The Booze - "Kick Me Where It Hurts"

I am a sucker for bands like The Booze, who are seriously indebted to "Tumbling Dice" era Rolling Stones. They may not be reinventing rock n' roll but they make great party music. On "Kick Me Where It Hurts" (mp3) angelic backing vocals contrast with the lyrics spit through a sneer.

They'll be playing the East End on April 1st with similarly sleazy Biters. It should be a great nigh for fist pumping rock n' roll.

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Up from Below (2009)

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros are a neo-hippie band started by one of the guys from Ima Robot. Apparently they tour around in a big old bus and have wild celebratory live shows. The songs from Up from Below fit perfectly with that image. On songs like "Carries On" they sound like Hot August Nights era Neil Diamond, while "Home" adds the Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood-style vocals to an atmospheric Hang Em High soundtrack. Spanish lyrics coupled with mariachi horns and manly grunts turn "Kisses Over Babylon" into a great opening sequence to an epic Western. The coda on "I Come In Please" references "Sympathy For The Devil". There a couple acoustic folk songs sprinkled throughout which diversify the album, but don't add much else. Overall, the mood is laid back and retro, spacey and fun.

The video to "Desert Song" is too weird not to share.

Danny Echo - Danny Echo (2009)

Vancouver's Danny Echo play rock and roll that reminds me of the days when Brit pop ruled my roommates stereos -- when bands on both sides of the Atlantic were looking back to the Rolling Stones and Faces for inspiration. In the Bay Area it was Brian Jonestown Massacre and Mover. "Killing Me" expertly lifts a handful of who-who-who's from "Sympathy for the Devil". At times the lead singer's voice sounds a lot like Liam Gallagher's, especially on big dramatic ballads like "Tomorrow Today", which could be a (What's The Story) Morning Glory? B-side. All of which isn't to call them derivative. The songs are catchy, melodic, and generally a good time. In addition to the above songs, I like testy "I Can't Take It Anymore" and the twangy "Natural Disaster".

The White Buffalo @ SoHo

The White Buffalo returned to Santa Barbara music scene staple SoHo tonight, and again rocked the house in all his Americana glory. Openers and good friends the Kinsella Brothers did a fine job with their newish accompaniment, members of James Joyce showmen Burning Edamame. They flowed through their set of covers and originals, highlights included "Blue Smoke", "The Dragon Song" and a couple Rolling Stones covers that got the people movin'. About 11pm the bearded one took the stage. He played a good set, though I feel like he always plays the same set. Whether the renditions were closer to his original work, which I think was the case, rather than the newly released Hogtied Revisited, is debatable. Either way, people were swayin' and dancing, and an overall good vibe was definitely noticeable. This guy is always worth a listen, especially live.

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular (2007)

"Time To Pretend" is one of my favorite side-one-track-one's this year. How can you deny the dreamy and youthful optimism of a line like: "I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life. / Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives" before continuing the emotional arc into nostalgia and then fatalism, all squeezed into 4 minutes of beautiful beats. It kicks off an album that continues to sprawl all over the place. It's atmospheric and psychedelic, yet glammy and danceable. While it seems experimental, it's built on the familiar. It touches on the Flaming Lips, David Bowie, the Rolling Stones, Prince, Yeasayer, and plenty of other cool bands you might already love. While this could turn out a complete and derivative mess, somehow they make it work as a cohesive album. I don't think the rest of the songs make as good singles, but also check out "Kids" and "Pieces Of What."

The Dutchess And The Duke - She's The Dutchess, He's The Duke (2008)

While I am not usually a fan of folk music, the Dutchess and the Duke add a heavy dose of the Rolling Stones' version of the blues to theirs, incorporating a sinister and snaking guitar line straight out of "Paint It Black" into "The Prisoner". A lot of the songs actually sound like acoustic versions of garage rockers, capturing that same rock n' roll snarl. That's not to say they sound unfinished. The songs are consistently pretty cool and the guy/girl harmonies create a ramshackle intimacy. Plus, they sing about fucking in a phone booth in "Strangers". "Armageddon Song" reminds me of Brian Jonestown Massacre, back when they were good, circa Thank God For Mental Illness. "I Am Just A Ghost" is another standout track. I'm excited to see them open for the Fleet Foxes.