Photo by Sarah Negahdari

Little Red Lung is the ideal choice to feature in the first podcast episode of the new year because ZYZXX believes that they are THE band to watch in 2012. Enchanting, unpredictable, theatrical and beautifully textured, Little Red Lung wrap their twisting and turning melodies around you, lulling one into the blissful hypnosis of a dark and blustery fairytale-hued night. Look for a release from them sometime in the spring. Also in this episode, the ZYZXX Actors Studio re-enact real and unedited advice as found on the World Wide Web.

This week's featured band Evil Beaver, and their bad-ass bassist and vocalist will rock your tits off. Also, be sure to pack your opium pipe and make sure the absinthe spoon is polished, because this episode features Sugar T Russell and her Old Hollywood Film Reviews.

Making a whole slew of folks happy in Los Angeles and beyond, The Ethers have reunited, after ten years of leaving us all in a state of longing for their soulful, dynamic ethereal rock and roll bliss. This weeks podcast features two of my favorite tunes taken off their rereleased, remastered, remixed and absolutely beautiful sounding self-titled album. Also featured this week is a bit based on a column I used to do in the fanzine version of ZYZXX called... the Email the Result!  Download the podcast now to hear it all!

What drew me to the music of Los Angeles band Great Northern was its ability to get me to visit both the darkest corners and highest mountain peaks of my psyche simultaneously. Meshing reflective, searching lyric with an anthemic musical sense, Great Northern creates an ocean swell of dynamic, atmospheric textural sound.   I sat down with Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte in a lively Los Feliz bar to chat about their experiences in recording the upcoming album, their music in general and of course, childhood injuries. Download Episode 4 to have a listen to the interview, some music from their past releases and... a demo version of a song from their upcoming new release!!! 

The song this week is special for several reasons. One, it is a song, previously unpublished, written by the great 20th Century American composer Harry Warren. And two... it was recorded by a singer whose music and voice is very near and dear to ZYZXX, Ruby Friedman. Ruby has recorded a handful of contemporary versions of his tunes for the Harry Warren folks as part of The Department of Harry Warren project. All beautiful renditions, as is to be expected from the hugely talented leader of the RFO. Enjoy her haunting and lovely recording of "Welcome To The Party."

The ZYZXX Song of the Week "Tonight" is merely a tantalizing tease for what you get from former Mexican and now Los Angeles based garage-punk band Le Butcherettes. The trio's leader, the commanding and terrifically terrifying Teri Gender Bender, will force you to your knees with her raw in-your-face, up-your-dress energy as she growls, prowls and screams amid an aural barrage of filthy grooves and raw intensity. ZYZXX likes. "Tonight" is on their latest album Sin Sin Sin released on Rodriguez Lopez Productions. 

The ZYZXX Podcast Song of the Week is "Every Third Hour," a tune by Sacramento based band Sister Crayon. Their album Bellow has been the soundtrack to my morning drive pretty much non-stop since I picked up this release a few months ago. Gorgeous, melodic, shimmering, ethereal, moody... perfect to help my mind float as I fight in body through a typical Los Angeles commute. Go to their website to get yourself some. Sister Crayon Website Click Here!

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This weeks featured song, "Where I Begin" by Johnny Bertram & The Golden Bicycles is off of their release Days That Passed. One of the most stellar songwriters out there right now, Bertram's folk-rock leaning tunes can be both delicate and boldly dynamic, and always shimmer with insightful and powerful poetic beauty. Visit his website here www.johnnybertram.com.

ZYZXX has been a longtime fan of the lovely, talented Eleni Mandell, who is currently in the studio finishing up a new album. Episode 3 features an interview with Eleni, who caught us up on the upcoming release and what life is like as a rockin' mother of nine month old twins! Also in this episode, the newly formed ZYZXX Actors Studio reenacts real advice from the World Wide Web, and Sugar T Russell sits with Errol Flynn to review new Hollywood crap. Email love letters and hate mail to the ZYZXX Podcast at [email protected].

MEN is JD Samson from Le Tigre's latest fantastic band. The song that is getting our asses up and out of our seats this week is the rousing "Boom Boom Boom." This tune can be found on their latest release Talk About Body on IAMSOUND. Visit MEN at their website http://blog.menmakemusic.com/.