Category: FEATURES

JANKY SMOOTH Top 10 Albums of 2023 Rated By Contributors

Janky Smooth Central Command December 31, 2023

2023 wasn’t just the year we saw many of our Janky favorites mature into their true selves, 2023 was the year these favorite bands put out the career defining material that will be pointed to years from today as the moment the band began creating the music they became iconic for. Some of these bands include groups we’ve followed for years, bands like Zulu, Spiritual Cramp, Scowl, and Angel Du$t. Yes, the hardcore scene provided the soundtrack for some of 2023’s most inspired and diverse jams, yet this was not the only underground providing the year’s best records. In the worlds of goth, synth, darkwave and beyond, artists like Model/Actriz, Madeline Goldstein, Nation of Language and Panther Modern made us dance, swoon and make-out harder than previous years. In metal, we see the same dynamism as Tomb Mold created one of the year’s most powerful and transcendent musical rollercoasters. Genre veterans Cannibal Corpse and Cavalera continued ripping, as did Liturgy, adding a new book to her musical gospel. Hip hop didn’t disappoint either with alternative and mainstream bangers galore be they the collaboration between JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown or grouptherapy’s latest brilliant record. Art pop female badasses stole the show

Ladytron Reverberate The Belasco In Their Return to Los Angeles

Janky Smooth Central Command December 15, 2023

The long-awaited, electrifying and innovative live show of UK’s Ladytron finally returned to Los Angeles. Ladytron performed at Belasco Theater after their summer stop at the alt-rock “Just Like Heaven” 2023 festival. Historically still standing from LA’s silent era movie theater district, The Belasco has become the best tour stop in housing top acts in an intimate and impressive venue with plush styled lounges and an exquisite live sound. Live acts thrive here and Ladytron would prove themselves and pay tribute to that “Silent Era” history by producing an electrifying tech sound at its purest. The band’s current tour is the first in four year after a decade long hiatus. But the band hardly stood still and were busier than ever with production collaborations from Brian Eno to Christina Aguilera. Remixes were produced for a long list of artists such as Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, Goldfrapp and Nine Inch Nails. Ladytron saw themselves with personal efforts outside of the band’s orb with singers Helen Marnie completing two solo LPs, and Mira Aroyo producing music, as well as some documentary filmmaking. The ladies’ co-conspirators/founding members Daniel Hunt and Ruben Wu are DJs and producers from Liverpool. Daniel Hunt with his expertise

Transgressive Transcendence at The Getty’s Latest Exhibit: William Blake: Visionary

Rob Shepyer October 27, 2023

One of Los Angeles’ most iconic cultural center’s, The Getty, has long bridged together music and art. Providing a space where classical and modern artists can inspire musicians of every age and ilk, the Getty’s latest exhibit might just have the most potential for invigorating any creative that visits that shining temple on a hill. So, if you are a creative in Los Angeles, William Blake:Visionary is a must-see exhibit. The many musicians that were inspired by William Blake all share one thing in common, a worldview that includes a higher power or a reality beyond material existence. Nihilists may find Blake intriguing but he doesn’t capture their imaginations quite like those that believe in God, destiny, or a soul. These musicians include Van Morrison, Iron Maiden, U2, Patti Smith, Bob Dylan and many more. And getting to preview the exhibit before the public, the press was treated to a playlist featuring the music of these artists while enjoying a feast and cocktails with just as much William Blake homage as the tunes. Getting to tour the new exhibit along with many of the Getty’s patrons and beloved followers, we got a glimpse into the mind and imagination of William

Scowl At 1720 Sell Out The Venue But Not Their Souls

Danny Ryan September 22, 2023

One of the biggest Catch 22’s of being a punk rock fan is wanting the artists you love to succeed and reach a larger audience, while also wanting them to avoid selling out and the inevitable softening of their edge that comes with popularity. While bands that maintain a consistent sound are often doomed to become dull and uninteresting after a couple of releases, there’s always a lingering fear of bringing in new audiences that don’t “get it” when an artist experiments with new aesthetics or explores other genres. Scowl and Militarie Gun have both had some of the most talked about punk releases of the year, and their recent show at 1720 proved that neither artist has sacrificed their unruly hardcore spirits in the evolution of their sounds. While tough-guy hardcore purists may be complaining online about the alternative direction that these artists have been taking, it’s clear that they haven’t witnessed the chaotic party that Scowl creates up close in-person for themselves yet and it’s only a matter of time before everybody starts to embrace the “Psychic Dance Routine”. related: Scowl Interview- Talking Limp Bizkit, Kevin Smith and Hardcore 1720 has established itself as one of the best

Metal Injection Festival Will Conquer Orange County September 16th-17th

Rob Shepyer September 12, 2023

Having served the global extreme music underground since 2004 when they were launched by co-owners Frank Godla and Robert Pasbani, Metal Injection has become the premiere source for heavy metal and hardcore news, reviews, humor and more. To celebrate the magazine, its contributors, readers and the bands they love, Metal injection has evolved into a festival with just as much power and style as they’ve always put out. Since their inception, what’s made Metal Injection stand out from the rest of the flock is the exceptional curation and vision held by its creators and family of contributors. The very first Metal Injection Festival features that same sort of expert eye for talent and timing with two nights of metal and hardcore heavyweights, old and new. At the top of the first night’s bill, Saturday September 16th’s Observatory Orange County opening night features Max and Igor Cavalera returning to their first albums, Morbid Visions and Bestial Devastation. Those who experienced their more recent Arise/Beneath the Remains tours and their Roots revival before that, know this regression in form only adds up to more volume, brutality and mosh pits because these songs, though you might not know them like the back of

Sound and Fury Fest 2023: The Stage Dive Will Never Die

Danny Ryan August 30, 2023

Sound and Fury is easily my favorite music festival, and consistently takes the spot as the best weekend of the year for me without fail. Returning again to Exposition Park for the second year in a row, the controversial choice to move the festival outdoors has proven again to succeed as a hardcore experience exclusive to Sound and Fury. The overwhelming heat and dust clouds were absolutely brutal this year compared to 2022, but passionate fans were not going to let anything stop them from hardcore dancing all weekend long. This was also the second year with involvement from art collective and fashion brand Brain Dead, and their influence could be seen everywhere from the stage backdrops to exclusive merch designs. Sound and Fury is absolutely unmatched when it comes to finding the best collaborators and vendors to help with making their vision come alive, something that more music festivals should take note of in the goal of creating an unforgettable experience that everybody in attendance feels a need to come back to. related: Risks Make Better Memories than Nostalgia – Sound and Fury 2022 One of the biggest draws to Sound and Fury’s 2023 lineup for me was the

Spike Hellis Come Home to Das Bunker After 40 Date Headlining Tour

Danny Baraz August 11, 2023

A year and a half ago, I saw Spike Hellis for the first time at Das Bunker. I was there to see Pixel Grip but I had been hearing a buzz about this transcendental ebm outfit that had been playing a bunch of gigs that I kept missing. I went into Catch One with some expectations and Spike Hellis lived up to them all. Two prodigious partners dancing in a dystopian wasteland to a soundtrack they orchestrated. Hard ass beats laced with round synths and compelling vocals. They were mesmerizing and hypnotic and that was just my first taste. Flash forward to June 30th, 2023. Spike Hellis have played 701,432 shows since then and have just returned from a 40 date tour, their first. Their 2022 self titled album was number 1 on my list of best albums for the year. I’ve seen them open for Twin Tribes and be the first band on a Sound and Fury side show lineup, of all things and may other gigs. Spike Hellis have delivered every time. They might be the hardest working band in independent music, right now. related: Pixel Grip, Spike Hellis and Black Light Odyssey Find Refuge at Das Bunker

The Garden at "One Strange Night in Orange County"

The Garden Summon Ghosts at The Observatory For One Strange Night In Orange County

Sarah Dinse August 8, 2023

“One Strange Night in Orange County” wasn’t just a festival facilitated by The Garden, an experimental rock duo of twin brothers from Orange County. It was a flashback to a time not that long ago when The Observatory was overrun by Burgeramas and Beach Goths and other festivals past. The Garden certainly were not headlining those days but they were stealing the show. Now, here they are- the last vestige of a canceled culture. 2 boys turned elder statesmen who survived the purge by not letting their erupting hormones and exploding status lead them down the path of personal and professional ruin. But on this One Strange Night in Orange County, the spirit of those days was in the air. Not to haunt us but to honor the magic of both the music of that time and the diversity of music that came before and after they died. related: Beach Goth 4- The Party of the Year The festival started by honoring the past 45 Grave are a four piece, goth/death rock band from the 80’s. They opened the festival and couldn’t have done a better job at setting the tone for what seemed like Halloween all night long.

LA Still Believes In Anarchy: The Exploited at The Regent

Danny Ryan July 7, 2023

While many foundational classic punk bands still tour regularly, the reckless soul that the genre is known for can often be missing with how much older the artists have become. Rather than the stagedives, partying, and rowdy moshpits that you’d expect at a punk show, many landmark bands unfortunately feel more like seeing a nostalgic cover band that you’d find at a local bar. While age has affected the energy of many artists, that has only made it more special when you experience the rare event of seeing an early punk band wreak the havoc that they would have in the prime of their career. The Exploited are one of the few examples of a classic punk band that’s able to bring this anarchy to modern audiences, transforming The Regent into the environment of a rowdy 1980’s club with their recent show hosted by Concrete Jungle Entertainment and Nothing Less Booking. With a perfectly crafted lineup of chaos including Conflict, Total Chaos, and Section H8, the spiritual essence of punk rock could have not been more prevalent in the venue that evening. The Exploited proved to us that punk’s not dead, you just have to know where to look for

Gwen Stefani at Beach Life Festival 2023 by David Smith

Beach Life Festival 2023: On The Shores of Greatness

Dave Unbuckled June 16, 2023

Beach Life Festival made its annual return to Redondo Beach, this past month, bringing its strongest line up to date in tow that included The Black Keys, Modest Mouse, Gwen Stefani, The Pixies, Band of Horses, The Black Crowes, Sublime w. Rome and Rock n Roll legend, John Fogerty…among many others. Beach Life has continued to include intimate solo performances from local favorites including Johnny Two Bags (Social Distortion), Zander Schloss (Circle Jerks), Jim Lindberg (Pennywise) while providing up and coming touring acts such as The Beaches and L.P. Humongous audiences of new fans to win over. The most impressive aspect of Beach Life seems to be the atmosphere it provides attendees with its varying level of comfort options, varieties of local food trucks, art installations, and selections of top shelf alcohol including Kokomo Spirit: The Official Canned Cocktail of Janky Smooth (unsubstantiated). These amenities go far and beyond the normal festival faire, which makes this year’s event itself so impressive given its A grade lineup, a noticeable improvement from previous years. Friday’s offering of The Pixies won the crowd early on, especially after a slow start by Kurt Vile, that saw the Tennessee native alternating guitars through his first