* En anglais uniquement
California band
James Supercave combines psych-rock aesthetics with a pop sensibility to create an artsy hybridized sound much like
Alt-J,
Tame Impala, or
MGMT. They issued their debut full-length Better Strange in 2016.
Formed in Echo Park as the primary vision of singer
Joaquin Pastor, the trio -- rounded out by
Patrick Logothetti (keyboards) and
Andres Villalobos (guitar) -- blend a range of influences and sounds, at once groovy and rhythmic, while also trippy and soulful. After a languidly sensual single (2012's "Georgian Orange"), they released their debut EP, 2015's
The Afternoon. Sandwiched between the lo-fi indie psych was the sprawling Baroque pop of "The Right Stuff," a song also featured on their debut LP released less than a year afterward. Better Strange was a fully focused realization of the complex sound they hinted at on
The Afternoon, honoring their
Radiohead,
Bowie,
Beatles, and
Talking Heads influences, while simultaneously giving nods to contemporaries like
Tame Impala and
Empire of the Sun. After touring the effort, they returned to the studio for a follow-up. The first fruits from the studio arrived in 2018 with "Something to Lose." They quickly followed with "Come Alone" and "Fools." All three tracks landed on their second EP, Alarm Will Sound, which arrived in early 2019. ~ Neil Z. Yeung