Electric Soft Parade, Goldrush invade L.A.

Spring is the season international bands dip their toes in the great big musical waters of the United States, and that doesn't just go for major-label Next Big Things like the Fratellis, who brought their tight pub anthems to the Troubadour on Monday.

Scruffy indie bands angle their tour vans toward L.A. too, and they can surprise. After all, if muscle made music memorable, I'd be able to name more than one song off the 2005 album by these sharp-dressed lads. And I would have forgotten the 2005 release by Goldrush altogether. Which is far from the case.

Goldrush isn't likely to be tabbed Next Big Thing; the Oxford, England, act is merely a blue-collar quartet with an unlikely ear for Americana and the endurance, for now, to be starving artists. The follow-up to the band's 2005 collection "Ozona" is titled "The Heart Is the Place" (due April 10). The electronica-tinged album is loopier and more experimental than its twangy predecessor while still retaining the country-boy charm that front man Robin Bennett exudes onstage.

Goldrush arrives at Spaceland tonight for Club NME with labelmates the Electric Soft Parade (both bands have U.S. deals with L.A. label Better Looking Records). Hailing from Brighton, England, onetime Mercury Prize nominee ESP is the handiwork of brothers Tom and Alex White, who fashion slightly warped but highly cinematic melodies that will appeal to adventurous ears. Their U.S. debut, "No Need to Be Down-Hearted" is due out April 24.

||| Download Goldrush's "Heaven's My Destination."

||| Exclusive download of the Electric Soft Parade's "Appropriate Ending."

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Touts for Wednesday, March 21: Charlie Wadham and the Harmony Brothers celebrate the release of "Free Up Your Schedule" at Bordello. ... Three great bands in one spot at the Echo -- Dirty on Purpose, the Helio Sequence and the Besnard Lakes. ... Foreign Born is the opening act at the Troubadour. ... At the Knitting Factory it's (Rockstar Supernova finalist) Storm Large & the Balls on the main stage and 400 Blows in the front room. ... The Whigs headline the Viper Room. ... IAMX (Chris Corner of the Sneaker Pimps) has sold out Safari Sam's. ... And Radars to the Sky play the Silverlake Lounge.

Comments

[aquarium drunkard]

lotta good shows tonight. hitting the whigs at viper

[n.l. belardes]

Nice write-up on the Fratellis. I added them as the song on my Indie Press myspace after reading about them on here... too bad they played such a short set. Their music has a catchy coffee house feel. But not a trendy bubblegum Starbucks...