[thanks, ]

more photos over on our

Here’s the B-side track from new 7″, out now by our friends over at . Pick it up .

mp3:

Some of our favorite records (full-lengths and otherwise) and songs at the mid point of 2011, most of which we have written about before. If we missed anything, let us know.

1) Blasted Canyons // Blasted Canyons
mp3:

2) Part Time // What Would You Say?
mp3:

3) Ty Segall // Goodbye Bread
mp3:

4) White Fence // Is Growing Faith
mp3:

5) Thee Oh Sees // Castlemania
mp3:

6) Fresh and Onlys // Secret Walls
mp3:

7) Permanent Collection // Delirium
mp3:

8) Art Museums // Dancing With A Hole In Your Heart
mp3:

9) Grass Widow // Milo Minute
mp3:

10) Sonny and the Sunsets // Hit After Hit
mp3:

Surf music is cool and all, but it’s getting hard to find a band doing something halfway creative with the genre, especially here in Southern Cal, where you can’t throw a stone without hitting some nascent surf-hybrid band or another. It comes with the territory.

La Mirada’s Lovely Bad Things aren’t exactly an exception. As , the band have the obligatory mellow surf pop thing down pat. However, the Internet yields up a couple of tracks that are decidedly more anarchic than we’re used to hearing from a scene full of bands playing mellow surf pop. The exuberant “Kevin” stitches together surf riffs, indie moxie, and sugary pop vocals into an unhinged teenaged symphony goes straight for the grime. Surf always was too clean and shiny for it’s own good, so it’s refreshing to hear a band giving it a much needed kick in the teeth.

We’re going to reserve full judgement on Lovely Bad Things until we listen to their , which we ordered from after getting tired of listening to this band solely through the Internet. And in case you were wondering, no, of course we couldn’t be bothered to drive 15 miles to the Burger Records store and buy it in person - this is L.A., duh. -

Image Credit:

[photo credit: Ruthie Swanson]

WHITE FENCE is the moniker of one Tim Presley, master multitasker and purveyor of a sinister brand of flower power music that hisses and pops with the joyful lopsidedness of a four-track recorder. When he is not recording as White Fence in his Echo Park bedroom, Presley tours with the Strange Boys and Darker My Love. He has also served a stint in The Fall and recorded on their record Reformation Post TLC, the influential English band’s 26th studio album. White Fence played Saturday at (teaser below, filmed by George Augusto) with Ty Segall, Audacity, and Crazy Band in preparation for their trip up to Big Sur this weekend to perform the second day of the immediately-sold out Woodsist Fest (Tim’s live band includes his brother, Sean Paul Presley of Nodzzz). Recently, Tim had a chance to wax philosophically with us about New York City, Black Flag and Highlights magazine.

Reading your views on how Los Angeles has informed your music, down to the random acts of violence, reminds me of an interview New York Magazine did with of the Liars where he discussed ways LA “disturbed” him. “It’s got to do with the idea that people are in their cars and they feel safe, and then the actual landscape that they’re traveling through is pretty much left untouched … there’s a massive stream of homeless people, and downtown is kind of their world.” How much of that aligns with your personal view?

I’m disturbed that he’s disturbed. Doesn’t he live in LA and fuck girls here? It’s a little cliche to talk about the plastic, Botox world of Los Angeles when it’s just as bad in New York. Everyone’s afraid to talk shit on New York, but I will. That place is just as fucking lame as anywhere else in the US. I was just in Brooklyn weeks ago and everyone looks the same. It’s one giant college campus of cool people. I even saw a old dusty very homeless lady with Vans chukka boots. It makes me want to dress like a priest, and then become one. At least in LA it’s so spread out that I don’t have to see such a high concentration. Los Angeles is such an easy scapegoat, so when white-Indie Rock people talk about it negatively, especially about the obvious things, I get defensive. Don’t get me wrong — I like Liars and appreciate what they do. I’m just venting on a bigger picture here. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and was raised to hate LA until a friend showed me a great and beautiful side with genuine, amazing people. Also there is so much here. It’s very big. We have helicopters.

You’ve been a big proponent of the burgeoning music movement in LA and White Fence is certainly on the forefront of that. What would you say are the biggest differences between the bands in San Francisco and the sounds of the Echo Park scene? You have a unique view, having been enmeshed in both worlds.

I don’t know if LA really has a “sound” now, but there are cool bands/artists that vary [across] the spectrum. SF is good. I can honestly say that I love bands from SF at this moment. But we need each other — the SF/LA [dynamic]. It’s like brothers. The back and forth. Good and bad. I dunno. I will say, because SF is geographically tighter it helps with that energy. Plus they know what the sun feels like. We don’t because we live on it.

What to you constitutes the perfect pop song?

“The Humpty Dance” (by the ). Totally off the topic, but what if you got sent to prison and on your second night your cellmate dosed you with hi-grade speed. Wouldn’t that be just awful?! Think about it.

One tour highlight that is most visible in your memory thus far?

Swimming in a lake in Pennsylvania with the Strange Boys on a hot day after a noble game of whiffle ball. Inside jokes are a highlight. Reading Highlights magazine in the dentist office is nice too. I usually enjoy Goofus and Gallant.

How rad is this year’s Woodsist lineup? Seems to be booked with some bands that are on the cusp of doing great things.

Yes, Jeremy Earl (Woods/Woodsist) is awesome for putting it on. He himself is doing great things. I am very happy to be a part of it.

Love,

Tim Presley

7-25-2011

—

plays the second day of this year’s (sold out!) in support of a stacked lineup (including a sub-in from the Mantles, who were added to the bill in place of the recently-dissolved ) before heading south on a w/ Woods and Ducktails that ends at the Bowery Ballroom in New York 8/13. ”Is Growing Faith” can be picked up directly from Woodsist via mail-order and digitally from iTunes . White Fence’s 7″, released on the heels of “Growing” and entitled “Harness b/w The Pool”, can be purchased from (housed in the eponymously-named boutique store on 988 Valencia) or .

mp3

[]

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Sleepy Sun, Assemble Head in Sunburst Sound, w/ Secret Guest TBA // Engine Works (17th x Capp), 9pm $5

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Anything else?

—

[]

Mikal Cronin‘s musical incubation has lasted several years now, with his noted with Ty Segall and his contributions in Charlie and the Moonhearts setting the stage for his first solo full-length via , due out September 20th. “Apathy” appeared on several blogs late last week, including our friends over at - it’s a riveting three-minute melodic stomper that establishes Mikal’s solo chops and has us more than psyched about the release. And guess what? — we don’t mind. Mikal picks up the second leg of Ty Segall’s US tour starting in September (a record release show is scheduled in LA 9/14 — details have not been announced yet).

(all dates with Ty Segall - via )

09.15.11 Thu Tucson, Arizona Plush
09.16.11 Fri Lubbock, Texas Bash Riprocks
09.17.11 Sat Austin, Texas Mohawk (Outside Stage)
09.18.11 Sun Denton, Texas Rubbergloves
09.19.11 Mon New Orleans, Louisiana One Eyed Jack’s
09.20.11 Tue Birmingham, Alabama Bottletree
09.21.11 Wed Nashville, Tennessee Exit/In
09.23.11 Fri Atlanta, Georgia Earl
09.24.11 Sat Durham, North Carolina Duke Coffeehouse
09.25.11 Sun Harrisonburg, Virginia Festival Ballroom A at JMU
09.26.11 Mon Washington, DC Comet Pizza
09.27.11 Tue Baltimore, Maryland Golden West Cafe
09.29.11 Thu New York City, New York Bowery Ballroom
09.30.11 Fri Cleveland, Ohio Beachland Tavern
10.01.11 Sat Chicago, Illinois Empty Bottle
10.03.11 Mon Northfield, Minnesota The Cave (Carleton College)
10.04.11 Tue Iowa City, Iowa Blue Moose
10.05.11 Wed Omaha, Nebraska Slowdown
10.06.11 Thu Denver, Colorado Hi-Dive

mp3

[]