(G) Earlimart. (Troubadour, May 21) Grade: A
I always thought this L.A.-based band was nice enough, but when they released Treble and Tremble, I fell in love. Their second LP is an absolutely fantastic record filled with rich detail. Everyone knows Aaron Espinoza's voice isn't v. strong, but at least they work with what they have, which is a lot of ideas and amazing production. This show was a homecoming of sorts that wrapped up their tour, and the crowd welcomed them back with open arms. Bravo.

(G) Architecture in Helsinki. (Spaceland, May 22) Grade: A-
Only two factors made this gig less appealing: the late hour (past midnight) and the ridiculously hot temperature (venue ventilation needed). Otherwise, these Aussies were absolute charmers and New Wave described them best by stating, "They act just like children." That they do. (Do the Whirlwind!) Their music is an interesting amalgamation of sounds that doesn't follow a strict verse/chorus/verse structure. They have the imagination of the now-defunct Unicorns, the stage presence of British Sea Power (complete with foliage) and the size and instrument range of Arcade Fire. Whew! I think I was sweating for more than one reason. My friend Steve did a great interview with them, which you can access here.

(G) Int'l. Noise Conspiracy/Trail of Dead. (Wiltern, May 26) Grade: C
My friend Leslie has always been a fan of INC, and I never could understand exactly why since it all sounded so mediocre and underwhelming. I went. I saw. And I was still sufficiently underwhelmed. The only entertaining part was singer Dennis Lyxzen's political rants mixed with his hilarious posturing. Weird combination to say the least. Oh, and the folks that ran up on stage just to be on stage, then looked completely lost as to what they should do next. Idiots. Get off the stage. Trail of Dead was far less entertaining. All their songs blended into each other and didn't come across v. well. Yawn. Not even those from their noteworthy Source Tags & Codes. Ah well. I got my friend drunk (unintentionally of course ... two drinks!) and that was somewhat amusing.