Buzz Bands: Under the Influence of Giants gets a new start in Silver Lake

Under the Influence of Giants is no longer under the influence of Island Records, which is why you'll find the L.A. quartet manning the Monday residency this month at Spaceland. With the paperwork on the band/label divorce being finalized, the foursome -- with new management and new songs -- got back to business last week, bringing its Bee Gees-on-steroids dance-rock to Silver Lake and almost filling the room.

The band's self-titled debut, released in August 2006, sold 58,000 copies and spawned two singles, "Mama's Room" and "In the Clouds." But when presented with demos for a sophomore album, Island seemed to be in stasis, the band says. "They kept us in flux for months," guitarist Drew Stewart says, "but I don't have anything bad to say about them. ... Right now, we're just happy to play music for people."

Frontman Aaron Bruno (pictured) says the Giants have about 20 new songs written and will debut a couple each week of the residency. Last week's opening night proved pretty lively -- the band has toned down its sartorial splendor from the days it packed rooms on the Sunset Strip, but it hasn't ratcheted down its white-boy soul, which can still move bodies.

||| Live: UTIOG plyas tonight at Spaceland supported by Lukas Haas and Paul Dillon (of Mercury Rev).

Also free and on Mondays

Other residencies: L.A. quintet Bloodcat Love brings its gritty garage rock to the Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa. ... Sweetly melodic indie-pop trio Princeton is the Silverlake Lounge resident this month; tonight, Willoughby and I Make This Sound are among the support bands. ... And, no, that isn't the Righteous Brothers you hear echoing down Sunset Boulevard, but it has that feel. Jail Weddings, a nine-piece that deals in doo-wop, teen-pop and old R&B, is bringing back all those loving feelings this month at the Echo. (Tonight, orchestral whiz-kids Listing Ship is on board).

-- Post, photo by Kevin Bronson