Music
Press
The members of Ladies and Gents all grew up listening to different bands, and though they disagree on most music, somehow when they come together they create solid, unified, guitar-driven indie rock. For comparison, listeners could probably cite The Pretenders, The Strokes, Sahara Hotnights, Blondie, and Bloc Party, but with a dose of originality that makes them more than just a mash-up of influences. - Verbicide Magazine/Scissor Press
On their myspace page they claim to sound like Sunday brunch but they sound more like an overflowing yoghurt pot of sullen Long Blondes after a relationship breakdown, The Cranberries with a rocket up their arse and All About Eve after a huge dose of adrenalin.
Elegantly magical. - The Devil Has The Best Tuna
I’m not usually a fan of female vocals, but Ms. Avtar K of Ladies and Gents has won me over; I have fallen for her deliciously languished sound, tinged with Shirley Manson. Her sleepy, nicely worn sound feels harsh yet sultry, a perplexing combination, but the effect is perfect against the roughly structured guitars and punchy drumbeats. Think Bloc Party without the punk, but maintaining all the classic, blackened edge.
Guitar harmonies have this great kind of tentative anxiety that throws you into almost convulsive fits of dancing à la Ian Curtis. Lilted basslines combine well with assertive, pointed drumbeats and emphatic guitars. The kickass track ‘Monsters’ gives off a louder, more energetic example of this, with its visceral lyrics.
The Ladies and Gents sound is dark in the way of black eyeliner and dirty bars. It has a sort of raw darkness that belongs to the night, and to stages lined with electrical tape. It’s edgy and mysterious——akin to meeting a dark, seductive stranger in the back of the club. ‘hardHeart’ reveals this brilliantly, with its quieter vocals and slower tempo at the beginning, “leading you on” until it gets into its driven chorus.
There’s a certain nervous excitement going on in the background at all times, translating into a subtly frenetic rhythm tempered by those sexily lethargic vocals. The delicate balance of energy and lethargy is a conundrum, and through all that confusion, you get a truly excellent and strange combination. - TuneJar.com
Discography
EP: "are you the rabbit, or the headlights?"
"Monsters" was selected to be on a Midfinger Records compilation CD for Busta Magazine in Italy. 20,000 copies will be distributed.
We have received airplay on local college and internet radio and "Song 9" is currently in rotation at various LA clubs.
Photos
Bio
911 OPERATOR: 911 what is your emergency?
CALLER: Uh yeah, our power went out.
911 OPERATOR: There are indeed power outages all across Southern California at this time, but...
CALLER: Yeah, exactly. We play all over Los Angeles! Spaceland, The Echo, Silverlake Lounge...
911 OPERATOR: I'm sorry who am I speaking with?
CALLER: We're LADIES AND GENTS...you know...the indie rock band...
911 OPERATOR: Ok well you need to call your power provider, this line is reserved for emergencies.
CALLER: Oh no, this IS an emergency! We're in the middle of writing some new tunes, and since the power's out our amps don't work.
911 OPERATOR: Sir, I mean Ma'am, I mean.....Ladies and Gents, like I said, you need to call...
CALLER: Nice! You remembered our name. It's a pretty accurate title; 2 gals, 3 dudes. And none of us looks the same. We're kind of like the Brangelina clan...but we rock...
911 OPERATOR: I'm not sure how to get through to you...
CALLER: Oh that's easy! You can find our music on Myspace, iTunes, CD Baby, Reverb Nation, Our Stage, Tunejar, Little Radio, Facebook, SnoCap and Last.fm.
911 OPERATOR: You don't seem to understand....
CALLER: Sorry, we're a little distracted; working on our new record here. Remember our first EP, "Are You The Rabbit, Or The Headlights?" It was pretty well received. Verbicide Magazine even called us one of the "Top 5 Unsigned Bands in Indie Folk Rock", so we have a lot to live up to on our second record, know what I mean?
911 OPERATOR: Not really, but listen...Please call you're power provider. And don't call here again.
CALLER: Don't worry. We're planning a West Coast Tour for early next year followed by a visit to Mexico. So we'll be talking to other local, magical, helpful voices on the other end of the cord.
911 OPERATOR: You stun me.
CALLER: Whoaaaa I smell a name for the new record...
911 OPERATOR: Please don't...
CALLER: So what are you wearing?
DIAL TONE
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