Band of the Week: The Lights From Here

So, it's a funny story, I guess, because I first found out about local band The Lights From Here by doing a random search on myspace for bands that cited Austin’s instrumental rock superstars Explosions in the Sky among their influences.

Then, seeing that TLFH was from here in LA, I checked out the four songs they had posted, which were live performances from KXLU’s Demo Listen show off their then-forthcoming album.

And what I heard basically destroyed me...

The songs were stark and pretty and built up slowly and crashed in waves. They grabbed hold of you at key moments and let you soar along next to them at others -- which are all things that I love about music from that particular sub-branch of post rock.

But then a few months later, the band’s first album Like Ghosts With Steel Shoes came out, and it had all those tracks I’d loved before plus a number of songs that went in interesting, unexpected directions, like the drive-all-night-in-the-desert-with-the-top- down Truth or Consequences or the frenetic xylophone-player- gone-mad Birdmouth.

They’re playing this Saturday night at The Cocaine and they'll also appear at Zen Sushi later on in the month.

Suffice to say, I recommend listening to the new songs on they have on myspace, going to see them perform live, and picking up their album in the most direct and immediate manner possible.

Because they're yet another great band that calls this town home.

The Cocaine is located at 366 E. 2nd St. in Los Angeles, the cost is $5, doors open at 8, and Timonium, Tune To Me, Signal Hill, and The Drift are also playing.