Sometimes, background music moves to the foreground. That’s the case with today’s guests, guitarist Zac Sokolow, bassist Jake Faulkner, and drummer Nicholas Baker. Together, they form LA LOM, short for the Los Angeles League of Musicians. In 2019, they were hired to bring suitably vibey music to the lobby of the historic Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard. Employing a rotating cast of guest players, they filled the air with twangy cumbias, boleros, chicha, and reverberating Bakersfield-style twang. Eventually people began taking notice, as vivid performances clips began to go viral. 

On this week’s all new episode of Transmissions, the trio joins us to discuss their self-titled debut album. Though La Lom first came to prominence for its covers, the new outing presents all original material, which ranges from Latin shuffles to cinematic noir soundscapes and soulful ballads. Released by legendary jazz label Verve, it represents the start of a new chapter for La Lom. Fresh off the road from opening for Vampire Weekend, Zac, Jake, and Nicholas join us for a conversation about the music past and present, the allure of late night radio, covering Selena, and so much more.

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