given the great effort from this band on the verge. Funeral Party opens for Panic! at the Disco at The Wiltern, June 21st.
