Walking Shapes

It's probably too late to see New York-based Walking Shapes at Acerogami tonight in Pomona. I caught them a couple nights ago at the Satellite in Silverlake, practically walking distance from my house. And they'll be back in L.A. (at Bardot) on Monday-- after a gig at the Brick & Mortar in San Franscico Sunday night. If exquisitely-played, cutting edge, indie-rock is your cup of tea, this band is worth seeing. On their way back across America over the next couple of weeks, they have shows in Phoenix (celebrating the release of their unbelievable new album, Taka Come On at the Crescent Ballroom), Austin, Dallas, Fayetteville, Oklahoma City (something Wayne Coy put together), Charlottesville and Asbury Park. Homecoming gigs are April 24 (The Bowery Electric) and April 25 (Drom). We'll have the details of their first Alan Grayson event, in early May, soon.

People compare their sound to Radio Head, The Strokes, My Morning Jacket, Alt-J… but seeing them in a dark small club the other night, I felt transported back to the first time I saw The Doors at Ondine's under the 59th Street Bridge in 1966. It wasn't because they sounded like the Doors-- they don't-- but because they sounded like they were inspired and communicating and making music for a reason beyond a paycheck. I like bands like that. I wish there were more. The video up top was from an earlier effort. This one here is from the new album: