Greg Laswell played an in-store performance at Plan 9 this afternoon. Every song he played from his repertoire was quite sad and depressing. He even made a point of apologizing for bringing the mood down on such a beautiful day. He did manage, however, to make the somewhat small crowd enjoy the set he played. I don't know if it was the acoustics in the store or maybe new sound equipment of just the talent of Laswell and his band, but I have never heard a Plan 9 in-store sound that good. The sound just echoed off [...]
Is it possible that all great voices in the ever burgeoning class of singer songwriters are required to cover Cyndi Lauper's classic song Girls Just Wanna Have Fun? Awhile back Ben Gibbard weighed in with his opinion on how the song should sound. Then along came Mike Grubbs {aka Wakey!Wakey!} with his brilliant take. And because I've posted both of those tracks in the past I was nudged ever so gently toward another singer with a crystal clear voice who has taken his own tack toward this classic bopper tune. I must add that I [...]
In a completely unforeseen but totally rad event, Original Signal Recordings , Ingrid Michaelson's label stumbled upon my Ratatat post last week and decided OHWNT was a good place for some promo for their girl Ingrid. AND, they're giving me tickets to Ingrid's show on her first headlining tour as she stops at the Barrymore this Saturday for me to give away to you +1! You probably know Ingrid whether you've realized it or not. If you heard "The Way I Am" right now, you'd be like "oh, the Old Navy song". While it's wonderful [...]
As an unabashed child of the 80s, I grew up with a particular image of Cyndi Lauper in my head, and it wasn't pretty: hanks of bright-colored hair, that highpitched little-girl voice, the theme song to Goonies, that weird staged event with beer-bellied wrestler Lou Albano that years later comes across as even more creepy than it was back then. But something was in the air, even then -- something which didn't gell with that synth-heavy dance-pop production and bouncy airhead persona. It turned out other songwriters really respected Cyndi Lauper. [...]
It's BAAAAAAAACK! After the unfortunate hiatus thanks to the strike, Grey's was back last night with a new episode, "Where The Wild Things Are" that wasn't all that entertaining if you ask me. I was really disappointed in the big return but that's the way it goes sometimes. Perhaps I built it up too much in my mind...who knows. I was happy to see Cheech Marin on television again. I just love
San Diego, CA Greg Laswell has a few shows around the L.A. area and then he's off to Europe in support of his new EP How The Day Sounds . "Days Go On" Greg Laswell on MySpace Greg Laswell on The Hype Machine
SIDE A 1. Rosie Thomas - The One I Love (R.E.M. Cover) 2. The National - Mansion On The Hill (Springsteen Cover) 3. Iron & Wine / Calexico - Wild Horses (Rolling Stones Cover) 4. Wakey! Wakey! - Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs Cover) 5. Dawn Landes - Young Folks (Peter Bjorn & John Cover) 6. Beach House - Some Things Last A Long Time (Daniel Johnston Cover) 7. Whiskeytown - I Still [...]
Greg Laswell's title track from his new EP "How The Day Sounds." Originally from MPR: The Current Song of the Day on March 19, 2008, 10:00pm
Californian singer-songwriter Greg Laswell is set to follow up his critically acclaimed 2006 release Through Toledo with a new six song EP . How The Day Sounds will be released by Vanguard Records in March and will pave the way for his next album which is due during the summer. The EP sees Laswell moving to a more piano based sound reflective sound. Sounding a little as Elliot Smith might have sounded with Coldplay as a backing band Laswell writes slightly too intense [...]
When I first got the email about Greg Laswell , my first thought was why hadn't I heard about this guy yet. His music has been used in many television shows, including: Shark , Without A Trace , Smallville , One Tree Hill and The Hills . He was featured on NPR . He has been compared to Radiohead , Beck , Nick Drake and Coldplay to name a few. An EP will be released on March 11th. Look for [...]
Greg Laswell is set to release his new EP, How the Day Sounds , on March 11th courtesy of Vanguard Records. It will include six songs of amazing piano playing. As fans found out in the album, Through Toledo , Greg Laswell uses his music and lyrics to express true life accounts. So his music is intense and raw, not for the weak of heart. All tracks on the EP were written, recorded, produced and performed by Greg Laswell at his home studio. To me [...]
This past weekend I started working on a mix. I was trying to combine two of my favorite types of music...lo-fi indie, folk and/or bluegrass, with cheesy 80's pop music. My mission was to find some great covers of 80's pop music and compile them into a mix that sounded more like any respectable indie/folk mix you might share with a friend. I accomplished this task, and have been listen to the result ever since. Since I was so contented with the result I thought I would share the tracklisting with you and include a few links for [...]
One of my oldest and dearest friends has moved to Japan where she will be working for an undetermined amount of time. I don't think it sunk in completely yet—to not see my best friend in person for god knows how long. We've been friends for eleven years. Man, Judy Blume writes books about friendships like this… okay, no tears now. Really, I cry so easily. I made her a mixed tape as a parting gift. This is one of the tracks. It's called "Do What I Can" by Greg Laswell. It makes me think of standing outside on a [...]
Aug 27, 2007, 1:51pm
MVSW
Interesting Shows around Los Angeles: Monday 8/27 Sarah Silverman @ Largo Joss Stone @ Greek Theatre Tuesday 8/28 Gogol Bordello @ Music Box Theater The Watson Twins @ Spaceland Crowded House, Pete Yorn @ Greek Theatre Wednesday 8/29 Blonde Redhead @ Glass House Meiko @ Hotel Cafe As Tall As Lions @ Roxy The Like (Club NME) @ Spaceland Sham 69 @ House of Blues (Anaheim) Thursday 8/30 [...]
The first song of Greg Laswell's that I heard was a cover that he did of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun." His take on the upbeat pop song went in the opposite direction. He turned it into a piano ballad, and his flawless voice exudes a sense of heartbreak. After hearing this cover, I went searching for more of Greg's music. I found the song "Sing, Theresa Says" from his debut album, Through Toledo , and I really liked it. Normally, I would have purchased the album, but for [...]
As usual, I found my way to the Hotel Cafe on Friday night, which I tend to frequent about once a week these days. You get to listen to great music, hang out, get a drink or two, and all of that for less than 30 bucks. You can't beat that! The reason I went this time to see Brandon the Sideman play. I didn't even care who was backing him, which just happened to be Greg Laswell (who just happens to be amazing). There were [...]
One of my favorite songs and videos of 2006 was Greg Laswell's "Sing, Theresa Says." Well this year I have one more reason to love him: "Some boys take a beautiful girl And hide her away from the rest of the world but not me, I want to be the one in the sun... Oh girls they want to have fun " Need I say more? greglaswell.com Greg Laswell - Sing, Theresa Says Greg Laswell - Girls Just Want to Have Fun (Demo)
Like I said, this blog has hit 10,000 visits since its launch in mid-October. So, to thank all of you who have visited and continue to visit this blog, I wanted to do something special. So I've put together a list of some of my favorite indie pop songs, their correlating videos as well as mp3's and put them into what I'm calling the 'You Pop' compilation. So here we go! Loney, Dear - I Am John [...]
I saw Greg Laswell the same night as The One AM Radio & El Perro Del Mar , but I just had to talk about it in a separate entry because it deserves its own post. As great as the other two bands were, I knew that the set that would make my night would be Greg Laswell's. It was inevitable considering how much I've enjoyed and appreciated his music ever since I got it. Honestly, I was ecstatic before his set, and that has rarely ever happened to me before any concert (and [...]
What do breakup songs become, as the heartbreak recedes in the rear-view mirror and time heals the wounds of the jilted? Greg Laswell is finding out. It's going on three years since the Long Beach-raised, San Diego-based singer-songwriter wrote the material for his sophomore album, "Through Toledo" (released in July on Vanguard). It's a heartfelt dissection of the "sudden dissolution" of his five-year marriage. "After a while, the songs take on a life of their own; they become different things to different people," Laswell says. "And to me, they become songs of what I was then and am [...]
Richmond Playlist
The World Forgot
Oh, Warfair & Therapy
Cover Lay Down
Ingrained Refrains
5 Acts
Captain Obvious
Raised on Indie
one lonely horn
The Late Greats
Bring Me Up
Curiously Tasty Music
That lightning bolt was mine
Line of Best Fit
AM Music Blog
Fabulist!
Buzz Bands: Kevin Bronson on the music scene in Los Angeles and beyond
The Bee Gees – Tragedy (Equateur Remix)
Knickers - My Baby's Just A Baby EP review
Reptile Youth – Black Swan Born White
RECOMMENDED | Albatross – Murder/Caspers Theme [FREE DOUBLE A + REMIXES]
The Ruskettes - Tell Me Why Review
