Album Review: La Luz - La Luz

La Luz

S/T

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

As with other established bands releasing self-titled albums well into their career, the newest La Luz album signals a shift in style/rebirth for the outfit. The band has released solid past efforts as well as lived through life altering accidents, now for their newest release on Hardly Art, they scale back their patented surf-noir sound and amp the harmonies and psych rock.  

Album Review: La Luz - News of the Universe

La Luz

News of the Universe

*** out of *****

La Luz newest album contends with the fact that nothing is certain in this world except change as News of the Universe was written after life altering medical news, band member shifts, and a society in flux.

Full Show Friday: La Luz 2018-09-07 @ Pustervik, Göteborg

We search the murky back waters of youtube to find full concerts and post them to the site weekly, come back every seven days to help us celebrate Full Show Friday's. These shows are of varying quality and may not be here for long so enjoy them while you can...As always, please support the artist every which way, but especially by seeing them live (if they are still playing)...This week...La Luz!

The Southern California ladies La Luz bring their spooky surf rock style to Sweden for this fan captured show with pretty solid sound throughout. We have dug La Luz releases in the past and enjoy this set having yet to catch them live. Full setlist below. Enjoy:

00:11 - Floating Features 02:34 - Cicada 06:09 - You Disappear 09:35 - Call Me In The Day 13:12 - Creature 16:56 - Sunstroke 18:22 - With Davey 21:26 - Loose Teeth 24:23 - Mean Dream 27:55 - I Can't Speak 31:00 - California Finally 34:36 - Don't Leave Me On The Earth 37:12 - I'll Be True 41:15 - Sure As Spring 43:43 - I Want To Be Alone (With You) Encore 47:48 - Don't Wanna Be Anywhere

Album Review: La Luz -It's Alive

La Luz

It's Alive

**** out of *****

A lot of the time albums come with genre labels that seem to stretch both language and the bounds of responsible listening descriptions. Then you get a release like La Luz's debut on Hardly Art, whose press release christened It's Alive Surf-Noir. Having never thought about those two words together I was skeptical, but they sure nailed it; if you guess at what those two words sound like in your head you will get an instant picture of this disk without hearing a note.

Thankfully when the music flows things get even better. The female four piece from Seattle spin a cinematic take as the ripe guitars are crystal clear drums slap lonely and lyrics are fuzzed up lovelorn odes.

Tracks like "Big Bad Blood" pulse with a snaking bass line, "ooh's" that are high pitched, echoing over an eerie horizon line. The band stays tight lipped surf rock with "Sunstroke" and "Phantom Feelings" as sonic flares burst out from the instrumentals while the pace and tempo pump up with "Pink Slime". Opener "Sure As Spring" sets the album up for success with it's rolling snares and a gorgeous organ work, an early highlight. "What Good Am I" pushes up the drama as the band builds to a picturesque ending evoking a Mazzy Star-like scenario. With all four members singing the vocals swim into and out of each other with ease.  

The production is sparse letting the bands harmonies work well and while it has a slight novelty feel to the proceedings It's Alive is a winning debut that scratches an itch I didn't even know I have for Surf-Noir rock.
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Cool ass disk, thanks to the peeps at Hardly Art for cluing us into these ladies. We have listened to this a bunch since we got it and just love the sound...maybe it is the dying summer and timing of the release that works so well.    

Support the band here, buy the album here and peep some video below:
"Sure As Spring" Live:

Here is the bands live set at KEXP:

La Luz in Serious Accident, You Can Help

Last month we came across one of our favorite records of the year with La Luz's It's Alive.

Unfortunately Hardly Art informed us that the band was in a serious accident on Tuesday Night, below is all the information and an opportunity for you to help out if you can:

Last night on their way back to their native Seattle from a show at Boise's Korah Shrine, rising surf band La Luz were in a severe accident that totaled their van, destroyed their gear, and incurred injuries to the band members. As a result, they've been forced to bow out of their remaining tour dates with of Montreal, starting with tonight's performance at Neumos. For those who feel compelled to help the band get back on their feet, we've set up a Paypal account for laluzdonate@gmail.com; fans can simply click here to gift them whatever amount they desire. 100% of the donations will go the band as they seek to pay medical bills and purchase a new van, new equipment, and new merch.

We really like their tunes, some video is below, here's wishing for a speedy all around recovery for the group. God Speed Ladies.

La Luz Share New Lyric Video for "Oh, Blue"

The newest full length release from La Luz is due out at the end of the month, but the band have dropped a new lyric video for the track "Oh, Blue"

RtBE are well acquainted with La Luz having written about them a bunch in the past, and we are looking forward to the new album. Peep the lyric video for "Oh, Blue":

La Luz New Video, Touring Europe This Fall

We recently reviewed La Luz's new release Weirdo Shine which we really dug.

Now the ladies have produced a new video for "You Disappear" and while this wasn't our favorite song on the disk it has grown on us a bit and the video is damn cool.

You can view it below and even further below that you will find the groups tour dates for this fall as they embark on a tour of Europe.Both of the bands albums are great and worth hearing.

Tour Dates:
09.18.15 - Tilburg, NL - Incubate Fesival
09.19.15 - Leffinge, BE - Leffingeleuren Festival
09.20.15 - Haldern, DE - Haldern Pop Bar
09.21.15 - Hamburg, DE - Aalhaus
09.22.15 - Lund, SE - Mejeriet
09.23.15 - Stockholm, SE - Geronimos FGT
09.24.15 - Oslo, NO - Cafe Mono
09.25.15 - Copenhagen, DK - Stengade
09.26.15 - Berlin, DE - Berlin Independent Night
09.28.15 - Prague, CZ - Klub 007
09.29.15 - Vienna, AT - Rhiz
09.30.15 - Schorndorf, DE - Manufaktur ~
10.01.15 - Freiburg, DE - Slow Club
10.02.15 - Brescia, IT - Lio Bar
10.03.15 - Bologna, IT - Covo Club
10.05.15 - St. Gallen, CH - Millionaires Club
10.06.15 - Zürich, CH - Bogen F >
10.07.15 - Lyon, FR - Marché Gare @
10.08.15 - Montpellier, FR - Les Internationales de la Guitares
10.09.15 - Barcelona, ES - La [2] De Nitsa
10.10.15 - Madrid, ES - Villamanuela Festival
10.11.15 - Lisbon, PT - Casa Independente
10.13.15 - Bilbao, ES - Kafe Antzokia
10.14.15 - Bordeaux, FR - Iboat
10.15.15 - Paris, FR - Batofar
10.16.15 - Brighton, UK - Bleach
10.17.15 - Manchester, UK - The Eagle Inn
10.19.15 - Glasgow, UK - The Hug & Pint
10.20.15 - Leeds, UK - Brudenell Social Club
10.21.15 - Cardiff, UK - Moon Club
10.22.15 - London, UK - Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
10.23.15 - Brussels, BE - Madame Moustache
10.24.15 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso

~ - w/ Vetiver
> - w/ Ladylamb
@ - w/ Crocodiles

Year in Review 2013- Top Ten Albums Part 1 (The Just Misses & Let Downs)

Another great year is finishing up for Rock The Body Electric and we wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so without further verbiage RtBE Presents first part of the Best of 2013 Top Ten Albums, The Just Misses & Let Downs:

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation, just click on the name and title and you can read it.  RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20 so expect some overlap. Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen to the all the way through.

Today we are going to focus on the "Just Misses" of our top 10 and unfortunately the "Let Downs" released this year.  Here's hoping you like them, but also feel free to voice your opinion in the comments.  Expect installment 2 (#10-6) soon, but for now click on the jump:

New Album from La Luz, News of The Universe and First Single/Video "Strange World"

La Luz has announced a new album, News of The Universe, will be released in May and the first single "Strange World" is out now. 

RtBE have been long time fans of the band. Check out the grooving new single below:

Album Review: La Luz- Weirdo Shrine

Hey all got a new review up @glidemag which you can read Right C'here!!!

 It is of La Luz's newest release Weirdo Shrine.  This is a really solid album coming after some life altering events from the band, namely a near fatal van accident while on tour. We really dug their first release as well and hope to catch the band live when they come through NYC.

Support the group here, buy the album here and peep some video below:

Free Summer Shows in NYC

Well it is officially Summer here in the Big Apple, while most people love to escape town on the weekends we kinda love the empty streets and heat. One of the pluses of the hotter weather is the insane amount of Free Concerts in NYC.

I am not going to list all of them, you can find many sites like My Free Concert here or check out NYC Parks site for more. Oh My Rockness also does a hell of a job compiling all of these. You can check out House of Vans or ilovefreeconcerts for more.

There are literally shows around every corner it seems like, whether the sun is shining or setting during June July and August in New York there will be free tunes. We will highlight a few we hope to check out (starting with some this week), just click that read more.

Year in Review 2015- Top 10 Albums Part 2

Another great year is finishing up for @RockBodElec and we wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE Presents the Best of 2015 Top Ten Albums numbers 10-6:

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation, just click on the name and title and you can read it.  RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on the their Top 20 so expect some overlap. 

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle or singles for us. Personally we released an acoustic based EP this year, but we will graciously remove ourselves from the rankings however, you can gave it a listen or download it for free.

Last year we had a dog fight at the top and honestly any in the 2014 top five would have been in the peak slot this go around.

Our top ten for 2015 is filled with pop, acoustic, cover songs, noise, punk and a very healthy sprinkling of female artists so click the Read More to dive into things

Album Review: The Fleshtones- Wheel Of Talent

The Fleshtones

Wheel Of Talent

**1/2 out of *****

New York City garage rocking The Fleshtones are still putting out tunes as they enter their 5th decade as a group. The tight, 13 tracked Wheel Of Talent has some retro looking efforts that recall the groups heyday as well as goofy jingles and even an unexpected ode about Facebook.

The disk opens with the experimental “Available” that plucks orchestral strings and laments about being single; the title is actually a status update! The band mines more familiar terrain on “It Is As It Was” and “Remember The Ramones” which go back to the groups beginning and their roots in the NYC downtown punk scene, name checking and storytelling before a musical ode to the fellow Queens crew.    

“Roofarama” is silly yet alarmingly catchy as an ode to hooking up on NYC rooftops decorated with high pitched “roof” chants and a blazing wah-wah guitar. The band has a knack for worming their way into your ear, “The Right Girl”, “For A Smile” and the pumping “Hipster Heaven” all spend more time than expected bouncing around the brain. “Stranger In My House” goes overboard and the Spanish “Veo La Luz” feels clunky but the bands missteps are slight as the songs still manage to breeze past, never sticking around longer than 3 minutes.

A track like “What I’ve Done Before” mixes in a bit of theatrics and an Elvis flair while “How To Say Good Bye” brings back the strings spicing up the retro rock in enjoyable ways. Wheel Of Talent’s closing “Tear For Tear” shows this style of rock is timeless as The Fleshtones keep pumping out their catchy tunes.
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Support the Band here, buy the album here, and peep some video below:

Year In Review 2015- Top Ten Albums Part 3

Another great year is finishing up for @RockBodElec and we wouldn't be a proper music site if we didn't end the year with a "Best Of" list, so RtBE Presents the Best of 2015 Top Ten Albums numbers 5-1:

Gameday Indeed!

In the instance that RtBE has reviewed the album either on the site or somewhere else we will link to that review and just give a quick summation, just click on the name and title and you can read it.  RtBE worked with the Glide Team to give input on their Top 20 so expect some overlap. 

Again the focus here is on full albums, not singles, but full releases you can slap on and listen all the way through. We know these are a dying breed, but it still is the way we consume music, no shuffle or singles for us. Personally we released an acoustic based EP this year, but we will graciously remove ourselves from the rankings however, you can gave it a listen or download it for free.

Today we finish our top ten, in retrospect it was a year with a lot of good albums but few great ones, sorta like 2011 which overall was the weakest year of releases since we started this site. Last year we had a dog fight at the top and honestly any in the 2014 top five would have been in the peak slot this go around. (If you missed them, Part 1 and Part 2)

Our top ten for 2015 is filled with pop, acoustic, cover songs, noise, punk and a very healthy sprinkling of female artists so click the Read More to dive into things