WHEELS 2.0 LOVES L.A.

Things in MeTalkPretty land are exploding in a major way, which means that Jesse is still spinning label heads in the streets of New York. Meanwhile, I’m holding down the Wheels fort with some great new bands out of Los Angeles, along with a couple updates for the weekend. Tell us what you think of these bands and hip us to others we couldn’t live without if we only knew about them: [email protected].

ONE TO WATCH
Hypnogaja (www.myspace.com/hypnogaja): This multifaceted four-piece band out of Hollywood is quickly gaining steam, leading up to the June 30 release of Truth Decay. For each of the 13 weeks preceding the release, they’ve been putting up a free download to preview a running narrative centered around “the world’s dramatic, apocalyptic end and how life cycles into new chapters, sometimes with sudden force.” Songs like “Welcome to the Future” and “Sacrifice” vividly showcase the expansive stylistic range Hypnogaja purveys. Published by PEN Music Group, they’ve already scored placements on America’s Next Top Model, Las Vegas, Sex and the City and more. The band’s audience has grown organically through their extensive touring across the U.S. and Canada, and they’re on Twitter (www.twitter.com/hypnogaja) now, with almost 100k followers after just two weeks. You can see them live at the Troubadour this Saturday, and be sure to join them for the release party at The Key Club (June 29) celebrating the much-anticipated album.

ON DECK
Spirit Vine (www.myspace.com/spiritvine), a psychedelic blues/rock band, is currently in the studio recording their debut album. They call Aldous Huxley one of their biggest influences and come together “to reach higher ground and play and share some rock & roll.” It’s the kind of music that makes you want to roll around in the grass under the stars, but the band’s raw sensibilities make for a nice “swing around on the dance floor” vibe to complement the live show. Check them out if you’re in L.A.—they have upcoming dates at El Cid, The Silverlake Lounge and Spaceland.

BAND/ARTIST UPDATES
The Pennyroyals (www.myspace.com/pennyroyals): Since posting a five-song preview of their debut record one week ago on MySpace, The Pennyroyals are averaging 5-10k plays a day. In addition, they’ve garnered some major label interest in releasing the record, produced by Mike Plotnikoff (Buckcherry, All American Rejects, Hoobastank) and have several showcases lined up in the coming weeks.

Max Morgan (www.maxmorgan.com): Playing this Saturday (5/2) at the Viper Room. Max is also tweeting. Add him at www.twitter.com/maxmorganmusic and follow away.