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A friend IM'd to me the MySpace page of a band called The Little Ones. An LA band. The MySpace music player started into "Lovers Who Uncover" and before the song had ended I was on the band's website and ordering a copy of its upcoming EP (that will ship on April 10th). Yes, the song is that immediate, that likeable, with the kind of pop smarts that make The Shins so lovable. A few bars of handclaps and a "Hey! Hey! Hey" shoutalong are the icing on the cake. The band's singer/guitarist, Ed Reyes, was formerly of Sunday's Best (which had albums out on Jade Tree). The Little Ones' new EP, to be released on Branches Recording Collective, was recorded by David Newton (of The Mighty Lemon Drops) and mixed by Tony Lash (member of Heatmiser). - Coolfer.com
I saw Little One merely by chance at a place called Little Pedro's in Downtown, L.A. While people lined up for the Tetris tournament I was wondering who this "Little One" would be. I started to notice some fellows meandering about and tinkering with gear. They looked suspiciously like members from Sunday's Best, remember them? They were, but that's only half the band. This is a pop-ensemble in the vein of The Shins, Modest Mouse, and Olivia Tremor Control with some occasional tropical flair. They were confident and charming fellows driving pop hooks into my brain. Where the hell did this band come from? Will I get to play Tetris? Sing Song is an outstanding 6-song EP and could easily pass as a mini-album.
There's a whole lot of bells, keys, jangly guitars, some flute, and loads of sing-a-long vocal harmonies. This is a band that L.A. desperately needs with all the new wave, rock impostors springing up every week xeroxing a sound that is tired and uninteresting. "Lovers who Uncover" is a straight-ahead pop gem with an infectious chorus. "Cha Cha Cha" has some really nice guitar work and a keyboard melody that reminds me of stepping off an airplane onto my own private island. "High on a Hill" is reminiscent of many Elephant 6 bands with it's anthemic drumming and marching rhythm. The other tracks never let up either. Once you get grooving into a chorus or verse something else about the song springs up and demands attention.
I get the feeling that Little One have somehow been set free from something. There's a specific, endearing joy in every song. Their EP is so uplifting and easy to love you could play it for a class of first graders, or people of any age for that matter, and they would like it for many of the same reasons you would. That's a quality rarely experienced in pop music these days. Cheers to Little One. Highly Recommended!
They have a FREE gig coming up at Spaceland on Monday, February 6th with resident band Willowz. - Autopiamusic.com
The Little Ones want to be kept somewhat of a secret for now. Unfortunately for them, I’m just the kind of asshole that had to say “I really don’t give a shit, I’m going to write about you anyways.” Los Angeles needs the heads-up to pay attention to the Little Ones. Since I’m generally pretty damn lazy this is a big fucking deal. The Little Ones balance perfectly layered guitar and keys against angelic vocals that add up to some seriously catchy songs. Not formulated catchy. Addictive catchy. “High On A Hill” will get lodged in your brain for days.
Two of the Little Ones – Lead Vox / Guitarist Ed Reyes, and Guitarist Ian Moreno- came from the indie band Sundays Best, signed to Polyvinyl Records, which was put to rest in ’02. Some of Sundays’ “indie pop sensibilities” have carried over, but for the most part the Little Ones have contained a finely crafted, heavenly new sound. Currently, the Little Ones are sneaking around under the radar, playing shows and not telling anyone about them (people show up anyways). Their last show at the Echo was one of what will hopefully be a string of shows to prove that I’m not completely full of shit. Their full-length dubbed SingSong is almost ready for release, and if we’re lucky they’ll let us know about it.
March 2nd @ The Echo
(didn’t write about the other bands playing.. b/c honestly.. I had way too much whiskey. Will write about at least 2 bands on any bill in the future.)
- larecord.org
Discography
Sing Song EP (Branches Recording Collective)
Photos
Bio
In the land of White Noise, there lay a vast corporate landscape, which seasoned every major highway and small backcountry road for as far as the eye could see. The world itself tilted off its axis while all the powers that be played an eternal game of tug of war. The Little Ones felt so insignificant against the bigger picture. There were no new tales to tell and they felt stuck right where they started. Until one day there was a spark. They found it right outside their window. It was the branches that pointed them in the right direction. Although insignificant as it seemed, it reminded them what if felt like to forget.
The Little Ones quickly realized that their only weapon against reality was their imagination. They embarked on a radical experiment: to see if they could convince themselves that everything was going to be all right. They spent majority of their nights holed up in their studio affectionately named Uncle Lees. There were many songs written and many songs abandoned. At times, they felt their muse had left the building. Still afraid of the world outside, they adopted a just write and dont tell anyone policy that lasted for more than a year. As the experiment grew longer and longer, they grew weary that they could no longer follow the path they started down. One by one, each of the Little Ones wanted to stray. A new barometer needed to be set. They came up with Uncle Lees Rule of Feet. The rule stated that a song was deemed appropriate if, and only if; each of the Little Ones feet could shuffle. Once they adopted this new rule they began to realize what they had right in front of them.
Excited with the prospect of having songs that fit Uncle Lees Rule of Feet they brought them to David Newton (The Mighty Lemon Drops). He too abided by the rule and helped document their discoveries to tape. After some gut-wrenching and knob-twiddling they produced six songs, which fit their new rule of thumb. These rollercoaster sessions yielded a collection of songs that showcased their love for subtle textures, rhythmic pulses, and sharp melodies. With each breath of the mellotron or shake of the shaker, the Little Ones created their own aural reality. What they did not expect was that it would have some effect outside of just the Little Ones. Those who bear witness were taken by the Caribbean undertones of Cha Cha Cha, the Motown backbeat of Oh, MJ!, and the percussion driven High on a Hill. Some of the Little Ones began to notice the social effects of Sing Song. Listeners felt the need to share their experience with others. Audiences felt the need to move closer. They suddenly realized that other peoples feet were moving.
All members of the Little Ones lives were intertwined in some way over the years (siblings, past bands, hometowns, or childhood friends). There were circumstances that brought these individuals and their feet together. The world may be off its axis, but the stars will inevitably align. The Little Ones, with Sing Song in hand, journey out of City of Angels to bring a new aesthetic. They want you to take a good look outside your window and see what it is like to forget even for just a second. Its right in front of you.
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