Underground Bands and Indie Music Reviews

“What would happen if Jim Adkins, Ryan Adams, Ken Andrews and Matthew Sweet got trapped in an elevator together, for 12 hours, with nothing but water, a guitar and (obviously) a lot of time on their hands? This would happen.”

-Waleed Rashidi (THE INLAND EMPIRE WEEKLY)

Band: Science Fiction Theater

(Name inspired from a line from the Back to the Future trilogy.)

Genre: Indie-Rock

Located: Rancho Cucamonga, California

Band Members:

• Mike Jimenez
• Matt Jimenez
• Artie Marchain
• Jojo Casillas
• Jeremiah Trujillo

I saw this band last summer at the House of Blues in Las Vegas, NV.  They are as good live as they are recorded and they definitely have their own personality.

This French band, formed in 1995, is made up of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel. Air’s music could be classified as electronica or trip-hop. You can hear their influences of 1970 synthesizer sounds, psychedelic rock, and even a little bit of jazz in their many albums.

The duo released their first album, “Premiers symptômes” in 1999, followed by the release of “Moon Safari”, “The Virgin Suicides” (soundtrack), “10,000hz Legend”, “Talkie Walkie”, and “Pocket Symphony”. In 2009, Air released their most recent album, Love 2. Currently, they are on tour all over France to promote Love 2.

Here’s the track list for Love 2:

1. Love
2. So Light is Her Fall
3. Be a Bee
4. Missing the Light of the Day
5. Tropical Disease
6. Heaven’s Light
7. Night Hunter
8. Sing Sang Sung
9. Eat My Beat
10. You Can Tell it to Everybody
11. African Velvet
12. Au Fond Du Reve Dore
13. Danger Zone

Ladies watch out! This Irish-born musician, who is currently residing in Los Angeles, California, will make you swoon with his thick accent, cool love, and simplicity in sensitivity. David Hopkins just released his newest album, There are Debts–possibly one of the best underground albums of the year. The album’s headlining song, “There are Debts” features Damien Rice, a stylistically similar musician to Hopkins, as well as a close friend. You can  check out  There are Debts on David’s official website (davidhopkins.net), his myspace, or on itunes.

I recommend the ENTIRE album.  It is one that you wont want to end.  I have been listening to it for days. Here’s a taste of the delicious David Hopkins:

A little background:

Hopkins has been in the music business for several years establishing his name by working with other great artists such as Damien Rice, The Who, David Grey, The Fall, etc. His music has also been featured in soundtracks for several movies, including:  The Hottie & the Nottie with Paris Hilton and The Year of Getting to Know Us starring Lucy Lui, Jimmy Fallon, and Sharon Stone.