Dear Class of ’05,

Well, it’s been a year in the spotlight, with (some) drunken nights, and even
a few stage fights, but it all led to new musical heights, didn’t it ? So glad
I got to know you better this year. You are really cool and I’m sure the future
promises lots of awesome stuff. Soon you’ll be all famous and shit, and you
won’t remember me, but I’ll say I saw them when… You’ve graduated from the
school of L.A. rock, and the world is your oyster. Congrats on winning class
favorites! You deserve it, and anyone who says ya don’t are just haters! Have
a bitchin’ winter! K.I.T.!

XO,
Lina Lecaro


MOST POPULAR (WITH THE GIRLS):
The Vacation
With an unwashed sex appeal and youthful swagger that’s almost never contained
by a mere stage, The Vacation’s live shows are a tantalizing, tempestuous
break from the self-conscious indier-than-thou grind afflicting a lot of the
local scene. Led by twin bros Ben (on vocals) and Steve Tegal (lead guitar),
this scrawny & shaggy quartet ain’t afraid to look silly or outrageous, or even
to fall on their asses — which makes them the perfect bad boys for good girls
to lust after. With vocals that sound like a cross between Marc Bolan and Johnny
Rotten, mirrored by equally sneering riffs (must be a from-the-womb thing) and
a couple of hooky, glam-flavored hits (e.g. the anthemic “White Noise”), their
’05 release Band From World War Zero got picked up by none other than
Rick Rubin, who’ll rerelease the disc on American Records in March. But it wasn’t
the record that helped the Vacation build their (mostly female) following this
year — it was their live gigs (a three-night stand at the Silverlake Lounge
was a highlight), which are equally rigorous whether they’re playing to five
people or 500. You can be sure their audiences will be larger in ’06. See
them at Gallagher’s in Huntington Beach, Sat., Dec. 31.






MOST LIKELY TO TOUR/GET IN A FIGHT WITH INTERPOL:
She Wants Revenge
Gloomy-groovesters She Wants Revenge play songs of lust and betrayal
with a decidedly bleak but sultry tone that recalls Joy Division and Bauhaus.
OK, some might say it totally mimics those bands. But let’s give the guys their
due: The beats (courtesy of bassist/keyboardist/producer Adam 12) are ridiculously
infectious, while Justin Warfield’s monotone croon is menacing and powerful
enough to practically batter those beats into submission. Like Interpol, The
Bravery, et al., this is synth-ensconced ’80s-style rock that makes you dance,
but not in a giddy, thoughtless way. It’s as serious as that guy/girl who broke
your heart and still had the power to make you come back for more. You don’t
have to be 16 and hiding behind layers of eyeliner to get the soul-stomping
sorrow and seduction of tunes like “Sister” and “Tear You Apart” off the band’s
forthcoming Geffen/Flawless release, but it helps. Either way, Carlos D. & Co.
better watch their black-draped backs. See them at the Troubadour, Mon.,
Dec. 19.






BEST (STAGE) PERSONALITIES
The Blood Arm
They may have milked the whole “Franz Ferdinand’s favorite band thing” (FF’s
Alex Kapranos gushed about ’em in Q and NME last year) for all
it’s worth, but The Blood Arm didn’t really need to. The quirky quartet,
featuring drummer Zach Amos, guitarist Zabastian Carlisle, keyboardist Dyan
Valdes and unruly singer Nathaniel Fregoso, have an opposites-attract kind of
chemistry when they play that you can’t take your eyes off of, even when you
kinda want to. Fregoso always seems to be drunk-by-the-grooves, which leads
him to do strange things like straddle speakers — and his drummer — or jump
into the crowd and kiss some stunned kid in a mohawk. Party-dress clad Valdes
provides a gush of buoyant charm to the mix, her keyboard parts bouncing like
a rubber ball amid a heated game of jacks, while Amos and Carlisle anchor the
whole ensemble with a rhythmic stomp that recalls The Strokes. Their local radio
hit “Do I Have Your Attention” posed the question, but judging from their more-than-poised,
slightly cocky performances, The Blood Arm already know the answer.





BIGGEST PARTIERS
Dakah
With up to 70 people performing onstage at once, hip-hop orchestra Dakah
aren’t just a super-group, they’re a supa-dupa-dupa group. Led by braided conductor
Double G, this mega-music experience boasts full woodwind, string, brass, and
rhythm sections; a host of guest rappers and singers; plus two super-skilled spin
stars, DJs Haul and Mason (from the dance club Quality) on the wax. The result
is a rollicking stage shindig like no other, an orchestral funk-fest of super-size
proportions that feels spontaneous and a little all over the place — but is actually
structured and precise, thanks to maestro G’s watchful lead. The group grew out
of wild Temple Bar stage jams, and its repertoire consists of soul covers, culturally
conscious funked-out jazz originals and, most recently, instrumentally embellished
variations on Gangstarr. Their sets at South By Southwest this year were some
of the fest’s freakiest offerings, with poet Saul Williams taking the mic for
some special words of wisdom.





MOST LIKELY TO BE ASKED TO THE PROM:
The 88
Reinterpreting lush & lovely limey soundscapes with a modern twist,
The 88’s debut, Kind of Light, was so blissfully catchy and nuanced,
it even caught the attention of national press and TV (Jimmy Kimmel). Where
to go from there? Well, two years later, their follow-up Over and Over
offered more of what we’d come to expect from these suit-clad Valley boys: delightful
choruses showcasing singer Keith Stettedahl’s crisp vox and Brandon Jay’s rhythmic
riffs and production sense — a combo that recalls the Beatles and Kinks, but
never outright copies them. Their creamy pop cool won ’em a coveted spot on
MySpace.com’s music front page even before the sophomore’s disc’s release, and
a featured song spot (the introspective “Hide Another Mistake”) on the season
premiere of The O.C. And if you’re thinking, “what’s next — MTV?” you’re
too late: “Mistake” was just heard on Laguna Beach. See them at the Troubadour,
Fri., Dec. 2.






MOST (OLD-MEETS-NU) SCHOOL SPIRIT:
Z-Trip
The mash-up craze went from underground phenom to mainstream novelty
this year, spawning everything from weekly dance clubs to real-life mismatched
duets. So what was one of turntablism’s leading genre-blenders to do except
release a disc of all-original, unsampled material? Z-Trip’s Shifting
Gears did just what its title proclaimed, showing off the DJ/producer’s
mind-blowing manipulations in a whole new way, and rocking almost as hard as
his seminal bootleg masterpiece Uneasy Listening. Those who witnessed
Z’s hip-hop/rock wax weaves live (featuring Gears originals and mixes
— like the anti-war splice of “What’s Going On,” “War,” and “Ball of Confusion”)
at this year’s Coachella know the dude is, indeed, a trip. Can’t wait to see
where he takes us next. See him at the Giant Village New Year’s Eve celebration
downtown, Sat., Dec. 31.






MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED:
The Like
Enough already about this comely female trio’s music-industry connections.
Nepotism doesn’t buy you the tender hooks and feisty flows heard on The Like’s
debut, Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking? Sure, the production values
(thanks, Wendy & Lisa!) give it all some extra sparkle, but this supremely catchy
collection owes its hazy charm to singer-songwriter Z. Berg’s emotive vocals
and the nimble textures of bandmates Charlotte Froom (drums) and Tennessee Thomas
(bass). They’ve probably got some years to go before they’re able to conjure
the same magic onstage, but with ages averaging under 21, they’ve got all the
time in the world. See them at the Glasshouse (Pomona), Tues., Dec. 13.






BEST DRESSED (FOR EXCESS):
HorrorPops
Silver Lake residents by way of Denmark, HorrorPops are a colorful
psycho-rock troupe (don’t limit them with a “billy” suffix!) deserving of their
own Saturday-morning cartoon. Singer/standup bassist Patricia Day, flanked by
two female dancers interpreting her spunky singin’, is a charismatic onstage
force like no other, with spiffy self-made threads and plenty of attitude to
match. Still, the Pops have more to offer than mere retro-goth glamour. With
relentless riffs courtesy of guitarist Kim Nekroman (Nekromantix), the HorrorPops
resolved to Bring It On with their second Hellcat release this year,
and that’s exactly what they did. See them at House of Blues Hollywood, Fri.,
Dec. 30.

BEST HAIR (AND PUNK FLAIR):
The Adored
Spiky, gelled and multihued describe the well-cropped heads of The
Adored as well as their spazzy-pizzazzy post-punk sound. With an English
vibe that’s 99 percent indebted to The Buzzcocks, and a poppy groove that indie
danceheads can dig too, the boys blew up locally, playing show after show and
releasing an acclaimed EP. They hope to spread the love further with a full-length
on V2 next year. See them at Spaceland, Sat., Dec. 3.

HONOR ROLL
Run Run Run, The Holograms, The Rebirth, Sky Parade, Viva K, Silversun
Pickups, Orange, The Willowz, American Eyes, Dirty Little Secret, The Nervous
Return, Faculty X, Darker My Love, Shapes of Race Cars, The Warlocks, Shiny
Toy Guns, The Checkers, The Diffs, The Prix, Dengue Fever, Civet, Bang Sugar
Bang.

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