Orange Juice - Rip It Up

The Scottish act Orange Juice have always been a mystery to me. At first i thought it was an abbreviation of another 80's figure, Orange Juice Jones, which i know understand after researching this post is actually Oran "Juice" Jones. I hadn't even taken the time to hear a track by Orange Juice until last week when i found this great french version of "Poor Old Soul" on Hype Machine. Leading up to the days before the New year, I asked KCRW DJ Marion Hodges what she would play as her first track to ring in 201o as her show started at midnight. It would have driven me crazy trying to pick it but she seemed pretty defiant in her selection, "Rip It Up" by the said fruity band. I hadn't heard the track until i saw the video this evening. Now i understand why the others contenders didn't stand much of a chance.



On November 7th, Domino are releasing a comprehensive 7-disc Orange Juice anthology called Coast to Newcastle, featuring promotional clips, BBC Sessions, concert videos, 16 previously unreleased tracks and another 23 tracks which were digitally unavailable until now.

FoundTrack's Weekly Music Report - Aug. 30th - Sept. 5th

This Week's Recommended Shows
8/30 - White Arrows, Grouplove, Superhumanoids, Whispertown 2000 @ Spaceland (FREE)
8/30 - Fol Chen, Sister Crayon, Evan Voytas @ Echo (FREE)
8/31 - Pacific Hurt (formerly Aushua), Lesands, Mississippi Man, Neverever @ Troubadour
9/3 - JBM @ Hotel Cafe
9/3 - Stereo Total, Hawnay Troof, Kisses, Allister Izenberg @ Echoplex
9/4 - FYF Fest @ Los Angeles State Historic Park
9/4 - Pacific Festival (OC) @ Sutra (Costa Mesa)

This Week's Anticipated Release
Maximum Balloon - Maximum Balloon (Interscope)

New Bands of Note
Eternal Summers (Roanoke, Virginia) - http://www.myspace.com/eternalsummers - pretty full sound of short pop numbers for a duo ; full-length debut from Kanine in Sept. 28th.

Bravestation - (Toronto, Canada) - http://www.myspace.com/bravestation - Unsigned four-piece, very interesting sound. FREE EP available at Bandcamp

Miami Horror - (Australia) - http://www.myspace.com/miamihorror - I believe this is an unsigned band ; picking up where The Avalanches left off; very fun disco pop. They make their north american debut at the Pacific Festival in Costa Mesa and return again on Sept. 18th with Superhumanoids @ Central

Egyptian Hip Hop (Cairo AKA Manchester UK) - http://www.myspace.com/egyptianhiphop - Ratatat like sound ; very catchy, picked up by the taste-making label Moshi Moshi for a single but no deal in the states. 4-piece.

Oh Land (Denmark) - http://www.myspace.com/ohlandmusic - latest swede pop songstress to cross over to the states ; new album due out on Epic ; great Yuksek remix from RCRD LBL

FoundTrack - Harrys Gym - Old Man

No! the name of the band is not Harry's Gym as in the local indie gym in the neighborhood where you can expect to find weights reracked in their right place <---even in indie gyms that's very idealistic. I'm a little too new to the band's camp to give you the correct pronounciation but i can tell you they are from Norway and they remind me of Blonde Redhead, which is a good thing, especially after the buzz behind BR's Penny Sparkle. Harrys Gym forthcoming album What Was Ours Can't Be Yours will be produced by James Rutledge. Here is a taste of the track "Old Man".

FoundTrack's Weekly Music Report - Aug. 23rd - Aug. 29th

This Week's Recommended Shows
8/23 - MNDR (Pronounced Mander), Maximum Balloon (DJ Set) , Resident KCRW DJ's Chris Douridas and Valida @ Bardot (School Night!) - FREE w/RSVP
8/26 - Papercranes, Juliette Commagere, Luke Rathborne, Estelle Raskina @ Echo
8/28 - The Antlers with DJ Frosty @ The Getty (Saturdays off the 405)
8/28 - Jaill with Whoah Hunx, Audacity @ 6th St. Warehouse
8/28 - New Kingdom @ Roxy (Sunset Strip Music Festival)
8/28 - John Williams and The Music of the Movies @ Hollywood Bowl
8/29 - KCRW Presents The Chemical Brothers, Chromeo, Yacht with host Jason Bentley @ Hollywood Bowl

This Week's Anticipated Releases
!!! - Strange Weather, Isn't It? (Warp)
Barb - Barb (Yep Roc)
Fitz and the Tantrums - Pickin' Up The Pieces (Dangerbird)
James Blackshaw - All Is Falling (Young God)
Land of Talk - Cloak & Cipher (Saddle Creek)
Ra Ra Riot - Orchard (Barsuk)

New Bands of Note
Lower Dens (Baltimore, MD) - Coming to LA for FYF Fest 9/4
Grouplove (Los Angeles, CA) - Opening for Two Door Cinema Club in Oct / Florence & the Machine and The Joy Formidable in Nov.
Twin Shadow (Brooklyn, NY) - Coming to LA 9/30 @ Echoplex
Grimes (Montreal, Canada) - ethereal cosmic pop

Free For All Festival - 8.15.10

FoundTrack homegal Jody (When You Awake) put together a Free For All Festival at the echo this afternoon/evening. I unfortunately had to take off early as my bedtime was passing but I still was able to see a few standouts.

Metuchen New Jersey's Roadside Graves, the recent signing of local label Autumn Tone Records, was very convincing with a set reminding me of The Felice Brothers, The Hold Steady and Titus Andronicus or if you're still unfamiliar The Boss. The night before they played a show in Venice beach to a crowd that resembled the gangs in Warriors and learned that if you have fun playing with each other then maybe the crowd will follow your lead....or at least that's what they said when facing the daunting task of riling up a typically unmoved LA hipster-stick figure batch in a dark room on a sunday afternoon, but with each composition in their set they gained movement and followers. Their music seems charged at times but as the name suggests deals with motifs of mortality. I appreciated the way lead singer John Gleason is so earnest when corralling the microphone yet steps back when his voice isn't needed and draws the crowd to the attention of his bandmates by dancing with them and sometimes grinding them as they manage their instrumental solos. At one point, John graciously acknowledged a girl in the audience from the Venice show the night before and made sure she had a copy of their album. It's this kind of loyalty and appreciation of fandom that's needed in this business. They finished their set off with a non-electric jam session in the middle of the standing floor of the echo. I'm seeing this more often now from bands and the specialty is waring off but this time didn't seem contrived and with full spirit. Roadside Graves will play another show in the same room on Tuesday supporting Cotton Jones and The Parson Red Heads.

Local alt. country outfit Hi Ho Silver Oh were next on my agenda. They played possibly their biggest show thus far at the Echoplex stage and held their own quite well. They remind me of a mix between The Fleet Foxes, Local Natives, Bon Iver and Magnolia Electric Company. Somehow their was some interference in the sound with a Mexican radio but as lead singer Casey Trela commented, it was "unintentionally artistic". They are comforting to watch on stage. Three of the four members grew up together in North Carolina and the other member Phil helped put this entire festival together. Hi Ho plays another show with Family of the Year at Silverlake Lounge on Sept. 6th.


Finally, I had to check out Don Juan Y Los Blancos from the veritable LA label you've never heard of , Wild Records, which i had fortunately heard about in a great article in the LA Times Magazine a few months back by LA Record's Chris Ziegler. Don Juan may be the most effortless frontman I've ever seen but he's as cool as his name suggests. The more provocative force of the Blancos is Becky Blanca ; the spokeswoman invited the crowd to cop-a-field and did more than that to one of their big fans. The rest of the group is great as well due in small part to their sporty yet suspect mustaches. Think they would sound great with another local band Jail Weddings. Don Juan Y Los Blancos are set to perform at Bordello September 18 along with their chief labelmates Luis & The Wildfires for a savage night of Rock N' Roll.

Tune in to When You Awake for more reviews and photos from the rest of the evening.

Foodie Fridays: Savor Los Angeles Dessert Tasting

Savor Los Angeles
www.parallellines.info/savorlosangeles


Two weeks ago, we had the pleasure of attending a gourmet dessert tasting, the first event in a series which is being hosted by Savor Los Angeles, the dining branch of a new collective called Parallel Lines. It’s safe to say the evening satisfied our sugar fix for the week (maybe even the month…).


The venue was Miauhaus Studios on La Brea, a few blocks south of Olympic. There was plenty of space to move around and mingle, and the studios’ white walls made the already stunning desserts even more eye-catching.


The unique event was chock full of foodies, sweet-lovers, photographers and—of course—other miscellaneous hipsters. DJs were spinning and provided the beats for the fun-filled event. Even FoundTrack godfathers V and Nass made it out to sample the mouthwatering desserts.


Our first stop was the Sweets for the Soul table. Their offering was a variety of bite-sized brownies. My favorite was the cleverly named Obama, a mix of white and dark chocolate. Head to Atwater Village (3169 Glendale Blvd.) if you want to try them for yourself.


XT Patisserie was another standout. They capitalized on the macaron trend and brought a huge assortment of flavors, which were a treat for the mouth and eyes alike. The orange blossom and lavender varieties were delightful. Although the patisserie is based in Orange County, the macarons are available for purchase at locations across LA including Gelsons and Cube.


There were a few refreshing beverage options on hand to help wash down all the sugar. Intelligentsia was passing out their top quality brews; Abby even got lucky and walked out with a free cup of her favorite (and usually very pricey…) coffee beans. We also enjoyed a refreshing ginger cocktail from the Pama Liquer stand.


We were thrilled to find FoundTrack’s old friend, Popcakes, in attendance as well. For those of you unfamiliar with Popcakes, the idea is basically cake in lollipop form, as the name suggests. Moist balls of chocolate, vanilla, and other flavors of cake are enveloped in icing and adorned with sprinkles. Biting into a Popcake is one of those rare feel-good experiences you don’t find in life often enough, so if you have yet to try one, I highly recommend you do.


As you can probably tell by this point, there was a lot of sugar to indulge in all at once. Good thing the No Reservations food truck was also parked outside, selling savory bites like Szechuan tacos and lamb wraps.


While the evening was pretty sweet all around—pun completely intended!—we can’t say that we were totally blown away by any of the participants’ offerings. Everything was great, but nothing was stellar. Perhaps it was just sugar overload. Regardless, we do love the creative ideas coming out of Savor Los Angeles and Parallel Lines, and look forward to attending future events.


Photos by Brian Brown/thebeeseye.com.

COMING SOON on Foodie Fridays: We're tracking down the Manila Machine and Abby will be reporting on her Foodie finds from a recent trip to Italia.

Suggestions?
Mail to: foodiefridays at foundtrack dot com

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @FoodieFridays

Foodie Fridays: Starry Kitchen

Starry Kitchen
350 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 617-3474
Map

When husband and wife team Nguyen and Thi Tran started a culinary speakeasy out of their North Hollywood apartment almost two years ago, they never would have imagined that the well-received yet clandestine dining spot in their living room would eventually become one of downtown’s hottest lunch (and now dinner!) spots.

Despite their clean and tidy operation, it was still against city health codes to operate a restaurant out of one's own kitchen. They were forced to shut down, but word had already spread. Starry Kitchen had a five star rating on Yelp and hungry customers were desperate for the fried tofu balls and other “foodie dreams” concocted in Thi’s kitchen.

Flash-forward to 2010… and the Starry team has gone legit and they’ve lost none of their magical touch. They opened a real, brick-and-mortar operation in the food court of the California Plaza on Grand Ave.

Starry Kitchen truly stands out from most of the other run-of-the-mill spots frequented by the corporate downtown lunch hour crowd. They’ve done an amazing job of combining Southeastern Asian flavors (especially from the Trans’ Vietnamese heritage) with a style unique to LA. Thanks to Nguyen, SK is also known for its prominent web presence, Twitter account and online personality.

The restaurant’s website reads more like a blog that chronicles their journey and is appropriately titled “The Adventures of Starry Kitchen”. It enthusiastically invites anyone with a craving for adventure to come try out their mouth-watering creations like the lemongrass chicken banh mi, Taiwanese fried pork chops, and braised Vietnamese beef stew. The menu is on rotation, so frequent visitors will never get bored and neither will the chef.

We got to attend a belated opening party. Right in line with the Starry Kitchen spirit established online, the party was hip and fun.

It was BYOB with DJs, photographers, and a huge welcome from both Nguyen and Thi to all their friends and regulars (when they weren’t cooking, of course).

Shev and I even got a chance to go back stage to see Thi in action.

The night’s stand-out is still one of the most requested dishes at the restaurant: the crispy tofu balls. They were unlike anything I’ve tried before; possibly the most delicious tofu treat, ever!

I’m not quite sure how they’re made but they’re definitely deep fried and adorned with festive pieces of crispy green rice. You’ll have to try them for yourself (that is, if they’re currently on the menu).

Next, we tried the double-fried sweet ginger glazed chicken. The chicken was succulent and was just the right balance of sweet and salty.

We also sampled the peanut-cilantro glass noodles (known as Jap Chae in Korean circles) which were extremely flavorful and wonderfully complimented the ginger chicken and tofu balls.

The recipes all taste homemade, and the fact that the restaurant is family owned—and the furtherest thing possible from a chain—makes a huge difference in both atmosphere and quality.

With newly extended dinner hours (check the website), there’s no excuse not to make it down and sample some of these creative concotions. This restaurant has a life of its own, and while I’m sure some of the dishes may come and go, Starry Kitchen is definitely here to stay. They’ve become nothing less than a true star in the downtown culinary scene.

Photos by Jennifer Saracino.

COMING SOON on Foodie Fridays: We'll be stopping by La Vida and Osteria Mamma.

Suggestions?
Mail to: foodiefridays at foundtrack dot com

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @FoodieFridays

HOT NEW Music Video -> DE SIGNER's "Nous Nous"

This is one of the most stylish videos I've seen in some time- Well shot, simple, and to the point. Behold, the latest and greatest from our friends at DE SIGNER: the brand spankin new video to the first single off their upcoming 2010 LP "Nous Nous":



Learn more about DE SIGNER and their label/creative collective, Le Branche, at their newly launched site and online magazine.

Foodie Fridays: Viet Noodle Bar

Viet Noodle Bar
3133 Glendale Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 906-1575
Map


To sample one of the greatest sandwiches in town, venture east of Silver Lake, to the often overlooked neighborhood of Atwater Village. A myriad of intriguing independent shops, cafes, and restaurants abound on the stretch of Glendale Boulevard below San Fernando Road.

Although Viet Noodle Bar—a more upscale offshoot of Silver Lake's Vietnamese Soy Cafe— is almost completely unmarked from the outside, it welcomes patrons with an open, well-lit, minimalist interior. At this stylish yet unpretentious eatery, what you see is what you get. A long communal table is the main seating option, but if chatting it up with your neighbors isn't your thing, go for an individual table on the opposite side of the restaurant.


If you're dining solo, Viet Noodle Bar's huge selection of books will have you entertained well through your meal.

We began with the sweet and refreshing cinnamon soy milk. Also on the beverage menu is the infamously strong Vietnamese coffee, which is sure to give even die-hard caffeine addicts the boost they need.


The freshly-made shrimp rolls were the perfect—albeit safe—starter. Served with a tangy dipping sauce, they were crisp, flavorful and not overly greasy. Thankfully, an entire shrimp was used in each roll, not just mashed up imitation seafood, thus taking a standard appetizer to a truly exceptional level.


While we can't say that Viet Noodle Bar's pho is the best we've ever had, it's certainly worth trying. Don't get your dining companions wet as you slurp up the tasty noodles and broth!


Contrary to what the eatery's name might suggest, the star of Viet Noodle Bar's menu is actually the bánh mì. For those of you who have yet to experience this delectable Vietnamese street food (have you been hiding in a cave?), these sandwiches consist of pickled daikon and carrots, cucumbers, cilantro and pâté, all enveloped in a crunchy baguette, a reminder of the French occupation of Vietnam. Bánh mì has taken the country by storm, even making it onto Virgin America's inflight menu!


At Viet Noodle Bar, lemongrass chicken and shiitake-tofu varieties are available. They are without question the best bánh mì sandwiches we've had in LA, far superior to those offered from any other pho spot or food truck. While Viet Noodle Bar's offering might not be the most authentic, it is still mind-blowingly good. With its perfectly crisp bread, sweet flavor and delicate use of cilantro, this is perhaps my favorite sandwich in town. Here is your favorite Foodie Fridays co-host, downing a bánh mì while doing "The Abby"... we know you've missed it!


We also enjoyed Viet Noodle Bar's light and refreshing beef salad and the firm and eggy shrimp crepe, which pairs nicely with its accompanying peanut sauce.


Best of all, if any of the dishes aren't to your liking (which we doubt), you can do it authentic Vietnamese style and douse everything in fish sauce!


While prices here might be slightly higher than at comparable spots, so is the quality of what you're paying for. The food is freshly prepared and many dishes are made from organic ingredients.

So what are you waiting for? Get your bánh mì on!


Photos by Jennifer Saracino.

NEXT TIME on Foodie Fridays: We'll be checking out new Hollywood hot spot La Vida.

Suggestions?
Mail to: foodiefridays at foundtrack dot com

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! @FoodieFridays