Album Review: LA LOM - The Los Angeles League of Musicians

LA LOM

The Los Angeles League of Musicians

***and1/2 out of *****

The Los Angeles trio LA LOM's debut full length, instrumental album, The Los Angeles League of Musicians on the legendary Verve Records, is a sultry mix of styles. Everything from Latin music from the 1930's to cumbia to retro rock and soul seeps into the bands sound which they say is strictly influenced by their diverse home city. 

The core trio of LA LOM are Guitar, Organ: Zac Sokolow, Drums, Percussion: Nicholas Baker, Bass: Jacob Faulkner. They spin magical instrumental tales that wander and weave, pushing the tempo up and down to keep the dance floors filled from East L.A. to West Hollywood. 

The album works best when it is just left to flow as one long song, with the vibe shifting like waves but staying the same throughout. Shimmering guitars, crisp percussion and easy moving bass color everything with producer Elliot Bergman adding additional sounds and instrumentation when there is a need to spice things up. While the album gets a touch repetitive towards the end, the majority of the run time is an easy flowing joy. 

Highlights include the pumped up percussion of "'72 Monte Carlo" which has added flourishes from Bergman, the soft sweet guitar lines of "Lorena" and the meatier riffs of the muscular "Danza de LA LOM". The bright opening "Angels Point" is solid and sets the tone for the record while efforts like the breezy "Moonlight Over Montebello" just seem to ooze out with ease. 

The string laden/piano accented "Ghosts of Gardena" feels a bit overcooked and out of place here while the successful "El Sereno" is the most straight ahead tune with early rock and soul influences in the vein of Los Lobos; the song is just aching for a re-mix with sultry vocals on top. 

The whole album is custom made to be cinematic in scope, but certain tracks like the whispering "Espejismo" and the spaghetti Western tinged "Figueroa" jump to the front of that line. Overall, LA LOM's  The Los Angeles League of Musicians is an enjoyable, smooth ride through the city of Angels, from a retro looking, bygone era.  

____________

Support the artists, buy the album, peep some video below: