Seasons

Highland Park seven-piece Seasons are finally ready to release their anticipated full-length entitled Everything Changes on March 31. This is a group that has certainly dealt with change in the ebb and flow of being an indie band in Los Angeles, an experience which has inspired some very cinematic tracks which are just the right amount of busy. Earlier this month, Seasons released their DIY-style music video for Coppertone featuring bassist Adam Villanueva’s doodle-ish artwork which morphs into kaleidoscopic overlays. Although Seasons generally present as alt-psychedelia, Coppertone is largely an orchestral shout-along highlighted by violinist Kaitlin Wolfberg and trumpeter Dayna Richards. What starts off as trippy indie-electronica, quickly becomes a rambunctious mix of indie-rock, folk and hipster best-night-everness.

||| Live: Seasons plays at Harvard & Stone every Tuesday in March. - Buzzbands

The new album from L.A. septet Seasons was expected last fall, but as anybody who’s juggled an indie band with real-life issues knows, things change. That’s the theme of the aforementioned album, “Everything Changes,” as the band has regrouped from lineup changes and various existential issues to prepare their first release since their four-EP cycle between 2009 and 2012. The bands singer-guitarist Nik Garcia along with trumpeter Dayna Richards, violinist Kaitlin Wolfberg, keyboardist Ray G., bassist Adam Villanueva and percussionists Erik Morales and Jarett Villaneuva are still plying their deliriously cacophonous psych-rock. The title track builds from a plaintive keyboard progression and mournful violin phrase to a rambunctious shout-along, with Wolfberg answering Garcia’s calls to arms with a melody that in another context might be considered mopey. As there always is when you press play with Seasons, there’s a lot going on here.

||| Download: “Everything Changes” - Buzzbands

Scene regulars Seasons have largely been off the radar in the two years since they completed releasing their four-EP cycle “Spring”/”Summer”/”Winter”/”Autumn” between 2009 and ’12. There, the ensemble led by singer-guitarist Nik Garcia established themselves as sometimes-cinematic, sometimes-wonky psychedelic explorers. The septet is back this fall with the full-length “Everything Changes,” and if that title doesn’t suggest some existential navel-gazing, then you have the single “Used to Be Alive,” which laments, in apogean fashion, the detachment brought on by encroaching technology. Then there’s “Fossils,” which amid dream-state synths ponders the “remnants of my old life,” punctuated by Dayna Richards’ horn. Produced by Scott Colburn (an engineer on Arcade Fire and Animal Collective records, among other credits) and mixed by Dave Cooley, “Everything Changes” figures to offer an emotional opus on the passage of time by a band who have seen it.

||| Stream: “Used to Be Alive” and “Fossils” - Buzzbands

Los Angeles knows only three seasons: Spring, summer, and the beloved indie rock band out of Highland Park. Six years of seemingly playing second fiddle in the scene, Seasons have finally come into their own as one of the finer melodic rock bands in town (the addition of violinist Kaitlin Wolfberg is an absolute godsend). And with their newest EP "Autumn," the band has matured to a level of surprising sophistication that even longtime fans are listening to with smiles of paternal pride. You see, Seasons isn't one of those bands who come to Los Angeles seeking to be an overnight sensation. They were born and raised on these streets and take pride of every bump and bruise it took just to play music in front of people. One-hit-wonder hype may get you on Saturday Night Live, but it will never get you the respect of this city. And Seasons have earned every ounce of that. If you don't believe us just see who shows up to all the shows in January.

And so on Monday at The Echo, Seasons celebrates "Autumn" in the wintery month of January with friends One Trick Pony, Count Fleet, and Torches (formerly Torches in Trees). It is the fourth and final chapter of the Seasons EP releases ("Spring," "Summer," and "Winter" are all available on their Bandcamp) unless, of course, they get all meta and break down every solar pattern change into calendar units only found on ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, which could result in an infinitesimal amount of Seasons EPs -- which would be awesome. They'll be performing each of those EPs each week with probably many friends joining them so if for some reason you can't make it out on Monday be sure to see them sometime this month.

Seasons "Autumn" EP release is 1/2 at The Echo (Free/21+) followed by four free Mondays through January. EPs available on their Bandcamp. - LA Underground

Echoplex during this special Monday night, featuring the screening of the ‘Pass The Music’ Documentary and the release of local bands' videos.

The eight-piece band is obviously not afraid of the grandiose and soaring choruses, with three keyboards, guitars, trumpet, violin and a large rhythm section, their songs coming from albums inspired by the four seasons, can be some big tempestuous numbers with angry chords, romantic violin strings, and frontman Nick’s tenor voice soaring above the beautiful sonic chaos. It’s moody and unruly, operatic or poppy, dramatic or nostalgic, bouncy or soothing. That’s why it is so hard to describe their music, but at the end, you get the feeling that every one on stage has put a lot of passion into it. Last time I saw them, they had beautifully decorated the stage with flowers, and they hadn’t failed to the tradition this time, with electric snowflake garlands and fresh flowers, making the stage multicolor, at the image of their sound.



Their core members are Nik, John, Adam, Erik, Ray, Kaitlin, but more people had joined them on stage on Monday night, building a very layered and complex sound, with shimmering keyboards and glittering guitars, going from quiet and sweet melancholic moments to large sonic explosions unleashing some serious fury. Whatever you can say about their music, they do not belong to any known genre… may be psych-pop?



But they certainly built an infectious energy with their colorful and layered melodic music, which was just more heartbroken and romantic than your average pop. It certainly wasn’t conventional and its complexity didn’t follow any conventional paths at all, and may be that’s the reason why the Highland Park-based band has already built up a large following, dancing and having fun in the Echoplex on Monday night.



Whatever the season they were choosing I thought their set was overall sunny, at the exception of a few chaotic storms, just like any season in Los Angeles. - Rock NYC Live and Recorded

Echoplex during this special Monday night, featuring the screening of the ‘Pass The Music’ Documentary and the release of local bands' videos.

The eight-piece band is obviously not afraid of the grandiose and soaring choruses, with three keyboards, guitars, trumpet, violin and a large rhythm section, their songs coming from albums inspired by the four seasons, can be some big tempestuous numbers with angry chords, romantic violin strings, and frontman Nick’s tenor voice soaring above the beautiful sonic chaos. It’s moody and unruly, operatic or poppy, dramatic or nostalgic, bouncy or soothing. That’s why it is so hard to describe their music, but at the end, you get the feeling that every one on stage has put a lot of passion into it. Last time I saw them, they had beautifully decorated the stage with flowers, and they hadn’t failed to the tradition this time, with electric snowflake garlands and fresh flowers, making the stage multicolor, at the image of their sound.



Their core members are Nik, John, Adam, Erik, Ray, Kaitlin, but more people had joined them on stage on Monday night, building a very layered and complex sound, with shimmering keyboards and glittering guitars, going from quiet and sweet melancholic moments to large sonic explosions unleashing some serious fury. Whatever you can say about their music, they do not belong to any known genre… may be psych-pop?



But they certainly built an infectious energy with their colorful and layered melodic music, which was just more heartbroken and romantic than your average pop. It certainly wasn’t conventional and its complexity didn’t follow any conventional paths at all, and may be that’s the reason why the Highland Park-based band has already built up a large following, dancing and having fun in the Echoplex on Monday night.



Whatever the season they were choosing I thought their set was overall sunny, at the exception of a few chaotic storms, just like any season in Los Angeles. - Rock NYC Live and Recorded

The band: Seasons, an L.A. quintet.

The sound: On fresh material such as "Light, Lost" and "Of Our Discontent," Seasons crafts airy, spacious guitar rock. With local producer Raymond Richards on the boards (Local Natives, the Henry Clay People), the group's latest EP is full of polished touches -- a violin arrangement here, a slide guitar there -- but it's the sentimental tenor of Nik Garcia and Erik Morales' busy percussion work that keeps the songs anchored. It's not unlike the reverb-heavy material of Unheard alumni Young Hunting, though Seasons are careful to steer the music away from slumberland: On "Places," Garcia test-drives his best punk rock shout, while Morales cranks up the BPM on "Always."

The random: For their "Of Our Discontent" video, the band nabbed actress Mahaley Manning, best known for mean-girling poor Emma Stone in "Easy A."

The details: Seasons' "Winter" EP, released physically in September, is available now at Origami Vinyl and digitally on Bandcamp. The band will support Swahili Blonde's free residency at the Echo on Monday night and kick off a residency of their own at the venue in January. Keep an eye out for "Fall," the conclusion of the group's EP cycle, on Overheard Records early next year. - Los Angeles Times

The band: Seasons, an L.A. quintet.

The sound: On fresh material such as "Light, Lost" and "Of Our Discontent," Seasons crafts airy, spacious guitar rock. With local producer Raymond Richards on the boards (Local Natives, the Henry Clay People), the group's latest EP is full of polished touches -- a violin arrangement here, a slide guitar there -- but it's the sentimental tenor of Nik Garcia and Erik Morales' busy percussion work that keeps the songs anchored. It's not unlike the reverb-heavy material of Unheard alumni Young Hunting, though Seasons are careful to steer the music away from slumberland: On "Places," Garcia test-drives his best punk rock shout, while Morales cranks up the BPM on "Always."

The random: For their "Of Our Discontent" video, the band nabbed actress Mahaley Manning, best known for mean-girling poor Emma Stone in "Easy A."

The details: Seasons' "Winter" EP, released physically in September, is available now at Origami Vinyl and digitally on Bandcamp. The band will support Swahili Blonde's free residency at the Echo on Monday night and kick off a residency of their own at the venue in January. Keep an eye out for "Fall," the conclusion of the group's EP cycle, on Overheard Records early next year. - Los Angeles Times

Dear Seasons, please forgive me.

As you may recall, it was a miserable, chilly, rainy day when you came by for your session in February. I was not in a good mood. I was thinking about how I might stay warm, huddled in the rain between each session set, in the midst of five bands for the day. I was not focused on your performance at all. (Hey, I didn't have headphones either, so I had no idea what you were sounding like.)

Plus, there were alot of you. You crowded the studio. Having come in from the rain, it was a like a sticky fog in there. It was all your fault. I just wanted your session to end.

So imagine my surprise when watching your session videos this week to see that I actually missed one of our best sets of songs. While I was on autopilot, you were delivering the kind of passionate performances we always hope for.

I've now got your session videos in heavy rotation on my computer. You play emotionally-charged, rip-your-heart-out rock... but I also like the way you went all Radiohead on us with the mind-bendingly good "Homesick Atom". Unlike Thom Yorke's alien wail, your howls of pain are more authentically human, shrieking "goodbye" to some mysterious being...

So I am grateful, Seasons, that we have this keepsake from that dreary day.

Perhaps we shall meet again.. and next time, I'll be paying very close attention.

Sincerely,

Ted O'Neill - Groupee

Dear Seasons, please forgive me.

As you may recall, it was a miserable, chilly, rainy day when you came by for your session in February. I was not in a good mood. I was thinking about how I might stay warm, huddled in the rain between each session set, in the midst of five bands for the day. I was not focused on your performance at all. (Hey, I didn't have headphones either, so I had no idea what you were sounding like.)

Plus, there were alot of you. You crowded the studio. Having come in from the rain, it was a like a sticky fog in there. It was all your fault. I just wanted your session to end.

So imagine my surprise when watching your session videos this week to see that I actually missed one of our best sets of songs. While I was on autopilot, you were delivering the kind of passionate performances we always hope for.

I've now got your session videos in heavy rotation on my computer. You play emotionally-charged, rip-your-heart-out rock... but I also like the way you went all Radiohead on us with the mind-bendingly good "Homesick Atom". Unlike Thom Yorke's alien wail, your howls of pain are more authentically human, shrieking "goodbye" to some mysterious being...

So I am grateful, Seasons, that we have this keepsake from that dreary day.

Perhaps we shall meet again.. and next time, I'll be paying very close attention.

Sincerely,

Ted O'Neill - Groupee

I happened upon Seasons by fate last night at the well oiled machine that is Mr. T’s Bowl! This was my first time going to Mr. T’s in a very long time and I noticed that some remodeling had taken place in the period between the last time I was there and my latest visit. I could still smell the lacquer on the wood floor and it was all nice and shiny! Initially I went to see another band perform, but due to my granny lifestyle, I had to cut the night short. But, before my carriage turned into a pumpkin, I was fortunate to watch Seasons perform! I watched them set up. I watched many people go on stage and thought “Wow, they have a large crew!” All the people on stage were actually the band! Seven people made up Seasons last night, but it is my understanding that sometimes there are more musicians onstage with them. Instruments that I noticed were: two guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, laptop (is laptop considered an instrument now-a-days?), tambourines, hmmm, I’m sure I’m missing something, but that gives you an idea of how full their sound was and at the same time I’m sure it leaves you wondering!

When Seasons started to perform, the crowd gathered quickly to get a good spot on the floor, me included. It’s nice to see crowds. Lately, the shows I have been attending have been barren. Seasons opened their set with a lovely tune called “India.” That song was the deal breaker. I knew I was gonna like them when I heard it. They have a wonderfully layered sound that blankets you into a nice warmth and it made me forget how cold and rainy it really was. My favorite song of the night was “Empty Spaceships.” They made a touching dedication of this song to Mr. T’s long time sound engineer, Arlo. I was jelly of Arlo, I wanted them to dedicate that song to ME! It’s a very nice song.

I am uber fortunate to live in Los Angles. I can go out every night and walk into a club and find one or two bands that I will fall in love with. I know, I know…sometimes you may feel like there is a dry spell, but maybe it’s just because we aren’t looking as often as we should. We live in a music mecca! Last night was wonderful and I’m so glad that I stayed out past my bedtime for Seasons. They will be performing a couple more times this month. Check them out at the Food Not Bombs benefit at L’Keg on the 15th of February, you will be soooo thrilled that you did, also, they have an EP coming out in March and I hope it is heard all over your face!

Crissy S.
- Loudvine

I happened upon Seasons by fate last night at the well oiled machine that is Mr. T’s Bowl! This was my first time going to Mr. T’s in a very long time and I noticed that some remodeling had taken place in the period between the last time I was there and my latest visit. I could still smell the lacquer on the wood floor and it was all nice and shiny! Initially I went to see another band perform, but due to my granny lifestyle, I had to cut the night short. But, before my carriage turned into a pumpkin, I was fortunate to watch Seasons perform! I watched them set up. I watched many people go on stage and thought “Wow, they have a large crew!” All the people on stage were actually the band! Seven people made up Seasons last night, but it is my understanding that sometimes there are more musicians onstage with them. Instruments that I noticed were: two guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, laptop (is laptop considered an instrument now-a-days?), tambourines, hmmm, I’m sure I’m missing something, but that gives you an idea of how full their sound was and at the same time I’m sure it leaves you wondering!

When Seasons started to perform, the crowd gathered quickly to get a good spot on the floor, me included. It’s nice to see crowds. Lately, the shows I have been attending have been barren. Seasons opened their set with a lovely tune called “India.” That song was the deal breaker. I knew I was gonna like them when I heard it. They have a wonderfully layered sound that blankets you into a nice warmth and it made me forget how cold and rainy it really was. My favorite song of the night was “Empty Spaceships.” They made a touching dedication of this song to Mr. T’s long time sound engineer, Arlo. I was jelly of Arlo, I wanted them to dedicate that song to ME! It’s a very nice song.

I am uber fortunate to live in Los Angles. I can go out every night and walk into a club and find one or two bands that I will fall in love with. I know, I know…sometimes you may feel like there is a dry spell, but maybe it’s just because we aren’t looking as often as we should. We live in a music mecca! Last night was wonderful and I’m so glad that I stayed out past my bedtime for Seasons. They will be performing a couple more times this month. Check them out at the Food Not Bombs benefit at L’Keg on the 15th of February, you will be soooo thrilled that you did, also, they have an EP coming out in March and I hope it is heard all over your face!

Crissy S.
- Loudvine

I didn't take notes at this show and dragged my feet in getting around to writing about it, and I am afraid I can't do justice to what was a really splendid night of music in downtown Los Angeles; details are even more scarce than usual. The $6.50 beer at Bordello may be a wee bit unreasonable, but man does that room sound pretty.


The Hectors opened and they really benefited from a good sound system. I know places like Pehrspace and Echo Curio are their home, but their music (when it can be heard clearly) fills larger, more professional spaces. I think fuzz and buzz sounds better in large rooms when the tiny gaps in the noise can expand across the aire a bit. Corrine Dinner was taking shots of Jager again. It must be Super Hector Activator Fuel Ultra or some such thing.

They played a new song called "Your Favorite Year" and I'm mulling over right now whether or not it is the best song they're written. I've never seen The Cobra Lillies the same way twice, but this incarnation was easily my favorite. The freaky folk explosion band that includes most of The Monolators put Ema Tuennerman (of Ema and the Ghosts) in the lead vocal for a good portion of the songs, a fiercely efficient symbiotic relationship. Tuennerman's cool voice ads a steady hand to the hodgepodge of musical madness The Cobra Lillies create, and her relative youth is off-set (for the better) when she has a non-incorporeal backing band. Really marvelous stuff. Their set at The Eagle Rock Music Festival will be appointment music, if not the highlight of the day for you.
Seasons are the hardest band to quantify in Los Angeles. I can never seem to put into words what they remind me of or how their shows make me feel. It's an actual private project of mine to figure out how to write about them. On Tuesday night, I made some serious headway:

Seasons have the dynamics of psychedelic rock without the grimy cloud of sonic smoke that makes all psych rock sound the same. (You don't hear the psychedelic influence on the recordings as much as you do seeing them live.) The songwriting itself, conversely, can actually be pretty poppy at times. They have the intellectual curiosity, whimsy, and thoughtfulness of aughty indie rock in the vein of The Arcade Fire. The lead singer is animated but serious and emotional, and still intensely mysterious. There's seven guys in the band, so the soundscape is crowded and you benefit most from their live set by shiting your ear's perspective to individual members of the band, then back to the whole spectacular soup of sound. The mutual participation and equity between band members on stage is an enormous part of their identity.

I've seen them three times and never left feeling anything other than "Jesus. Whoa." Their song "Empty Spaceships" liberates repressed feeling, and then leaves one with a an oppressive sense of comfort instead. - Classical Geek Theatre

I didn't take notes at this show and dragged my feet in getting around to writing about it, and I am afraid I can't do justice to what was a really splendid night of music in downtown Los Angeles; details are even more scarce than usual. The $6.50 beer at Bordello may be a wee bit unreasonable, but man does that room sound pretty.


The Hectors opened and they really benefited from a good sound system. I know places like Pehrspace and Echo Curio are their home, but their music (when it can be heard clearly) fills larger, more professional spaces. I think fuzz and buzz sounds better in large rooms when the tiny gaps in the noise can expand across the aire a bit. Corrine Dinner was taking shots of Jager again. It must be Super Hector Activator Fuel Ultra or some such thing.

They played a new song called "Your Favorite Year" and I'm mulling over right now whether or not it is the best song they're written. I've never seen The Cobra Lillies the same way twice, but this incarnation was easily my favorite. The freaky folk explosion band that includes most of The Monolators put Ema Tuennerman (of Ema and the Ghosts) in the lead vocal for a good portion of the songs, a fiercely efficient symbiotic relationship. Tuennerman's cool voice ads a steady hand to the hodgepodge of musical madness The Cobra Lillies create, and her relative youth is off-set (for the better) when she has a non-incorporeal backing band. Really marvelous stuff. Their set at The Eagle Rock Music Festival will be appointment music, if not the highlight of the day for you.
Seasons are the hardest band to quantify in Los Angeles. I can never seem to put into words what they remind me of or how their shows make me feel. It's an actual private project of mine to figure out how to write about them. On Tuesday night, I made some serious headway:

Seasons have the dynamics of psychedelic rock without the grimy cloud of sonic smoke that makes all psych rock sound the same. (You don't hear the psychedelic influence on the recordings as much as you do seeing them live.) The songwriting itself, conversely, can actually be pretty poppy at times. They have the intellectual curiosity, whimsy, and thoughtfulness of aughty indie rock in the vein of The Arcade Fire. The lead singer is animated but serious and emotional, and still intensely mysterious. There's seven guys in the band, so the soundscape is crowded and you benefit most from their live set by shiting your ear's perspective to individual members of the band, then back to the whole spectacular soup of sound. The mutual participation and equity between band members on stage is an enormous part of their identity.

I've seen them three times and never left feeling anything other than "Jesus. Whoa." Their song "Empty Spaceships" liberates repressed feeling, and then leaves one with a an oppressive sense of comfort instead. - Classical Geek Theatre

WOW! is the best way to describe my second trip to planet Echo Curio Friday night (October 25, 2008). You know how, sometimes on the way to a show, you just know it's going to be great? Well, Friday was just such a night. Once again, some of the finest local communitarians were present to support four more great bands at a venue that is destined to become one of my favorite haunts.

Granted, the place can get pretty hot during the sets, but the homey, living room/curiosity shop character of the space is too inviting to let temperature fluctuations affect the experience. And to see the bands just set up and play with no special lights or fanfare or hoopla of any kind make you feel like you're privy to a secret rehearsal.

Arriving after 9:30 the audience was sparse as Les Blanks began their set. An enjoyable blend of classic garage rock with post punk leanings, the three piece band displayed range and versatility with Joshua Caldwell and Boomcat sharing vocal duties. I really liked the song "Well Rehearsed Last Words".

The place filled up pretty quickly, as Joshua pounded away on the keyboard in a kind of honky-tonk style, singing out in a voice resembling a blues-soaked, kick-ass punk, Boomcat on bass and Brian Soika added drums making for a rollicking start to the festivities.

I was really looking forward to Fol Chen since I haven't seen them since July and they're one of my favorite live bands. They never fail to prove a point. They began their set normally enough, but the heat got to them and they began disrobing until the stage looked like some high school flashback of a 'shirts vs. skins' event.

Their performance was unaffected as they tore through some of their great songs and even threw in a cover of a Mariah Carey song (and it was good!). Showing off their incredible range, they go from noisy, screaming rants down to the most fragile 2 and 3-part harmonies, and usually within the same song.

Fol Chen can do no wrong and they have the adoring following to prove it. I know. I'm one of them. In fact Adam and Melissa were the first two people I ran into when I got there that night.

I don't know how to describe Seasons except that, even though I've seen them before, they completely took me by surprise Friday. Their music defies easy categorization, so let's just say it's an amalgam of all kinds of rock from post punk to classic folk-rock to blues to rock-a-billy and lots in between.

I wasn't prepared for the writing skill and the variety of instrumental arrangements. Some songs were guitar-based, others were piano-based, some even tambourine-heavy. Lead singer, Nic, has a wonderful adaptable voice for whatever the song calls for. He can growl or he can purr.

Picked up their 12-song compilation CD that was being handed out and spoke with Nic, briefly, to ask about the nine musicians on stage with them. He said they're normally a seven-member unit but had assist from friends like Matt from Manhattan Murder Mystery on this night.

The CD even further reveals their range; some of the songs are really quite beautiful and others prove irresistible for dancing. This band definitely goes on my list of locals never to be missed. Seasons are on the bill for Rademacher's Monday night residency this week (Oct. 27) at the Echo, along with The Hectors and One Trick Pony. Of course, Thailand also play that night at the Silverlake Lounge, so I'll either stay one place or be running up and down Silverlake Boulevard all night.

The crowd thinned out a bit when Meho Plaza took the stage to finish off the evening. They play this noisy, playful electronica anchored with flashes of pretty indie rock melodies poking through the electro punk morass. It was a great, crazy eye opening way to end the night.

Met up with some great people this night and, once again, Echo Curio has me under it's spell.
In fact, I'll be back there Thursday night (October 30) to see Avi Buffalo. - Feed Your Head

WOW! is the best way to describe my second trip to planet Echo Curio Friday night (October 25, 2008). You know how, sometimes on the way to a show, you just know it's going to be great? Well, Friday was just such a night. Once again, some of the finest local communitarians were present to support four more great bands at a venue that is destined to become one of my favorite haunts.

Granted, the place can get pretty hot during the sets, but the homey, living room/curiosity shop character of the space is too inviting to let temperature fluctuations affect the experience. And to see the bands just set up and play with no special lights or fanfare or hoopla of any kind make you feel like you're privy to a secret rehearsal.

Arriving after 9:30 the audience was sparse as Les Blanks began their set. An enjoyable blend of classic garage rock with post punk leanings, the three piece band displayed range and versatility with Joshua Caldwell and Boomcat sharing vocal duties. I really liked the song "Well Rehearsed Last Words".

The place filled up pretty quickly, as Joshua pounded away on the keyboard in a kind of honky-tonk style, singing out in a voice resembling a blues-soaked, kick-ass punk, Boomcat on bass and Brian Soika added drums making for a rollicking start to the festivities.

I was really looking forward to Fol Chen since I haven't seen them since July and they're one of my favorite live bands. They never fail to prove a point. They began their set normally enough, but the heat got to them and they began disrobing until the stage looked like some high school flashback of a 'shirts vs. skins' event.

Their performance was unaffected as they tore through some of their great songs and even threw in a cover of a Mariah Carey song (and it was good!). Showing off their incredible range, they go from noisy, screaming rants down to the most fragile 2 and 3-part harmonies, and usually within the same song.

Fol Chen can do no wrong and they have the adoring following to prove it. I know. I'm one of them. In fact Adam and Melissa were the first two people I ran into when I got there that night.

I don't know how to describe Seasons except that, even though I've seen them before, they completely took me by surprise Friday. Their music defies easy categorization, so let's just say it's an amalgam of all kinds of rock from post punk to classic folk-rock to blues to rock-a-billy and lots in between.

I wasn't prepared for the writing skill and the variety of instrumental arrangements. Some songs were guitar-based, others were piano-based, some even tambourine-heavy. Lead singer, Nic, has a wonderful adaptable voice for whatever the song calls for. He can growl or he can purr.

Picked up their 12-song compilation CD that was being handed out and spoke with Nic, briefly, to ask about the nine musicians on stage with them. He said they're normally a seven-member unit but had assist from friends like Matt from Manhattan Murder Mystery on this night.

The CD even further reveals their range; some of the songs are really quite beautiful and others prove irresistible for dancing. This band definitely goes on my list of locals never to be missed. Seasons are on the bill for Rademacher's Monday night residency this week (Oct. 27) at the Echo, along with The Hectors and One Trick Pony. Of course, Thailand also play that night at the Silverlake Lounge, so I'll either stay one place or be running up and down Silverlake Boulevard all night.

The crowd thinned out a bit when Meho Plaza took the stage to finish off the evening. They play this noisy, playful electronica anchored with flashes of pretty indie rock melodies poking through the electro punk morass. It was a great, crazy eye opening way to end the night.

Met up with some great people this night and, once again, Echo Curio has me under it's spell.
In fact, I'll be back there Thursday night (October 30) to see Avi Buffalo. - Feed Your Head

Friday, April 10, 2009, I went to The Echo for the EP release of Seasons' Spring, hosted by Isgoodmusic and L.A. Underground. I was really looking forward to this, as their 14-song compilation from last year was, for me, one of last years best releases.

I arrived too late for The Hectors' opening set, and was sorry because I enjoy them whenever I see them. But it was time for Karin Tatoyan to take possession of everyone's attention. The music begins, and at first you feel like you've stumbled into the private sessions on the floor of, or under a table in, a psychiatrists office.

But, the more you hear the songs, the more their structure becomes apparent. You realize this art is carefully crafted to showcase the power and fury of Karin Tatoyan's performance and contrast it with the reserve and composure of her extraordinary cello player, Andrew Carter, and the steady pulse of her gifted percussionist, Thomas Greene. Karin looks like she could have been scraped up off the floor of the Whisky A Go Go (and the glitter came up with her) and Andrew looks like he just stepped out of the philharmonic. It's a wonderful disconnect that's both jarring and enticing.

She's obviously mining some very dark terrain and deeply personal emotions, but it's in the interest of her performance art. Meeting her off stage, she's open, warm and sweet, but obviously, a dedicated and focused artist who can unleash a fearless and ferocious stage performance.

Then there's the voice that is a remarkably flexible instrument. She coos and growls, roars and screams and everything in between. The music can be difficult and challenging, but underneath it all, it is also very beautiful. But she does tend to divide the audience between those who get up close to see what's going on and those who seek the refuge of the back wall. I've definitely seen bands who make me retreat as well, but Karin Tatoyan is not one of them.

Seasons came on around 11 and, with the sound of twittering birds, launched into "India", which is also the first cut on the EP. Also from Spring they played "Empty Spaceships" and "Song that You Know", along with new material that they just seem to keep grinding out. The highlight was when Corrine of The Hectors (above with Nic) joined them for a rousing cover of Brian Jonestown Massacre's "Anenome". It was an amazing mix because, not only did they recreate the BJM sound, but they still sounded like Seasons all the way through.

They appeared ready to play all night, but The Echo had other plans and cut them off at midnight, due to a dance party set to begin at that time. It was an abrupt ending, but it really didn't matter, Seasons had celebrated and swept the audience up with them and sent us home happy. - Feed Your Head

Friday, April 10, 2009, I went to The Echo for the EP release of Seasons' Spring, hosted by Isgoodmusic and L.A. Underground. I was really looking forward to this, as their 14-song compilation from last year was, for me, one of last years best releases.

I arrived too late for The Hectors' opening set, and was sorry because I enjoy them whenever I see them. But it was time for Karin Tatoyan to take possession of everyone's attention. The music begins, and at first you feel like you've stumbled into the private sessions on the floor of, or under a table in, a psychiatrists office.

But, the more you hear the songs, the more their structure becomes apparent. You realize this art is carefully crafted to showcase the power and fury of Karin Tatoyan's performance and contrast it with the reserve and composure of her extraordinary cello player, Andrew Carter, and the steady pulse of her gifted percussionist, Thomas Greene. Karin looks like she could have been scraped up off the floor of the Whisky A Go Go (and the glitter came up with her) and Andrew looks like he just stepped out of the philharmonic. It's a wonderful disconnect that's both jarring and enticing.

She's obviously mining some very dark terrain and deeply personal emotions, but it's in the interest of her performance art. Meeting her off stage, she's open, warm and sweet, but obviously, a dedicated and focused artist who can unleash a fearless and ferocious stage performance.

Then there's the voice that is a remarkably flexible instrument. She coos and growls, roars and screams and everything in between. The music can be difficult and challenging, but underneath it all, it is also very beautiful. But she does tend to divide the audience between those who get up close to see what's going on and those who seek the refuge of the back wall. I've definitely seen bands who make me retreat as well, but Karin Tatoyan is not one of them.

Seasons came on around 11 and, with the sound of twittering birds, launched into "India", which is also the first cut on the EP. Also from Spring they played "Empty Spaceships" and "Song that You Know", along with new material that they just seem to keep grinding out. The highlight was when Corrine of The Hectors (above with Nic) joined them for a rousing cover of Brian Jonestown Massacre's "Anenome". It was an amazing mix because, not only did they recreate the BJM sound, but they still sounded like Seasons all the way through.

They appeared ready to play all night, but The Echo had other plans and cut them off at midnight, due to a dance party set to begin at that time. It was an abrupt ending, but it really didn't matter, Seasons had celebrated and swept the audience up with them and sent us home happy. - Feed Your Head

Seasons filled every corner of the Echoplex stage with musicians ranging from a bongo player to trumpet players and decorations of seasons from Winter to Fall. The fully-fleshed out performance was rich with passion. The final band to take the stage was Manhattan Murder Mystery who stole a band member or two from Seasons. What was striking was the feeling of community at the event. And also, when MMM took to the stage, mayhem. The crowd exploded into a friendly mosh fest which eventually spilled onto the stage. I have to admit I may have skipped shooting some songs to join in the frenzy. - LA Record

Seasons filled every corner of the Echoplex stage with musicians ranging from a bongo player to trumpet players and decorations of seasons from Winter to Fall. The fully-fleshed out performance was rich with passion. The final band to take the stage was Manhattan Murder Mystery who stole a band member or two from Seasons. What was striking was the feeling of community at the event. And also, when MMM took to the stage, mayhem. The crowd exploded into a friendly mosh fest which eventually spilled onto the stage. I have to admit I may have skipped shooting some songs to join in the frenzy. - LA Record

You know that feeling you get, the one where it's the day after your blog presented a Seasons residency show at the Echo? And everything just seems dingier? The light burns a little dimmer? And it could have much to do with your various intakes the night before, this being a bill that boasted the presence of Seasons and Manhattan Murder Mystery, two bands whose music and presence in a room are conducive to overindulgence. Plus, the hot water in your shower wasn't working this morning, and you only lasted a few seconds under its unforgiving stream, long enough to wet your hair and provide the illusion of cleanliness, but you couldn't withstand the cold water nearly long enough to scrub the morning's torpor out of your pores or eradicate the stubborn remnants of Karen Centerfold's glitter. And, judging by the wide berth your coworkers were giving you all morning, you probably stank of liquor and filth, at least until you returned from your lunch break, at which point you resumed your usual odor of cigarettes and resentment. But, beyond the greasy hangover, you're hounded by the sense that the previous night was just too nice, the music was executed a bit too perfectly, the vibes were too positive, so much so that there had to be some dark undercurrent there, something sinister you weren't seeing. You're feeling good, is the problem, and you don't know how to reconcile this with ... anything, really. It stands athwart your entire worldview. And you know you're going to have to write about the show, because that's apparently what you're doing these days, but you really, really don't want to, because you don't want to let on that it left you feeling so ... good. A friend recently commented--and he meant it as a compliment--that whenever your writing flirts with "hippy-dippy optimism," it always manages to make a sharp turn back into skepticism and cynicism. And you agree with him that this is a wise course of action for a writer to take, as hippy-dippy optimism--as nice as it feels--should be at least slightly outweighed by the stern, soggy corrective of skepticism and cynicism. If nothing else, things are funnier that way. People laugh with you. But you find that you have nothing skeptical or cynical to say about this show. Everything you wrote leading up to it already had enough skepticism and cynicism lingering about it. You were privileged enough to be asked by Seasons to present the show--and, at this spiritually bereft moment in your life, getting asked to have a hand in an evening of music that you love is as close as you get to being called up the the bimah, or taking Holy Communion, or whatever it is people do. And still, every step of the way you treated the whole thing like a hilarious joke, lest anyone suspect the truth, which was that you were eager, excited, flattered, honored that artists you respect would wish to associate themselves with you and your writing. You're kind of a jerk sometimes. You want to act bashful and embarrassed and so-above-it-all that, when Ray from Seasons discovered you smoking outside the venue before the doors opened, he told the door guy that you were presenting, so you were allowed in to see the end of Downtown/Union's soundcheck. You want to act indifferent to the fact that the finest set you've yet seen from D/U occurred at "your" show (you want to remove those quotes, but you just ... can't ... do it), and that the show where Gerard from the Health Club nailed every song even though he made no secret of the fact that he felt like barfing was a very special 704 evening at the Echo. You'd like to pretend that having your name anywhere near Manhattan Murder Mystery's ongoing wildfire artistry is just one of those things--nice, you guess, but not really worth taking too seriously. You even want to feign nonchalance about Seasons dedicating the song "She Was Bob Dylan" to you--knowing as they do about your Bob Dylan problem (in fact, just this past Saturday night, John Seasons witnessed you performing a riveting, caterwauling rendition of "Day of the Locusts," unless he was already asleep in the backseat at that point)--even though you grinned like a much happier person than you are through the whole song, and you immediately wanted to tell everyone about it, even though, yeah, they were there, they saw it too. You want to play it cool in all these respects, but you don't think you can. And the only alternative is being absolutely sincere about what kind of night this was, and you don't think you can do that either.

You know that feeling? Well, yeah, I've got it pretty bad tonight. So I don't think I'm going to post anything on my blog. Hope you understand. - The 704 Blog

You know that feeling you get, the one where it's the day after your blog presented a Seasons residency show at the Echo? And everything just seems dingier? The light burns a little dimmer? And it could have much to do with your various intakes the night before, this being a bill that boasted the presence of Seasons and Manhattan Murder Mystery, two bands whose music and presence in a room are conducive to overindulgence. Plus, the hot water in your shower wasn't working this morning, and you only lasted a few seconds under its unforgiving stream, long enough to wet your hair and provide the illusion of cleanliness, but you couldn't withstand the cold water nearly long enough to scrub the morning's torpor out of your pores or eradicate the stubborn remnants of Karen Centerfold's glitter. And, judging by the wide berth your coworkers were giving you all morning, you probably stank of liquor and filth, at least until you returned from your lunch break, at which point you resumed your usual odor of cigarettes and resentment. But, beyond the greasy hangover, you're hounded by the sense that the previous night was just too nice, the music was executed a bit too perfectly, the vibes were too positive, so much so that there had to be some dark undercurrent there, something sinister you weren't seeing. You're feeling good, is the problem, and you don't know how to reconcile this with ... anything, really. It stands athwart your entire worldview. And you know you're going to have to write about the show, because that's apparently what you're doing these days, but you really, really don't want to, because you don't want to let on that it left you feeling so ... good. A friend recently commented--and he meant it as a compliment--that whenever your writing flirts with "hippy-dippy optimism," it always manages to make a sharp turn back into skepticism and cynicism. And you agree with him that this is a wise course of action for a writer to take, as hippy-dippy optimism--as nice as it feels--should be at least slightly outweighed by the stern, soggy corrective of skepticism and cynicism. If nothing else, things are funnier that way. People laugh with you. But you find that you have nothing skeptical or cynical to say about this show. Everything you wrote leading up to it already had enough skepticism and cynicism lingering about it. You were privileged enough to be asked by Seasons to present the show--and, at this spiritually bereft moment in your life, getting asked to have a hand in an evening of music that you love is as close as you get to being called up the the bimah, or taking Holy Communion, or whatever it is people do. And still, every step of the way you treated the whole thing like a hilarious joke, lest anyone suspect the truth, which was that you were eager, excited, flattered, honored that artists you respect would wish to associate themselves with you and your writing. You're kind of a jerk sometimes. You want to act bashful and embarrassed and so-above-it-all that, when Ray from Seasons discovered you smoking outside the venue before the doors opened, he told the door guy that you were presenting, so you were allowed in to see the end of Downtown/Union's soundcheck. You want to act indifferent to the fact that the finest set you've yet seen from D/U occurred at "your" show (you want to remove those quotes, but you just ... can't ... do it), and that the show where Gerard from the Health Club nailed every song even though he made no secret of the fact that he felt like barfing was a very special 704 evening at the Echo. You'd like to pretend that having your name anywhere near Manhattan Murder Mystery's ongoing wildfire artistry is just one of those things--nice, you guess, but not really worth taking too seriously. You even want to feign nonchalance about Seasons dedicating the song "She Was Bob Dylan" to you--knowing as they do about your Bob Dylan problem (in fact, just this past Saturday night, John Seasons witnessed you performing a riveting, caterwauling rendition of "Day of the Locusts," unless he was already asleep in the backseat at that point)--even though you grinned like a much happier person than you are through the whole song, and you immediately wanted to tell everyone about it, even though, yeah, they were there, they saw it too. You want to play it cool in all these respects, but you don't think you can. And the only alternative is being absolutely sincere about what kind of night this was, and you don't think you can do that either.

You know that feeling? Well, yeah, I've got it pretty bad tonight. So I don't think I'm going to post anything on my blog. Hope you understand. - The 704 Blog

Ugh.

(Oops. It's probably best not to open a positive review of an EP with the word "ugh." Such a choice can be misinterpreted by people who only read the first word of album reviews, and there are more people like that out there than you might think. That's basically how I read Pitchfork. But, in any event, I think it's necessary, and I assure you that the "ugh" in question is directed toward the reviewer and not the album under consideration. It's true. Read on.)

So. How are you enjoying the revitalized 704? It's going okay, I guess. In less than a week, we've been able to strike a nice balance between decent work, writing-for-the-sake-of-writing, and general silliness, which is all that any blog needs. (Did I just accidentally refer to myself as "we"? Jeez. I don't want to make a habit of that. As much as we'd like to, we're not tricking anyone into believing that The 704 is the responsibility of anyone but me. But sometimes even I get sick of using the word "I.")

But, even so, I had sort of planned on expanding the scope with the current post. Just to prove that I'm capable of it, I wanted to do a regular album review. You know? The type of thing Seasons could link to on their Facebook page without confusing and/or infuriating half the people who click on it. Something dribbling over with blurbable quotes. Something compact, incisive, and digression-free, something relentlessly to the point, something that would gracefully squeeze Seasons' vision into the clumsy vehicle of language, and leave my own vision (such as it is) stranded drunk on the side of the road, jumping up and down, waving its arms, desperate for attention, unheeded.

Alas, as you can see, I couldn't do it. And the clock is ticking, and I need to write something, because if I don't I may never write again. (Perhaps believing that is paranoid, but if paranoia can be used as a motivation to write every day, then hooray for paranoia.) But I didn't know where to start. A run-down of Seasons' ongoing musical evolution? An inquiry into the thematic role the seasons have played in Seasons' four EPs? An attempt to capture the remotely joyous strains of the opening track "Monday Night" in words?

Fine options, all of them, and I opted for none of the above. Instead, here I am trying to figure out why it is I can't get down to the business of reviewing this album. Which is okay, I guess. It would be dishonest to pretend that I'm not hounded by the above considerations. Posting a straightforward album review free of neuroses and self-obsession would be a pathetic attempt to play it cool. You're smart. You'd see right through it.

But then again, if this were a rare peek behind the scenes of my writing process, a once-in-a-lifetime pulling back of the curtain, then it might be interesting. But my curtain folded itself up into a hobo's bindle and hit the rails a long time ago. You can only pull a curtain back so many times before it grows restive and deserts you.

Ugh.

*

At this point in the cycle, it's probably foolish to read too much into the conceptual aspect of Seasons' output. When they wrote their first EP, they had all four seasons to choose from, and they opted to call it Spring. When their next EP was complete, of the three remaining seasons, Summer apparently seemed most apropos. The icebound songs of Winter made its title inevitable. Which leaves us with Autumn. And which seems more likely: That--in order to reach a good-faith fulfillment of a project that sounded like a great idea four years ago--Seasons wrote five songs with the intent of representing the season of autumn? Or that they wrote whatever songs they were inspired to write and, whatever the result, they were boxed in and had to call it Autumn?

Probably the latter. But still, viewing the songs through the prism of autumn can be fun, and I like to have fun.

If you think of autumn solely as the time of year when things die, you won't find Autumn to be particularly autumnal. But there's a falling action to the season--September and October's optimism giving way to November's cold despair, awaiting winter's chilly resolution--which is reflected in Autumn's rhythm.

The opening tracks--particularly "Monday Night," but also "These United States"--are glittery slices of psych-pop, which impose a sort of synesthesia on the listener: sounds that make you see colors. They're the type of songs that you're tempted to reach out and grab, if only your arm could penetrate the thick layer of THC that surrounds them.

The dream-fogged trip of "You Are" serves as a bridge between the EP's sunnier first half and the second half's impending storm: the desperate, aggrieved rumble of "Number of the Beat," a complex number animated by an ominously piercing violin; and the swaying epic closer "Lazy Bones," death-haunted and dour, featuring one the bravest and most affecting vocal performances you'll encounter anytime soon. It's a booming voice, pushed to its gravelly - The 704 Blog

Ugh.

(Oops. It's probably best not to open a positive review of an EP with the word "ugh." Such a choice can be misinterpreted by people who only read the first word of album reviews, and there are more people like that out there than you might think. That's basically how I read Pitchfork. But, in any event, I think it's necessary, and I assure you that the "ugh" in question is directed toward the reviewer and not the album under consideration. It's true. Read on.)

So. How are you enjoying the revitalized 704? It's going okay, I guess. In less than a week, we've been able to strike a nice balance between decent work, writing-for-the-sake-of-writing, and general silliness, which is all that any blog needs. (Did I just accidentally refer to myself as "we"? Jeez. I don't want to make a habit of that. As much as we'd like to, we're not tricking anyone into believing that The 704 is the responsibility of anyone but me. But sometimes even I get sick of using the word "I.")

But, even so, I had sort of planned on expanding the scope with the current post. Just to prove that I'm capable of it, I wanted to do a regular album review. You know? The type of thing Seasons could link to on their Facebook page without confusing and/or infuriating half the people who click on it. Something dribbling over with blurbable quotes. Something compact, incisive, and digression-free, something relentlessly to the point, something that would gracefully squeeze Seasons' vision into the clumsy vehicle of language, and leave my own vision (such as it is) stranded drunk on the side of the road, jumping up and down, waving its arms, desperate for attention, unheeded.

Alas, as you can see, I couldn't do it. And the clock is ticking, and I need to write something, because if I don't I may never write again. (Perhaps believing that is paranoid, but if paranoia can be used as a motivation to write every day, then hooray for paranoia.) But I didn't know where to start. A run-down of Seasons' ongoing musical evolution? An inquiry into the thematic role the seasons have played in Seasons' four EPs? An attempt to capture the remotely joyous strains of the opening track "Monday Night" in words?

Fine options, all of them, and I opted for none of the above. Instead, here I am trying to figure out why it is I can't get down to the business of reviewing this album. Which is okay, I guess. It would be dishonest to pretend that I'm not hounded by the above considerations. Posting a straightforward album review free of neuroses and self-obsession would be a pathetic attempt to play it cool. You're smart. You'd see right through it.

But then again, if this were a rare peek behind the scenes of my writing process, a once-in-a-lifetime pulling back of the curtain, then it might be interesting. But my curtain folded itself up into a hobo's bindle and hit the rails a long time ago. You can only pull a curtain back so many times before it grows restive and deserts you.

Ugh.

*

At this point in the cycle, it's probably foolish to read too much into the conceptual aspect of Seasons' output. When they wrote their first EP, they had all four seasons to choose from, and they opted to call it Spring. When their next EP was complete, of the three remaining seasons, Summer apparently seemed most apropos. The icebound songs of Winter made its title inevitable. Which leaves us with Autumn. And which seems more likely: That--in order to reach a good-faith fulfillment of a project that sounded like a great idea four years ago--Seasons wrote five songs with the intent of representing the season of autumn? Or that they wrote whatever songs they were inspired to write and, whatever the result, they were boxed in and had to call it Autumn?

Probably the latter. But still, viewing the songs through the prism of autumn can be fun, and I like to have fun.

If you think of autumn solely as the time of year when things die, you won't find Autumn to be particularly autumnal. But there's a falling action to the season--September and October's optimism giving way to November's cold despair, awaiting winter's chilly resolution--which is reflected in Autumn's rhythm.

The opening tracks--particularly "Monday Night," but also "These United States"--are glittery slices of psych-pop, which impose a sort of synesthesia on the listener: sounds that make you see colors. They're the type of songs that you're tempted to reach out and grab, if only your arm could penetrate the thick layer of THC that surrounds them.

The dream-fogged trip of "You Are" serves as a bridge between the EP's sunnier first half and the second half's impending storm: the desperate, aggrieved rumble of "Number of the Beat," a complex number animated by an ominously piercing violin; and the swaying epic closer "Lazy Bones," death-haunted and dour, featuring one the bravest and most affecting vocal performances you'll encounter anytime soon. It's a booming voice, pushed to its gravelly - The 704 Blog

" If your idea of a good music video includes a beautiful girl running away from sandman-esque stalkers set to the flowing vibes of Season's song 'Light, Lost', well then this video is for you. If you didn't see the band premiere the video earlier this week after their set at Spaceland then you can certainly watch it here. The video is directed by Christopher J. Ewing and is nothing less than delightful. " - The Deli

" If your idea of a good music video includes a beautiful girl running away from sandman-esque stalkers set to the flowing vibes of Season's song 'Light, Lost', well then this video is for you. If you didn't see the band premiere the video earlier this week after their set at Spaceland then you can certainly watch it here. The video is directed by Christopher J. Ewing and is nothing less than delightful. " - The Deli

" Nothing says 'ultimate music video masterpiece' than an opening where a cute redhead is being dragged by the foot by a mysterious packaging peanut monster. Combined with a laidback, lazy day song by psychedelic band Seasons, it certainly ups the quirk level to endearing - despite the creepy styrofoam popcorn beings. Music video director Christopher J. Ewing, particularly chose to film on location at a unique Southern California hippie commune, in order to "properly achieve the Pee Wee's Playhouse meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe." Lovely, indeed. " - The Indie Music Database

" Nothing says 'ultimate music video masterpiece' than an opening where a cute redhead is being dragged by the foot by a mysterious packaging peanut monster. Combined with a laidback, lazy day song by psychedelic band Seasons, it certainly ups the quirk level to endearing - despite the creepy styrofoam popcorn beings. Music video director Christopher J. Ewing, particularly chose to film on location at a unique Southern California hippie commune, in order to "properly achieve the Pee Wee's Playhouse meets Texas Chainsaw Massacre vibe." Lovely, indeed. " - The Indie Music Database

" Experimental psychedelic rock sprinkled with a bit of electronic music. " -- Seraphina L. - BeatCrave

" Experimental psychedelic rock sprinkled with a bit of electronic music. " -- Seraphina L. - BeatCrave

" The Highland Park assemblage known as Seasons are a glorious mess.The seven- or (sometimes) eight-piece makes lovingly off-kilter neo-psychedelia full of palpable energy and exposed nerves, startlingly pretty one moment and earplug-worthy cacophonous the next. When these guys nail it they are calamitously good. " -- Kevin Bronson [Buzzbands]


- Buzzbands

" The Highland Park assemblage known as Seasons are a glorious mess.The seven- or (sometimes) eight-piece makes lovingly off-kilter neo-psychedelia full of palpable energy and exposed nerves, startlingly pretty one moment and earplug-worthy cacophonous the next. When these guys nail it they are calamitously good. " -- Kevin Bronson [Buzzbands]


- Buzzbands

" Highland Park's Seasons really pile on the shimmering keyboards, fuzz-heavy guitars, saturated synths, loads of effects pedals and an occasional beating laptop, accordion or harmonica riffing in the background. Their sound is full and showy, building up to great heights then lilting low into soft, cuddly breakdowns. These guys are true sentimentalists, with their Christmas lights strewn on the stage and "I Heart Highland Park" stickers on their gear, hints of late nights listening to the Cure and the Beatles' love songs over and over again are evident in their work.They've played around town a ton and made a place for themselves on several "band to watch" lists. " -- Wendy Gilmartin - LA Weekly

" Highland Park's Seasons really pile on the shimmering keyboards, fuzz-heavy guitars, saturated synths, loads of effects pedals and an occasional beating laptop, accordion or harmonica riffing in the background. Their sound is full and showy, building up to great heights then lilting low into soft, cuddly breakdowns. These guys are true sentimentalists, with their Christmas lights strewn on the stage and "I Heart Highland Park" stickers on their gear, hints of late nights listening to the Cure and the Beatles' love songs over and over again are evident in their work.They've played around town a ton and made a place for themselves on several "band to watch" lists. " -- Wendy Gilmartin - LA Weekly

" In the last year, Highland Park's Seasons has become one of the more ubiquitous bands in the L.A. scene. Their sound is a pure product of their influences, a fusion of indie rock, 80's synth, folk rock, and garage blues -- so if you're thinking Beck, you're in the right neighborhood. " -- [LA Underground]

- LA Underground

" In the last year, Highland Park's Seasons has become one of the more ubiquitous bands in the L.A. scene. Their sound is a pure product of their influences, a fusion of indie rock, 80's synth, folk rock, and garage blues -- so if you're thinking Beck, you're in the right neighborhood. " -- [LA Underground]

- LA Underground

" It's so odd how Seasons' newest EP Winter fits right into this summer. It's the kind of music you want playing in the sweltering heat of your non air-conditioned apartment, just to let its sound swell your overheated thoughts until they are numbed still. Perhaps it's the music's perky sound - tingling keyboards and shimmering, synth-infused instrumentals - against longing vocals. The riffs are high-pitched yet entrancing in their reverberations. Seasons is a five-man band from the Los Angeles area - Highland Park to be precise. Snug in their L.A. scene, they've made a great impression on indie fans for their mix of genres from garage blues, Beach Boy-esque riffs, synth, and folk rock. Winter will win your little indie heart. " -- Esther Tran-Le [Performer Magazine]

- Performer Magazine

" It's so odd how Seasons' newest EP Winter fits right into this summer. It's the kind of music you want playing in the sweltering heat of your non air-conditioned apartment, just to let its sound swell your overheated thoughts until they are numbed still. Perhaps it's the music's perky sound - tingling keyboards and shimmering, synth-infused instrumentals - against longing vocals. The riffs are high-pitched yet entrancing in their reverberations. Seasons is a five-man band from the Los Angeles area - Highland Park to be precise. Snug in their L.A. scene, they've made a great impression on indie fans for their mix of genres from garage blues, Beach Boy-esque riffs, synth, and folk rock. Winter will win your little indie heart. " -- Esther Tran-Le [Performer Magazine]

- Performer Magazine

" Seasons played a strong set, and featured a handful of tunes that was catchy, whimsical rock reminiscent of yesteryear. “Real Dreams” was one of my favorite songs of their set. It was an infectious rock ballad with melodic layering like that of the Beach Boys. " -- Jackie Lam [Radio Free Silverlake]

- Radio Free Silverlake

" Seasons played a strong set, and featured a handful of tunes that was catchy, whimsical rock reminiscent of yesteryear. “Real Dreams” was one of my favorite songs of their set. It was an infectious rock ballad with melodic layering like that of the Beach Boys. " -- Jackie Lam [Radio Free Silverlake]

- Radio Free Silverlake

One kickass neighborhood (A feature pictorial with two photographs of Seasons performing at the ninth annual Eagle Rock Music Festival.) - Citizen L.A.

Highland Park—local, indy band, Seasons, played a landmark performance at this year's ninth annual Eagle Rock Music Festival. The eight-piece ensemble set up shop in front of the American Tire Depot (who provided a stage and electricity for the event), and attracted and entranced a crowd upwards of 300. Their energetic, catchy, and contagious rock-pop tunes had dedicated fans buying the new EP CD, "Seasons EP," after their performance. Seasons was featured on a bill of 40 bands, including The Mormons, The Monolators, and Dengue Fever, to name a few. The band performed before a growing audience, ranging from teenagers and young adults, to working guys and gals, stay-at-home moms, and grandparents with their grandchildren. Seasons had fans dancing and singing along, while photographers and filmmakers documented the festivities. With presence from community members, such as, Gus of Mr. T's Bowl (the night club), and Asa of Kind Hearts and Coronets (the band), Seasons played a performance to make Highland Park proud. - www.50mmlosangeles.com

Highland Park—local, indy band, Seasons, played a landmark performance at this year's ninth annual Eagle Rock Music Festival. The eight-piece ensemble set up shop in front of the American Tire Depot (who provided a stage and electricity for the event), and attracted and entranced a crowd upwards of 300. Their energetic, catchy, and contagious rock-pop tunes had dedicated fans buying the new EP CD, "Seasons EP," after their performance. Seasons was featured on a bill of 40 bands, including The Mormons, The Monolators, and Dengue Fever, to name a few. The band performed before a growing audience, ranging from teenagers and young adults, to working guys and gals, stay-at-home moms, and grandparents with their grandchildren. Seasons had fans dancing and singing along, while photographers and filmmakers documented the festivities. With presence from community members, such as, Gus of Mr. T's Bowl (the night club), and Asa of Kind Hearts and Coronets (the band), Seasons played a performance to make Highland Park proud. - www.50mmlosangeles.com

"...[We] definitely want to include you all in our next year's event. I really like Seasons."

see you there, cheers,
Kershona - Old Pasadena Management